Creatures in and around Banderas Bay

Banderas Bay Whales

Humpback whales come here to give birth, we occasionally can hear the whales at night. The marina and the sail-maker run awareness programs regarding the whales, including showings of a Movie "Sonic Sea". It is quite depressing to learn what mankind does to the whales with shipping, ocean exploration, etc.

So far the whales have been seen a mile or so from our anchorage, but rumor has it, they even come closer.

Other sea life here

We have become a fish attracting device, with a large, stationary swarm of little (~6")  fish hiding in the shadow of the boat. Boobies and pelicans have figured it out though and Stuka-dive right besides us, sometimes only inches from the hull. On a more friendly note, also dolphins come between the boats and hunt.

Iguanas

Plenty big, colorful iguanas around and not afraid of people.

La Cruz, nightlife & food

Besides preparing for another big jump, this place is really enjoyable for food and nightlife. It does not feel like 'real' Mexico, the village got a lot of influx from the boaters and retirees, and is catering to them, but it is friendly and comfortable. Some cruisers have come here and never left.

not so Mexican but tasty ribs

much more Mexican shrimp tacos

find the pulpo

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico

We were here in late May, which was low season. Now is high season with lots going on.

There is live music every night in more than one restaurant/bar, typically decades old American ear-worm songs for the elderly gringos to reminisce and sing along. Another group of people is on boats preparing for a 3000nm Pacific crossing, typically leaving early March to May. The age groups on these boats are more mixed, including quite a few boats with kids. This is a popular jump off point for the "Pacific Puddle Jumpers", and La Cruz has the boat services to support that.

Boatwork

In our case we needed our sails to be looked after. Specifically batten pockets and ends are high on wear and tear.

Our main still has a good shape, but is quite old. Instead of an expensive new main, we had scored a 2nd main from a place called "Minney's" in California. That was shipped to La Paz, and we also had it looked after here professionally.

Current sail inventory to help us across the Pacific, including some possible rougher ocean patches:

• main sail with 4 full battens, 2 reefs
• main sail with 6 full battens, 3 reefs
• 120% jib
• 80% jib
• Gennaker (B.O.F.)
• Hank on storm jib on inner fore-stay
• Try-sail on separate track on mast.

With the main(s) for rework at the sail-maker we are able to show off our solar power plant:

Our anti-fouling from a year ago is working well, although a few patches of paint got rubbed off by running thru seaweed, or hitting some sea life. We learned, the supplier of the paint has an office and stock in Veracruz, and will ship 5 gallons to a boatyard of our choice.

The boatyard here in La Cruz is quite expensive plus one has to book a room while the boat is being worked on (no DIY). Instead, we will head to a city further north of here called "San Blas", with a little state-run marina and boatyard that gets great reviews from the do-it-yourselfers. Also the village is to be much more Mexican than the quite gringoesque La Cruz. We are looking forward to spend a couple weeks there in February.

B.O.F.

We haven't had this "NYLON" out of the bag in a while. In preparation for destinations further S and W, we are ticking things off the list. One of them was to check the "bag of fear". It is big, and if things go wrong, they may go wrong quickly. We had the right conditions for a while and it worked out, after a few small corrections...

Cabo Frailes: don't you hate it when the toy gets stuck?

We spent a couple extra nights anchored behind the protection of Cabo Frailes. Silvie had quite a cold and the next trip is a two night, 300 nm distance, where both of us are needed to function.

While being here we watched this toy get stuck, then the local fishermen had to use their pickup truck to pull the toy out. I am sure some dollars were exchanged, everybody happy.

We did do a bit of prep work for the two night trip, cooking comfort meals, and otherwise just enjoyed the beach.

Leaving La Paz

We escaped La Paz 11/29. The semi-tropical depression had brought a lot of rain, but no wind to speak of. Then the stronger winds from the north were to set in a couple days later. A lot of boats left around the same time, because the fall migration is towards the mainland and south, for warmer temperatures.

Some boats organized a "jailbreak La Paz" SSB net, so happy they were to escape...

In two day hops, 50nm each, we sailed first to "Los Muertos", then to "Cabo Frailes", just south of Cabo Pulmo national park, which is the most northern location for coral reefs = water is getting warmer.

La Paz

After the night in Isla Partida, with stronger north winds outside our snug anchorage, we were a bit worried about the sea state for the last leg. It was actually quite OK, downwind, with only one jibe, we ended in La Paz after lunch.

