Carnaval photos

Photos from the Sunday parade and that evening, as well as the floats heading out on Monday as we walked back from the grocery store...and a mini children's parade near Marina de La Paz.

Carnaval Reina and attendents

Junior Rey and Reina

Fancy rope work 

Everyone needs some glitz at Carnaval

Time for a rest and bebidas - Jim and Kelly at Kiwi's

Our first week in La Paz - a busy one

Dock 5 at sunset in Marina Palmira

It's Friday night (February 24th).  We are sitting quietly onboard, catching up with correspondence, loading pictures and doing some updating; not out on the town as might be expected.  The wind has settled down and for now there are few distractions; very peaceful.

We rode our bikes to our second Spanish class and had an intense but instructive two hours with our instructor Marco.  We have moved through the "ar, er, and ir" verbs and on to the start of those tricky 'irregular" ones.  The school, "Se Habla...La Paz" is in a quiet residential neighborhood about a mile and a half from the marina, The setting  is restful and welcoming.

Students waiting for classes to start - inside and outside

After class, we rode to a bike repair shop, which was closed for siesta. Onward to put air in the tires at a Pemex station and further onward to a 'papeleria', a stationery store for 3 ring binders, paper and a hole punch.  Conveniently this was next to a Thrifty's ice cream parlour.  Of course we had to sit to rest and watch the passing scene in the square across 5 de Mayo while enjoying our ice cold treats.

Our bikes on the dock - guess who has to pedal faster?

Kelly's "new to him" bike was wobbling more than he liked.  We made our way down to the malecon to ride more easily to the bike rental shop we'd purchased the bike from two days ago.  This time the manager/owner was there and he ensured the front wheel was checked and trued up much better than before.  Carol also found a used bike helmet  as we weren't comfortable riding without them and hope to find one soon for Kelly.  The bikes cover distance more readily, but there is still lots of peddling!  We are also on the lookout for a rear rack for Kelly's bike or a basket which will give him a chance to do cerveza runs more efficiently!

Kelly test driving his bike - street full of taxis

New transportation - almost a good fit

The weekend is here.  Should we visit the new organic market near the Post Office, or attend the block party later in the afternoon to celebrate the Pan de Les bakery's new location?   Perhaps we will actually tackle a boat project under sunny skies, so it shouldn't be too much of a chore.  We're including a variety of pictures taken in this past week: birds, cats, hats, all things which make up a colourful and vibrant environment in this city.

Coconut leaf horse

Heron at water's edge

Snowy egret 

Heron dozing on neighbour's boat

Semi-feral cats at the marina restaurant

Friday morning update - February 24

We've now been in La Paz for one busy week and are looking forward to the rest of our stay. Wednesday was our first Spanish lesson at "Se Habla...La Paz" language school.  We are soon heading out for our second class, homework complete and hopefully with a new set of 'verbos' at our disposal to conjugate.  This is our serious effort at expanding our limited Spanish vocabulary and grammar skills in a more disciplined and focused manner.  Paying  to do so is certainly an incentive to hit the books regularly!

When we checked out the opportunities the school offered last Monday, with Juli, the Director of the School, we were pleased to learn they offered flexible scheduling arrangements.  We've chosen 2 hour classes, three times a week.  That should allow us to continue with boat chores and projects, explore La Paz, visit Club Cruceros for coffee hour and to meet with other cruisers, while leaving time for study and practice.  Having the folding bike for Carol and finding a larger framed used bike for Kelly has given us the flexibility to ride up to the school, which is a 10 - 15 minute ride away and save our feet for other excursions.

Yesterday morning (Thursday), we enjoyed a few hours over brunch catching up with our amigo Frank.  That was followed by an adventure riding an 'urbano' bus, which is supposed to travel across the city to further neighbourhoods.  As Marina Palmira is on the north end of the city, we chose a bus which listed  the Pedregal neighbourhood and asked the driver if he went near the marina.  He said yes, so we had a tour through downtown, then turns to the right and left, always in the right northerly direction.  Our thoughts were that he'd eventually reach the main road coming or going....not so!  At the very top of the high hills he advised us to get off and pointed to a dirt road heading west.  We could see the harbour, but not the marina.  Long story short....we walked and walked, and confirmed with some house  painters at a home under construction that we were on the right road.  Eventually we reach the malecon very near the marina.  Quite the city tour as well!  All for 8 pesos each.

