//WL2K Arrived Puerto Escondido

Arrived Puerto Escondido this afternoon after some great downwind sailing. Winds were blowing most of the day in the 20 plus knot range. There were some 4-5ft seas. But this boat was make for that and when you put the jib out on one side and the staysail out on the other(wing and wing it's called), the boat just locks in and cruises along nicely.

I'm anchored up outside Puerto Escondido. Inside the harbor, which is a natural harbor and protected almost 360 degrees is a marina and fuel dock. The Mexican's know how to build a very nice marina, first class in every way, but they don't have a good operating model. Last year there was a nice market and restaraunt(sp), but this year both are gone. They mainly rent mooring bouys and last year there were issues figuring out which ones have been inspected and where good. This year most are gone and boats are just anchoring. They still charge the same fee to anchor as to moor. That's why being the cheap skate that I am......I'm anchored outside the harbor. The fuel dock does have fuel this year, last year it was closed....so that's good.

Friday the Loreto Fest starts on shore. It's a cruisers annual get together with seminars and costume parties and a chance to see folks you might have crossed paths with. Lot's of boats here for that.
Not sure if I'll stay because I'd like to keep the south bound progress going.

Later,
Ed

//WL2K Arrived San Juanico

Hi All,

Left Punta Chivato about 8:30 am yesterday and motorsailed to the anchorage at San Juanico, arriving at about 6:30 or so. Its a 56 mile run so need to keep the speed up to make in by dark. There were light northerly winds and pretty calm seas making it a pleasant trip.

Beatifully anchorage here and about 10 to 12 boats here. Pictures to be posted later. Saw Marlene and Roy from Damiana and they came over to say hello. Roy's giving a medical lecture at the Loreto Fest.

As predicted strong northerlies came in starting about mid morning and increasing in the afternoon to about 25 knots. This anchorage provides good protection from the seas that have probably built to 6 feet, but still gets a lot of wind.

I kayaked to the beach around 11 and hike the dirt roads and beach for a few hours. There's a cool cruisers shrine on the beach in a juniper tree with shell and wood adornments with boat names and crews from the past years.

It was a wet kayak trip back to the boat, but not too bad. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the boats bob around and playing on the computer. Could be blowing as hard tomorrow, so will have to see want happens and if I can get out of here and down toward Puerto Escondido.

Later, 
Ed

Crossing over to the Baja side

Made the crossing from San Carlso to Punta Chivato on the Baja side last night.  Big winds some of the way and got to sail all but an hour on the 75 mile crossing.  Unfortunately the winds kicked up some 6 foot rollers from the northwest and that put them pretty much on the beam of the boat, so it was a really rolly sail.  Didn't secure all the stuff on the starboard shelves, so that got spewed on the floor.  Tried to secure some stuff below but staying the cabin created instant Mal de Mar and I felt queasy most of the ride.

Right now I'm anchored up southwest of the point and its really calm and quiet.  Should get a good night sleep.

Ed

Up to Phoenix and back across to Baja

We had a good drive back up to Phoenix where I bought a new VHF radio and Molley flew in to join Tracey on the drive back.  We walked around Heritage Square in downtown, where they have some older building from the 1880's and eat at a great pub called the Rose & Crown.  Good local micro's and some other English beers you don't often find on tap.  Also visited St Mary's Basillica.  Very pretty inside with some great stain glass.

I took the 11:00pm Tufesa executive bus back to San Carlos.  It's very roomy with lots of seat room, so I slept most of the way. 

Today it's looking like a good day to head across, so I'm out of the marina and anchored in Martini Cove and will leave here about noon to get to Punta Chivato on the Baja side about dawn.  Moderate winds should mean I can sail most of the way.
Until later,
Ed

Back in the Marina

We're back in the marina. Good thing too. We were supposed to go to Las Cocinas (the kitchens; an area further north of San Padro) but I'm having a hard time having a good time with Ed's voyage nearing so quickly. I get to focused on the primary goal.  In this case, Ed getting to Hawaii.

