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Isla Mujares, Mexico:
Our passage to Isla Mujares went well, just not as fast as we had hoped. By 05:00 we were only 30 odd miles away when we found the 2-knot current wanting to return us to Cuba. So, we did not get into Isla Mujares until 2:30pm, it was just crazy, we were so close and yet so far to go. The current increased our mileage by 34 or so miles, whereas the actual distance is 110 nm. we did 144nm.
We saved our checking in for the next day and just as well we did as it took from 9:30 till 3:00pm – about half an hour more than last time, luckily I took my kindle with me. Mexico must hold the world record for buerocratic BS. The amount of paperwork is quite astounding, 5 copies of everything, all stamped. First we had to visit the hospital a taxi ride away. Then walk to the paper store to get 5 copies of all the documents, back to the hospital, then back to the port captain’s, more paperwork, off to the bank to pay 1st fee, back to port captain, see the health person, this official that official, off to the bank again, on and on.
This year the agriculture lady decided that Chico might have parasites, (he wasn’t there and his papers were all in order), so she called a vet. He made a certificate stating Chico was healthy and clear of parasites; with out even seeing him, we paid 300 pesoes. The Mexican system is without a doubt the craziest we have ever encountered. And you just have to sit, smile and tolerate the BS.
In the year since we had left Isla Mujares had a few changes, no longer was the port captain’s dock available to cruisers for anything but checking in and out. So most folks were using the beach or one of the bars. We used the beach and also a very nice bar called “Skulls Landing”. It’s new and the staff are helpful and friendly. We enjoyed several times we enjoyed a drink while using their wifi or met friends and had an evening drink.
We met and made new friends, Ginny and Stefan being the main ones. With them we travelled to Cancun one day to get odds and ends. As normal the weather was great, we caught the ferry across and the taxi to the Plaza Los Americana’s where we also had lunch. We checked another mall for the out door sandals I wanted and finished up at a few marine shops before returning on the ferry. It sure was a contrast to just a week prior in Cuba.
John and I mainly stocked up on what was needed aboard and within 3 trips we were pretty much ready to leave.
John was also kept busy helping different folks on different boats. He saved a boat that was dragging down the anchorage into others, he gave dingy rides to folks and their dog Spike whose dingy engine had failed and leant money to same couple who had also lost their cards; found a woman who for some reason unknown jumped off her boat at 10:00pm and disappeared, her husband put out a call for help and he managed to recover a catamaran that had dragged onto mud flats in the lagoon. John was everyones hero!
We enjoyed a couple of cruiser pizza nights at one of the marinas. Plus a few walk around Isla Mujares, but soon it was time to move on.
El Cid Marina and Resort:
Our next stop was a marina El Cid at Puerto Morelos about 30 miles southwards down the coast. Our main purpose for the marina was to get caught up with all our online business and to get the boat well cleaned up. Both of which we accomplished.
El Cid was a huge surprise; we knew it was a resort/marina, but not any of the details. The resort was quite amazing to me having never seen any place like it.
Well its quite the place! On the beach, with all sorts of water facilities, a huge dolphinarium, many large pools all with different themes and entertainment, several jacuzzis, outdoor massage areas, gym and spa, many different bar areas with entertainment, about 6 restaurants with all different types of foods, just absolutely everything and we had the use of the facilities.
However we didn’t have the eating options that the resort folks had, but could go to the buffet breakfasts, lunches and dinners for a nominal fee. It was fun just to walk around looking at the place and people watching; well we did do a few breakfasts but that was about all.
Around the marina resort property were mangroves ponds and small wildlife sanctuary areas. I enjoyed spotting several different quite rare birds, on several days a Anhinga, a Cuban bird, was resting and drying its wings,
a Tri Coloured Heron was visiting one pond one early morning
and in another under a small bridge were a few resident Mexican saltwater crocodiles, which I was able to photograph.
