LEAVING LA PAZ

May 1, 2019

May first was the day we had planned to leave La Paz, but the wind was blowing over twenty knots on the nose going around Cabo Falso and not showing any sign of abating.  After much deliberation, we decided to postpone our departure until Sunday, the fifth.  Not wanting to hang around La Paz, Bob went back to Minneapolis.  He would join us in San Jose del Cabo on the seventh to begin the bash section of the journey.

Bob was leaving, so I skipped exercising to spend the morning with him until he left to catch the 9:00 bus to the Cabo airport.  I worked on my blog and Greg started cleaning out the bosun’s locker, a storage area in the bow of the boat where spare parts and junk tended to accumulate.  Eventually, it grew too hot for Greg to continue working up there and he came inside to nap while I practiced the guitar and worked on my blog.  I needed to put together a set for the open mic at La Morante later that evening.

I had been pre-cooking some meals for our upcoming trip but had a package of chicken that wasn’t enough to feed three.  I made chicken in green mole over rice for dinner and then Greg and I caught an Uber to La Morante where we had reserved a table for 19:00.  La Morante was a small venue and tended to fill up quickly.  Our driver had to circumvent the Malecon because it was blocked off due to the finish of the fourth leg of the Mexican 1000 Rally which had been set up there.

Russ Ham on Stage at La Morante

I was the fifth act on the line-up, so we had a beer and listened to the other performers.  The organizer, Russ Ham, started off the evening, followed by a Norwegian accordion player whose wife sang a funny song about a lumberjack.  Lynne, the woman who played bass for me at Bob Marlin’s the previous week performed a set and then a fellow named Dave Higgs and several other musicians played some great blues.  Dave had a great voice and clearly knew the material well.

On Stage with Lynn & Dave at La Morante

Our friends, Paul and Carol from Unleashed, arrived just as I was setting up to play.  The bar had filled up by that point and they had to sit at a neighboring table as we had given our extra seat to a Mexican singer named Alberto.  I started off with Joni Mitchell’s Urge for Going and then played a couple of original songs that were very well received.  The Mexicans in the audience were quite enthusiastic about my song, Da Me Un Beso, and clapped loudly.  Lynn and Dave accompanied me on bass and drums and the sound system was far superior to the one at Bob Marlin’s.  We sounded much better when I didn’t have a cold and there were no painful squawks of feedback.

We stayed for another hour after my set to listen to Alberto, who had a fantastic tenor voice, and a few variations of the blues band who played Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, the seemingly standard fare for gringo bands in Mexico.  The Mexican lead guitarist was quite good and not a bad singer, either.  Another fellow played dobro, which was interesting to watch.  I had heard a dobro referred to as a, “weird, slide, dobro guitar,” and that about described it.

It was 22:15 by the time we left and Uber was so busy that they charged us a 40% premium to get home.  Still, the ride cost us under sixty pesos.  We had arrived for a mere thirty-eight pesos.  The car was so small that my guitar had to ride In the front seat, but the driver was a very polite young man and took care to see that it was handled with caution.

May 2, 2019

Rally Participants

I got up early to run on Thursday.  I had no sooner reached the Malecon than I ran into John and Elinore from Nakamal.  They had come out to watch the participants in the Mexican 1000 Rally leave La Paz for the final leg from La Paz to San Jose del Cabo.  The actual start was outside of town, but they had set up the big, inflatable starting arch just outside Marina Palmira and were starting the participants one by one so that they didn’t create a traffic hazard through town.  I ran down past Marina Palmira and stopped to take pictures of the start.  Then I walked back along the Malecon to Marina La Paz.

Mexican 1000 Starting Line

In an attempt to encourage Greg to finish his bosun’s locker project before it got hot, I suggested that we eat breakfast in the boat.  We did so, but drinking coffee, talking to neighbors, and checking the weather managed to eat up the entire morning.  Around noon, we got hungry and walked up to Koko’s for hamburgers.  By the time we got back, it was almost time for our friend, Brad from White Wind, to arrive for a visit.  We chatted for a couple of hours and then Greg took a nap while I practiced the guitar.

Gina's Burritos

Greg had organized a poker game for that evening.  I stayed in and caught up on my blog.  Our neighbor, Bill, quickly won everyone’s money so we were ready to head up to Gina’s for a burrito by 20:30.  I had eaten a bunch of chips while I was waiting for Greg and Bill to return, so wasn’t very hungry. I decided to try one of Gina’s hot dogs.  A bacon wrapped dog laden with grilled onions and condiments cost a whopping nineteen pesos and was plenty to sate my appetite.  The men devoured burritos and Bill had a hot dog for dessert.  La Fuente was closed by the time we finished eating which saved us from further caloric excess.

Greg and I went back to the boat and stayed up late watching the last couple of episodes of Narcos: Mexico.  I looked forward to the next season where we would learn how the original single cartel evolved into the nightmare of warring organizations causing the violence of today.

May 3, 2019

I was hungry from my morning walk on Friday.  We grabbed our neighbor, Bill, and headed up to Olimpia for breakfast.  I finally succumbed to temptation and ordered the hot cakes.  I received three large ones.  Despite coming with nothing but juice and coffee (which I had to skip), it was all I could do to eat them.  I managed somehow.  Bill was impressed.

