Bahia Falso and updates since Cabo

12-9-12

According to forecast on 12-7, yesterday and today were supposed to be flat with north winds picking up big on Monday. With heavy north winds yesterday for most of the morning and waking to howling winds this morning from the west...I'm thinking the weatherman down here is as good as they are up north (humph.) A fellow cove boater clocked 18 knot westerlies. Unfortunately, we need to turn into the west, then northwest to get up the channel. The amount of wind isn't the issue rather the chop it creates. According to the weather report this morning, north winds pick up this afternoon and get stronger through tomorrow and Tuesday, dying on Wednesday. We have a choice: chance going today and if it's bad, turn around; we could get pretty far and then it gets nasty and we'd have a long way to come back (because there are no good anchorages for strong northerlies or ports between where we need to go and where we are) or stay until Wednesday. Huhm...

We hailed Sven and Lisa asking they're intention (always good to get a different perspective.) Looking at their instruments and how hard it was blowing they had decided to stay. Once we told them the forecast they were pulling anchor almost immediately. They got in the channel and radioed back that it was fairly good sailing and not much chop just as we were pulling up anchor. Yeah! We're off.

Made it to Bahia Falso, just a couple of miles from La Paz! Wooohooo! Anchor in the dark in small coves can be very stressful – but we did it. Dinner and bed.

12-8-12

Long day of motoring today. Big north winds against us initially in the morning. 2, maybe 2.5 knots for a couple of hours. It finally died down a bit, caught a current so we made better time. Sven and Lisa on Dana Felcia had departed not long after us and eventually passed us cruising into the cove an hour or two ahead of us. The day was broken up with laundry (britches everywhere!) and whale sightings; so many and all 'hanging out' on top of the water like they were sunning. A bit hard to see until they 'blow'. Also visited by dolphins swimming at the bow. First time since leaving US waters.

whales lounging

dolphins swimming at bullwinkles bow

yummm...popcorn & beer

 

 

Sunset in Ensenada de los Muestos (Cove of the Dead.) Beautiful and so very quiet. Dinner, a little Sherlock Holmes and bed.

'Dana Felcia' in foreground

 

12-7-12

Slight overcast today and VERY humid. Putting the dingy in the water and gathering items for a day of snorkeling sent rivers of perspiration running! This morning we were entertained again by the rays. Quite comical with their belly flops. Pictures/video to boot! Met neighbors Rich and Lynn on 'Fellowship'. They were telling us about the 57” mahi they caught before they hit Cabo. Invited us to a fish fry this evening and we accepted gladly. Happen to make pumpkin bread this morning, so we'll bring that for dessert.

'Fellowship' in background

 

Roundabout II in background

A beautiful national marine park, Cabo Pulmo, lay just north of our anchorage. Snorkeling was really good and we had a cove completely to ourselves.  Beautiful rock formations.  Unfortunately the sun was hidden most of the day, so pictures didn't come out very vivid-but in person it was awesome. No turtles, but every other tropical fish. On the way back to the boat, Ed spotted a huge whale. The tail being twice the size of the dingy. I made him giddy-up to the boat! Yikes. Sven and Lisa on 'Dana Felcia' whom we met in Cabo, made it in this afternoon. Didn't have a chance to speak with them, but sure to see them in La Paz.

 

Dinner was fabulous. Meeting and swapping stories with other sailors Rich and Lynn, Pam and Ted on Roundabout II and Joe (not sure of Joe's boat name) was enriching. Good food, new friends, lovely evening.

L to R: Pam, Lynn, Ted, Joe, Rich and Ed

 

12-6-12
Today was a motoring day. When there was wind it was such a light breeze there was not enough to puff the sails. We went to San Jose del Cabo to fuel up. None of our guide books were right with regard to the fuel dock. Very pleased to see they still had one when we found it at the back of the marina near the dry dock.

San Jose del Cabo Marina

Leaving San Jose del Cabo we were given a show by some good sized rays – 3 to 4 feet wide, black on top, white on the bottom – jumping about 5 feet out of the water. Fantastic. Must be their courtship season as well as the whales.

Made it to Bahia Los Frailes (the Friars) a little ahead of schedule. Right before getting into anchor, I was at the bow of the boat and saw the most beautiful, and very large, turtle! I thought we were going to hit it. Again, fantastic. Anchored, put on the swimsuits and took a dive. Aaahhhhh. At dinner, during sunset, we were again given a show by the rays, jumping out of the water and what appeared to be belly flopping. Dark descended, which brought in moths the size of hummingbirds-yikes! (we don't have our screens made yet!!) Mao is getting quite a workout. Ed was amazed when she snagged one without hesitation. I have a feeling she's going to take a dive. She's come close while chasing them all over the boat. Ed decided to have a glass of wine and when he did, it attracted a 5 inch plus size moth that kept landing on him. He presumed it was attracted by the wine.

A lot of dunes here, with a nice beach. So incredibly quiet. We'll do a hike and snorkeling tomorrow while waiting out expected strong northerlies.

By the way, in the last update, I called this destination 'Frijoles', which are beans. Maybe I was hungry. I've been laughing about it since, but Ed wants me to correct it so no one thinks we're buffoons.