ADVENTURES OF SEA WHISPER 3
Ensenada on the Baja to Santa Rosalia in the Sea of Cortez

Sea Whisper has now completed 2500 nautical miles down the Baja and up into the Sea of Cortes.
Sailing and weather are synonymous in the Sea as it is renowned for the big blow ‘northers’ that historically start to occur in the late fall season and continue intermittently until spring bringing cooler air and water temperatures to the sea. Hence, we booted down the Baja to Cabo San Lucas with overnight passages so that we could get around the corner and start sailing up into the Sea.

Down the Baja we sailed overnight passages and made landings in Ensenada, and the small fishing villages of Cedros and Bahia de Tortuga. In Ensenada our immigration paper work went very smoothly with the government officials. Immediately we were drawn in to the laid back Mexican life style and all the colour and charisma of this friendly nation. As we entered the harbours we were eager to embrace all the adventures that lie ahead of us and begin our voyage of discovery in Mexico and the Sea of Cortez.

In Cabo we came to an 800 mile lands end where the great rocks at the end of the Peninsula stand against a terminable sea. Thirty years ago Cabo was a quiet out of the way fishing village. Now it’s a world class destination with 5 star hotels and resorts and world famous Marlin fishing derbys. The famous Brisbee Derby(which happened to be taking place when we were there )has an entry fee of $65,000 and a winning purse of 4 million!!! We had a fishing license but decided to pass this one by! However, it was a thrill to stand beside a 340 lb. marlin – the catch of the day!! Another hilite in the old town was a visit to ‘Masks of Mexico’ where I fell in love with a 1918 mask from San Fransisquito (a village in the northern part of the Sea of Cortez). It is named ‘Tonalismo a Tortuga’, which means the transformation of a human to a turtle. It is lovely and now has a great presence on the wall in the main cabin.

La Paz was our next major stopover 148 miles north up into the Sea. We had an overnight in Bahia de los Muertos. La Paz, ‘the peace’, welcomed us with its easy Mexican lifestyle, smiling helpful people and waving palm trees. “Ola, ola,” the Mexicans chanted to us as we strolled along the malacon, the picturesque waterfront bedecked in sea sculptures of bronze. La Paz was our real introduction to Mexico: torilla stands, bright colours everywhere, streets named after events in history (Revolution, Constitution, 16th de Septembre), fishing pangas, hot humid days and warm nights. In the blistering morning sun I walked the old streets hunting down the best panaderia, tortilla stand, espresso café and the mercado. Some days Lionel and I walked the streets for hours practicing our Spanish and finding our way. We enjoyed visits to the cultural centre and also had the opportunity to attend a wonderful concert at the School of Music during International Music Festival week.

A word about the weather: The weather in the Sea of Cortez mostly comes from the Gulf of Alaska. The NW winds bring cool air down the middle of the Sea with the Baja peninsula on the west side and mainland Mexico on the east side. The wintertime blows (Oct. –Jan) are called Northers. The seas have short wave lengths and can make for rough bouncy travelling. Because of these seasonal weather patterns we didn’t waste any time making our way north. Our SSB radio enables us to tune into a Cruisers’ net for amateur weather forecasts. We are able to transmit our boat position, weather information, barometric pressure, water and air temperatures and other valuable information.

There is so much to learn about Pacific Mexico and the Sea of Cortez where the desert meets the sea. Where Spanish explorers made discoveries and set up trade routes hundreds of years ago. It has a unique beauty and richness of life….800 miles of rugged and sandy coastline, National Marine parks, bustling towns and tiny remote fishing villages where ‘Pangas’ (small Mexican fishing boats) catch fish for local and mainland markets and the women tend to the daily chores.

Sea Whisper continues to make her way north into the Sea. It is October 29th today and we are enjoying temperatures of 38C and a water temperature of 34C. Our anchorages will be picked carefully for wind and wave protection: Isla Spiritos Santo, Isla Partida, Isla San Franciso, San Evaristo, Aqua Verde Porto Escondito,Isla Danzante, San Juanico and Punta Pulpito. It is very warm so we get up early and do our boat chores before it gets too hot. At the anchorages we swim, snorkel, read, write and eat good food. On the beaches, there are often fishing camps and sea caves to explore, great dinghy excursions and hiking adventures.

Today, we are at Isla San Francisco and there is a welcoming 10 knot breeze blowing in the anchorage. At sunrise, we took our dinghy ashore and walked the white sandy beach for almost one km. and hiked up a gravel shale trail on the rim of a volcano crater. The views into the bay were spectacular: crystal clear turquoise waters, red volcanic rock, cactus and salt flats. This afternoon we are going snorkeling. I love my new snorkel gear that John and Craig gave me. Can’t tell you how much I am enjoying the water and swimming. Lionel calls me ‘Flipper’ all day long.

