WAITING OUT A NORTHER IN LA PAZ

November 13, 2018

I got up early Tuesday morning and went for a run out to Marina Palmira.  I made it four out of the five plus miles and enjoyed the remaining walk along the Malecon.  The wind was still howling, which kept it nice and cool.  The Malecon was crowded with walkers and joggers.  Dogs had been banned from the Malecon, which was causing a local stir.  A protest march was planned for the following weekend and cruisers were weighing the risk of breaking the law against non-citizens participating in protests against the value of supporting the community.

The Morning Malecon in La Paz

I was eager for a nice breakfast out but returned to find that Harvey had made us all a frittata.  We had a companionable breakfast in the cockpit and listened to the net.  We showered and tidied the boat after breakfast.  Some of us caught up on sleep.

The Ha-Ha crew had planned to stay as far as La Paz with the promise of a trip to the islands on the way from Cabo.  The untimely norther had foiled their plans and left us pinned down in La Paz. They made the best of it and trooped off to drink lunch and enjoy the town.  I remained behind to nap and later help Greg rearrange supplies on the boat. 

 I spent part of the afternoon practicing the guitar until it was time to go to Harker Boards (a combination SUP shop and bar) for a surprise birthday party for a fellow cruiser.  The party was on a third-floor roof deck and it was so cold and windy that the restaurant provided us with blankets.  I bundled up and ordered a glass of red wine.  Greg and I split a plate of nachos.  It was abnormally cold for Baja.

November 14, 2018

Wednesday morning, Bob, Harvey, Mike, and I walked nearly seven miles out past marina Palmira and around the point until we could see Costa Baja before returning to Marina de La Paz.  The Ha-Ha crew took off after breakfast and I stayed behind to keep Greg company and practice the guitar.  A project manager stopped by to look at a little carpentry project that needed doing and I chatted with visitors that stopped by while Greg was napping.  It was a peaceful afternoon.

Gina's Hot Dogs (and Burritos)

The Ha-Ha crew returned in time for happy hour.  Cary and Tom from Dragon’s Toy joined us for cocktails.  They were planning on making the crossing to La Cruz after Thanksgiving and we discussed the idea of my joining them for the passage.  It was quite dark by the time the party broke up.  Our entire crew walked the short distance to Gina’s hot dog stand for burritos.  Gina makes a mean burrito for 45 pesos (about $2.25.)  It was bedtime by the time we returned to Scout.

November 15, 2018

I had discovered a CrossFit gym in La Paz and wanted to see if it was feasible for me to get there in time for a morning class.  I got up early and ran the three miles to the Fonatur Marina where the gym was located.  The gym was actually located in the marina buildings.  There was no one to talk to who wasn’t involved in the workout, but I vowed to return the following week early enough to arrive for the beginning of the class.  I walked back to Marina La Paz so that I could see how long it took to make the walk.  I wasn’t going to survive running there and then doing a CrossFit class.

Baja Is the Real Southern California

Bob was making a lovely egg and potato breakfast when I returned.  I had just enough time for a shower before the food was ready.  We had a leisurely breakfast and then I dropped off my laundry and left for town with the rest of the crew. 

We stopped at the boat broker to look at boats since a few of us were contemplating buying one.  They didn’t have anything that interested me.  Boats seemed to be either too large or too old.  I was somewhat relieved, not being ready to commit to another boat at that moment.

Next, we walked into town.  Harvey had planned to take a bus to Balandra but decided to eat ceviche instead.  We all went to Harker Boards and had a beer.   Harvey left us at the Malecon and we headed inland, looking for the post office so Jules could mail postcards.  We accidentally passed it.  By the time we realized we had gone too far we were almost to my nail salon, so I left the group and went there to get my nails done.  I am a natural nail biter and the only way I can keep nails for playing the guitar is to coat them with gel polish.  I found it annoying to have to get my nails serviced every two weeks, but my guitar teacher had stopped nagging me about my nails and I had to admit that having fingernails did increase my volume.

La Fuente (The Polka Dot Trees)

I spent a pleasant hour at the nail salon and then walked across the street to the Ley market to buy bananas and mineral water.  By the time I dragged the groceries all the way back to the boat, it was too late to pick up my laundry.  The rest of the crew had returned, also.  We had drinks on the boat and chatted with our boat neighbor, Mike, from Amiga.  Then all of us walked into town to the Mezquite Grill for a fabulous fillet Mignon dinner to wish Bob farewell since he was leaving the following morning.  Wonderful as our dinner was, we still had room to stop at the Polka Dot Trees ice cream store.  Despite having shared a fillet with Greg, I had already blown my diet for the day.  I had been very good for months, so I splurged on a cup of ice cream.  It was an ideal evening.  By the time we returned to the boat, I had covered eleven miles and the blister on the bottom of my left foot had burst.

November 16, 2018

It was sad to say goodbye to Bob but the wind had died down, the port was open, and we were all excited to get out to the islands.  By 9:00, we were pulling away from the dock and heading out the channel towards Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida.  There was wind and we were finally able to unfurl the sails and turn off the motor.  We had to tack back and forth to get where we were going, but we were in no hurry.  Dragon’s Toy was headed in the same direction and we kept in contact with them on the radio.

Roca Lobos

Dragon's Toy at Anchor

Tacking kept us on a course outside of Isla Ballena.  Our destination was Ensenada Grande on Isla Partida.  Just as we pulled abeam of the anchorage and attempted to furl the sails, the jib furler jammed and I had to motor slowly southward while the rest of the crew unthreaded the line for the jib furler and rolled up the jib.  We dropped anchor under the fisherman’s cross in Ensenada Grande just in time for happy hour.  Tom and Cary from Dragons’s Toy joined us.  The sun had already dropped behind the cliffs, leaving us in shadow, and the swim that had seemed so enticing all day no longer seemed so appealing.

Harvey made us a nice chicken dinner and we dined in the cockpit as the anchorage gradually filled with large motor yachts.  It was the Friday before a three-day weekend (Revolution Day) in Mexico and boats filled with wealthy Mexicans outnumbered the gringo cruisers.  Dragon’s Toy and Scout were the only sailboats.  It was noisy with loud music and screaming children but quieted down fairly early so we were able to sleep.

November 17, 2018

Morning in Ensenada Grande

I got up and lounged in the cockpit until everyone else was stirring.  As soon as the sun cleared the cliffs, I took a swim.  The water was slightly chilly, but not too cold for me to swim a lap around Scout.  We had coffee and another of Harvey’s frittatas.  Then Greg took Harvey and me ashore to go for a hike with Cary and Tom from Dragon’s Toy.  We planned to return in Dragons’s Toy’s dinghy. 

Ensenada Grande from the Trail

Trail Marker

We walked a short way up the path, past an old hand-dug well.  Cary turned back as soon as the path degenerated to boulder hopping.  Harvey stayed with us for half a mile or so but his Crocs weren’t designed for rock climbing and he soon turned back, also.  Tom and I continued on  to complete the 3.4 km hike to the top of the ridge where the island dropped precipitously to a rocky beach 500 feet below.  We clambered over boulders of varying sizes, following a route delineated with white markers.  These markers directed us to turn right, left, or continue straight.  Often, straight ahead included climbing up a vertical face.  It was warm and we fantasized about beer but the difficult going kept us from proceeding too rapidly.
 

Wind Patterns on the Water

View from the Top of Partida

The view off towards Mazatlan from the top was breathtaking.  We could see patterns on the water formed by the wind currents.  We rested for a few minutes and then picked our way back down to the anchorage through the rocks and cactus.  Our descent required even more concentration than the climb up.  When we returned to the beach, the dinghy was waiting but there was no sign of Harvey and Cary.  They had given up on us and called Greg for a ride back to the boats.

Many of the motor yachts had departed but a new collection were arriving, as well as a few additional sailboats.  The anchorage was noisy, once again.  I took a swim after returning to the boat, but found it less pleasant than I had predicted while climbing down a rocky stream bed in blazing sun.  Scout was once again in shadow.  I dried off, dressed, and we all proceeded to Dragons’s Toy for sundowners.  Dragons’s Toy was an Island Packet 37 and I was eager to see it since we had more or less agreed that I would accompany them on the crossing to La Cruz after Thanksgiving.  The boat was sturdy and well maintained, with a pleasant layout and homey feeling.

