THE 2024 BAJA BASH

June 12-13, 2024

Dawn in the Cabo San Lucas Anchorage

The plan was to get up at 5:00 and leave ASAP. When I got up, I discovered that something Brad had dug out of the refrigerator the day before had given him food poisoning. He wasn’t as sick as I’d been but was still pretty wrecked. I was in similar shape. Somehow, we managed to get the hook up and depart. Progress One had left an hour or so before us.

I took the first watch from 6:00 to 10:00 so that Brad could sleep. We had up to 15 knots of wind rounding Cabo Falso, but the seas were gentle and we were able to proceed at 6 knots. It was the easiest cape rounding any of us had ever seen. We caught up to Progress One during Brad’s watch from 10:00 to 14:00. I was still not able to eat much and just wanted to sleep, so I stayed below.

Passing the Cabo Arch

We ploughed along all day, making better than 5 knots. Progress One was struggling to make 5 knots in the big seas. The wind dropped to almost nothing. I took the watch from 14:00 to 18:00 and then went below to make macaroni and cheese with hamburger mixed in. It wasn’t haute cuisine, but we were both able to stomach a small bowl for dinner. I tried to sleep after dinner, but we had started slamming and I was unable to sleep.

When I came back on watch at 22:00, Brad had hardly hit the bunk before he requested that we slow down a little to stop the slamming. It was more comfortable, after that. It was a cold, dark night. There was only a quarter moon and it set around midnight. Still the wind was light, and the swells were large, but well-spaced.

Brad took the watch from 2:00 to 6:00 and I slept like a baby. We were both starting to feel better, although it was a slow process. It was hard to tell if I was queasy from food poisoning or seasickness. Maybe it was seasickness brought on by the food poisoning. Whatever it was, it wasn’t bad. I just didn’t want to eat.

Glassy Seas on the Way to Mag Bay

The seas were glassy when I came on watch at 6:00 on Thursday morning. I counted my blessings and chatted with Chuck on Land for Sail who had left that morning. He commented that, “Good things come to those who wait.” I spotted land before 7:00.

By the time I got off watch at 10:00, I was ravenous. I ate two bowls of mac and cheese and went back to bed. We were almost to Bahia Santa Maria by the time I got up at 14:00. The land surrounding most of Bahia Santa Maria is so low that it is difficult to tell exactly where everything is until you get quite close. The most sheltered anchorage is behind the hills on the north side of the entrance. While it is tempting to tuck into the northeastern part of the bay when you look at the chart, the low sand spit, there, offers no protection from wind.

Sunset in Bahia Santa Maria

We dropped the hook in 26 feet of water in the lee of the hills at 15:45. Progress One pulled in just as we were contemplating dinner at 18:00. We had pork chops and leftover mac and cheese for dinner. I picked the mango and jicama out of the salad I had made before I got sick and fed the limp lettuce to the fishes. We both retired early.

June 14, 2024

We had no reason to get up early on Friday morning. I woke up at 5:30, as usual, but soon went back to sleep until 7:20. The sun was up by then and the cockpit looked more inviting than it had in the early morning gloom. We drank coffee and Brad made smoothies. He transferred fuel from the jerry cans into the tanks and checked the engine fluids. I did dishes and worked on my blog. It was a day of rest between legs.

Panorama of Bahia Santa Maria

Boats began arriving in the early afternoon. Soon, Triumph, Anna Maria, Motu, Land for Sail, and another boat had joined us in Bahia Santa Maria. The weather predicted for Sunday had deteriorated a bit, so we decided to leave around midnight to try to make it to Asuncion before the wind kicked up. It got quite windy as the afternoon progressed and it didn’t stop when the sun went down.

Land for Sail in Bahia Santa Maria

I made salmon, potatoes, and salad for dinner and then lay down to try to sleep. The wind was howling. I started to have doubts about leaving that night, but knew it was our only window to get across for at least a week.

June 15-16, 2024

The wind had finally begun to abate by the time we got up at 23:30. Progress One was already pulling up their anchor and Land for Sail had their lights on. We paraded out of Bahia Santa Maria and turned north. It sucked. Brad took the first watch and I tried to sleep. Usually, it’s the creaking of the bulkheads that keeps me awake on White Wind. I couldn’t even hear that noise over the waves slamming into the bow. The seas were so rough that we would launch off a wave and then slam back into the water, the whole boat shuddering. The forward cabin was uninhabitable. Even in the main salon, I had trouble staying in my bunk. It was impossible to sleep.

Land for Sail at Dawn

I took over the helm at 4:00. The sky quickly began to lighten. I passed Progress One early in my watch. Land for Sail was close off my starboard beam. The clouds turned purple at dawn, but it was too cloudy to see the sun. Dolphins came to greet us. They came leaping out of the sides of swells. Their antics were quite acrobatic. The wind had only increased overnight. Most of the night it had blown a steady fifteen knots on the nose. By 6:00, it had increased to twenty. It was cold, but dry.

Our Dolphin Escort

I huddled below from 8:00 to noon when my next watch began. The sun finally came out about 13:00. The wind had dropped back to about fifteen knots, but the swells never abated. We continued to slam. Brad had slowed us down to 4 knots to prevent us from launching off waves quite so often, but we seemed to slam just about every time I started to relax.

My watch ended at 16:00 and I went below to huddle under blankets and try to warm my hands and feet. It was cold even in the cabin. I baked cornbread to serve with canned chili for dinner. The oven warmed the cabin, and I could finally take off my hat and coat. It was still very rough. When I tried to check the cornbread for doneness, the pot leapt out of the oven. I caught it with the door, but the cornbread, which wasn’t done, slumped to one side. Fortunately, it still tasted delicious.

I was back on from 20:00 to midnight. A fog had risen, and it was very damp. By the end of my watch, water was dripping from the canvas. My gloves were quickly soaked. We had left Progress One and Land for Sail seven or eight miles behind us. We had lost Starlink and were flying blind, weatherwise. Our experience did not correspond with the last models we had seen. Blair reached out to land-based friends via InReach for weather updates. They didn’t help much. It should have been more pleasant than it was.

The seas finally began to abate after Brad took over at midnight. The wind continued to blow at fifteen knots. I drank a cup of hot tea to warm my core and then collapsed into my bunk and slept like a rock, swaddled in three layers of blankets, until my alarm went off at 3:45.

Fog off Abreojos

All day, we had debated whether to try to reach Asuncion or just settle for Abreojos. Wherever we landed, we were likely to be stuck there for a week. Brad was miserable and just wanted to put the hook down and have it be over. Blair and I were unexcited about spending a week at Abreojos. As the seas flattened out and fishing boats began materializing out of the thick fog, the matter came to a head. White Wind had to turn if we were going to Asuncion. We conferred via the radio. Brad, who had thawed out and slept some, agreed to go along with whatever we decided. We restarted Starlink and looked at the weather. The forecast showed calm conditions all morning, increasing gradually in the afternoon to 15, gusting to 20, by early evening. White Wind would probably be anchored by then, but Progress One was two hours behind. Still, the day’s peace was all we could see for the next week. That fact, combined with the fog, inclined us to stay offshore and head for Asuncion. I made the turn. We were committed, but it looked like we could avoid the worst of the wind by staying close to shore and could always bail out at Bahia Hipolito if things got too bad. My watch ended at 8:00 and I went below to drink hot liquid and write before crawling back under my blankets.

