Quintana Roo

Ix Chel, at the easternmost point are the ruins of a small temple

Quintana Roo, also known as the Mayan Riviera, lies along the North Western Caribbean Sea on the Yucatan Peninsular. It is bordered to the south by Belize. Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tulum all are part of this Mexican State.

We sailed in on May 25 after crossing the Yucatan Strait and headed for El Milago Marina on Isla Mujeres. Our friends, Andy Galliano and Jim Hebert, had stayed here when they brought Jim's boat from Guatemala to New Orleans a few years ago. It was everything we needed and the price was great! $100 a week including electricity, water and WiFi. Plus they had showers and a laundry. They also have villas to spend the night, a small pool and paddle boards plus ping pong and a media room with over 200 movies.



                                     

some mythical creature no doubt

Customs and Immigration were handled right there though we did hire the Marina's agent, Julio. We were so tired that we felt we needed all the help we could get. The whole process was painless and cost $180.00 including the $30 for the agent and visas for the four of us. They needed, boat papers, the Zarpe (very, very important to have this - it's the clearance document from your last port of call - we used Key West. We'd heard lurid stories of boats being impounded for months while this was sorted out for those without one. We had printed one off of the internet, filled it in and went to a Notary. Nothing fancy but you really, really need it!) Here in the Western Caribbean its different from the Bahamas. Of course, you need to clear in and out of each country but in addition you need to check in and out of each place you visit and they like to keep track. So get used to finding the Capitania De Puerto - not a problem, no extra money just a little something else to do. We've learned to make it fun and an excuse to see and mingle more.

Also, in Mexico, if you are staying and cruising more a week, you need a Cruising Permit. We had to go in person to Cancun for this, don't know where else you get it but NOT in Isla Mujeres. You need the original and one copy of each of the following: Entry Documents including the one from the Agricultural Dept, boat papers, passports and visas, crew list, serial numbers for the boat's engine and the dinghy engine. Plus its $50 in US funds (not pesos) though you can use a credit card (not a debit card) as long as its in the name of the owner of the boat (not his wife). Its good for 10 years!! Another way El Milago Marina was helpful, they had a copy machine and made the copies for us. The lovely couple in the slip next to us, waiting and waiting for parts, gave us the lowdown so we didn't have to make several trips. We knew just what to take with us.

In the garden at the Pirate Mundaca's ruined villa

Isla Mujeres was named by the Spaniards when they arrived in March of 1517. The story we heard was that Francisco Hernandez de Cordova sailed over from Cuba looking for slaves and new lands. The island was sacred to the Mayan and dedicated to the their goddess Ix Chel, who looks after childbirth and medicine. He found many stone temples to Ix Chel and her daughters and so named it "the island of women". For centuries the island was only inhabited by passing fishermen and the ocasional pirate. Supposedly both Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte hid here, at different times I guess.

We stayed a little over a week and had a great time. Austin and Mary took the ferry to Cancun, then the bus to Tulum for a day trip. On another day Roy, Austin and I hired a guide to take us snorkeling to see the underwater cross and statues which are on the reef. We had first gone in the dinghy and
snorkeled the lighthouse reef.

Not as clear as the Bahamas maybe due to the high winds and sea


  

 Austin getting a closer look at the Cross

 The current is swift. Isla Mujeres lies on the edge of the Gulf Stream (named the Yucatan Current here) and even drift snorkeling can be a challenge. Plus you need to have a guide to go to the reef. Definitely worth it. Part of the trip was a wonderful lunch with BBQ Grouper, yumm. We shopped in the town and visited the bars and waterfront restaurants, enjoyed all the colors and the ice cream.

                              

Teddi between Roy & Austin

Teddi Locke, a New Orleans friend and at one time John Edward's Montesorri teacher, was in the area and she and friends came to Isla for an evening. We had a grand time and Austin got to hang with girls his own age for a change.

Austin and Mary left us on May 31. They took the ferry to Cancun and both flew back to reality. We were sad to see them go. Greg and Teresa had not been able to make our May 26 rendezvous in Isla; unfortunately they had to cancel their trip. So Roy & I are once again going it alone. We left Isla Mujeres on June 1 for Puerto Morelos, 35 miles down the coast.

El Cid's Palapas on the Beach

Waterfront and Town Square Puerto Morelos

The Trade winds were blowing so strong, 20 - 25kts,  it was a rip roaring trip. Winds and 6 ft seas on our beam for the entire 35 miles. They continue blowing the same with no end in sight. We first went into a very protected marina called El Cid, obviously a chain resort. We needed water and fuel and they had both and the calm inside their breakwater was a welcome relief. A mooring ball and WiFi was $12 a night and offered the hotel's amenities. We hung out at the pool and went down the water fall/water slide, had drinks under the palapa and generally enjoyed ourselves.

Our 2 sailboats anchored next to each other

But then we decided we'd visit the town and just fell in love with the place! Its an old fishing village with a town square on the sea. A long reef protects the town and offers great diving, fishing and snorkeling. We decided this looked more like us so we motored the mile or so and found an empty mooring ball. The reef offers protection from the winds and seas. We can dinghy about 300 yards to town.




We even have neighbors. Attila and Vlad from Austin, TX in a Cascade 36 named Bettie that was custom finished by the previous owners. With little prior sailing experience they crossed the Gulf from Kemah, TX to Key West with Attila's brother, a long time sailor, showing them the ropes. They have had many escapades on the same course as us just a few weeks earlier. Meeting other cruisers and hearing their story is exciting. I'm always amazed at their daring and sense of adventure.  Bettie is going to Panama and who knows where else.

Mexican Tacos

Roy, Attila, Dale, Vlad

We're all waiting for the wind to moderate and the seas to die down a little. But for now there's a great restaurant and a cool beach. We'll get to Cozumel eventually.

The Reef :))

Hobbit House??

Coming from the west side of Isla towards the North end of the island and across the bar seemed better then weaving our way through coral to the South. So here are our waypoints - 

Isla 3   21 15.36N  86 45.07W

Isla 2   21 15.49N  86 45.31W

Isla 1  21 16.21N  86 45.49W

Isla North  21 16.44N  86 45.18W (this is the bar you must cross; we never saw less than 12ft)

Isla South  21 14.87N  86 40.77W

Cancun Approach  21 04.75N  86 41.53W (we didn't go to Cancun)

Pt Morelos W Approach  20 48.27N  86 49.20W

Pt Morelos Approach  20 48.30N  86 52.90W

El Cid Marina Entrance  20 49.60N  86 53.37W

Pt Morelos Mooring  - don't have waypoints but 3 mooring balls are right outside the town. One is reserved for a dive boat.