Chico had an unusual relationship with the birds at the marina, more so one particular bird. When he first went ashore – dockside about 10 or so birds of various types, Gackles, kiscadee and mocking birds came and started shrieking at him. Basically telling him to leave. They would bomb dive him and try to scare him back to the boat. He quite nonchalently walked the docks, chattered back and tried staring them down. Over the days most of the birds gave up, possibly they could see he was just not able to be of any harm.
One particular mocking bird never gave up, every time Chico was out of the boat, even in the cockpit the bird scolded him, saying, “tchach! tchach!” Then he would dive bomb Chico, going closer and closer seemingly just to tease Chico. This made Chico quite frustrated and angry, he swished his tail, squatted down chattering back at the bird. The dockworker, George said it was like the cartoon Tom and Jerry except being a cat and a bird not a mouse; everyone was well entertained watching the pair.
Puerto Morelos:
Close to the marina was the little town of Puerto Morelos. We walked the mile and a half there twice to look around and to get what we needed aboard. It is a really small, quiet town.
Off we went towards Belize, making a few stops along the way. We did an overnight sail to:
Bahia del Espiritu Santo
This is a large shallow bay about 80 miles south of Puerto Morelos. We entered and followed the waypoints that we had from friends and Captain Freya’s book towards Owen Island. It took about 2 hours to follow the plotted route to the anchorage, this bay is just HUGE. Once we were behind Owen Island we dropped anchor and appreciated the quiet, solitude of the bay. John went to nap after being up most of the night and I started to tidy up from the previous night. Low and behold 1st a small motorboat came into the bay and dropped a man and a ton of gear off on the beach. The boat left and the man appeared to be scouting the area while trying to ward off the bugs attacking him. Then a while later around the corner appeared about a dozen double kayaks with a few adults but mainly young teens aboard. Gone was our solitude, but we gained entertainment watching them set up a camp of tents, some of which had no tent poles, on a beach that was teeming with horseflies and mosquitoes. Anyway they appeared to be having a good time despite the discomforts.
We dingied around the area, walked a few beaches and were annoyed and bitten by the horse flies too.
The following day we moved out into the outer bay where we dropped the anchor in sand behind the reef. There we had a good breeze and fewer bugs. We spent the afternoon snorkeling and it was just wonderful! The reef was quite lovely with plenty of fish. Unfortunately there were quite large areas of stag horn coral that had died. This was in the shallows so I’m guessing global warming is to blame.
Cayo Norte, Chinchorro Bank
Was our next stop. We had a great 35-mile sail from Bahia del Espiritu Santo to Cayo Norte, on the Chinchorro Bank. The Chinchorro Bank is one of the four true atolls in our hemisphere. It is a kidney shaped platform reef that is about 9 miles wide at the widest area and 26 miles long. On it are several cays, Cayo Norte being the northern one. The Mexican government declared the Chinchorro Bank a Biosphere Reserve in 1996 in order to try to save this unique atoll’s natural and unique habitants.
The area is absolutely amazing. The water crystal clear, the cay beautiful and underwater is wonderful.
When we arrived we looked for the buoys that were supposed to be there for sailboats to use, but there were none. So we anchored in the grassy sandy area off of Cayo Norte. It was later in the day so we just had a swim and relaxed. The next morning we went ashore and met the Mexican marines that are stationed there. They were friendly fellows who allowed us to walk around the cay as long as I didn’t photograph them or their quarters.
The cay is very pretty. The marines filled out the required paperwork and came out to the boat for us to sign the documents while they videoed us signing, why? We haven’t a clue, maybe Mexican National Safety? Anyway they were very nice fellows who loved Chico and thought he was a puma.
The afternoon we spent snorkeling the reefs. We dingied to the northern edge and on the way across we saw a large nurse shark just basking on the sandy bottom.
The reefs were exquisite, amazingly alive with fish and corals of all types. We saw 2 more nurse sharks, areas of healthy stag horn coral, schools of all different fish. It was just the perfect area to snorkel.
The next day we enjoyed the morning and set off for another over night to Belize.
I want to see more of it. Travel. Discover. Wander and wonder. And let life itself be my great adventure. – Oprah Winfrey
