Sunday May 4, 2014 - Dana Point

Sunday, May 4, 2014 – Enroute from San Diego to Dana Point

Friday night Clark treated us to an awesome dinner at the Punta Moro Resort near the marina.  It is a spectacular setting, reminiscent of La Joya and the restaurant was on a par with the view.  Everything was beautifully prepared and served.  It was a wonderful last dinner in Mexico.

View from the restaurant at Punto Moro

Joan looking for the green flash

Post dinner stroll at Punta Moro

Sometime around 5 am on Saturday we took off for San Diego, blessed with smooth seas and a favorable current that boosted our speed to 7+ knots.  Would that all days going north could be the same!  

Blowing 40 plus

Seas as they ought to be

As we travelled north, I knew we were getting close to Southern California when I spotted the first mylar balloon.  On the way down, the sea was spotted with hundreds of them.  A very sad thing to see. 

As we approached San Diego the traffic and activity increased.  Several sail boats races where underway and we enjoyed watching the boats drop their jibs and lift their colorful spinnakers as they rounded the buoy.  In addition to racers, there were many other assorted craft enjoying the beautiful weather.  We particular enjoyed a couple of classic multi sailed boats

Boats in front of San Diego

Beautiful Sailor!

Coming into San Diego, we felt like country bumpkins hitting the big city for the first time.  After 5 years of boating in Mexico, we were unaccustomed to the hurly burly of a major port.  Although there were clearly marked traffic lanes going into the harbor, we seemed to be one of the few boats to honor them.  Vessels of all descriptions, from freighters to kayaks and paddleboards, were going every which way!  The only things not moving were the piles of sea lions hauled out on the buoys, something we had not seen since we left the USA in 2009. 

Sea lions let you know you are back in California

We were pretty stressed by the time we managed to tie up at the police dock to clear customs. 

Earl had asked me to check on the hours that customs were open before we left Ensenada.  The website I had found indicated that they were opened until 5 everyday but Sunday and listed procedures for contacting them.  Happily Earl had written down the information because it turned out that they were not on hand on Saturdays.  After an hour or so, a couple of very nice men came down and did the paperwork for us to reenter.  Turns out they were originally from New York and one of them gave me a big hug before leaving. 

We had made reservations at the Cabrillo Marina.  When we finally found our slip, not an easy task in this giant place, it turned out to be too narrow.  Earl did manage to slip in, but there was no room for bumpers on either side.  Fuming, Earl went to the marina office to demand a slip to fit us.  He did well.  In compensation for our trouble, we got a 72 foot slip gratis. 

We had done such a good job of eating all the food that might be confiscated at customs that our larder was pretty bare.  I had hoped to make a quick trip to Trader Joes that is only a mile from our moorage, but happily settled for pizza delivered to the marina from Pizza Nova.  It was very good and Joan and Clark are now converts to Thai Chicken Pizza.  After dinner we walked up to the little deli near the marina office and picked up eggs to make French toast for breakfast from the sour dough bread that had come along with the pizza.  Joan spied a freezer of ice cream bars, so we all had Hagen Daas ice cream bars for dessert.  A wonderful welcome home to the USA meal!

We said goodbye to Joan and Clark a little before 8 am and were off within minutes for our run to Dana Point where we will be spending a few day.  In 2007 when we bought the boat, we had rugs made by Jeddy in Dana Point.  Now after 7 years of use and abuse (what else could you call spilling a whole jar of Yoy Soy Sauce) they are rather sad and we are looking forward to replacements.

In addition, despite Earl’s best efforts with the toilet plunger, the master head after complaining for the last few months has finally said no mas!  A new toilet awaits us in Dana Point.  Fortunately we only had to share the forward head with guests for a couple of days.  During that time, we developed a new meaning to the verb facilitate.  For us it meant using the facilities as in asking others if they had any objections to our facilitating.

Two things to which we will need to become reaccustomed:  NOAA weather forecasts over the radio and reliable charts on the plotter.  Both are blessings that before cruising in Mexico we took for granted. I for one will take a while to internalize the reliability of the plotter after years of having it show us crossing islands in the Sea of Cortez.

