a party at La Mona ... really we're all taking a potty break
this is a small whale shark, but we had one come by as big as the boat ...
Don Juan the hurricane hole
this boat has seen better days
Saturday - July 26, 2008
Santa Rosalia – Lay Day – topped off with fuel (added five gallons) and water; worked on blog and found Santa Rosalia dollar store (purchased an electronic bug zapper, sandals for Julie, scrappers for boat bottom and other miscellaneous supplies).
Sunday - July 27, 2008
0500 – Depart Santa Rosalia for Bahia San Francisquito (BSF). It dark, overcast and a north wind; Swells from the east and a one to one-and-half knot current against us.
1130 – JAKE turns around and heads back to Santa Rosalia (trouble with his refrigerator). Not able to make BSF so make course for Bahia Trinidad (19 miles north). Only able to make three to four knots (current), still a lazy wind and east swells uncomfortable.
1515 – Anchor Bahia Trinidad 7’of water; engine hours 377. Protection from south; swells from east and wind from south, boat sets broadside to the waves and we rock and roll. Two shrimpers anchored off our beam. BBQ Arachara for dinner (not bad if cooked well). Elephantes (15-20 knots) out of the west; Elephantes are strong, hot, westerly winds that sweep over the Baja peninsula from the Pacific – caused by the temperature variation from the cooler Pacific to the warmer Sea for Cortez; they can get up to 40 knots. I Stand/doze a lazy anchor watch; winds not above 20 with gusts to 25 or 30 knots and we’re close enough to shore that there is no fetch. It’s like standing in front of a really powerful furnace!
Monday - July 28, 2008
0800 – weigh anchor at Punta Trinidad and plan BSF. Sky clear; SW wind and swells. Roll out jib and sail most of day at 6.5 – 7 knots (under jib alone).
1500 – Strong currents of tip of BSF; counter currents and rip tide at point. Even though we were a mile and half offshore it felt (and looked) like we going upstream against the rapids. Speed slowed to 1.5 knots.
1600 – Anchor BSF in two fathoms; engine hours 381; JUNIATA (37’ Pacific Seacraft) here. I’m not feeling good. My back is sore from weighing anchor in Sweet Pea Cove (after a night of drunkenness) and now I just feel lethargic and no appetite. This all started but I think it’s starting to catch up with me.
Tuesday - July 29, 2008
Bahia San Francisquito – lay day – Spend all day in berth; stomach and back and both painful and stiff; sleep and sweat, sleep and sweat all day. Joined in anchorage by SNOWGOOSE (33’ Hans Christian), ACAPELLA (40’ Valiant) and TONY REYES (a Mexican charter fishing boat, with about 47 pangas tied up around it and a slew of would be anglers). A TONY REYES panga (loaded with kids) comes over to talk with Julie and she trades them a bag full of candy for four, freshly caught, Red Snapper.
Wednesday - July 30, 2008
0700 – Weigh Anchor BSF and plan Bahia Don Juan. Clear skies, no wind, seas calm. Motored into Puente el Alacrans (Scorpion Point) where they boast “an all inclusive wilderness resort, accessible only by boat.” The resort is eight yurts (in very good condition) along with a lodge (another yurt with a house attached) along a strip of white sandy beach. We would’ve explored, but I wasn’t quite up to lowering and raising the anchor.
1735 – Anchor Don Juan in two fathoms; engine hours 393. Julie spots a coyote and we watch as he scouts the shoreline for dinner.
Thursday - July 31, 2008
Don Juan – lay day. Launch dinghy, mount engine and motor around bay (in stages – still feeling pretty well rung out). Very protected from all side and good holding ground. Visit two wrecked 40’ trawler-type fishing boats that have been washed ashore. They’ve been stripped of everything useful, but just the same the paint, decks and structure above the waterline are in good shape, maybe even re-floatable; but I think they are here forever.
Friday - August 1, 2008
Punta Don Juan – lay day. Quiet, we have the anchorage to ourselves. In the morning, pangas will bring vacation families over from Bahia Los Angeles to the see the sunken boats, picnic and maybe do a little clamming. Install a little cubby for my stuff in the head (now Julie has her own and I mine). JAKE arrives late afternoon, now success in Santa Rosalia, but he did run into SUNBOW at BSF. SUNBOW loaned him a refrigerator cooling pump, and now his refer is working better than ever and using less power. Calamari aboard JAKE.
