As Rob toils for one more day in the hot Mexican sun to get Shindig ready for summer storage, I wanted to remember the fun we had a few weeks ago up in the Sea of Cortez.
Part of the cruising lifestyle is saying hello and goodbye. Friendships form fast, but schedules differ, and each sailboat has its own timeline. So when you see your friends on the water, you "make hay when the sun shines".
A year ago, Sylvia and Tom on Cinnabar (aka the Big Red boat) had shared the dock in La Paz with us as we sweltered through several weeks of getting the boats ready for their summer storage. Can you believe we couldn't meet up with them in the Bay Area (our homes are less than a mile away from each other), as well as this entire cruising season? So through emails and their patience, they delayed their departure from Bahia Concepcion, knowing this might be the only night to visit together. Also it was an early birthday celebration for Rob.
One night led to another day, another night, and.... four days later we said our Goodbyes.
Snorkeling, SUPing, kitesurfing, swimming and visits with our mutual friend, Jerry, and his friends, who extended his hospitality and wowed us with his piano playing again. The gals headed to town one day, power shopping with a trip to the laundry mat, coffee/Internet shack and grocery store. We spent most nights perched high up on the balcony of their friend's cliff-side home, which gave a great look-out onto the bay and some relief from the hot hot sun. Our last night out was at the local's beachside shack with margaritas and live music. Great fun to have the place rocking and rollin' into the night. Feliz Compleanos Rob!
Tom and Rob - Balcony with a View
Cinnabar and Shindig in the background
Rob kite-surfing down wind into the anchorage - Impressive!
Shindig, Lanakai, and Cinnabar at Jerry's place
Rob and Jerry
(What happens at the beach Stays at the beach)
Post Kite-surfing dinghy ride back to beach
Last Birthday Bash - Dinner, Margaritas and Dancing
In the third and final installment of the boys trip we visited Isla Carmen, Isla Coronado, and Loreto.
While in Bahia Candeleros we learned that the forecast was for a 3 day blow from the north.
In the Sea of Cortez a "Norther" can pack 25 to 35 knot winds. In San Francisco we regular sail in 25 knots of wind but the sea state here can get very wild. Big, short period, square waves that accompany the wind will slow forward motion to a crawl and get salt water in your cocktail.
Before the wind got serious we decided to head over to Isla Carmen and meet up with our friends on the catamaran Tisha Baby. Being in Bahia Salinas on the South side of the island would give us good protection for the forecasted seas.
Bahia Salinas is one of my favorite anchorages. It is a big bay that hosts an old salt mine and now a big horn sheep hunting lodge. There is also a large wreck in the middle of the bay that provides great snorkeling. If you look closely you'll also see that there are tons of Chocalati clams.
Shindighy anchored off the shore near a hulk left over from the mining operation.
The new hunting lodge. For big $$ you can hunt big game on Isla Carmen. Check out the promotional video
The norther arrived! While we had good protection from the seas, the wind funnels into the anchorage. The highest wind speed we saw was 36 knots. On average it was 22 to 25.
Also recorded a new power output record on the Shindig Solar. 324 watts. That is a new high and represents 86% of the specification of the panels. I have not seen numbers since then. I believe that the high winds were cooling the panels significantly.
Oh, did I mention clams?!
Pam and Richard hosted JD and me onboard Tisha Baby.
JD and I getting ready to dig into an incredible feast.
Boat dog Cloe is awesome. She is always close by for a pet.
The wreck in the middle of the anchorage is an incredible snorkel spot.
JD and I attempted to spear some fish. We were outsmarted by the wise reef dwellers
Clean up, Clean up.
Old equipment slowly returning to the earth
An office with a view.
Many of the original building built in the 1930's are crumbling.
These are two small locomotives used to haul salt from the ponds
Every salt mine needs a church
After the winds subsided we headed north to Isla Coronado. This is a favorite place for many cruisers. It has north and south anchorages, a picturesque cove, hiking, snorkeling/diving and is only 8 miles from Loreto.