I am doing a whole day of laundry as we head north.  Our laundry bag which is on Earl’s side of the bed when we have guests, had long since reached capacity and there was a small mountain that threated to soon reach the as high as the bed.  We have so many things hanging out to dry on the railing that Earl says someone may think we are trying to signal distress. 

Friday, May 2, 2014 - From Cabo to Ensenada

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Sunday, April 27 – Turtle Bay

Cross above Cabo San Jose Marina

We spent a couple of pleasant days at San Jose del Cabo.  The marina is comfortable– although not anywhere as nice as Costa Baja with very industrial artwork. We enjoyed dinner at Sharon and Dave’s condo where we discussed politics until 11:30.  Pretty late for us folks.  The next two days we provisioned and cleaned before picking up Joan and Clark at the airport.  We had a good dinner at the Tropicana, recommended for Mexican food.  Although it was not the fish tacos which I had expected, the food was excellent and the entertainment unexpected.  Halfway through dinner a large group in crazy masks and very enhanced bosoms danced their way up the sidewalk and around us looking for donations.  They were a hoot.

Art????

We left San Jose del Cabo on Friday the 18^th.  The going was not nice and Earl decided when the wind hit 30 that we would be well served to go and anchor for the night in front of Cabo San Lucas.  It was both Good Friday and Joan and Clark’s 50^th wedding anniversary.   

Joan and Clark - 50 years and going strong

Holy Week is a big holiday for the Mexicans and we felt rather as if we had anchored in the middle of an amusement park.  The beach was literally covered with beach umbrellas and people, while a few brave souls were in the rather chilly water swimming or kayaking.  One woman was attached to some kind of device that powered water jets under her feet and sent her soaring into the air.  There was music blaring and everyone was apparently having a wonderful time.  A barge anchored near us selling beer was covered with drinkers.  At sunset, a number of boats turned on decorative lights and then there were fireworks.  It was very festive.  Not exactly what I would have thought for Good Friday in a Catholic country.  

Cabo beach

Party Boats

Beer Barge

We celebrated the anniversary with pepper steaks, champagne and a frozen Costco chocolate cake that we are still have not finished a week later. 

Saturday morning just as the sky was lightening, we started off for a long run to Santa Maria just north of Mag Bay.  As we rounded the Cape we were treated to the sight of a large whale breaching beside us.  I guess he was wishing us a good trip north.  It was a lovely start to our bash.

The Cape (Cabo San Lucas)

Between Cabo San Lucas and Mag Bay it is a long 152 miles at 6 mph with no place to stop.  It was choppy when we started and got worse.  No fun!  We bucked our way north and worked muscles we had forgotten about trying to keep from falling as we made our way around the boat.  Daisy had the worst of it.  She could not stand on the bow to relieve herself and even walking in the boat was tough.  Earl finally put a towel down on the back deck so that she could get some traction.  It took her several days to recover.  The weather got worse during the night but by the time we arrived at Santa Maria, 172 miles from Cabo on Sunday the 21st it was actually becoming pleasant.  

Bahia Santa Maria

We were exhausted and spent the next day recovering.  Apparently we are all 5 years older than when we came south and probably we are better off not doing too many over night runs.  We celebrated our safe arrival with a luxury dinner of rack of lamb and the next night suffered through fresh lobsters that Clark bought from a pangero.  They were probably not legal since we have since been told everywhere else north that the season is closed.

Lobster Night!

We saw what may be the new generation of Baja fisherman.  Still in pangas, these guys wore nice raingear, spoke some English and had a boatload of hammerhead sharks, which must be a profitable catch.  From what we could understand, the fins go to Asia and the bulk of the meat is made into surimi.  

Panga load of hammerheads

Clark and Daisy fishing

The trip south along the Baja with the winds on your tail is called the Baha Haha and it was a pleasant trip.  The trip north is rightly called the Baja Bash.  As one of the guide books put it:  The prevailing wind and swell that was fun at 15 -20 knots going downwind, can become a bear when beating into an apparent wind in excess of 20-25 knots.  The advice is to hug the coast to reduce the winds but that adds about 100 miles to the distance.  It is also advised to travel early in the day before the afternoon winds come up.  Thus, we have been making more stops than we did going south and instead of the 8 days it took us from Ensenada to Cabo in 2009, we will be lucky to make it in two weeks. 