The long road home

Still a ways to go ...

More thoughts and pictures to follow.   We hope all is well with you wherever you are today!

Aqua Verde (25 31.425 N, 111 04.419 W)

Aqua Verde was one of several anchorages we looked forward to exploring this season.  It lies south of Puerto Escondido and is in the cruising area near Loreto area marine park.  We chose not to stop at Puerto Escondido, as we had adequate fuel and water.

Isla Danzante - a sleeping dragon

After the thrill of  the large pod of Bottle nose dolphins keep us company for over 20 minutes, we continued on with our motor-sail.  We viewed Bahia Marquer, which is more of an open indentation than an actual bay towards the south west end of Carmen. Our position on the water showed the characteristics of Isla Danzante, which tend to resemble more the 'sleeping dragon' silhouette than that of a dancer.

Roca Solitario at the entrance to Aqua Verde

This route had us bypass Los Candeleros, the three 'candle stub-like' islands we had skirted on previous northward sails. As the mid-day winds picked up, we started to watch for Roca Solitario, which is a prominent  rock outside the entrance to Aqua Verde.  The seas started to develop a swell and some chop.  We were glad we'd left in ample time to enjoy a pleasant, rather than insistent wind.  Looking into the anchorage we made out some catamarans anchored for scuba diving near one set of islands.  Several sailboats pass by both north and south, all of us with differing agendas.

Aqua Verde is a small fishing community and prized for its beautiful turquoise green waters. The fact that it has both north and south lobes, offers protection in various wind conditions, except from the east. Roca Solitario also offers excellent snorkeling and diving  opportunities; if and when the weather goes above 68 degrees! We had rolled up the jib earlier, then turned INTREPID II into the north east wind to drop the main once we entered the bay.  The bimini offers us protection from UV rays, but obscures seeing the wind direction from the helm.  Suddenly the mainsail was dropping to port in great folds, straining our Dutchman lines past the breaking point.  Kelly managed to tidy up the mainsail (with a few editorial comments).  We motored on towards the north cove wondering if we could find a suitable spot inside the reef.  There were three boats in prime spots and pangas filled the space in front of the beach.  (Note:  The mono filament lines were shortly re-threaded through the mainsail and tucked into their pocket; all was well.)

Aqua Verde looking east

Pangas and Buildings on north beach

INTREPID II  at anchor in Aqua Verde

Closer in to shore our perspective improved.  We anchored close in, checking with the folks on nearby boats for the scope they had out.  Our challenge also included a charted rock lying some 8 to 10 feet under water in prime anchoring space.  Aqua Verde wasn't quite what we expected from its rave reviews.  In this north cove, the hills rise high to the north west, blocking the view of sunsets and the hills to the south east.  Though offering good wind protection, they block the sunrise.  However, we deemed that a small price to pay for calmer waters and reasonable wind protection. Soon we had a visit from Greg and Janet and boat dog Atajo, who had arrived just after us and chose the south cove for the night.  They had departed from Guaymas in early January and we enjoyed comparing notes on our activities since that time.  Atajo has the honour of being our first onboard canine visitor.

The following day we dinghied ashore with hopes of stretching our legs on a long walk over trails noted in the cruising guides. Closeup they certainly appeared more like goat trails, offering limited footing up and over some of the nearby ridges.  Our hike therefore was more of a meander with stops for photos and to admire the various view scapes and perspectives.  Onshore there are two buildings which appear to be occupied by members of the village fishing co-operative.  It does not appear that the "Aqua Verde Yacht Club" is even a virtual site any longer.  The fishing folk have raised up wire fences to indicate the structures are in use.

Panga and fishing shed off our stern

Beach cliffs

We have now met George, captain of  the SV Susie.  We'd heard of this capable fellow, often single-handing, over the past 3 years, yet never crossed paths.  He has a unique radio presence in describing his mechanical crew and we were pleased to finally have a chat with him after his arrival. George left later on Tuesday afternoon.   His presence was replaced by three motor vessels of varying size and one sailboat to keep us company.


