We met Emmitt in Hatchett Bay, Eleuthera in Alice Town.  This is a very small community roughly halfway down the Eleuthera island.  Emmitt was a man of all trades.  He had the cruiser dinghy dock which brought everyone ashore at his home, restaurant, and store.  He also had washer and dryers and you could rent a car from him.  He was an entrepreneur taking care of cruisers who sought shelter in the protected Hatchett Bay anchorage.  Emmitt met you like he had know you forever.  One of our first visit to shore he sat down with us and we shared stories about life and travels.  He loves the island of Eleuthera and told us everywhere to visit and what to see.  He was excited to share this island he loved with us.  Then he shared his music.  We actually had heard Emmitt in another cruiser video, but meeting him made this experience with his music mean even more.  This stop was our first experience of seeing how the small communities without tourist traffic lived.  The importance of the "mail boat" that brings all the goods to the community for survival and how as cruisers we needed to be mindful of what we took from the local stores.   Emmitt provided us with our first conch of the Bahamas.  This was definitely one of our top experiences in the Bahamas and especially Eleuthera.  

My absolutely favorite stop in the Bahamas was Black Point in the Exumas.    The water is stunningly beautiful along the Exumas which makes the anchorages just spectacular.   This little community found a special place in our hearts.  We had been told before we got here to try Momma's bread and all I can is that I have not tasted anything like it before or since.  It is special.  The coconut bread has grated coconut that Momma grates herself.  The first time we saw her she was sitting on her porch grating coconut for her bread.  Black Point is a gem that is worth the trip no matter how you get to this isolated island.

When we bought our first loaves of bread, Momma welcomed us into her home and showed us her kitchen where the magic of her bread happens.  She was so proud and enjoyed sharing her home and how she makes her bread with us and I am sure with many other cruisers who pass through Black Point.  I miss her and the bread and the people of Black Point.  Don't pass this special place.

Mr. Pinder who I do not have a picture of deserves an honorable mention.  During our time in Spanish Wells we saw a lot of the Pinder name.  I shared more about the name and how the island was inhabited in the video below.  The Pinders create a lot of stories and mystic around Spanish Wells.  We wondered into Mr. Pinder's hardware store and somehow he lured us into his back office to talk about his life, travels, and how he was creating a map of Spanish Wells and who owned all the houses.  He loves the island and the people.  I wish I had his picture and had recorded all his stories.  So if in Spanish Wells go to the hardware store and see if Mr. Pinder is there or even still alive and sit hear a story or two.

We knew the weekend of our anniversary was bringing some good weather, so plans were in the works to make the trip across toward Cozumel to El Cielo.  Thankfully, Dee did engine checks several days in advance because we quickly found out we had some port engine issues and the raw water pump was the culprit.  On Friday, he made the run on his motorcycle up to Cancun to pick up a new pump.  Again, thankful we found a pump, so quickly in Mexico.  He was back and and had the pump in by the end of the day and we were ready to head out early Saturday morning.

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After a swim around the boat because who could resist this beautiful water, we dropped Shelby and headed first to the isolated beach.  It was beautiful to walk along a beach that is on the leeward side without Sargassum to ruin the beaches and create that foul smell.  I am not sure which view is better the one toward the beach from the boat or the one from the beach toward Journey.  The beach was pristine and the waters a stunning blue.    While on the beach we began to see boats coming in closer to the beach along the sandbars.  People were standing in the water having a beer,  so we headed over that way to hang out and swim around with some rays and fish attracted to the boats coming into the area.  

 Now it was time to snorkel which is one of the main reasons we are here.  So out toward the reef we head catching a glimpse of a turtle swimming by.  The water is so clear you can see the Bottom in 20 to 40 feet.  It was beautiful snorkeling in this crystal clear blue water and seeing some bigger fish and a few we had never seen before.  There really are no words to describe just how beautiful this place is.  Very special and one I will not forget, but I certainly hope to make a return trip.  

Dee flew his drone named Chicken Hawk so we could share this magical place.  We have some great video footage, so don't miss out on the video when I finally get it published.  Yes, I need a GoPro.  Mine died at the Dry Tortugas.  This is the best we can do for this trip.  Finally, we have to say goodbye to this very special place.  but we have plans for the next time when we hope to spend the night and find the starfish!  And we have now learned where the starfish are! For now, ​Good Bye Cozumel and El Cielo until next time.