Scout in Ensenada Grande

While I was enjoying my much-anticipated beer, a strange dinghy approached the boat.  The couple aboard had spent a very successful day fishing and were motoring around the anchorage, gifting each boat with large packets of nicely cleaned and chunked wahoo.

Back aboard Scout, we abandoned our plan to grill arrachera for dinner and Harvey sautéed the wahoo in butter and garlic and served it with potatoes that he cooked in the microwave, smashed, and fried in a hot pan.  While we were dining, a dive boat arrived and dropped anchor right in the middle of the anchorage.  They turned on bright green lights to attract rays and proceeded to conduct a night dive surrounded by large motor yachts.  They were quite noisy, but had quieted down and left completely by 22:00.

Not having been able to sleep comfortably in my berth, I elected to double up the cockpit cushions and sleep outside.  It was a beautiful night and I slept slightly better than I had on the rock-hard cushions in my cabin.

November 18, 2018

Raising the Anchor

Ensenada Grande in the Rear View

Marina Palmira from the La Paz Channel

We needed to get back to La Paz in time for the Ha-Ha welcome party because Greg had offered to help collect tickets at the door.  As soon as we had consumed a frittata loaded with leftover chicken and wahoo, we hauled anchor and headed for La Paz.  The morning was calm and we motored the entire way.  This time we chose a route inside of Isla Ballena and passed each of the many anchorages on the two islands, recalling good times spent in many of them.  Mike steered us down the channel and we returned to our slip in Marina de la Paz.

The first twenty-five Ha-Ha skippers to arrive at the party were to receive two free tickets.  Greg, Mike, and I arrived early.  We stood in line and chatted with people from other boats until the doors opened.  Then we grabbed a table in the shade near the stage.  We were eventually joined by Jules and Harvey, Tom and Cary from Dragons’s Toy and a retired couple from L.A. named Nagy and Juliana who had recently moved to La Paz and were looking to meet people.  I was at the opposite end of the table with Mike and Greg, but Jules and Harvey really connected with the couple, who invited Harvey and his wife for Thanksgiving dinner.

The party was pleasant with folk dancers in colorful costumes, a mariachi band, speeches by local dignitaries, and raffle prizes.  Jules won a bottle of Don Julio 70 and three gift certificates for two nights each in local hotels.  We were quite taken with the new mayor who made an eloquent speech in Spanish (the translator was less eloquent) about how La Paz had been founded by sailors like us and welcoming us to make La Paz our home.  There was dinner after the speeches and then dancing.  The sound was terrible. We stayed for a few dances, but quickly made our exit and returned to the relative peace of Scout.  It had been a full day and we were all eager to crawl into our berths.  I spent another night in the cockpit where it was almost chilly.

CABO TO LA PAZ 2018

November 9, 2018

Scout in Puerto Los Cabos

After spending several days with friends in Southern California, I flew to San Jose del Cabo on Friday afternoon where Greg, the skipper of Scout, and some of his crew met me in a huge Chevy Suburban and escorted me back to the boat in Puerto Los Cabos.  They had just completed the Baja Ha-Ha and I was replacing one crew member who had departed.  This year’s crew consisted of Harvey and Jules from Venice, CA, Bob from Minnesota, and Mike from Davis whom I had met a couple of months prior at the Latitude 30 crew party.  Scout being a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52.2 with three cabins and three heads, we were a full boat but not overly crowded. 

Back at the boat, we had a welcome beer, chatted for a bit, and then repaired to El Marinero Borracho (the drunken sailor) for dinner.  The weather was perfect for al fresco dining and it felt good to be back in Mexico.

November 10, 2018

Saturday morning, I got up early and went for a run around the marina and along a road paralleling the beach before turning inland and finally following the road back to where I started.  I returned in time to join the others for breakfast across the street.  We spent a leisurely morning and early afternoon and readied the boat for our departure the following day. 