Arriving in Asuncion

It stayed foggy all morning, but wind and seas remained calm. We were able to roll out the headsail and made great time. I slept through my downtime and came back on deck at noon. It was still foggy. By this time. We were only a few miles offshore but couldn’t see anything but fog. Fishing pangas would suddenly materialize out of the murk. Going as fast as we were, it was disconcerting. Fortunately, we were able to see the shore just as we neared the anchorage in Asuncion. Usually, we anchor to the right of the pier but, as we entered the bay, I saw numerous fishing floats marking nets strung in that area. By 14:30, we had the hook down near Moon Nah Mah Na and Anna Maria.

We relaxed for the rest of the day.

June 17-18, 2024

By the time we got up on Monday morning, some of the other boats had already arranged for Fernandito (Lery Espinoza’s substitute) to bring them fuel. We decided it would be better to get our fuel in the morning when it was calm, so we arranged to do so on Tuesday morning.

We hung at anchor all day. It was windy and the boat was sailing around its anchor. I took the opportunity to make spaghetti sauce with the hot Italian sausage I had found at Walmart. My stomach was already a little iffy, but I still enjoyed my dinner. Not for long, however. Shortly after I went to bed early, I was up again to vomit. The rocking was quite pronounced in my forward cabin, and I was seasick. I vomited until the coffee I had drunk for breakfast came back up. It wasn’t until 2:30 that I was able to go to sleep. The lack of exercise was playing havoc with my digestion.

I slept until 8:20. Fernandito was supposed to fuel Progress One at 7:30 and get to us at 9:00. No sooner had I gotten up and dressed than Fernandito arrived at our boat. I threw some shoes in a dry bag and hopped in his boat, forgetting to bring my phone which was still tangled in my unmade bed.

Getting ashore was uneventful. Fernandito drove his launch up onto the sand and we hopped out between waves. Then he hitched his boat to his truck with a line and hauled it above the waterline. Brad and Darren from Land for Sail set off with Fernandito to the Pemex station. I was shaky and ravenous and set off in search of food.

After walking a little way towards where I thought there might be a restaurant, I realized that I wasn’t in any shape to be walking. I retraced my steps to the market near our landing and bought some electrolytes and cinnamon rolls. I sat in the sun and nibbled at my breakfast. A local dog joined me and snuggled up to me. His warmth was welcome.

The original plan had been for me to wait ashore until Blair and Doctor Mike arrived and then walk around Asuncion. I quickly realized that I needed to rest. When Fernandito and the guys returned, I decided to go back to the boat with them. Getting the boat back into the water with fifty gallons of fuel and four people turned out to be a challenge. Fernandito did a mighty job of keeping us from turning sideways and rolling over, but we still got swamped by a big wave. We were soaked to the skin. That was the last thing I needed in my condition. I spent the rest of the day huddled under blankets, trying to get warm.

The Lights of Asuncion

I didn’t want to eat anything that might plug up my system, again. It was dinnertime before I dared to eat some jicama and mango salad and a kiwifruit. A little later, I heated up some beans and those hit the spot for both of us. They were warm and filling.

We planned to make the jump to Turtle Bay later that night. I sat down to write a bit before trying to catch another forty winks.

The wind died down, nicely. Seas were flat. We pulled up the hook at 23:00 and headed out of the bay. Land for Sail was right behind us and Progress One soon followed suit. Eventually, Moon Nah Mah Na joined the parade. I wondered what the residents of Asuncion thought of the fleets of sailboats that mysteriously appeared and disappeared in the middle of the night.

June 19, 2024

Land for Sail in the Moonlight

There was a bright moon and we had good visibility. Land for Sail stayed nearby all night. Progress One quickly fell behind and was passed by Moon Nah Mah Na. I had the first watch until 3:00. While we started off making good time with calm seas and barely ten knots of wind on our nose, we soon ran into adverse current and slowed to three knots. Blair on Progress One was the voice of gloom and doom, certain that he would get stuck in the following afternoon’s blow before reaching Turtle Bay. Moon Nah Mah Na passed us just before the end of my shift.

Brad took the watch from 3:00 to 7:00. He increased the engine RPMs and headed closer to shore and managed to shake the current. Soon, we were making five knots, again. I was able to sleep during my off time. By the time I woke up, it was clear that we would make Turtle Bay long before the wind kicked up.

I took the watch, again, at 7:00. We passed Land for Sail as we made the turn to head into Turtle Bay. We stayed fairly close to shore, although I headed slightly away from shore to avoid the kelp that grew at that latitude. It wasn’t foggy or particularly windy, but it was still chilly. Brad came on deck as we passed the reef, and we took in the mainsail as we crossed the bay. We anchored under the cliffs to the left of town at 10:25. Progress One arrived about noon.

At Anchor in Bahia Tortugas (Turtle Bay)

We were immediately accosted by a panguero offering to supply us with fuel. We didn’t need any but did ask him to come back the next morning to take us into town. Once the boat was settled, I took a long nap.

By 16:00, I just couldn’t sleep any more. I got up and spent the afternoon reading and writing. It grew windy in the afternoon, but calmed once the sun went down.

June 20-21, 2024

Turtle Bay Pier

It was calm and sunny when we got up on Thursday morning. I drank my cocoa in the sun and warmed up for the first time in days. Ernesto, the panguero, came to get us at 9:30. He didn’t like where we were anchored, although he relaxed once we told him we had 200 feet of chain out. The issue was that, had we drug, there was a reef behind us.

We went ashore, visited the grocery store, and dropped off our laundry for Ernesto’s wife, Dolores, to do. They had a litter of very cute puppies for us to play with. Blair and Doctor Mike set off to explore the town, but Brad had become concerned about our anchor. We headed back out to the boat and moved closer to Progress One.

Party on Land for Sail

We lounged around the boat until 16:00 when we all went over to Land for Sail for happy hour. The crews of Juliet, Triumph, White Wind, and Progress One were all in attendance. We had quite a spread of appetizers and Joseph from Triumph brought his rum keg. I was still babying my stomach, so didn’t imbibe, but Doctor Mike brought me some antibiotics that he hoped would clear up my digestive woes. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours putting faces to the names on our What’s App group and voices on the radio. We exchanged gossip about mutual acquaintances, and I received a tip about a boat that might need crew to go to the South Pacific in 2025.

I was, however, glad to get back to our boat where I was able to make something to eat and drink that wouldn’t upset my stomach. I was ravenous after not having eaten much for three days. Thursday was supposed to have been the windiest day and the forecast for outside the bay looked horrendous. It was a little breezy inside the bay but had calmed down by 18:00 when Charles from Juliet ferried us back to our boat. We passed a calm night.

Turtle Bay in the Morning

Friday morning was much quieter in our new spot where the fishing pangas weren’t racing around us at the crack of dawn. It was more overcast than the day before, so I didn’t venture outside until the sun came out around 8:30. Once again, Ernesto picked Blair, Doctor Mike, and us around 9:30 and took us to shore.

