May 5, 2001

"This morning we left La Paz to begin a leisurely trek north in the Sea of Cortez. Its Cinco de Mayo, so La Paz was getting very busy and noisy. The celebration had already begun last night with a big party on a point adjacent to our marina. They were going strong at 11:00pm.

We had a wonderful dinner at an Italian restaurant called La Pazta (little play on words) before we left. We were with new friends from C'EST LA VIE, TAI TAM and MALACLUSION

Now, we're about 8-10 miles NNW of La Paz at a beautiful beach and anchorage called Puerto Ballandra. Its located next to the famous Mushroom Rock of La Paz...something that appears on many postcards from here. Unfortunately, several years ago, someone broke the rock and its now been replaced by a fiberglass replica...and is more famous than ever. Its easy to get here by boat. But, by land, its a dirt road off the highway. So, you really have to have a big desire to see it to come by land. Consequently, despite the holiday, only a few people are here on the beach. It really is a beautiful setting.

We're not sure if we'll stay beyond tonight. We'll just see how we feel and what the weather report says. Right now, the seas are very calm and winds are 6-12 knots. That's pretty gentle. Temperature at 1:30 pm is 78 degrees on the boat and maybe 88 degrees outside."

Final Straw anchored at Ballandra on Cinco de Mayo holiday.

A full moon at the Ballandra anchorage.

May 9, 2001:

"For the last two nights, we've been anchored at a very nice cove called Caleta Partida. It separates Isla Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit Island) from Isla Partida (Separated Island) and has a very large space to anchor. There are small native Mexican fishing camps on both sides. It was beautiful in here last night with a full moon that came over the ridge and stayed visible until after 0700 this morning.

Today, we took the dinghy through the small, shallow cut between the islands and explored the eastern side of Espiritu Santo. It was magnificent. We took the dinghy into a couple of water level caves with ceilings that held upside down rocks that looked like it wouldn't take much for them to fall. Of course they've probably been like that for 10 million years. We also did some snorkeling at a reef which marks the SW entrance to Caleta Partida. It was full of tang, triggerfish, parrot fish and starfish. But, no lobster!"

We took the dinghy into this cave on Espiritu Santos island.

May 12, 2001

"For the past 3 nights, we stayed at a beautiful little island called Isla San Francisco. It had a very pretty beach formed like a hook which made for a very good anchorage. We explored the island's salt flats and walked along the high ridges which overlooked the San Jose Channel. We also met up with friends Jan & Signe on Raven. We hadn't seen them since Puerto Vallarta. They prepared a clam dinner aboard their 64 foot sailboat and it was a very nice time. Suzy and I were coming back from one of our exploring trips in the dinghy when a couple of porpoise surfaced and rode along with us for a short time. Its a treat to have them ride with the big boat. But, its something else with the dinghy! We had some beautiful nights there with a somewhat full moon. One night we were sitting out when people on another boat nearby started a little "hootenanny" by playing songs on their guitar and fiddle. They were very good and we later found out they were practicing for Loretofest."

Our anchorage at Isla San Francisco with several other boats heading to Loretofest.

The cliffs at Isla San Francisco. We hiked the trail along the edge. Kinda scary!

May 13, 2001

"This morning we pulled up anchor and sailed ten miles north to San Evaristo, a little village off the beaten path. They have access to a road to La Paz via a dirt road that meanders through the mountains. Cerro Natividad, a 5000 ft. peak, is just ten miles away and quite prominent at that elevation. The little village has a dozen or so houses, a school and a small tienda (shop) with very limited supplies. The town supports a small salt operation harvested from salt pans just around the point and another salt pond at Isla San Jose across the channel. We plan to go into the village later to see if we can buy some fresh fish or maybe even a lobster."

The salt flats at San Evaristo.

Giving a bottle of bubbles to kids at San Evaristo. Big smiles!

May 14, 2001

Greetings from Agua Verde:

"Its now about 5:00pm and we're sitting at anchor in a pretty little cove off a beach at Bahia Agua Verde. Agua Verde is a little fishing village that is accessible by land over a 30 mile rough dirt road. We walked into the little desert village and bought some potatoes, jalopenos and bananas (great combination) at the little tienda here. The people were very friendly. The kids all wanted candy...but, there parents would tell them not to ask.

Tonight there's a little gathering of boaters on the beach at "our" cove....BYOB and an hors d'ouvers. This is a good way to meet the people anchored here and it should be fun."

Our anchorage at Agua Verde. The "Potluck" was on the beach behind us.

The primitive "General Store" or tienda at Agua Verde. Not exactly Albertsons.

The Agua Verde water distribution system.

Passing Roca Solitaria as we leave Agua Verde for Puerto Escondido on a very calm sea!