Kelly took the water temperature - a cool 65 - 66 degrees, decided it wasn't about to warm up much, nor would he have calmer waters to check the propeller and zincs.  Into his westsuit, then into the turquoise waters....brrr!  Surprisingly, the water is not overly clear, but once under the boat he could see that all was well.  No growth on the propeller and the zinc was in good shape.

Good news - the prop and zinc are in good shape

Tuesday was Valentine's Day.  We celebrated by preparing a flavourful meal including a small steak we'd saved for the occasion and a bottle of white wine. Salud!

Puerto Ballandra to Aqua Verde - Monday Feb. 13

On our Monday morning departure from Puerto Ballandra towards Aqua Verde, we had a beautiful sunny morning, a slight ripple and swell to the sea and a smiggin of haze over the Baja peninsula. We motored slowly over to SV Daydreamer to say farewell, then headed down the west side of Isla Carmen.  Soon afterwards, we spotted some fins between INTREPID II  and the island but nothing we could capture in photos.  As the splashes became more exuberant, we determined there were more than a few dolphins in the area.  Out came the cameras; soon we had a pod of Bottlenose dolphins swimming over to check us out.

Such an event is a major treat. With the calm seas, we were comfortable leaving the auto pilot on and moving forward on the deck; Kelly to starboard and Carol to the bow.  We try to remember that experiencing these encounters is more important than taking photos.  It is extremely difficult to duplicate in a photo the awe and connection you feel when a dolphin turns on its side and regards you with its very knowledgeable look.

These photos offer a glimpse of our special treat.

Catch up: San Juanico to Puerto Ballandra

Courtesy of Moon Publications

Puerto Ballandra is a small bay on the north west side of Isla Carmen, a large island to the east of the small city of Loreto which is an historic mission location.  It  is approximately 24 nautical miles in a southerly direction from San Juanico as the dolphin swims, so we estimated between 4 - 5 hours for our journey.   The forecast was for afternoon winds of NW 15 - 20 knot winds and NW seas in the 2 - 4 foot range.  As 'afternoon' is not precisely defined we headed out at 09:45 into a light swell to take advantage of lighter winds and smoother seas.  As we mentioned in our brief earlier update, Ballandra is a great anchorage and we enjoyed our first time very much.

Cactus high on ridge over beach

Red sea star in clear shallow water

Shale formation on south west headland

Window rock

However on Sunday we had to decide whether to stay or move on?  We were enjoying the peacefulness and ability to relax in a protected spot, so one more day was the answer.  Noon-ish brought another welcome surprise when we spotted SV Daydreamer anchoring to the north; we wondered if they knew something about the weather changing that we hadn't heard?  John and Diane paid us a visit shortly after.  We caught up on their travels, including a trip to the Copper Canyon, before the wind picked up and they headed back in somewhat choppy conditions.

Another quiet night with a decision made to haul anchor in the morning and set our sights for Aqua Verde.

Sunset looking towards Loreto to the west

Catch-up: Guaymas to San Juanico February 7 - 9

This is a more detailed description of our passage from Guaymas westward to Caleta San Juanico a few weeks ago:

As we commented in our earlier 'summary', our departure from Guaymas was challenged by unexpected fog and the temporary closure of the port.  Once we were well underway and through the last of the fog banks, INTREPID II responded well to being back at sea at long last.  Our concern about growth on the propeller and waterline seemed needless, as she made good time.  The engine stayed on to charge the batteries as we were using radar and the auto-pilot through the fog banks and on into the night.  Our main was up and the jib was rolled out whenever we picked up enough wind to throttle back the engine yet make around 6 knots.

Captain catching 20 winks

We made an attempt to take turns resting during the late afternoon and evening, anticipating our usual lack of a good night's sleep on a first overnight passage.  Dinner was a hearty bowl of soup with crackers followed by a hot cup of tea in the cockpit.  The sun set and the full moon rose soon after, amidst clouds, but still illuminating the sea and providing a silvery backdrop to the horizon.  About 23:00 hours Kelly spotted lightening in the distance - 12 to 15 nm to the north.  We continued to see flashes from time to time both to the north towards Santa Rosalia and south towards Loreto.  The radar allows us to pick up storm cells and gives us a sense of how quickly the clouds are passing by.