Johana's Restaurant

We walked up to the top of the town and then stopped into Johana’s restaurant near the big cell towers. She made us a delicious and hearty breakfast. It was the first real meal I had eaten in days. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but I couldn’t resist the huevos rancheros, although I resisted part of the crispy, fried tortillas. She had two cute chihuahua mix dogs and some adorable kitties to play with. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and chatted with a gringo motorcyclist who happened by. Johanna commented that all her customers were Americans. We were glad to see that at least some business came by land, since sailors all tended to arrive in clusters.

Baseball Field in Turtle Bay

After brunch, we strolled past the baseball stadium (Baseball is HUGE in Turtle Bay.) and checked out the soccer stadium under construction. Then I guided everyone down to the beach to see the plaza which none of the others had seen before. After we checked out the plaza and the Bahia Tortugas sign, we walked back to the small park near our laundry and stopped to sit in the shade while Blair made friends with the local dogs. Brad and I wandered up to the church, which I had never seen, and then continued on to check out the fishing co-op’s boat yard and very steep launch ramp. The operation was quite impressive. We discovered a boat parts store and a fuel station over there.

The Bahia Tortugas Sign

Blair and His Friend

Brad in the Fishing Co-op's Yard

After our walk, we picked up our laundry and caught the family in the middle of their dinner. Ernesto and his teenage helper finished their meal and then met us at the pier to take us back to White Wind. Blair and Doctor Mike had wandered off and we had to round them up to catch the panga ride. We said goodbye to them at Progress One because we would not see them again once we left Bahia Tortugas. They were not stopping in Ensenada to check out as I was required to do as a legal resident. We never knew when we would see each other again.

Back at the boat, Brad put some raisin bread in the oven, cleaned out the engine strainer, and checked the fluids. I put away my laundry and sat down to write and swat the annoying but slow flies that tormented us. I soon dispatched them all. Then, it was naptime.

Sunset in Turtle Bay

June 22-24, 2024

Progress One Leaving Turtle Bay

The whole fleet left Turtle Bay on Saturday morning. Moon Nah Mah Na was first out of the bay. They went outside of Cedros, and we never saw them again, although we did hear them on the radio when we reached the top of Cedros. Progress One, ever the early risers, were next. Juliet followed. They sailed fast and we never saw them again, although we talked to them the whole way. They kept us apprised of what to expect. Land for Sail and White Wind left about the same time. Triumph brought up the rear. They also went outside of Cedros. That turned out to be the slower option.

We left at 6:00. As usual, I took the first watch. We followed the coast and then turned north inside of Isla Natividad. By 8:30, we were able to sail for a while. We passed Natividad sometime after 9:00. We saw a barge delivering kelp harvested at the island to Turtle Bay where it is used to make gelatine. We could see quite a village on the island but didn’t get close enough to discern details. I hadn’t taken the inside route since 2001 and must have been off watch when we passed that way as I had no recollection of having seen the island before. It was interesting. 

White Wind's Path North

Unfortunately, I slept through most of Brad’s watch from 10:00 to 14:00, so I didn’t see much of Cedros. By the time I got up, we were sailing well east of the island and couldn’t see details on shore. We had stayed within sight of Land for Sail and Progress One, although Progress One was falling behind. The seas were fairly large, but all coming from the same direction. Things wandered around the cabin and I found our mermaid figurine cozied up to the banquette in the dinette.

Brad Passing Cedros

I came back on watch at 14:00. It took another couple of hours to pass Cedros and start out across Vizcaino Bay. We had worried that it might be rough at the top of Cedros, but it wasn’t too bad. We had been tacking up the channel, “like an Americas Cup boat, “ according to Progress One. At the top of Cedros, we tacked west, following Juliet.

Brad took the helm at 18:00. It was just rough enough that neither of us felt like cooking or eating much. We grazed for dinner. Brad took in sail before it got dark and gave up on the sailing thing to make a beeline for Ensenada. We lost Progress One but remained close to Land for Sail.

There was a lovely full moon when I came back on at 22:00. It was a perfect evening and not too cold or damp. Perversely, it seemed to get warmer as we traveled north. Brad took over at 2:00 and the seas had calmed enough that I slept peacefully until 5:45.

Full Moon Over Vizcaino  Bay

The sun was just rising when I came back on at 6:00 on Sunday morning. While Saturday had been pleasant enough, we had seen more wind, all day, than the model had predicted. Sunday dawned just as calm as foreseen. The surface of the water looked almost oily. We motored north all day, keeping within sight of Land for Sail. Eventually, we lost radio contact with Progress One. A humpback whale surfaced between us and Land for Sail but he didn’t hang around.

It was nearly the longest day of the year and the sun didn’t set until 20:30. I made arrachera fajitas because we didn’t want to have to dispose of the arrachera at the border. Hamburger, we could toss, if necessary, but the arrachera was precious. Brad wouldn’t see any more until he returned to Mexico.

The sunset looked especially spectacular through the porthole in the main salon. The reality was disappointing when I popped my head outside to take a picture. I was off watch until 22:00 but there was a SpaceX launch scheduled for 20:45 and I didn’t want to miss it. I bundled up and went outside to watch it with Brad.

Sunset Through the Porthole

      It wasn’t fully dark when the rocket launched. We saw the streak of light as the rocket ascended from the horizon into the cloud cover. We could see a bright spot passing behind the clouds until it finally broke out of the band of clouds and gave us a spectacular show. The moisture in the air reflected the light from the rocket like a massive veil. We had definitely been in the right place at the right time to witness that launch.

I came back on watch at 22:00. It was colder and damper than the previous night, but still not unpleasant. Wind and seas were calm and we continued north along the rhumb line. The full moon rose just as my watch began and I had plenty of light to see. Land for Sail stayed just off our starboard bow most of the night. I went below at the end of my watch and slept soundly until 5:45. I had not napped the previous afternoon and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Morning Fog

It was very foggy when I got up on Monday morning. The fog lifted a bit by 7:00 and we were visited by a pod of dolphins. It warmed up quickly but visibility remained poor. By 8:15, I could see the rocks on the south side of the entrance to Bahia Todos Santos clearly, but still couldn’t see Isla Todos Santos.

Entering Bahia Todos Santos

Finally, the island loomed out of the murk and I made the turn into Bahia Todos Santos and headed for the Cruiseport Marina. Brad came on deck just before my watch would have ended at 10:00. He took the helm while I readied the dock lines and hung out fenders. We nosed into our slip just after 10:00, right on schedule.

Approaching Ensenada

First order of business was a shower. By the time I got my things together and came up the ramp, Brad had already checked in and was ready to go to the port captain. It would have been disrespectful to arrive at the port captain’s in my current state, so I insisted on a quick shower and a change of clothes before we left. We ended up having to wait for the crews of two other boats, anyway.

We were at the port captain’s by 11:30. It didn’t take long to clear through immigration, but we waited for nearly two hours before we could complete our arrival and departure paperwork with the port captain. Having only slept for about three and a half hours the night before and not having had breakfast, Brad had to poke me to keep me from dozing off and falling out of my chair. It was after 13:30 before we returned to the boat. The marina would take care of cancelling White Wind’s temporary import permit (TIP) after we departed. The TIP was due to expire and needed to be cancelled in case Brad were to want to sell the boat. He could apply for a new one if he returned to Mexico in the future.

