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Hola Amigos.

  I have been pondering my situation and have come to more than a few revelations all though I don’t plan to write a book about them any time soon, but will share a couple with you now.

  The first is this pandemic that seems to get in the way of all most anything you might want to do, unless of course your like me and planning another solo non-stop circumnavigation of the globe set to begin October 2027.   NOW! How Is that for looking down the road a ways?

  The second thing is it now appears that many people are trying to capitalize on this pandemic by dreaming up all kinds of ways to have you pay for testing at high prices. The latest is a covid test in Cabo San Lucas 600+dollars of course if you fail the test then one must quarantine in a local motel for 2-weeks then yet another test. It seems we have become the victims of the society we have built. Hmmmmm!! maybe I will write that book?

  OK! So there is lots of time before sailing off over the horizon and I must find something to challenge me and the mighty Sailors Run, so I entered a race here in Barra De Navidad and it”s for a very good cause. We are attempting to get donations for the schools here to buy supply’s badly needed as times are very hard for the local people down here with tourism way down.

  If you would like to help out, and any amount will be greatly appreciated , you can pay pal a donation to Linda at <lmbelloruiz@gmail.com>.

When sending a donation please also send a note of that donation to deniselepchuck@gmail.com with your name and email address and the boat name Sailors Run so we all get credit for your generous act. The race is being held on 2/26/21 thanks to all of you out there and stay “safe and sane”.

                                  Your Amigos , Jeff & Debbie

Hola Amigos.

    First let me say the chain plates were successfully replaced in Puerto Vallarta with some help of our friend Dan Orlando and his connections for a fabricator that did excellent work at a fair price. Then of course, the fresh water pump failed but that is why I must be out here to fix all this “crap”!

    I truly don’t mind it as life wit out challenges would be far too boring. Some people wonder why their health fails, yet they never bother to challenge their bodies and the body becomes bored and gives up. I possibly will never be able to die as my repair list continues to grow and challenge my “being”.

   Mexico is still the same, great food, friendly people, reasonable prices and the best weather if you like 80+ degrees and sun most everyday. Here people are living life and appear little affected by the fear of covid- 19. What has changed is there is very little foreign tourism and the local small businesses are having a tough go of it.

  One palapa-a small open restaurant on the beach that I commonly frequent had two employees that decided to take up with the “Cartel” to make their way forward in life. The end result for those two guys was that one was shot to death and the other decapitated and this all occurred within less than a year of joining the “Cartel”. You can only hope that it paid well.

  I plan to enjoy Mexico until late April before joining Debbie in New Mexico. Debbie is doing fine back their with family and grand kids.

     Just know I miss all my friends and family and hope to see you somewhere soon.

                       “MERRY CHRISTMAS” or as they say here in Mexico “FELIZ NAVIDAD”       Love your Amigo Jefe’

            Yes! After a great summer back home in Albuquerque with Debbie, once again I find myself up against all that it entails to go to sea.

  First let me say that over the summer I put in over 9,000 miles on several motorcycles having recently up grading to a 1300 Yamaha FJR.

This bike not only has over 3 times the horsepower of my last bike at 145hp, but can obtain speeds in excess of 150mph.

Now, let me be the first one to say I have not gone that fast,”Yet” but it is always nice to have lots of power. The idea is that next year Debbie will be on the back out to Sturgis and we plan to tow a trailer for camping.

  The flight back into Mazatlan was interesting as I was wearing my mask and social distancing and had my special form that stated I had no Covid-19. Well! They had no interest in the form and they never took my temperature at any of the three airports and the social distancing went out the window when jam packed onto an airplane with no vacant seats. Hmmmmm! Oh well, not to worry as they checked my temperature at Walmart in Mazatlan and I was just fine and actually got a “thumbs up”.

  It was Saturday the 24th of October when I arrived at the Marina and happen to meet up with the gentleman that was looking after my boat. I asked how the old Sailors Run was doing and he assured me very well. I dragged my luggage on down to the boat and was soon below decks. Actually things looked pretty good as there appeared to be little mold and things looked pretty much as I had left them.

  Everything had been pulled out of the back quarter berth to give access to the 8-wet-cell -golf cart batteries that require water every two months. Now, with all the things that I had brought back for this season like spare parts, a new dive compressor and depth sounder I was excited to get the boat back in operating order. I checked the batteries to be sure they were full and would be fine for the next two months “Oh Shit”, only the first two batteries had water in them and six of them were bone dry. It took 1.5 gallons of water to fill each of the other six batteries. The agonizing thing is this is the first time I have ever allowed anyone to have access to my boat in my absence and it was specifically to water the batteries. Six of those batteries down here would cost about 750-dollars.