After breakfast, we wandered a couple of blocks further to check out Gaby’s, a used clothing store that had quite a large selection.  I bought a long sleeved shirt for the bash and Greg and Bill both bought shorts.  Each piece cost us 72 pesos or about four dollars.

Greg finally finished cleaning out the bosun’s locker and I hung around, working on my blog and helping here and there.  The load of rejects didn’t even make it to the trash can before the locals fell on them.  It was good to know that nothing went to waste.

We checked the weather and it looked like we would be remaining in La Paz for at least one additional day.  I spent the afternoon practicing the guitar and cooking chile verde to freeze for consumption during our eventual voyage.

Brad, Bill & Steve on Scout

At 17:30, friends began arriving for happy hour.  We were joined by Paul and Carol from Unleashed, Brad from White Wind, Steve from Wind Rose, and Bill from Ansedonia.  It was Carol’s birthday and a perfect excuse to party.  We had gin and tonics on the boat and then walked up to the Mezquite Grill for another amazing fillet Mignon dinner.  Everyone enjoyed the food and conversation.

The Mezquite Grill

After dinner, we proceeded to the Malecon and wedged ourselves into the very crowded La Fuente for ice cream.  We took our ice cream across the street to sit on the wall and watch the crowds out enjoying the Malecon.  Unbeknownst to us, a Founder’s Day celebration was going on.  If we had walked any further down the Malecon, we would have discovered carnival booths and music.  We did, however, notice the fireworks display and lingered to watch that.

Bill, Brad, Paul, Carol, and Greg at La Fuente

Fireworks on the Malecon

One by one, our friends peeled off to return to their respective marinas.  It was sad to say goodbye, not knowing if we would see them again before at least the next season.  Cruising is all about the people one meets but the downside is the frequent goodbyes.

It was 22:00 by the time we returned to the boat, so we only had time for one episode of Grand Tour before calling it a night.

May 4, 2019

Trying to pack in as much exercise as I could before we left, I got up to walk on Saturday morning.  As I paced along the Malecon, I discovered a full-scale festival set up just past where we had turned around the night before.  There were vendors stretching for blocks and a huge stage with fancy lighting and three jumbotrons set up on the street.

Marina Palmira

I continued along the Malecon to Marina Palmira and then walked back through the marina just to see what was going on there.  There was a nice sidewalk restaurant set up that I didn’t recall from before.  The fuel dock was closed for renovation, leaving only Costa Baja available to refuel boats.  Many people were filling jerry cans at the Pemex station.

Greg and I went back to Olimpia for breakfast.  I ordered sincronizadas which were made with crummy luncheon meat ham and disgusting processed cheese.  I was not impressed.  They were the only bad meal I had ever received at Olimpia.  I should have known better.

It was 11:00 by the time we returned and was gearing up to be a scorcher.  We did a couple of small boat chores and then settled in to hide in the air conditioning all day.  I spent most of the day reading and doing a little writing.

We took our drinks over to Ansedonia for happy hour when we could sit indoors in Bill’s air conditioning.  Steve and Chris from Wind Rose joined us.  We sat and discussed our respective bash plans and conspired to meet up at Catalina in September.  It was nearly 20:00 by the time the party broke up and a cool wind had blown up.  I needed to put on more clothes before we went out to find dinner.

Dos Mares 500 Contestant

Bill, Greg, and I walked up to the Malecon to check out the Founder’s Day festivities.  The Marina La Paz end of the Malecon was set up as the finish line for the Dos Mares 500, an off-road race.  Vehicles (it was hard to call them cars) were roaring in and then sat on display.  Further along, there were food and craft vendors and folkloric dancing on the main stage.  The dancers were much better than average and the production was impressive.  The city had set up hundreds of chairs and we sat and watched for a while before continuing further to find food.

Founder's Day Festivities

Bill ate a couple of tamales but I was holding out for the kebab cart I had seen that morning.  We found it eventually.  All the Mexicans eating there assured us that the food was good and we were not disappointed.  We all had doner kebabs.  They were served with a wonderful garlicky tsatsiki.  It was satisfying to eat something different for a change.  We topped off our dinner by sharing on order of churros on the walk back to the marina.

Kebab Cart in La Paz

May 5, 2019

Sunrise on the Beach in La Paz

I got up on Sunday morning to walk one last time before we left La Paz.  Some of the cars from the Dos Mares 500 were still on display and the Malecon was crowded with runners participating in the Costero Half Marathon, one of the last events for Founder’s Day.  The runners took off at 7:00 just as I passed by.  The road was closed to vehicular traffic and the runners stayed in the street, leaving the Malecon free for those of us not participating in the race.  They paralleled the Malecon for a short distance and then headed inland towards the cathedral.  I saw them, again, later when I got closer to Marina Palmira.

