Let the Odyssey Begin

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

What a great time! Family, friends, cool, crisp weather with just the right mix of rain and sunshine! And the food! amazing... There were 20 around the table for dinner, 11 people staying at the house, primo among them the grandchildren, Miles (4) and Claire (2). We are truly blessed with the right kind of richness.

Today...I'm posting this December 13th...it is 26 degrees and sunny in Portland. Feels like an early midwest spring day, say late March...can't get much better than this.

Adventures continue

2011-10-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's 63 degrees and cloudy in Portland, Oregon tonight. We moved back into the house in June and enjoyed a cool, (relatively) wet summer. The harvests are delayed at least two weeks this year, so blueberries were still around in September and tomatoes hang fat and green on the vines into late October. Vintners are concerned about losing some of their crop if cool rains bring virus or mold before the grapes fully ripen. We learned it as children: farmers are willing to take their chances. Committed to putting seeds in the earth and working with nature to foster the miracle of new life, they know that their crops are extremely fragile, vulnerable to natural forces that both support and threaten. But they also know that the miracle is worth all the risks.

The house is in good shape, but nine years of rental leaves its mark, and we are playing "catch-up" on painting, heavy yard work, leaking eaves, and a moss-covered roof. Every day brings new discoveries with boxes to open, repairs to make, projects to start and finish. We've found The Rebuilding Center and The Restore to be good spots to find used-house parts for shelves and counters (Marv has set up a brewing center in the basement), and Ardy is perfecting the process of "dumpster-diving" for lumber to be used in the outbuildings she is putting up to store tools and wood.

Remodeling the garden is a delight, planning paths, moving shrubs, refurbishing the compost pile...spring will a pleasure there.

It is good to be home.

Starting the move north

2011-05-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

No photos with this one...we'll post them after we get back to San Diego.

Marv and his crew of two, Steve Terzian and Joe Ellerston (Bend and Portland, respectively), leave this afternoon on the first leg of their trip aboard Odyssey enroute to San Diego.

They hope to anchor tonight in Bahia Los Lobos, just 10 miles or so out of La Paz and make Cabo San Lucas by Monday morning.

Along with a number of other boats, sail and motor, they will be beating into a north-north-west wind along the Pacific coast of the Baja. Depending on the weather, they should make San Diego in 8 to 10 days.

Ardy will be driving the car, accompanied by Reginald. Tonight she will bunk with Merry and Dave Wallace in Puerto Escondido and she should be in San Diego by the 1st at the latest.

Saying goodbye to the crew here at Marina de La Paz has been bittersweet...they are phenomenal and have made our stay very pleasant. We look forward to getting re-acquainted next spring when we may come down for a visit aboard Talion. Odyssey will stay in San Diego, resting up for the trip north to Portland and (it is hoped) points further north...Canada...Alaska...

The end of one leg of our odyssey...

The little orphan house finch

2011-05-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

In late April, the Loreto Fest finished and, on May 3rd, a group of 10 boats set sail for La Paz, beginning the Sea of Cortez Sailing Week. Among them was the catamaran, Rot Kat, and aboard were the owners, Arjan and Debra, crew, Larry, and a new addition, orphan house finch, Reginald.

Arjan and Debbie had discovered a nest that finches had built in the boom while the boat sat empty for a month or so attached to a mooring ball in Puerto Escondido. In it was this little bird, still alive and yammering for something to eat.

They fed him, kept him warm, named him Reginald (pending gender identification) and otherwise nurtured him in his early days.

He, in turn, grew, and grew, and grew.

After arriving in La Paz, Arjan and Debbie needed to return to the United States, so looked for a new home for Reginald. We've had the privilege of helping him grow even more, as these two YouTube clips show.

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Dockwise Loading

2011-05-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, our friends, Marika and Karen, from another Peterson 44, Quoddy's Run, out of Nova Scotia, put their boat on Dockwise enroute to Nanaimo, British Columbia.

They asked us to help with the lines as they negotiated her into the tight space along with a couple dozen other boats. It was an incredible learning experience and a real pleasure to give them a hand.

The Dockwise transport pumps water into itself and sinks down into the water. Loading boats motor in (we did it [sort of] backwards), are tied to the sides of the barge and each other, and put on jack-stands under water.

Divers from La Paz go underwater to put the jack-stands in place and weld them to the deck of the boat.

Then the transport pumps the water out, rises to its full free-board, and begins its journey.

Quoddy's Run, Marika, and Karen will be living and working in British Columbia for a time, and we hope to visit them there.

Sea of Cortez Sailing Week

2011-05-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed Loreto Fest at Puerto Escondido (April 28-May 1). The volunteers from the Hidden Port Yacht Club put on a fantastic event, and the Fonatur staff from the marina (moorage field) were exceptional...ferrying cruisers from boat to docks in 25-30 knot winds, helping untie recalcitrant knots, rescuing dinghies (and their occupants) that had flipped, chasing down boats that were slipping their anchors, and carrying on the more mundane business of checking cruisers in and making sure the washing machines worked! Gracias a Constancia y su equipo!

But even though we were delayed in Puerto Escondido with a brisk north wind, it was soon time to return to La Paz, this time with a fleet of about 10 boats participating in the Sea of Cortez Sailing Week. Here we have Bill on Moontide, checking in as one of the fastest multihulls.

And Odyssey, one of the middle-fast monohulls.

We were small enough to share potlucks every night, from hors d'oeuvres on Talion to dinner on a four-catamaran-raft-up!

Nopolo Globe

2011-05-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

Nopolo Sur is a small fishing village accessible only by sea (there is a foot-path up and across the mountains to the village of San Evaristo). Nopolo is actually three lobes in a bay that has a curved hook on the north, protecting the people who live here from severe northerly weather. The northern-most is called Alta, the center is Las Cuevas, and the far south is known as Nopolo Sur. There are two elementary schools, one in La Alta (with 6 students), one in Las Cuevas (with 5 students).

Last time we visited here, Carlos suggested the school might be able to use a globe. So we found one in San Diego and brought it down with us.

Mexico is a very small spot on the face of the earth. The Baja is even tinier.

Making it all the more important that we understand how essential the fishing families in Nopolo Sur are to the life of this world we share.

Steinbeck Canyon Hike

2011-04-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, man! This is one of our favorite hikes on the Baja, and we were so looking forward to sharing it with Cathie and Terry.

And then a big-horn sheep just walked right into our path and elevated the hike beyond anything we could have ever planned or imagined! It was stunning!

She smelled us before she saw us (the wind was to our back), but she had no where to go but up...which she tried to do several times, finding footholds on the edge of sheer walls, sending scree shattering below, and scaring us all that she would tumble down herself...it seems as if there was no place to go! We backed down the trail, giving her the space to traverse the wall above us and skirt over the slight dip at the top.

After a couple of hot hours of some serious bouldering, we were rewarded with the cool spring at the top.

Next time, Marv vows to climb further and explore what is higher in the canyon! But we were all satisfied with the hike, and it was a fitting finish to Terry and Cathie's visit. We already miss them!

Monseratte Hike

2011-04-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Take Dave Wallace, add an island with a high point, give him a morning of free time, and you can be assured of a good hike!

Dave took this photo of Cathie, Terry, Marv and me at the top of the trail on Isla Monserrate.

If you could call it a trail.

Striking features of the hike were the desert flowers in bloom...this is the flower of a cardon cactus...ants busily pollinating it as they harvest its nectar.

This island probably gave us the most evidence that snakes abound in the Baja. We didn't see the real thing, but they had passed this way not too long before we did, and Terry found the dessicated skin of two molted serpents.

Ah...did you notice in that first photo that we are all wearing sandals? ...hmmmm...

