Here we are on day 10 of our trip, and enjoying the gentle waves off of Puebla Magdalena in Bahia Magdalena. We left port on the morning of 6/8 (remembering days of the week is hard when at sea. or maybe unnecessary?) under choppy conditions, and proceeded to sail south until we could tack to starboard as we made our way to Cabo Falso. We had another zig and zag until we cleared the cape and found ourselves in the Pacific Ocean. After that the sea-state eased, and we scooted along at 5-7 knots with the mainsail and the headsail providing lift. I had the first watch, and we cranked up Emma's Yanmar diesel engine for what would turn out to be a pretty effortless cruise up the coast. In the dark of the night we encountered more than a few fishing boats, with unpredictable courses and nary a register on the AIS. With morning came even smoother waters and a much-less crowded horizon. We did encounter a variety of sea life: barnacle-clad sea turtles lollygagging in the waves, pods of curious dolphins, flopping seals, barking seals, flying fish taking flight, pelicans aplenty. A range of mountains, stark and desert-like, dominated our Western skyline, from peak to rocky shoals. Our port-side view was an endless expanse, a perfectly horizontal edge frosted with a hazy marine layer. The first 36-hours of the Baja Bash went well.

Bob has done a good job of weathering Bryant's and my rookie mistakes with a smile. We have a lot to be desired as far as our sailor-ly skills are concerned, notably the tying of knots. Our first task when we set off from La Paz 7 days ago was to tie the bumpers in between the shrouds. There was a lot of freestyle knots and wrapping of the lines and very amateur work. Akin to what a 6-year old might come up with. It was pretty bad. Bob later said, "Well, they stayed put and didn't fall off the boat." Forever optimistic.

We have been able to make up for our follies above deck with some good work from the galley. Today Bryant woke and decided that we should have blueberry muffins for breakfast. They were grand. After that, we had a full English breakfast: fried eggs, white beans with pork belly and mushrooms, pan-roasted tomatoes, romaine salad, and toasted walnut-olive bread from Flora Farms. Plus a white-wine spritz to accompany. A good start for a day on the hook.

From there we went ashore in the dinghy and beachcombed for an hour or so (whale bone! sea turtle shell!), and then played some bocce on the beach (the best kind of bocce) and had a few Yeti-chilled beers. Back on board we pulled up our empty crab pot, moved our anchorage one bay up to where we are now, and settled in for a breezy and chilly night. The grill is hot and the pork chops are about to go on, coyotes yip in the hills, and later we will probably end up seeing what ol' Raylan Givens is up to.

Tomorrow we leave for Bahia Tortuga, 240 miles away and roughly a 48-hour sail. Winds look light, sea state looks agreeable. More motoring than sailing, but pleasantly so. Today we made and stowed our suppers for the next two days: bacon-corn chowder with fresh-baked bread for tomorrow night, and pasta with pancetta, onions, peppers, and crema await us the day after.

As Bob says, "Just don't fall in, 'cause if you do...". Bob's sense of humor can confuse me at times, but the message is pretty clear on this one.

We just finished a clean up of the boat interior. Its about seven o'clock in the evening, and Jake is prepping for another sure-to-be-delicious supper. Bob did some repair work, and I have a loaf of bread proofing, soon to bake. With any luck, the bread will hold up to the standards of the meal.

We arrived in the marina (Puerto los Cabos) about twenty four hours ago, having passed on anchoring in Los Frailles due to a southerly swell, which would have made for an uncomfortable night. Unfortunate, a beautiful setting Los Frailles. Blue water pushing onto a long sand beach, desert hills rising jaggedly in the background.

But we have made the most of our time here. Last night, after tacos made from leftover ribeye steak, Jake and I decided for one more drink at the Hotel El Ganzo bar. Beautiful place. Wandering the street which passes right by the marina, part of the village where the marina is set, we discovered some welcoming folks sitting on the patio of the Drunken Sailor. The restaurant was closed for the evening, but the owner and a few employees were having drinks outside. So a couple of drinks later we set off in search of a late night snack. So far, so good. No problems after the satisfying cheeseburgers freshly made by the street vendor. We enjoyed them on the docks, moving away from the boat a bit so as not to disturb Bob. Wisely, he chose to get a good nights sleep. During the night Bob got up to check the boat.

Tomorrow we hope to tour a large work boat which was tied up at the fuel dock where we spent last night. Three of the other patrons at the Drunken Sailor work on the boat, and they invited us to come have a look around. The big boat has a large open stern, with a crane and and a power boat on the back deck. Still enough room for plenty of other machines and vehicles. The mates told me they will soon be taking out a film crew doing a surf video.

So today we fueled up, moved into a slip, had lunch at the marina restaurant, followed by an afternoon nap. The docking experience was another opportunity for Jake and I to practice the work of sailors. We are learning how to handle dock lines and fenders. Had some practice with the sails. Bob will soon have us ready for the Bash.

