On 10/27 we left Bahia San Quintín at 8:30 AM for Cedros Island, but enroute we decided to bypass the island anchorage and continue on to Turtle Bay. Forty-eight hours from our departure we dropped anchor in Turtle Bay.
After a bit of catch-up sleep, we rowed our dinghy ashore and upon landing we were immediately greeted by Rogelio Arce. "Hello, my name is Rogelio. Welcome to Tortugas." Pointing to the buildings behind him, Rogelio continued, "This is my house and that is my brother's house. That is my father's restaurant. There is wi-fi that you are welcome to use. It there is anything you need, I will be happy to help you. I want you to feel comfortable here and enjoy your time in Tortuga."
I'll admit that my first thought was that Rogelio was either really nice or very smooth at laying the groundwork for personal gain. It turns out that Rogelio was the former. In fact we soon found that our warm reception by Rogelio was a reflection of the entire town; everyone we met in Tortugas was wonderfully friendly. Rogelio's hospitality and assistance during our three days in Tortuga, while asking for nothing in return, served as a helpful reminder that kindness crosses all cultures and as an American guest, I must be sure to demonstrate an equal level of kindness, trust and respect.
One day, in search of a lunch option, we walked toward smoke that appeared to be coming from a grill. We came upon burning mesquite and the grilling chef who was happy to prepare a lunch for us. He led us into his house. We were welcomed into the kitchen and offered a seat in the living room as our to-go meal was prepared that included a half chicken, salsa, macaroni salad and more tortillas than we could possibly eat in one meal.
Recent history helps to illustrate the character of this town. About 50 years ago, two American sailors wrecked their boat nearby and sustained injuries. They were rescued by panga fishermen and brought to Tortuga. After a month of assistance and recovery, once again able to return to the US, the Tortugueños chipped in to buy bus tickets for their return home.
Tortuga was also once home to a thriving cannery that most likely anchored the town's employment. Rogelio mentioned that his father had worked at the cannery for 40 years. All that remains is a skeleton of concrete buildings and a pier that is not aging well. This image elicits a visual impression of a depressed town, but the local attitude quickly counters that impression.
Perhaps Bahia Tortugas was named for the shape of the bay or that it once supported a significant turtle population. The turtle population has now declined, and if that should ever prompt the thought of renaming the bay, I would toss "Pelican Bay" in the hat for consideration. It's difficult to imagine a greater concentration of pelicans in one place. Surprisingly, even the local fishermen seem to tolerate their abundance without complaint.
Due to the friendly warmth of Turtle Bay, we spent an extra day at anchor and used some of the time to reprovision once again. We walked a half mile to the Pemex station to fill diesel cans. Ned made two trips to Traveler, anchored a quarter mile from shore, by rowing our dinghy with a total of 50 gallons of fresh water. Along with an extensive grocery run, Sue accepted the challenge of finding block ice for our 12" by 15" ice box.. She returned with a block of ice that had the exact shape and dimensions of the inside of a 5-gallon bucket. Clearly, Sue has proven to be an over achiever.
The day after our arrival, our friends from Stella J also sailed into the bay. We enjoyed two more days in Turtle Bay together before deciding that it was time to continue south. We all agreed that we would miss Turtle Bay, but wind was finally in the forecast and it was time to take advantage of the sailing opportunity once again.
We're certainly looking forward to the next friendly Mexican town we have the opportunity to visit.
Okay I’m adding Turtle Bay to my list of places I have to visit!