At 2:00, we hopped in the car and headed for Cabo San Lucas proper.  Our first stop was the Costco where we stocked up on beverages and a couple of food items.  The Costco in Cabo has a lovely view from the parking lot.

View from the Cabo Costco

Our next stop was the Baja Cantina in the marina where we were due to meet my friend, Carlos, at 4:30.  We enjoyed drinks and then, when Carlos had failed to appear by 5:00, ordered dinner.  Carlos finally arrived just as we were leaving to go to the Baja Ha-Ha awards ceremony.  Since I had not participated in the Ha-Ha, I visited with Carlos for an hour or so and then joined the others.  The ceremony was long, but we stayed until the end to be polite.  We were more than ready to head for home and bed by the time it had concluded.

Jules was sleeping in a hammock suspended between the mast and the forestay, so I had one of the aft cabins to myself.

November 11-12, 2018

A norther was brewing in the Sea of Cortez.  We decided to head straight for La Paz, hoping to arrive before the blow.  We would have liked to leave early but had to wait until the rental car representative arrived to retrieve the Suburban.  We finally pulled away from the dock at 9:45, but then had to make a U-turn when we realized we had forgotten to return the gate keys.  We did a touch-and-go, handed the gate keys to the security guard, and ultimately left at exactly 10:00.

The East Cape

We had no useful wind, so we motored out of the bay and headed for the east cape.  The weather was delightful despite the lack of wind for sailing.  Everyone was enthusiastic and stayed in the cockpit nearly until the end of the first watch which Greg and I took from noon to 17:00.  Harvey made spicy chili out of a variety of canned goods and we had a warm and filling lunch about 15:00.

Sun Rays Approaching the Ceralvo Channel

Mike and Jules were on from 17:00 to 21:00 and I went below to try to sleep.  I had been nodding for the last 30 minutes of my watch and managed to nap for about an hour before waking and spending the next six hours staring at the ceiling of my cabin.  About 20:30 I got up and made myself a snack, hoping a full stomach would help me sleep, all to no avail.  We entered the Ceralvo Channel about the time I got up, but it was too dark to see anything.

Harvey and Bob had taken over at 21:00 and Greg and I relieved them at 24:00.  It was a very dark, moonless night.  There were several other boats ahead and behind us and we could see their lights and hear them on the radio.  All of us were pushing hard to get to La Cruz before the wind started blowing.  We were ahead of schedule and entered the San Lorenzo Channel about the time we took over.  We would have liked to slow down so as to arrive in La Paz in daylight but didn’t want the wind to catch us in the San Lorenzo Channel.  We slowed a bit but were still making over six knots.  We tried sailing for half an hour or so but, of course, the wind dropped until we were moving too slowly.  Finally, we motored on through the channel until we arrived in Bahia La Paz.

Bahia La Paz

Mike and Jules took over at that point and sailed the boat back and forth across the bay from 3:00 to 7:00.  The Ha-Ha had been windless and that night was the most sailing they had done for the entire trip.  The wind began to pick up when the sun rose, and they had a boisterous time.  I managed to sleep for a few hours until the seas got lumpy and woke me.

Greg’s reservation at Marina La Paz was not until the 15^th because he had planned to visit the islands before arriving in La Paz.  He didn’t have a slip assignment, so we sailed back and forth, listening to the net, until the office was open, and he could procure a slip.  Then we headed down the La Paz Channel to Marina La Paz.

After securing the boat, we headed up the dock, threaded our way through the coffee klatch at Club Cruceros, and wandered up the street to Coco’s for breakfast.  I had foolishly eaten a banana and a bowl of cereal early, so I settled for a strawberry licuado while everyone else had a nice breakfast.  Then we returned to the boat for much needed naps.

It was a lazy day of recovery.  Some of the crew explored the town while I stayed behind and practiced the guitar.  After a happy hour shared with our boat neighbors who were glad to see Greg returning, we all hiked up the hill and polished off two kilos of arrachera tacos at Rancho Viejo.  Some of our number still had room for ice cream and I went along for the walk up the Malecon to the ice cream store with the polka dot trees.  Bob and I stayed outside to avoid temptation.  By the time we returned to the boat, it was nearly 22:00 and time for a good night’s sleep.

