We Left Abreojos on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn (0600). Our next destination was to be Bahia Tortuga, or as the gringos call it "Turtle Bay". Turtle Bay was to be a 100 NM leg. We had to stop at Turtle Bay to replenish Si Bon's fuel supply. Our hope was to be in Turtle Bay sometime around midday Sunday. Normally I would figure that we could make a 100 mile leg in under 20 hours however going against waves, wind and current I am figuring that we are making about 80-100 NM per 24 hour period. We made good time as we motor sailed (main sail up engine running) up the isolated coast and we arrived in Turtle Bay at about 0900.
The last time I was in Turtle Bay, over two years ago, Carnival was here, at the time I wasn't very impressed with the town, which one cruiser book calls "coyote ugly". I thought maybe without carnival the town would have more small town Mexico charm.....not. It's actually hard to believe that it would be any worse than the last time...but it is. The dusty town at the end of a 135 mile dirt road is accurately described as "coyote ugly". Not only is the town "coyote ugly" but so are it's residents. Yesterday I asked a couple of young boys where the store was and they started leading me along, when I told them I could find it myself they asked for money and when I refused they laughed and mumbled insults in spanish. The people in the stores and restaurants don't smile, don't really respond to you and they act like they just wish you'd go away. The unfriendly waitress here at the El Moroco Restaurant just knocked my hat off of the chair while serving me breakfast, she then accidentally (I think) kicked it across the room and never said sorry or even offer to pick it up...what a bitch. If you ask anyone in Bahia Tortuga where the store is or where you can leave your dinghy, they expect that you will give them some money.
So, we'll be leaving Bahia Tortuga tonight at around 2300 (11:00 PM) and making the 275 mile leg to Ensenada. For anyone thinking about cruising in Mexico, I would recommend that you think about buying a boat with a big enough fuel tank allowing you to bypass Bahia Tortuga on your way south.