Nearing San Juanico at sunrise

By 02:00 Wednesday morning, we felt the spatter of tiny raindrops and at 04:40 a heavy downpour had us glad we'd kept up the bimini even though we were still in our foul weather gear, with hats and gloves to ward off the night chill.  By 07:00 we were 2 miles from our way-point outside the entrance to Caleta San Juanico and could make out the shape of Punta Pulpita to the north and the opening to the bay. Sunrise soon followed and our eyes adjusted to locate the familiar shape of the Spires, as a motor vessel headed south out of the anchorage.  We were surprised to find as we dropped the main and slowly motored in that we had the place all to ourselves and could pick our anchoring spot .  A real novelty.

07:50 - anchor down, SPOT message sent out saying 'here we are - all is well'. We checked in with the Sonrisa ham net to say we'd arrived safely.  A quick check to make certain we'd stowed and tidied all on deck and in the cabin, then we settled down to a few hours of well earned sleep.  Later that afternoon, we were joined by SV Mystique, who considerately anchored a distance away, but gave us a friendly call on the VHF to compare notes.

The Spires by day, with light choppy seas

The Spires by full moonlight

That evening we spent time on deck after dark star-gazing at a clear, dark canopy, with brilliant, sharp points of light throughout the night sky.  That's what we'd hoped for during our crossing, but were appreciating it all the more. The golden moon, still full, rose behind the "Spires" at our stern, and dramatically outlined these jagged rocks.  Of course, pictures could not do it justice.  We retired for the night with a renewed sense of why journeying by sailboat to such anchorages was so special.

The next morning was clear, but the northern winds began to blow early and we chose to enjoy our view from the boat.  The forecast NNW  11 - 14 knot winds were actually in the 18 - 23 knot range before they settled down to 11 - 15 knots for the next few hours.  Still it was a sun-shiny day.  Kelly had deployed both flopper-stoppers to stabilize our rolling in the south-east swells finding their way into the anchorage.  The Mystique crew, Terry and Patricia, did take their dinghy out for a spin and stopped by for a chat before heading back.  Shortly after, a familiar red-hulled sailboat glided in and anchored to the south of us, SV Char-Anne.  Our turn to call them on the radio and wish them a good evening.

San Juanico - clear blue water and rocky islets

The weather forecast predicted a change to south-east winds; we made a decision to move on the following day.  Friday morning, we raised anchor and motored slowly past SV Char-Anne to say adios and wish them a quiet stay.  Their turn to have the place to themselves, as Mystique had left earlier.

Next stop is towards Isla Carmen to the east of Loreto;  perhaps Puerto Ballandra anchorage, a new destination for INTREPID II.

Carnaval in La Paz!

The INTREPID II crew was just as surprised as our family and friends to find ourselves at the dock in Marina Palmira last Thursday (Feb. 16th) and just in time for Carnaval.  Our plans were find a quiet time in a peaceful anchorage further north!

Punta Salinas with light tower to left, looking north

However, winds and waves were at odds in many of our stops along the way, which kept us moving south.  Our intentions to stay out in the San Evaristo, Islas San Jose and Espirito Santos anchorages for at least another week faded after a very rolly and unsecure night at Punta Salinas, Isla San Jose.  A beautiful spot, with some northwest wind protection, a beautiful sandy beach and the ruins of the salt mining operation.   Waves and wind turned to the south and west and we were somewhat vulnerable.  Not exactly a formal anchor watch all night, but the next best thing. As we headed out the next morning we heard that most everyone found their choice of anchorage was not ideal.  Some of this is 'local conditions' and some is the timing of fronts as they move through.

Abandoned buildings of salt mining operations

After sailing for 5 hours and checking out Ensenada Grande and Caleta Partida on Isla Partida, we observed the south-west waves we were experiencing (2 - 4 feet) continue on in to the mostly western exposure anchorages.  The Captain announced he'd rather be sailing in these conditions than anchored in them.  Agreed!  That added another 4 hours of pounding towards La Paz, but meant we could be at a dock by 5 pm.  A radio call to Marina Palmira brought the unexpected news that there was no room at the inn!  However, we are very grateful that Adriana and her colleague found us a spot for a few nights and we will be shuttling around the marina as space becomes available.

