At Sea with Plan C

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Wed 3 Feb 2016 03:15
1800 Position: 22 45.2 N 109 55.0
Course: West Speed 3 knots
Wind: light and variable
Sea: slight Swell: west 1 meter
Weather: mostly sunny, warm

This morning I visited the Port Captain to see whether he was going to allow me to leave Mexico today. I arrived to find that the crew of a French yacht, “Ad Hoc”, was also applying to leave. As far as I could tell the weather conditions had not changed significantly from last Friday, excepting the winds over the next few days are stronger then they were over the past three days. Nonetheless, we were allowed to depart, perhaps the Port Captain had sated his need for power, holding me up over the long weekend, but with the pressure of a second boat wanting to leave at the same time, perhaps felt that he was pushing his luck. (Then again, the seas out here are a bit of a washing machine at the moment, so perhaps he has some local knowledge that I am unaware of.)

One thing that has arisen as a result of my slightly extended stay in Mexico is that I did some research on what was required for getting RC back into Australia and found out some bad news. I had thought that when we returned to Australia RC would have to go into an extended period of quarantine, having visited countries with rabies, but it turns out that it is more complicated than that. He can only re-enter Australia 180 days after having a rabies antibody (RNAT) test completed, and then only through a category one, two or three country (Mexico is not one of them). Furthermore, it seems that there are very few countries that are able to do the RNAT test. Having discussed the problem with family and friends the consensus is that I should head for Hawaii. Hopefully here I will be able to get the blood test done (the test can only be done in Kansas). So we are heading west.
Right now the winds are very light. I think we are in the wind shadow of Cabo San Lucas, so I am motoring for a bit hoping that we will soon find some clear air.

All is well.