June 17 to July 30^th  

 After a nice Father’s Day celebration at the Santa Rosalía Marina we headed north to the only anchorage on the Baja side that was not twelve hours away.  This was a place called Punta Trinidad. We sailed most of the way with wind gusts to 25Ks on rather lumpy seas.   Trinidad turned out to be a rolling anchorage which required us to put out our flopper stopper.  We were able to sleep but knew that we didn’t want to stay here another night, so in the early morning we hauled up the anchor and continued north.  Our goal for the day was Bahia San Francisquito.  It was a rather uneventful passage with the greatest amount of wind right at the point of Punta San Gabriel as we turned left into the bay.  The wind was howling and the waves were foamy white all around us.  We got anchored on the southern part of the bahia and tucked into shore for protection from southerlies.  When we were able to organize the dinghy and get the motor on, we took off to explore the shore.  We stopped and introduced ourselves to a power boat who gave us some fishing tips.  On shore we found many old, beautiful, purple oyster shells that had a brilliant shiny surface.  What we didn’t find were live oysters on any of the rocks so it seems that these shell were the remains of a depleted supply of sea life.  What a shame!  Later that afternoon a Mother Ship of all pangas came to the anchorage, this is a fishing excursion where you would sleep and eat on board the large boat; and then go off fishing in a panga in the later afternoon to evening.  We saw quite a few fish being hauled aboard so it must have been worth the expense to a fishing aficionado.  

 The next morning we decided to try to move the boat to the inner harbor of this bay, I say try because it is shallow in places and you must be very careful coming into the anchorage.  Being that our draft in only 5 feet, we do not have as much of a problem with the depth as other boats do.  When anchored we immediately noticed that there was a nice breeze that swept across the southern part of the land and lengthwise down the harbor.  This is helpful to keep the bees away and to give the boat a nice breath of fresh air.  We noticed that the army had a small encampment on the far east part of the harbor and then there were several houses and fish camp structures in the middle and western part.  When we went to hike the closest mountain we decided the best spot to begin was right in their encampment.  We asked if it was possible to climb the mountain and they said yes.  Our Spanish is getting better so we had no trouble asking.  We did notice as we were up the mountain that they too sent a soldier up the trail to keep a look out.  Their main concern is drugs and they have stopped several shipments coming from the mainland. Landing the dinghy was super easy for there was a nice fishing dock and we were able to tie up to it.  Getting back to your dinghy after walking the beach was much more challenging for there were buzzards on the beach that cleaned up after the fishermen cleaned their catch and threw the remains into the shallow water.  This picture shows that you must first scare away the buzzards, they were not too frightened of humans, before you got back to you dinghy.

 Two of our sailing buddies, Two Pieces of Eight and Munday’s Off arrived that day so we spent some time together.  Joe and Juanita from Munday’s Off and Hank and I walked about two miles across to the air strip and then to a fishing resort.  We sat at the restaurant and ordered a beer and fish tacos with out looking at the menu.  The view was gorgeous and the food was good.  We did get somewhat of a shock when we asked for the bill and was told it was $48 US.  That is what happens when you don’t ask before you order food; we also had to realize that they had trucked the food 86 miles on a dirt road to get to this resort, so maybe the price was really cheap. 

