The Bash is still cruising...
11 April 2013 | Bahia San Juanico, Baja, MX
Darrell
There is a psychosis that comes with the first bash. I find it more prevalent with those cruisers who pre-plan, discover, ask questions, get advice (both solicited and unsolicited) and read material more so than those that just decide on a whim to head North. That psychosis changes the trip from cruising to a drudgery that makes the trip north burdensome. That is where we were when we left Cabo. We decided that the only way to get North was to push ahead, wait the weather windows, then push some more. While smoldering in Bahia Santa Maria stuck on the boat for 8 days we where all ready to be at home. We have been getting some advice, and weather info. from our good friend Chris G. at home who is familiar with the trip. As we watched for our window it was looking good for Wednesday. We decided the best time to leave was early evening and that Turtle Bay was our best target. We also where thinking Bahia Ascunciun and Bahia San Juanico if we needed to duck in sooner. We had no reliable information on either of the later, but Turtle Bay was stop #1 on the Baja-Ha-Ha so we knew what we getting into there.
The winds where finally receding on Wednesday afternoon which improved our outlook on leaving. Curtis and I started stowing and tying off everything. At the same time the large boat fishing fleet was pulling into the bay and setting anchor. By the time we started pulling anchor there where 4 of them, and the evening winds where picking up. I grew up fishing off the coast of the Pacific North West. I have family in the Coast Guard and the professional fishing fleet. It is a fact that a working fishing boat will go out in some very nasty conditions, but when these guys come in for weather you don't want to be behind them. We left with some apprehension and a firm resolve to turn around if we felt it was prudent. As we pulled out of the harbor we got hit with 13-15 foot seas at 8 seconds, but only every 8th wave... It was interesting as we motored into 20 knots winds, every minute or so we would fall off the backs of these large waves. The cape is about 3 miles and reminds me of conception so we treated it as such and road it out past the point. It didn't get worse, but we had to be mindful of Marcus, so we enacted the 'Rule for surviving cruising #3' - be flexible. We pulled up the coarse for Bahia San Juanico and it put us just of the wind with waves of the forward beam. Much more comfortable and much faster. So we left Bahia Santa Maria at 4PM, Mountain Time and at 7 PM Mountain Time we finally had a destination. The rest of the ride was just cold and dark. By 11 PM the waves had subsided to a more comfortable state and everyone fell into the overnight routine.
We pulled into Bahia San Juanico at 11AM this morning. I am tempted to throw Charlies Charts for Baja in the garbage. This is a cool little town. The beach landing was cake, there is an awesome double right break out on the point and tiendas and fuel (you have to get it from the station about 4 blocks in). We managed to grab provisions and get 10 gallons of diesel (Nicki even talked a local into driving them down to the beach) and some awesome grub at El Burros, which is also a surf shack. It was reasonably priced and great food. The guide book says the town survives on it's fishing fleet, but it appears that it has also become a surf spot and tourism is making a good profit as well. There a several nice houses that look more at home on the mainland than here on the Baja coast. The boys have been lobbying to stay so they can spend the day ashore tomorrow. There is a farmers market and other stuff going on so we are taking a lay day ashore, then it's off for Turtle Bay on a 36 hour run. We will spend one day there and pick up 350 liters of fuel, 100 gallons of water and stores for a week. We are looking for a spot to hit between there and Ensenada to break up a 3 day run. On the up side, Marcus has used the down time in Bahia Santa Maria to assist with recovery and he is itching to spend some time ashore moving around. On the downside, we are starting to see the end of our little adventure.
Cheers!