Isla Monseratte

2011-04-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Continuing north from Los Gatos, we bypassed Agua Verde and stopped briefly at the hot springs north of Isla Cosme. Someone (foolishly) suggested we swim into shore from the boat, making it "easier" since we wouldn't have to lower (and raise) the dinghy. Ah...somehow, at 65+ years, swimming against waves and a tidal current, however slight, and even if only for a half mile, is not as easy as it was when we were 40!

But we made it, carrying trash back to the boat from the small island that harbors the hot springs pool, and reviving quickly as we hoisted the anchor and headed across the channel to Isla Monserrate. Terry was really enjoying the sail. It was some of the best wind we had, 15 to 20 knots on our beam, so we just whizzed along to the anchorage.

Where we found many old friends! And they were having a party! To which we were promptly invited!

Mark Schneider (Wendaway) enjoying the potluck dinner...a cruising tradition to which we were pleased to introduce Cathie and Terry.

As is so typical of the Sea of Cortez, the sunset was beautiful...easing us into a good night's rest after a busy day.

Los Gatos

2011-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Our next anchorage was in Bahia Los Gatos (the Cats), where we snorkeled the southern reef and hiked up onto the sandstone formations on the north end of the bay. Sculpted by wind and weather, these rocks are creations beyond belief!

Timbabiche

2011-04-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

We have anchored every season at Timbabiche, sometimes several times, but never gone ashore. With Cathie and Terry along, we took the plunge: the first night, they kayaked over to the mangrove lagoon on the northeast side of the anchorage, portaged the kayaks across a sand bar and spent a couple of hours enjoying the exercise and the diversity of bird life.

The next morning we dinghied into the beach and walked back into the brush where we visited a small village, distinguished by its brand new school, its evidence that residents respect Semana Santa and Pascua (Easter), its rustic cattle ranch flavor, and its curious children.

There is a story behind this settlement...apparently a fisherman/diver in a local family discovered a pearl of great value and built a house worthy of a rich man. After he died, the story goes, his children fell to quarreling and the house was left to fall to ruin...a vestige of what once was...and a lesson for the future.
(If you haven't already done so, read John Steinbeck's The Pearl. If you read it when you were young, read it again)

We have a policy of not taking shells from the beach...instead, we admire them, compare, remark on how unique they are, (maybe) photograph them, leave them for others to enjoy, and for the earth to incorporate as nature requires.

Kayaking anyone?

2011-04-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Our trip took us north, from La Paz to Puerto Escondido, a 6 day outing, where we anchored in small bays along the way. We stopped at Nopolo Sur, to visit our friends, the Leon family. But they were not at home...this is Semana Santa, or Holy Week, and families take vacation, visiting relatives in other places, going to camp on a beach, finding a hotel in a different city. Mexicans make for great tourists, traveling far and wide across the country! The Leons had gone to La Paz!

Cathie and I kayaked into shore, explored a bit, and left a message for the family.

Bahia Los Lobos

2011-04-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

Our next guests didn't arrive until April 19th, and they proceeded to keep us on our toes. Terry Dolan and Cathie Blosser took a bus from Cabo San Jose, via Todos Santos and arrived at our boat just as we were finishing cleaning. :)

We still had some provisioning to do, so hopped in the car and went downtown to the market, bought some fresh bread, veggies and fruit, and were back at the boat by 3:00 PM. The sun doesn't set until nearly 8:00 PM, so we left the dock and headed to a nearby anchorage in Bahia Los Lobos, bay of the sea lions.

Yep, that's Terry and Ardy running up the hill...he challenged her, she took him up on it...but, energetic as they are, they were both walking by the time they got to the top! Marv and Cathie followed at a more sedate pace.

The ridge-top gave a stunning view of Balandra Bay. We've been there often on day trips (Dave and Suzanne snorkeled and kayaked there), but this was the first time we've seen it with water covering the sand. The tide was definitely in!

As an indicator of just how exercise-filled their visit was going to be, Terry led us back to the bay where we had tied our dinghy to a mangrove bush just after the sun set...getting dark! And we were pleasantly tired by the adventure.

Just another day on the Sea of Cortez

2011-03-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

There have been fewer whales this year than last, but Dottie and Pauline enjoyed the sea life we did see---dolphin, sea lions, and the ubiquitous manta rays...you know, the ones that leap into the air, do flips that they'd earn a rating of 10 at the Olympics, and slap back down into the water. Can anyone explain just what they are doing? And why sometimes they are flying solo and sometimes there are dozens of rays all around?

The frigate birds are just beginning to hatch their young at the rookery in the mangroves at Bahia San Gabriel...we drifted by in the dinghy and watched them...cute little white balls (actually about the size of a small volleyball!) of fluff!

Calm weather and smooth seas made for a fine week away from the marina. The winds were consistent, allowing for some nice sailing. Out on the sea, motor off, it is amazingly tranquil.

Pauline and Dottie

2011-03-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Bougainvillea beauties!

Two years ago, Pauline Flynn and Dottie Eberly joined us in Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta) for a week or so sailing on Odyssey. They were wonderful guests!

This year we were happy to have them back for another week in La Paz on the Baja peninsula. We much prefer the Baja to the mainland (the water is cleaner, towns are less crowded, the air is cooler and less humid, there are fewer bugs [no crocodiles], and snorkeling is spectacular). La Paz is a favorite city, so we based ourselves here for the winter, looking forward to showing guests "the islands" to the north.

Dottie at the helm, on our way to Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santo. We anchored in Bahia San Gabriel, took the dinghy past the frigate bird rookery, tried to snorkel the coral reef (Pauline scratched her knees badly), and spent a couple of hours just walking the beach...the pace was slow enough for us to notice the tiny snails and olives making their way through the sand at low tide.

The thing you need to know about these two women is that they are exceptional conversationalists...we talked and talked...about so many fascinating things. Thanks for the wonderful memories, Dottie and Pauline!

Fish and seafood (mariscos) for sale at the local super market. This display is a far cry from the fish stalls at the open market downtown. Both have their charm...and both have great fish!

Banderas Bay Regatta

2011-03-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Marv went to Banderas Bay on Talion, joining Patsy Verhoeven for the fourth year as crew during the Banderas Bay Regatta. They had good wind, good weather, and (as usual) were the best looking boat on the water. Here Patsy is flying one of her many spinnakers...yellow, green and red...

Another year (the 4th) racing on Talion at the Banderas Bay Regatta.

Ardy held down the boat in La Paz.

The Find

2011-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-25T09:04:00.003-08:00

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

2011-02-25T08:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-02-04T19:29:00.001-08:00

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

2011-02-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

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!

Nopolo

2010-12-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

La Familia Leon...residents of Nopolo Sur and always a welcome sight as we anchor off shore.

Yuvia. Gotta love the hat!

Stylin' sunglasses on Jacob who is just learning to walk.

The panga tied up just at shore...back from a trip to La Paz with Senor Leon (grandfather of the children) aboard...

Photos by Breton!

Los Gatos

2010-12-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

Beautiful sunrises are better in Los Gatos. Such a lovely, lovely anchorage! Thanks for the memories, Breton!

Okay, what would you think if you were just sailing along in quiet seas, minding your own business when a whale spouts a couple hundred yards away? Exciting to see, right? A reminder that we are sharing this space with lots of other creatures, a humbling realization. Then what if this whale doesn't go away, but follows after you? Getting closer and closer to your stern each time it surfaces to spout? Are you a little nervous yet? We were. But it turns out (at least this is what we think...but, then, who are we to know what the whale was thinking?) the whale was curious about who we were...this large hulk silently slipping through the water in its territory. Once it determined we were 1) not food, 2) not a threat, and 3) not able to speak whale, it altered course and disappeared.