 All three boats decided that we would sail over to Isla Salsipuedo and anchor at the northern end for the southerlies were blowing and we thought that would be the best protection.  Just as we were getting to the northern tip of the island, Munday’s Off steering cable broke and Joe had to use the emergency tiller. We let Joe go in first and anchor, then Peter and Marni followed and lastly, we anchored.  The anchorage was not very big and with all three boats in the anchorage we were the closest to the lea shore.  Hank wasn’t comfortable and was constantly checking the wind.  I knew that I would rather move now in the late afternoon then after dark.  So with the wind blowing about 25 to 30K, we decided to pull anchor and look for a more protected spot.  It wasn’t like we wanted to leave the others in the lurch for we told them that we would come back in the morning if they were having any boat trouble, but if the wind changed, we would be the first boat to be pounded into the rocks.  We looked at the anchorages at the next northern island which was Isla Partita but they didn’t offer any better protection.  So we headed back across from the middle to the Baja side and were amazed when just a short distance from the islands that the wind dropped to about 7Ks and the sea calmed down.  We ended up anchoring in a small spot called Animas Slot.  It was a beautifully protected horseshoe shaped area and we had a very peaceful night.  In the morning we decided to explore the shore for it has a square rock on the northern shore that has a swim through cave.  While I was sitting in the dinghy as Hank was slowly heading toward the shore a bee stung me.  Luckily we used the old gasoline treatment, so I didn’t feel too much pain.  Bees have been a new experience for us as they can be at any anchorage and they come around the boats looking for fresh water.  This is especially bad in the early morning for many times your boat is covered with dew.  We try to get up early and use this as free water to wipe down the boat but sometimes the bees outsmart us and get there just as the sun peeks over the horizon.  Bee stings are not fun and I was lucky that only three knuckles swelled up! Luckily we had two fly swatters that got a lot of work trying to keep the bees at bay.  In the guide books it mentions that at high tide you could swim through a cave that was in the southern part of this bay.  We investigated this rock island at a point lower than high tide and did see that it was possible to see through the island.  It was difficult to photograph but at the very bottom of the picture you can see what appears to be a strange shaped rock.  This is not really a rock, but the light from the other side of the island.

 Our next stop was to go up the coast to Puerto Don Juan.  This is described as a safe hurricane hole for it is protected on all sides by mountains.  There are several sites of interest such as a careening beach and another small area called the “bath tub.”  Unfortunately the bath tub had so many sting rays that it would not be possible to be out of the dinghy although the water was quite warm, just like a bath tub.  At Puerto Don Juan we celebrated our 41^st anniversary with a sunset dinner and of course a bottle of champagne to toast each other. 

 On the 25^th of June we headed out of Don Juan and across to Bahia Los Angeles and anchored off the beach on the northern tip. This meant it was a short dinghy trip to the shore and to the town.  We also hooked up again with the two boats that we had left at Salsipuedes so it was good to see them again.  It would also be great to go to shore and have a beer and a fish taco. The guide books talk about Guillermo’s restaurant as a good safe place to leave your dinghy and a good place to eat.  So we were off to town to eat and to check email at a local internet café.  We were also invited to dinner on Two Pieces of Eight for a belated anniversary dinner with Munday’s Off who was also celebrating their anniversary too.   We had a delightful dinner thanks to Peter and Marni and headed back to our boat via our dinghy by the light of the moon. The next morning we headed into town to check out the vegetable shopping for we had been told that fresh produce comes to town on Tuesday night.  We didn’t find this to be true for we ended up going to all three stores to get a few vegetables.  I also bought a loaf of bread which had a past expiration date but it was the last loaf and I felt that it still would be safe.  We did learn to look at the yogurt cartons for expiration dates and to make sure that the container had not been opened and that the seal was in tact.  This is important for we took one container out of the refrigerator to find it opened, half goneand moldy!  Yuck!  That night we were watching a video when we started to feel a warm wind blowing through the cabin.  We didn’t think much of it until the video was over and we started to get ready for bed.  At that time the wind was blowing and we were in for “elephantes” which are winds that come out of the west, over the mountains and blow strongly for several hours.  For us the wind went up to 35 or more and lasted until 4 in the morning.  We had checked everything on deck and felt that our anchor would hold so we thought we would be safe.   

