Caleta San Juanico

Another 'must see' stop along the cruisers beaten path in the Sea of Cortez is the very picturesque San Juanico anchorage. We left Ballandra with the expectation that winds had abated enough to allow a passage more or less north leaving Isla Coronados to our port. But as soon as we were out of the protection of the anchorage we knew we were in for a lumpy ride north. The sea has quite a long fetch from the north so when the wind blows for a couple of days as it had it takes a while for the seas to calm down - it hadn't. So we set a tack across the waves so as not to pound directly into the steep short waves streaming down from the north. This put us a course to leave Isla Coronados to starboard instead - no worries, the passage between the island and the mainland was easily passable giving us a good look at the island anchorages available on the way should we need them on our way south in a few weeks. We were entertained with several dolphin and whale sightings as well so it was not all work. Once in the lee of the island the seas calmed and we let the jib out and motor sailed for a while. Once around the island the winds favoured us so we set both the main and jib and turned off the motor and enjoyed a nice sail up the coast. It was not to last as the winds died completely so we ended up motoring into San Juanico and set the anchor near a large rock call 'the lump'. The bay filled up quickly with other cruisers seeking refuge from more predicted northerly winds which eventually tested our holding on the sandy bottom.
San Juanico deserves it's reputation as it is truly very beautiful with colourful sandstone and volcanic cliffs and with islets dotting the aquamarine waters of the bay. Kathy entertained us with fishing from the side of the boat - and catching fish! One of the neighbouring boats - Limerick, who was anchored in Ballandra when we were there - had given us some small hooks and some cut up fish for bait which Kathy used to snag a couple of what we understood to be 'trigger fish'. They have very nice front teeth (like dentures!) and grunt like a pig when I was working to dislodge the hook. I couldn't bring myself to kill the poor things as Kathy wanted for more bait. What a wimp eh?
On the shore is a 'cruiser's shrine' - a tree hung with all manner of trinkets and trash with boat names and dates of their visit hanging and swinging in the breeze. Kathy used our soldering iron to burn "Cruising on Solar Flair" onto a small cocoanut she picked up along the way - so we added our contribution for posterity. We also made two hikes up a trail to a viewpoint above the bay - the first time we had forgotten our camera so we ad to make the trek again for the photo-op - we need the exercise for sure.

Punto Pulpito

After a stay of four very nice days in San Juanico it was time head north again. Our destination was Bahia Conception where we planned to hang around for several days before turning south for La Paz. But the strong northerly winds were still making the way uncomfortable so with the forecast suggesting winds abating later in the day we decided we'd make the short hop up the coast to a small but northerly protected anchorage called Punto Pulpito. Sure enough the wind and seas made the passage miserable as we pounded through short steep waves along the coast. Mercifully, the passage was only about 2 hours so we arrived around noon and put the anchor down in sand below cliffs that did their best to break the wind which did it's best to uproot us but fortunately failed. The anchorage is nice and served it's purpose as a refuge along the way to Conception.

Bahia Conception - Playa Santispac

We left Pulpito early the next morning knowing we were in for one of the longest passages since our cruise south on the Pacific coast of Baha. By now the wind had turned to the NW and seas had died down so we had the opportunity to raise sails and try for some free propulsion. Well, not so much as we needed to keep the motor on in order to make meaningful headway given the distance we wanted to cover. And the winds eventually fell straight on our nose so down come the sails and motoring is the only way. By the time we rounded Point Conception and turned into the bay, the seas were flat and the wind almost calm - very pretty and serene. We were dragging our hand line and lure but caught nothing but seaweed. We headed south into the bay heading for the large bay on the western shore called Bahia Cayote which contains several anchorages - Santispac being where we decided to head.
Santispac is another popular spot for cruisers - and as it turns out - campers as well. Since we were here just as the Easter week was beginning, the beach slowly but steadily filled with Mexican on their camping holiday. Lots of action with fishing boats and Sea Doos buzzing around, kayaks and wind surfers, and other cruisers coming and going with their dinghies.
Since we were low on supplies - and water having lost all of one of our tanks into the bilge and overboard to a loose hose clamp (damn!) - we asked Carlos who worked in Anna's Cantina on the beach if we could catch a ride into Mulege (mu-le-hay) up Highway 1 about 20 miles. So next morning at 7:30 we dinghied ashore with our jerry cans and joined Carlos and the boss and her daughter for the ride to town. They dropped us off at the grocery store where we grabbed a few things and waited at the internet café across the street for their return. Carlos (great guy!) agreed to buy the water for us and before long we were on our way back to the boat. Too bad we didn't really have much time to explore the town but it was cool to get a look at the road into town and stretch our legs in the bargain. Saturday night was Rib Night at Anna's (which is why they went to town to stock up) which we enjoyed with Katey and Mike from Pangea (who we met on Dock 3 in La Paz).
The weather for the five days we were anchored was amazing. Sunny and in the 90's for much of it which meant swimming off the boat was mandatory to cool down - very nice indeed! We also dinghied over to La Burro bay where Geary - who does the weather on the Sonrisa Net every morning has his Ham Shack - literally! The beach is lined with palapa-style cottages and Geary's is bristling with antennas. No wonder he comes in loud and clear no matter where we were.

Punta Chivato

We had enough of Santispac party town so we decided to change our plans and head further north to the small city of Santa Rosalita. So we upped anchor and headed up Bahia Conception to the anchorage at Punta Chivato - across the bay from Punta Conception. As we did I glanced back at the beach and sure enough a carnival had started to set up kid rides in the parking lot so we're out of there in the nick of time. Winds were light in the bay but as we cleared Conception they began to pick up from the NE so we raised sails and turned off the motor. We had a spirited sail close hauled as the winds grew to the high teens tacking once to get a better line on the anchorage. By the time we downed sails and motored into the Chivato the winds were over 20 knots true which made for a spirited anchoring as well! But we got the hook down and set and spent the next couple of hours watching our position to be sure we didn't drag.

Santa Rosalia

The next morning all was calm and the seas flat as we set out for Santa Rosalia about 25 miles north. The winds were predicted to turn around to the south and as the day progressed we managed to find enough wind to motor with the jib. We saw a few dolphins and rays breaking the surface and a couple of lazy sea lions lying on their back with fins raised above the water - evening out their tan no doubt. The final few miles gave us enough wind so that the engine could be stopped so we glided along watching our buddy boats Good as Gold and Pangea behind us with spinnakers billowing.
As we headed into our slip at the Fonatur marina we were greeted by a Mexican worker on the dock. Normally this is a welcome sight but I guess this fellow was not very experienced since he tied off the bow line about half way along the finger. I was not expecting this so of course the boat slams into the finger - bang! What the heck? I thought I had come in too hot but Kathy let me know later that it was not my fault - whew!
We checked into the Fonatur marina and paid for 3 days thinking that would be enough to check out the historic old copper mining town developed by the French. Stories have it that copper ore was barged up north to our neck of the woods and pacific timber shipped back on the return as evidenced by all the old wooden buildings that make up the town. The town sports a wrought iron church that was designed by Mr. Eiffel - of Paris tower fame - that was disassembled, shipped, then reassembled in Santa Rosalia. On Easter Sunday Kathy wandered into town for a service.
So this morning we start to make our way back south. We'll likely retrace our route staying at our favourite anchorages and maybe trying a couple of those we missed. Now, bring on the northerlies!