Back at the boat, I made an omelette out of leftover sausage and cheese and then almost immediately passed out. Brad stayed awake and puttered around the boat all afternoon, transferring the fuel in the jerry cans into our tanks and cleaning the cockpit. I slept through it all and didn’t awaken until nearly 19:00. Even then, I wasn’t hungry. Brad made a quesadilla and I polished off the leftover mango and jicama salad. We shared the last packet of oreos. Brad retired early and I sat down to write until I could think about going back to sleep.

June 25-26, 2024

Waiting for a Cruise Ship to Manuever

We pulled out of the Cruiseport Marina at 7:00. It was cold and overcast. A huge cruise ship was turning around to back into the dock and we had to wait for him to manuever before we could pass. Brad took the first watch for a change. We put up the mainsail and motored across Bahia Todos Santos. I ate some leftover arrachera and a couple of eggs and tried to nap.

Brad called me up about 9:30 because a large pod of humpback whales were swimming parallel to us. They weren’t cavorting much but they blew constantly and we saw their backs and an occasional tail as one sounded. They kept pace with us until we put up a headsail and increased speed. The whales were making about 5 knots.

I took the helm from 11:00 to 15:00. Just before 14:00, we passed six tankers anchored off Rosarito. Marathon Oil (Arco) has built a fuel storage and transfer facility there which has increased the number of tankers visiting the port.

Brad took over at 15:00 and I went below to sleep. We approached the border about 17:00 and Brad began the process of clearing us into the United States using the CBP Roam application. It took some time and we had begun to think we might have to stop in San Diego before we finally received our clearance.

Sunset Passing San Diego

I took over at 19:00. The sun set at 20:00. There wasn’t a lot of wind, but the seas were rough and neither of us really felt like dinner. It wasn’t cold or damp, so I spent a fairly pleasant watch despite flailing all over the place. I watched the fireworks as we passed Seaworld. Brad tried to sleep.

I was just getting cold when Brad took over at 23:00. I made myself a hot chocolate and went straight to bed. It was hard to sleep. We were jerking around so much that I dreamt we were in a high speed chase while towing White Wind on a trailer. The moon finally came up during Brad’s watch.

It was colder and damper by the time I came back on watch at 3:00. We were off the coast of Orange County. The moon was hidden in the cloud cover but at least it was lighter. In the distance, I could see a cruise ship headed to Catalina. It started to get light about 4:30 but the sun didn’t climb above the marine layer until after 6:00.

The Sun Climbing Above the Clouds

Brad took over at 7:00. By that time, we were in the lee of Catalina and the seas had calmed down. I slept until 10:00 and then got up and made a grilled cheese and arrachera sandwich. We both stayed on deck as we passed Palos Verdes and sailed across Santa Monica Bay. We pulled into our slip in Marina Del Rey by 14:00. We were done with the bash!

The Breakwater at Marina Del Rey

WAITING TO BASH

Marina Puerto Los Cabos

Every year in May and June, boats gather in La Paz, San Jose del Cabo, and nearby anchorages, waiting for a weather window to begin the trip towards Ensenada and points north. Each crew has its own strategy, but they all seek at least two days with winds and seas benign enough to make it at as far as Bahia Magdalena. Weeks can pass without such a window. Captains get impatient and sometimes leave, anyway. Often, they turn back. Some struggle on, punishing crew and boat, alike. Rough seas continually halt the boat’s forward progress. A heavy boat with a strong engine can power through. Light boats get tossed about and catamarans get slammed underneath, as well as ahead. Even after the wind abates, the seas are rough for at least another day.

Insurance companies, fearing hurricanes, want captains to get their boats north of 27 degrees latitude before June 1^st, ignoring the fact that the weather prior to that date is usually impossible. White Wind and Progress One had both purchased extensions (excepting damage from named storms) through July 1^st. While the weather usually lets up sometime in June, more reliable weather doesn’t arrive until later. Hence, every year we stage somewhere and anxiously watch the weather forecasts.

White Wind arrived in San Jose del Cabo on May 28^th. Progress One had elected to wait in La Paz, hoping to join us when a weather window approached. Predict Wind showed us a 10-day forecast. There was no window for the foreseeable future. Brad paid the marina for the slip for a week, hoping things might change.

May 29 -31, 2024

Sculpture in the Plaza

Sunrise in San Jose del Cabo

I like walking in San Jose del Cabo. I got up early on the 29^th and walked into the center of town, a walk of about a mile and a half from our slip. It was very quiet. Nothing was open before 7:00 in the morning. I enjoyed the sunrise and the sculptures in the plaza. I made a loop and returned via the road parallelling the arroyo. I stumbled across the port captain’s office, which I had somehow never seen before.

Mission San Jose del Cabo

I came back and took a rather chilly shower and then Brad, Buddy and I walked over to Cafe El Puerto for breakfast. We hung out at the boat until it was time for Buddy to head to the airport.

It had been too early to drop our clothes at the laundry when we went to breakfast, so we walked back over there about 17:00 when it was slightly cooler. After having dragged our clothes a mile around the marina, we found the laundry inexplicably closed. I had walked over seven miles that day and my sprained foot was not happy.

Friday, we ate breakfast at the restaurant in the marina and then visited the marina office to inquire about renting a car. At nearly twice the price of a rental car in Loreto, we decided it would be more economical to take an Uber. The office staff assured us that the laundry was still functioning and should be open from 9 to 6. We called an Uber and dropped off our clothes before heading to the La Comer in San Jose del Cabo.

As Close As We Could Come to the Sunset

The La Comer was a nice store and we appreciated the wide selection. We could not, however, find any limes. They probably did have potatoes, but we ended up with three small jicamas, instead. We took another Uber back to the marina and hid in the boat. It was very hot. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of mosquitoes. The temperature was pleasant, outside, in the evenings but we were forced to install the mosquito netting and stay inside. I missed the lovely evenings in moonlit anchorages.

Our only mission on Saturday was to collect our clean clothes. Brad was suffering from the heat and didn’t relish the idea of walking back to the laundry. I was babying my foot, somewhat. We decided to put the dinghy in the water and row across to the fuel dock which was near the laundry. While Brad filled a couple of jerry cans, I scampered across the street and picked up the laundry. Then we rowed back to White Wind. I made arrachera fajitas for dinner.

June 1, 2024

San Jose del Cabo in the Distance

By Saturday morning, my foot was feeling well enough to take another walk. We needed limes and potatoes, so I set out in search of a farm to table restaurant/produce stand that I knew was nearby. On the way, I saw a sign for a nearby restaurant and decided to investigate. I never found the restaurant, but ended up taking a short cut across the hill topped by the giant cross and ended up back at the park adjacent to the marina. I didn’t realize that I had bypassed the turnoff to Flora Farms. Instead, I walked out the road towards the east cape until I hit the two-mile mark and turned back. I got a nice view of San Jose del Cabo in the distance and saw a lot of big, ugly houses under construction.

La Lupita Tacos

Sculptures Line the Marina

When I got back to the roundabout near the marina, I headed for the Oxxo to look for limes and potatoes. They didn’t have any but I did get a pastry and a vanilla cappuccino. A new strip mall had appeared behind the Oxxo. It contained an organic market (closed at that hour, of course), a pharmacy, a bakery, and what looked like a nice restaurant on the second floor. I had a nice stroll back to the boat, sipping my coffee.

By noon, Brad had finished his chores. He had purchased another week in the marina and decided to fly home until the weather improved. We decided to take an Uber into San Jose del Cabo to check out a restaurant recommended by a friend.

