San Carlos South, Mexico, 1998

San Carlos, Sunday, Jan.10th
We are now relaxing aboard Sail La Vie, having arrived yesterday aboard an
8 passenger, propeller driven airplane into Guymas aeroporto. The plane ride
was fun, but noisy, and to carry a conversation required allot of shouting
across the aisle, and even then I could only catch half of the conversation.
We had dinner at a local bar near the Marina, and of course it was fish
tacos. It felt good to be back in Mexico, the friendly people, the great
food, the uncomplicated lifestyle that exists down here. Very little has
changed except for the prices going up everywhere here (the Presidente’ is
in his last year of office, and prices always rise during this period).
We had breakfast on the malicone and ran into some of Bruce’s’ friends. It
would be very hard to categorize any of them, except possibly as Bruce puts
it “CWC’s” or colorful waterfront characters. They are the type of people
who make the Sea a very interesting, and humorous place to be. Stan, who
lives aboard SUNRISE, has been here for about 5 years, living year around,
including the Summer when temperatures were recorded at a high of 122.9
degrees this past year. Tim, who originally came south on his boat has
remained here since having engine trouble aboard his boat and is presently
living in a small apartment near the marina as an expatriate Norte
Americano. Robert, is the most normal, having no interesting escapes and at
a glance a person would never suspect him to be someone who would
single hand a ketch all the way from Newport, Oregon. He shrugs off any
thoughts that people might find this remarkable, which is typical of
single-handed sailors. The Navajo’s believe a journey taken in solitude, is a
journey taken back to yourself. A single handed sailor must stand watch all
night, catching cat naps during the day, when his boat is most visible to any
other craft who may be passing nearby. Making way, on an empty, dark,
ocean, alone is something very few people would be capable of doing, it takes
an inner-peace that very few of us possess. The marina is full of such people
all in different stages of preparation for passages to different parts of the
world. We had some “delays” getting started with preparing the boat for
departure, but we did get some work done. Basically we cleaned the
topsides, scrubbing down the decks, canvas, and anything else that an
Osprey, who had decided the masthead was a perfect place to eat it’s meals
and roost, had left everything covered with “gifts”. The high levels of
nitrate made the task very difficult, but the old girl is starting to shine. We
will probably need about a week to complete all our preparations before
departing for the Baja Peninsula, to Caleta de San Juanico. Our arrival in
Mazatlan is timed so we will be there during Super Bowl Sunday. If Denver
makes it to the Championship game, and I am at Carlito’s on the beach, I
must believe that life cannot possibly, ever get any better, especially with
the “all you can eat shrimp special”, and cheap Pacificos.
San Carlos, Jan. 11, Monday
We ran into problems getting the HAM on line, and it may be unavailable for
us when we depart for the Sea. More would have been completed if we
would have spent more time working and less time visiting with the other
cruisers. Conversations center on boat repairs, rising prices, where to find
deals or scarce marine parts and equipment, which usually must be imported,
gossip concerning who is doing what to who or having it done to them.
Despite of our delays, we were able to get many other things done and will
finish most of what remains to be done as planned.
San Carlos, Jan.13, Wednesday
The HAM is still not functioning, but we have made good progress with our
preparations and should be leaving by Fri. or Sat. Bruce and I have been
busy with provisioning today, and bought two grocery carts full of food for
the boat.
It must be hard for Bruce to be leaving this place, he has made a lot of
friends since bringing SAIL LA VIE here in ‘97. We entertained Tim and
Oscar last night with a dinner aboard consisting of (what else?) tacos.
San Carlos, Jan. 16, Saturday
We are presently anchored in the small bay outside San Carlos. All repairs
that could be made, and all systems that could be checked have been
completed. Our departure is planned for 3 AM tomorrow morning allowing us
enough time to reach Bahia de San Juanico on the Baja side of the of the
Sea, approximately 90 miles South, Southwest of our present position. The
HAM is still not functioning properly, we are unable to transmit, which we
hope to get resolved in Mazatlan. Our plans call for us to head south along
the coast of Baja on short day trips, stopping in sheltered anchorage’s each
night until we reach Isla Partida, just outside La Paz, where we will make our
crossing over to Mazatlan.


Caleta de San Juanico, Jan. 18
We made our crossing yesterday in about 15 hours, making 6-7.5 kts most of
the way. The wind was a South-easterly, giving us enough lift to the mainsail
and staysail to give us another knot of speed over the bottom. The sky was
overcast and cold with heavy fog in several stretches along our passage,
giving us about a mile of visibility. We made Caleta de San Juanico about
5:30 PST. That night we had BBQ’d steaks, baked potatoes, and salad, after
taking a hot shower and a few rum and cokes! Life is very good indeed.