Saturday - August 2, 2008
Up anchor Don Juan and round the corner 6 miles to Bahia Los Angeles (BLA). Walked into town, lunched at a local restaurant and used Internet.
Sunday - August 3, 2008
Up anchor and move down the bay to gecko beach to meet up with CEDLIEH (40’ Pearson). CEDLIEH is pronounced Kaylee (it’s an Irish dance) and they have a little house on the beach. Winds out of the north and had trouble setting the anchor; it took three times because the bottom is covered with ironweed and the anchor can’t ding into the sand. JAKE and ITCHEN joined CEDLIEH at their place on the beach, called Duffy’s Tavern for dinner and cocktails. Spent the evening talking, eating and playing darts. Dinked back to the boats in complete darkness, with no lights, no radio and no life preservers (we’ll need to work on that).
Monday - August 4, 2008
Gecko Beach, Bahia Los Angeles – lay day. Spent morning skinny-dipping
1300- Over to JAKE for a rousing game of American Trivial Pursuit. Jay from CEDLIEH stopped by with cookies Janice had made.
Tuesday – Wednesday, August 5-6, 2008
Motored back up to BLA village. Into town to explore and use the Internet. Swimming and check how the anchor is set. JAKE over for dinner of the Red Snapper Julie swapped in BSF.
Thursday - August 7, 2008
BLA – lay day. JAKE to San Felipe 143 miles up the coast. Sharon has been fighting a topical skin infection (pseudomonas) on her hands for the past four months and Jake has just developed a swelling in his left ankle. They’re going to get fixed and if San Felipe can’t do it then they’ll run up to the States. To ZEPHYRA (42’ Morgan Out Islander) for cocktails and then a Dorado dinner on ITCHEN.
Friday - August 8, 2008
BLA – I into town to use Internet while Julie stayed on boat and conned a panga fisherman out of his days labor – a sea bass big enough to feed four. Julie saw a nurse shark and her baby off the starboard quarter of the boat.
1640 - Up anchor BLA for Don Juan with ZEPHYRA. Caught a very small tuna (although it would’ve been a good sized trout) off the point, but threw it back.
1828 – Anchor Don Juan in our old spot; engine hours 407. At dusk the coyotes started howling from all pints around the bay. After dark we saw three scouting the shore no doubt for some dinner.
Saturday - August 9, 2008
0610 - Don Juan – lay day. Up to take Julie out fishing in the dingy, off the point. Trolled and jigged but got nothing. Hand sewed a rip in sunshade.
I’m perplexed about the boats power management. I think I’ve run my batteries to hard by often letting them drop to around 11 volts before recharging. I now charge the batteries every morning by running the engine for about an hour at 1400 rpm (idle is 1000). My dilemma is should I get other kinds of power sources. Most cruisers have a combination of engine, generator, solar and/or wind for their charging needs. I sold my generator because its amp output wasn’t large enough to charge batteries and I purchased a power pack (portable starting battery with 12V outlet) for emergencies. I figure solar and wind will run me upwards of $2000.00 (each) by the time I get what I need for my usage; which doesn’t include installation hassles and the caveat that if there is no sun or wind, then there is no power. I have a brand new engine that burns well under a ½ gallon an hour if just charging; at this rate I could run the engine an hour everyday (which I don’t) for a year for about $547.00 (about 182 gallons). This past year I’ve ran the two engines 700 hours, if a diesel engine lasts 10,000 hours at this rate this engine would last me 14 years. Another option is to just run the hell out of the batteries; the 6-volt golf cart batteries I’m now using are $100 each (two to a bank equals $200.00); replacing the entire bank every year is $400.00 which is even cheaper than the fuel I would use to recharge them. Based on the above discussion, it’s simpler and cheaper to just stay with what I have and either replace batteries or fuel, unless you see where I’m missing something. Thanks for having this conversation with me, it was very helpful.
Sunday - August 10, 2008
Don Juan – Changed to starboard water tank (port tank has lasted us 2 weeks … looks that will be the average). Battery Bank #2 at 11.5 volts – charged batteries with engine for an hour. Over to beach and on the way a panga load of fisherman gave Julie a fishing line with 6 hooked feathers on it called a “Lucky Joe” and told her how to jig for live bait. Onshore took a trail (ever watchful for rattlesnakes and scorpions) to the other side of the point overlooking the bay just south of us.
