Crossing to Mexico

We Didn’t leave Dry Tortugas until 3:30pm to arrive in the morning hours in Mexico. Little rough leaving but 2 hrs in a SE wind quartered our stern and first night was peaceful with a mostly full moon. Maybe the Gulf Stream helped settle the seas some for us.  The first night crossing was a smooth ride… from sunset to sunrise.
Day 2 was more of the same only a little better.   We cruised through the calm waters about 25 miles off the coast of Cuba which probably helped some with the wind and wave block coming out of the east.  We saw hundreds of Portuguese Man of War.  It felt like some migration we were traveling through.  
According the National Geographic site, Portuguese Man of War comprises four separate polyps. It gets its name from the uppermost polyp, a gas-filled bladder, which sits above the water and somewhat resembles an old warship at full sail. Man-of-wars are also known as bluebottles for the purple-blue color of the uppermost polyp.  The tentacles are the man-of-war's second organism. These long, thin tendrils can extend 165 feet in length below the surface, although 30 feet is more the average. They are covered in venom-filled nematocysts used to paralyze and kill fish and other small creatures. For humans, a man-of-war sting is excruciatingly painful, but rarely deadly.  Man-of-wars are found, sometimes in groups of 1,000 or more, floating in warm waters.  They have no independent means of propulsion and either drift on the currents or catch the wind with their uppermost polyp. To avoid threats on the surface, they can deflate their air bags and can briefly submerge.
Very interesting sea creatures who are actually sailing like a sailboat through the water but obviously not ones you want to tangle with (literally speaking).
Just as we passed the tip of Cuba near San Antonio SW wind rolled up the seas for a couple hours giving us a bronco ride in 6 footers.  Just before dark we made a more westerly turn and as predicted the winds started laying down and the seas more following and we were thankful for this better ride as the sunset on our last night.  My back is still very sore and some movements cause a lot more pain than others, but I have almost completed the crossing, although it was not as I expected with the injury.  Night was again all we could ask for and moon gave us some visibility. Around 3am we hit the Yucatán current and slowed to 4-5kts at times then periods of 6kts. Up till now we had been averaging 7 to 8kts. This slow travel would stay with us till arriving. 
Morning sunrise and big swells but well spaced and following.  We enjoy the beautiful sunrise and nice waters but anxiously waiting for our first site of land.  15nm out we get our first glimpses of land after 40 plus hours.   The coastline begins to rise out of the waters and we get our first real glimpse of Isla mujeres.  As we round the north end of the island of Isla Mujeres, we get our first real look at the island and the resorts alongs the shoreline.  Next we pass through the anchorage…
We arrive in Isla at 11 am our time - 10 am in Mexico at the Marina of Isla Mujeres where we are allowed to use the resort facilities while we wait for the check in process to begin.  I realized that throwing lines was not what my back ordered, but I would have to dock in PA one more time and throw lines before putting this back injury behind me.  I enjoyed soaking in the pool at the resort in Isla Mujeres and although the wait to check in was a little long.  Because we arrived on a Sunday and second, Monday was a holiday - Benito Juarez Birthday.  Benito Juarez was the 26th President of Mexico and the first of indigenous origin.  
Hola Mexico!  WE made it!
For information about planning and preparing for our Mexico crossing - check out our blog post.  or visit solmatesjourney.com