The winds continued blustery. We headed INTREPID II into the La Paz channel, which makes a right turn at Costa Baja marina and contemplated dropping the main in fairly tight conditions.  What a team. A quick pair of sail ties around the main for the moment, then out with the fenders and dock lines; complete with a salty splash bath for Carol as she was at the bow.  Helping hands met us at the dock and we were once again in La Paz, one of our favourite Mexican cities.

Kelly on the Malecon with La Paz anchorages behind

The usual paperwork at the office was a pleasant task as this was our third stay here. We felt welcomed and well treated.  The schematic of the docks on the wall indeed showed a very full picture with far more cruisers staying put than heading out.  With a treat of hot showers, a quick dinner and sleep we were content in spite of the start of the Carnaval celebrations to the south.  Friday morning we caught the shuttle in to Club Cruceros at Marina de La Paz and enjoyed meeting with several cruising friends.

New 'pasarelle' and dinghy dock downtown 

We asked for referals for Spanish tutors, then took our time walking back along the Malecon towards 'home', about a 3 mile meander.  Looking at the Carnaval kiosks set up along the way, dropping into familiar shops and enjoying the views.  The anchorages are also full and Vista Coral has now become an actual, rather than virtual marina.  The City has recently constructed a new pedestrian walkway to a dinghy dock located to the north of Marina de La Paz.  It is a much needed addition to allow cruisers anchored out another option for 'parking the family car' to go shopping.

Coconut drink to share

Nearing 'home' we stopped for a coconut drink.  First you sip the milk through straws and then the vendor chops out the coconut meat which you can munch on.  Not as refreshing as we'd anticipated, but worth a try.  Once back at INTREPID  II, we gave her a good rinse, but the real bath will come later.  All in all a good start to our stay in the "City of Peace".

On the Baja! Puerto Ballandra (26 01.006 N, 111 09.9 W)

INTREPID II in south anchorage Punta Ballandra

Hola from our picturesque anchorage in Puerto Ballandra on the west side of Isla Carmen, across from the historic mission town of Loreto!  It is Saturday afternoon, February 18. We've completed our boat chores; the Captain has rowed us around the south side of the anchorage to explore and get some cardio exercise. The Admiral has downloaded pictures to her laptop to ensure they were saved.  Suddenly we realized we are directly across from Loreto ; perhaps we could get 3G cell coverage to check emails. Voila!  Not a speedy connection, but much appreciated.

Another view from our dinghy

We have some great photos, which will be included once we get a better connection.

From February 4th to 6th, we were busy people.  Boat cleaning, scrubbing, stowing, laundry, provisioning  and saying 'hasta luego' to our friends in the works yard, many of the security fellows, Blackie the security dog (hope your leg heals soon - a pox on whomever kicked you!), staff, and the remaining cruisers on the dock and in the anchorage.  February 5th was an Independence Day celebration, with Monday being a government holiday, so the marina office was closed.  Tuesday morning was rushed for all concerned as we puzzled over incongruous electricity readings, finalized our bill, and received our 'despatcho' which is the port leaving document required by the next Port Captain.  In our case, we planned on it being La Paz.

Departure day - fog and the port was closed

This was taking place mostly in FOG - not in 'a fog' - but real, moist, cloudy fog, which by 10:00 am had effectively closed the port.  When the Port Captain says it is 'cerrado' you stay put.  Our perfect plans for leaving with a full moon at night, a good, but short weather window for moderate NW winds were halted by another of Mother Nature's phenomenons.  The tide was dropping steadily.  Just behind the  marina docks the sand silts up considerably and we did not want to be left stuck in the muck.  SV Iron Butterfly headed out to the anchorage and we followed and idled abou; hoping the skies would clear, as there was blue all around except to the south east,the harbour entrance.

Fog rolling in over Punta Haro 

At 13:00 we heard the Port Captain announce over the VHF radio that the port was now "abierto".  Thank you to Ariana for attemping to contact us as well from the marina office to confirm we could leave.  As we headed out, a large freighter was being ushered in by a tug, with our friend the Harbour Pilot waiting to finish directing the vessel.  Turning the corner we realized the fog had left the harbour entrance, but not the channel leading in.  On went the radar and running lights and warmer wind gear.  Iron Butterfly was following, as was Wandering Star, both boats intending to head north to San Carlos.  The fog cleared somewhat but we could see it rolling in across Punta Haro.   Condensation was forming on our bimini framework. We had to keep wiping the water droplets off our sunglasses.

