It was very tough to make the decision, but at Barra de Navidad we committed ourselves. Barra is as far south as we will head this trip. We had big plans to head south, and further south, to the Galapagos or the South Pacific or both. But we realized along the way that we would spend most of our time at sea if we did that--it takes five weeks' sailing just to get to the Marquesas, for example, and after that we would have to come back. We recognized that we really enjoy our time ashore, exploring cities and towns and meeting people. We also want more experience before we set off across the sea, particularly since it's not a one-way trip: Those five weeks to Hiva Oa would be only the beginning.

We feel a lingering sense of regret that we did not make the bold leap to the pearl-laden sandbars of the Tuamotus and the palm-fringed shores of Tahiti. Our friends have moved on south (the Mandys) or west (the Sea Wolfs), apparently with an assuredness we do not quite share.

But we don't feel too bad about it because we have other plans. For one, we really want to improve our Spanish, so we will spend time studying. And for another, we will wander the Sea of Cortez, baking in the desert heat and cooling off in some of the clearest and most fertile waters on Earth.