2009 Sea of Cortez

(From Bahia San Marte to Guaymas)

March 19 - 20,  2009:  After leaving the beautiful Los Gatos red rocks, we arrived at our next anchorage, Bahia San Marte, and after buying 3 more fish from Manuel, we spent the rest of the day exploring and doing much needed boat maintenance.  Not much here so I'll move along.

We were looking forward to our visit to the village at Bahia Agua Verde on the 20th and particularly seeing what we could find at Maria's tienda.  Maria didn't have a whole lot to offer in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables but we managed to pick up enough to hold us over until we could reach Loreto.   Maria was very sweet and very proud of her tienda.  There were reports of a restaurant in the village, and I was tired of cooking, so it was my goal to locate it and enjoy a meal out for a pleasant change.  We found the restaurant down the road but it wasn't open.  As we walked the dirt streets, we admired the flower gardens at nearly every house.    That evening we watched hundreds of pelicans dive for fish right next to our boat.  The show lasted at least 30 minutes. 

Maria and her dog outside her very popular small tienda.  As you can see in the picture below, the village is nestled below the Sierra de la Giganta range. Pictured on the right below, fishing pangas line the shore with CaST Away in the background.

Saturday, March 21 - 24,  2009:  Our first marina since we left La Paz,  a welcome change to pull into the Singlar marina at Puerto Escondido.  So much to do.......... emails to send, bills to pay, laundry to do, never-ending boat maintenance, provisioning and, most importantly, touring in the nearby town of Loreto 14 miles north.  Pictured below is the spectacular view of the Sierra Gigante mountain range from our anchorage in Puerto Escondido. 

On Sunday we hired a taxi to take us into Loreto.  Our driver, Ramone stayed with us all day and took us everywhere we wanted to go.  The first stop was the bank, then the open air market.   The "almost-new" size 13 sneakers got snatched up immediately for about $20.  Charlie's sneakers had worn out within two months into the trip, and no where else was he able to find size 13 for under $150.  The vegetable booths were stocked with great looking fruits and vegetables so we loaded up.   After about five hours of shopping and touring we were exhausted and ready to head back to the boat.  This small town is very impressive with its tree-lined main street and quaint shops.  

Taken from "Sea of Cortez - A Cruiser's Guidebook" by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer "Loreto History:  Loreto has a long history in the settlement and exploration of the Baja peninsula and north into today's state of California.  In October 1697, Jesuit padre, Juan Maria Salvatierra, along with a party of men, landed at Loreto to establish a settlement and the first mission of the Californias.  The settlement was a success and Loreto quickly became the center for church as well as government and military activities.  The mission church, Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, built by Jesuit padre, Juan Salvatierra, became the center for establishing additional missions throughout Baja and California.  It was from Loreto than the Franciscan padres, Gaspar Portola and Junipero Serra left in 1769 to explore north, reaching San Diego and eventually discovering San Francisco Bay.  It is due to this exploration and route that the now historical missions of California were established.  As the settlement at Loreto grew, it became the political and economic capital of Baja.  Ships carrying goods and supplies as well as ships used for exploration regularly arrived and departed the port town.  In 1829 a destructive storm forced the government to move the Baja California Sur state capital from Loreto to its current location in La Paz.  Today, tourism drives much of Loreto's industry.  The current population of 15,000 is expected to increase as more vacation homes are developed and more industry is brought into the area." Pictured on the left is the old capitol building.  On the right is the beautiful Hotel Posada de las Flores, of recent construction and made to look old.

The trees lining the main street are ficus trees, the ones we grow inside at home as house plants.	Not only a great fruit and vegetable stand, we got the best ever coconut horchata drink here.  The parrot  has a better Spanish vocabulary than we do.
You got all this fruit at that fancy fruit place, now where's our dinner?	Our taxi and driver, Ramone and Charlie

Sunday, March 24, 2009:  We enjoyed visiting Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante (Dancer Island), a small rugged island stretching 3 nautical miles north to south.   We enjoyed a brief visit with Heather Bansmer and the four Canadian tourists who chartered the large trawler-type power boat, "Ursula Major".  Heather and Shawn (authors of "Sea of Cortez"), were their expert tour guides and planned to spend the week in the area.  After hiking over the hill and combing the beach for shells, we enjoyed the pleasant night in the Cove.  I reminded Charlie that the honeymoon was long over.

Honeymoon Cove anchorage with "CaST Away" and "Ursula Major"	A Cardon (Rachycereus Pringlei) cactus on the trail to the other side of the island.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009:  Isla Carmen.   Our first stop on Isla Carmen was Punta Colorada on the south eastern side of the island.  Although it was reported to be a good shelling beach, the only treasure we found was our first nice Tent Olive (Oliva Porphyria (Linne) shell with its intricate design.  Our second stop on Isla Carmen was Bahia Salinas on Carmen on the north eastern side where we anchored and spent the night.  Below right is the sunset at Bahia Salinas.