The anchorage here is very tidal, a large bay gets filled/emptied every tide cycle. So the boats do the "La Paz Waltz", when wind is coming from the opposing direction than the tidal current: A keel boat will typically lay in direction of current, but may be pushed by the wind forward of the anchor.

Plus, there are many boats here now. A rally "Baja Haha" had just arrived from California. And another tropical depression is forecast, so many boats came here to hide.

We anchored first a bit further out to watch the boats waltzing, until the tide turned, the wind was with current now, and the boats all agreed on pointing in one direction, with the anchor forward of them. Then we could snuggle safely between other boats, closer to other boats than we would usually be comfortable with.

With stopping twice a bit short of a day's distance, and losing a day due to rain, John didn't get to enjoy La Paz the extra day we had planned. We did get John out to our favorite place to eat. We only have a few simple requirements when going for a bite:

the place is called "Claro Fish Jr."

• we want to sit down, not just eat from a hole in the wall
• not on plastic chairs or tables
• no Styrofoam dishes
• no loud music that suppresses any conversation
• a bit of a view
• lots of local families enjoying the place
• great food :-)

With the weather deteriorating, the anchorage really full, and more boats arriving, we couldn't spend a day in a rental car to bring John to Cabo San Lucas, from where his flight out was. Instead we had to get him a bus ticket out of town.

Thanks for visiting John!

Isla Partida

m.o.t.d.

The forecast now predicted strong north winds and swell. We jibed our way south towards Isla Partida. Originally we had hoped to head for Isla Espiritu Santo, but the building sea state was going to wrap into the anchorages there.

We elected for the longest 'fjord' at Isla Partida to get out of the swell for the night: Ensenada El Cardonal.

At the end of the bay is a valley, that goes all the way to the other side of the island. It was a nice hike across with many plants showing flowers or fruits after all the rain.



The choice of anchorage was good, and while we did get some whirly, gusty winds from over the mountains, there was no swell. We were able to see the sun set over the Baja peninsula and then slept rather well.

Bahia Rincon to San Evaristo

map of the day

We had planned to go for Isla San Francisco, with a beautiful half-moon beach, but when we had passed San Evaristo by 5 miles, the wind turned up and came more from the south. The anchorage on San Francisco is open to the south and west. The forecast mentioned the winds to turn more northerly, but we couldn't see evidence of it. So we turned around and stopped in San Evaristo. The decision was good, in the morning HF net we heard from boats in San Franciso that it took past 3:00 am to become comfortable there.

We already lost a day to rain in Loreto, now we lost another 1/2 days distance.. Schedules and sailboats don't go well together.

San Evaristo

Restaurant was closed for remodeling, couldn't even get a drink!

Agua Verde to Bahia Rincon

map of the day

After leaving Agua Verde, a strong rain shower followed us for a bit, but we only got a few drops and rainbows instead :-)

The rock formations changed from volcanic rubble further north, to old sediments that got lifted up while the Sea of Cortez is widening, and may split California one day :-)

This season the predominant winds are from the north, sometimes rather strong, and boats hide from waves and winds. Instead, we had westerly winds, with no waves, protected by the Baja peninsular, and had one of those few super-sweet sails with wind forward of the beam, but no waves to smash into.

With winds more from the west and south, we found Bahia Rincon to be the right place for a quiet night.

Bahia Agua Verde

Next morning it did clear up and we motored out of Puerto Escondido.

map of the day

Shortly after we anchored in Bahia Agua Verde, a patrol boat passed us and was greeted with a lot of honking and commotion ashore. With interest, we followed them with binoculars and saw them unloading water & food. usually this little village is connected to the main road via a ~25 mile dirt road, which has become impassable due to all the rain. Several pickup trucks were loaded and then drove back into the village behind the trees.

The little restaurant did serve us fresh fish tacos, then we hiked a little around the bay.

Dates ready for harvest

More Loreto, plus San Javier Mission

John arrived Saturday afternoon, and with only a carry-on luggage, he managed to be last thru immigration and customs... In the little daylight left, we wanted to show him Loreto a bit, before the rain was supposed to start.

Next day it rained as forecast, and we revisited Loreto. Streets had become drainage canals. Passing cars got pedestrians wet despite driving very slowly.

All night and next day the rain continued, the boat is getting a bit small now. 

With nothing else to do, we drove into the mountains, towards the San Javier Mission, built in the 1700s. This proved to be a good decision, we got out of the rain and spent some time for a walk and lunch in the small village, we even saw a few bits of blue sky.


 After lunch, we drove back towards the coast, back into the rain. Last June we drove up here and it was all sun-burned, brown, very little green to see. What a difference in fall: