Collision regs or highway code?
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Fantasia is hauled out before being driven through San Carlos on her way to Marina Seca.
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17th December
We made an early start, weighing anchor at 0320 to make the 78 mile crossing to San Carlos, Sonora on the mainland. Although tempted to stay longer in Santa Rosalia, we decided to make the most of the settled weather to make the crossing. We had to be in San Carlos in time for our haul out date, based on the tide being high enough for our draught and couldn't afford to be delayed by bad weather. We had quite a straightforward crossing but with the swell on our beam it was pretty rolly. As usual the wind was unhelpful and after an excellent start it moved around to our stern leaving me on gibe watch while we rocked and rolled along. On our watch change I was glad to get back to bed to catch up on a bit of sleep only to be woken by cups crashing around in their cupboard - a sign that Stuart had made himself a cup of coffee, with all cups present and correct they are a tight fit!
I was disappointed to be off watch when the first and only sighting of a shark during the whole trip was made. We made good progress, sailing most of the way and arriving in the beautiful and very sheltered harbour at San Carlos by late afternoon.
It was with a tinge of sadness though when we let the anchor down once more, for this would be journey's end for us. Our trip north from La Paz has brought us back up to latitude 27 degrees and the temperatures are much cooler, we are busy putting our summer clothes into deep storage and digging out our jeans and fleeces. We have to prepare Fantasia to be hauled out and stored ashore until we can come out again next autumn. Sails, sheets and halyards need to be removed and stored, the engine serviced, watermaker pickled, the list of preparations in readiness to store a boat for 9 months, where temperatures would be in excess of 120 degrees, is seemingly endless. We will be busy for the next couple of weeks but with Christmas in just a few days we hope to enjoy ourselves as well and are already filling our diary with exciting Christmas events starting with the San Carlos Yacht Club Christmas dinner tomorrow night!
February 7th 2009 post script
We soon became attached to San Carlos, again making wonderful friends. We spent many hours at Baracuda Bob's using their wifi to make contact with the outside world and attend to important Commodore yachting e-mails. The owner, Jan, yet another commodore welcomed us to the San Carlos Yacht Club where we were introduced as (lapsed) members of the Hardway Yacht Club, a tiny sailing club high up in Portsmouth harbour whose members - allegedly - sail around the world 'the hard way'! Well it did sound impressive! We took part in the San Carlos parade of lights, third in the procession of boats around the bay on Christmas Eve. Susan and Wayne from DAYDREAM came along with us on Fantasia and shared their homemade pumkin pie as we motored slowly around the bay in the pitch dark hoping that the lead boat would remember we drew 6 feet as we wound our way through the rocks. After the parade we were invited back to DAYDREAM where Stuart was plied with rum and sadly has no further recollections of the evening!
Christmas day was another warm sunny day and we began it as we had in Mission Bay a year ago with steak and eggs sitting up on Fantasia's beautiful deck. We had decided to go to the Yacht Club for lunch which was wonderful and again we were amongst fantastic new friends. We spend Christmas evening on Daydream and this time Stuart stayed away from the rum and so we both have wonderful memories of the evening as we talked to Susan and Wayne about their plans for their forthcoming voyage to the South Pacific. As I write this 'catch up' log in February back in freezing Gosport we have just heard that DAYDREAM has left San Carlos and is on her way to Puerto Vallerta vis La Paz, we are so envious but will make our own plans for fantasia's next voyage!
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c u @ boat show
Ray