 March 26 - 30, 2009:  We continued north 10 nautical miles to Isla Coronados and anchored in the cove where pangas bring tourists from Loreto.  The spit that was reported to be a good shelling beach didn't have any shells.  We spent the night and left the next morning for Punta Mangles on the Mainland.

We arrived at Caleta San Juanico on the 28th and again enjoyed exploring the beach and rock formations where shell fossils are embedded in limestone.  Pictured below, the pugs are really getting adventurous and have begun doing their own exploring.  A cruiser's monument (tree cluttered with cruisers' mementos) is located on the north end of the beach.

March 29 - 31, 2009:   We arrived at the entrance of Bahia Conception and anchored at Punta Santa Domingo and spent a sleepless rollie night. The next morning we sailed deeper into the bay and anchored at Playa El Burro.  We made an attempt to locate the trail behind Bertha's Restaurant that takes you through ancient Amerindian petroglyphs, to the top of the hill, but we were unable to continue due to improper hiking shoes. Along the trail are dark reddish-brown rocks, that when struck, resonate like a bell due to their high iron content.

On the 31st we arrived at Bahia Santa Ines at Punta Chavato eager to begin searching out shells on the so-called "miles of beautiful shell lined beach".  Indeed, the beach was cluttered with layers of once beautiful shells that apparently had washed up during the last severe storm, perhaps 3 years ago.  We did come away with some nice specimens and the visit was well worth our time.  The view, with its modern hotel, condos and airstrip, reminded us we were getting closer to the States.

	On the beach at Santa Ines looking toward the hotel and anchorage
Lots of weathered, broken shells. Hopefully, our next visit to this beach will be after a hurricane or big storm.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009:  Santa Rosalia, our last stop before the trail ends across the sea in San Carlos.  This is a charming small town that has escaped the condos and new structures like we found just a few miles south of here at Santa Ines and remains a friendly, working town with a small town atmosphere.  Originally begun as a company town for El Boleo, a French copper mining company, it still retains much of its French architecture as can be seen by the church designed by Gustav Eiffel, architect of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Copper smelter	Restored engine and ore cart
	Smelting pot

The office building for Compagnie Du Boleo is now a museum, housing many artifacts and pictures of the towns mining past.  Built in 1886, it is all original and still houses some of its original furniture.
For my good friend B.J. who will appreciate this old switchboard	This company building is now an elementary school with a mural of Cinderella and Prince Charming

	The El Boleo French Bakery Est. 1901 now serves up Mexican breads.
	The Santa Rosalia fishing fleet

The Hotel Frances, 1886, features 17 historic rooms, and gourmet breakfast.  The prices are very reasonable with room rate at $710 pesos (about $60 U.S.), definitely where we will put family members when they visit us in Santa Rosalia on our next visit.

Monday, April 6, 2009:  "Out Like a Lion!"  We departed Santa Rosalia at 6:10 p.m. for our trek across the Sea about 70 miles where our journey will end for this season.  We purposely delayed our departure another day to let the sea settle after two days of high wind.  Just minutes after casting off, we knew we were in for a rough trip.  The 3' waves were punching us right on the nose.  We decided to continue because of low winds promised for the central and eastern portion of the sea.  It didn't get better but immediately got worse, the seas reaching 5' plus at very close interval.  Sharon went below to comfort the pugs and stayed there until 5 a.m. the next morning, a little seasick to say the least.  Poor Charlie had to stand an all night watch.  Outside it was cold, windy, choppy and wet and CaST Away was rolling as much at 30 degrees side-to-side, frequently burying the bow.  Inside, things were flying across the cabin, pots and pans were banging and everything in the storage cabinets was shifting back and forth.  We both had a sleepless night.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009:  The seas finally calmed down around 5 a.m. so Charlie went below to get some much needed sleep and Sharon took the boat into Guaymas.  We arrived at the Singlar Marina at 9:45 a.m. and it's now time to put CaST Away to bed.   Our journey for the season has ended after nearly 8 months.  We will spend the next 10 days or so getting her ready to go on the hard. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2009:  Haul out day!  Nerve racking to say the least.  The prior day during the haul out of SV Salty, the slings slipped off and the boat plunged back into the water, but not before tearing off the wind vane and doing other serious damage.  They were extremely cautious with CaST Away and all went well.  Not more than 4 weeks before we had a diver clean the bottom.  To our surprise, barnacles had already began to grow along the water line.  It takes only about a week for the slimy green algae and sea grass to start growing.   A good power washing removed the slime and come fall new bottom paint will make her look like she did when she left Charleston 8 months earlier. 

	CaST Away resting next to Salty from Vancouver, B.C.  Unlike the other boat yards in the area, this Singlar yard is fully insured and Salty will be repaired at no expense to the owner.  We made a temporary cover for the cockpit out of some screen-like material that should help deflect the sun and heat.

	Next to the boat yard is the Guaymas shrimp boat fleet.  They go out each night and return early in the morning.  You wonder how they can fit so many boats in such tight spaces, but they don't worry about bumping the boats next to them.
If all goes as planned, we will return next October to continue exploring the Sea of Cortez and beyond.

Pictured below is Sharon's Sea of Cortez shell collection.