A 3 am departure from Santa Maria on Tuesday, April 22 got us to Juanico 7:20 pm.  It was a long overcast day, but seas were reasonable. We saw a few large grey whales. One crossed right in front of the boat so Clark slowed down and gave it the right of way- it was coming from the right.  The time was filled with lots of knitting and naps.  Joan is a machine, whipping off a cap a day.

An 11 hour run got us from Juanico to Abre Ojos at 7 pm on Wednesday. It was choppy, but we were treated to gulls fighting for position on our front railing and porpoises came for Daisy’s delight.  After we anchored, two pangas, each modified by the addition of a cabin, came by.  They were the Mexican federal fish and game checking to see if we were poachers.

Gulls on the railing

Mexican Fish and Game

Leaving Abre Ojos at dawn

Thursday April 24^th was a choppy nine hour ride from Abre Ojos to Asuncion which we left early so as to get to Turtle Bay in time to do some shopping on the 25^th.  The conditions were wonderful as we neared Turtle Bay but the weather report was for some big winds on the afternoon of the 26^th and lasting through the am on the 28^th.  We were tempted to run north, but Turtle Bay is by far the best anchorage in which to wait out the weather. So there we stayed

It would not be boating if there were not some issue.  The first day out Clark mentioned that the water pressure was low.  It would start out fine but quickly fall off.  There were lots of theories and heavy engineering discussions between the capitanos.  The first attempt was to check the electrical connections.  That was declared a success – at least for 15 minutes.  The next attempt, on the theory that something was stuck in the line- was to blow air through the pipes using an electrical air pump.  Again a success.  Again short-lived.  The final (always the one that works) was replacing the pump.  Apparently the pump that we had replaced just before leaving La Paz had a connector that was cross-threaded and allowed air to leak into the system.  Somebody goofed, but all is well that ends well.

The water maker was also not working well.  It kept shutting itself off.  We assumed it was connected to the water pressure issue.  But it turned out not to be so.  So when we finally had water pressure, we did not have enough water to take showers and do laundry.  The situation was becoming desperate when Earl checked the filters and discovered that they were plugged with plankton.  New filters and new water pump and life is good.  We are all less fragrant.

Joan, Clark and I took a panga ride into the pier to do some shopping in Turtle Bay.  The panga ride was fine, but the landing was not ideal. We tied up at a dock that was far beyond rickety.  The pangero demonstrated walking precisely in the middle so as to keep from tipping into the water. When we got to the stair of the pier, we were faced with a sad looking stairway about 2 feet across the water from the shaky dock.   We made it and walked a guano covered pier to shore.  

Guano encrusted dock (smelled good too!)

We had toured Turtle Bay on our way south and it was as dusty as we remember.  The buildings by the pier are derelict and rusty and the town is worn.  The grocery store was more impressive than I remember – probably due to 5 years of shopping in tiny village tiendas on the Baja.  The fruit and vegetable selection was not large but we got enough to see us to Ensenada.

Turtle Bay - not really a resort community

We stayed at anchor for two days and watched as the harbor filled up.  A number of other boats joined us to wait out the weather and we watched a surprising amount of commercial fishing traffic.  There were a couple of old seiners and the scene was pretty remenisant of our Alaska fishing days.  

Commercial fishing boats

So here we sit making water and doing laundry and resting. 

Tuesday, April 29^th – enroute to Bahia San Carlos

After considerably checking of weather, we left Turtle Bay at 7:15 on Monday morning headed for the north end of Cedros Island.  It looked as it we would have a lumpy but not impossible ride that day and better weather the next.  We were met by good sized swells with white caps on top.  Thank God for stabilizers.  The Serenity rides like a duck.  Joan and I spent the morning knitting, playing cards and killing flies.  We apparently brought a boatload of them with us from Turtle Bay.