Monday - August 11, 2008
0900 - Weighed anchor for BLA for ice, club soda, beer and the Internet. Spotted two nurse sharks feeding. BLA is the breeding ground for the nurse sharks and they come up seasonally to … conjugate. Nurse sharks are very large, very gentle and plankton eaters with huge mouths (4’ in diameter) in which to sieve the plankton. They’re gray with white spots and these were swimming right on the surface; one came alongside the boat and was nearly the length of the boat and the another kind of courted the boat and then swam in front of it gently bumping his tail on the bow. Anchored in 3 fathoms of water; engine hours 409.
Tuesday - August 12, 2008
BLA – It rained this morning – not a big rain just enough to get everything wet. First rain we’ve had since Mazatlan last November. 1300 – Weighed anchor for fishing and Don Juan.
1700 Anchor Don Juan in three fathoms. Julie made some beer bread in the pressure cooker. A pack of coyotes serenaded us as they scouted the shore for dinner.
Wednesday - August 13, 2008
0815 – Up Anchor for fishing – not luck.
1100 – Anchor Puerto Penasco in three fathoms of water. Navy patrol skiff on shore with crew lounging at one of the tables in front of the boarded up fish camp shacks.
1509 - Winds and waves out of the SW so weigh anchor for Ensenda el Quemado. Fish a little on the way over.
1700 – Anchor at Ensenada el Quemado (The Burned Bay). Good south wind protection; engine hours 419.6. Only one other boat here; quite an elegant catamaran named Catherine Estelle hailing from Kodiak, AK. Story is the couple is quite reclusive and has been down here for some time (a least long enough to earn a reputation). They built the boat in an Alaskan native village never having had any previous boating experience. They launched it by rolling it, from yard to water, using 50 gallon barrels. We left them alone. Instead we went beachcombing on beautiful white sandy beach that had a plethora of fishing gear (nets, floats, line) and trash that had washed ashore; lots of little stingrays in the sand close to shore.
Thursday - August 14, 2008
Ensenada el Quemado – Beachcombing, swimming and hiking in the rocks. Saw a whale and her calf in the bay, but couldn’t get close to her.
Friday - August 15, 2008
0700 – Weigh anchor to fish and return to BLA for rendezvous with JAKE, to get ice and water.
1145 – Anchor in three fathoms or water; 423.6 engine hours. SUNBOW and JUNIATA anchored off village. 1300 – JAKE and BEYOND REASON arrive and anchor off village. Provision is 10 gallons of water check the Internet and go to JUNIATA for fishing lures and advice.
Saturday - August 16, 2008
BLA – Into village for more water; I get a little at a time until we’re full. I take in two five-gallon water jugs and fill them with purified water at the local tienda for $1.20 each. I have a little roller cart (the kind to carry luggage) and I put both bottles on the cart (about 80 lbs). I gingerly roll the cart about ½ mile, over a combination of paved and dirt road, back to the dinghy. I load the bottles onto the dinghy; pull the dinghy into the water and motor back to the boat. I hoist the bottles up onto to the boat deck while the dinghy bobs up and down with the waves, timing my … heft at the height of the wave. Then I siphon the water into the boats water tanks (which will empty the 5 gallons container in about two minutes). I’ve put 32.5 gallons of water in the port tank (which was empty) and I figure we have about 22 gallons left in the starboard tank, which we’ve using for the past week.
On one of our trips to the beach, Julie started talking with Guerillmo (the owner of Guerillmos restaurant on whose beach we land our dinghy). Guerillmo not only owns the restaurant, but a tienda up town, a fleet of fishing pangas, a hotel, a 5000 acre ranch, a couple of taxies (that double as boat launching vehicles) and who know what else. Guerillmo hooks Julie up with a fishing pole (what they call and “ugly stick” and line and lures and gives her a few pointers.
1100 – Weigh anchor and head to La Mona, an anchorage at the south end of the bay. We join OSO NEGRO, PACIFIC VOYAGER, EMERALD ISLE, JUNIATA, HYPNAUTICAL, SUNBOW, JAKE, CELIEH, BEYOND REASON and WINDWARD BOUND for the full moon festival. La Mona is a small estuary with rock on one side and sandy beach on the other. We all sat in the water at the mouth of the estuary, rode the tidal current, drank beer and chatted they entire afternoon.
