The day finally came for us to enter our slip at Marina de La Paz. We had been in close communication with the Owner Neil who gave us specific instructions as to wear our slip was and when to come in. We needed to come in at slack tide. This is a short period of time before the tides change direction. This particular day it would be about 130 or 2 o’clock in the afternoon. We had a relaxing morning and took off around 11 to head in. We followed the navigations and entered the channel. In my broken Spanish I called the Port Capitan and asked for permission. He was a jolly soul who laughed a little at my spelling of our name but welcomed us in.
Approaching Marina de La Paz we radioed them with a 10 minute eta. The guard will be waiting on the dock for us. We had been assigned to one of the sections of side tie running along a concreate sea wall. The channel is forty feet wide. With the sea wall running on the starboard side and twelve to 14 foot wide boats lining the port side and us being 10 foot there isn’t a lot of wiggle room. We were just praying that we had judged the tide right and that the wind wouldn’t pick up at that moment and cause some kind of drama.
We slowly crept in. As we passed the first couple of boats we spotted our friend Fred’s back pack which gave us an instant sense of relief. Then the guard and Rob gave us a wave and Fred turned around with a big grin on his face. He doesn’t know how much we respect him and how much confidence he instills in us. We began to relax a little knowing they were there to help. Like magic people started coming on to the dock to great us. We pulled into our slip like pros. Then the guard helped us spin our boat with lines. When we finally stepped off of Hiraya and onto the dock Fred gave us a huge smile and we went out for tacos to celebrate. We also got to meet up with Andy and Kathryn too.
Every time we get nervous or second guess our selves Fred is there to brighten our day. He is the first to say “but you just sailed down the coast of California and Pacific Mexico.” “you are here!” The reminders are surreal. It still all seems like a dream.
It is Saturday so we had been informed ahead of time that the office would be closed and we would officially check in on Monday. The guard gave us a shower key and boy was that just heaven. Marina de La Paz has it’s own de salination plant which is part of that sea wall we are next to. But because of that tight place we have unlimited water for showers, drinking, laundry. We still use some water saving measures but knowing I could have a tiny bit of pressure to rinse the layer of salt off was magical. And… I could make the temperature perfect. Aaaand…I had my own personal locking stall.
We will be staying here for 4 weeks total. Our first week we will be spending visiting with our friends Doug and Sharron. They will be showing up either tonight or tomorrow. We also planned on getting a section of our exhaust fixed. But most exciting is McKenzie is coming to visit. At the last minute she decided that Cory would come too. So we will get to see two of our three children!
We begin to meet our dock neighbors one by one or really all at once! Sherry and Steve on Pablo are pertinently berthed diagonally from us. Don and Laura are just getting in for the season and are on a Tartan as well which is really neat. They are just a few boats behind us on the side tie. Kendra on Jersey Girl has been down there for years. Sabastian had helped us dock. Geni and Cornel from Canada. And a number of other people. Over the next couple of weeks this list will grow longer.
Doug and Sharron called to say they will come by in the mid morning and we will go to brunch. One of the best things about being out here is meeting new people but we do miss home. Steve and Sherry take us for a walk down the Malecon. We return to Hiraya to shower and sleep. We are exhausted and sleep like babies.