On the way in to the marina I smelt burning. Once in the slip we discovered the alternator that he just put in went bad for the simple reason of a screw not being tight enough. And with the VHS radio on the fritz...all things for a reason right? Good thing we weren't up at 'the kitchens'. 

Now my phone is acting quirky. Not allowing cell service when we have it. Ed's beater phone is still going strong - that's saying something isn't it??

Ed went to auto zone and they happened to have an alternator.  So no waiting around.  We'll provision the boat today and head to Tucson tomorrow.  Ed should be able to get a new VHS there and if not, Phoenix.  After that, Ed will bus back to San Carlos and I will head north.  I'm very excited my daughter Molley is able to fly to Phoenix and make the trip home with me.

Meanwhile, Mao is enjoying her dock time.

Hoppy Easter!

After discovering the larger radio audio was inoperable and un-abled to be repaired, as well as a bit of angst on my part, we decided not to head further north to 'the kitchens'.  Instead we had another good sail downwind back south to Bahia Algodones to spend the night before going back into the marina.  We'll need to order and pick up a new radio in Tucson when we're finished provisioning the boat for Ed's voyage.
The Easter revelers are still going strong here in the bay.
In the meantime, siesta and Soggy Pecos for dinner.
Missing the family Easter.  Hoping its as good as ever.  Love.

Bahia San Padro; Fri 4-18&19

Good sail downwind to Bahia San Padro. Really quiet finally. Several families camping along one side of the bay; so far no loud music. Overcast skies most of the way up but once anchored we had to put up the sunshade. Dingy-ed onto and then combed the beach. Not much shelling, but far up on the dunes we found hundreds of the 'button' shells we looked for during our trip last year. Couldn't stop picking them up! No paper nautilus' -rats.

Warmed up (especially Ed after the row back out to the boat) we decided it was time for a swim. Burrrr..I wasn't in for long! Water has yet to warm up. Got in a kayak & some fishing.  Dolphin and sealion sitings and the usual seabirds; Brown Pelican, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Booby, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Tricolored Heron and a small gull I call a 'screamer' that does not appear to be identified in my pocket guide; small, all white, short bent-winged.  Heard on the radio that someone spotted whales - but not us...bummer.

Bahia Algodones

Anchored in Bahia Algodones.  Rolly night (and day for that matter with the jet and water skiers) with the southerlies wrapping around the point we've anchored off.  Very secluded but nice area with beautiful homes and greenery for the touristas that use them.  Several having infinity pools right outside the backdoor steps away from the beach.  They have the most beautiful lamp posts in Mexico.  So many of them not kept up; hanging bulbs, unpainted, but I think that may be what gives them character.  I just love them!  BTW, you can barely see her but Bullwinkle is anchored just inside the point in the photo top right.

Sailing...finally!

Left the dock this morning for a short sail north with good southerlies to Bahia Algodones, which is where Paul and Leanne where just a few months ago.  After not sailing for a full year, we seemed to get our groove back easily.  Once anchored, I got a little sun time ('little' as clouds rolled in) and Ed got to work on a sun cover that could be easily moved during his voyage.  He decided it would make a good ski bar as well.  Easter party revelers are already in full swing.  By the weekend there will be no beach in site - just tents.

Moon Watch

We were moon watchers all night and well into the morning.  A "blood" moon last night as the eclipse took place.  Because the boat and dock move constantly it made it hard to get a shot that wasn't blurry (didn't have the gumption to go to land.  Looks like we're off today for some sailing!

...and on the 7th day he rested

Bougainvillea & palm

Sunday, we decided, was a day of rest.  We started with breakfast having chili re-llanos and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice direct from the 'ranch'; which is what the guy selling it in the parking lot said. Delicious.

We dinked around Guaymas for a little bit-not long.  Its a big working class city with very little 'tourist' interests.  The gazebo, with the church of San Fernando behind it, was designed in the 1800s by Gustave Eiffel.  Same architect who did the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  The military figure with the bird shatting on its head was a must have according to Ed.

Gazebo designed by Eiffel

Fajitas

We were going to eat out but split on where so we came back to the boat and made fajitas.  Very windy and cool - nice. High winds today.  So we'll wait it out and head into town to replenish food supplies.  Our neighbors will be tagging along, Rick & Patty on FaisDoDo.  Other than that, looks like we may be ready to actually start sailing for a week or so.