The video below has a sneak peek of El Cielo and the marina where Journey is located.  Time to plan a visit to Mexico!

Dee and I are so fortunate to have a marina spot here in Puerto Aventuras which is the most protected spot for tropical storms and hurricane on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.  We are confident there will not be a hurricane, but of course by the time anyone watches the video Hurricane season will be over and we will know for sure.  This community is perfect spot where Journey is safe when we fly back and forth to the states and a spot where we can explore the rest of the country from and still have a great tropical setting.  Let me start by sharing some information about this great community.

https://caribbeanclub.pro/puerto-aventuras-en.html
Puerto Aventuras is a small town on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, which is located 15 km from Playa del Carmen and 80 km from the Cancun International Airport.   Puerto Aventuras can be divided into two parts. The first part is located far from the sea, where the local population mainly lives. The village has all the infrastructure: schools, kindergartens, a supermarket, small private stores, a market to name a few
.The second part is a private residence on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, which is the most unique and popular place for both recreation and living along the entire coast of the Riviera Maya. The uniqueness of this place consists in the natural landscape and developed infrastructure. If you look at the map, you will notice that most of the village is natural water channels and lagoons. Thanks to this, the creators of Puerto Aventuras have made a kind of paradise for life and relaxation.
Puerto Aventuras has several large marinas for boats and yachts, a dolphinarium, golf course, tennis courts, a large number of bars, coffee shops and restaurants, stores, hotels, private condominiums, and houses. There is a supermarket 250 meters from the exit of the residence, where you can buy everything you need.
The village of Puerto Aventuras is very popular between native residents, almost 50% of the population are Mexicans. The rest of the residents are citizens of the USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, and other European and Latin American countries.
https://friendsofpa.org/who-we-are/history/
In the early 1980s, a small area of jungle was cleared and a staff housing unit built across the highway from Puerto Aventuras, a new resort community in the Riviera Maya. The clearing quickly grew into a small village or poblado with little more than an elementary school, some stores, and a church. By 1995, 2,000 employees and their families were living in the poblado that had many needs, among them education.  This grew into the birth of Friends of Pa who provide educational need for adults and children in the poblado.  So much more can be found about this community online as it continues to grow and have needs.  Today the population is around 23,000 with most living in the poblano across the highway.
After returning from our trip from Ek Balam we wanted to return the favor to Tony and Annette by taking them out on a trip aboard Journey.  It was a beautiful day but the seas were rolling just a little.  We went to a local spot called Arrecife INAH.  We were soon surrounded by other chartered boats, but we enjoyed swimming with the fish and rays on the little reef and Tony and Dee had an encounter with a sea turtle. He was curious and actually bit Tony’s snorkel mask.   On the way back we scored a Mahi Mahi or Dorado as the locals call this fish.
We felt is was a joint effort to reel this one in with the winds picking up and the seas working against us.  Even the pelican thought he should be part of enjoying the bounty and he did.  Dee and I took our portion to Lattitudes it was awesome!
Easter Morning arrives and Dee and I walk out onto the rocks to watch the sunrise over the water.  It was beautiful easter morning.  We are thankful for all God has given us and allowed us to experience over the last few years.  We enjoyed Easter Dinner with Tony and Annette and the beautiful view from their condo.
We woke one morning to the smoothest seas we had seen in awhile and decided to explore in Shelby.  We headed North toward Paamul.  Reefs are located all along the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and Paamul is only a 3 miles run for us.  Paamul has a deserted bay called Yan-Ten bay which we found a few charter boats using this day as well since the waters were calm.  The water was so clear and calm we could see the bottom.  We checked out several spots that we return to often.  On the way back, Dee caught a small bonita that we gave back to the sea.
As we returned to the marina, I spotted a starfish who visits the area around Journey often.  The water does have to be still and clear to spot him most times and our first spotted ray drive by.  Almost every day we see a large stingray visit the marina,  as the day came to a close Sea Hag from North Carolina arrived to a spot just in front of us.  Fishing was on their mind as the dorado are running!
While sitting on the deck of Journey we met a man and his family Tizman.  He asked about our boat and we let his family take some pictures on board.  He later brought his mom back who made us some authentic Kibbeh which is a Lebanese dish and his son and I enjoyed getting to know each other better.
Although, we bought the Moto about a month ago, she is finally street legal.  After Dee made 4 trips to Playa Del Carmen and I went twice we finally have success in registering the bike and getting a plato.  WE named the bike Metallika and we are now ready for some adventures. To thank Tony and Annette for all the help and tris to Playa, we went to the restaurant at Paamul.  A beautiful spot but we forgot pictures even of the meal - Well until we were done.  We shared a large grouper.
The next smooth morning, we decided to explore south of Puerto Aventuras on Shelby.  We weren’t sure looking at maps and the reef until we saw a catamaran head in the south end of Xpu-Ha at a spot called playa Zuri.  A deep channel in between the rocks and the reef.  We enjoyed snorkeling here and seeing some different underwater views but not quite as beautiful as Paamul underwater but beautiful above.
We end the month of April spotting our first Osprey on the sailboat behind us.  We are having a blast with so much more to come…..