Puerto Escondido to Los Gatos

2010-12-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

The stretch of Sea from Puerto Escondido to La Paz is filled with amazing creatures. Here we watched manta rays take flight again...can anyone tell us WHY they do that!?

We were fortunate to have a companion on this leg of our trip...Breton Shwartzenberger was hitching a ride south. He had just finished a stint with the NOLS program and was on his way home to Vermont. Yes, you can get to Vermont by sailing south along the Baja peninsula...you just have to know how.

Already an accomplished photographer, Breton put his camera to good use and shared his photos with us.

And how do you keep a sail filled when there is no wind? It takes an experienced sailor. Many thanks to Blue Moon for these shots of Odyssey!

San Quintin - Road Trip

2010-12-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

For the past three years, we have driven down through Tucson, Nogales and Hermosillo to re-commission the boat and put her in the water. Marv did that before Thanksgiving, "sailed" Odyssey across to Santa Rosalia with Steve Terzian, flew back to San Carlos, then drove back to San Diego to join the family for the festivities.

So this year, we drove from San Diego, south on Mexican highway #1 on the Baja peninsula to pick up the boat in Santa Rosalia. The road was good, except for lots of bridge-building and construction south of Ensenada, and the (typical) narrow-to-non-existent shoulder the rest of the way.

We broke up the trip and spent the first night at El Molino Viejo (The Old Mill) in San Quintin. The motel is off the main highway, a couple of wash-board kilometers toward the ocean, but well worth the trip. Comfortable, welcoming, historically of note, we enjoyed our stay. Though we don't have photos, a performance of Christmas carols sung by a man with a wonderful tenor voice (and, when he asked, the audience sang with him) in the restaurant was a nice addition.

You can bring your boat all the way in from the Pacific, though most people who anchor in San Quintin do so outside this shallow tidal bay.

Flight back to San Carlos

2010-11-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Takeoff

Stephen Terzian helped take Odyssey across the Sea...an uneventful trip...flat water. Coming back, we opted for a quick flight rather than the ferry.

Isla Tortuga

From the air, you can understand why they named it Isla Tortuga.

Isla San Marcos

Stephen

Tetas de Cabras

Back in the Water

2010-11-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Marv left San Diego and drove to San Carlos on his own. Ardy stayed back to play with the kids (and work on the book). The boat survived the summer well, a little dirt on deck, but clean and intact down below. Marina Seca San Carlos is a good place to store her. Marv moved her around the corner (really a 10-mile trip) to Marina Real for a few days to get ready for the crossing to Santa Rosalia. A 11 hour motorboat trip from San Carlos.

Play Ground Time

2010-10-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Near Miles and Claire's house is Froggy Park, aptly named for the dozens of concrete, ceramic, and brass frogs that live there. Claire's favorite spot is the swings..."Do you want to go up?" elicits a frantic stomping dance...a clear "yes!" in one-year-old Claire-speak.

Claire

Miles

Miles loves to climb and explore...and the playground is a great place to do that!

Start of the Baja Ha Ha

2010-10-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

No, we didn't take part. We just watched the start!

We're back in San Diego for a time with family and friends. Thanksgiving coming up, seeing the Bahaha-ers off on their journey, enjoying a few days of clouds or low marine moisture in the mornings, clearing to sunny afternoons. Even enough rain to warrant buying new boots for Miles...puddles need splashing in in San Diego, too.

Portland summer

2010-07-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

Summer in Portland (well, Ridgefield, Washington in this case) cannot be beat. We drove north across the Columbia River to share a potluck with good friends Pete and Roseann Thomsen, Patsy Verhooven, Carolyn Martin, Susan Coulson and Tim Morris. Pete and Roseann have a small spread, part of an old homestead on rolling hills west of the Cascades. The view of four peaks (St. Helen's, Adams, Hood, and Jefferson), the menagerie of goats, chickens, cats, a dog and pony (er...horse), and ambling tortoise make for an idyllic place.

The tortoise tries to escape.

Foolish tortoise.

p.s. many thanks to Patsy for the photo!

Megan and Malcolm's Wedding

2010-07-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Malcolm and Megan at Mill Creek Gardens, Mill Creek bordered with wildflowers in the background.

Weddings in general are happy events. Megan and Malcolm's July 1st-4th wedding was spectacular! The "wedding" took place on July 3rd, but the celebrating went on for days! Guests started arriving Thursday July 1st, settling in and enjoying the ambiance of rural, stately Walla Walla, Washington, where wheat fields, wineries and Whitman College are standout attractions. Thursday and Friday were days of preparation: getting flowers, making pies, pruning and trimming lawns, even deciding what to wear to the big event!

There were lots of children and young families.

A few handstands from the Lincoln High School and Carleton College contingent.

A good deal of hugging went on.

As well as lots and lots of eating, talking, nodding off, laughing, and more eating. Did I mention eating?

The pies were a big hit...as someone said, serving up their third piece, "No one ever goes back for wedding cake!"

Formal thanks from the bride and groom to all who attended...and warm thoughts for those who couldn't make it but were there in spirit.

Back in Portland

2010-06-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are back in Portland for the summer (once it shows up).

One of the projects was a homebrew for Malcolm and Megan's wedding. I brewed an Imperial IPA and a Ginger Wheat.

Imperial IPA O.G. 1.084

The hoppiness of a NW style IPA. 7.3% alcohol by volume

Nugget, Chinook and Cascade provide a hoppy bitterness while

bitter orange peel provides a hint of citrus. Dry hopped with Cascade hops.

Pulpito

2010-05-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Pulpito derives its name from the pulpit-like structure of rock, projecting high above the sea and visible for miles around. We anchored in 20 feet of water and rowed the dinghy into shore to climb to the top.

After a quarter mile of bushwhacking, we found the well-used trail that takes you safely to the summit. A grand view!
Back at sea level we checked out the vein of obsidian in the southern rock face of the point. The sand all around the pulpit is littered with bits and pieces of sharp, smooth obsidian, some the size of small soccer balls.

Mangles

2010-05-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

We've sailed or motored by this anchorage a half dozen times during our time in the Sea of Cortez. This day it was calm, and we were in no hurry to get anywhere. So we stopped at Mangles.

The guide books tell you to check out the striated rock formations, so we put the kayaks in the water early in the morning and took advantage of the eastern sun to get some nice photos off the shoreline.
The water was still enough to be able to see the fish below our kayaks (nearly) as well as if we were snorkeling.

Los Coronados

2010-05-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

The day after we hiked the Steinbeck Canyon, we left our mooring ball at Puerto Escondido Singlar and headed for Islas Coronados, a short motor-ride away. There was no wind, and we were invaded enroute by a swarm of bees. They tried to set up housekeeping under our solar panels, but we persuaded them to move on to a more hospitable place. They were hard to convince...it took three hours and, being underway, we didn't have the luxury of the usual cruiser strategy: "Close all the ports and hatches and go below until they leave of their own accord." The sunset at anchor off Islas Coronados was amazing. So was the sunrise next morning.

With Bill and Linda from Tanque de Tiburon we hiked to the top of the mountain and then snorkeled off the reef just north of our anchorage. I saw my first moray eel, a foot of its body projected out from its lair, mouth wide, searching for its reef fish dinner.

Canyon

2010-05-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Although this is probably not the place in which John Steinbeck hunted Big Horn sheep in 1940, it is often referred to as the "Steinbeck Canyon." Just across the road from the entrance to Puerto Escondido and an hour's climb into the Sierra de la Giganta, the view back to the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) is spectacular.

The hike is challenging, one spot taking you into, under, through, and up over huge boulders tumbled together by roaring flood waters through many years and many storms. A bat circled our heads as we wriggled through a cave, then we stepped steeply up the crack to the next level.