The scenery, oh the scenery. There are no words to describe the beauty; the unspoiled scenic splendor of the Sierra de la Giganta with its jagged peaks spilling into the deep sea, the pristine white beaches, turquoise waters and emerald green mangroves. The banded pink, green and black layers of striated rock create amazingly bold geological features. Sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking. At sunrise, the rocky cliffs, the reefs and mounds glow burnt red , and at sunset in the west the dark silhouettes of the Sierra de la Giganta afford magical vistas.

The Sea of Cortez is the second most diverse marine body in the world: home to whales, dolphins, sea lions and marine turtles, fish species and bird species for migration.

Snorkeling around the reefs and rock formations, we have found Sergeant majors, Sea stars, Angel fish, Ghost crabs and Fiddler crabs. And bird watching, we have discovered blue footed Booby birds, pelicans and Osprey.

On our way to San Evaristo we put our fishing rod out and caught a 10 lb. Dorado. It jumped all over the aft deck until I put a towel over its head and it went to sleep. We set the rod again and it went ripping out. This time it was a huge Dorado (Lionel saw it tail-walk twice). Unfortunately, it got some slack line and we lost it. Needless to say, our barbecued Dorado with papaya salsa, rice and beans and a cold glass of wine was delectable in the candlelit cockpit dining room!!

Fishing villages. The fishing village of San Evaristo has about 20 families living permanently. We watched the fishermen drop off their catch and load up their pangas with ice and fuel to head back to the fishing grounds. We met the children on the beach having an English lesson. They were so excited when we handed them our Canada pins. Their ‘gracias’ turned into a ‘Canada, Canada’ chant. Very sweet. In the fishing village of Aqua Verde we met several children and families. The roadways and dirt paths of the village connect to the simple houses and shacks where families live in simple abundance. We discovered cactus, small trees, little potted gardens, meandering dogs, goats and chickens resting in the mangroves, women tending black cook pots on an open fire and children playing quietly. As we admired Maria’s herb garden, she broke off several sprigs of basil and with her wide toothless grin squeezed them into my palm. Mucho Gracias, Mucho Gracias!! I didn’t know how to say ‘’for pesto” but she knew I was exceedingly jubilant. Brian, our young Mexican guide about 9 years old took us around the village to the 3 tiendas. Lionel is not shy speaking Spanish and so there is laughter fueled with his wit as we go from tienda to tienda shopping for tomatoes, onions, garlic, avocados, bananas, cookies, mineral water and goat cheese! Brian does a good job and we tip him with a few pesos. He runs to the nearest tienda to buy a pastry.

In our walk we visit the church in the center of the village. Inside there is an altar with a white starched altar cloth, a cement floor, benches and paper flowers. It’s peaceful, it’s simple, it’s restful. Now it’s time to go. We resist our departure. Everything here is so basic and simple. The children follow us down the dirt road. Along the way a young woman comes toward us with her necklaces handcrafted from beads and shells. I am attracted to her tortuga necklace which she designed and carved from an abalone shell. I pay her a few pesos and now I have a Tortuga necklace and a Tortuga mask! We bid farewell to our friends in the village hoping to see them again. And soon after on the beach ,where the fishing pangas are neatly parked, the cruising boats gather for an impromptu potluck. What a feast! With beach chairs and a make shift picnic table we dined on deep fried cabria fish, rice and bean salad, roasted stuffed green peppers and ceviche. We shared our adventures as the sunset over the Sierra de la Giganta. “Mucho gracias” for a wonderful day.

Loreto, with a population of 15,000, is a quaint seaside town famous for its history of Missionaries. Tourists are drawn to this area to enjoy beaches, fishing and kayaking. Vacation homes and condos are being built as we speak, by Americans. We visited Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, the bell tower and strolled through cobble stone streets where we stopped for coffee and delicious pineapple cake near the beautiful and historic Hotel Posada de las Flores in the central plaza. After provisioning at the frutteria, la panaderia and el mercado, we took a taxi 14 miles back to Porto Escondito. We’re movin on!