God continues to amaze us with the wonderful people he places on our journey.  We are always excited when he opens a door to meet people.  Back in February 2019, we found Port of the Islands Marina.  It is a gem that we love and have been back to again.  The people are part of the draw for us.  We just love it here.  Sometimes God has an even bigger plan in mind when he brings people together.  Not long after we arrived, Dan and Karen returned back into their slip across the dock from us.  We had been told that we would love them.  When their boat backed in with Story on the back we were immediate intrigued.  The first thing Dan said to us was, "We can't wait to hear your story."  The name of their boat had several meanings for them, but one is they love to hear people's stories.  

As we got to know each other better and hang out, they invited us on a dinghy cruise through the mangroves close to the marina.  As we drifted along sharing stories, we learned about Dan's separation from his children.  This is a deep sadness that he carries, but was willing to share the pain of the divorce from his first marriage and the loss of connection to his children.  He prays that God will reconnect them all one day.  After this Dan asked about our stories.  Dee felt lead  to share details about his recent wounds.  He shared about learning that his father was not his father at the age of 51 and the pain that has caused him.  Learning that others knew but no one trusted him with this knowledge.  We discussed how this was his story and not just his Mom and Dad's to keep from him.  It did feel easy sharing details with what some would assume are still strangers to us.  God was working.  

I can't remember exactly but several days or maybe just the next, Karen knocked on our boat and was crying. She said she needed to speak to Dee.  I started to leave but she told me to stay.  She shared with Dee that she had been feeling God calling her to share a truth with her middle child, a son.  She had separated from her husband and had a relationship with someone else which resulted in a child.  Her and her husband put their marriage back together at the time and he raised the child as his.  She shared that people knew the truth and she was worried about someone telling him.  He was also soon to marry and she felt she needed to tell him before the wedding.  

Dee was able to help her understand how important it would be to tell him his story, but that it might take time for him to receive and work through it all.  Karen was able to help Dee see where his Mom was in not sharing and attempting to protect him.  It was a very healing conversation for them both.

Dee kept up with Karen until she was able to share the truth with her son.  Although it took some time for her son to work through some of this new information, just as Dee it was something he had felt.  Neither was totally shocked by this information.  Karen and her son have a strong relationship today.  Praise God!

Dee was never able to connect with his father even though we found him about 15 miles from where he grew up and lived his life.  His family did not have an open heart and he passed away in 2020.  We know there is a reason God did not allow this although it is hard to understand, but Dee feels blessed to have been able to help Karen through this difficult journey, and that God let him see inside his Mom just a little.  

Dan and Karen will always have a special place in our hearts.  

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We set out with new friends, Annette and Tony, who are 20 year residents of Mexico and head across the Yucatan Peninsula from Tulum into the state of Yucatan.  The roads were in great shape and we were able to experience passing through so many little villages to our first stop in Valladolid, which was the first capital of the Yucatan State.  Today the capital is Merida.  Valladolid is a beautiful city just like most large older cities in Mexico which is built out from the city center square with a large catholic church and government offices surrounding the square.  We stopped for breakfast at a little hotel in the city square know as El Meson del Marques.  We ate in a courtyard just off the street.  Excellent!  We enjoyed authentic Mexican breakfast.  Yes, I wish I knew what we ordered, and I wish the hotel had a menu online so I could look up the dishes again, but they do not so I can only tell you that is was fabulous and I would recommend not just the restaurant, but the quant little hotel.  I would love to go back and spend a night or two and explore this old Mexican City.