May 18, 2001

"We arrived here at Puerto Escondido two days ago from Agua Verde for the big cruising event known as Loretofest. About 120 boats are here and its another beautiful setting. Puerto Escondido is the best natural harbor in Baja. Its completely surrounded by hills and the magnificent Sierra de la Giganta mountain range just 10-20 miles away. The highest peak, El Cerro de la Giganta, is 24 miles away and stands 5800' above us. It is reminiscient of the peaks of Bora Bora, but much bigger! This is a large bay, over a mile long and 1/2 mile wide, so, it can hold a lot of boats. Its also considered the best hurricane hole in Mexico. The entrance is on the south side through a 100' wide passage. When the tide is running, it can get a lot of current through there...up to 4 knots."

A look west from Puerto Escondido towards the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range.

May 18, 2001

"Loretofest started Thursday night and lasts through Sunday. The event includes lots of free food, cheap Corona cerveza, seminars, games, swapfests, etc. Suzy and I joined in the Over-The-Line (OTL) tournament today. She was on a girl's team with Susan from C'EST LA VIE and Jean from NEENER-3. They lost in the first round and are now in the consolation rounds. On the other hand, I teamed up with Keith on C'EST LA VIE and Guy from ELAN and we won our first round. So, we play again for the BIG prize. We were having fun until someone announced the temperature was 106 degrees! It is a desert here you know! So, play was halted by the Grand Commissioner of Baseball and we all headed to the lemonade stand.

The venue is beautiful, even at night with over a hundred boats with their anchor lights on underneath a magnificent sky full of stars. Since there's no town or village here, the ambient light is minimal.

We're about 18 miles south of Loreto and plan to take a taxi there tomorrow to explore it."

Suzy's Over-the-Line team.

Clark's Over-the-Line team.

We did make it to the final game…where we unfortunately lost and settled for 2^nd place!

May 22, 2001

"Loretofest 2001 is now history. We had a big awards dinner and finale last night. The entertainment was provided by some very talented cruisers. There were a couple of VERY good folk singers with accompanying guitars, cello, clarinet, saxaphone, coronet, violin and trombone...pretty impressive! Its amazing that cruisers carry that sort of stuff on their boats where room is so precious. It was very pretty hearing their music, which they practiced together for days, underneath the stars in this beautiful setting at Puerto Escondido.

Incidentally, one reason the Mexican officials let us do Loretofest is because ALL proceeds above the cost of the event go to local community activities, like the Loreto Cultural Center. One evening, we were entertained by a group of young Mexican teens from the Center dancing a variety of local, Polynesian, modern and 50's dancing. They were very good and smiled the entire time they danced. Their costumes were all paid for by donations from last year's Loretofest. The cruisers passed the hat after they danced and $300 was collected on the spot. Their instructor almost cried when they presented her with the money, a large amount by standards here.

Today, several of us rented a taxi-van from Puerto Escondido to Loreto (20+ miles). We visited the Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, the oldest mission in the Americas (dates back to 1697). The mission has been restored and looks very nice. Ironically, the towers were restored by the lottery winnings of a former padre. The oldest item still in the mission is a bell in the tower, which dates back to 1743. Loreto was the first capital of Baja and remained so for 132 years until a hurricane hit here in 1828 and they moved it to La Paz. Two earthquakes (1877 & 1959) also have devastated this town. Its a pretty place, but, with all these natural disasters, you really have to want to live here! There's also a neat little hotel here called Posada de las Flores. They have a nice restaurant, bar and pool on the top floor (about 5 stories high) with a great view of the town, the Sea of Cortez and the surrounding Sierra de la Giganta mountain range.

We've now been at Puerto Escondido six nights. So, we'll probably weigh anchor and head for Isla Carmen tomorrow. We intend to make our way up to Bahia Concepcion and Mulege. Thats about 75-80 miles north of here, which will put us about 200 miles north of La Paz. We plan to sail until late June and then bring the boat back to La Paz and leave her there for the "hot" summer while we return home to La Jolla. We have about 40 days left if we stick to that schedule. So, that gives us enough time to go north and then take a leisurely trip back south...assuming no adverse tropical weather crosses our path. But, then again, we hear the best schedule is no schedule...so, that's what we'll do!"

Loreto was to be the next Acapulco or Cancun. But, the best laid plans have yet to materialize.

The oldest mission in the Americas, Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, was established in 1697.

May 25, 2001

"Today, we walked through an arroyo in the desert heat to San Juanico Cove and came across what is now known as the Cruisers Shrine. This is a big pile of rocks and paraphanalia left by past visiting cruisers with their boat names enscribed and the date they were there. There were some very clever relics and it was fun to see what was left by people we've now met.

Our plan from here is to head north 50 miles to Concepcion Bay in time for Suzy's birthday (May 27th). We'd like to get into Mulege for that evening if all works out. Stay tuned...the adventure continues."

Some of the relics at the Cruiser's Shrine at San Juanico Cove.

May 26, 2001

"We're now in Concepcion Bay about 200 miles N of La Paz. This is a very large well protected bay about 22 miles long and 2 miles wide at its narrowest point and it averages 5 miles wide elsewhere. Its also adjacent to Highway 1, the main highway in Baja which goes from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. So, this is a popular camping area for RV travelers.