We were hiking with Don and Debbie from Buena Vista and Dave Wallace from AirOps. Each extra hiker motivates the rest of us to keep going.

Loreto Fest

2010-05-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

The whole cruising world seemed to be descending on Puerto Escondido for the 14th Annual Loreto Fest, April 29-May 2. The entire week beforehand, chatter on single-side-band radio and the local nets was all about the festivities to come.

We arrived Thursday night, April 29th, just in time for the dinghy raft-up hor d'oeuvres event in Cocktail Cove.

Ardy and Marv helped out at the pancake breakfast Sunday morning...over 400 people were served in about an hour.

Saturday night, May 1, was the big costume contest. Dave Wallace took honors in the men's division, dressed in debris...items he has collected from the sea in the past few weeks. From his mis-matched flip-flops to shorts, hat, and a designer vest/shirt festooned with trash, he was a stand-out hit.

Dave has instituted a clean-up the Bay day as one of the Loreto Fest activities, and each year, hundreds of pounds of trash is collected. Sadly, much of it is from boats. Its time we learned to control ourselves!

Sea Horse

2010-04-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

"You'll never get a picture," he said. "The light is bad and the water is too ripply."

"I know," she answered. "But it's a digital camera, and you can never have too many pictures of water."

In Company with Talion

2010-04-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Isn't she beautiful?!

Leaving San Francisco, we sailed north with Talion to anchor in Nopolo Sur, another favorite spot. The southerly winds gave us the opportunity to "fly the chute," that colorful expanse of sail at the front of the boat. Patsy's is spectacular!

p.s. Stay tuned for more pictures from Nopolo Sur! Fishing at its strangest?

Isla Pardito

2010-04-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

All the charts call this tiny islet "Isla Coyote" but to the locals it is actually Isla Pardito. We visited here last year in company with Jack and Joanne from Corazon...Marv was enthralled with the clams on the half-shell, diced and marinated all of two minutes in lime juice and salsa. This year we brought our friends from Talion, Patsy and her two guests, Alison and Laurie. There were no clams, but the same warm welcome from fishermen who have lived here for five generations.

Isla San Francisco

2010-04-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

We found the cache, Rani and Chris! Tamales on us the next time we get together!

Our trip north this spring took us first to Isla San Francicso, a favorite anchorage, a spot with clear, calm water, a shell-filled beach, salt flats just past the sand dune on the beach, and a wealth of hiking trails that take you up to enjoy a fine view of the sea below.

Balandra

2010-04-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

Our last day with Rozanne and Madison was spent driving to Playa Tecolote and Playa Balandra, two beautiful beaches just north of La Paz. Tecolote is exposed to the San Lorenzo Channel and was quite windy, though still packed with visitors from the cruise ship that was in port.

We have anchored in Balandra Bay, so it was interesting to see it from a different perspective. Marv hiked to the top of a ridge between the two beaches to discover a geocache; the rest of us stretched out on the beach to enjoy the hot sun. At Balandra, we waded through a quarter mile of shallows to see the famous balancing rock. We went with a watchful eye for sting rays (saw a couple swim away as we approached), and benefited from the good exercise for the legs!

Caleta Partida -- Portland Boats

2010-04-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

The fleet participating in the Sea of Cortez Race Week 2010 arrived in Caleta Partida the day after we did, and the neighborhood picked up significantly when Talion (Patsy Verhoeven) and Adios (Craig Shaw) anchored next to us in the bay. It was a calm, quiet night, with just enough wind to sail off the hook next morning as we headed back to La Paz.

Espiritu Santo

2010-04-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

So, we made it to La Paz without incident...the seas were calm...there was a little wind, but also a good bit of motoring to get across the Sea in the time we had alloted. We needed to be in town by the time our friends, Rozanne and Madison Junker, arrived from San Francisco for a week-long visit. We met them at the bus station (they had a flight into Cabo San Jose and took the bus to La Paz) and walked back to Marina de La Paz along the malecon.

The next morning, after swimming with the whale sharks off the mogote, we headed northeast to Isla Espiritu Santo, where we anchored in San Gabriel Bay (see our posting from January 27, 2010). It was late in the day when we arrived, so we spent an hour in our dinghy along the mangrove-covered shore where a number of frigate birds had established a small rookery. Then turned in for the night.

The following morning we set out across the flat arroyo to Bonanza Beach, in company with Mike Godsil (Trig), where we enjoyed a truly refreshing dip in the cool, crystal clear water. The colors are amazing!

It seemed most appropriate to celebrate Easter Sunday on Isla Espiritu Santo!

Leaving Mazatlan

2010-03-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

A few days in Mazatlan is all we need. It's a beautiful spot, but sadly much overgrown with condos and hotels...the downtown area being of most interest. We took a bus down to the Pino Suarez Market in search of fresh fruits and vegetables. We also spent a few days with Joe and Carol Ellerston, friends from Portland and their friends...a day sailing, an anchorage at Isla de Venado for lunch, and lots of conversation and "time shared." Joe took this photo as we left the marina area (had tied up at the Singlar Marina) as we began our passage across to La Paz.

Passage Banderas Bay to Mazatlan

2010-03-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Red Footed Booby

They say red-footed boobies are relatively rare, so we were pleased to have one join us onboard for part of our passage from the Bay of Banderas to Mazatlan. Its ability to balance on a 1/2 inch diameter lifeline was truly impressive, especially as we were sailing at about 6 knots, in a 10 knot wind!

It caught its breath, checked us out, and investigated some ties on our back rail, trying to untie them with its beak (was it in the nesting mode?).

A beautiful bird, it didn't stay long, as we were close to shore, and it had other booby business to attend to.

More information on the red footed booby

Banderas Bay Regatta

2010-03-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Racing on Talion again with an all Portland Crew!

Racing on the 50 foot Gulf Star Talion with skipper Patsy Verhoeven is truly an awesome experience! She is a captain unparalleled in the fleet! Here she demonstrates her unique "Look, Mom, no hands!" technique of driving.

Seriously, Patsy takes her sailing to heart and works hard at it.

There is never a dull moment on board, from the pre-race strategy discussion of how to start, running the starting line, avoiding boats ahead of and around us, trying to keep track of the time until our start...through the decisions about when to tack as we try to find the fastest course to the windward mark...to the final moments as we work our way up to avoid hitting the committee boat yet not having to gybe (again!) under spinnaker.

It gets real quiet on a racing boat when you find yourself in a deep, deep hole, surrounded by calm, still water, watching your competition, a mere two hundred yards away, enjoying the rush of 15 knots of wind in their sails. You racers know what we are talking about.

But we had a great time, finished 2nd to a fine crew on a boat called Tomatillo...and young, up-and-coming sailors (Patsy's delightful granddaughter, Andrea) got their chance to practice both driving the boat and painting commemorative images of the event.

We made the front page of the Banderas Bay News.

Photos of the Opening Ceremony

More photos on the official Regatta page

Moorish Idol

2010-03-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

Snorkeling is a treat for us, one we can't always take advantage of. In Tenacatita we teamed up with Bob Smith from Pantera and went to a small reef just off the point of the anchorage. There were dozens (!!) of sting rays. Hundreds of damsel fish, including the beautiful blue giant damsel (as a juvenile, it has iridescent blue spots) fished the reef, and we were fortunate to see a few of these spectacular Moorish Idols. You'll remember the fish tank in the dentist's office in the movie, Nemo. Ardy painted this picture for grandson, Miles.