After breakfast it was time to work off all that great food, so we head to the Ek Balam archeological ruins.  This remote archeological site is about 27 km from Valladolid and 127 km from Playa de Carmen which is only 15 mins from Puerto Aventuras where we are located.  As you drive into this remote area you are first greeted by local vendors and their beautiful Mayan wares.  The only modern portion you will see is the building you purchase tickets in which houses some history on the area.  A short walk through the jungle and the ruins quickly open up and stand before you.  Ek which means Black or Bright Star and Balam which means Jaguar comes together to mean Jaguar Star or Black Jaguar (depends on the website).  Many stories from the mayan history surround how Ek Balam got its name but none have been proven through the archeological discoveries.  I found more information about Ek Balam on the Chichen Itza website.
What archeologists have discovered about Ek Balam begins sometime around the year 300 BC, until the arrival of the Spaniards. It was the capital of the Tah empire, and this settlement covered about 12 square km, which included a sacred central space that I will refer to as the temple.  This sacred area is little more than 1 square km where the elite were believed to have made their homes.  Ek Balam is a Mayan City that really developed during the Late / Terminal Classic Period (600-850 / 900 AD) and the seat of the kingdom of "Tlalol". The first known king of Ek´Balam is Ukit Kan Le´t Tok (the father of the four flint fronts) who was the builder of the palace or temple known as Acropolis.  This settlement influenced both technical and cultural advances during their time, as well as architectural and decorative designs, the best example of which is the section located inside the Acropolis and known as Sak Xok Nahh (white house of reading), which served as a tomb for Ukit Kan Le´t Tok, who was buried with a rich offering made up of more than 7,000 pieces such as ceramic vessels, shell objects, snail and tumbaga (South American gold which has portions of copper and silver).

Before arriving at the Acropolis you walk through the area where Pok-Ta-Pok was played.  The information about this game came from the website Culture Trip .  The best warriors were chosen to participate on one of the teams. In the game, they wore headdresses and paint, leather skirts made from sacred animals or loincloths, and protectors on the hips to cushion the impact of the rubber ball made from rubber trees.  The hip protectors also helped to increase the speed of the rebound.

Before the game, they prayed to Hunahpú, a Mayan god, sacrifices were made after losing a game usually human sacrifices of the losers. The players had to kick the ball with their hips, elbows, knees, and forearms and not let it drop, as that indicated a ‘bad sign,' and once the ball passed through the rings on the walls, the game was over.

The reasons for the ritual vary. On one hand, they used to do it to maintain the order of the cosmos and the fertility of the lands (triumph of life) in times of shortage (evils of man). On the other hand, it was considered a substitute for war. It also served to get a response from the gods: one team represented a “yes” and the other a “no," the answer depended on who won the game. When the Spanish colonized Mexico, the game was still going on, but without a religious meaning: instead of human sacrifice, the winner got slaves along with gold, jade, etc.
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The game wasn’t believed to be distinctive of a particular native group.  Recently, a court was found in Mexico City, in an Aztec temple, underneath a 1950s hotel. The game is still practiced in Central and North America, but just as a cultural activity and “pok-ta-pok is what football [soccer] is today.” Nowadays, there’s a modern version called Ulama, practiced in Sinaloa, a Mexican State.

Finally, as you pass through the area where Pok-Ta-Pok was played you begin to see the rise of the ancient temple ruins of Ek Balam know as the Acropolis.  This temple housed homes, ritual areas, etc.   The picture above of the reading room shows some of the intricate work found all around this temple.

Speaking of cenotes, After climbing the temple ruins and exploring the grounds around the ruins, we were hot and tired and ready for a cool swim in the cenote also located on the Ek Balam grounds.

The Cenote Xcan ché is located in the middle of the jungle with easy access from the archaeological site.  It has a depth of 40 meters.  We had a blast!  Check out the videos!

The water is so cool and refreshing and I could see a day spent here picnicking, swimming, and relaxing by the cenote.  It was hard to leave, but the day must come to an end and we have that two plus hour drive back to Puerto Aventuras.  We so appreciate that Annette and Tony took the time to share some of Mexico with us that we might not have found to explore.  We can’t wait until our next Mexican Adventure!

.I wanted to start sharing some of the great people we meet along this journey that God has blessed us to experience.  Part of God's blessing is meeting great people.  There are so many, but sometimes they have special stories, or you know God put them in your path.  The first person who comes to mind from our journey is Lawrence.  If you read this and have any information about him, please share because we think about him often and wonder how he is and where he is.   This was one person I failed to get contact information on, so we could not stay connected. 

