Checking out the Baja

Headed out of La Paz for a bit of sight seeing. Had a nice sail from La Paz to Bahia Glorieta, where we spent the night. 14 boats in anchorage, but it is large and un crowded. A south wind came up late and bounced us soundly for most of the night.
Up early and off to Bahia Grande for a little shelter from the south winds.5 boats in anchorage.  Did some snorkeling, not very clear, but some fish to look at. Good to get off the boat and get a bit of exercise, along with a bath. We fill the sun shower and when we get done with the snork, we wash off and rinse with hot fresh water. Gotta love that  watermaker. Wind came up from the west in the night, so another bouncy night.
Up early for Puerto Evaristo. Sailed most of the way in southerly winds. Wind died about an hour out, so we threw out a line and hooked a nice dorado.

 What a treat to catch and a better treat to eat. They always jump and this one did it a dozen times or so. Got to Evaristo early, but too cloudy to snorkel.6 boats in achorage.  Nice ilttle place with a restaurant on the beach and a peaceful anchorage for a good nights sleep. We inquired about a local store, but the road was washed out in a storm last summer and the vegetable truck hasn't been by in the last week, so no produce. Cloudy in the morning so off we go to Puerto Los Gatos. Get there early, snorkel for a bit, and a quiet evening by ourselves for the first time on the trip. One more beautiful spot, with stunning desert scenery all about.
Next morning we headed up toBahia Agua Verde for the best snorkeling yet, even if it did cloud up early. We explored the town, but being sunday evening, all was closed but the churches. Little to be had if it was open, as there was no electricity in evidence, so probably no refrigeration.. We still had yummy dorado made in a rice stew, so no hardship.
Off to Puerto Escondido in the morning to get situated before the forecast Norther came along. No luck there, windy in our face from the start building through the day. Got in about 3 pm after a long day pounding into the wind at about 4 knots. The 2 day blow ran out in the middle of the night, Weather forecasting must be harder than it looks. We wanted to investigate leaving the boat in Puerto Escondido and flying back to Tampa for a week be Xmas, but it is nearly impossible from here without hiring a plane or some such. Caught a ride up to Loreto, did a little sight seeing and shopping. The most expensive store we have been to with lots of american products, must be living off the tourists. Taxi wanted $35 to drive us the 14 miles back to Puerto Escondido, so we hitchiked. After hitching for about an hour with no luck( a couple of offers to take us out in the wasteland and leave us stranded), a bus came by and brought us down for aoabut $8.
Have been here for a couple of days, and will head out to the islands for a couple of days tomorrow.
We  have decided to head over to the mainland from here, but will probably go down to La Paz to provision for the crossing.The stores are much better there than here. We also want to add a bit more shade to the back of the boat before we take off, so La Paz is the place to get that handled. The crossing is a big deal to the local cruisers, but only about 180 miles from the jumping point west of La Paz. It's pretty much impossible for us to plan an arrival because sometimes we go 12 knots and sometimes 5 depending on the wind and seas. Makes it hard to know what time to leave, as you want to arrive with good light from behind when going into somewhere new. We are jsut blowing in the wind, but it's all good.

