We spent a fun week in Mazatlan getting caught up with the Seattle cruisers that were in Mexico a whole year ahead of us. The one resort we visited had lots of iguanas just 'hanging out'. On Thursday, the 24th, we volunteered at the Vina/Vine Church and helped build 300 tortas/ sandwiches and distributed them to the "Displaced people of the dump". It was a humbling experience to see people in such dire-straights that they subsist on garbage scrounging in a stinking Mexican landfill. It was especially poignant as it was on Thanksgiving Day and our turkey dinner that evening seemed to be a special blessing. Also,(Donna mentions)there was a hospital that they are building close to the dump that has been worked on for over 3 years and not finished. I wish they’d use these people to do manually labor and get it finished, but what do I know?

After the week, we said goodbye to our friends and motored out into the Sea of Cortez with slowing building wind and seas on the nose. Later that night we rediscovered the joy of slamming into the short steep waves of this sea. Sailing into Los Muertos Bay at midnight was interesting, but the next day was great as we swam, kayaked and sat in the sun. That night we watched the third in Donna’s series of Christmas movies (Christmas in Connecticut).

As these things sometimes go, the beautiful calm, warm and friendly bay during the day became an angry maelstrom of rolly sea, broken eggs and crashing dishes. In all our years at sea, this may have been the worst night yet. We left before dawn as it was more comfortable to be at sea, go figure! Sailing into La Paz was great as we tried to remember how it was 23 years ago when we first sailed here.

Sunday they had a great festival right in the Marina to support children of La Paz and we won two raffle prizes! Unfortunately, the wind kicked up after we left the boat and we heard the announcer saying the boat Celestial went on a 'walkabout'. We dragged onto the side of a sand bar but were able to back up and get into the deep water again with no repercussions.

Club Cruceros is the local hangout (www.clubcruceros.org) where you can get help with whatever you need at the 9:30 coffee.

This is the 2nd windy night and they predict a week of this weather with gusts up to 25mph even in the harbor. La Paz is famous for it's waltz. When the winds kick up one direction and the currents pull you in another direction, boats dance around each other so you always have that to look forward to as well.