Sunday - August 17, 2008
Quick trip up to BLA for firewood and water. Returned to La Mona and wind had piped up (15 –20 knots) and unable to set CQR (plow) anchor. This isn’t the first time this has happened and it’s not the first time I’ve seen these conditions give this type anchor trouble. After five times, we gave up and switched to the Danforth (which is half the weight) and the anchor set immediately. The plow is out! Forever!! I will sell it and never have another! Julie organized and early birthday party for me on the beach complete with potluck and bonfire. I got birthday cards, a canister of dark chocolate candy, a shell necklace, a CD, a bottom scrapper and a bottle of gin. Considering that these gifts came from a vessels individual stores (in some cases a means of generating income) makes them all the more thoughtful.
We have 426.5 hours on the engine; 77 hours since Santa Rosalia; we’ve used just less than ½ tank of fuel and we need to reserve 31 hours of fuel for a run to San Felipe (probably about a quarter of a tank. We’ll also need fuel for battery charging and any motoring we’ll be doing between now the time we move north.
Monday - August 18, 2008
1100 – Weigh anchor for BLA. Into village for water and fuel and Internet.
Tuesday - August 19, 2008
BLA – Finish filling water tanks (all told, I probably ferried about 14 five-gallon jugs (two at a time) to boat. I added 10 gallons of diesel (two trips to the Pemex station about mile down the road) to fuel tank (now ¾ full).
Wednesday - August 20, 2008
BLA – had winch handle re-welded. Crummy job, but I can grind it down so it fits.
Thursday - August 21, 2008
BLA – Called Ma to wish her happy birthday and ordered flowers for her. Final trip into village for ice and beer.
Friday - August 22, 2008
0945 – Weigh anchor for Quemado and some fishing along the way. No fish but ran into strong flood current coming out of bay and severe chop on the point.
1200 – Anchor in 3 fathoms of water, 15 knots of winds and light fetch. Danforth caught first time and stuck, drifted back using wind and power back (2000 rpm) to set anchor.
Qualms … I told you earlier I was through with the plow (CQR) anchor and probably any other stockless anchor. My qualm is how I got to where I am. I read lots of books (70% of cruisers use a plow anchor) and spoke with lots of folks (my plow has held me in one-thousand-knot winds) over the years about anchoring needs of cruisers. Based on this information and very little personal experience in using a CQR anchor, I developed a personal value system that dictated I use one. The CQR (the one I will never use again) was developed in 1933 by Cambridge professor for, I guess, small craft off the English coast (I’m sure the guy just looked at a field plow and figured that if it worked on land, it would work on the sea). The Danforth anchor was developed in 1939 in America (scientifically by the way). There are many differences in the anchors, major ones including the Danforth’s significantly lighter weight and it has a stock. All the books I’ve read discuss anchor size (i.e. weight); the bigger the anchor the better. The accepted ratio is two-pounds of anchor for each 1000-pounds of boat or one-pound of anchor for each one-foot of boat (for ITCHEN that works out to about the same figure). On one hand these parameters seemed arbitrary (certainly not very scientific), but on the other hand weight of the anchor seemed to, intuitively, make sense. So I was stuck with a heavy anchor that was supposed to be the definitive anchor for cruisers; an anchor that didn’t set 10% of the time (and usually at the worst time) for me; an anchor that I had dragged on and did not trust; and, as a result, a situation that was forcing me rework my anchoring value system. I had used the Danforth on previous boats without any problem or extra gear (like a windlass) and had always had good luck. These past few times when I was unable to get the plow to set, I switched it out for the Danforth and in the same anchorage the Danforth set immediately, but I just couldn’t get past all this marvelous praise for the CQR.
