S4, Ep47 We're Finally Sailing to Mexico — A Sailing Couple's Dream Departure but Rough Start
December 14, 2025 · 26 min · 754 views · Ensenada, Mexico
What this video covers
Tim and his partner depart San Diego aboard Mystic on November 16 — Mexican Revolution Day — after eight years of planning, motoring directly into headwinds and four-foot swells toward Ensenada rather than waiting for worse weather the following day.▶ 7:54 Wind on the nose rules out sailing; they motor-sail past Islas Coronados with buddy boat Argonauts, arriving at Ensenada's Cruisers Port Village around midnight.▶ 6:38 One crew member is seasick most of the passage; dinner is white rice from a rice cooker with jarred Indian sauce eaten in the cockpit.▶ 12:50 Arriving after dark with no confirmed slip, they tie to an open dock and seek permission in the morning.▶ 14:06 Check-in falls on a Mexican holiday, closing the port captain's office and immigration, forcing a two-day delay.▶ 15:26 The formal check-in process — marina escort, immigration office, TIP (Temporary Import Permit), visas — takes roughly two hours the following morning, with all paperwork signed by Tim as registered owner despite co-ownership.▶ 21:09 An immigration officer finalizes a document with a typo before asking Tim to review it, causing a brief dispute.▶ 22:45 The crew walks roughly 20,000 steps running errands, hauls diesel in jerry cans from a gas station 25–30 minutes away, and raises a Mexican courtesy flag once arrival papers clear.▶ 19:31 Departing on a holiday means customs closure and a mandatory extra day at anchor — worth factoring into any southbound departure from San Diego.
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