Tenacatita

2010-03-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

A mangrove tree had fallen across the river the day before we arrived in Tenacatita. The "jungle river trip," however is a must-do, so we put our kayaks in the water and set out, hoping that, even if the river was blocked, we could work our way through. Fortunately, we found a clean-up crew hard at work, panga full of debris from their labors, and the passage clear all the way through.Talking to the workers was interesting...they were brothers-in-law, one of whom has a sister and brother living in the United States. The sister and her family visit Mexico regularly; this man and their parents have tourist visas to the U.S. and just got back from a 3-week stay in California.

Just before this photo was taken, the small crocodile (about 3-4 feet long) slithered off the branch and plopped into the water, leaving these two crabs behind.

The mangrove roots are covered with thousands of crabs...fortunately, fewer crocodiles. We only saw one along the river. At the laguna where the small town of Tenacatita is located, they say there are big ones...10-15 feet long

Way behind

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note before we set off to sea again to let you know (if you hadn't already noticed) we are way behind in updating the blog. Marv has put up some photos, but I haven't gotten to a computer to enter the text. :(

We leave Santiago Bay, Manzanillo today and our next stop with reliable internet connection will be in Puerto Vallarta area in two weeks.

The tsunami following the Chilean earthquake was a minor event here...all the boats in our anchorage hoisted anchor and went out into 200 feet+ water to wait it out...there was a small tidal drop (maybe 50 feet of sand exposed that usually isn't) and a small wave, but we felt nothing out at sea.

All is well. The sun still shines every day. The birds still chirp. The bugs still bite. The turtles come to our boat and look for cabbage leaf handouts.

We will write from Puerto Vallarta.

Manzanillo

2010-02-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

What a great city Manzanillo is!! We spent several days strolling the malecon, impressed by the sculptures,

wandering its back streets and alleys, getting lost on the hillsides when one alley ended in a steep incline of rubble and rock,

encountering interesting signs (yes, one should NOT throw your cats here!! As an aside, unspayed cats and dogs are a serious problem in Mexico, so frequent litters of kittens make it tempting to dump the little critters in a deserted alley hoping someone will take pity on them...more often they become feral and wander free...only to make more kitties!)

Manzanillo is a major port for Mexico, a site of cargo and shipping from around the world, and hosts a busy naval installation. We found it fascinating, even though it is a long bus ride from Las Hadas and further from Bahia Santiago, it is well worth the trip!

Las Hadas

2010-02-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

OK, go rent the old 1979 film (Dudley Moore and Bo Derek) "10."

Las Hadas is the filming location. It's one of the few marinas in Mexico with a Mediterranean-tie...if you bring your boat into the marina (which we did not) you drop an anchor a ways out then back up and tie your stern end to cleats on the dock.

We spent several days anchored here, walking over the hill and through the golf course to catch a bus into Manzanillo.

Canadians abound!

Passage

2010-02-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

The passage along the Mexican coast takes you past several large rivers. With recent heavy rainfall (you’ll remember the 15 inches or so in 24 hours when we were in Bahia Santiago), a lot of debris has washed down river and into the sea. Along the tidal currents, you encounter layers of tree branches, leaves, chunks of wood, and other detritus. Occasionally we will see a “boat” on the horizon, which, when looked at through the binoculars, turns into a house-sized clump of branches, trees, and other wash-out. It has been our good fortune not to run into one in the middle of the night...no lights, yikes!!

Striking geological formations constantly surprise us as we cruise the coast. Usually we see them only as we enter or leave an anchorage, since that puts us in closer to shore. Otherwise, we tend to sail 5 or 6 miles offshore.

Caleta de Campos

2010-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

Caleta sits high on the hill, away from the surge and power of the sea, yet relies on the sea for its livelihood…fishing, tourism (many Mexicans come to the beach for vacation; cruisers stop for an overnight, sometimes coming ashore to enjoy a meal at a beachside palapa).

A lighthouse casts its beam seaward to alert and protect mariners offshore.

Wandering through the few streets of Caleta de Campos, we bought a few tortillas, remarking on the similarities and differences in small Mexican coastal towns. There are a few small hotels, so underutilized, no hustle and bustle.

Caleta is unique, yet so familiar.

Caleta de Campos

2010-02-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

This is quickly becoming a favorite spot! We spent two nights at Caleta de Campos on our way north from Zihuatanejo. Just after breakfast, a panga circled the boat, filled with school-children and their teacher (a marine science class). We exchanged “good mornings” and, when we invited them aboard, they declined, saying they had to get back to classes. The surf was high, but it was too tantalizing to resist the draw to visit the school. So Ardy swam into shore (dry clothes in a plastic bag held high) and found her way to the school where she talked with the Administrative Assistant and later joined an English class for a few minutes, answering questions about travel on the sea, our life as sailors. The students were articulate, welcoming, and curious--had excellent questions.

One of the special gifts we received from Caleta was meeting the public health nurses. They were engaged in their regular work of mosquito control—identifying and eradicating sources of mosquito habitat that could contribute to dengue fever. As with all public health nurses we have met in Mexico, they are on a mission. Truly dedicated to their work, they go door-to-door, surveying habitat, administering “citations” to clean up areas that are potential problems, reviewing previous areas…are things improved from the last visit? These nurses are located in a large town south of Caleta, Lazaro Cardenas, and they have a “circuit,” traveling to a number of small towns along the coast, visiting each town every two or three months to assess the situation…going door-to-door. It is very labor intensive, and, for us without recourse to statistics on the incidence of dengue fever, hard to determine how effective. Their effort is admirable.

Las Gatas

2010-02-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

Hotel California, Las Gatas, Zihuatanejo, Mexico. A beautiful spot, complete with doves that wake you with their remarkable songs.

Las Gatas

2010-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

There is a fascinating spot in Zihuatanejo Bay. Just as you enter the harbor on the right a point shelters the Las Gatas beach and hosts the bungalows of Owen Lee, a former diver (with Jacques Cousteau) and a long-time resident of Mexico. He lives in an open-air palapa, this shower and bath just off the bedroom.

Owen is also a mutual friend of Scott Robinson, a professor in Mexico City, whom we had hoped to meet while in Zihuatanejo. Unfortunately, his teaching schedule forbade him from making the trip.

So, instead, we met more of Owen's friends: Memo, who is more commonly seen at Rick's Place in town, and who makes a mean guacamole.

Sarah Miller, in Zihuatanejo in preparation for her first sailing adventures, entertained us with her strong, sweet voice and skilled guitar.

Owen at work over the lunch-time stove...a gourmet cook and wonderful host! Thanks, Owen!

Ixtapa

2010-02-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

Ixtapa is a tropical wonderland...hot, muggy, filled with flowers, scents, bird sounds, and foliage that threatens to take over any development attempted.

We visited the marina, but did not bring our boat in. People who were staying on the docks told us of their crocodile sightings, plus the legend (true story...or is that an oxymoron?) of the dog that went missing while running on the docks. No one goes swimming here. The locals will not even clean boat bottoms...they know better!

Noemi's Restaurant

2010-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

Years ago, Noemi had a restaurant in Zihuatanejo. She provided the best of Mexican food to local residents and cruisers. She became a landmark among cruisers, the walls of her restaurant covered with names and dates of boats, crew and their visits to share her exceptional pozole. Then the unexpectedness of life intervened. Noemi was ill for several years...the demands of restaurant work were too much to handle and the restaurant closed.

Three months ago Noemi re-opened her restaurant and, in an evening of fun, laughter, shared stories, and that incredible pozole, sailing vessels (S/V) Odyssey, Totem, Nanu IV, and Capaz christened the new wall. The rest of you cruisers need to stop by soon.

Street Scenes Zihuatanejo

2010-02-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

Que suerte! What luck! We arrived in Zihuatanejo in time for Carnaval!