We arrived at about 5:30pm last night, weaving and dodging the shoals and reefs. We're now at Coyote Bay, a pretty little place, with winter homes overlooking our anchorage from the hills. There are several little islands in the bay and a little reef."

Coyote Bay at 6:30am on May 26^th.

May 31, 2001

"Well, we're alive and well and loving it here at Bahia Coyote on Concepcion Bay. Its a neat spot with lots to do. On Sunday, we went out to Highway 1 to hitchike, that's right..hitchike...into the town of Mulege. Its supposed to be very easy to get a ride. After about 20 minutes, we saw a car coming that turned into the area where we were. Low and behold....it was a taxi! Here we are 20 miles from this town of 5000 and along comes a taxi. We were with Pete & Jan from MAGIC. So, all 4 of us piled into the taxi and headed to Mulege (Mool-a-hay). Its a delightful town...a real oasis in the desert. When the Spanish settled here and built the mission in the early 1700's, they also planted hundreds of date palms. There are now thousands along the river arroyo and it really makes the town a beautiful spot.

Monday we decided to have dinner at Ray's, a small palapa restaurant on Santispac Beach adjacent to our anchorage. What a great surprise this was. Ray makes the BEST coconut shrimp I have ever tasted. You may not believe this, but, he will be featured, we're told (and not by Ray), in the next issue of Gourmet magazine. We know he was written up in Latitude 38, the West Coast sailing rag, as a place NOT to miss. Besides the great shrimp, he also has a killer bay scallop recipe, a great salad, a fantastic rice pudding with Kaluha and an incredible mango margarita. This little place is reminiscient of the Caribbean island restaurants, but, MUCH better."

Another view of Coyote Bay.

Downtown Mulege on a Sunday. The bar was open!

June 10, 2001

"We've now began our 200 mile trip back to La Paz. We're now at Caleta Ramada after a nice trip from Santo Domingo, at the mouth of Concepcion Bay. It took about 7 hours, due primarily to a stiff adverse current (0.5-1.5 knots) from the south. So far, on our entire trip, we've had the pleasure of going with the seas, current and wind. Now, we'll be going against it to get to La Paz. On the way here, we had the pleasure of seeing dozens of manta rays leap out of the water and fly 20-30 feet before landing in a big splash. They were everywhere as we rounded Punta Sta. Teresa. Quite a sight!"

June 15, 2001

"The weather continues to be beautiful here in southern Baja as we make our way south to La Paz. In fact, it actually has cooled off and is in the high 70s to low 80's with a nice afternoon breeze of 8-15 knots. At night, it has been very comfortable.

After leaving Ramada, we headed for Isla Coronados, which is about 5 miles from the old mission town of Loreto. This island was used back in the 1700's to anchor the supply ships that were servicing the mission. Loreto, itself, does not have a harbor and to stop there you do so in an open roadstead with no protection from wind or seas. That's fine in the weather we're currently having. But, it wouldn't be safe in a norther or heavier winds from the south or east. So, they stopped at this lovely place with a beautiful sandy beach. The island is a classic volcano with a very clear cone and lava stream down the eastern side. We anchored in a large sandy area off a flat hook gorgeous sandy beach that provides good protection. We stayed there two days it was so nice.

Now, we're at Bahia Marquer on Isla Carmen, another very pretty spot. Our friends John & Renee aboard SCARLETT O'HARA (from San Diego-SWYC) came in here today. We spent time with them at Concepcion Bay earlier. They, unfortunately, broke the stainless steel strut that holds their propellor in place just as they were approaching Santa Rosalia. Now, the boat needs to be hauled out for repairs...and they can't use the engine at all. So, they have to sail the boat back to La Paz. That can be very challenging as some days there is no wind and they are at the mercy of the current. Also, some anchorages can be very tricky to approach and without a motor its downright dangerous. Well, the cruising community has really pitched in to help them. Whenever they approach an anchorage, they have an armada of dinghies out to escort them or tow them, if necessary. They still have about 120 miles to go. We're all following their progress carefully. Tonight, we've invited them over for cocktails and dinner and we'll discuss their plans.

So, the adventure continues....as Suzy prepares dinner, Beethoven's Sixth symphony blasts through the anchorage and I enjoy the last of a very good scotch!"

June 28, 2001

"Today, we arrived back in La Paz, refueled the boat and moved into a slip at Marina Palmira. We now have access to an unlimited supply of water and electricity...something we've had to generate ourselves for the past seven weeks. One of the things we've learned is just how nice it is to have these things again that we so easily take for granted. In fact, we're even running our air conditioner and that feels pretty good in the heat of the day in southern Baja during the summer.

Now, that we're in La Paz, we'll get the boat ready for the summer and fly home for a little reprieve. We've been away from San Diego for 6 months now and we've sailed 2000 miles. And, we've had a great time. And, learned a lot. We plan to return to La Paz in October to sail south again to Puerto Vallarta and Zihuantenjo. Then, we'll likely cross the Pacific to the Marquesas, French Polynesia and beyond next March."