Just after noon, the Uber deposited us at La Lupita Tacos y Mezcal. It was more upscale than we had expected, but looked interesting. It was too early for drinking, but we were both hungry and the taco menu was intriguing. We each had one taco al pastor. Brad had a duck taco with mole and I had a barbequed lamb taco. All the food was amazing. We promised the waiter we’d be back, later, for drinks.

San Jose del Cabo

Frapuccinos!

Brad's Mirror

It was very hot, but we browsed through the toursit shops, looking for a small, ceramic framed mirror for Brad’s head. After visiting several shops, we found one but it had a blemish on the glass that they just couldn’t seem to remove. They offered Brad a discount, but he elected to keep looking. We wandered around in the heat for another hour or so and then stopped in a cafe for a frapuccino. After that, he decided to go back and buy the mirror. They had managed to remove the blemish in the meanwhile but still gave Brad the lower price. He bought the mirror and we went back to Lupita’s for our margaritas. Upon arrival, we were informed that we could not have drinks without also ordering food because it was election weekend and the sale of alcohol alone was prohibited. We weren’t at all hungry, so we walked back to the plaza and called another Uber to take us home. It was late by the time I made us quesadillas with leftover arrachera for dinner. Every night, we wanted to eat outside in the cool air but were plagued by mosquitoes. The natural mosquito repellent I had bought did little to discourage them.

June 2 – 5

White Wind in Marina Puerto Los Cabos

Sunday was kind of a lost day. It was too hot to do much. I spent most of the day working on my blog.
We rowed over to the fuel dock and then stopped to chat with some of the other boats that were waiting to bash. We formed a WhatsApp group to keep track of each other. We waited until well after dark before Brad barbequed a T-bone steak for us to eat with salad and leftover beans.

San Jose del Cabo Across the Wetland

Marina Pathways

Oasis in the Arroyo

On Monday, I got up early and took a two mile walk around the marina, beach, and palm grove. Nothing had changed much since 2020. Brad was busy making jalaeno cheese bread when I returned. I took a shower while I waited to get into the galley to make breakfast. Brad rowed over to the fuel dock for one last load of fuel and then we pulled the dinghy back up on deck. He took some cheese bread to the girls in the office and then left to fly back to Los Angeles. I spent a relaxing day practicing the guitar, avoiding the heat and ate the last of the chicken in green mole for dinner.

Brad's Jalapeno Cheese Bread

I meant to go for a walk on Tuesday morning, but didn’t feel very well when I woke up. My digestive system objected to the jalapeno cheese bread, apparently, as tasty as it was. I lounged around and then had a WhatsApp meeting with my homeowner’s association. The meeting was scheduled for 10:00, but we were all so confused by being in different time zones that we ended up having at 9:00.

The Cross on the Hill

I spent the afternoon reading and practicing the guitar and then walked over to the Oxxo to buy a bag of ice about 18:00 when it started to cool down. Our freezer kept things cold, but didn’t freeze water very well. I sat outside as long as I could tolerate the bugs and then went inside to make chicken thighs and tomatoes to serve over rice for dinner. Nerflix kept me entertained in the evenings. I recalled how I had first subscribed to Netflix streaming back in 2014 when I was stuck in Huatulco.

My guts were still not up to a walk by Wednesday morning and my sprained foot was still complaining about the short walk to Oxxo the night before. I was a mess. While it was boring to wait, I figured I could use the time to recover before we ventured around the corner. I spent another day reading, writing, and practicing the guitar, punctuated by texts and phone calls from other boats, trying to figure out what to do. We leaned towards leaving early on Saturday, but weren’t happy with the forecast for Sunday afternoon and evening. If we got slowed down by the seas, we’d get hammered.

Grey Goose left in the early morning, only to be turned back by 30 knot winds and sloppy seas. They left, again, later and reported 22-24 knots sustained winds and 5 foot seas. They turned back after their autopilot failed.  Tiddly, a 50’ power cat, also left. While they were slowed by the unpleasant conditions, they had enough power to plow ahead. I waited to hear how each boat would do as conditions were forecast to deteriorate on Thursday.

June 6-7,2024

The New Fence

Thursday morning, I tried to climb up to the cross on the hill as I have done several times in the past. I found a new chain link fence and gate blocking my way. Signs threatened video surveillance, so I elected not to circumvent the fence and climb up there, anyway. I hoped that the change hadn’t been the result of vandalism. I followed the other fork of the road until it dead-ended at a private house. Then I turned around and headed back to the main road. I followed the road around the section I had skipped when I was looking for Flora’s Farm a few days before. I found the turnoff, but decided against walking out there because it was already getting hot. I continued around to the roundabout near the Oxxo and returned via the marina walkway.

Coffee House

After breakfast and a shower, I humped my laundry ¾ of a mile around the marina to the laundry. I had to be ready in case we decided to leave on Saturday. After dropping off my laundry, I stopped into a coffee house nearby. The coffee house had a pleasant upstairs seating area, but my frapuccino was the most expensive and smallest one I have ever found in Mexico. I enjoyed the cold drink, but wouldn’t be returning any time soon.

After much conferring with Brad and Blair on Progress One, we decided to make an attempt on Saturday. Progress One left La Paz to sail overnight to Cabo. I amused myself in the usual fashion for the rest of the day.

A couple of boats left early on Friday. They reported winds of 25 to 35 knots. By 11:00, one had broken a dinghy davit and turned back. Another boat had a nervous moment when their anchor locker failed to drain and started leaking water into the boat. They located the source of the water and continued on. Conditions improved for them once they got out of the “blast zone” at Cabo Falso.

More Marina Sculptures

I walked back around the marina and picked up my laundry. I had hoped to rendezvous with Progress One at the fuel dock, but rough conditions slowed their progress and I missed them. Brad had arranged a flight for Saturday morning and hoped to be at the boat in time to leave around noon. I walked up to the marina office to try to find the port captain’s hours, but found the office closed. Lunch? Holiday? The posted hours showed they should have been open.

I took an Uber to the Walmart in San Jose del Cabo and bought provisions for our trip north. The forecast called for us to be in Mag Bay for a week, at least. I bought a lot of food and mineral water. We wouldn’t see another grocery store until we got to Turtle Bay and not much of one, there.

It was nearly 17:00 by the time I got back to the boat and stowed all the provisions. I was relieved to see that everything fit into the cupboards, freezer, and refrigerator. I was really enjoying the bag of ice I had bought, but it did take up a lot of space.

After I cooled off from my exertions, I swept out the cockpit. It had been windy and the cockpit was littered with palm blossoms.

June 8, 2024

We had planned to leave on Saturday. Brad came back from Los Angeles a couple of days early so that we could go. He arrived five minutes before the next weather report dropped. The wind came up just before he arrived. I started to get skeptical. The report wasn’t good. We conferred with Progress One and decided it was a no go. We thought we’d have a calm rounding of Cabo Falso and 40 or so hours before running into high winds near Mag Bay. The newest forecast (and our experience) showed more wind at the cape and earlier commencement of winds as we went north. Our window had shrunk to 24 hours.