The next morning we headed down to “El Gecko Beach” to get away from the “elephantes”.  The area is also shallow at the mouth of the bay and a great place to find clams.  Of course you must watch out for rays but we were able to find the   clams in just about 15 inches of water and under several inches of sand.  We gathered a small bagful and when walking along the shore I asked some of the local gringos if the clams were still safe to eat since it was not a month with an R in it.  When they said it was safe, I decided to make a pot of chowder.  It was fantastic!  This is also a beautiful anchorage with beautifully colored mountains, a lot of sea life and the calm waters of early morning and evening.  We stayed several days and then it was time to move on and explore another area.  There are several islands at the mouth of Bahia Los Angeles and we decided to try La Ventana.  The northern tip is called Caleta Blanca with a wide anchorage and good protection from the south. We hiked the trails on the island, fished from our dinghy and explored for good snorkeling areas.   We found that there was a lot of underwater life at two small islands just west of La Ventana, so we put on our wet suits, for the water was still not that warm, and spent hours swimming and exploring.  When we went back to the anchorage we decided to try one more area right at the entrance to our caleta.  I got out of the dinghy and into the water first.  Hank was still putting on gear and asked me how it was, to which I replied that there were a couple of rays near.  I swam farther from the boat and literally leaped back into the boat when a whole group of rays scared me by swimming near me.  I didn’t know that one could leap out of the water and into the boat with so little effort.  Usually after a snorkel I swim up to the dinghy and sort of slowly power my way in by grabbing the side tow lines.  Not this time, I just leaped with my body half into the dinghy and half sticking up in the air.  Hiking was also an enjoyable time for the cactus and beauty of the area was awesome.  We saw rocks that looked like twisted wood and plant life that was so stark in the desert heat that you wondered how it survived at all.

  The weather had changed and northern winds were expected so we decided to sail back to Puerto Don Juan for a few days.  It was the 3^rd of July so we organized a 4^th party for the following day.  By that time there were 5 boats in the anchorage so we planned a hot dog and plenty of side dishes picnic on the beach.  We started about 5 that afternoon and we having fun eating and standing around talking.  It was not too long before the bees realized that we were there and they started buzzing around us.  We covered the remaining food and stayed and talked a while longer.  There were no fireworks, not even flaming charcoal thrown into the water, but it still seemed like an appropriate 4^th celebrating.  The next morning Hank and I decided to do some laundry so we washed sheets, clothes and towels by hand in the galley sink and hung them to dry on the boat’s life lines and boom.  Now that was a real mistake for the bees came to find water and they found wet clothing.  They swarmed around and stayed on a piece of clothing until it was dry and then moved on to another wet piece.  It was a nightmare, but thankfully our boat is fully screened so if you stayed below you were fine.  At dusk I was able to get the wash down and did not have any more problems until I put a package of frozen meat out to thaw quickly.  When I picked it up I was able to swat about 10 bees with one hit. After being stung, having friends sit or stand on a bee, you find that you have no qualms about swatting one.   

    Our next anchorage was back to the north part of the town at Bahia Los Angeles.  We wanted to go into town and get some fresh food, do email and check out the other tourist activities.  One of those activities is a visit to the museum which contains mining information, and a large interesting shell collection. We also decided to try another of the restaurants and ended up at the Casa de Sol’s restaurant called, Victoria.  We selected this place because they took credit cards and one of our group had not been able to get enough cash before sailing north.  So they covered the meal with their card and we all paid them the cash.  Dinner was fun and it is always enjoyable to go out with fellow cruisers.  The one disadvantage is that the more you stay with cruisers the less you learn about the local people.  Most of the group decided to try the steak dinner but I chose the Mexican plate which was a taco, enchilada and quesadilla.  Everyone was happy with their choice and we had a delightful time  

 Finally it was time to say goodbye to Two Pieces of Eight and start heading back to Santa Rosalia.  We had a good sail and went south to Quemada.  This is another nice bay right below Don Juan.  We were impressed with the gorgeous colors of the rock formations and the way the lenses of quartz were interspersed within the sandstone. When we went ashore we found that these small pieces of quartz had been smoothed and shaped by the wave action, so that they looked like agate marbles.  We looked for places to snorkel and found the point rocks were a perfect area.  We enjoyed a several fun hours exploring the water.  The next day we went back again and tried spear fishing.  When Hank had finished I asked if I could try so he cocked the gun for me and showed me the safety features.  I swam off and quickly returned to have him cock it again.  He was about to tell me about the depth when he realized that I had a fish.  After a while I came back with another one.  Now after looking in all our books and fish charts we thought they were a type of grouper but we are not sure.  If anyone reads this and knows what they are, please email us.  I did grill them along with Hank’s and we had a fresh fish dinner. 