So now after another delicious meal, enjoyed topside, we look forward to getting back out on the water. One more night here at the marina, watching the weather, then on to Mag Bay.

The plan had been to clear out of La Paz and sail to Bahia de los Muertos, but the processing didnt wrap up until mid afternoon, to late to sail for Muertos. Adjusting our plans we went out to Balandra, which is beautiful cove 10 miles north of Cost Baja. A few boats arrived ahead of us but there was plenty of room. We anchored in the middle in about 30 feet of water. Had a fine steak dinner and another of Jakes great salads. We got to bed around 11 and the weather was dead calm-but warm. I woke up about 4am to the sound of the anchor chain grinding on something, stuck my head out the hatch only to see a massive ship on our bow. MY (Motor Yacht) Albatross had drug their anchor and come down on Emma. Turns out our anchor chain caught the rudder of the 35M yacht. We were stuck. We tried all sorts of ways to wake up someone on board but final had to have Jake clamber over Emma's bow and drop down on the Albatraoss's swim deck. Jake found a door unlocked and was able to get inside and wake someone who then got the captain. After a bit of discussion we agreed to ease our anchor chain, which then dropped below the rudder and we were both free. This all came about because the coromel winds had come up and it was blowing 30-35 knots. One of the crew from another super yacht who came over to help out, shook our hands and laughingly told us we had "caught" a super yacht. Fortunately no one was injured and nothing was damaged. And now we have a great fishing story. Anchored Muertos tonight head for Bahia Frailes tomorrow.

This morning is the first morning everyone has been aboard. Jake (the chef) and Bryant (the baker)are in the galley getting ready for the day- the oven is warming up to produce the fresh sourdough bread Bryant started yesterday. He brought sourdough starter with him from San Antonio. Jake is planning the days meals and trying to keep the refrigerator and freezer organized for both easy access and stability when underway. The stability will receive its first test later this morning. We will be clearing out this morning and headed to our first anchorage, Bahia Los Muertos which is about 50nm south of La Paz. Weather is warm and the forecast is for very light winds the next day or two. The plan is take several days to get down to Puerto Los Cabos where we will wait for favorable weather to round the cape and start the infamous Baja Bash. Everyone is excited and Emma is ready. More later.

After three nights moored in the sheltered and very beautiful Bahia Agua Verde, we up-anchored and set sail south for our next destination. We motored through the inner passage between Punta San Marcial and Rocas San Marcial and then hoisted the spinnaker and with the aid of 12 knots of wind, achieved a speed of 9 knots. It took 4 hours and 20 minutes to arrive at Bahia San Carlos Timbabiche, a distance of 25 miles. We dropped our anchor in 12' of water into a sandy bottom. Deserted except for 2 pongas and a truck, we decided to go ashore in the dingy and explore the extensive bay. We were immediately approached by a fishermen who offered to sell us "pescado". It was what we'd been hoping for and we willingly chose 4 hauchinango, (red snapper) and they kindly cleaned them ready for our "Veracruzana" dinner. It was the end to a perfect day of ideal sailing conditions, stunning coastline and glowing sunset over the Sierra de la Giganta range of mountains.

Friday, March 12. Day five of our 10 day Sea of Cortez cruise with Bob and Alyce with Cal and Mike (Wicksteed), and Ro of course, aboard Emma!! This is our third and most enchanting trip on this wonderful boat and we are having a great time. We arrived in Bahia Agua Verde on Wednesday after a challenging over-night sail from La Paz. Alyce, Ro and Cal wisely chose not to make the trip north but had a fairly harrowing 6 hour drive from Todos Santos to join us at our anchorage. Fortunately, Bob had Mike with him as a highly experienced First Mate as I was only useful to prepare some hopefully tasty food for the three of us en route. We had Chicken Fajitas for dinner and I made simple oats, fruit and yogurt for breakfast as I was thrown around the galley by the rough seas. Despite the high winds and a queasy tummy, it was a fantastic trip and when we arrived in this glorious bay we knew we had found a bit of paradise. The girls arrived several hours after our arrival and the party began!! Needless to day the food and drink have been splendid. We've met some interesting fellow sailors here in the Bay and went on a great 3 hour hike today with a few of them to find a cave with some ancient hand prints We have another night here and we will move on tomorrow to another beautiful spot. More to come........