Brad and I spent a relaxing day. I replaced some of the fishing weights securing our mosquito netting with a rod Brad had brought with him. Juliet made it to Mag Bay but reported the worst seas they had ever experienced for the last 20 miles before the entrance. He also regretted having left his dinghy on the davits. We came to the conclusion that the more experience you have with the bash, the more conservative you become about choosing your window. We were happy to wait.

Tresefes Upstairs

Lemon Mousse at Tresefes

Saturday night, Brad and I went to dinner at Tresefes, a new restaurant upstairs from the new market near the Oxxo. It was a very upscale place. We shared a plate of nachos and got one taco each. With nothing to drink but a bottle of Topo Chico, the bill still came to 770 pesos. However, portions were generous and everything was delicious. I got a beef rib taco which had so much meat in it that I couldn’t have eaten a second one. Brad’s fish taco had a large slab of fish in it. The nachos were more like little tostadas. We had to take a couple of them home with us. Our waitress recommended the lemon mousse for desert.  It was just about the most beautiful thing I had ever eaten, and tasty, too.  The mousse was encased in white chocolate in the shape of a lemon.  It was noisy on a Saturday night and I could have done without the three TVs, but it was overall a pleasant experience and the service was great.  It was a beautiful evening for strolling back to the boat.

Crescent Moon Over the Cross

June 9 – 10, 2024

Sunday and Monday were just more days of waiting. We got together with Chuck and Chad from Land for Sail and Grey Goose to discuss strategy. Progress One was still anchored at Cabo. Monday, my friend, Carlos, came over from Cabo and took us to lunch at Spicy Tuna, a new sushi bar in La Playa that had received good reviews. Brad and I split some excellent ceviche in plum sauce made from tuna, pulpo, and shrimp. Carlos ordered a sushi roll and some rice with shrimp. I had a little bit of his rice. The food was all tasty and we had a nice visit. It was good to catch up with Carlos. Unfortunately, he was too busy to come north with us, but he promised to visit me in La Cruz in July.

Brad grilled some fillets for dinner about 20:00. We had leftover risotto and I made a salad. We had eaten such a large, late lunch that I wasn’t hungry. I gave up after two or three bites of steak. We were both tired and wanted to retire early because we planned to leave for Cabo in the morning. I had no sooner gone to bed before I became violently ill from food poisoning. I couldn’t even keep saliva down. I vomited until 2:00 in the morning and had such awful cramps, chills, and sweats that I couldn’t sleep for more than 5 minutes at a time. I would have been sure I was going to die if I hadn’t had food poisoning before. Brad was fine. I would later learn that Carlos had also been ill. It must have been the shrimp in the rice.

June 11, 2024

Progress One at Cabo

I was pretty shaky in the morning, but managed to function well enough to help Brad get the boat out of the marina and stow the lines and fenders before going back to sleep. Seas were pretty calm and winds light as we made our way along the coast to Cabo, anchoring near Progress One by early afternoon.  Brad was on his own for food, that day. I still couldn’t stomach the idea of cooking or eating. He munched on leftovers and sandwiches.

It was noisy in the anchorage and there were a lot of boats. Progress One was anchored close enough for them to use our Starlink, but charter catamarans and power boats continually zoomed between us. We rocked some, but not enough to prevent me from dozing on and off all day. I was pretty wrecked. The lights of town were beautiful once the sun went down, but the music didn’t quit. I was glad we were only staying one night.

PUERTO ESCONDIDO TO SAN JOSE DEL CABO

May 11 – 17, 2024

We spent ten days in Puerto Escondido. Brad went home to Los Angeles for a week while I stayed to watch the boat. On Sunday morning, we rented a car. I took Brad to the airport and then continued on into Loreto. I went to the bank (ATM not working, of course) and then to the grocery store called El Pescador. El Pescador is not as large as the Ley store in Loreto, but carries all sorts of American products difficult to find in Mexico. I only needed enough food to last me a week, but ended up spending 3,000 pesos on delicacies such as orange cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, Jiffy cornbread mix, and diced tomatoes (I bought every can.) I didn’t buy any perishables on that trip and intended to go to Ley after lunch for meats and vegetables.

Loreto Museum

After shopping, I headed to the plaza to grab a frappucino and wait for my friends from Brainwaves who were meeting me for lunch after picking up Deb from the airport. It was Sunday and many restaurants were closed, but we finally found a place on the malecon that served good Mexican food. Celine and Patrick from Lucero had driven Jim to the airport to collect Deb and the five of us ate a very convivial lunch. We were having such a good time that by 15:00, I realized I needed to complete my shopping and return the car by 16:00. I scooted away, made a quick stop at El Pescador (Ley would have been slower), and hurried back to Puerto Escondido. By the time I unloaded all the groceries and turned in the key, it was 15:57.

Despite more than forty years of experience on boats, I had very little experience in driving dinghies. I was quite apprehensive. I have always had trouble controlling the speed and direction at the same time. Fortunately, no one was watching as I started the motor and pulled away from the dinghy dock. It almost looked like I knew what I was doing. I motored out to White Wind and even dared to give it a little gas in the open water between the marina and the moorings. I docked successfully at White Wind and unloaded my booty without incident. I was very proud of myself.

Anchored Dinghy

Blair's Kitties

Monday morning, Blair from Progress One Jim and Deb from Brainwaves, and I went for a hike into Juncalito to feed the cats that Blair had discovered abandoned there. We dinghied (Blair drove) to the southwest corner of Puerto Escondido and anchored the dinghies, there. Then we followed a path rumored to be used by the theives that steal things off of boats over the hill and down to the beach in Juncalito.

Three friendly young cats had been abandoned in the area where people camp on the beach. Someone had left a tin of food and some water along with a sign entreating people to feed them. Blair, being a sucker for animals, had been hiking over there every few days to feed the kitties. We played with the cats for a few minutes and then returned to our boats.

Blair’s crew, Dr. Mike, arrived late Monday afternoon. He rented a car at the airport and, after he arrived in Puerto Escondido, wanted to go back to Loreto for dinner. Blair called me on the radio and invited me. Since Blair was already on shore, I had to make the trip in our dinghy. I did fine getting to shore and we went into Loreto, stopped at the bank (ATM now working), and got dinner at La Isla, the restaurant we had tried to visit on Sunday and found closed.

There was a new moon and it was pitch dark when we returned to Puerto Escondido. None of us had thought to bring lights and I hadn’t brought a radio. The dinghy started right up and I followed Blair and Dr. Mike out of the marina and started across the open water. The feed from the gas tank on White Wind’s dinghy isn’t as long as it should be, so the tank needs to be tilted onto its side and tends to topple over. When that happens, the dinghy suddenly stops. About a third of the way back to the boat in the pitch dark, the motor suddenly quit. I began drifting towards shore, a creepy proposition when you can’t see enough to tell where you are or how deep the water is. I restarted it as fast as possible and headed away from shore. Just when I was pretty sure I was clear, the motor hit something. It jumped up and made a horrible noise and I was sure I was in trouble, but the shear pin had not broken and the prop continued to turn. Shaken, I completed my journey back to White Wind, arriving just as Blair and Dr. Mike were about to come looking for me.

Sunset in Puerto Escondido

Most of my time in Puerto Escondido was spent reading, writing, playing the guitar, and studying French. Something had gone wrong with the solar controller on the boat and the batteries weren’t charging as they should. This limited my ability to run the Starlink, but I still had a relaxing time.