What to do? I started tearing through the cruising books on-board (Chapman, Roth, Royce, Cornell, Herreshoff, etc.) for an answer to my dilemma. Of course they all referred to the same lame criteria and put the plow on a pedestal, until I found one little pamphlet called “Anchors and Anchoring” by R.D. Ogg (co-inventor of the Danforth anchor). It discusses the principals of anchoring, rode, wind, current and wave drag loads, etc. The upshot being, the weight of the anchor has nothing to do with its setting ability or holding power. Setting ability is dependant on anchor design and holding power is dependant on the anchors surface area and its ability to bury itself; “… a 500-pound concrete block had no more holding-power than a four-pound Danforth properly set.” I’ve also noticed (and I think I can say with without exception), that every cruiser has a Danforth as a back-up anchor. Royce cites two instances where vessels were in danger of being washed ashore and each threw over a five-pound … five pound (!) Danforth at the last minute; each anchor caught and held with one holding for over 18 hours in 35 to 50 knots winds. Danforth anchors were used in WWII to kedge huge landing craft off the beach. The new Fortress anchors (aluminum-magnesium alloy danforth type anchors) broke the tugs that were trying to dislodge them in anchoring tests. So if these anchors are so good, and all cruisers have one for a back-up anchor, why aren’t they being used as primary anchors? I think cruisers think that weight is the be-all-end-all; how could they not, it’s difficult to find information that refutes the weight theory. I also think cruisers like the look of a CQR and/or Bruce hanging off the bowsprit; it looks really salty. Not me, I’m going with the Danforth as my primary anchor. Qualm resolved.
Second Qualm; Batteries. I guess I’ve been running my batteries to low. I only been using one bank at a time and apparently I’ve been taking them down to 11.5 volts (10% charge remaining). Discharging the batteries to this level will significantly reduce the lifetime of the batteries (like from 10 years to 3 years, I think), but I didn’t see anywhere in my two electrical books on-board where the specific voltage was covered. I will need to take another look at costs analysis; replacing four batteries every two or three years at $100.00/battery, fuel cost and engine wear resulting from using the engine as a generator; versus, the cost and associated hassles (mounting, storing, wiring … the begets) of solar, wind, towed and/or gas powered generator means of battery charging. Since I have the power pack on-board (emergency starting battery) I going to start using the battery bank in tandem (both banks at once) to minimize my voltage drop and charging time. I’ll get back to you on this.
Saturday - August 23, 2008
Quemado – Strong winds last night; one report had the winds at 20–25knts with gust to 35knts. It was a chubasco without the rain. Anchor held fine and no fetch. Charged for two hours this a.m.
Sunday – August 24, 2008
0730 – Out fishing in the dinghy with Julie. Trolled along the rocky shoreline with no luck. JICCARANDA came over and told us to try off the point; Julie got one strike and actually caught a sierra (whitefish) but the fish took the rapala (a fishing lure) and broke the line just as she got it back to the dinghy.
1100 – Up anchor for Quemado. Changed anchor from 22-pound Danforth to my shiny new ten-pound Fortress anchor, I bought in San Diego. Five-to-six knots on a broad reach under jib alone.
1300 – Anchor Don Juan in three fathoms with 20 knots of wind. Anchor didn’t set due to weeds first time, but set solid the second time. Four boats already here.
1800 – Latest weather report indicates tropical depression Julio is headed north; he has sustained winds of 40 knots and is currently Todo Santos (half-way between Cabo and La Paz on the outside) working his way north. Julio is expected to arrive in BLA on Tuesday during the day (we’ll see - I’ve become very leery of weathermen, rarely are they right, but they sure like the drama). Prudently boats are coming in though, as this is the only hurricane hole in the area. Six more boats have come in since we arrived for a total of eleven; six or so more are due in. We’ll have the entire Baja fleet (17-18 boats) here by Monday night.
Monday - August 25, 2008
Don Juan waiting for tropical depression Julio. All boat in 15 in total; 1 catamaran, 2 power boats and 12 sailboats. Dark, quiet and ominous day in the anchorage.
Tuesday - August 26, 2008
Don Juan - Sunny morning, no Julio; apparently he preferred the likes of the mainland (San Carlos) so bypassed us completely; I think we got about 10 drops of rain (maybe he’ll come back as a chubasco). Fishing this a.m. in the dinghy. Julie caught 2 sierra (mackerel) and 2 sea bass; she is finally happy
1055 – Up anchor for BLA; go the long way around so Julie can get some fishing in.
1310 – Anchor of village in three fathoms; Fortress not biting into sand; changed to 22lb Danforth and bit immediately… I think some weight may be needed to encourage the fluke to dig in.