  My only hope is that they will recover with lots of charging. The second thing that has me worried is my cell phone a cheap smart phone seems to no longer be on the boat. Other than that all seems well.

  It’s the first of November and I’m pretty excited as it is departure day from Mazatlan and I’m headed south toward La Cruz. I eat in the early hours and it is still dark outside at last there is sufficient light to get underway. I try to fire the diesel and it’s a no go as the batteries are to low. I discover my electrical cord that would dump 50-amps into my batteries has some bad prongs on the plug. I haven’t used the thing in 10 years and forgot the condition it was in.

  I go over to the Yacht Pacific Jade and borrow their cord for 10- minutes to get that diesel fired up and that goes great. “Thanks Pacific Jade”. I at last cast of the lines and back clear of the slip doing a bit of maneuvering to get headed out between the docks and all seems great until the autopilot decides to engage and locks up my steering, Holly Crap! I have to get this thing disengaged while the control jumps out of its stops and there is no way to free it up. I have an electric lineal drive alpha autopilot so I go what the “Hell” just turn it on and steer with the knob. I turn the knob and the wheel spins about 90-degrees and does not come back, then I spin the knob the other way and the wheel spins 180-degrees and doesn’t come back. It is apparent that this autopilot has gone on “walk about”. At last I shut it off and forcibly override the auto pilot all the time thinking the steering cables are sure to snap at any given moment.

 The exit out across the bar in Mazatlan can be tricky and the channel has a dog leg just before you go out, but I decide to risk it and soon power clear of the break water. Once out on the ocean I’m able to dig everything out of the locker that I must climb down into freeing and re attaching the engagement cable.

  Finally now after 36 hours of motor-sailing to Mantachin Bay, I find myself pretty much exhausted upon arrival in the bay and look very much forward to a long night’s sleep.

  Next morning we are off and soon a very stiff breeze starts to fill in from the east. I’m on a close reach and must reef the mizzen the main and roll the genoa about 50% of the way in as the wind is gusting thirty or more knots. This is pretty cool as we are doing about 7kts and on course. I was more than a little shocked when I heard a loud bang and got hit in the “ass” with the chain plate that held the upper and rear lower shroud on the Mizzen mast on the weather side. Fortunate for me the mizzen was reefed and the load was on the forward lower shroud. I dropped the mizzen sail down and used the halyard to replace the upper shroud to help stabilize the mast,”What Next”.

  I’m currently in La Cruz living the cruising lifestyle and I should have 4-new chain plates for the mizzen by this Saturday. Luckily they can make them here, yet its sad that this 450-dollars well spent will put a huge dent in the “Rum Supply”.

  Well!  just know I’m still out here having adventures and blowing money out the sides.

                                                      Love you all El Jefe’

Wow! the 2020 summer has been full of adventure for Debbie and I.

We have been riding our 2008 Suzuki all over New Mexico and like always I felt the need to do a long trip out to Washington State. This trip was special as my son Daniel and his girl friend Lena rode down to Albuquerque to hook up and ride back up to Washington state together.

This trip was fantastic but there was no Debbie onboard, and that started the wheels spinning in the Jefe’, and soon a new plan emerged. I decided once I was back home a bigger motorcycle was in order. I wanted a bike that would pull a small trailer and get Debbie and myself down the HWY. After just two days after getting home Debbie and I bought our next bike. A 2007 Yamaha FJR 1300 a sports touring bike. This bike has 145 hp. and can turn the quarter mile in 10.7 seconds at over 125 mph. The top speed is in excess of 150 mph. Now this bike is a total rocket ship that handles great in the corners and runs smooth down the HWY. Check out the photos below.

 First let me thank Russell and Lori for making Thanksgiving a special holiday for the Jefe’ with their great hospitality and friends at Casa Lori in La Cruz, Mexico. It was a great dinner and wonderful day “hanging out”.

  The Opequimar haul out went great and 3-gallons of Americote ABC-3 paint were applied to the old Sailors Run and she is moving sleek as an Otter through the water once again.

  It has been somewhat strange this season as several tragedies have been discovered upon arrival at my last three ports beginning with La cruz.

  It was in La Cruz that I first learned of the tragic loss of the Catamaran Mulahia with Kim and Dave aboard. The boat was lost on a reef at the atoll of Tikehau in the Tumotus. Once upon the reef there was no vessel large enough to get Maluhia off and she was soon a total loss in waves that continued to increase in size. Kim and Dave our dear friends of some twenty years thank God were rescued by a local family and taken off safely and are currently with their family in Florida.

