The four days in Ensenada passed quicky with chores and such. I got a diver to clean the bottom of the various flora and fauna that hitched a ride with me from Puerto Los Cabos to Loreto and back to Ensenada. I think some of the stuff may have been evolving it was so overgrown. 

I also got the oil (or at least some of it) changed before the last push up from Ensenada to San Diego. I have several other short trips to get back to Catalina and then a few back and forth runs planned before I will be able to get a good full engine service done. So the oil, filter, fuel filter, and topping off the coolant level gave me some extra peace of mind. 

This morning I was ready to go about 0505, but got delayed when I had to troubleshoot the running lights again.  I never found the trouble but it apparently got shot because they worked when I headed out around 0520. 

The morning winds and seas were light and calm.  The swells were 5-6 feet, but they were just the rolling ocean swells.  As it got to be midday the winds picked up and stacked some wind waves on top of that and I got the nice even salt coating on the boat again.  Makes me glad I didn't spend my day washing it yesterday! 

I went out to get fish tacos on Sunday at a roadside stand recommended by the guy in the marina office.  They were amazing. Tacos Fenix in Ensenada were great and cheap!  28 pesos for fish, 32 pesos for shrimp.  Ok, so I went there monday too.... but they were that good!

The two taco stands below are directly across the street from one another.  The one with the crowd is Taco Fenix.  The difference in population was a good hint that I was given a good recommendation!

I also experienced another small world moment at the Cruise Port Village Marina.  A guy on the dock was admiring my boat (he's only human after all) and said "Are you Steve?".  As I started to wonder how my reputation could have preceeded me this far, he said that Jim from Dana Point said he knew a guy named Steve that had a boat like that.  So I walked over and caught up with Jim. He was my neighbor on M Dock in Dana Point for about 7 years. He was still there when I moved the boat up to Long Beach so it was fun to run into him out and about  in the world. 

The US Customs and Boarder Protection has an APP now, who doesn't apparently, that allows you to check in with a virtual contact.  It was super easy and convenient. I submitted my arrival notice from my phone about 2.5 miles outside San Diego harbor and they called me within 10 minuts or so to clear me in and tell me I did not need to stop at the dock at all. I was able to go straight to Southwestern Yacht Club and tie up. 

I haven't explored much yet but it is beautiful and is across from the Kona Kai on Shelter Island where I had my boat when I first bought it.  I am here for 2 nights and then I plan to head up to Oceanside for 1 night on 4/18. 

So the return to US waters marks the end of 5 months, covering over 2,000 nautical miles from Long Beach, around the tip of Baja and up to Loreto on the Sea of Cortez.  I've got plans to spend a lot of time at Catalina in the coming summer months and will have to figure out what is next!