We first saw Lawrence in Black Point when he cruised in on his  29ft sailboat, Mini SS.  If you don't know where Black Point is well you are missing Momma's bread.  That is another story.  Black Point is a small community just south of Staniel Cay in the Exuma chain of the islands in the Bahamas.  This community relies heavily on cruisers to support it small population.  When we saw Lawrence he did have his daughter and a friend on board.  

We saw Lawrence who was anchored nearby, but we were never on shore together.  We didn't get to know him and hear his story until we anchored by each other in Georgetown, Exumas in the anchorage known as Red Shanks.  We rode out some pretty severe winds for 4 days and then after coming back from doing laundry  in town.  Lawrence was onboard and we drove by to stay hi and introduce ourselves.  He quickly invited us onboard to visit and drink a cold beer.  So we took him up on it and learned an incredible story.
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Lawrence told us that he had been spending winters in the Bahamas for many years.  This is an annual trip for him.  He was from Canada and a retired school teacher.  His wife use to come with him, but she has since decided not to make the trip south any longer.  He was 81 and drives from Canada to Florida where he stores his sailboat and puts her in the water and heads across to the Bahamas.  Wow!  I am already impressed and the story continues.  Lawrence has had several strokes one of which happened where were were anchored in Georgetown.  Several years ago while anchored, he woke during the night and knew he was having a stroke because one side of his body was partial paralyzed and numb.  It was dark so he had to wait until the sun came up and got his in his dinghy and made the 2 mile trip into town.  The clinic did all they could and knew he needed to be moved to Nassau for further treatment. The nurse from the clinic in Georgetown came out to the boat while he got items he needed and then stayed with him until he was on the flight to Nassau for further care.  He was eventually released after treatmen and returned to the boat and continued his trip which included sailing her back to Florida.  

You can tell when you talk to him that he slurs some of his words, but he does remarkably well with speech and caring for himself onboard.  Single-handing a sailboat is no small feat and then to have had multiple strokes.  But he has a passion for the water and is no novice to sailing his boat.  I still worry about him sometimes and wish I had gotten more information and knew where he was today.  That is why I asked at the beginning.  If you know him please comment below about him.  He is one of those great stories.  He reminds that we can overcome and endure so many things in life.  Keep doing the things you love!  Fair winds and Following Seas, Lawrence.

After hearing his story it was even harder to watch all the work he did on his own just so he could continue to do what he loved:  Sail his sailboat through the Bahamas.  Here is the video where we first shared Lawrence at the 9:29 minute mark.  

We arrive in Mexico the morning of March 20, 2022, a Sunday morning.  We are excited to finally be in Mexico at the Isla Mujeres Marina.  But We can not leave the resort until we check in on Tuesday morning.  But we could peek at the fuel prices that price is pesos per liter so about 4.50 a gallon and 4.80 for diesel.  At least it is a little cheaper than the states.  Obviously on Sunday all government offices are closed by Monday is a holiday - it is Benito Juarez birthday.  He was the 26th president and the first of indigenous origin.

While waiting to checkin,  We were visited by a French Canadian couple from the anchorage that Dee chatted with on the Isla Mujeres Cruiser Net Facebook page. - They provided us with some information about the island and traveling in and out of Mexico.  Such a wealth of information and we appreciated their willingness to be of so much help.  This cruising community definitely has each others backs here.

As soon as we cleared all the check in process and finally customs we headed out of the resort and got our first look around the island.  We saw the stunning views on the Caribbean Sea side and found a bay side restaurant Restaurant El comejen to have a taco and a margarita!  My back is still causing a lot of pain, but I wanted to see Capilla de Guadalupe - the church on the water or cliffs.  So we headed out to see the church and the stunning views from behind the church.  We were unable to visit inside at this time.  We walked the streets and found a little brewery.  They can not serve inside yet, but you can purchase and the bottle opening is outside the door!  We chose Tesora Pirata which was a vanilla porter.  (We were able to sample).  We stepped into a very small restaurant called Taqueria AA that had 3 tables.  It was authentic food and the best hot sauce!