  My next stop down the Mexican coast was at Perula anchorage in Chamela Bay. This the location of my medical emergency when two blood clots cut of the flow of blood to my lungs three years ago, and the miracle in Chamela that followed. Yani, the husband of Monica was one of those magical people that helped save my life and I was so saddened to learn of his passing over a year ago from a heart attack. His family, Wife Monica and two girls Sammy and Amy whom are 17 and 8 seem to be coping pretty well considering all they have been through. The little community they live in is one of my favorite stops along the coast and the view from Monica’s Palapa is just the best.

  My entrance in to Barra was not so great as with out a depth sounder and some how not having the channel way points in the GPS I managed to ground on the north side of the channel. You might imagine how I felt about this after just painting the bottom. Oh well in the end it was not so bad as the tide was rising and after thirty minutes I floated off and was soon anchor down in the lagoon just as the sun was setting. “They say if you haven’t been aground you just haven’t been around”.

  It was here in Barra that I learned of another tragic loss. Debbie and I are friends of Lorraina the owner of Abuelos restaurant and she has three lovely daughters. Her daughter Brenda one a mother with children had been shot and killed hear in Barra about a year and a half ago. It seems a senseless tragedy and the details are sketchy at this time and it is best just left at that.

  I share in the pain with all the losses of my friends and it just somehow brings me closer to the realization that “life is a gift and comes with no guarantees.”

  On a much happier note Debbie arrives down here on the 11th of January to spend over a month with me aboard the Sailors Run and believe me when I say she is always missed aboard the Sailors Run by me and many of our friends.

                                  Just trying to keep the keel off the bottom Your Amigo El Jefe’

   Hi Amigos.

  Just a quick up date on the Sailors Run, first let me say that I have an Article on Heavy Weather Sailing coming out in the December Issue of Sail Magazine and this might be an article that you all would enjoy very much, so if you get a chance snag a copy of that issue.

  My trip to La Cruz was somewhat trying as many systems needed attention and now that I have been on the hook for three weeks most of those have been addressed with lots of effort by the Jefe’.

  The one thing that is not going so well is the leaking 10-year old AB inflatable dinghy. I’m toying with the idea of injecting it with closed cell foam and get rid of the deflate-able feature that seems so annoying at this time. This could perhaps add another 6 pump-less years to its life. Any ideas on this would be appreciated?

  It seems getting chain re galvanized is getting tougher and more expensive all the time. My 300 feet of 5/16″ chain was pretty much rusting away in the center 100-feet. I have since disposed of the bad section and now have two-100 ft sections of chain, one that is stowed below amid ships and I have a 3/4″ Nylon road of approximately 400 feet spliced on to the chain and anchor. I feel okay about this as I know that there is little coral where I intend anchoring over the next 5-years, and you can always float the line with a buoy if need be to stay clear of such things.

  I plan to haul the boat and paint the bottom in early December and I have decided to go with the Comex ABC-3 anti fouling paint That crap is expensive so hope it “works”!

   Soon I hope to be able to sail and play for the rest of the winter.

                                                Chow Your Amigo El Jefe’

 

Total miles sailed on this passage=6317 nm.(in miles 7269.4)

Miles sailed last 2+days=241 nm.(in miles 277)

Day-46.

  24 hr.Run: 115 nm.  Pos. Lat. 22*57′ N. Long.108*45′ W.

Weather:Winds from several directions at 3-17 kts. W-N-S. Seas: 2-4 feet. Course 84*T Speed: 6 kts. Cabin Temp. at 7 am:71*. Bar: 1010 mb up 2-mb.

The Rest of the Story.

  Today I closed on Cabo San Lucas as evening fell and enjoyed the glow from all the lights that shine out upon the sea. I seen considerable marine traffic in the area and many of the vessels were not equipped with AIS. I even seen a large cargo ship with no AIS.

  The winds were light much of the day and I was forced to motor for 3-hrs during the night when becalmed. I dumped the 12-gallons of diesel into the tank that I had been carrying in the cockpit. I have plenty of fuel but wanted to take advantage of the calm conditions. I no more completed that project and the winds came out of the south at 17 kts and we were sailing fast once again.

  The temperature is a pleasant 76* as I write this and the boat is drying out nicely.

Looking very much forward to getting in & doing some walking for a change.

                                        Cheers, El Jefe’

Day-47+3.5 hrs.

  24hr Run +3.5 hrs: 126 nm. Weather; Light winds and very small seas. Course 88*T. Speed:4+kts.Bar.1010 mb. and steady. Cabin Temp at 7am=75*

Day 47+. The Last of the Story.

