Puerto Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas before “The Bash”
29 June 2011
23 03.716’N, 109 40.413’W
We arrived at Puerto Los Cabos on Thursday, 6/10 at 1000 after a 24 hour run around the Cape from La Paz. Quite a few other boats were staging there including Sirocco. We got a slip close to them on the ‘cheap dock’ without power, but with this sunshine who needed it. Les George, a B-Dock mate from Oceanside and licensed Coast Guard Captain was going to assist Sirocco with their transit north so he was here too. It’s a reunion! We got checked into the marina and checked out for the following day at the same time and utilized the services of a ‘ships agent’ to process our check-out papers from Mexico. It cost a few extra pesos, but this way when we get up the Baja we would to go into Ensenada to check out, but could continue on to San Diego, which is a real time saver and by that time of the trip all you want to do is to get it over with.
We spent the afternoon doing a few final things to get the boat and ourselves ready to head up the outside of the Baja for the “Bash” as it’s called. The prevailing wind, waves and current are all coming down the Pacific Coast from Alaska and can make the trek northwards an endurance test for both the boat and crew. I know some of you are asking, what could you still have to do to get ready to go? Today, I dove the boat for a final bottom check, a little barnacle removal, check the zincs, prop and shaft. I checked everything that’s tied down on deck and re-tied a few items, checked for loose nut, bolts and inspected rigging, a last check of the engine and mechanicals. Marisa made some food items up in advance, sandwiches, pasta salad and baked some cookies for snacks and we secured everything inside so it won’t become a missle.
That evening a couple of Les’ local friends came to the marina and picked us all up to go to dinner at what just so happens to be one of my favorite places in the Los Cabos area, “Zipper’s” on Coast Azule between San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. A good time was had by all, and too much so for “Margarisa”. But, she survived the night and we were off to Cabo in the morning.
The ride to Cabo San Lucas is a 22 nm run. We got over there around 1400, went inside the harbor to top off our fuel and then stuck our nose out around the point of land at the tip of the cape, known as ‘Finesterra” or lands end. The bay before the cape is typically deceptively tranquil. It can be warm and sunny with a light breeze blowing across the bay while the other side of the point will be cold, overcast, blowing 20-25 knots with seas easily to ten feet and a short wave period, very uncomfortable. Going north directly into that for 800 plus miles to San Diego has been knicknamed, “The Bash”. It may not have been quite that bad at the moment, but it was early afternoon and the winds were building. We decided ‘out there’ was no place to be and anchored off the beach at Cabo, between the “Office” and Pueblo Bonito Blanco, if you know where those places are located. We spent the afternoon napping and mentally getting ready to do battle with the forces outside that night after it calmed down; we hoped. Happy birthday to me!