1400 – Into village for water, dinghy fuel and Internet.
1630 – Out to MAITAI ROA (44’ Peterson, Alex and Sue) for cocktails. Julie scored some lures and fishing tips from Alex. Later MAITAI ROA, JAKE and us into town for dinner of shrimp tacos, beer and ice cream.
Wednesday - August 27, 2008
BLA – more water while I can and 5 more gallons of diesel fuel for a total of 21 extra gallons of diesel and a complete refill on the water tanks. MAITAI ROA, JAKE, JICCANRANDA and us into Guerllimos for dinner. The restaurant is little more expensive than some of the others in town, but they serve hamburgers. It was deserted, as are most shops and business this time of year and we were the only patrons their. We ordered hamburgers off the menu, but the wait staff told us the owner wouldn’t serve us hamburgers, as it was dinner-time. None of us were interested in anything else to eat (to pricey), MIATIA ROA (who spoke fluent Spanish) asked if they’d rather have the business or have us we leave. Initially, they were going to allow us to leave - this is a more common scenario in Mexico than not; we’ve all seen shops decline business rather than meet a customers needs. I don’t know about other cultures, but for Americans this behavior/attitude is extremely discouraging and frustrating. We talk about and are never able to come up with an explanation to this contrary behavior, but we all agree that it may explain the stumbling lack of progress this country repeatedly exhibits.
Thursday – August 28, 2008
Sailed down to Duffy’s (Celieh) for an early dinner and darts. Jay (Celieh) filled my propane bottles using the gravity method. Walked on the beach where we watched their dog (a Pomeranian called Buster) located a crab in the sand, dig like mad after it and then capture it in his teeth.
Friday – August 29, 2008
0730 – Weigh anchor BLA (Duffy’s). Quick stop in the village then north to Bahia Alcatraz. Caught the current through Canal de Ballenas (Whale Channel) and got up 7.7 knots
1330 – Drop anchor in 3 fathoms on a sandy bottom; engine hours 461.7. Took Julie out fishing with not luck
1700 – Out fishing again and Julie caught six tuna. MAITAI ROA and JAKE for dinner.
Saturday – August 30, 2008
0830 – Weigh anchor for Puerto Refugio, north end of Isla Angel de la Guarda. Caught the current again and this time did 8 knots. Two rainstorms formed on the island (off our starboard beam), one dissipated over the top of us and the other gave a little bit of rain as we rounded the north end of the island. Isla Angle de la Guarda is about 40 miles long and 12 miles wide and is covered by mountains ranging in height from 900 – 1300 meters. Puerto Refugio is at the north end of the island. The island … the mountains seem to cause its own little weather pattern. We watched several thunderstorms form on the east side of the island, rain on top and the west side of the island and then dissipate within just a couple of miles. The storm then appears to reform one it hits the peninsula. I guess the west bound, cool, moist sea air can’t quite get over the island hills so it clashes with the warm island air and something has to give.
1348 – Drop anchor in three fathoms of water on a sandy bottom; engine hours 467.1
1700 – Out fishing in the dinghy and Julie catches two tuna and two sea bass) the tuna put up a good fight but the sea bass just go limp once they are on the hook). Tide has gone down remarkably; we are in 5 feet of water and surrounded by jagged reefs. We move the boat out about 500 yards and re-anchor.
2200 – Thunder and lightening! Suddenly the wind swirls around us, dark clouds loom ominously as lightening arks across the sky and big drops on rain begin to splash on deck. Quick we take down the sunshade, secure the lose gear and close the hatches. Immediately, the wind died, the rain stopped, the thunder and lightening abated, and the clouds disappeared. That’s was it … a tempest in a teapot!
Sunday – August 31, 2008
Puerto Refugio – Clean the boat bottom, very few barnacles and just a little moss; only took an hour. Rained twice this morning (one was a decent shower). We’ve had more rain, around this island, in the past 24 hours than we’ve had since we crossed into southern California (almost) one year ago.
Monday – September 1, 2008
0756 – Puerto Refugio crystal clear. We can see the anchor out 150’ from the boat. Weigh anchor for Bahia Willard; winds SW 15-20 knots; waves SW 4-6 feet. Motor sail at 6.5 knots. No luck fishing.