Tuesday morning as we prepare to check in a sailboat arrived to the slip beside us from Guatemala.  They had been sailing for days and were tired but they joined us to get checked in and then to sleep.  Over the next few days we loved getting to know Vera, Jerome and Bruno who had been sailing for a couple years and left from their home the Netherlands.  They had some sailing friends around and although they graciously invited us out - we offered to keep Bruno so they could have a night out without him because apparently he does not like to be left alone.  We loved our Bruno time!

Friday morning March 25th arrives and the winds tell us it is time to go.  Although the north winds were coming right at us in the slip which made it hard to get out but once we were out the rest of the ride was fine.  We cruised out through the anchorage and toward Cancun and then down the coast.  Dee scored a Cero Mackerel just before Playa De Carmen began to come into view and the ferry which we thankfully avoided and the other ferries are safely on the dock as we passed.

Next stop, We cruise through the inlet and into our spot in Puerto Aventuras which we were super excited about, and to end the day Dee’s fresh Cero Mackerel with Bill and Angie at Latitudes.Now for some rest on the beach and reacquaint ourselves with Puerto Aventuras.

My sister is getting married once we made it to Isla Mujeres, I decided to buy a plane ticket home to see the wedding, family, and our granddaughter Lilia.  I would be home for 4 days, but Dee would stay behind with journey since we have just arrived and try to learn more about the area.  I also hope to get to a chiropractor about my back.  So off with Bill and Angie I do to the airport.  Hannah and Lilia picks me up and I spend a night with them before heading to my Mom and Dads for the wedding where I will be keeping Harley.  So I get some Jesse time as well.  She is off for a bachelorette weekend for a friend but I will snuggle with Harley.   I see a chiropractor twice and although painful, big improvements begin to happen Wedding day is here and it was simple beautiful ceremony which my Dad performed.  Some more Lilia time, Airport Night mare with cancelled flights but I finally make Cancun after 12 hours of airport fun!

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

Why Mexico?  Why Not?  Research for this trip began on Noonsite which gave Dee a lot of good basic information about Mexico and arriving by water.  One of the links there mention the Isla Mujeres Cruisers Net Facebook page.  This ended up being a good connection to a wealth of information.  We also connected with several people who had experience with the crossing and familiar with weather and preferred routes.  These connections also lead to meeting SaltShaker 
While planning the route Dee learned about how the Gulf Stream and the Yucatan current play major roles in planning.  They are really one in the same as the Yucatan current comes up the coast of Belize and Mexico up into the Gulf then makes hard righthand ¾ turn back down toward Cuba then becomes a little disorganized as it turns under the Dry Tortugas.  It then becomes the Gulf Stream and become a lot stronger and organized as it travels the Keys and up the east coast.  This means that during the crossing, we will cross the current twice even if we were leaving from Texas.  The current also changes intensity and location, so Dee suggest an App where to see currents.  Dee used various ones Windy, Predict Wind and his favorite Ventusky. 
Where to leave from Key West or Dry Tortugas.  Leaving from Key West would make the trip a little bit shorter but since the best place to cross the Gulf Stream is near Dry Tortugas, we chose this route for several reasons.  We have been trying for awhile to get there, it shortens our trip by at least 50 NM and we could go there during the day, spend the night and time our departure from there to arrive in Isla Mujeres in the morning hours.  Dee would over estimate the Gulf Stream and under estimate the Yucatan Current’s  strength.  They balanced each other out.   Our route  took a somewhat direct route to the tip of Cuba.  We had considered more of a southern route to Cuba then follow the coast of Cuba but our winds favored this route although we did make minor adjustments while in route.
Leaving Dry Tortugas we ended up with SE wind until tip of Cuba then a temporary SW wind that made it a little rough but it clocked as predicted to more easterly, and we turned to a more west and direct route, for the last 90 NM.  We had planned on going more south after rounding Cuba to ride with the current if weather/winds dictated but they didn’t.  More planning details and information can be found on our blog post about planning and the crossing at  http://solmatesjourney.weebly.com/solmatesblog/mexico-bound  or visit solmatesjourney.com.
We leave Key West early on the morning of St. Patricks Day, 2022 with Salt Shaker to head out to the Dry Tortugas as our first leg to Mexico.  Two legs to reach Mexico and a third to reach our final destination the marina in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico.  The stunning blue water as we near the Dry Tortugas is the prettiest by far we have seen in the US.  The sea turtles were an added bonus.  I love catching a glimpse of the sea turtles when we travel.
By late afternoon we see our first glimpse of sand dunes and soon to follow Fort Jefferson.  We have made it to the Dry Tortugas.  According the website drytortugas.com, The Dry Tortugas was Discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513, the Dry Tortugas were named after the large population of sea turtles living in the island’s surrounding waters. “Tortugas” means turtles in Spanish, and Ponce de Leon himself caught over 100 sea turtles during his time on the island. The name “Dry” Tortugas was later given to the island to indicate to other mariners that the land mass lacked fresh water, which was an extremely important detail for seafarers to know.  The area is known for its treacherous reefs, and in 1825 a lighthouse was built on Garden Key to warn ships and guide them toward safety. At the time shipwrecks were common, and with underwater wrecks dating back to the 1600s, the Dry Tortugas currently possess one of the richest concentrations of shipwrecks in North America. It is also because of these large reefs surrounding the Tortugas that the U.S. was able to establish one of the most strategic harbors in U.S. history, and Fort Jefferson was born. Construction of the fort began in 1846, and although it was never officially finished, it remains a historic icon of the Dry Tortugas and receives thousands of visitors yearly.
We made into our anchorage before the sea plane landed to get their last load of passengers and Salt Shaker finally make it around Fort Jefferson to anchor by us.  We watched tons of Frigates circle the fort.  The most we have ever seen together until we make it to Mexico.  It will become nothing special soon.  While The sunset over Fort Jefferson was just beautiful
We woke early and in time for the first sea plane landing.  Exciting to watch them come in and beach the planes.  Now it was time to go snorkeling over off Loggerhead key.  We had a great morning snorkeling but on the way back the waves had picked up and we caught a rough wave and the way I was sitting in Shelby, I pulled something in my back.  At the time we weren’t sure what happened just that I was immense pain.  We finally got back to Journey and Dee got meds in me and rubbed down my back and found material to make a makeshift brace.  After about an hour, I said let’s go.  We didn’t know if it was the right choice but  we made the decision and prepared to leave by 3pm.
The sea plane made their mid day pick up after a yacht anchored in the no anchor area and just would not move. The sea plane pilots are obviously very good at their job.
Salt Shaker pulled anchor before us but chose a different path out of the Dry Tortugas which would actually put them several miles behind us.  We kept up with them until into the night when we lost them on our screen.  It is go time for Mexico!

