After much research, testing and contemplation our near-term action plan is now clear; order everything we need to continue with this year's cruising plan and travel back to Seattle to collect it, bringing it all back as checked luggage. It'll be a quick trip. The one outstanding question is how to get everything into Mexico without having to pay duty on it (we will have already paid taxes in the US). Jerry has consulted several local experts, including the Puerto Juarez CIS office, and cruiser online forums, each giving a different answer. Today we're on the hunt for the real scoop.

We take the 8:30a ferry to Puerto Juarez then taxi to the Cancun airport (US$ 60!!). After a few inquires (everything in Spanish), we're directed to the Aduana (Customs) main airport office and walk the several blocks to the back of the airport complex. There Jerry explains what he wants. After a bit of back & forth the official tells us the person who can help us will arrive to work at 10am yet it's best if we come back at 11am. It's a quarter to 10am so we walk around trying to find another terminal to get something cold to drink and hang out. We end up finding an office of some sort with a large air-conditioned lobby. That'll do. At 11am we make our way back to learn that they cannot preauthorize electronic or other boat items coming into the country, even though we have TIP along with a list of the items including serial numbers we're taking back to the US and receipts for replacement items we'll bring back. Items to be repaired, which have the same serial number, should not be an issue as long as the going-out list has official stamps, which they will also not do. They direct us to the Puerto Juarez office. Perviously that office told Jerry the airport Aduana office needed to deal with this potential import / duty issue so we've got two offices pointing at each other, neither of which will provide anything official.

Back to the terminal we started at where we'd seen the air-conditioned bus that travels between the airport and the bus terminal in central Cancun, the gentleman who directed us to the airport office tells Jerry to check the downtown Cancun Banjercito office and gives him the name of the street on which it's located. Good to have a third official opinion so that's our next stop. The bus is comfortable and for 128 pesos for the two of us, much less expensive than a taxi. The journey takes a bit longer however that's not an issue; we figured it would be an all-day quest. After arriving at the downtown bus terminal Jerry tells a taxi driver where we want to go and is told, that's just a few blocks in "that direction". Off we go on foot. We end up finding it via a circuitous route. Jerry explains again what he needs. That official explains this office is a regular bank office, we need to go the the Puerto Juarez office, they are the only ones with the necessary computer software.

I've been a bit confused, the Puerto Juarez CIS station that issues the TIP is the Banjercito, which is the name of a bank, the regular customs offices are Aduana, literally custom-house. For whatever reason issuance of the TIP and related items is done by one branch of the bank here. Makes one wonders how that came about.

In any case back to Puerto Juarez CIS via taxi. There Jerry gets a more complete explanation: When we enter Mexico with the TIP boat items / equipment we either pay duty or they are taken by the airport Aduana office; if taken, we are issued a receipt. We need to take that receipt and all documentation to the Puerto Juarez office who will issue official paperwork authorizing the release. We then return to the airport with that paperwork and the items will be released to us. So extra trips to Puerto Juarez and to the airport.

That's the story, we'll see what happens...