Crossing to Mazatlan

La Paz is nestled around a corner in a large estuary, so to cross over to Mazatlan or get back to Cabo folks generally go in a couple of hops, to El Muerto or Los Frailes and then on to the next destination.  We chose El Muerto, hoping for better wifi and a slightly shorter trip.
On the way out we were approached and then boarded by the Mexican Navy, who we discovered were checking out all boats in the vicinity (i.e. they did not single out Gringo sailboats).  The captain checked our paperwork and looked around but did nothing like a search, and was very professional.  When Patti wished them Feliz Navidad and I asked if I could take a picture we even got a smile out of them!
In recent years the Mexican Navy has evolved into a very professional force that combines the capabilities and responsibilities of the US Coast Guard and the US Navy (but with more emphasis on the former).  Anyway it was a minor thrill to encounter them and have a human interaction behind the automatic weapons.  All our friends who keep asking if we’ve encountered any pirates, take note: lots more smiling navy personnel than pirates anywhere (though a few cruisers do sport pirate flags ;-)
After that our passage back to Muertos was uneventful, except we used more fuel than expected due to adverse current and discovered that Jan had left his card keys in his pocket when he checked out – and this was after we had already returned to pick up Patti’s cellphone, which she left by the pool.  We met another boat and they agreed to bring our cards back on their way into town, after we described the showers and pool.
Ensenada de Los Muertos (Bay of the Dead) is being re-branded by developers as Bahia… Suenos (Dreams), which is a neat switch – there are some pretty high end structures there, including this amazing amalgam of all the architectural styles that the globe-trotting owners feel a kinship to.  After checking out this and other dwellings on the promontory we headed to the other end of the beach to the condo/resort, where we could all relax, get a good coffee at the deserted restaurant, and marvel at the dreams of the developers.  This may be a very different place in a decade or two, cruisers will avoid it like the Cabo plague.
But in the meantime there was a band to check out – very tight actually, they made for a wonderful evening that we shared with other cruisers and a lot of kite surfers staying nearby in RVs.  Then at 1 AM we had another batch of excitement, but less pleasurable – a large motorboat dragged their anchor in the 15-knot winds and fouled one of the sailboats, managing to both wrap their anchor chain around the keel and scrape the side of the hull.  There were some tense words exchanged but both captains did their best to remain civil and sort things out, and they eventually did.  Both boats were hauled back in La Paz, and the sailboat Odessa fortunately had only minor damage; the motor boat’s anchor had been bent into a strange shape and had to be replaced.  This is a picture of the motor vessel “the morning after”, for visual interest.
After all this the crossing itself was pretty mellow – we sailed and motor-sailed most of the way with the big genoa doing the work to move the boat and keep the rolling down (see waves at sunset). Patti and Valencio whiled away their hours on watch by singing “all the Christmas songs that Patti knew”, which is apparently more than Valencio was hoping for.  The only stress was when a large vessel overtook us (Jan and Tino on watch) and refused to respond to VHF calls.  But we had plenty of warning and their closest approach was over a mile – thank goodness for Radar!!!