Wednesday evening, Brainwaves had arranged dinner and a jam session at the Tripui Hotel. Patrick, Celine, Jim, Deb, two guitars, and I squeezed into Patrick and Celine’s little car for the trip over. Fortunately, it wasn’t far. We met up with Joe and Jamie from Sherpa who were staying at the hotel. They had acquired a fresh yellowtail and the hotel cooked it for us for dinner. After a leisurely dinner, we repaired to Joe and Jamie’s front porch, where Joe, Patrick and I played music until nearly 23:00. Some of the other guests joined us. It was a fabulous evening. Freed from the obligation to play classic rock for bar patrons, we indulged ourselves with original tunes and deep cuts from John Prine. This time, I had brought my headlamp and a radio so, of course, the dinghy behaved perfectly on my trip back to the boat.

May 18 – 20, 2024

Gulls in Juncalito

On Saturday morning, Dr. Mike and I set off to feed Blair’s cats in Juncalito. Blair had to remain on Progress One to wait for the bottom cleaners. We retraced the route I had taken earlier in the week but found the cats gone. We sincerely hoped that someone had adopted them or at least taken them to a rescue. They were very friendly cats and one of them had unusual silvery spotted markings. With no cats to feed, we continued along the beach into Juncalito until constructions on the beach made it difficult to continue and we took that as a sign to turn around.

Shortly after we returned, Brad and his friend, Buddy, arrived and I took the dinghy to shore to collect them. We unpacked all the boat parts that Brad had brought with him. It felt like Christmas. We spent the afternoon fixing things. We replaced the faulty switch for the propane, Brad installed a USB outlet in his cabin, and tried, unsuccessfully, to figure out what was wrong with the solar system. We were getting low on food, but I made patty melts with the last of the hamburger and rye bread.

Sunday, Brad and Buddy planned to replace a septic hose and install USB outlets in my cabin. Since this involved completely disassembling my cabin and making a smelly mess, I decided it was a good time to go ashore and do laundry. When I returned I spent a couple of hours visiting on Progress One until I saw activity in White Wind’s cockpit and deemed it safe to return. We had a leftover buffet for lunch and emptied the refrigerator. When it came time for dinner, the best I could do was bake cornbread and stretch our last can of chili (it is nearly impossible to buy chili in Mexico) by adding a can of black beans. Still, we were satisfied that we had completed all the programmed boat projects and were ready to go.

San Javier Mission

The last thing we had to do before leaving Puerto Escondido was shop for groceries. We picked up the rental car at 9:00 on Monday morning. Brad decided to stay on the boat, so Buddy, Blair, Dr. Mike, and I piled into the rental car and set off. Since we had the car for 24 hours, we decided to drive up the mountain to the Mision de San Francisco Javier Vigge Biaundo. The original adobe mission was built in 1699, but was washed away by a hurricane in 1704. The current mission, built of volcanic stone quarried from Isla Coronados, was constructed between 1744 and 1758 and is considered the architectual jewel of Baja. It featured vaulted stone ceilings and three gold leafed entablatures surrounding oil paintings badly in need of cleaning. The building was generally very well preserved. It was contructed by Jesuits and later administered by Franciscans and finally Dominicans. The museum was very informative, but all the text was in Spanish, so I spent quite a while translating.

Altar Entablature

Somehow, Buddy and I became separated from Blair and Dr. Mike. We sipped cold drinks in the restaurant until they reappeared. The little village of San Javier was very tidy and sturdy looking. The mission had been sited alongside a freshwater stream, which allowed them to grow olive trees and some vegetables. After driving for miles through a desolate, mountainous landscape, it was surprising to find a village that almost looked Italian.

Everybody was hungry, but Blair wanted to try to find Tacos El Rey, so we drove back down the mountain to Loreto. Blair had tried to eat at Tacos El Rey several times, but always found it closed. We later learned that they close at 14:00. We arrived at 13:00, so were in luck. Buddy and I ordered two tacos and Blair and Dr. Mike three. The waitress said, “Very big. Start with two.” None of us managed a third. Both the fish and carne asada tacos were delicious and the condiments bar well stocked. At 70 pesos per taco, they weren’t cheap, but they were generous and extremely tasty. The fish had just enough breading to be crunchy, but not enough to be doughy or greasy.

After lunch, we wandered around on foot until we located the ice cream store and somehow managed to eat ice cream. Then we shopped at both El Pescador and Ley before driving back to Puerto Escondido. 

Brad had spent the day working on the boat and had managed to reset the solar controller so that the batteries were charging properly.  We had meant to return to Loreto for dinner, but nobody felt like it. Buddy and Brad ate at the restaurant in the marina. I was still so full from lunch that I stayed on the boat and just had a hard-boiled egg and a slice of cheese.

May 21, 2024

Agua Verde

Finally, it was time to leave Puerto Escondido. We went to shore for one last hot shower and Brad filled
his jerry jugs with diesel. Then we headed out of the port and off towards Agua Verde. There wasn’t enough wind to sail. We threaded our way through the islets south of Puerto Escondido on my watch and then Brad took over and I took a nap.

By mid-afternoon, we were anchored in the northern lobe of the bay at Agua Verde. It was very warm. I took a swim around the boat and Buddy and Brad went snorkeling around the big rock near our spot. Progress One arrived a little later, but couldn’t find room near us and anchored off the beach. We spent a relaxing afternoon and then I made Indian chicken and veggies over rice for dinner and Buddy made a salad.

A swell started to roll into the anchorage about the time I went to bed. It was a somewhat uncomfortable night and I didn’t get much sleep.

May 22, 2024

The Rock in Agua Verde

We decided to spend a second night in Agua Verde. The Progress One boys and Buddy went to shore
for breakfast and took a walk around the town. Brad and I stayed behind. I did take a swim in the afternoon and did a few laps around the boat, although my sprained foot kept cramping. I couldn't even begin to put a fin on it, so I couldn't really go snorkeling. We watched the goats graze on the steep hillside next to the anchorage. They waited until the area was shaded before venturing to graze there.

Progress One was anchored off the beach, so we weren't as connected with them as we usually were. They went to dinner at a restaurant on the beach with some people from another boat and reported that they had good fish tacos. Brad barbecued pork chops and I made macaroni and cheese and salad for dinner.

May 23, 2024

Rocks at Puerto El Gato

We didn't have a tremendously long way to go, so White Wind stopped at Puerto El Gato so that Buddy
could see the rock formations there. He swam ashore and enjoyed climbing around on the rocks. He was very impressed by the textures created by erosion. Brad and I swam around the boat and then we all ate leftover chicken curry for lunch. In the afternoon, we continued on to San Evaristo to meet up with Progress One.

Moonlit Night in San Evaristo

We arrived a little late to go to dinner at Lupe and Maggi May's restaurant, so I made ground turkey tacos on the boat. The anchorage was emptier than usual, so we were able to anchor close to shore. We passed a pleasant night, there, and enjoyed the moonlight.

May 24, 2024

The Light at San Evaristo

Since we only had about nine miles to go to Isla San Francisco, we rowed ashore for breakfast. We got there before the restaurant was open, so we climbed the hill to check out the light and see what was going on behind the gaudy blue and white fence that someone had built behind the restaurant. The gate sported turrets flying flags, but the house inside wasn't particularly impressive. The fence was an eyesore. There were quite a few new homes that had cropped up since my last visit two years before. They were definitely better built than the older structures.

