Hola From Here

[pokerrick1]

Hola - - - we have been living in San Felipe, BC, Mexico for a little over a month now, but, believe it or not, I don't have my Mac in it's slip yet. I have the slip but haven't launched. A Marina requirement here is a liability only insurance policy - - it doesn't name the Marina as a benefactor or anything, they just want proof of liability insurance. Well, there is only one Marina in NE Baja (Here) and there are only two other boats in the marina (14 slips total - - all brand new, fully equipped, floating concrete docks built by Fonatur), so there is very little need for such insurance and no one down here underwrites it. Besides, I need comprehensive coverage also anyway. Soooo - - it's been a big deal to try to get someone to underwrite the policy I want down here, but I think I just found a company and I should have that policy the first week of August - - - and then I can put "THE NUTS" in it's slip. You also MUST fly a Mexican flag to be slipped in the marina (OK - I'll fly Mex & US, no prob). Right now the boat sits on it's trailor beside the house (but I did clean it up).

It is MUCHO CALIENTE here - - 106 in the shade here today but no humidity - yesterday same temp with high humidity and I thought I would die. I am at the pool with WiFi because I cannot get an Internet Connection at home without a phone line and I don't have a landline (and don't want one).

I have learned that I am actually going to have to learn to really sail here - - - there are WINDS at times - - - not like Marina Del Rey (around 10 MPH all the time all day). Also the tides here can be quite trecherous and I will have to learn to traverse them as well (as soon as I learn to read a tide chart).
I can't wait to get my Mac wet, cause there are certainly limitless possibilities for travel and exploration here. I think the Mainland is only about 90 miles away (Puerto Cetos - Rocky Point??) and there are many Islands around here.

Low tide beaching will be a cinch (as soon as I learn how to read a tide chart). See ya. Have fun in Catalina - - - those of you MDRers that are going. More soon.

Rick

[Love MACs]

Glad u made it OK Rick. There was a thread started by people wondering how you were doing down there. Hope you get ure insurance worked out. Sounds as if you could be in some tricky waters, but I bet it is just beautiful there!


Allan

[NiceAft]

Rick, you're alive

So who supplies the insurance for the two boats that are, in the marina?

Remember to send photo's.


Ray

[tangentair]

Tides - is that hot on the left and cold on the right? Winds don't flow up hill - right? Glad to hear that you are settling in like a good gringo. I am headed off for a week of solitude and then back to the grind. I will start looking for your articles in cruising and sail magazines.

[Hardcrab]

Great to hear from you.
Let us know how things work out.
If you need something shipped to you, or whatever, just let me know.

You lucky dog.

[pokerrick1]

Rick, you're alive

So who supplies the insurance for the two boats that are, in the marina?

Remember to send photo's.

Ray

Hi Ray - - yes I live. The other two boats that are here both cam up from La Paz and have different base for insurance. i will post some photos down the road - - - this IS a great spot to travel around!

Rick

!	kmclemore:
	fixed quotebox

[pokerrick1]

Thanks Kevin (AKA post padding - -- right Scott & Dennis?).

Rick

[Mar de CaL]

Hola I will be coming down next year ! Information on insurance would be great ! Would it allow you to go over to San Carlos ? Ciao

[pokerrick1]

Mar;

I sent you a PM with my phone number and email address.

Rick

[Chinook]

Hola Rick,

In case you haven't worked out the insurance thing yet, I wrestled with the same issue for awhile prior to our Sea of Cortez cruise. Lots of folks will sell liability only boat insurance, but most companies I checked wouldn't extend general accident coverage, for such things as theft, collision or loss of boat to Mexican waters more than a few miles below the border. I finally located coverage with Progressive that didn't exclude Mexican waters. They've been great to work with, and the premium was only a little higher than my previous policy through Safeco. I even submitted a claim with them, for road damage to a trailer fender. They were great in handling the repairs.

[pokerrick1]

I finally got my comprehensive coverage from Progressive, also.

Rick

[Tahoe Jack]

Did I see a recent post indicating you were back in the Vegas area Pokerrick? Been watching blogs from folks moving to Baja and if you moved back, can you share your reasons? Jack

[pokerrick1]

Hi Jack (Hijack get it?);

We tried Jack, we had a nice house with a lot of ammenteties (sic) near us, but when push comes to shove, Mexico is a third world country and we missed many food items, for instance, that we could not obtain there. There were three BIG reasons for leaving and relocating to Las Vegas:

1) My wife encountered on our patio 3 rattlesnakes and the largest Tarantula I have ever seen (I've never even seen a picture of one this big - - - 6 inches long and 3 inches high - - - very scarry thing even if they don'y usually bite).

2) The peso went from 10 pesos to the dollar to 13.5, and stayed there for the first time in decades, - - - therefore, all the things I had to pay with USD became 33% ore expensive (house rent, slip rent (The Mexicans want USD), water for the cistern). That cistern was another third world bone of contention with my wife - - - it was only 3 years old but already disgusting.I didn't go to Mexico to pay American prices, so part of the benefit of living well there cheaply was gone.

3) However, the largest reason for leaving concerned the boat, which was a main reason we chose San Filipe and the Sea of Cortez. First of all, in the summer for four months it is too hot to sail with very little wind, except for a small two hour window after maybe 5PM. I'm a guy who wants to get out on the water 200+ times a year. Worse than that (and a fact of which I was NOT aware), when fall comes the winds pick up to maybe 30 MPH two times a week. That would be OK except the Harbor which has an open Seawall was very poorly planned and water just rushes into the harbor and crashes against the reacreational docks with amazing force. After the FIRST winds, we had to pull the bat because it suffered damage, a breach (verticle crack) in the hull and the shorepower plug connection was completey PULLED OUT from the boat! You can see pictures, Jack, of the harbor and Marina in the thread "Back to the US" in the events and venues section. Since it appeared that this harbor was not adequate to protect my Mac, we pulled it and then decided to return to the USA.

Like they say, great place to visit, but - - - -

Feel free to PM me if you want more info, Jack.

Rick

[Tahoe Jack]

Hey Rick ....thanks for the update, sorry to learn of your problems. Do appreciate being able to learn more about issues down that way. I will respond on your other thread re Tahoe. Jack

[Hamin' X]

Maybe my brain is failing, I am not seeing the exchange rate as a problem. My logic goes like this:

Exchange = 10 Pesos/US$; Item costing 13 Pesos = $1.30 US
Exchange = 13 Pesos/US$; Item costing 13 Pesos = $1 US

Seems like the exchange rate is more favorable now? Help.

~Rich