Out in the dinghy looking for places to snorkel
Found a good spot!
Selfie
Where the sandy trail ends and becomes a boulder dash uphill.
The view from the top of Isla Coronado. This is the North anchorage, a favorite place for locals and cruisers alike.
Made it to the top!
Dolphin escorts never gets old
Whale sharks can be elusive in the sea but for some reason we've encountered several this year. It goes against every instinct to get into the water with a creature that is 20 feet long. They are curious about you but are mostly interested in eating. They suck up salt water and filter out plankton. If you find a good cloudy patch of plankton usually the whale shark will turn around and keep passing you, back and forth.
JD approaching a whale shark.
Video of the whale shark.
Loreto was our last stop on the boys trip. JD flew out three weeks after arriving in La Paz. What a great trip for both of us.
A nice sized whale shark statue in the Loreto harbor
The "Mother of all California missions" - founded 1697
Trees forming a canopy above historical walking area in Loreto
The metal church in Santa Rosalia that was designed by Alexander Gustave Eiffell, the designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
By the time you read this, Shindig will be underway again, slowly making her way south towards La Paz.
Nancy's bus ride up was uneventful. An eleven hour bus ride now feels a little like cheating, from the sailing perspective. Air conditioning, an assigned seat, continuous movies and the audible book, Log of the Sea of Cortez, made the time pass quickly. Meanwhile, in Santa Rosalia, Rob was working hard to get laundry done, clean up the boat, while making friends on the small marina dock.
The weather in the northern part of the bay had been pretty challenging. Lots of northerlies coming up in the afternoons, sometimes blowing at night. The beloved inflatable stand-up paddle board was blown off the boat
Outside the breakwater, the northerly winds were picking up. As boats straggled into the harbor, we helped them tie up and listened to each one's story of how their last passages have been.
Within 24 hours, we had a full marina, with many sailors and fishing boats all sharing common facilities, stories and adventure. It was time for a Mother's Day Shindig.
Mother's Day Shindig - one of the more memorable get togethers with new and old friends
Kanga, Tisha Baby, Persistence, Leilani, and others joined the party.
View down the dock at Marina Fonatour
Morning Coffee bar with Richard, Tisha Baby, without Coffee or Electricity
But Fast Internet
In our second week out of La Paz we did many day trips from one anchorage to another. In this part of the Sea of Cortez we mostly motored as the wind was less than 5 knots much of the time. The mainsail is still out of commission but the good news is that I contacted my expert in the states and parts are available to make a repair.
Timbabiche mansion... The story goes that in the 1920s a poor fisherman found an exquisite pearl in the bay. He sold the pearl in La Paz and had enough money to build this mansion and start a fishing fleet. As you can see the ruin is a shell of what must have been a grand home.
Perhaps a remnant from the old fishing fleet?
JD on the rock in Bahia Los Gatos. The rock formations here are amazing. When walking on them in the late afternoon shade you can feel the heat radiating from the surface.
The view from the hill overlooking Los Gatos.
What is this.... Lobster and scallops. Si, Senor!
JD and I found two oarfish washed up on the rocks on Montserrat Island. These are the strangest looking fish/sea serpents.
One of them paced off at 20 feet and the other 16 feet
Something to climb.
Here is your problem..... The navigation light has been vandalized for the 12 volt battery and solar panel.
Montserrat Island has a beautiful beach on the North end. This area is known for great diving.
Yellow bluffs at Yellowstone beach.
If you look closely you can see Shindig in the anchorage and Shindinghy on the beach.
Candeleros Chico is a wonderful cove for a few boats. This photo was taken on a hike South from the anchorage.
The resort at Candeleros (not chico) has six pools that make the shape of a sea turtle.
I also call this anchorage "wifi cove" A great spot to get your internet fix.