As soon as we got in the lee of Cedros Island the water flattened out.  The south end of the island has a deep harbor at which ocean going tankers are filled with salt.  The salt is produced in Scammon Lagoon, loaded on barges and tugged over to the island.  The barges are equipped with conveyer belt system to unload the salt on to the shore where it is added to the huge pile that is already there. 

Loaded salt barge

The ride up the east side of the island was scenic.  The hillsides are very dramatic.  As we got to the northern end, we started passing beaches covered with sea lions.  They lie on the shore like cord wood and bark. 

Sea lions on the beach

Our anchorage was steep, so we anchored close the beach and the seals. Earl put out 150 feet of chain and we enjoyed quiet rocking and noisy seals.  Earl got up in the middle of the night and saw some of them swimming through our underwater lights.

We started off a dawn on Tuesday to head north to San Carlos, 

We had very large swells, 9 or 10 feet, but we seem to be getting our sea legs.  Daisy even made it to the front deck and managed to do her business.  A true Salty Dog.  I have rediscovered the technique of bracing oneself in the galley that I had mastered when we commercial fished.  It must be like riding a bike – one never forgets.  The boat continued to perform beautifully and we passed a pleasant day.  As the evening approached the seas flattened and the report for Wednesday is excellent.  We will probably do an overnight from San Carlos into Ensenada.

Wednesday, April 30, heading north from San Carlos

Well we had quite a night!  The anchorage in the bay is a good way off the beach, but as we anchored we could hear the surf roar.  It seemed almost as if it echoed around the little bay. At 1 am the wind came up from land to the NE.  By 2, the boat was pitching and we could hear loud banging noises.  The wind was warm – 78 degrees – and wild.  We clocked 56 mph.  Earl and I went upstairs in our nightclothes to see what was going on – my initial thought was that the stabilizer had somehow gotten fouled.  But no, our trusty chain hook on the bridle had failed and was inoperable.  Earl managed to find our spare bridle in a storage box on top of the house and went out to hook up the replacement and retrieve the bent one.  As soon as he had that done, he replaced the hook on our bridle with a different model.  Just in time, as the second one also failed.  By this time Clark had come up and we gave Earl our moral support from the cabin as we watched him bent over the bow roller, his nightshirt around his ears, attaching the bridle.  It was an unforgettable sight – no photos. 

Twisted chain hook #2

As it grew light around 5:30, we began the process of pulling up an anchor that was more than well-set in wind that was still gusting 45.  With the wind on our starboard we blew out San Carlos and headed north.

Fortunately, once away from the shore, the Santa Ana type wind dissipated and we are enjoying a good ride with long swells.  We had some unexpected visitors.  Some little yellow birds –identified by Clark as Wilson Warblers-, apparently blown offshore, landed on the boat and flew in and out of the cabin.  They were not the least afraid and made themselves at home, helpfully doing away with the last of the flies that we had been carrying with us.  One landed on Daisy’s back and rested, then another tried to preen Daisy’s beard.  Joan had one on her finger and Earl’s head was apparently also an appealing perch.  Delightful!

Wilson Warbler on our camera.  Chain hook #1 in background

Earl's new friend

Friday, May 2, 2014 - Ensenada

We did an overnight to Ensenada, arriving about 8 am.  The seas were wonderful!  Earl had planned on being able to get our check out documents, but, as Joan reminded me, when in Mexico, expect holidays.  May 1 is Labor Day here and nothing was open.

We took on fuel, significantly cheaper here than in San Diego,  and Earl rinsed the first layer of salt and grit off Serenity, before finally going to bed for a few hours of sleep.  He does not sleep much during overnights.  Apparently he has inadequate confidence in the crew.

While Earl slept, Joan, Clark and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items – oranges for 2 mornings worth of juice, some bread, cookies and mangos and, most critical, a toilet plunger.  It was a short distance, but the heat was awful and it seemed like a steep uphill.   We got back only to find that we had left the plunger behind, so back to the store I went.  Death march.