Later after enjoying a movie on the VCR we stepped out on the deck and
were blown away by the night sky, I had forgotten how inadequate words are
trying to describe the beauty! We are all truly blessed who have had the
good fortune to enjoy the experience. Sleep came quickly with the gentle
roll of the sea found in this anchorage, it has been a long day.
Today we decided to stay for another day and just relax, the first
opportunity we have had to take a “day off” since getting here. The
“Cruiser’s Shrine” is located on the north shore, where we went to see if our
momento we made from our last cruise through here was still there. The
“shrine” is an old tree upon and under which boats passing through this
anchorage have all left a hand made momento with their boat name, the year
of their crossing, and the names of the crew on them. Some are very
creative, taking lots of effort, made from old rum bottles (what other
kind?), pieces of wood from boats, carved in pieces of sandstone, pieces of
ribbon and cloth, mobils and even made from cement, mixed on the beach. It
was great gliding over crystal clear, aqua-marine blue water in an inflatable,
in the warm sunshine under cloudless, clear skies. Later we were visited by
some local fisherman and traded a pack of Marlboro cigarettes (originally
brought down in ‘91) for 3 Pargo and 1 Yellowtail (about 2 kilos total). We
plan on cooking the Pargo whole on the grill, stuffed with fresh garlic for
dinner tonight, very tasty! I can say I have not had a bad meal since coming
to Mexico, the food is delicious, especially the fresh seafood, everyone
should have the opportunity, at least once in their life, to experience it. We
later joined some of the other cruisers for a walk on an isolated beach just
south of here. It was lots of fun riding the surf into the beach in the
inflatable, but even more fun leaving through the same surf. HURRAH! We
just got the news on the HAM net, Johnny and the B’s will be in the SUPER
BOWL! It is impossible not to believe in God during such moments. Carlitos
Bar & Grill, look out here we come.

Bahia Salinas, Isla Carmen, Weds. Jan. 20th
After an uneventful, short sail yesterday of only 36 miles, we stopped in a
large shallow (8-10 ft. under the keel) anchorage named Bahia Salinas,
located about 30 miles off the Baja coast at Isla Carmen. Because of it’s
shallow depths, we are in about 15’ of water a little more than a half mile off
shore, near an old abandoned sea water pumping station where sea salt was
once harvested from large sea water evaporation ponds. It is a very quiet
remote place with no other boats within miles of us. To the West of the
bay, the remains of an old wooden ship, lying on her side, half of the hull
exposed, depending on the tides, the only sounds being the surf and
occasionally a seal or bird passing by. I am out in the cockpit, under the
Bimini cover, a great place to write.
Last night was spectacular! It was another moon less, clear night, in one of
the calmest anchorage’s we have ever visited. The stars and the Milky Way
were reflected in the smooth, still mirror of the water’s surface, warm
without a trace of air movement. The overall effect was of floating,
suspended with stars above and below, almost as if we were on a star ship.
The sea was also alive with the fire of a bio-luminous bloom, with beautiful
bright explosive displays flashing at any slight provocation.
Even as I am writing this I was distracted by a visit from a small family of
dolphins swimming near by. We spotted many young ones which were being
closely protected by the adults. I was lucky enough for once to get it on
video.
We will be departing for Bahia de Agua Verde and I must sign off for now.
Punta San Evaristo, Baja, Thurs. Jan. 21
We are presently anchored in a small, but picturesque harbor, one of Baja’s
most visited destination points. We have a few neighbors from The
Moorings a yacht charter business operating out of nearby La Paz; and as a
consequence we are presently up to our gunwales in dentists on vacation in
French, plastic boats (Benateau’s). Again we had no luck fishing, it is
probably time to try a new lure. Three days of trolling and not even one hit.
The wildlife has been giving us quite a show during our cruise through these
waters. Today we were visited and followed, for a while by a large herd of
Spinner dolphins, consisting of easily over 500 animals. They were feeding
at the time, herding their prey, blocking it from escaping, with many jumping
clear of the water. Weather wise is has been clear and calm, what every
sailor loves. We have had to drive most of the time there hasn’t been a lot
of wind and usually we have a sail up to give us a little lift and a little more
speed, it also steadies the ride. I am presently sitting on the deck house,
the sun setting behind the Gigantes a mountain range that follows the
coastline. The sky takes on special colors down here with absolutely no
pollution and the sunsets are usually spectacular.