Mao trying to escape; caught in bug netting

Bahia San Carlos

Ed on barrco

Cactus

Took many pics.  Here are a few and I'll try to add more to our picture link in the right hand column, but the internet is s-l-o-w.  After about 15 seconds I get frustrated.

Lost and Found

Whew!  Its been a busy couple of days.  In the water but still no time to play.  Ed finished the engine work and all is well.  That day ended late, so we decided to go to the Captains Club for a hearty burger and cerveza.  Actually grilled on a grill outside the kitchen in the dining area!  Not bad.  And the band was good this evening too - very relaxed and not as loud. 

Yesterday the dingy was blown up and put in the water (still floats), the wind vane went up, the rigging was tightened and the boat was finally given a good wash bow to stern.  A green film on the boat, when washed, runs the water green and/or stains the deck.  At least it matches our stripe.  There's a rumor of a copper plant that smelts, or something, chemically reacts with something in the air and lands on the boats in the yard.  Over the summer it bakes onto the decking.

Yesterday morning just before dawn, I found Mao to be off the boat and not on 'B' dock at all.  It's happened once before and we found her with in a couple hours, so I tried not to panic.  With all the stray cats in the parking lot, most tame and very gentle/friendly, but some in need of veterinary help, it was heartbreaking.  We knew that when daylight hit and people and boats get moving, she'd hold up in a hidy hole and not make a move until dark.  So we kept very busy throughout the day, taking time to hunt.  But just after sunset I was able to get onto the next dock over and with the first whistle she called back and lost was found!  Back on the boat and after telling us of her woes, she was anxious to get back out.

"Parts is parts"

Last blog entry I made a note that Ed had purchased a new alternator when in fact he had bought parts to rebuild the spare we had on hand.  He has NOW gone to purchase one.  He says that if the auto zone in Guaymas doesn't have one, he'll drive to Tucson tomorrow to get one.  I asked why he wouldn't just go to the boat store to get one and he says that the boat store, if they had it, would charge a couple hundred bucks for an 80 dollar part.  He also believes they'd have to order it, and so on.

I just smiled.

We met with the female half of a couple at the boatyard yesterday who trailered their (smaller) boat down here to sail.  She was going on about how much there is to do and how long it took to close up the boat for how little sailing time they get in.  Ed asked how long they'd been sailing and she said 2 months.  He then asked how long they'd been in the yard closing up and she said three days.  Ed got this look on his face and said 'wow, that's pretty fast'.  She started laughing, as did I, and told him, emphatically, that was NOT fast.  Then she looked at me and said this must be a venus and mars thing.  I got tickled.  I still find it fascinating how complete strangers with a common denominator will just come out with it when frustrated.
Having seen what goes into shutting down our boat, and now, what must be done prior to launching after a year on the hard, I too believe three days is fast.  But I totally get what she was saying, as most men just move slower, or should I say more meticulously.  And when I'm on the boat, I'm glad of it.  Most that just get onto someone else's boat for a quick sail, or a long one for that matter, haven't the foggiest as to what it has taken to make sure they stay afloat.  If you're not the captain, you likely don't have the investment that he/she does, so cannot fully appreciate what must be done.  Having said that, I have seen where some men do enjoy hanging on a bit longer then necessary.

Its not a vacation but an adventure.  Big difference.

Launched

This morning we launched.  I was very excited, not having been sailing in a year.  These guys have got the routine down.  It took all of 20 minutes from the time they arrived to the time we were in the water.

 

At first Bullwinkle purred like a kitten, then suddenly a quirky noise sent us racing for the shutdown.  Ed played around with it got it going again but found we had a faulty alternator.  We managed, however, to get it to our slip with ease.

I headed off to do laundry while he started work on the engine.  After purchasing a new alternator, Ed found that either the new one is bad too, or there is something else going on.  So he's got some work ahead of him.  I have complete faith he'll find what the problem is...now whether he'll be able to resolve it is another issue altogether.