1750 – Anchor in 3 fathoms Bahia Willard; strong wind but no fetch. MIATIA ROA, JAKE and Jakes family here (they came by land).
1830 – Dinner at hotel/restaurant (Antonio’s?) in south end of bay with Jake’s sister (Weta) and brother-in-law (Steve). Julie discovered she like’s fried tortillas. Met a couple (she from New Orleans and he from Montana) that had been traveling the Baja for the past year, pulling a fishing boat and living out of the back of their suburban. They were having a great time!
Tuesday – September 2, 2008
Bahia Willard – Picked up supplies Steve and Weta had brought down (Champagne and some spices) and had dinner on shore at their campsite; much hotter and buggier than the boat.
Wednesday – September 3, 2008
Bahia Willard – flat calm this am and getting hot, fast! Into the campsite and Steve and Weta drove all six of us, in their AWD Hyundai, down to a little tienda out in the middle of nowhere, literally! It wasn’t the end of the world, but you could see from here. We got some ice and ice cream and enjoyed air conditioning, however brief a moment. With deep ruts and jagged rocks, the roads here are worse than mountain trails. The roads are so bad in this part of the Baja that it took Steve and Weta 6 hours to drive the 90 miles from San Felipe to here (Bahia Willard). They’re camped at a place called Papa Fernandez who apparently was tight with the “Duke” (the many pictures on the walls would verify this). Papa Fernandez is a huge empty lot for RV parking and one small little restaurant that serves tacos, burritos and beer. The tienda I mentioned above is five miles (30 minutes by car) from Papa Fernandez and about five miles from the village at the south end of the bay; just another example of how the consumer is separated from businesses – it’s the Mexican way.
Thursday – September 4, 2008
Bahia Willard – Help Steve and Weta break camp and saw them off to further camping adventures. Finish the day in the luxurious heat of Bahia Willard.
Friday – September 5, 2008
0756 – Weigh anchor for Puertecitos, halfway between Bahia Willard and San Felipe. Not a breath of wind and no escape from the broiling sun.
1526 – Drop anchor in Puertecitos in three fathoms of water; air temperature 98 degrees and water temperature 98 degrees; engine hours 492.8; fuel 3/8 full. We went for a swim anyway … kind of like swimming in bathwater. Puertecitos is a small mostly American community that is pretty well closed up for the summer, as are most of the American patronized villages along the coast. But one friendly American soul, “Panama,” who had a house overlooking the anchorage gave us a hail on the VHF welcoming us to the harbor and offering to run us about in his truck should we need anything. In talking with other cruisers we first discovered than not many, if any, had headed north out of BLA and certainly not as far north as San Felipe; indeed, even the guidebooks give the cruising area little attention. Somehow though, they all knew that there were no anchorages and San Felipe would be a 30-hour run. As you’ve read though, on the trip from BLA to San Felipe we spent the night in lovely and for the most part fairly well protected anchorages and all easy day sails.
Saturday – September 6, 2008
0750 – Weigh anchor to catch the flood tide for San Felipe; temperature 100 degrees, humidity 70%, Barometric pressure is 28.30 pounds or 960 milibars. We hailed Panama to say good-bye. Just outside the harbor Julie notice a snake swimming, really skipping through the water. It was an odd thing to watch its silver skin reflecting the sunlight like a mirror, all the time with its head above the water (making good time, too). We watched for some time and as the snake disappeared in our wake. Julie radioed JAKE to be on the lookout for the snake in our wake (wouldn’t you just love it if this happened in a lake, just after a quake) and JAKE saw the snake. JAKE was reporting to us about the snake when a seagull swooped in to rake up the snake. Then another seagull, in mid-air, tried to take the snake away, but only got half, giving the poor snake a real ache.
Ode to the snake
Poor Mister snake
one morning did take
A swim between ITCHEN and JAKE
He got a real ache
when two seagulls did make
Him their breakfast … a fore and aft steak
1330 – A seal pup is swimming off our stern, sometimes coming up to the beam and then slipping back into our wake. Occasionally, he would pop-up take a quick look around and then duck just under the surface of the water and glide in the slipstream of the keel. We tried to feed him some smoke salmon, but he was totally disinterested.
1628 - Arrive San Felipe marina; engine hours 501.5. Into town with JAKE for dinner.
