21 February 2017 | Santa Barbara
13 September 2016 | Miles = 1215 Miles on Cruise = 805
12 September 2016 | Miles = 1190
11 September 2016 | Miles = 1170
06 September 2016 | Miles = 1100
04 September 2016 | Miles = 1077
01 September 2016 | Miles = 1062
31 August 2016 | Miles = 1040
28 August 2016 | Miles = 961
24 August 2016 | Miles = 883
22 August 2016 | Miles = 883
15 August 2016 | Miles = 721
Santa Barbara to Ft Lauderdale
24 January 2012 | Miles: 258 ++
Stephen
At last Eos is on the east coast!! The process was tedious and at times stressful, but the final result was good.
After the HR Resolution left Ensenada, it stopped in Manzanillo to load more boats, transited the canal on New Year's Eve, and then went to Cartegena, Columbia. A number of boats, including Eos, were off loaded so that cargo in the number one and number two holds could be unloaded, then the boats had to be reloaded and secured. The process took a week longer than expected, but finally the ship left South America early on 1/9, arriving in Port Everglades the evening of 1/12. As expected, DEA/Customs went through every boat on the ship. I arrived in Ft Lauderdale 1/11.
Eos was off loaded 1/13, and started right up with no problem. We have been very fortunate to meet Bob and Ulla Gates, the aunt and uncle of Santa Barbara Yacht Club friends Susan and Jon Jorgenson. The Gates have a home in Ft Lauderdale with a dock out back, and they graciously offered it as a place to leave Eos. The Gates' prior captain, Randy Ives, and I, got the boat secured and I started on an intensive multiday effort to clean things up.
Returning to Santa Barbara on 1/18, Lynel and I have been focused on getting ready to leave the house for an extended time. We will leave the west coast on Saturday, 1/28, to begin a new adventure in an entirely new cruising area.
Ensenada
18 December 2011
Stephen
Eos was hauled for a bottom job at Baja Naval yard where we were very pleased with the work and the price. We chose to stay at the El Cid hotel rather than on the boat in the yard. This gave us several days to see Ensenada, a much more typical Mexican town than Tijuana. I had to post the above picture of "Super Viagra Man" since I doubt he is as well known in the U.S.
Once back in the water we took a slip at the Cruiseport Marina and waited while Yacht Path International continualy changed the transport schedule. After it became clear that we would not load when originally scheduled, we chose to return to Santa Barbara. We then drove back to Ensenada to load the boat...again a reminder that Tijauna is best avoided.
Eos loaded on the HR Resolution, a dry bulk carrier, on 12/18, and we returned to Santa Barbara.
Christmas in Santa Cruz with Kathy (daughter) and family was very special. Tyler is 6 and Juliette is 9 months. I uploaded pictures in the gallery.
We carefully followed the progress of the HR Resolution on line to time our trip to Florida.
Ensenada Part Two
02 December 2011
Stephen
The connection at the boat yard crashed, so the second part of our journey through clearance continues:
We next needed a Temporary Import Permit for the boat (TIP). Fortunately this is done at the Banjercito we had visited earlier in the day. We fill out more papers about the boat and the equipment aboard, including serial numbers of the engine, the outboard, data on how many radars, etc. They need two copies of passports, federal registration, insurance and crew list. I have all this ready since I had made multiple copies in advance. Unfortunately, they also need two copies of the tourist visas we got earlier in the day. We are directed to a copy service outside the building, but they are gone for the day. The Banjercito clerk is not allowed to do copies, but he directs us to a pharmacy in town where we can get copies. So off we go again. On the way to the pharmacy we pass a tourist office where a kindly clerk makes the copies for us. Now back to the Banjercito where everything is in order and we get our TIP.
We have only one more step, the customs office, which also, very fortunately, is in the same building. We fill out forms about fruits, vegetables. money, and anything else we have brought into the country. The clerk then leaves her cubicle and comes out to the lobby where there is a full sized traffic signal mounted on a pedestel. She carefully raises the cover over a large button, and directs me to push the button. I do, and the green light comes on.
At last we are cleared into Mexico.
You had to be there.
