The Find

Geocache "Atravesado" allowed us to introduce several more people to the phenomenon of geocaching. The South-African crew from Laura were particularly excited about the hunt.

The "find!"

The "excavation!"

The exhilaration!!

Above La Paz

Eleven of us cruisers piled into Patsy's van, Craig at the wheel, and drove to the end of Calle Ocampo. We parked under an acacia tree where the dirt road ended at the base of Cerro Atravesado. The walk up is short and rocky, with one stretch of loose scree, but really pretty gentle. And the view is worth every effort.

Among the group: Rani and Chris (Ladybug) and Mike (Trig). Also represented were Craig and Jennifer (Adios), Sarah and Karin (Laura), Caroline (Talion), and Bob (Braveheart).

Hiking in La Paz

On the southeast edge of La Paz, just where Calle Ocampo ends, a rocky trail winds up to the top of Cerro Atravesado. The path is marked by 12 large crosses and during Semana Santa (Holy Week at the end of Lent) members of a church on Calle Degollado make a pilgrimage to the cross. Our walk to the top was rewarded by one of the most spectacular views in and of La Paz. You can see 360 degrees, northwest to the bay and the Mogote; east to valleys of what were once desert, now being claimed by urban expansion...the streets still packed dirt, with few services (water, lights, etc) evident; southeast to the hills with ranch-land...at the base of the hills, semi-trailer trucks ply the highway that circumvents the city (libramente La Paz) and connects the airport with the commercial port (Pichilingue); and southwest to dusty stretches enroute to Los Cabos. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Back in La Paz

All along the malecon in La Paz are beautiful copper sculptures. My favorite is the Sirena con Delphin. You've seen Marv's in another post, El Viejo y el Mar.

Wayne took the picture, facing into the sunset, Betty, Marv and I enjoyed the last night on board.

Bahia San Gabriel-Isla Espiritu Santo

Our last night out, we anchored at Bahia San Gabriel on Isla Espiritu Santo. Six other boats were there with us, five of us in the shallow southern corner. Immediately after setting the anchor, Wayne, Betty and I jumped in the dinghy and drove over to the strip of mangrove that separates the bay from an old, abandoned pearl farm. The tijeretas, or frigate birds, have a rookery here, and they are in nesting mode. We watched as the males brought grasses to the females who, nestled in the mangrove branches, took the grass and added it to the nest growing beneath them.

I cut the motor as we approached the rookery and rowed along the strip of mangrove so Wayne and Betty could get some good photos. Beneath us in the water, we saw a small stingray scoot off, a bullseye puffer leisurely swim by, a gulf sunstar attached to the rocks, and hundreds of minnow-sized fish dart away.

Sunsets remain awesome!

Sailing with Wayne and Betty

Minnesota farmers make good sailors. Here's the proof. Doesn't he look happy to be in Mexico in February?

We anchored in Ensenada Grande next to Jasdip, captain Crit and her sister, Lisa, aboard. Next morning we all went over to the very small bay of Las Cuevitas (the little caves). Ardy kayaked the mile or so over, the rest of the crews came in their dinghies.

Beached the small craft on the sand and took advantage of looking for shells, swimming, and (why am I not surprised?) hunting up another geocache.

There's a small blue-footed booby rookery on the south wall of Las Cuevitas, we cruised slowly by, listening to their squawking above us on the cliff face.

El Cardoncito geocache

A small anchorage, Cardoncito, on Isla Partida, provides Marv a geocaching opportunity. There is a fresh-water well here, a line scrabbled on the ground next to it that you can use to lower your bucket. You compete with the bees that use this fresh water, too. They don't bother you...just circle and sip. Our water tanks were filled, so we didn't need to sample the well.

The beach is small and the arroyo rising up from it rocky. Marv fills in the geocache log...a "first-to-find" while Patti looks on. It took three of us to find this one, high above the well.

Marv and I went a quarter mile further up the arroyo to find the second cache, tucked under a rock just off the "trail." One uses that term loosely in these parts.

A tortuous agave plant found along the trail from El Cardonal anchorage across the island to the eastern shore.

Sailing with Tim & Patti

Patti is an excellent driver...and she doesn't need a Greek sailing cap to prove it.

Weather in our favor, Patti MacRae, Tim Rowan (good Portland neighbors), Marv and I sailed out of La Paz and spent a few days in the islands to the north. On the way, we searched for whale sharks, saw one in the far distance, and then settled for fair winds and gentle anchorages on Islas Partida and Espiritu Santo

Getting there was just part of the fun.

Dave and Suzanne...First time on paddle boards!

Jessica and Byron, aboard Sterling, a sailboat here in port, have two proto-type paddle boards that they encourage people to use...research to see what's good and not about them. Fortunately, the winds have died and calm seas prevail.

Dave and Suzanne look like professionals.
Knees relaxed at all times, Dave!


Even though we didn't get much sailing in (because of the winter storm), Dave and Suzanne had a busy week...they were able to swim with the whale sharks, kayak into the mangrove swamp, snorkel and kayak at Bahia Balandra, go whale-watching, explore a lot of La Paz, and give us the pleasure of their company. They are always welcome on Odyssey!

Bahia de Magdalena

The grey whales are coming south! Even in the turbulent sea, we could see them spout and sound, flipping their tails as they dove after taking deep breaths.

On the trip out to the mouth of Magadalena Bay, Enrique stopped an incoming shrimp fisherman, we bought a couple kilos of shrimp and took them to Magdalena, a very small fishing village on Isla Magdalena.

The trip back from the mouth of the bay was a treat...6 foot seas in an open panga with a 20 knot wind in our face means 45 knot wind and waves splashing all over us. Our clothes were salt-encrusted and we were soaked through by the time we got to the restaurant.

It was cold, cold, cold, cold. Bundled up in our winter coats, we enjoyed the shrimp boiled up whole by the cooks at Magdalena...they were as fresh as you can get them, and, add Enrique's special hot sauce that he mixed up to go with them, delicious!

Did I mention it was cold?

Bahia de Magdalena

What do you do when guests come to visit and the weather doesn't cooperate? We welcomed our nephew, Dave Swank and his friend, Suzanne Hebert, only to have a "norther" with winds of 50+ knots per hour blow up in the Sea of Cortez. Here in La Paz and nearby islands, it only got up to 35+ knots, but that's too much to be comfortable...certainly not your "kick-back-and-bask-in-the-sun-Mexican" vacation.

So we drove across the Baja to San Carlos, Baja Sur, a small town located on Bahia Magdalena, where we charted a small panga to go out and watch for whales.

Even in Bahia Magdalena the winds were brisk. Our panguero, Enrique Senior, took us into the mangrove swamp first, bustling with bird-life.

Spectacular flocks of white ibis, yellow-crowned night heron, great blue heron, little blue heron, white egret, and green heron...the swamp was filled with them!