The Islands – North of La Paz

Friday Dec 3 we headed off after one last run to Pan de Les (“the bread guy”) for the famous cruising grounds north of La Paz – called just The Islands, though a lot of the good anchorages are actually on the Baja mainland. First stop on Isla Espiritu Santo was Bahia San Gabriel, only 18 miles from La Paz.  We had a great dinner with fish bought at the Mercado Bravo – a mild fish, and Tino actually liked it!  It was a bit of a celebration, two months out and finally going off on another adventure after getting a bit too comfortable in La Paz.
We met a very interesting guy called Christian, who has been single-handing his Ericson 27 Altair since leaving Washington in May.  Christian built a lot of stuff on his boat (bowsprit and roller furler, solar panel mounts, assorted woodwork) and though the result looks a bit funky it all hangs together and he is a great adventurer.  This includes spearfishing, and he was prepared to teach the boys this art, but it got a bit cold so they just ended up watching him from above or on the dinghy, which felt a bit safer to us parents.  Still enough activity to tire them out well…
Next day was very special – after paying for our day pass for the National Park (only time we had to pay in 8 days) we had a great walk along the huge beach, with lunch back on Neener. We then headed off to explore and discovered a huge colony of white-collared swifts and pelicans in the mangroves along the shore. We were sometimes only 15 feet away as we puttered along in the dink, they seemed completely at ease with us and we took tons of photos. 
Then on the way back to the boat the sky exploded into a riot of color, the most amazing sunset of the trip so far.  Thank goodness for digis, as they say in the old country.
Sunday we headed off to the end of the connected Isla Partida to a spot called Los Islotas, home to a very friendly sea lion colony.  With a fairly stiff North wind we were nervous about anchoring there, but the islands provided wave and wind protection so we went for it.  Took a couple of tries to get the anchor in a good spot in the deep water (and it almost got stuck the first time), but we finally settled and Jan and the boys went off in the dinghy where we could attach to a mooring buoy. 
The females are the playful ones, they act just like yearling doggies, even their expressions as they swim past twisting and turning to keep one in sight, and they have a lot of different calls and sounds which we had never noticed before on the Bay.  The boys were a bit nervous (especially when they spotted a bull, which can actually get territorial over their harem) but still got pretty close to them – and Jan was honored with a “love nip” on the shoulder just as he was heading back.  More dozens of photos, a couple of which seemed worthy here. Patti also got within about 10 feet (on the next round), and really appreciated their playfulness.
We finally tore ourselves away and headed back to Isla Partida with a promise to hook up with Loose Pointer, a big monohull that got to Islotes before us and had another teenage boy on board.  We finally had a nice sail under genoa, but near the end we first lost Tino’s swim shirt which was not secured, and then broke the reefing line as the strong wind made for such a tight furl that we didn’t see that we were at the end.  Never go to second gear on a furling line!
Potluck dinner on Loose Pointer, with the crew of a biggish cat “Jane-O”, which houses another teenage boy.  This was great after all the missed opportunities to connect on the HaHa itself – we hung out with 14-yr-old Adam from L.P. and 17-yr-old Jacob from Jane-O for three days, trading off hosting potlucks in the evenings and getting the boys together during the day.  Both the other boats had X-Box and such, we had none so both sets of kids got a break from routine – when I told L.P. that the boys would have to figure out how to talk without a game when we hosted I could hear their laughter without the VHF;-)
Monday was fish day, as we started off by trading two (old) t-shirts and a gallon of water to some panganeros for two medium-sized fish, probably Red Snapper. Apparently we were a bit generous, as the fisherman gave us a beautiful red Nautilus when we ran into him at the fish camp later in the day.  Then on the way back from exploring Pat from Gitana called us over to give us a gorgeous Sierra, as he had more food than he could eat.  Jan got a lot of practice gutting and filleting;-) The other “boy boats” had gone on to the next anchorage (El Cardoncito) so we followed them, and invited them all to Neener for… fish dinner!
Tuesday we all were planning on heading north, but the wind and especially waves were too big so we tucked in to Ensenada Grande anchorage instead, just 4 miles up.  Dessert on Jane-O, feelings of envy for their huge cockpit and dining area, but down below galley and berths a bit cramped.  So our boat, we think we’ll keep her ;-)
Wednesday we did a morning of home-schooling (Adam and Jacob are doing a lot more…) and then took off for another adventure – a long hike/scramble up to a cross on the top of a hill, past an oyster patch with some specimens apparently millions of years old, a waterfall… great stuff, especially as we brought the older boys and yet P&J managed to pretty much keep up!
Thursday left for San Evaristo into diminishing seas and wind, as we were “running out of stuff the boys like to eat” and that is the next provisioning spot. Loose Pointer and Jane-O headed off for Isla San Francisco the next day.  At Evaristo we found Christian again, who offered to go spearfishing the next day with the boys. By now we were more comfortable with the concept, and the boys had graduated to operators of the dink, zooming off by themselves at last, to their great joy. We checked out the Tienda in the village, which has the laughable sign “Mini-Super” outside, meaning mini supermarket.  Well, they had eggs and juice boxes and bananas, but no papaya or bread or tortillas even, so we took what we could get…
Friday Christian indeed took the boys for a “baby sail” and then spearfishing – Tino hit a small fish but didn’t kill it, Christian later got a nice fish which he brought over to cook for dinner.  Boys ate that one. Jan worked out a fix for the reefing line (whipped the two ends of the cored rope together, and jury-rigged wider openings for blocks on stanchions for them to pass through – so far it’s held!)
Saturday we headed south again, had to get back to La Paz for real provisioning prior to the passage to Mazatlan.  Isla San Francisco was on the way so we decided to surprise our old friends by stopping in, and indeed there they were when we pulled in.  So the boys got a bit more X-box time, and we had more great conversations and shared a beer with Loose Pointer.
Sunday back to La Paz, this time we headed for “Costa Baja Marina and Resort”, and what a lush place this was.  Nice docks of course, but the pool was an “infinity pool” where the edge appears to go to the horizon, the showers are exquisite, the restaurants awesome… pampering and luxury for two days, after 8 days at anchor.  And the first night was Jan’s mother’s birthday, she would have been 88 this year so we raised a glass of gin (martini and G&T) in her honor at the very good Azur restaurant, then wandered back through the almost deserted resort hotel.
Monday Patti and Tino went food shopping while Jan put in some hours at work and Valencio wrote out a story on La Paz zombies that he’s been working on.  Then a lovely dinner on board with Vivien and Joel from Lady Jane (sans parrot).  This is the life…
Now it’s Tuesday, and we’re headed off towards Muertos/Frailes, then Mazatlan. Morning last-minute shopping and more PG&E work, then left around 1, only to return 90 minutes later when we discovered Patti’s cellphone had been left on the exercise bicycle in the pool-side gym.  Fortunately Marina could contact Security who had already found it, so we turned around and Patti picked it up, very appreciative of the staff all round.  (Every security guard seemed to know about the phone, and there are a lot of them at this place…)  Then of course Jan finds the card keys in his shorts now that we’re 10 miles up at Caleta Lobos.  Something keeps pulling us back to La Paz, but we’ll escape its warm embrace somehow.

