April 1, 2014

The voyage begins

It is just finally time to go.   Lots of things are not done, but it is time.  So, off we go.  A final chat with the fishing boat next door yields a wonderful, exotic looking fishing lure, guaranteed to catch all the fish we want.   Interestingly, they have no concept of where we are going.   Even though they are out into the ocean fishing on a regular basis, they do not have any idea that there are islands way out there and eventually another side to the ocean.  We have actually encountered this lack of geography a number of times among the locals.

Early afternoon we cast off and head down the channel of Paradise Village Marina for the last time.   Against all protocol, I get on the radio and broadcast to the fleet at large, “This is Rhapsody, heading out for the South Pacific.   See you in 5 years”   As a result, there are cheers and waves all the way down the channel and out the breakwater. 

It is a short ride across the bay to La Cruz where we will spend the night.   We need to fill up with fuel, diesel for the engine and gas for the generator, buy fresh produce and buy some rope at Todo Vela.  At the last minute before we left the marina, Alan discovered that the topping lift on the main sail was ready to break.  So we launch the dingy and spend a last afternoon in La Cruz.  I had planned on getting a block of ice for the ice box.  La Cruz is the only place that I have discovered that has block ice but when we stop at the little store, all she has is cubes.  We got a bag, but it won’t last very long.  We have the last cold beer with dinner and get to bed early.  Someone had said that it was a good idea to start night watch shifts a couple of days before you actually head out, to get your body used to the routine but we opted for a last long sleep instead.  A better idea, as it turned out.

Next morning we replace the frayed line, take care of some other last minute stuff and we are ready to go.  Alan and I gather at the bow to say good-bye to Mexico and ask the blessings of any and all gods and spirits on our voyage.  So many projects not completed and so much of Mexico not visited.  If all goes well, we will be back here is 5 years to take another stab at cruising Mexico.  We raise the anchor and at 12:35 we are off.  It is a glorious day.  Bright sun, a few clouds, good wind. We pass rays and dolphins as we head across Banderas Bay.  The sail plan is to head west until we pass the Socorros Islands and then turn south.  Weather guru Mike said to go north of the islands at this point, so that is the course we set.   Alan takes a nap once we get going, in preparation for the first watch.  We have decided on a watch schedule of 4 on and 4 off, starting after dinner, I sleep from 8-midnight and then relieve Alan so he can sleep for 4 hours while I drive, and so on all night and all day for the next 4-6 weeks.

This is our first night to check in with the radio nets as a “vessel underway”  The first check in is our own informal group of about 20 boats leaving from Banderas Bay for the Marquesas We know almost all of them.  As each one checks in we  log their position so we can see how they are and what kind of weather they are having.  The second radio net is a ham radio group called Pacific Seafarers.  They have people all around the Pacific.  Once you are signed up with them, they track your progress and post it to their website for anyone to check.  They are also a great resource in an emergence since they are on the air 24 hours.  I also have my Spot which should post the position to my Facebook page and Alan sends our position to Audrey and Chris via sat phone internet once a day.  So we feel really well connected.

The wind drops about sunset, just as we are passing the Marianas islands.  Luckily it is also just as Alan is coming on watch, so he starts the engine and I go to bed 
Thus endeth the first day