Atalanta: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Sunset in Key West

Hola! from Mexico . . . our destination for this winter. Entering the Caribbean’s west coast isn’t easy but far easier than heading to the islands in the Eastern Caribbean. The route we followed this time took us from Key West to the Dry Tortugas to Isla Mujeres.

Fort Jefferson
Dry Tortugas National Park

Our friends, Tony and Anne joined us in Key Biscayne and we continued to Key West; a most enjoyable place to visit. With great sunsets, interesting shops and quasi-decent food, we waited for the perfect weather to make passage. The Dry Tortugas is on Richard’s “bucket list” so we sailed overnight to this small collection of low sandy islands and the home of historic Fort Jefferson. Check it out at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Jefferson_(Florida) .

Fort Jefferson

We toured the fort, walked the beautiful beaches and prepared for what promised to be one hell of a thunder and lightning storm. This weather event lasted the better part of the night with lots of electricity and very high winds. The holding was good in the anchorage and we were well protected in the lee of the island.

Finally, on Sunday the weather and winds seemed right and weather guru Chris Parker gave us a thumbs up so we ventured off for two full days and three nights of sailing. After the first 24 hours, we were moving west shadowing the Cuban coast with good wind and fair seas. With four people on board the “watch schedule” is much more pleasant than with just two and allows for lengthier periods of sleep – as long as you are able to sleep with the boat doing its best to toss you out of bed. The following day we entered the Yucatan Channel and crossed the Gulf Stream for the second time in following seas. The currents mostly worked against us rather than for us but at sunrise on Wednesday morning four tired sailors and one dog desperately in need of a walk, arrived at Isla Mujeres (Spanish for “island of women”) - our home for the next 6-7 weeks.

Isla Mujeres
Mexico

We settled at a dock at El Milagro (https://www.elmilagrobeachhotelandmarina.com), cleared customs, and are once again on island time. The water is warm and blue, the temperatures are in the mid 80’s and the food and margaritas are perfect. There are plenty of tourists here this time year and the ferry brings loads of “day trippers” over from Cancun. The streets are busy with the main modes of transportation being scooters and golf carts. The mainland is a 15-minute fast ferry ride away. We rented a car and drove to Puerto Morelos and Valladolid for a change of scenery.

We’ll pass our days with outings on the island, volunteering at Isla Animal Rescue, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, and of course, some boat maintenance. We are enjoying meeting people who share our love of exploring Mexico in a low key way that isn’t experienced at all-inclusive resorts. Locals are welcoming and beach bars abound; we are so fortunate to have this time in such a wonderful, interesting and beautiful place.

Thanks for following our travels.