We spent last night about 40 miles North in Bahia de Agua Verde, a spot we
visited on our last trip North through here in 97. I have noticed more boats
now than on our last trip in the Sea and the anchorage’s except for one, so
far have had a handful of other boats spending the night with us. I am sure
the great days of sailing in isolation in the Sea are becoming more and more
difficult to find, a sign of progress I guess. I am thankful I have been given
the opportunity to do this while it is still possible.
Punta San Evaristo, Jan. 22, Friday
The sea is an ever changing environment and today could not be a better
example of how quickly those changes can take place. Last night when I
climbed into my bunk is was very calm, without a trace of air movement, very
quiet and comfortable. In the middle of the night the Northers hit, with
constant shifts in direction and hitting 30-35 miles an hour, it wasn’t very
quiet any longer and became impossible trying to sleep. We were in shallow
water, at the small anchorage’s south end where the worse conditions
existed. The boat reminded me of a Pitbull playing “tug of war” with it’s
constant pulling and straining at the anchor rode; back and forth, up and
down, all night long.
The waters outside the harbor have large rollers with white caps, not a very
good place to be right now. Our neighbors in the charter boats have all left,
leaving only the full time cruisers at anchor. I can only imagine what kind of
time they are having right now, probably many of them are very sea sick ,
leaning over the leeward rail. We discovered our anchor was stepping on us
and we were slowly getting closer and closer to the leeward shore behind us,
not a good thing. The skipper decided the more protected North end of the
anchorage, under tall cliffs would be a safer place to move the boat. It is
more comfortable, but we are still getting hit with some pretty strong
gusts, actually heeling us over at times. We will probably stay here until this
blow is over. I am using this time to catch up with this log, there are still
some major “growlers”, with white caps expressing it South outside the
harbor so we will stay one more night and leave in the morning, it is already
beginning to slack off and will probably be “Charlie-Charlie”, or clear and
calm, which means dry and comfortable and not cold and wet hanging over
the rail, with a bruised body.


Punta San Evaristo, Jan. 24, Sat.
The wind picked up again early last evening making for another noisy, rocky
night, with gusts reaching 45 mph. Every piece of rigging, every piece of
hardware, every shackle, every block, essentially, everything above waterline
was creating a loud concert of noises in the high winds and constant tugging
at the anchor rode. Bang! Crash! Roll, roll, roll!, Hummm! Thump!,
Slap,slap,slap,slap,slap! Scraaaaap! Twang The rocking from side to side,
didn’t help either. We are now going on 3 nights of very little sleep,
hopefully this will end soon and we can resume our passage.
We woke to a couple of shrimpers this morning that ducked out of the
weather as well. None of the fishermen living in the small village next to
this bay have gone out in their pongas fishing (open boats about 16 ft. long
driven by large outboards), which is a good indicator to stay put. They know
when it is safe for them to go out, and when it isn’t, their experience comes
from many generations of ancestors, who passed on this knowledge.
Originally their ancestors used small, single man, shallow dug out canoes and
hunted using a small harpoon. Nobody knows these waters better, their
livelihoods depend on it.
Marina El Cid, Tuesday, Jan. 26th
We arrived in Mazatlan about 10:00 A.M. today after making the crossing
from Bahia de los Muertos on the southern end of the Baja Pennisula. We
sailed all day Sunday, bypassing La Paz, arriving at the starting point for our
crossing just after sunset. The next morning we struck out for the mainland
(approx. 200 miles South East) timing our departure so our arrival would be
this morning at high tide. The crossing was rough in the beginning but
settled down as the wind dropped and shifted direction, allowing us to pass
the night on a very comfortable broad reach with a gentle following sea. We
are gaining our sea legs, which usually takes a few weeks and our “boat bites”
are healing. The bruises are clearing up and the aches and pains of adjusting
to the constant movement are less with each passing day. We haven’t
touched solid ground since Caleta de San Juanico and it felt strange stepping
off the boat after 10 days at sea. It is not unusual for sailors after having
made long passages to become “land sick”, just like many people get sea
sickness on boats. After taking care of the boat, a fresh water wash down
to remove the salt that covers everything above the waterline, and putting
away equipment, we treated ourselves to a long hot shower ashore. The
ground eventually stopped moving under us later that night.
It is great to be back, we have many friends among the cruisers and locals
here and it is good seeing them. Our plans are to go out for a good hot meal
with friends tonight, but I doubt we will stay out too late, neither of us have
had much sleep for the last 3 days and are running out of energy quickly.
We have plans to be here till the end of next week, the boat requires some
maintenance and repairs including the HAM radio. We will join up with Donn
Kirby here, who will crew aboard on the sail South to Ziuhuatinejo. We
anticipate his last week of his time aboard when he will start his usual “I
have to go back to work” whinning.