It has been a tough week for the crew.   Tropical Storm Lorena passed us about 2 days ago and we are really anxious to get moving north before the next storm arrives.   Currently there are none on the horizon, but the tropical waves keep belching out of Africa and any one of them could be our next nemesis.   The engine work is completed that we wanted done and now we have more horns and ways to shut the engine down than we know what to do with.  Our new favorite mechanic Victor has blessed the engine for the move north and being the new President of the Mormon fellowship in La Paz we feel honored to have his blessing.

To celebrate we have done a bit of inland travel which the Chick has elaborated on in her site.   Our only troubles have been with the checkout process in Mexico.   Bill has been a bit side lined over the last day or two.   Checkout was going pretty good till we discovered that La Paz was perhaps the only city in all of Mexico that requires a Health Certificate for your boat.   After visiting 4 offices this morning to get checked out, pay a fee or be advised that we were in the wrong location we visited the Secrateria de Salud, the main health office in La Paz.   It was there that things came to a screeching halt and our weather window began to disappear.  It if was not obvious we have a limited weather window between now and when ever the next hurricane shows up.   Typically we will have about 5 days of advanced notice.  Since Lorena has passed we have eaten up 3 days which we could have made passage.   No one really knows when the next storm is coming but one thing is sure, it is now 3 days closer than it was and today clicks off another day.

The Office of Health not only told us that they would not come out to the boat till after the Port Captain closed (the final authority for checking out), but that they would charge us about $130.00 U.S. to come to our boat.   Now we don’t know what it costs in the U.S. to check in or out, but in Mexico it is normally about $20.   We have never heard of a Health Certificate for the boat, but in La Paz they apparently want their little bit of American/Canadian and other cruisers money so this new rule has been enacted or is being acted on where others just ignore it.

The time was the big factor for us, but after Bill complained about the cost and Lisa fumed, we finally gave in to waiting, cocktail in hand, for the health inspector.   To his credit he showed up right on time (30 minutes after the Port Captains closing), and promptly sat down at our table and began to fill in information about the boat.   During our conversation we asked what he was looking for and then when he looked a bit impish we supplied him with Spanish words like, Insecta, plegueus, ratons, cockaroaches.   To each he said yes but we really we’re not convinced.  To us we figured he was just looking for $130 dollars.

After he filled in his papers he asked us if we had any of the above infestations to which we replied no.  He filled in his papers.  Just prior to leaving he made a display of looking and addressing each of our rooms; toilet, kitchen, food locker room, etc.   He never checked anything, just said it all looked good.   And then he left.  Bill was on edge and Lisa had to continually check him to keep him from going too far with little remarks about charges, self preservation and the likes, but the man left happy and apologized then snickered as he left.

We can’t wait to depart tomorrow.   Anchors aweigh around 9 AM if the Port Captain comes in on time.  Next stop, Cabo San Lucas.