So long La Paz

After three weeks we are about to head out to the Islands – specifically Isla Spiritu Santo, Partido and north perhaps as far as Aqua Verde.  We have had great weather here, though it has recently been cooling off. Just as well the hotel hot tub finally got, if not actually hot, at least very warm – boys have been splashing in the chilling pool and needed a place to warm and hang out in. And keeping with the weather I have switched from limonade and Pacifico when I need to buy something to avoid the dreaded Maitre D’ boot to the more embodied Negre Modelo.

We have had a pretty strong and unusually long Norther, which generates short seas up to 7 feet, not much fun to anchor in or head into. Finally dissipating just as we get our propane tank refilled, so timing is pretty good.  But we are being cursed by computer and communication problems all over – we are  now down to 2 out of original 4 computers; Patti’s cellphone still can only receive calls (and only occasionally at that); and now the microphone stopped working (and broadband has been anything but) so Skype is out.

Meantime Patti has made some great friends here, and the boys especially have made friends with another parrot (when not swimming in the hotel pool).  This is Juliette (usually called Julie), who lives on Lady Ann with Vivien and Joel across the fairway from us.  Valencio especially is very taken with her, and she evidently with him.

La Paz

Ah, finally a city that we can enjoy and get to know a little bit. And they even have recycling and composting bins along the main tourist thoroughfare, though apparently nowhere else. Patti and the boys signed up for two weeks of Spanish at a very good school (Se Habla La Paz, in case you or someone you know are in a similar situation). Despite our worst fears, the boys have been doing so well - and almost enjoying it, as far as we can determine - that they get to go to a Spanish kids movie tomorrow, while Patti has to go to a boring old graduation ceremony and learn more about the past tense and the difference between ser and estar (forms of "to be").  Jan has been putting in some hours at work, and a bit of working on the boat, though there seem to be precious few hours for that.

As for the pics - ospreys are a wonderful powerful marine raptor that builds gigantic nests, often on transmission towers.  They also have a strangely small-bird chirping cry; and they poop a lot.  Especially when perched on the top of a mast.  So I now have a love-hate relationship to these magnificent birds, whereas before it had just been amore, amore.

The boys are our deckhands when entering or leaving port, partly because they enjoy it and partly because they are the only crew who can consistently jump ashore or aboard without stumbling or falling in the water.  Here they are in a frequent configuration when preparing to enter port - Tino practicing his balancing skills while Valence chills.  We have all been getting a bit more relaxed every week, Patti says my eyes are green more often, and I know hers are getting softer and more relaxed.