Dinner was in the air-conditioned boat.  We are trying to use up any food that might be confiscated, so we had the last of our steaks.  Yummy.  We finally finished off the last of the Costco cake.  My freezer is definitely looking rather empty.

Today is a little cooler.  We have gone downtown to complete the process of checking us and the boat out of Mexico.  The marina provides an assistant to take care of dealing with all the official personnel, but it was still a 2 hour process.  We are currently sitting in our air conditioned cabin while Serenity gets a much needed wash.  (Earl is not impressed by the job that is being done). This evening we will go for an on shore dinner courtesy of Clark then we will be off early in the am so as to arrive in San Diego while customs is open

 

 

Cabo north to Turtle Bay

 

Turtle Bay north to Ensenada

April 15, 2014 - Marina at an Jose Del Cabo

Thursday April 10, 2014 – Underway from Costa Baja Marina, La Paz

Today Serenity left La Paz after 5 wonderful years.  We originally came for one year and then could not leave.  Finally it is time to go north and once again fish for salmon, shrimp and crabs, but we leave with indelible memories of the Sea of Cortez, its sea life, its birds, its people, it clear warm water, white sand beaches, beautiful anchorages, spectacular scenery and unbelievable sunsets, and of La Paz which has been a second home in many ways.  It has been more special than we can ever have dreamed and we have been blessed with many new friends whom we hope to see up north.

Daisy saying goodbye to John, Jay and Lisa

Perhaps this is a good time to make note of some of our favorite places in La Paz for any future visitors.

There are lots of good places to eat in town, but for us Azul Marina at Costa Baja and its sister restaurant Nim in town have the best food in town – great variety – from fine dining to pizza -, reasonable prices, and wonderful people.  If you go to Azul, be sure to try the scallop carpaccio with basil, and don’t miss the summer rolls at Nim.

The Rancho Viejo Hacienda is our favorite for Mexican food.  Earl loves the seafood soup and I don’t think you can beat the tacos aranchera.

Our go to food markets are Mega, Walmart, Sam’s Club and most favorite of all, the local store Aramburo, known among cruisers as the Brown Cow store after the large statute of a cow which decorates its front.  Aramburo is downtown on the corner of Madero and Hidalgo and has an amazing selection of stuff for a small market.  It reminds me of the small neighborhood groceries of my youth in New York City, crowded but with an amazing assortment of items. They will frequently have fresh basil or ginger when I can’t find it elsewhere.  Their meat is excellent- as you might suspect from the line at the counter -and my favorite tequila, Don Julio 70, is about 20% cheaper than at Mega.

Just down Madero from Aramburo is the best bakery in town, Pan d’Lys.  I love the rustic and sour dough breads.  In front of the bakery there is an organic market on Tuesdays and Saturdays where one can find beautiful fresh produce and homemade sausages among other things.

There are two public markets.  Mercado Bravo is a wonderful place to buy fish, but my favorite is Mercado Madero.  That is not because of the food – much of which I find scary- but for the extraordinarily elaborate princess dresses that I have bought for countless little girls.  The shop I go to is the largest in the market and the senora now gives me a discount, hardly necessary since the dresses are always under $40 and frequently as little as $25. 

The Malecon along the sea is a lovely walk and decorated with statutes, many of which are very nice.  There is, however, one I love above all others.  It is a man in a paper boat looking out to sea.  I never look at him without smiling.

 

Is there a boater that does not love this?

Then there is Ibarra Pottery on Prieto between Republica and Torre Iglesias.  Here you can buy pottery made by the Ibarra family (Julio, Juanita and Vicki).  It is very unique and the shop even more so.  In the back, they have some talavera pottery from Pueblo at the best prices I have found.  I dearly love all the Ibarras and will miss their smiling faces more than I can say.  They say they will miss my business.

Vicki, Juanita and Julio Ibarra

Lopez Marine Supplies on the 5^th of February has an amazing selection of stuff.  It is expensive but probably not more so than any marine store.

Across the street from the Mercado Madero is a store called the Mercado, a Michaels-type shop full of all types of items for crafts.