It's always good to have a Plan B. Bob always has a Plan B and probably a Plan C. Our departure from Mag Bay after a leisurely morning of swimming, running (got 3 mi in with Billy) and prepping was uneventful. We had toyed with the idea of staying another day since it was a pretty ideal, tropical anchorage....but a new adventure at Isla Espirato Santos, north of La Paz had our interest. Billy made a fabulous pasta with shrimp, Calamata olives and sun dried tomatoes for dinner at sea. We enjoyed a calm sail with another beautiful night sky and were passing Todos Santos for breakfast on Sunday. We spotted several Humpbacks, saw the constant developing coastline of north Cabo, a marlin being boarded by a fishing charter, rounded Lands End and enjoyed the coastline of Cabo San Lucas. Expecting the wind to pick up as we got further east, Bill prepared our Tri-tip dinner early which turned out to be ominous. Plan A was to sail and/or power to Espirato Santos arriving by Monday night and enjoy a day of fun in the sun. Within short order after sunset, the wind picked up from a calm 4-5 to 13-15 in what seemed like 5 minutes and continued to increase into the high teens to low 20s. Heading directly up the coast put the wind on the nose and the steepening, short seas made for a bumpy ride so we fell off 40* to keep us 60* off the wind; far more comfortable, even if lengthening our trip. By the time dinner was done, it soon became apparent that we were going to be in for a rough evening, winds clocking 30+ (hit 35), and a short, steep, 6' fetch, making it bumpy and wet. The double-reefed main, without a headsail and the engine running could only produce 3-4 knots and mostly in the wrong direction from our intended destination. It looked like a long night with Bob catching a few winks here & there during each of the other 3 watches. Sleeping was a challenge; I actually found myself dosing off 1 time with my foot up against the stateroom bulkhead to keep me on the bunk. After several tacks and conversation about Plans B, C and D, and no improvement in the conditions, Bob exercised the Captain's authority and turned us around at dawn, heading back to San Jose del Cabo Marina, about 20 miles behind us. Chips, guacamole and beer followed by naps, helped (somewhat) rejuvinate us and psych us up for another try tomorrow morning after a good night sleep in the marina...Plan B was looking like a pretty good idea about this time.

I don't know the first thing about sailing but Emma is certainly a comfortable boat. Much of this has to do with the company and Alice's incredible provisioning. Rick and Bill have certainly done their part creating some fantastic meals. No one is going hungry, that much is for sure.

We have been blessed with consistent wind and sunny skies and we are now rocking gently in the sheltered confines of mag bay. Tonight will be another first for me, lobster. I don't know about Rick, but I've certainly enjoyed his birthday.

The tenor of the trip has undoubtedly changed now that the initial sail has been completed. I'm officially in vacation mode. There was a little bit of boat maintenance this morning as Bob cleared us in and then we hopped onto Marco's splintered ponga for our "eco tour." The fiberglass hull would literally separate from the seam as we bounced over the small swells. The fisherman were very gracious as we interrupted their work. The large buckets of octopus were most entertaining but they were also hauling up shrimp, crabs, and a smattering of other unlucky fish. There are a couple of pods of dolphins lazily circling the bay and plenty of gulls and other birds.

After the tour Bill and Rick handily defeated Bob and I at bochi ball. It is clear that Bill is a seasoned competitor. We tried to diminish his skill with beers but he maintained his accuracy. The sun is quickly setting on another memorable day. It is time for some lobsters to meet their fate...

Thanks for the B-day wishes. It was pretty epic. Landfall is pretty nice after 5 days at sea; I can't quite imagine the Parsons' 3 week sea adventure! I never knew calm could be so calm or quiet could be so quiet. This morning was boat cleaning while Bob was taken into San Carlos via Panga to get us checked into the country. Upon his return, his Panga captain, Miguel, took us on a 2 hour "tour" of the local fishing fleet, showing us how they caught the camarones and crab in fish nets and explaining the life, economics, etc. One boat had pulpo (octopus) they were cleaning, caught in traps on the outside of the harbor. Upon return to Puerto Magdalena village (pop about 50) we were able to buy 4 live lobsters for $5 each for dinner tonight along with crab and camarones from Miguel. We moved our anchorage out near the entrance to Mag Bay, anchoring with a group of 4 small sailboat cruisers, in shallow, clear 74* water with sand beach for afternoon Boche Ball. Met 1 couple from Seattle on their 36' steel ketch, built in his garage, with their twin, 5 year old boys, sailing the Sea of Cortez for the next year. Heading for La Paz later in the day tomorrow, probably a 3 day cruise. Love to all, miss celebrating the b-day with fam!

Sailboat fishing is an oxymoron. I know you can do it, but there is a reason fishing boats are power boats...they just do it better. All is fine if you're fishing for a 10-20 lb fish under power and you may even be able to improvise under sail. The story changes when you get a 150 lb +/- marlin strike while sailing downwind at 7 knots. Since we were planning on ceviche or Dorado fillets and had not even considered the possibility of a billfish strike, we were not prepared...to say the least. I grabbed the rod with line singing off the reel as the marlin headed out to the Pacific yonder, jumping in classic marlin style. The rod had been on the leeward side without thought about what would happen in the event of a strike. As Bob started to turn into the wind, there was no way for me to get the rod to the windward side and I was having trouble keeping the line away from the dinghy. The fish's initial run continued unabaited notwithstanding my cranking down on drag. Now getting spooled looked like a very real possibility and quickly turned into reality with a twang as the final knot popped. It was a thrilling 60 second adventure, but as I said, sailboat fishing is an oxymoron. No ceviche tonight!