There are two parts (maybe more) to this beautiful, small city. About four days of the week a HUGE (we're talking big!) cruise ship anchors in the bay and thousands of tourists come ashore to enjoy the shops, restaurants, streets and alleys of town (Check the photo in the last posting...a cruise ship sits in the background). Tourists spend the day, strolling the tourist area and the beach, bargaining for purchases, visiting the museum, joining a snorkeling tour to Las Gatas, or simply watching other tourists walk by from the vantage point of a restaurant, complete with typical Mexican meal and icy margarita.

But walk a few blocks off the main streets near the beach and you are in a different Zihuatanejo. Colorful, crowded, busy with buses, pickups, cargo on its way to the main mercado, flower shops, sasterias (tailors), abarrotes (tiny grocery stores), and an energy of Mexico that is relaxing and invigorating at the same time.

Zihuatanejo Anchorage

2010-02-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

We've become very familiar with the term "mackerel sky" in the past week. These sunsets have been breath-taking.

Five days in the Zihuatanejo Bay anchorage...lots of time to explore the area and to remember that living on a boat is not always difficult. When you think about it, the ride into shore is just another way to move from our "house" to whatever destination we choose. It is good to remember we are not driving through snow or rain.

Mac Club Zihua

2010-02-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

We've done this before. On shore, cruisers settle into computer work. The sailors at this table are clearly sophisticated in their choice of machine!

Pescadores de Zihuatanejo

2010-02-10T13:33:00.000-08:00

OK, you're asleep. True, it IS almost 7:00 AM and the sun is peeking over the eastern hillside; the air is clear and the roosters in town have been crowing for at least three hours.

But it's still a little unnerving (the first time) to hear the slap of the net against the hull of the boat, to rouse yourself from that early morning stage between dreams and reality, and, poking your head out the hatch, stare into a warm smile from one of the fishermen netting their "bait fish" for their day's work.

Right there next to the boat.

Commercial and sports fishing are an important part of Zihuatanejo's economy. It turns out that smaller fish (6-8 inches in length) seem to enjoy cruising under the sailboats that sit at anchor. They make great fish for bait and we were glad the share the bounty.

Caleta de Campos

2010-02-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

We left Manzanillo at midday, spending another night underway and getting into Caleta de los Campos late the next afternoon. We joined S/V Morgana, out of Canada, anchored in a sweet little bay with a beautiful beach and friendly residents...three youngsters swam out to welcome us in.

Fishing is a major occupation for people in the little pueblo of Caleta and we watched as anglers tried their luck from the breakwater that protected us from the Pacific waves. Next morning we left at 5:30, 0-dark-hundred, and wended our way through the well-lit pangas fishing off the mouth of the bay.

Manzanillo

2010-02-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

The weather forecasters keep telling us that the weather is "very unusual" for this time of year along the western Mexican coast. We are more than ready to believe them. After leaving La Paz, Bahia San Gabriel, and Bahia Los Muertos, we set out across the Sea of Cortez. It was our intention to go non-stop to Zihuatanejo, about 650 miles, seven days and six nights at sea.

We didn't make it that far!

After 4 nights out at sea and about 75 miles south of Cabo Corrientes, we noticed that the clouds to the north were getting bigger, blacker, and more flickery with lightening. Storm on the way.

We put two reefs in the mainsail, took in the headsail, and considered trying to put in at Chamela, an anchorage about 3 hours away. We decided to continue on, and would have been hit by the storm before making it to the anchorage in any case.

It lasted from 8:00PM until midnight, at its peak winds reaching 45-50 knots and seas building quickly to 15+ feet. We rode it downwind, about 150 degrees off our aft quarter, getting slapped around a bit by the waves, and pooped once by a relatively small wave.

We were tired and the black clouds moved further south and east, still loaded with lightening, so we didn't know if another squall was coming or not. We decided to stop in Manzanillo to rest a bit.

We were glad for the two days anchored at Bahia Santiago in Manzanillo...another storm hit the next night. We had 40 knot winds at the anchorage...further north in La Cruz, at the entrance to Banderas Bay, they clocked 80-100 knots of wind (that's hurricane force, folks!). And it rained! and rained and rained.

Global warming is alive and well: the ice caps are melting and they are condensing as rain over Mexico! The 15 inches of rain we got in 48 hours reminded us of all the old leaks we had on the boat, and pointed out a few new ones as well. We slept on the settee since the hatch above the aft berth was one of the weak spots in our moisture-defense system.

Manzanillo is a very busy port, so coming in and leaving required vigilance to make sure one avoided the commercial vessels. They travel a bit faster than we do!

Life at Sea

2010-01-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

We had hopes of sailing from La Paz across the Sea of Cortez, out into the Pacific and along the western coast of Mexico to Zihuatanejo. It's about 650 miles and would have put us out for a week or so. Our first days were uneventful, a few whales, a few manta rays, dolphins coming to visit and play in our bow wake. The sunsets were spectacular, Scorpio rose in the east each morning, Orion set in the west, and we shared watch-on-watch of 3 hours each.

In the night, about 40 miles out of Isla Isabela, north of Isla Marias, we acquired some hitchhikers. Three gannets perched on our bow rail through the night, flying off only when land came in sight.

We didn't begrudge them the ride, but it is a pain to scrub the deck when they leave! Guests leaving behind dirty sheets!

Will there be a green flash???!!!!

Bahia San Gabriel

2010-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

We left La Paz and sailed across the bay to Isla Espiritu Santo, anchoring in the long, narrow white-sand beach of San Gabriel. The tide is marked, our dinghy in the foreground was bobbing in nearly three feet of water when we got back from our hike several hours after anchoring.

The hike across the arroyo to Bonanza Beach on the east side of the island is well worth the effort. The sand is exquisite! Your feet sink deep into the white sand formed as the sea has worn down coral and shells.

Erosion of wind and water left this tree balanced on tippy-toe.

The herons and gulls easily leave their marks in the soft sand.

Whale Shark

2010-01-24T11:56:00.000-08:00

The whale sharks are elusive and hard to see. We borrowed Patsy Verhoeven's skiff and went out into La Paz bay in search of them. Miles along the north east edge of the Mogote, we came upon two of them cruising the surface. There was a little bit of chop, the waves making it hard to see the sharks, except for their dark shapes and, occasionally, their dorsal fin or tail appearing above water.

The natural thing to do, in the circumstances, was to jump in the water to get a closer look. Shanna, Chris, Rani, and Ardy took turns swimming with the sharks...Marv crewed the boat. Staff on a tourist panga that had come out to watch the sharks lent us a face mask, so we were able to see well.

Amazing!!

Matancitas Wash

2010-01-22T20:09:00.001-08:00

Geocaching (www.geocaching.com) takes you to places you would never find on your own. This time a cache placed by Team Casa Buena, folks who run a most comfortable bed-and-breakfast-hotel here in La Paz, took us to the Matancitas Wash. It's just off the road that runs from La Paz to Los Muertos; a little sign points off to the left, and from there it is a few kilometers on a narrow, winding, (in spots) wash-board packed-sand road.

Pull off the road and wander through the desert, scramble down scree-slick arroyos, and you find yourself in a breathtaking wash a couple hundred yards wide, filled with smooth white sand. It is flat and firm enough to serve as a road for cars and trucks traveling from ranchos and remote houses to the main highway.

In the middle of the wash we came across an old well. The car wheels used to wind the rope up worked, with a rusty hand crank off to one side. But the well was filled with sand...and now Patsy!