Dr. Tomas Rodriguez (Clinica Veterinaria Madero) has been a wonderful vet for Daisy.  His English is very good and no reservations are needed to see him.  He has been cleaning Daisy’s teeth at less than 20% of the cost in the US and we will miss him and his services.  His clinic is on Revolution between 5 de Febrero and Navarro.

Dr Toushmann was a real find.  An excellent doctor who speaks great English and will even make boat calls.  Telephone 612-157-0126.

And finally there is Fito who has taken such wonderful care of our boat for the past 5 years.  Serenity will miss her frequent washings and we will miss a friend.  Fito’s number is 612-117-5011.  (If calling from the States, add 011-52-1 to the number)

Saturday, April 12, 2014 – fishing off the coast of Frailes.

We spent our first night at anchor in Muertos, an anchorage we have visited many times.  We did not put down the dingy and go ashore for dinner for some of the best chili rellenos in Baja.  Instead we watched the sunset from the boat and enjoyed a tender Costco NY strip steak and salad.  There were about 7 other boats, all on the move for the end of the season.  Some were going north to San Carlos and others, like us, south to the Cape to start the long trip north. 

Friendly little puffer fish at Muertos

The next day I was struck by how different the landscape is from what has surrounded us for the last 5 years of cruising.  While there are still hills, they seem far more covered with vegetation and the beautiful rock formations are nowhere in sight. 

The water temperature has changed significantly.  It was 73 in Costa Baja, 75 in the morning in Muertos and now 77.  With warm water comes the fulfillment of Earl’s desires – marlin!

Yesterday about an hour out of Frailes, Daisy told us there was a fish on and all hell broke loose.  We had a beautiful marlin.  Earl was so excited that it was impossible to following his conflicting and incessant orders.  It took the rest of the trip to get our heart rates down.

North approach to Frailes

After a pleasant night anchored at Frailes, we woke to flat seas.  To my surprise –not- Earl wanted to fish again, so off we went at 8.  It is now 10:30 and we have had three marlin.  One we lost because Earl refused to believe Daisy, but the other two we handled quite well.  Unfortunately I did not get photos of the jumps. These occur early in the process when I am trying to run the boat, chase the fish, reel up the other line and tie on Earl’s belt.  Nevertheless, I have a happy husband!

 

Beautiful marlin, beautiful blue water

Monday April 14, 2014 – going into San Jose Del Cabo

The rest of the fishing was great.  By the end of Saturday, we were both exhausted after 4 marlin plus three lost.  Then, after a good night’s sleep, we went out at 9 am and soon got another great fish- probably our largest striped marlin to date.  It was also the wildest.  Never have I seen a fish dance on its tail like this one did.  Once again, I was too busy to get a photo.  It never did calm down. When the time came to retrieve Earl’s beloved lure and let the fish go, there was a lot of drama.  First the lure came apart and had to be retrieved in two pieces while the fish varied between being too far away or under our swim step.  Finally, the lure in our possession, it was not easy to let the fish go.  It somehow managed to get its bill stuck between the slots of our swim step.  This one fish did us in for the day.  We fished without much enthusiasm for a couple more hours and then returned to Frailes for another peaceful night.

Come to Poppa

In it comes!

 

This is the lure that caught all the marlin

There is a little wind today, but it is from the north and thus on our tail.  The traveling is lovely.  Earl pointed out that this could well be the last time we’ll have the wind behind us.  Prevailing winds going north will be from the north and we will be bucking.  Time will tell.

We will spend a few days in San Jose.  Our wonderful friends Sharon and Dave from Cipango that was tied across from us in Costa Baja have a condo in San Jose and we plan on a fun day with them tomorrow.  Then we will have the next two days to clean the boat, pick up provisions and meet our friends the Scarboro’s at the airport.  They will be going on the first leg of our trip with us.

March 6, 2014 – Heading towards La Paz

The last two weeks have been a lovely -and mostly unsuccessful - fish hunt.  If somehow I had forgotten, I was reminded that I am married to a man who would rather fish than do almost anything else.  So early the 22^nd of February, we left Puerto Escondido to head way off shore to the east of Isla Catalina where the fish were rumored to hang out. 

