S/V INTREPID II - Cape Dory Intrepid 40

My photo
Intrepid II is a Cape Dory Intrepid 40 sailboat, hull #2, designed by Chuck Paine and discovered by the Captain in Blue Hill Maine in 2006. The crew are Kelly (Captain) and Carol (Admiral and Blogger). In 2009 INTREPID II embarked on her West Coast journey from Victoria to San Francisco, the Baja Sur Peninsula and into the Sea of Cortez. In 2010/2011, we sailed from Guaymas, south to Bahia Banderas and back. In 2011/2012 we left Guaymas, headed south to La Paz, spent three weeks at anchor on our northward journey and rested on the hard in San Carlos. Her 4th, 5th and 6th seasons were Boat Projects related. Season 7 - an incredible amount of boat work - but no cruising. Season 8 - Tropical Storm Sergio toppled Intrepid II in San Carlos dry storage. A disappointing season of serious and costly repairs. Season 9 - continuing those repairs and still hopeful for cruising.

January 25, 2011

Let's stay in La Paz a few more days

It's Tuesday evening and we've booked ourselves a few more days at Marina Palmira.  We realized we were a bit too ambitious to think we could arrive, decompress, have a few quick visits to Club Cruceros and catch up with friends, get healthy and leave all in 4 or 5 days.  The flu 'bug' that almost every other person had in Guaymas and San Carlos is also here in La Paz.  It is that annoying cough and upper respiratory thing that tends to sap a lot of energy.  This morning included a bit more rest for the Admiral and I ensured I was in our cozy cabin before dark. The cooler night air seems to have a negative effect as on my coughing as well.

We have enjoyed these first few days in La Paz, with a shuttle ride to Club Cruceros and catching up with people we met last season who are either at anchor or managed to find spots in Marina de La Paz. Linde and Ken of SV Rosebud fame joined us for a Bandito burger Saturday evening and we caught up on news and their plans for this cruising season. 
SV Rosebud folks with Kelly
For BCA folks reading this, we were welcomed by Jay and Anita of Karina C and enjoyed catching up on their adventures.  We checked out the chandlers, found the missing bits and pieces we needed and a few more things we hadn't known we'd needed.  We've met some new folks on the dock through first meeting their friendly dogs and it's nice to say 'hola' and compare plans for the day. Across the way on Dock 5 is an incredibly annoying piling which chooses the oddest times to emit a high pitched sound somewhere between a small fog horn or high pitched creak...at 3 am in the morning our first night we had no idea what it could be. 

When we initially thought we'd be ready to leave by today, we did a provisioning run first to the Bravo Market for bacon (ticino - cut thick the way Kelly likes it), some fish fillets and camarones (shrimp).  The La Fonda restaurant was nearby, so we had an economical 'comida' (lunch of the day) for $50 pesos,  which provided a pasta soup, chicken mole, rice and frijoles, as well as a colourful bowl of jello for dessert.
A favorite lunch spot in La Paz


Brilliant flowers at La Fonda









Determining which way the colectivos (local buses) run towards our next destination was a challenge at which succeeded. The names of major stores or streets are painted on the bus front windows and we hopped aboard one bound for "CCC" - which is now Chadrawai's supermarket but doesn't abbreviate so well.  This is a large grocery store which is carrying 'international' foods in one section and now have a much more elaborate wine selection.  Kelly didn't find his extra old cheddar as hoped, but will make do with Tillamook sharp cheddar. (Michael and David...you could have left some for the rest of us!).  It was an 80 peso cab ride back to the marina and then considerable marking, stowing and sorting into the lockers.

Enjoying lunch with a good friend
We were pleased to reconnect with our friend Henry, who has made La Paz his home for several years and is active in its vibrant music scene.  He treated us to another tour of La Paz and drove out to a favorite open air restaurant near the ferry terminal at Pichilingue while we caught up on the events of the last year.
Baja Ferries located at Pichilingue north of La Paz
Today was a morning to rest up, once we decided to add those few days on, then go into town for some supplies.  We've read about how the 'jejenes' or 'no-see-ums' in parts of the mainland can be quite aggressive.  Rather than avoid places like San Blas, we thought we'd make some additional screens to go over the portholes from the outside.  We've purchased a very fine mesh 'tul' or tulle - used for wedding veils and belly dancing outfits,  managing to find some very plain stuff.  None of the glitz and glitter fabric seemed quite right!   After a bit of experimenting we should be able to hand sew some screen covers along the way.

There are also some good online instructions for making dinghy chaps which are canvas covers to go on your dinghy when it is right side up and in the water.  A great suggestion was to use a light-weight vinyl (plastico crystal) to drape over the dinghy to make a pattern.  This would allow you to mark the various cutouts and darts with marking pens.  A project for later - before we return home, and then 'whip up' the cover in all that spare time we might have?

We've been checking out our cruising friends' blogs and enjoying their adventures.  Many of them are in the Tenacatita and Barra de Navidad areas which are destinations we won't reach this season.  Fair winds to you as you make your ways south!  To family and friends back home in the cold and wet -- we're trying to send you sunshine and warmer days.  Spring should be around the corner.