  The last Day+ involved about 15 hrs. of motoring in non existing winds. Now we had to have one last ship drama as after all I’m close and almost have it made.

 My alarm went off on the AIS and I stumbled about the cabin trying to wake up and see what was going on now,”My Last night” at sea. It really didn’t surprise me to much that there were two cruise ships Royal Princess and Carnival Splendor running along my same course line. It appeared that the 1,000 foot Royal Princess would go right over the top of me and the other one passing 1.5 nm on my port side. It was time to hail the ship as it was just 30 minutes away doing 18-kts. I asked the skipper if he seen me?  he asked me what my position was and I gave it and there was another pause, then he says I will be passing to port of you. Hmmmmm. Now this seemed strange as had happened once before as there was little room for that ship to go there with the Carnival Splendor already headed there. I say ok I will hold my course. Fifteen long minutes pass and I’m still getting collision warnings from The Royal Princess and the ship is still bearing down on me. Once again, I call and ask the skipper “DO YOU SEE ME” as it appears you are going over the top of me. He assures me he sees me and soon will be altering course and passing on my starboard side and for me to maintain my course and speed. I thanked him and it all went well and now I’m approaching the Marina and looking very much forward to splicing the main brace and getting a full nights sleep. “YAHOO”!!!!

  Originally I had estimated 50-days for this passage and we got here with a couple of days to spare, so feeling pretty good about that as I had my doubts about how well this voyage might turn out.

  Thank You all for riding along and I hope to get this out as I go into the Marina Mazatlan as once inside it becomes difficult to get out on my radio.

        Until Next Time Your Amigo EL Jefe’ and my ground support Debbie.

Miles sailed so far=6076 nm.(in miles 6992)

Miles sailed last three days 407 (468)

Day-43.

  24hr.Run: 166 nm. Pos.Lat.25*06′ N. Long. 114*03 W.

Weather: Wind:15 -18 kts N. Seas 6-10 feet N.Course=112*T.

Speed: 6.5 kts. Cabin Temp at 7 am=65*. Bar: 1008 mb.down 4 mb.

The Rest of the Story.

  Still dodging ships on the Baja Coast and having some fine sailing as well. We are approaching the area of light winds on the Baja Coast that is the area south of Bahia Santa Maria to Cabo.

I hold out hope that we might luck out and get to Cabo with out losing our wind. Next is crossing the Southern End of the Sea of Cortez. I’m hoping for some northerly flow down from the Sea of Cortez, of course only time will tell on that.

  Food continues to become more scarce aboard Sailors Run. I finished off the last of the potatoes at breakfast and there is but one onion left aboard. Yesterday I consumed my last diet coke and now I will be forced to drink healthier juices. I have two apples left and that is pretty good as I hope to have but 3 more days yet to go in this voyage. All of these great estimates are based on the fluky winds in the area at this time.

           Looking into my “crystal ball” for more wind in the area, El Jefe’.

Day-44.

  24hr.Run: 130 nm. Pos. Lat. 24*09’N. Long..113*09′ W.

Weather:Wind:10-15 kts.N. Seas:4-6 feet. Course=115* T

Speed:4.6 kts. Cabin Temp.=68* warming up nicely and bar:1008 mb. Steady.

The Rest of the Story.

  I’m closing with the baja Coast and now in the proximity of Bahia Santa Maria, the winds are dying down as is to be expected in this area. The other major change is that there are more boats that do not have AIS transmitters.   During the night I seen three vessels in my close proximity that were only visible on radar. The key thing here is do not rely on AIS for your total safety at sea. You must also consider that reefs and Islands do not emit an AIS position single nor do military vessels or pirates of the sea. Radar is as good as it gets for letting you be aware of hazards along your course line, and some times that is not enough if it is a small fishing vessel made of fiberglass displaying a light, You must look into the inky darkness of the night to avoid collision.

Here along the Baja Coast my awareness is at a heightened level all the time and I’m sure I will be exhausted upon arrival at Mazatlan, Mexico.

                        Keeping a “sharp eye peeled” El Jefe’

Day-45.

 24hr.Run: 111 nm. Pos. Lat.23*15’N Long.110*37′ W.

Weather:Wind 5-12 kts wind direction variable .Seas:2-3 ft.

Course124*T. Speed 4 kts.Cabin Temp at 7am=68*. Bar: 1008 mb. Steady.