 We stayed at Quemada for several days for there was much to see.  We enjoyed the beach and we hiked the cliffs too.  On one hike we were able to follow a trail and get to the top of the towering peak that marked the bay.  At the top we  looked to the south and saw the fish camp of El Pescador which would turn out to be our next anchorage.  We sailed south using all three sails and going along at 7 knots.  Equinox is really a beautiful boat when under full sail. We sailed for a few hours and then the wind lightened and we were again using the motor.  I guess the hardest concept for me to accept is the amount of time that we needed to use the sail and motor.  Anyway we did get to the fish camp of El Pescador where we met Hooligan who was sailing south.  This is a boat with Tim and Paula and two dogs, Nigel and Molly aboard.  We met them many months ago when we both were anchored off the mainland at Chacala.  They invited us to their boat for a great clam dinner. The next morning we went snorkeling with them and then said goodbye to them as we sailed on south and they went north.  We arrived in San Francisquito in high winds and blustery seas.  Since we had started rather late in the morning it was almost dark when we finally anchored in the inner harbor.  Luckily, Munday’s Off was already at anchor and they knew that we were coming.  They were prepared with depth soundings and a great flashlight.  Fortunately we did not need their help, but it was nice to know that it was there if we needed it.  The wind on the outside of the harbor was blowing about 25k and we heard from Joe that they tried to sail out in the morning hoping to head across the sea but after 3 hours they had only made 8nm, so they turned around and came back. That night the wind increased and the lightning on the mainland could be seen.  After a while the lightning came closer and the rain started to beat down on us.  It lasted several hours but even with the wind, rain and lightning we were snug down below.  Of course we had quickly disconnected some of the electronics and computers and put them in the microwave and oven.  We had also grounded the boat to the water and at that point there was not much else to do but sit tight.   We waited out the next day and listened to the weather for the following day.  Both boats decided to leave early in the morning so as we headed out we noticed the outer bay was very roily.  When we got out to the point the seas were very confused and the wind was blowing 24ks on the nose. We hoped that the sea was a cape effect and that it would smooth out but after an hour we saw no relief and we decided to turn around.  Joe and Juanita had already gone back for their boat is smaller and was being thrown around even more than Equinox.  Turning was an exciting event for the waves were large and the thought that one on them could roll over us was not pleasant, but we turned and slowly headed back.  Later when we talked to some guys who had come to the area to fish, they said that they were soaked in their sleeping bags the previous night and watched as we headed out and noted when we came back in.  They decided not to take their little fishing boat out!  Finally the weather passed and we sailed out again and this time we were able to sail for about 4 hours.  Dolphins and whales were a pleasant sign as we continued out trip.  The sea is alive with great numbers of dolphins who play with the boats or just are an awesome sight as they swim by you.   I never tire of watching them!  We saw several groups of whales as we traveled to Punta Trinidad, most of them were fin whales that do not seem to be flopping their tails like gray and blue.  We had a group of two come right with in 100 feet of us on the starboard side as we sailed along.  Of course by the time I ran below and grabbed my camera they were no longer swimming on the surface. After stopping at Trinidad we came back to the marina at Santa Rosalía, it felt like we were coming home for the town is so friendly and the Singlar Marina is great! This quaint town depends on fishing as one of the main forces in their economy.  The boats go out late every afternoon and return with their catch from 10 pm till much later.  The catch at present is giant squid; the season goes from May to November.  The catch is weighed in and recorded for each panga, then off loaded to trucks where it is taken to the processing plant.  Each night you can go to the malacon and watch the fishermen come in with their catch

 We plan to stay at the marina for a while and then cross over to San Carlos for our August 14^th haul out date.  We will leave the boat for approximately two months and then return in the middle of October.  This will probably be the last sailing log until we are back in the water in the fall. I don’t think there will be time for another log in San Carlos for we will be doing hurricane preparations for the boat before it is put into dry storage.