Exploring the Mangroves on the Mogote

2010-01-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

We had planned to leave La Paz today, but the weather is crazy! A series of intense winter storms have been raking the Southern California coast, dumping rain, causing flash floods, and bringing high winds (up to 60 mph) and huge waves (up to 40 feet tall) to the coast. We haven't had that severity, but the effect is felt here in Baja California, with winds from the southwest and big swells. We decided to stay put for a couple more days. The extra time gave us an opportunity to kayak out to the Mogote, a sand peninsula in the La Paz bay, and explore the fingers of the sea that extend into the mangrove swamp. Marv and I took our kayaks, Chris and Rani (Ladybug II) shared their double kayak...an abundance of photographs were taken!

A new bird to add to our sightings: dozens of yellow-crowned night herons perched in the mangroves. Our bird book shows their range extending along the Gulf of Mexico, from the eastern part of mainland Mexico to Florida, and north along the US eastern seaboard. They aren't supposed to be in the Baja? They don't know that. And they were one of the highlights of our paddle.

Ardy's Art Work

2010-01-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of free time on the boat, and Ardy has tried her hand at painting...this is a card she sent to grandson Miles about the sea lion that comes fishing in the marina...

Lucha Libre

2010-01-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

Lucha libre is billed as wrestling, but it is actually a choreographed gymnastic event that requires skill, strength, and energy, as well as clever acting. Very sophisticated teams have been compared to the Cirque du Soleil. The La Paz competitors were good...and entertaining.

The action takes place both in the ring and outside, sometimes involving the audience in the tussle. For the first event, we watched the tag-team of Sacrilegio take on two wrestlers billed as the Anticristo (Sacrilege vs. the Antichrist). I can't remember which one won. It is all geared to last three rounds, no matter what, and there didn't seem to be any one team dominating. They took turns tossing each other, and themselves, around the ring.

Lucha Libre

2010-01-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

Lucha libre ("free fight," or better "free for all") is a Mexican phenomenon that draws enthusiastic crowds: couples, families with young children...and groups of 10-14 year old boys who push the limits of acceptable behavior...somewhere between rebellion and fourth grade bad jokes.

Carla and Doug also love lucha libre!!!

The competitors have a devoted fan base; you can buy a lucha libre mask of your favorite wrestler; and there is quite a brisk business outside the stadium where the event occurs.

La Paz Street Scenes

2010-01-09T14:35:00.001-08:00

La Paz is a beautiful old Mexican town, still withstanding most of the development so characteristic of tourist areas like Cabo and Cancun. It does cater to tourists, however, and many Mexicans come here for their holiday. There is also a substantial English-speaking ex-patriate community from Canada and the US, as well as hundreds of cruisers who use La Paz as their home-base, or as a place to purchase provisions and refit the boat before moving on to other ports. There is everything here from Sears to Home Depot to WalMart. Mostly we try to shop locally, and have found the markets have most everything we need.

Originally the Town Hall of La Paz, this elegant building on Calle 16 de Septiembre later served as a center for military offices and now houses the city's Tourist Information Center.

The Cathedral faces the main town square, or Zocalo and has a wide, brick/stone front entrance; quieter, tree-lined side entrances such as this one. Its interior is much simpler and more graceful than many elaborate Mexican churches. Calm and restful.

If you followed the admonition to "not eat on the street" you would miss a major attraction of La Paz! The best dining in town can be found at street-side taquerias, for a reasonable price. Marv enjoyed a delicious fish taco at this stand; Ardy, who doesn't like fish, had their jamaica aqua fresca, a juice drink made from the hibiscus flower. We've found several other amazing places to enjoy good down-home cooking!

New cruising friends!

2009-12-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

After a few days at anchor in the La Paz channel, we moved into the dock at Marina de La Paz and connected with new friends from Portland, Pete and Rose Ann Thomsen, who were spending a week or so on Talion, Patsy Verhoeven's Gulf Star 50. We did some hiking, and dinghied over to the Mogote, a large sand spit north of the marina and anchorage. A fellow sailor from New Zealand had careened his boat on the ebb tide and was waiting for it to lean over further as the tide receded so he could climb in the water and clean the bottom. It's a bit more complicated than diving and scrubbing the bottom and definitely more work than hiring a diver to do it for you!

Christmas Dinner

2009-12-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

The gentleman in the Scottish tam is an accomplished ukelele player and quite a good friend.

Chris Bennett and his fiance, Rani, introduced us to Jo and Rob from Blue Moon and Randy and Gina from Balena. We shared Christmas dinner with them at the Singlar Marina, a two mile hike west of the marina where we are staying...excellent food, good company, lots of laughter and a bit of music.

Effects of Hurricane Jimena

2009-12-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

Blue sky: San Juanico December 2009
Cloudy sky: San Juanico December 2008

The same spot.

Last December, we kayaked into the estuary from the bay, finding egrets, cormorants, and pelicans as we passed by.

This year, a 10-foot high berm has closed the entrance, extending the beach all the way to the crags and shutting off the estuary, now a salt-lagoon drying in the sun.

What happened as the year passed? One major meteorological event was Hurricane Jimena which came through this area at the end of August/first part of September 2009. The wind, waves, rain, and floods could have all contributed to the shifting sands of this remote beach. It would have been fascinating to have been on the spot to see the change!

Back to the Baja -- San Juanico

2009-12-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

From the boat, we dinghied into shore and hiked up to a geocache on a ridge just above the north anchorage. Many thanks to the crew from Don Quixote for putting the cache in a sturdy plastic container and under a well-camouflaged pile of rocks!

From the cache, we descended to one of several roads that wind through these hills. Some lead to recently built homes; the one we took wandered south to private property with one small house and a corral, unoccupied. There is evidence of visions of future development--rough roads, cleared spots that overlook the sea (the perfect place for a house). The views are amazing, as this shot of boats at anchor illustrate. Odyssey is the one in the middle. We walked for a couple of hours, then turned around, leaving the miles of road further south for someone else to explore.

Bahia Algondones again

2009-12-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

Shrimp boats (camaroneros) on the Sea of Cortez are big and colorful. We've noticed one fleet is centered in the waters north of San Carlos, south of Kino Bay. They tend to anchor in "shallow" (40-80 feet deep) water during the day and go out into deep water at night, but we often see them motoring back and forth from Guaymas. These two graced the north part of Algodones Bay as we set out on our crossing to San Juanico from Marina Real (San Carlos). There were several more just outside the entrance to the Bay.

I don't think they feel the choppy waves as much as we do. It seems that the waters around San Carlos are often turbulent, confused seas, tossing and tumbling us, giving us a bit of a rough start to the trip across the sea. Marv was sick, I had taken some Bonine, so felt bad but not THAT bad!

We left at noon on Wednesday and, after a night cork-screwing through 3-5 foot swells (with an occasional 8-footer thrown in) and 12-20 knot winds, we arrived safely in Caleta San Juanico, putting down the anchor at 7:30 AM Thursday.

Thanksgiving in Seattle

2009-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

For over 30 years, we have been getting together with friends and family in Seattle, San Francisco, or Portland (it all started in Walla Walla, Washington in 1975) to share the long Thanksgiving weekend. This year, Paul Fitzgerald and Linda Peterson hosted the group in Seattle, where the weather was spectacular...one day of misty rain, the next of crystal clear skies and magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains from their back deck.

The event is a well-orchestrated symphony of rolling dolmas, stuffing turkey, baking pies, saute-ing vegetables, eating snacks, sipping drinks, kneading bread, giving timely advice on how to carve, and, of course, sharing the meal. Everyone brings a special dish, with its special flavor, to the table.

The rest of weekend is spent hiking, walking, jogging around Green Lake, talking, laughing, watching movies, reading, Geo-caching, visiting other friends in Seattle... Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday...there is so much to be thankful for.