Foul weather gear in Mexico??

Our main was up to steady the rolling movement in the gentle swells and we entered another fog bank. Iron Butterfly headed north into the gloom; they were sounding an air horn to advise vessels they were in the area.  We had our trusty ship's bell at the ready.  Eventually INTREPID II emerged out of the fog bank and settled into our passage towards Caleta San Juanico.

We will fill in the details in later posts, but this passage was fairly uneventful (thankfully) except that we were dressed for the Pacific Northwest in winter!  The full moon came up around 18:45, but was obscured by clouds much of the night; so much for a starry, starry, bright night!  However, having its glow even from behind the clouds was comforting as it shone faintly on the rippling water as we made our way south.

Full Moon rising 

Our destination was 98 nautical miles from Guaymas; we'd planned to arrive just before sunrise.  We sailed for a good part of the night, keeping the engine at idle, because we had been using the radar and auto-pilot and because it seemed the battery wasn't holding a charge.  Our "watches" weren't all that restful, as it takes awhile to get back into a routine of feeling comfortable enough to rest below. It was good to warm up and do some tasks in the cabin.

Sunset and calm seas

By 06:30 am the moon had set and sunrise was still a half hour away.  We could make out Punta Pulpito to the north and the entrance to the anchorage of Caleta San Juanico.  This bay is a lovely spot; we've been there twice before, admiring the Spires, the beach with the Cruisers' (Tree) Shrine and the ospreys nesting nearby.  We were surprised to have the place to ourselves with the pick of the spots.  Once the anchor was down and everything tidied up, we settled in for a few hours sleep and woke up about noon ready to enjoy our destination.

Spires with osprey nests at San Juanico

More to come about San Juanico.  Due to forecasted changing wind directions with a more 'southerly flavour' as Sonrisa weather guru Geary stated, we made plans to leave sooner than expected.  We're saving our explorations for the trip back, if all goes well.

Closing in on Isla Coronados

Friday morning, February 10th, we raised the anchor and were underway by 09:30 towards Puerto Ballandra on Isla Carmen, about 26 nm away.  As our estimates are based on 5 nm as a conservative rate of progress, this was 6 hours.  We made close to 6 knots, under jib and the engine, arrived and had the hook down by 14:00 hours.  It was a rolly ride as we more or less kept pace with the NW seas as they were turning into 'buffaloes' (if you were heading north).  The winds were 13 - 15 knots from the stern but weren't enough to entice us to turn off the engine, as the seas were building and we wanted to ensure we had a spot to anchor.

This was our first time into Puerto Ballandra and it is hard to spot. That's why we have cruising guides and way-points to complement our own calculations and observations.  There were two boats at anchor, but the south-east side was available, which suited us, as by Saturday the winds were forecast to come from the south east.  This anchorage has high hills surrounding it, with scrub and cacti, and some tan coloured cliffs.  The south beach off our stern is rocky and does not connect to the NE beach.

Entering Punta Ballandra on Isla Carmen

Deploying flopper-stopper

Surprise!   Rolly, rolly, rolly.  The rocks at the entrance don't block the swell and we had to put out two flopper-stoppers to keep the sideways motion manageable.  This continued into the evening as we cooked dinner but eventually things steadied and we had a calm and quiet night.  It was another absolutely beautiful night for stars, but we were in bed before the moon began to rise.  All that fresh air!

Today, Saturday Feb. 11th, dawned a beautiful clear day and we savoured the view from our back porch.  The winds have picked up as we write, so weather guru Geary is on track as usual.  There is a bit of calm now at 16:30 pm.  It is time to sign off and determine if we stay another day or head southward tomorrow.  We have in mind Aqua Verde, south of Puerto Escondido, or San Marte around the southern corner, if the winds do shift back to the north.  From there, we might stop at Los Gatos and quite likely drop into San Evaristo and Isla San Francisco on the way to La Paz.

Gull and cormorants looking westward

Clear water

In case we don't get a chance to update again before the 14th.  Happy Valentine's Day, especially to our family who are so supportive back home.