The Rest of the Story:

  Temperatures are warming up and I enjoyed 75* today and had a rum drink out in the cockpit. I was just sitting there sailing along when suddenly I heard this strange rush of water sound and looked over the port rail to see a large Hump Back Whale coming from the opposite direction right next to the boat when it rolled on its side holding up one of those great white fins and it was bent over towards me like he was waving at me. I have to admit that got my adrenaline running and as I looked forward I seen a second whale coming straight at me when suddenly he blew and dove going Directly under sailors Run “Holy Crap”. It makes you wonder what you miss when you are below decks in cold weather.

Today I hauled the anchor chain out of where I had it stored amid ships and put it back in the forward chain locker as my rough weather is behind me now.

 It is looking like My arrival in Mazatlan will most likely be on Tuesday the 16th of April.

                        Getting closer, El Jefe’.

Total miles sailed so far=5,669 nm .(in miles-6523)

Miles sailed over past 3-days=424 nm (in miles-487)

The Rest of the Story.

  Today finds us in deteriorating conditions. The gale is moving upon us, approaching down the coast from California. The amazing thing is that I have listened to numerous May Days off the California coast and messages from US Coast Guard that Epirbs have been set off by various boats. Much of this is happening before the “Gale” reaches Sailors Run.

  Today the “Gale” engulfs us. I’m running a reefed main and genoa about 50% rolled out and it has become to much. I scramble on deck and role the Genoa all the way in, so now we have just the main up and slip below to have my morning coffee. Soon I decide to have my shower a once every 5-days event. The main reason being that a large wave had  broken over the stern of Sailors Run filling the cockpit and drenching me to the skin.

  Once out of the  shower the likes of which no human being would except ashore I feel refreshed and great. I sit with my coffee cup in hand and realize this is not working as I’m rounding up in the gusts of 35 knots and the staysail needs to go up to Give Sailors Run Balance. “Shit” I’m clean and dry and once again must venture top side. I strip to just my jockey shorts as I’m running out of dry alternative clothing and pop on my mustang suit.

  Once on deck I hoist the stay sail increasing our speed to way to much, then drop the main all the way down. Now we have a manageable sail plan for the Gale Force conditions.

 Once below I watch our boat speeds and even though we are hitting 11.5 kts surfing down the larger waves for the most part it looks do able. The really cool thing is after all this time out on deck I never got hosed down by a huge breaking wave, and many were lurking about.

                          Just Getting there El Jefe’.

Day-41.

 24hr.Run=137 nm. Pos. Lat.28*40’N. Long. 116*55’W.

Weather: Wind= N.25-35 kts. Seas=10-18ft .Speed 6-kts

Course=124*T Cabin Temp at 7 am=62* Bar: 1015 mb. down 1 mb.

The Rest of the Story.

  This day we sailed under stay sail alone for the entire day, and simply enjoyed a great sail in pretty heavy seas. Dinner was a tuna sandwich and I have found I prefer the Spam fried up with breakfast rather than for dinner. Nothing broke so little to report about on this day.

                                Just rolling down the Baja Coast El Jefe’.

Day-42.

  24hr.Run: 133 nm. Pos. Lat.27*16’N Long.115*00′. N.

Weather=12-25 kts. From North. Seas=8-10 feet N. Speed =6kts

Course=127*T. Cabin Temp at 7 am=64*.Bar:1012 mb. Down 3 mb.

The Rest of the Story.

  Today I switched up to the Genoa from the stay sail as winds were down a little and decided to leave the main down as I was sailing deep to maintain my course and the main would have blanked the Genoa setting into motion a bunch of uncomfortable sounds that make getting rest below tough.

  I had been in my bunk about 1-hour when the AIS-Alarm went off. I struggled to escape my dream world for what ever was to come next.

I got up staggering around the cabin to get myself in front of the AIS. The alarm was a-bit more alarming than usually as I had two ships approaching from the South on my starboard side and three ships coming up astern from the North. The ship that triggered the alarm was 8-miles out doing 16 kts and appears that he will run me down. Fortunately, we are going the same direction so I still have 42-minutes to live.

  I grab the VHF radio mike and hail the named vessel and after several minutes he answers. I say,that it looks like we are going to be passing very close,”Do you see me?” There is a pause and he comes back, Yes, I see you and will be passing on your starboard side. I question starboard side as I know there are already two ships there and they will be within three miles of me and there is nobody on my port side. Now, we have yet another pause, then at last he says “Oh” I see more clearly now I will pass you on the port side. I say,

“Thank you and I will maintain my course” as I have little choice being in the center of a BaHa Coast Sandwich. It all went down well and the 800 ft cargo vessel passed one mile to port of me.

  These last miles seem to be proving to be very challenging.

         Trying to just get in safely,  El Jefe’.