Bahia Algodones

2009-11-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Just a few kilometers northwest of the small town of San Carlos, Sonora, is the beautiful bay of Algodones (Cotton Bay). It's one of our favorite anchorages, wide, picturesque, and accessible. You can anchor on the north end if there is a northerly blowing, or on the south end to avoid winds from the south. Usually the swells bypass the entrance to the bay, but if they are directly from the northwest, it can be a bit rolly at anchor.

The peak, Tetakawi, rises high above the bay to the south.

On the little islet above our anchorage, Marv, geocacher extraordinaire, signs into the logbook (www.geocaching.com)

At the far north end of the bay, a small lagoon is surrounded by condominiums, evidence of the large North American community here and in San Carlos.

Baja Wildlife at Puerto Don Juan

2009-11-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

All those coyotes that we hear barking at dusk and see trotting along the beaches in search of breakfast have to live somewhere!

Marv flipped over a sheet of fiberglass debris on the beach to find this small rattlesnake. It didn't move as we approached, flicking its tongue to test the air around. We didn't push our advantage.

Hiking above Puerto Don Juan

2009-11-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Sea of Cortez is very big and it looks bigger from the hilltops around it. In this photo, we are looking north into the anchorage of Puerto Don Juan. In the left foreground is a narrow rocky ridge that connects the hill in front of us to the Baja. (There is question as to whether this ridge is natural or was built to attach the island to the peninsula. Or could it be a combination of the two: naturally low land, exposed at low tide, added to by nature AND people to solidify the connection?). Beyond the anchorage, Islas Cabeza de Caballo, Ventana, and Coronado line up, stepwise to the north. Out of sight are Los Gemelos (to our left) and Isla Angel de la Guarda (to the right).

Mike Godsil and Ardy Dunn resting before the descent.

Village of Bahia de Los Angeles

2009-11-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

Bahia de Los Angeles is a bit remote by auto. You go 480 kilometers south of Ensenada on Highway 1 and then 66 kilometers further off the road to the bay which sits on the east side of the Baja Peninsula, protected from the Sea of Cortez by several islands: Coronado (Crown), Ventana (Window), Cabeza de Caballo (Horse's Head), and Los Gemelos (The Twins). Further east, across the Canal de las Ballenas (Whale Channel) lies the large Isla Angel de la Guarda (Guardian Angel Island).

There is a large North American presence in the village as many "ex-pats" have settled here, it is a favorite spot with cruisers who spend the summer in the Sea of Cortez (not as hot as sites further south), sports fisherman make it a launching point into the Sea, and there are various ecotourist activities.

We were impressed with the public art work, the small natural history museum, the clean village streets, and a lengthy conversation with a police officer at the local "Delegacion del Muncipio" who told us a bit about the history and plans for the area (it was first settled by European missionaries in 1746).

Development in the Baja

2009-11-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

A Mexican family has purchased the beach front at Playa Pescador and is renovating the dozen little cabanas that are there. They are also having new palapas and one small house built. There are no roads into the area, so all the equipment and materials comes by launch. There is a bustle and busy-ness here, and we talked for a few minutes with the workers on site, who were welcoming and informative.

Puerto Don Juan

2009-11-12T09:27:00.000-08:00

From our anchorage at Las Cruces on the Southwest corner of Isla Tiburon the sea looked calm and inviting. Once out in the channel between Islas Esteban and Tiburon, however, the 25 knot NNW winds and 4-foot swell made for uncomfortable going. We turned around and re-anchored for another night before heading north.

Our destination--Puerto Don Juan and a rendezvous with fellow Portland Rose City Yacht Club members, Delphi and Mike Godsil on sailing vessel Trig.

We had two days of respite from the wind, during which we kayaked around the bay, hiked to Bahia Pescador in the larger Bahia de las Animas and motored a bit further north into the Bahia de los Angeles where we spent a rolly, windy night. The next morning we had the chance to practice "how to untangle 3/8 inch anchor chain from the anchor while the wind is blowing 20 knots and you are drifting" (fortunately, the wind was blowing us offshore, not on!). Mike and Delphi stood by until we had things clear on the foredeck and were underway. Many thanks to them!

Puerto Don Juan is not a port. It is considered a "hurricane hole," a place to find shelter from high winds and heavy seas. But there is no development here, just coyotes calling at night from the hillsides, pelicans and cormorants sunning themselves on jagged reefs, osprey perched on cactus, vultures circling above, and snakes and lizards tucked into rocks and arroyos.

Bahia Los Perros on Isla Tiburon

2009-11-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Bahia Los Perros (Dog Bay) was our first anchorage on Isla Tiburon. A dinghy ride to shore gave us the opportunity to hike up one of the nearby hills, from which we had a great view of the entire south end of the island.

On the way back to the boat, we passed over what we thought was a rock bed, probably a hundred yards in diameter. Actually a school of fish, it was so closely packed together that it totally obscured the sandy bottom. There was a good reason for all those pelicans perched on the rocks and reefs around the bay!

Baby Turtles?

2009-11-07T09:16:00.000-08:00

Sea turtles come ashore on the beaches of Mexican mainland to lay their eggs, the Olive Ridley and Kemp's Ridley being the most common. When the babies hatch, they have about 24 hours to make it to the sea for safety. By instinct, they have to find the right direction, then run the gauntlet of debris, animals (coyotes, snakes, etc) and sea birds (mostly gulls, gannets, and pelicans) to reach the surf. In the water, birds still hunt them, and they are prey to larger animals and fish. They are caught in fishing nets and die. On small beaches like the one in Bahia San Pedro, only about 10% of the babies make it to the sea, and, overall, about 1% of all sea turtles hatched survive to become adults (http://www.vallartasource.com/eco_turtle.php).

We were not there on the full moon when these babies set out on their journey, but saw evidence of their tracks on the beach.

Back in San Carlos

2009-11-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

The sun is hot, the days are bright, mosquitoes come out at night, and the boat keeps us busy preparing for another season on the Sea of Cortez.

We arrived in San Carlos on October 28 and are staying in a condo at Marinaterra (thanks Jack and Joanne!). We hope to put the boat in the water tomorrow or Wednesday and will go north for a couple of weeks, then back to San Carlos where we will tie the boat up in the marina, drive to Phoenix and fly to Seattle for Thanksgiving with the friends we have shared the holiday with for over thirty years.

What to say? It is hard to leave family and friends back home. As you know from previous blogs, we are proud new grandparents of a charming little girl. But you may not know that two of our dear friends died this summer; young, sorely missed.

We are reminded of the cycle of life that, on a daily basis, we see with the rise and fall of tides, sun and moon; and that is evident, from a more distant lens, in the growth of children, the success of young athletes, the languages learned and pictures painted, the mirror image that, more wrinkled and grey, greets us each morning.

Who knows what adventures this sea will bring...we are blessed that you are here with us.

Claire Sylvia

2009-10-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Her name is Claire Sylvia Dunn...and she is a beauty!

It's a girl!

2009-10-06T19:08:00.001-07:00

She arrived this morning at 10:38. Weighing in at 7# 10oz and measuring 20 inches in length, she is a miniature of her big brother, Miles, except for her gender, her ears, and her nose (a gift from Liz). What a beauty!

Everyone is well, and not nearly as tired as Philip appears in this photo. They are, however, as excited as Miles looks...or even moreso.

Isn't this a sailing blog?

2009-08-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Malcolm and Philip recently marked their 20th year high school reunion (where DID the time go?!?) and came to visit us and attend the Lincoln HS reunion in Portland, OR. Grandson, Miles, enjoyed the visit, mostly playing with puzzles, toys and paints. Among other activities were hiking with Nana, collecting apples from a local tree, making applesauce, helping water the gardens, and making sure the birds had a clean bath ready each morning. He's a big help in the kitchen and shows promise of being a fine gardener, just like his dad!

Moth Worlds

2009-08-09T09:29:00.000-07:00