Absolutely a dream come true … to have the boat in an ‘exotic’ location, and have family come to enjoy some time with us exploring and sailing. This was always a big part of our wishes for the cruising life, and so we were super excited to have Julian’s son and his family, Will, Holly, and children Maddie and Ellie arrive on December 29th to spend New Years with us in La Paz.
With Colin father turning 80 in early January and plans for a family celebration, Colin was going to have to leave on the 2nd January, but we had a good few days with all of us together before he left, and Will and Holly stayed on until the 10th.
New Years Eve – Balandra – 12/31/2019
| Departure: | Marina Costa Baja |
| Arrival: | Bahia Balandra / Marina Costa Baja |
| Distance (nm): | 8.8 |
| Engine Hours (trip end): | 257.08 |
| Crew & Guests: | Julian, Colin, Will, Holly, Maddie, Ellie |
| Weather: | light wind, sunny |
Will, Holly Maddie & Ellie had been with us a couple of days and we were anxious to get out and experience a bit of sailing and find a beautiful sandy beach for everyone to enjoy. With almost no wind, the sailing was a bit of a bust but the trip out to Balandra and back was the perfect beach day, and we were back in time for New Years Eve in La Paz.
First Attempt (Fail) – January 4th, 2020
| Departure: | Marina Costa Baja |
| Arrival: | Marina Costa Baja |
| Distance (nm): | 13.2 |
| Engine Hours (trip end): | 258.22 |
| Crew & Guests: | Julian, Will, Holly, Maddie, Ellie |
| Weather: | Some cloud, 15 – 20 knots of wind |
We were anxious to get out to the Islands, experience a bit of sailing and spend a few nights ‘on the hook’, but a mild ‘norther’ had kicked in and looked like it was going to hang around for a bit. Nevertheless, we set off, hoping to make our way to a Bay with some protection, but heading into the wind, while the sailing was exciting, the chop made for an uncomfortable ride. While we were close to being back in Balandra but the crew looking increasingly uncomfortable, it seemed like the better idea to enjoy a downwind sail back to the Marina. Well, we tried!
Road Trip – Todos Santos – January 5, 2020
With the norther in the Sea of Cortez still blowing it was the opportunity to head off on a road trip to Todos Santos, explore the town a bit, enjoy a most excellent (very) Mexican lunch, and then head out to the spectacular, and popular Los Cerritos beach.
Finally sailing – 7/8/9 January, 2020
| Departure: | Marina Costa Baja, La Paz |
| Arrival: | Caleta Lobos / Caleta El Cardonal (Isla Partida) |
| Distance (nm): | 65.1 |
| Engine Hours (trip end): | 267.3 |
| Crew & Guests: | Julian, Will, Holly, Maddie, ellie |
| Weather: | Mostly light winds, sun, clouds, warm enough! |
Tuesday 1/7: With the norther looking like it was going to die down later in the day, we headed out of the Marina in the afternoon, looking to get to a comfortable overnight spot. Initially putting into Balandra, it was clear that there was still a good swell that could make for a rolly evening, so we headed to the bay just further south, Caleta Lobo, dropping the anchor just in time to enjoy the sunset. A great spot for Maddie’s twelfth BIRTHDAY!
Wednesday 1/8: Headed out early, getting to Enseñada El Cardonal with a little bit of sailing, but mostly motoring. Very nice! We were on our own for a few hours bot joined by two other ‘salty’ boats traveling together (two younger couples and a dog). We spent the afternoon lying on the beach, enjoying the echo of the surrounding hills, and Ellie and Maddie running a make-shift hurdle course. Grandpa trod on a dead porcupine fish, the cause of weeks of frustration!
Thursday 1/9: We had a very pleasant night on board, but woke up to grey skies and an albeit peaceful, beautiful surroundings, so we headed out with the plan of getting back to Balandra to enjoy some afternoon sun. Will, determined to catch a fish had three lines out. We spent a fun afternoon on the beach, with the girls much more comfortable playing with the snorkel kit. Will, Maddie and I (Julian) took a dinghy ride around the point to the deserted beach (deserted other than the ever-present pack of four dogs we have seen a number of times), and had a great time exploring the rocky shore, with fish, bright orange crabs and a crystal clear view of the sandy floor.
A motor home at sunset … Will reluctantly pulling in the fishing line and admitting defeat from a total block-out by the fish in La Paz, with the one exception of a stunning Dorado, caught but flipped its way to freedom before we could get it on the grill.
Cruising Logbook 