The manta ray is one of many statues along the main boulevard (Malecon), we had to get a snap of it with this boat's connection to them.

Here we are at Jerry Libertore's wonderful house (or should I say ranch - he has a number of out buildings, and a great patio which is used more than the living room).  Jerry is a great diving buddy of Patti's bro Dan, and we had a great evening with Jerry and Lilly - and their parrot Din Din and three dogs. He gifted Valencio with a good mask for snorkeling, after the previous one sank to the murky depths on the Doo-Dah.  Jerry is a great cook, his pasta sauce was incredible. I'm really glad he read my slightly peckish expression when we arrived, because I've found it hard to get enough calories somehow, I keep getting thinner.  The rest of us are experiencing the same thing, but more slowly - so I tend to eat all leftovers, appetizers, ask for more chips and salsa at restaurants, whatever.

We spent a wonderful 24 hrs at Ballandra Bay last weekend - snorkeling, sunset-gazing, full moon-gazing, fish pursuing and the like.  The boys are enamored of puffer fish so they were corralling one so I could get a better picture.  The little guy in Tino's hand was already dead, he threw it to the mob of pelicans and other birds who had come to pick off little fish in the shallow waters of this sizable cove.

The tube things are made by a strange-looking worm (perhaps a parchment tube worm), and are all over the place in shallow water.

Happy Thanksgiving to all - we had quite a feast hosted by our marina and the cruisers' Club Cruseros, for once I had perhaps too much to eat.  We brought a homemade pumpkin pie, but more appreciated was the whipped cream, which was applied to pies, brownies and the occasional cookie.  It was very hot in the sun during the dinner, now pretty cool with a decent North wind blowing through the marina.

Nov 10 - Ensenada de los Muertos

A couple of stops outside Cabo, and lo we have wi-fi, and got Skype working! Just as well, as my cellphone (Verizon) has almost no coverage, and Patti's (AT&T) has great coverage but can't call out, even after 90 minutes with tech support.

Last two stops have been very sweet. Had to motor-sail to Los Frailes, but when we got there we found great snorkeling in a tiny cove around the bend (basically a little beach with some coral close to it, but lots of fish, and our first snorkeling experience of the trip). We also found a great family restaurant along a road and over a hill, with KILLER coconut shrimp (lobster and scallops not bad either), and the best limonade we've ever had - homemade in a blender with yerba buena (mint) from the garden.

Then we actually got to sail most of the way to this sweet spot, as forecast northerlies turned NE and held at a nice 12-18 kn. Here there is a well-protected anchorage so the boys have been snorkeling around the boat and just swimming a lot - tonight we'll try snorkeling with a light (in a zip-lock), there are some neat fish whose eyes reflect the light when we shine a flashlight down. And of course this nice internet cafe/restaurant, which also has an outdoor shower and a phone for free calls to US and Canada!

So what with the warm water and seeing more latinos around, the boyz are getting more comfortable in their bodies, really relishing swimming, diving, boogie-boarding and the like - noticably more than they did at our first stop in the HaHa (Turtle Bay) for example. Don't tell anyone, but they actually swam nekkid this morning, and didn't give us too hard a time about that kissing contest you were all wondering about. So yeah, it's basically the last organized activity of the HaHa - an informal contest where couples (and one confused trio) try to outdo Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's passion in the surf of From Here to Eternity. All pretty pg-rated, the biggest thrill is getting a big wave, which our crew managed perfectly. We assumed the boys would both turn away or try to talk us out of it, but they were pretty neutral, which is a big step.

I gotta give another big thank you to Pete and Jean for their boat, and the boat's name - everybody remembers it (especially after I corrected the Grand Poobah when he called her Neener3 - "that's Neener Neener Neener, to you"). I now have a long list of things to do, but so far none seem to be horrendously critical - at least yet.

Tomorrow we leave early for La Paz, where we'll stay in one marina or another for a couple weeks. Clean up the salt-encrusted boat, put away all the warm clothes in buried hiding places, get Patti and boys in Spanish immersion classes, and I hope to get some serious (paying) work done, we can't do this on vacation time forever...