Sea Whisper is now heading for a short hop to Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante and then to San Juanico 44 miles away. On Isla Danzante we swam, snorkeled and climbed a steep rock mountain at the head of the bay. Another grand view! Before dawn we got under way enjoying our love for sailing, cruising and amazing adventures. As we sail, we are guided by the weather. In our weather course at home last winter, and now sailing in the Sea of Cortez, I am reminded and appreciate what I learned about tropical depressions, hurricanes, chubascoes and the north pacific high. At San Juanico we basked in the sheer beauty of this large picturesque bay with miles of beaches, hiking trails and snorkeling. Here 5 boats sat tight on their anchors for 3 days as a big ‘Norther ‘blew in. One afternoon on the beach; with chocolate brownies, dancing bear popcorn and samosas, live music and bocce ball, we had a great party. I had a ball jamming and singing with four other people with 2 guitars, a mouth organ, yukele, and drums for almost 3 hours while Lionel played a serious bocce match. The scenery, the setting, the sun and fellow sailors….nirvana!! We went to bed and echoed the same thought to each other, “how lucky we are to be in the Sea of Cortez”.

The next day had its challenges and then a joyful ending. Hoping that the Norther was on its way out, we pulled up anchor at 0400 hrs. and headed out to sea. The wind was still nasty 30-35 knots on our nose (as they say). With a double reef in the main and a small jib we pounded through the steep short seas and headed for Punta Pulpito, a 475 ft. headland protected from the north. After dropping the hook, I made some crepes and slathered them with blackberry and lingonberry jam. With hot tea, this was a treat after a rough passage. And this same day another boat repair; Lionel is fixing the water pump for the second time. His belly is sprawled over the engine compartment. He is asking me if he should try to fix the new pump or install the spare. I don’t think I have an opinion on this. I’ll read the Sea of Cortez Cruiser’s Guidebook instead! At the end of the day, fellow cruisers requested to use our SSB radio to send a message to their family. In return for this favour we were rewarded with fresh caught cabria and scallops. Life is good! I will have fun in the galley trying out new recipes in my ‘White Water ‘cookbook.

Today is 11/11/11…quite an anomaly, this Remembrance Day. It’s time to go exploring and check out the volcanic history. For 1 ½ hours we climbed the trail up the rocky headland of Punta Pulpito. At the top of the ‘pulpit’, when we reached the pinnacle , we lit a candle and paused to remember the brave people who fought for our country. On our descent we picked up ‘Apache Tears’, a smooth black volcanic glass better known as ‘Obsidian’. We also found layers of shells buried in sandstone. A swim across the bay, a rest and a read ended a perfect afternoon. As the seas began to calm we readied the boat for early morning sailing. The full moon was rising along the huge edge of Punta Pulpito. We sat and stared in silence as the big white ball cast a shimmering glow on the rippled sea and the coal black silhouette of the giant headland towering above us. And from the steep cliff sides, a light offshore breeze was sending wafts of sweet sage towards us. The fragrance was a feast for our senses!! p.s. The water pump is fixed.

And now it is November 15th and we are moored in the harbor of Santa Rosalia. We are loving this friendly working Mexican town where there are very few tourists. Over 100 years ago a French copper mining company took hold here and staked claims. The French architecture and influence still remains everywhere and Iglesia Santa Barbara was designed by Gustave Eiffel (the designer of Paris’ Eiffel Tower). We went to a church service there and were enthralled with the Spanish guitar music and singing. Back to the copper mining story; after producing 52,000 tons of copper in the late 1800’s, explosions, lung disease, cholera, short water supply and labour disputes forced the mine to shut down. Today, Mexico hwy. 1, ferries to the mainland and the fishing industry are making Santa Rosalia a bustling town. The copper mine has a new life and the town is showing signs of prosperity. We have been strolling the colourful streets, checking out the old French built houses, buying croissants and baquettes at the old French la panaderia. In the next couple of days we would like to have breakfast at the 1886 Hotel Frances, stroll on the malecon and hike into the hills along the old copper mine railroad tracks. And of course eat more croissants from la panaderia! Yum!! And speaking of eating , Lionel spotted a box of Kraft Dinner at el mercado today. So I guess when it’s his turn to cook again there will be some GOOEY, CHEESY dinner on Sea Whisper. Gotta let the Captain have his way once in awhile!!

Our check in: Charlie, Foxtrot, November 4129, Sea Whisper with Lionel and Barbara onboard, lat. 27.20 N, long 112.15 W, light winds out the south, 10-15 knots. Temp 29C, clear skies. Santa Rosalia

It’s now time to turn around and head back down the sea to enjoy some of the spots we missed, and revisit some of our favourite spots. La Paz will be our jumping off point to sail 300 miles across the sea (not 26 miles across the sea)! There, we will meet up with son John and his family in Puerto Vallarta in Banderos Bay for Christmas.

Sea Whisper Adventures to be continued……If anyone would like to drop us a line email us at cwhisper@hotmail.com (we’d love to hear from you)

Adios amigos,
Lionel and Barbara