Dr. Mike at the Crazy Compound

We enjoyed a round of huevos rancheros at the restaurant. The dining area had been expanded into a new level below the old porch, so the whole operation seemed more spacious. They opened a few minutes early for us. We have always found them extremely accommodating.

After breakfast, we walked across town to where the store used to be, but found it deserted. We could see a sign for another store up on the hill, so we schlepped up there. It was very warm. A couple of friendly dogs escorted us and Blair bonded with a cute little, black dachshund mix. The charts of San Evaristo show a lagoon behind the town, but this was the first time I had ever seen water in it. We had to walk around it to get up the hill.

Blair's Buddy

New Grocery Store in San Evaristo

The new store was much larger than the old one, but still limited in selection. We were low on veggies, but they had no produce. We bought some salsa and a couple of packages of cookies before returning to the boat. Then we actually sailed to Isla San Francisco.

It was Friday and the anchorage at San Francisco was packed with power boats and charter catamarans. We found a spot and dropped the hook. Soon, Progress One arrived and anchored just outside of us. We cooled off with a swim, I didn't know what to make for dinner, but Dr. Mike solved the problem by bringing us some poke that he had made from a bonito that they caught on the way over. The night started out calm, but we were pitching by the early morning. I strong southerly was blowing down in the La Paz area and we experienced the swell from that even though we never felt the wind.

May 25, 2024

Sunrise at Isla San Francisco

Since we weren't all that comfortable, we hauled up the anchor and headed for El Cardonal on Isla
Partida. We had arranged to meet Wings there for a potluck dinner. We arrived by mid-afternoon. El Cardonal was a lovely anchorage, but we didn't get a chance to enjoy the scenery because we were swarmed by bees before we got the hook down. As soon as the anchor was set, I fled below and Buddy followed me shortly thereafter. The bees were landing on both of us but they left Brad alone. This was fortunate, as he was able to put the snubber on without being bothered.

Progress One had an even worse time with the bees. Blair had a zero tolerance policy and went straight to swatters and chemical warfare. They were stung four times. There were no casualties on either side in our boat. I didn't dare poke my head out until we saw Wings entering the anchorage at sundown.

I made chicken in green mole over rice with whatever vegetables I could find. I had to resort to canned peas. Fred and his new crew, Jennie, brought brocoli, cauliflower, and some tasty lentils. Dr. Mike and Blair brought grilled chicken salad. We had a delightful party aboard White Wind and kept Blair up well past his bedtime. He was kicking Dr. Mike to get him to stop chatting by the time they left. It was sad to break up the party, but we had to turn in early, as well, because we had a long trip to Muertos the following day and planned to get up early.

Buddy and I were both tortured by jejenes, that night, and awoke frequently to scratch. It was too hot to want to cower under the covers. I was bitten all over my hands, legs, and face. Buddy ended up sleeping in the cockpit so he could stand to sleep under a sheet. Brad was as immune to the jejenes as he had been to the bees.

May 26, 2024

Sunrise Over Espiritu Santo

We all got up at 5:00 and planned to leave at 6:00. When the first bee arrived at 5:25, we pulled up the anchor and departed. Progress One was staying behind, having elected to wait for a weather window in La Paz rather than San Jose del Cabo. We had kept Blair up so late the night before that he slept in until 7:30 (unheard of) and didn't even see us leave.

We had a long trip to Muertos, so decided to keep watches for the first time since Buddy had joined us. I took the first watch from 5:30 to 8:30. I piloted us along the island, past Caleta Partida, and inside of Isla Ballena. We peeked into La Raza, Gallina and Gallo, and then continued on to the tip of the island and into the San Lorenzo Channel. I turned the watch over to Brad just as we passed through the shallow spot in the San Lorenzo channel. Then I went below to eat breakfast and read until sleep overcame me.

I slept until about 13:00 and then got up when Buddy saw a sea lion sunning his flippers and wanted to know what it was doing. I made some lunch and then sat up in the cockpit with Buddy until it was time for my watch at 14:30. Brad had a good nap until we neared Muertos about 15:30.

Muertos from the Restaurant

Muertos was nearly empty with only one other, seemingly abandoned, boat in the anchorage. We were able to tuck into the corner near the restaurant. We dropped the hook in 22 feet of water but had drifted into 14 feet before we stopped.

We relaxed for a while and then decided to row into shore to eat an early dinner at the restaurant. The restaurant had been closed earlier in the season, but was up and running, again. Buddy rowed the dinghy through the swimmers near the launch ramp and we landed on the sandy beach and carried the dinghy up to the edge of the rocks.

The restaurant served generous portions of tasty food, but the drinks were weak and Buddy's pina colada had no rum in it, whatsoever. According to the waitress, the barmaid was new. I had a chile relleno stuffed with arrachera, Buddy had fish tacos, and Brad had ceviche and more guacamole than the three of us could finish. By the time we rowed back to the boat, we were all beat. None of us stayed awake past 20:00.

May 27, 2024

The Dunes at Frailes

We got an early start out of Muertos and headed for Frailes. I took the first watch. The navigation was
straightforward as we followed the Baja coastline. Buddy took his share of the watches. Seas were calm and I was able to write underway. We arrived at Frailes about 15:30. There was already a catamaran anchored in the best spot, but we put the hook down in virtually the same position I had been in on Progress One two years before.

We took a swim. The water was a little colder than it had been, but still pleasant. There was a strong current. I cooked tuna steaks with a strawberry lime balsamic sauce and au gratin potatoes and salad for dinner. Once again, we retired early. We all felt eager to reach San Jose del Cabo and have this leg of our journey behind us. Brad and I had seen all these anchorages too many times. We were ready for civilization and a slip.

May 28, 2024

Once again, I took the first watch out of Frailes. The seas were calm. That stretch is one spot where we can usually sail, but we barely had five knots of wind and that was on the nose. We made good time and had tied up in our slip before 13:00.

White Wind Puerto Los Cabos

Usually, we have been assigned a slip on the side of the marina near the fuel dock that once served as
transient slips. Since covid, most of those slips have been permanently occupied by sport fishers, leaving little room for sailboats passing through. Often, we have been unable to secure a slip and were only able to do a touch and go to buy fuel and drop off garbage. This time, we were assigned a slip along the sea wall on the far side of the marina near the main entrance. It was considerably closer to the center of San Jose del Cabo, but a mile’s walk to the restaurants we frequent in the La Playa area on the other side.

Brad, Rene, and Buddy at El Marinero Borracho

It was very warm. We lounged about during the afternoon and then walked over to La Playa for dinner at El Marinero Borracho (The Drunken Sailor.) El Marinero Borracho offers Asian style shrimp tacos and even falafel tacos. We ate the best and nearly cheapest meal we had tasted in a restaurant since we left La Cruz. It was a perfect farewell dinner for Buddy.

After dinner, we stopped for a few bottles of Topo Chico (the local bubbly water) and then walked back to the boat. It was hot and even the local dogs were feeling lazy. They barely raised their heads as we passed. We admired the sunset from La Playa. We didn’t have the lovely view that we would have had from there. All we could see was a forest of sport fishers.

Lazy Local Dogs