Boppin Down the Baja

It has been nearly impossible to get online lately.  That and other appropriate excuses to be invented later will explain our lack of updates.
We left San Diego mid day to go to the Coronado Islands in  Mexico for the night. Had good winds broad reaching at about 9 knots with following seas. Got to the islands at about 4, but the wind was more notherly than normal and the anchorage was rolly. We loolked about for a better spot and found none. The islands are surrounded with big metal pens which are used to fatten up the yellowfin tuna that will be shipped to Japan when ripe enough. We didn't feel adventurous enouhg to anchor near them and the attendant boats, so we headed on down to Ensenada. Had good winds and could have gotten there at about midnight or so, but didn't want to go into an unfamiliar port at night. Spent the night with just a tiny bit of sail up trying to keep the boat speed down to about 4 knots and arrive at dawn. What an irony, first day of sailing and we have to try to go slow all night.
\Go to Ensenada early morning to find that they do not allow anchoring in the harbor any more. The cruising guides age quickly around here. .We went into the first marina and got ready to check in to Mexico. The marina made copies of all the relevant documents and made me go to buy Mexican Liability insurance. Required if you want to import your boat. Messed around and got to the official office building around 1. The process was a little tedious, but really just stand in this line, go pay the fee in that line, come back to this line, take this paper to that line, get a new paper, go pay over there, come back and so forth for about an hour or so. Did it all with only the help of the marina to give us the right number of copies to satisfy the beaurocrats. We had been told that to import the boat, would be an onerous task and would require an agent, but it just happened in the shuffle, with no special effort on our part. If you do not import the boat, you dannot leave it unattended in Mexico, so we can now keep it here for 10 years and come and go as we like.
Because of the width of Hot Sauce, we got charged for two slips, with a typical "'Lo siento senor", but for you a $10 discount, so $50 for the night.
Joan went to Walmart to provision, and we left mid day for the Islas De Todo Santos, where we tied up to a floating barrel instead of anchoring by the fish pens. A couple of guys came out in a work boat and told us that the one we had chosen was not safe, so they guided us to one that was well anchored and out in the ocean swell. The swell was to become our friend after all the time since Washington, but not really, it was just a PITA. Kind of like an endless series of large boat wakes bashing you 24/7.
Headed down the coast to Bahia Colnett next day in cloudy, slightly rainy weather. Motored all day with light following winds. Got there about 21:30, used the radar and gps to get to the right spot.
Up early motoring to Isla San Martin.  Wind was still too notherly to make the anchorage on the west side comfortable, and the south side was pretty socked in with kelp so we continued to Bahia San Quintin. Had to make a few minor repairs, as a couple of bolts holding the main sheet traveller track had sheared off while flying the spinaker. Joan successfully checked into a ham net in the morning. Some of the equipment on the boat generates considerable interference. Turning off the inverter and the refridgerator seemed to fix the problem. When she transmits on the radio, the knot meter loses its mind and records speeds of as much as 46 knots. Zoom (virtually), but makes it harder to record average speeds at the end of the day. Most of the passages so far have winds at about 10 knots directly astern, which allows us to go about 5 knots, but at that speed the wind over the decks is about 5 knots and it does not fill the sails well enough to stabilize the boat. The swell leave us popping and jerking the sails with the main trying to jibe every few minutes. We tie it off to the side, but it is just much more compfortalbe to motor, with the exception of smelling the exhaust wafting over the boat the whole time. It's easier to fish when motoring, on the bright side.

Motored down to Punta Baja. We were able to sail smartly a couple of times, but only an hour or two before the wind went back to 8-9 knots. Very rolly anchorage as the swells roll around the point and break on the beach beside us. Up early and on the way to do an overnighter to a quieter anchorage.
Head out for Isla Cedros with good wind 15-20, running before the wind with just the genoa up at 10-12 knots, surfed at 17 once or twice. As evening came up we were seeing 25-30 knots, so rolled most of the genny in to slow the boat enough to allow off watch to sleep. At higher speeds, you tend to dive off the top of some of the waves, which gives a sense of weightlessness or falling to the off watch. Arrived at Cedros at dawn with wind about gone. Tried to start the engine but got only click click click. decided to try the outboard for a bit, but the swells lifted the prop out of the water every few minutes and it was a poor substitute for an inboard diesel.Had a look and found that there was a layer of nice fluffy white salt on the starter from an exhaust cooling water leak. The leak turned out to be just a loose clamp. Engine oil was low and some spilled about the bilge, but I added oil and all looked ok. Washing all the salt off fixed the electrical issue and the engine started. Motored down to Bahia Tortuga (Turtle Bay) and anchored. Before I could get the anchor off the boat, a panga approaced to see if we needed fuel or other services. After I got the anchor set, I arranged for him to bring me some fuel. We went into town, kind of a funky place where the fellow with the panga services runs the dock and has someone excort us to a wonderful(his term) store, and points out the best restaurant. Surprise, Enrique's family owns all these businesses.  There is a little more town further up, but it takes an effort to shake the guide and just wander around. Kind of a grubby town, fallen on hard times after the cannery shut down on the waterfront. Outboard won't start, probably bad gas, got new gas, but still no start. Will wait to get somehere more permanent to mess with it. Rowing ashore or paying  a buck a head each way to Enrique is a deterent to getting to town, so it is about time to wander on.