Start of the Medio Maraton Costero

Latte at Marina Cortez

I was tired of the same old breakfast places and talked Greg into going to the sidewalk café adjacent to Marina Cortez.  I had a beautiful latte and a lovely breakfast.  We enjoyed the view and watched a black crowned night heron fishing in broad daylight.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Sunset from Ansedonia's Foredeck

Later that day, we had cocktails on Ansedonia and Bill and I went out on the foredeck of his large motor yacht to admire the sunset while Greg showered before dinner.  The view from that height was impressive.  When we were all ready, we walked around the corner to the restaurant on the beach where the Malecon joins Abasolo.  We had all been passing it for years but never eaten there.  We figured it was a good place to go for our last night in La Paz.  Greg and I ordered coconut shrimp and Bill ordered octopus in garlic sauce.  All the food was nicely prepared and the ambiance and service were excellent.  I had never received such a large portion of coconut shrimp.  Bill had to help me eat them.  We were so full, afterward, that we didn’t even consider ice cream.  We returned to the boats and retired early.  We were planning to leave early the following morning.

Greg and Bill at the Palapa Restaurant by Marina de La Paz

May 6, 2019

The Queen's Wharf

We left La Paz as soon as the net was over and Greg had checked out of the marina.  Bill had helped us cast off our lines and we were out of the marina by 9:00.  We motored down the channel, past the municipal pier and the queen’s wharf, built in 1958 for Queen Victoria’s visit in the royal yacht, Brittania.  The central pearl in the British crown came from La Paz and the queen wanted to visit the place that had yielded such a spectacular specimen.

Shortly after we exited the channel, we encountered Dragon’s Toy and exchanged goodbyes and well wishes for our respective voyages.  They were heading back to La Paz to leave Dragon’s Toy in the Fonatur Marina.  We motored along the coast, past the nearby anchorages, and entered the Ceralvo Channel.  We rolled out the main to speed our passage as we entered the channel.

Leaving La Paz

At the lower end of the channel, we rounded Punta Gorda and entered the anchorage at Muertos.  We had hoped to anchor there for the night but feared that the southerly wind would make the anchorage untenable.  We talked to Brad on White Wind who had left ahead of us and he assured us it was okay in there.  However, when we pulled alongside his boat about 18:00, we decided it would be too rough to sleep comfortably and elected to continue overnight.  By 20:00, Brad and Bill pulled up their anchor and followed us.

White Wind at Muertos

Greg made us tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner and then went below for a nap.  I took the watch from 20:00 to midnight.  It was chilly and damp, but otherwise a gorgeous night with just a sliver of a moon that set early, leaving a clear and starry sky. 

The wind continued to blow from the south, turning what we expected to be a benign interlude before our trip north into a rehearsal for the bash to come.  It was too rough (and stuffy) for me to sleep in the forward cabin, so I crashed on the bench in the main salon to sleep until 3:45.

May 7, 2019

I came back on watch at 4:00.  It was slightly less windy and warmer and dryer than before.  I headed for Puerto Los Cabos and let Greg sleep until about three miles before the entrance.  I kept slowing the engine, trying not to arrive before daybreak, but the current continued to push us along at over six knots.  Once Greg got up, we motored in circles outside the harbor, attaching fenders and dock lines and waiting for light to see the harbor entrance and the opening of the fuel dock.

Sunrise at San Jose del Cabo

Entering Puerto Los Cabos Marina

Scout at the Fuel Dock

Other boats had beat us to the fuel dock and we had been milling around for a good two hours by the time we tied up at the dock.  We filled our fuel tanks in preparation for the bash and then moved around the corner to our slip on C-Dock as soon as we were able to obtain a slip assignment.

New Gate Enclosure

The marina had made some improvements in our absence.  The WiFi had improved and the security gate had been augmented with wrought iron fencing which prevented one from merely walking around the gate.  The card-key operated gate was very tricky and we had been in the habit of just walking around the gate.  This time, we had to swipe the card, count to three and then pull on the gate with all our might.  Timing was crucial and one had to pull hard enough before the window of opportunity closed.  It took some getting used to.

Cafe El Puerto

We were tired from having sailed all night and napped until about noon when we got up, showered, and crossed the street to the Café El Puerto for breakfast.  Brad and Bill from White Wind had arrived while we slept and were parked in the slip next to us.  We met Bill at the café.  Six months earlier, that had been an economical place to eat.  This time, we found the menus devoid of prices and were unpleasantly surprised when the bill came.  Everything was at least 50% more expensive than before, although the food was still good.

George's at La Marina Inn

I attempted to read after breakfast, but eventually fell asleep in the cockpit while Greg was napping below.  When we awoke around 15:30, our third crew member, Bob, had returned.  We chatted for an hour or two and then it was time to eat again.

We walked across the peninsula to George’s, a courtyard restaurant at La Marina Inn.  I had some very interesting chile rellenos that were not battered but served with a bean-based sauce and mango salsa.  I was disappointed when I first saw them, but they turned out to be tasty.  Greg had enchiladas with mole and Bob ordered fish tacos.  The food was good and not too pricey, but the drinks cost nearly (and in Bob’s case, more) than our entrees.  Cabo pricing had spread to San Jose del Cabo.  We ate a leisurely meal and stopped at the Oxxo for ice cream bars on the way back.  Between sailing all night and Bob’s early flight departure, we were all ready to call it an early night.