We said our goodbyes to Cabo San Lucas and our friend and crew member Dr. John Hawkinson. Unfortunately we didn't have much wind while John was aboard, but everything else was wonderful; food, scenery, fishing and weather. Nancy Willy joins us for a week in La Paz during Carnival; should be great fun.
The trip up from Cabo San Lucas was snotty; no wind during the day and when it filled it with mid teens in the evening it was dead on the nose and brought a nasty square sea. It was a long night. Arrived La Paz mid-morning; we'll be here for a week while Susan sprints home to get our visas for French Polynesia which have been approved for a 6 month stay.

Reflections on the Baja west coast. Since our last trip down in 1999 the panga fishermen's lot seems to have improved somewhat. Engines are up to 75hp from 15. Many wear foul weather gear and boots, and a few actually wear PFD's when in transit. Their shoreside shacks are now often small pre-fab buildings, in some cases with a wind generator so they have some power. The whales on this trip were very active??"we saw many leaping out of the water, though not a very close range. The water in Bahia Magdelena and Santa Maria was very clear, and there are many indications of ecological concerns and environmental awareness. Whalewatching and other forms of eco-tourism are important to remote area, so they are aware of the importance of keeping their water environment clean.

The photo is from the transit to Cabo San Lucas.