A Taste of Cruising Mexico
| Vessel Name: | Journey |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Passport 40 |
| Hailing Port: | Ventura, Ca |
| Crew: | Jeff and Dori Beller |
| About: | We're home ported out of Ventura, California. Jeff is a software engineer and Dori is a special ed teacher. We're both on sabbatical from our carreers or early retirement. We're not too sure which and don't really care. Cruising fits us real well right now. |
| Extra: | This is our third extended cruise to Mexico. I guess we like it there! We hope you enjoy reading this journal of our cruise. |
19 March 2020 | Ventura, CA
Another Taste of Mexico
This is a photo from back in 2008, the first time Journey went cruising to Mexico. The boat was full and overflowing with guests come to wish us Bon Voyage before we set off on our travels. It is a memory we still cherish.
12 July 2012 | Ventura, CA
Home Sweet Home
Journey has been home for just over a week, after sailing into Ventura harbor on the Fourth of July.
20 June 2012 | San Diego, CA
Survivors of the Un-Bash
It seems there is no rest for the weary. (OK, after resting four days, I guess being weary isn't an excuse anymore.) Anyway, we've received a few 'gentle' hints from some impatient readers. They've noticed that our position reports show we've reached San Diego, but our blog hasn't been updated to reflect [...]
12 June 2012 | Turtle Bay
A Night at Anabel's
Last night we debated whether or not to leave Turtle Bay early this morning, but one day's rest just didn't put a dent in the sense of exhaustion we were feeling after this last week. So we put off our departure until tomorrow. Our reward for making that decision was spending this evening at Anabel's. There [...]
11 June 2012 | Turtle Bay
The Half Way Point
Arriving at Turtle Bay is a milestone because it means you've reached the half-way point in your trip up or down the Baja. Several of the boats who left Cabo with us had a little celebration by having a scrumptious potluck lunch hosted by Mary and Jack on S.V. Oriana. We also attended to mundane details [...]
04 June 2012 | Bahia San Juanico
The 'Un-bash'
With one-third of the trip north completed, the good news is that we haven't really been 'bashed' much at all. The closest we've came was the passage around Cabo Falso early Saturday AM which Jeff described in his last post. As he mentioned, once that was behind us, it was all motoring in calm seas [...]
A Photographer's Paradise
We have now arrived in La Paz, having visited Isla San Jose, Isla San Francisco, and Isla Espiritu Santo. During the week we've spent in La Paz, though, we've both been busy preparing the boat to be left in the marina for several weeks and enjoying opportunities to touch base with cruiser friends we haven't seen since last season.
We've been discussing our overall impressions after spending the fall in the Sea of Cortez for the first time (all our previous visits were in the spring) and agreed that we were kind of disappointed. The extreme weather conditions--30 knot blows that lasted for several days at a time were the norm--meant we had to 'hunker down' and wait it out on the boat way too often. It put a crimp on kayaking, diving and even just getting ashore to explore.
But there's one aspect of the sea that has never disappointed us. It has always proved to be a photographer's paradise. Everywhere you look, the landscape is painted an amazing variety of hues and shades. Sheer cliffs, rugged canyons, cactus-covered desert terrain or white sand beaches at sunset are like manna from heaven if you're looking for the perfect photo.
The best time to have your camera at hand is during the 'magic hours' just after sunrise or before sunset. Bathed in warm light that brings out vivid colors and casts fascinating shadows, just about any pictorial subject becomes photogenic. Even the bad weather helps in this area. Dark clouds can provide that one-in-a-million shot when the sun breaks through and you have a perfect 'Ansel Adams' moment.
All of which is one reason why we might need to add memory to our laptop to contain all the pictures from two avid photographers.
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We've posted our favorite photos from this year's cruising in the Sea of Cortez
46 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
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Four glorious days of surfing "the longest wave" at Matanchen Bay in warm water, tropical surroundings, and no crowds.
11 Photos
Created 13 April 2012
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Dori shot these photos of a morning surf session at Barra de Navidad. She was standing on the breakwater which adjacent to the surf break, giving great access for pictures.
15 Photos
Created 22 February 2012
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This is a morning spent touring the estuary and river above Matanchen up to Tovara springs.
28 Photos
Created 27 January 2012
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Yelapa is a unique little hidden away village on the south side of Banderas Bay. No roads reach it and the only way to get there is by water.
14 Photos
Created 15 March 2011
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