March 2022

For the first two weeks of March we enjoy Bahia Honda State Park.  It was not exactly what we were planning but the weather just would not open up for us to begin the trip across to Mexico.  We enjoyed our friends and all the new friends we made.  Endeavours are all together so we explore some of what the park has to offer besides beautiful beaches.   These beautiful sand sculpture created by a volunteer.  Lot of Pelicans.  The manatees continue to come and eat the seagrass.  Which proved to be a lot and a constant battle in the basin. Seeing all the new arrivals of boats into the basin, this one was suspect.  Finally, the helicopters from military, USCG, and the workers on the power lines.  Wish I had that video.  But the weather is the main culprit keeping us here.  Yes that is rain coming and coming hard.  Watched quite of few boaters caught out in that one.
Dinghy exploring was another great adventure we had just around the park shores, Horseshoe Beach on the other side of the bridge, One of our favorites was a magnificent sunset dinghy ride with Scott and Mary from Salt Wife.
For us if it is not the sunsets then Meeting so many friends both new and old is one of our favorite things to get to do while cruising.  Endeavour cocktails and dinner aboard each boat.  Meeting friends on other boats like Moira and Brad Roberts with dog Koda and Mark and Shawnett on board Now or Never and of course all the friends we made learning to blow Conchs  at sunset at the top of the old bridge with the park ranger.  Many thanks to Chris and Sue Oehler from Paradise for the great Conch pictures and sunset pictures from the bridge.  Because some of the best reasons to be at Bahia Honda State Park is watching the sun go down over the water.
The end of our two weeks is coming and the weather finally looks promising.  Salt Wife is off first headed to the Bahamas.  We soon follow headed down to Key West for some final prep before heading out to the Dry Tortugas.  We arrive in a familiar spot, Key West and the cruise ships are back!  The first night we are in Key West we anchor North of the mooring field off Dredgers Key for easy shore access for some final prep  The next evening we move to other side of Wisteria Island for a quick departure on St. Patrick’s Day!  We are going to Mexico!