After a couple of nights rest, we continue down the coast, leaving at mid day when the wind picks up on the day before Turkey day. Nice wind lets us sail at 10 or so for 4 or 5 hours, thinking we'll be at Mag bay at dawn. Of course when the wind dies down, we are motoring at 5 or so all night and only get half as far as we hoped by dawn. wind comes up for a few hours of sailing, then back to motoring at about noon. Caught a nice yellow fin tuna  about 6#, yummy. would have kept more of it if we had known it would be the only one. Saw a bunch of whales, dolphins and assorted wildlife on the way, catching little tuny by the score, finally give up on the fishing as we have more of them than we care to eat. Mostly they are a treat for Bob.
Go into Bahia Santa Maria, just above Bahia Magdalena to anchor and catch up on sleep. Quiet night at anchor, pretty spot, not much else happening.
Head out for one last overnighter to Cabo early in the morning. Fogged in, so we wait for clearing to get past the lobster floats at the entrance. Uneventful long motoring day and night and day again. Hooked a nice dorado in the evening, but after Joan and I both fought with it till our arms cramped, it managed to break the line on the rudder when i tried to gaff it. Looked to be 4 feet long and about 30+ lbs.  Lots of unrealised yummy there.
Cruise into Cabo San Lucas just after sunset to a flurry of booze cruisers with DJs and karaoke machines going strong in the harbor. We get anchored by the beach to the tune of a couple of live bands and some team building rah rah on the shore. Loud, but we were sleepy.

 

Bob tries to catch a bug off the light.
Up and out early as slips are expensive and the mood here is mostly "Step right this way, have I got a deal for joo". We motor to San Jose del Cabos, a new resort marina and stop for fuel and a night at the dock. Well, we thought that was what we would do, but after finding out they wanted 112$us for a slip with no electricity, Internet or shower access, we decided to head on down the road. Wind was up, so we sailed at 10-12 knots into the wind for a few hours. Trouble with sailing into the wind is that you may go fast across the wind but you never make much time into the wind. We were making about 3 knots to windward, so back to the iron genny(motoring). Got into Bahia Los Frailes at about 8:30 at night and used the full moon and radar to position ourselves for a comfortable night.
Up and off for Ensenada de Los Muertes in the morning, more sailing, to the same effect, I get 15 miles out to sea and the wind shifts to the West by about 25 degrees making it impossible to get to windward in a timely fashion. Arrive at about 21:30 with 9 boats in the anchorage(popular spot). Nice enough place scenic, but with a tent city of fishermen and campers on the shore. Must have been 200 people camped out and 50 trailers at the boat ramp next door.

Bob dukes it out with a biscuit.
We motor up to Caleta Lobos next day arriving around 3:30 for some swimming and lounging about.
Swells come in all night through a gap between the island and the land, so a bumpy night.
Down to La Paz in the morning, anchoring out in front of Hotel de los Arcos(vacant but a good landmark). We dinghy into the dock in front of the hotel and walk about some, finding a good seafood restaurant and a grocery store. We were out of milk, eggs, and most perishables, so it was time to shop. Next morning, we tuned into the cruisers net on VHF and hooked up with the local outboard guru. He kept the motor overnight did a carb overhaul, complete service, with new grease on all fittings, and changed the lower oil for $100.
The anchorage we are in is swept by strong tides and cross winds, so all the boats are in motion. We get pretty close to another boat in the morning and decide to move a little ways, but to the same results next morning. everyone has what they deem to be the right amount of anchor line or chain out and swings as far as that allows with the wind and tides. We are unaccustomed to this close space and may not ever like it. When we go into the dock today,
We head into the Marina de la Paz for a couple of nights to do laundry, have real showers, wash the salt off the boat, clean the water tanks, and provision. I misjudged the cross current and got sucked onto a dock coming in, knocked some paint and filler off the port ama. Within an hour of getting tied up, a local entrepreneur is trolling the dock for work. We agree on a price and he is sanding and repairing the bobo within the hour. Seems to know his stuff pretty well, hope it comes out well. The construction of this boat is cosmetically fragile, but easily repaired. Glad to have someone take a task off the list instead of adding to it.