WHY “DUMPY OLD BROAD”?

I get a lot of flak for the name of this blog.  In 2012, when I started it, I weighed nearly 225 pounds.  By 2014, I was down to 140 pounds and many people told me that I should change the name of the blog because I am no longer dumpy.  They are missing the point.  The purpose of my blog is not to be slick and glamorous.  The purpose of my blog it to inspire every-day women, no matter their age or physical characteristics, to get out and have adventures. 

Ultimately, my love of hiking and sailing led me to lose weight so that I could continue to do those things.  My weight loss has been quite a journey in itself.  Those readers who face losing a substantial amount of weight will understand how impossible it feels.  Nearly every aspect of our lives affects what we eat.  The idea of staying on a diet long enough to lose (in my case) eighty-five pounds seemed impossible.  The truth was, I made a series of lifestyle changes that, gradually, added up to a whole lot of weight loss and I didn’t have to do them all at once.  It went something like this:

1     I retired.  This was good for about twenty pounds.  My stress level went down.  I no longer stopped for a pastry and a latte on the way to work.  I no longer hit the vending machine for chocolate at 4:00.  I didn’t need to “diet” at all to lose those pounds.

2     I started doing CrossFit.  The regular exercise helped burn calories and I made new friends who were good influences and supportive of my journey.  I built lean muscle and increased my metabolism.  That was good for another 20 pounds without “dieting.”  Then I got stuck and realized that I was actually going to have to change my eating habits if I wanted to lose more weight.

3      I started eating a Paleo diet.  I ate meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.  I didn’t count calories or go hungry.  I just didn’t eat grains, sugar, or dairy.  I lost the rest of the weight and I kept it off until a series of events caused me to abandon my healthy ways and start living on fast food consumed in the car.

4      I gained back forty pounds.  I was still doing CrossFit and hiking a lot, so I never got as heavy as I had been but, once I eliminated all the stressors from my life, I decided I needed to get that weight off.  It was harming my health and preventing me from reaching my fitness goals.

5     By that point, I had been on the Paleo diet for about five years and was fairly sick of it.  I decided to try a different approach.  I stopped drinking alcohol and immediately lost about fifteen pounds.

6    Then I needed to go on an actual diet.  I chose to use an app called Noom.  The app gives you a calorie budget for each day depending on your level of activity.  It provides a handy database that includes the calories for almost anything you could eat which facilitates logging your meals.  If, like me, you like games, it turns staying within your calorie budget into a game.  The weight started dropping off.

7    I had always resisted counting calories and weighing and measuring my food, but I was very motivated to lose weight, so I bought a kitchen scale and a new set of measuring cups and started measuring my portions.  It was very educational.  It was shocking to learn that the portion of meat I was eating, thinking I was being good, could actually contain 600 calories.

8     I am almost back to my goal weight of 140 pounds.  Having lived for several months on 1200-1500 calories a day, the prospect of being able to eat 1600-2000 calories to maintain my weight seems extremely generous.  I will continue logging my food because it helps me to be mindful of what I am eating.  I can eat whatever I want, but there are trade offs.  I need to stay within my calorie budget, so eating calorically dense foods at one meal can leave me feeling hungry later.  This has helped me shun French fries and pizza.  I still eat mostly Paleo foods, but relatively harmless foods like a slice of toast or a piece of cheese now seem like treats to me.

9    Traveling and eating with friends is fraught with opportunities to overeat.  I fight this by bringing my own food.  I try to bring things that everyone likes and then bring enough for everyone.  No one turns down a free steak or a salad that they don’t need to prepare.  Pre-

made salad bowls from the grocery store make great lunches on road trips (or at home.)  I bring a cooler full of food wherever I go and feed healthy food to my friends, rather than letting them push fattening food at me.  That and surrounding myself with new friends who care about diet and fitness has overcome most of my temptations.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, pick a healthy lifestyle change.  Get used to it and see how far it takes you.  When you stop losing weight, make another change.  Don’t try to do it all at once.  You’ll feel deprived and give up.  Just keep moving forward.  Don’t get discouraged by the inevitable setbacks.  No one is condemned to being “dumpy” forever.