turns out that Ali and I had similar sleep experiences. Cribby texts to say he's been up since 6 and is in the bar from last night having breakfast. About 7.30 we getup there and meet Lisa, who serves crappy tea (tepid microwaved water), but the bar is nice, full of elderly US HD bikers, including one astoundingly butch lady, with a flayed leathery face, remind me of Cindy Ross on reflection but taller!
back at the motel we fuss over the packing of the "small bag" and its contents for the post-flight sail. I pack the minimum, no toothbrush - mistake! Never don't take a toothbrush! It's a $60 cab fare to Brown Field - big corporate jet there, but there are also a couple of small single engined Cessnas. Apparently there are 3 planes taking us all down there, and we're assigned by weight!
Taking off scarey-ish, engine noise rises, plane bounces along, and we're off! Ali and me sat in the back, good view out of the side, up to 4000ft, 140 knots. Nice. Seem to be moving very slowly until you realise the clods are whizzing by...
landed at espenada to clear customs and immigration - very long winded as we also waited for the fog over the camp airstrip to clear. nice lady officer asked us to "go to the light" - turns out to be a random indicator for people to have their bags checked! Big cheer when someone got theirs red - just a set of traffic lights with a button :-)
Took off again, with no real plan apparently. lots of radio discussion about the chances of landing ok - that wasn't too scarey :-o. Mike went ahead, we were with Jose, Carlos the other pilot. Circled over the campsite - heavy fog to the ground. Turned back and landed at El Rosario, just a concrete strip in the middle of nowhere. This triggered a showing from the mexican military, who turned up with 5 armed teeneagres and a humvee. After a few explanations, they examined everyone's bags before posing with us al in front of the humvee and planes - cool.
Eventually took off in a hurry and got in no problem - Mike led the way. 15 minutes later we swung in over the camp and dived for the dirt airstrip - wow, scarey, the stones and dust kicked up and we swerved up the track before swinging round and pulled up in front of the camp.
Tents assigned by ourselves - one each , lots of space. A camp tour with Clark, our camp host for the week. Nice guy, will I remember all the important things? We'd got there too late to do much, but we took out surfboards and SUPs, me distressingly in my speedos which endeared me to the locals - not! SUPping is ok, starting to get the idea before stopped because I was getting cold.
Came in, beer, margerita, big spaghetti meal, logn chat with a local sailor, then suddenly got hit from behind by the huge drink, and collapsed into bed. A bit apprehensive about tomorrow - images from the Westward Ho! incident crowded into my head along with all sorts of silly anxieties and concerns. Sleep came and ended about 5...
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