Ensenada, Mexico
02 December 2011 | Miles: 256.2 Weather: Sunny
Stephen
We are "on the hard" in Ensenada. The weather is cool, occasionally foggy, but mostly sunny. The bottom work is progressing OK. but as always, boatyards are dirty places.
Two days ago we spent the entire day doing the ritual of clearance. This is a process that can only be appreciated by participatingin it, but in summary:
The first stop is immigration for tourist visas. Passports are checked, questionairres and forms filled out, boat papers are checked and 5 copies of the crew list are checked and stamped. A bill is generated, but must be paid at the Banjercito, the bank that handles federal funds.
We go to the Banjercito, which fortunately is in the same building. Papers are again checked, payment of $40 US is made, and we get a receipt.
Now back to immigration where they take the receipt, check all papers again, stamp things again, return 4 copies of the crew list and issue the visas.
Next we go to the port captains office to clear into Ensenada. The line takes at least half an hour since one of the two clerks is occupied making multiple phone calls on several different phones. Once we get to the head of the line we turn in all papers, which are stamped multiple times, and we get a bill for 306 pesos (about $25). However, we are told that the port captains office doesn't take payment, and instead we have to take the bill to the BanaMex bank since the port captain doesn't deal with the Banjercito. The clerk points to a hand drawn map that shows the nearest BanaMex is about 8 blocks away. So off to the bank.
We wander around downtown Ensenada for a while before finally getting directions from a kind lady who spoke some English.
In the lobby of the bank about 20 people are sitting in chairs watching a red number board. We discover that we needed to take a number at the door and wait our turn, so back to the number man. Taking our seat, it soon becomes clear that the red number board has broken down. The number man appears and puts everyone in a line, but fortunately our number is next.
At the window we try to pay the $25 bill, only to discover that they don't take dollars. I ask to please change dollars into pesos, but the teller says they don't do that. I offer a Visa card, but she says no plastic. Strange Bank. Working through some broken English, we discover that we must exit the bank, go to the ATM, and get pesos. Fortunately the ATM is just outside, and the teller says we can cut to the head of the line on our return. We get pesos, pay the bill and get a receipt.
Now the hike back to the port captains office where we get back in line, eventually get to the clerk who attaches the receipt to the papers and gives us clearance into Ensenada.
Next we need a Temporary Import Permit. I'll continue that story in the next post.
Long Beach Alamitos Bay Marina
25 November 2011 | Mile: 100.2 Sunny and 75 Degrees
Stephen
We are under way on the mission of getting Eos to the east coast. There will be challenges, but in a few weeks I hope we can happily say that the mission was accomplished.
We left Santa Barbara Tuesday morning, 11/22, at dawn. Beautiful clear skies, flat water, very little wind. It was a little sad looking back in the hills behind Santa Barbara with the shadows and colors of the rising sun. Soon we settled in for the trip to Marina Del Rey. It wasn't long before a large pod of dolphin began playing in the bow wave...a very good omen for our travels.
The Del Rey Yacht Club assigned us a reciprocal slip just below the club house, but fortunately nothing was happening that night.
We had a leisurely departure 11/23 for Long Beach and settled into a side tie on dock 12. Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and David and Robbie (brother and sister-in-law) had a large traditional gathering at their house. Mom was able to attend, Gary(other brother) was here from Tennessee, and asorted other relatives were there.
Today we did shopping, but only a little since "black Friday" is not our favorite day. Tomorrow we plan a cruise through LA harbor with many family aboard. With some effort we expect to get Mom aborad too.
Sunday we will make it to Mission Bay, then Monday to Ensenada. The boat will be hauled Tuesday, re-lauched a week later 12/6. The HHL Tokyo, a heavy lift cargo vessel, is due to arrive 12/9, but I tyhink it may be up to 10 days late. If so, we may return to Santa Barbara, then come back by car and bus for the loading.
Arrival in Ft. Lauderdale should be around Christmas, but hopefully maybe during the week between the holidays. We expect to depart south to the Keys in the early part of January, tentatively in the Bahamasmid February through March, then back to the ICW in early April to start north. Time will tell if this all works out.