One foot on the beach part 1
08 February 2022 | Marina Chiapas, Mexico
Torben & Judy Bentsen | Hot
17 diesel jugs
After some nice days waiting for good weather, we said our goodbyes to Gary and aimed for Mexico. The winds came and went, but a consistent current of 1 – 2 knots against us was there for most of the 77 hour trip and had us motoring for a long time at higher than usual RPM’s to make up. We did add some fuel from the jerry can’s we are carrying, but not quite enough! Just inside the sea wall of Puerto Chiapas with ocean swells and tidal current we ran out of fuel, just about 700 feet from the rocks! Sails up, gybe back out into the ocean and finding the emergency 6 gal jug was a bit of a scramble, but all went well.
In Costa Rica we had to use an agent for clearing in and out of the country to the tune of $ 500 as they require that due to Covid. Here in Mexico, different story. We did get inspected by the Navy complete with the drug sniffing dog on arrival, then spent 7 hours yesterday with Memo, the marina manager, driving around to customs, immigration at the airport and finally the port captain’s office! One finger typing and 3 boats being checked in was slow going, but we got it done.
We got greeted at the docks on arrival by the crew of Boundless, Colin and Julian (former coworker at Passage) and have been spending some time with them and other cruisers for the last few days – funny to be back in Mexico. There is a very different vibe than what we found on the East Coast, less formal, more friendly and helpful. (except Solomon Island I should add!) We borrowed 9 jugs to go to the gas station and get a total of 17 five gallon filled. Mexico style they managed to get 423 liters into the jugs – only when I got back to the boat did I realize that it is 8 gallons more than the cans will hold! Oh well, a little calibration of the pump meter might be in the future?
The next challenge is the Tehuantepec crossing, notorious for plenty of wind. It has been blowing with gale conditions for days and the forecast for the next 8 days is not looking like it will calm down much.
So, we will try the ‘one foot on the beach approach’, leaving here tomorrow and – instead of going straight across – follow the beach all the way around staying close in. It looks like it will minimize the stronger winds and certainly the waves that would build with 30+ knots of breeze blowing in the open ocean. If the forecast we are reading is right we will only be exposed to 20 -25 knots for about 8 hours and be within a mile of the beach to avoid big seas. Stay tuned for ‘A foot on the beach part 2’ to follow in a few days.