It was a spectacular day.  The sea was glassy as a pond and the sky clear.  One could see any surface activity from miles away.  And we did see a lot.  We passed several groups of our sun bathing seals and, every five minutes or so, a large turtle would float by.  The turtles were normally dozing, but would occasionally wake with a start as they felt the boat and quickly submerge.  The water temperature was up to 75 degrees – a good sign for fish.  It was a lovely day to read and knit – but the fishing was nonexistent.

Earl was disgusted.  We had everything except the one thing he really wanted and he had held such high hopes for this particular fishing hole.  The only fish we saw was a large bunch of bonitos – which was of zero interest to us.  So, his patience exhausted, the skipper headed south to the north end of Isla San Jose. 

The next day we cruised the San Jose Canal, normally great fishing.  Again, we had another lovely day and saw whales and dolphins, but no fish.  We continued south for the next couple of days.  The weather was as good as we have ever had and the fishing the worst. 

We went to the marina for a couple of days to get some fresh food and enjoy some of our neighbors.  Emiliano – our electrical wizard had done some work on the cell phone booster that we had installed 7 years ago.  It was actually the second one, but neither had had ever worked and I had forgotten about it.  We ran over to Bonanza for the night to test it and to my amazement it actually made a significant difference.  We had also planned to work on adjusting the big lights Earl has installed that night, but instead we were on our way back to the marina after a quick swim.  Our fresh water pump had gone out.  When Earl took a look, he found the pump housing had cracked and we had a shower in the lazarette.  Without fresh water on our boat, our heads don’t work – not good!

The next day our wonderful Fito – who has a slender, flexible, young body replaced the pump with our back up pump, one Earl had rebuilt. 

Our neighbors Sharon and John on Warren Peace had arranged for a birthday celebration for John from the sailboat Swagman.  It was a lovely evening potluck and Peter, our other neighbor on sailboat Formula Won, played his guitar and sang accompanied by a Mexican friend who played harmonicas.  It was great fun. 

The next day we decided to go visit La Ventana by road. It is a community south of La Paz on Canal Cerralvo.  It is a windy spot and famous for its kite surfing.  Friends had recommended the trip and told us it was only 30 minutes.  We took the wrong road, so it took us significantly longer, but even coming home it was an hour not 30 minutes.  Whatever.  It was a lovely day, a charming drive and a good meal at the restaurant Las Palmas overlooking the beach.  We sat on a covered veranda on the second floor and overlooked the kite surfing, while the wind blew away our chips and empty beer cans.

Kite surfer - Ventana

 

Looking north from Las Palmas

We had planned on leaving early on Monday morning to cruise south, hunting fish.  It did not happen.  The pump Earl had installed proved to be not much good.  It overheated.  After a trip to Lopez Marine Store, Earl was back with a new pump and shortly after we were off.

A short cruise to Bonanza, which was ours for the night.  We will be bringing the Serenity back to the Northwest this Spring and I will really miss being able to shed my clothes and jump into beautiful clear water.

Earl just knew he would catch fish the next day on the way to Muertos and in that area.  Years ago he and his brother-in-law had gone fishing in a panga out of Muertos and had fished till they were exhausted a few hours later. 

We had not been to Muertos in a couple of years.  It is a good north wind anchorage, and with the beautiful resort Los Suenos on the southern side and a delightful restaurant on the north it can be a pleasant place to spend a few days –which is what I thought we were going to do.  How foolish of me!  7 am Earl told me we were heading back north since there were no fish here.

So back we went – blessed with lovely weather.  Just so that we were not skunked, we caught (and released) a small dorado, and, just as we headed toward San Gabriel to anchor for the night, the Sea of Cortez gave us a gift.

There were two humpback whales cavorting in front of us.  They were finning and jumping and put on a show for at least half an hour.  It was incredible – this has certainly been our year for whales.  I got good photos (using an iphone if you can believe it) and Earl shot some video clips.  It was the high point of this cruise. 

I just read this to Earl and he corrected me.  He said the high point of this cruise has been the beautiful evenings on the boat deck with me and Daisy.   He has a point.