Cosme

This is the second time we have come up this coast, and we are trying to visit those spots we went by last year with the comment: "We'll be back...let's check it out next time."

Well, this is "next time."

A year ago, we tried to find the hot springs on the back side of Isla Cosme but were chased off by 35 knot winds and weird depth findings (the depth went from 90 feet to 20 feet in an instant...scared us a bit as we were making 7 knots in the high winds). This year we made a special effort to find the springs. It was calmer and we anchored in 20 feet of water with 12 knot winds from the southwest. Pantera and Talion were with us, and we had great GPS way points from the Sea of Cortez guidebook by Breeding and Bansmeer.

Marv and Bob, from Pantera, climbed to the top of the ridge to see if they could see the springs.



Ardy wandered the coastline, convinced the springs would be in the sea. They were.



We all enjoyed the dip. Some spots were too hot to sit on, while on the perimeter the cool water from a rising tide lapped over into the pool.

The tiny circle of clear water at the very tip of the island marked the spot.

Boat Buddies

One of the highlights of cruising is finding new friends and strengthening old connections...traveling together from one anchorage to another (often arriving at different times when an engine doesn't work, or the wind blows and the fast boats go scooting ahead); sharing adventures on shore (hiking, snorkeling, shell collecting, conversation, lying in the sun); and sharing dinner, sundowners, or conversation on board. Best of all is knowing that there are other people out there for alerts, advice, and to generate those most interesting memories.



Our traveling partners for this leg of the journey included Patsy on Talion, Jack and Joanne on Corazon, and Bob on Pantera. Wonderful company!!

Nopolo

A year ago, Marv and Patsy (Talion) anchored at Nopolo Sur, bought some fresh fish from a panguero and his family, and left early the next morning. This year, the same panguero came by with his wife and daughter aboard. We bought some fish and agreed to come into visit them the next morning.



Three little girls, Cristal, Viviana, and Yuvia, showed us around the community, skirting the estuary that feeds into the Sea. We wandered from the two houses through underbrush in a dry riverbed to the well where water is drawn for drinking and washing at home, for laundry, and for use in the fishermen's pangas. We visited the cemetery where the girls' great-grandparents are buried; explored the abandoned house with a dugout canoe tucked under the edge of a cave; and came back along the beach.


Tossing stones over the pond and skipping stones in the estuary became a contest of accuracy, strength and skill. Ardy was easily bested by the 8 and 10 year old girls!!

Isla Coyote

Ricardo, preparing clams on the half-shell. Freshly harvested, raw, sprinkled with lime juice and salsa, Marv claims they are as good as ice cream!



El Guero, one of the residents of the tiny islet of Coyote (Isla Coyote), tells us about this community of five families whose homes perch on the edge of the sea. The village is littered with bones of whales, shark, and other large marine animals. Fishing has been a way of life since the community was established by his grandfather over 80 years ago. Today, connection to nearby La Paz is easier with more modern pangas and high-speed motors; travel, trade, and family members move back and forth from Coyote to La Paz.





Clothes drying in the hot sun? No, try salted stingrays. A delicacy for many...they weren't ready for eating while we were there, darn!

Moondance

As we cruised up through the Cerralvo and Lorenzo Channels, the radio crackled with messages from Moondance to other cruisers. We caught up with Doug and Carla in Caleta Partida, then followed them north, meeting again in Puerto Escondido. They make a lovely picture on the sea and bring light and joy to many others out here sailing.

Los Muertos Again

An archeological dig is taking place just on the ridge of the sand dune above the beach; bringing evidence of a civilization from some 3000 years ago to light, studying it and adding to the holdings in the Natural History Museum in La Paz.

Brisa

We left La Paz and sailed south to Bahia de los Muertos, one of our favorite spots, and one we would take guests to if you come when we are on this side of the Sea of Cortez. It was the first time there for our friends, Chris and Rani, who are now on Brisa. You may remember them from the sailing vessel, Ladybug, in Mazatlan.



We explored the grounds extensively, snorkeled the coral reef off shore, and were very sad to say goodbye to our new friends as they set off for Mazatlan and home to Canada. Chris will make his way there via a single-handed sail to Hawaii on Ladybug.

La Paz

La Paz has been a flurry of cleaning, fixing, and preparing the boat...all the salt is gone; lines are clean and flexible. Stainless steel is polished. Teak is clean and covered. The headsail that got torn in the crossing has been scrubbed and sent to the sail-repair shop (In the past, Ardy has stitched it up by hand, but there was just too much to do this time!). The electrical issues (a short in the running lights and a disconnected cabin light in the V-berth) have been resolved. The engine oil and oil and water filters have been changed. The freezer defrosted. The mainsail track scrubbed and silicon applied. The mainsail cover mended. Laundry done. Several books have been read. Visits have been made to friends in town, on the dock, and out at anchor. Shopping has been done.


I think it's time to go on vacation. We hope to leave here Saturday, taking some friends back down to Los Muertos and then we will head north into the islands for the rest of the summer, ending up at San Carlos, Sonora, again where the boat will go into storage for the hurricane/rainy season.

Los Muertos

A couple of days in Los Muertos left us rested and ready to go north to La Paz. While here, we snorkeled a fantastic Elegant Coral reef, with more diversity and amount of fish than we have seen since the Bahamas. The waters were clear, we could see the sandy bottom 20 feet under our boat perfectly, as well as the abundant sea life. This 3-foot+ yellow-fin circled our boat for half an hour, lazily cruising by. He may have expected a handout, but didn't get one.



Our sails got torn by the wind in the crossing, so we taped up the mainsail and will have the headsail looked at when we get to La Paz.


There were a few other fish around the boat, but not enough to put off getting in the water and scraping the algae and growth from the water line. Ardy spent over an hour with snorkel and fins swimming around the boat, hanging onto the dinghy, scraping barnacles and algae from the bottom and making Odyssey "all pretty" again. Cleaning the salt off the rigging will have to wait until La Paz and fresh water...everything is crusted with salt...lines are stiff, you can wipe handsful of salt off the stainless steel, the canvas sparkles in the sunlight, reflecting dried crystals of sea. Several flying fish had landed on board in the night...we returned them to the sea.

Dolphins playing

Crossing from La Cruz to Los Muertos

Yes, it is April. Yes, it is Mexico. Yes, it is cold. Especially at night when the waves crash over the boat and spray you with their salty breath.

The crossing from La Cruz de Huanacaxtle to Ensenada de Los Muertos took us four days and three nights. The last 30 hours were pretty exciting with 20-25 knot winds (gusts to 32 knots, apparent) and 8-10 foot high seas. The winds were from the WNW, which just happened to be the direction we wanted to go, so we ended up cracking off to the south a little. That change in our course also allowed us to cross the swells (also coming from the NW) at a more comfortable angle. But it meant we had to self-steer the boat to keep it as close to the wind as possible and to stay most stable. We took 1/2 hour turns at the helm through the night (fortunately, a nearly full moon made it easy to see the waves coming). Even so, the wind and waves put us a good bit further south on the coast than we would have liked. We made landfall at Punta Arena, 25 miles south of Los Muertos just as the sun came up on the our fourth day out...anchored in the Ensenada by 4:00 PM that afternoon. And slept...