Big Changes, style and location

Several changes have finally occurred on our trip.  First and foremost, we have left mainland Mexico for the Baja peninsula, Bahia de los Muertos to be exact.  Then, also, I have finally had it with long hair constantly in my face, and all over the boat, so I had it cut, short!  Sorry Tascha, it'll grow back and I'll need you when I return.  I love the change, but it's funny to see people's reactions who haven't seen me in awhile.  Now to get my blonde back as it's all cut off. 
   Mazatlan has a fantastic old town in it's downtown area, filled with great brick and tile buildings and one lane streets from the 1800's.  We toured the few museums which were open, and had a great lunch at Macaw's, across from the closed art museum.  That was one thing, they were always closed.  On our way home to the marina, we strolled along the waterfront for miles, finally catching a pulmonia for the final piece. 
   We arrived back, and spoke with several other cruisers who were thinking of leaving for Baja on Sunday a.m.  That sounded good, so we spent the next day, Saturday, finalizing our departure chores:  Checking out of the marina, grocery shopping, deflating the dinghy, stowing it and the motor, stowing all on board so it won't fly around while sailing, fueling up, taking that last shower in a real shower, eating at a restaurant.  Well, after all that, we were ready to leave Saturday afternoon, and so, off we went around 6:00 p.m.  The fog was starting to roll in, and we missed it completely so that made for a nice start. 
   The trip across is about 190 miles, so we figured it to be a two night and one day sail.  The sea was absolutely glass as we set out, no wind, or large seas.  That lasted all night and around 9:00 a.m. we hoisted sails and had a lovely sail all day and that night.  The whales seem to have left for the most part, we didn't see a one.  On the other hand, we did hook a marlin!  It leaped up out of the water several times, enough for us to see it, but not get a photo.  As Leif worked to stop the reel from spinning, it was obvious that he would spool us, so I yelled "cut the line", and he did.  Unfortunately the poor fish has a long string of line attached, but perhaps not for long, we smashed down the hook barb so it was fairly barb less.
   We arrived around 3:00 a.m., and with the help of the full moon, eased into the bay with around six other boats, dropped our anchor and tried to get some sleep in before the sun arose.  It would be a surprise to see the new surroundings in the daylight.  At sun-up, or rather 9:00 a.m., I popped my head out to see an absolutely gorgeous bay, turquoise water, dry arid land filled with cactus, and only one boat remaining.  Ahhhhh.  Banana pancakes for the crew, after a long night of watches.   

The new doo, and the Tarahumara mask.



Bahia de los Muertos, Hotel los Suenos.



White sand, clear water, Mariachi music all night! 

   Bahia de los Muertos is on the inside of Baja, just around the corner from La Paz and Isla Cerralvo.  The water is beautifully clear and there are coral reefs and a white sand beach.  There is also a resort called Bahia de los Suenos, which is just being built and has a golf course, condos, homes, and a very interesting restaurant and bar with a small gauge train set that is the largest I have ever seen.  It covers the entire upstairs, three tracks on a lower level and several at eye level.  Leif and I found a foos ball table and tried our hand at it for awhile, and there are also table shuffleboard, and billiards, not to mention the many, many infinity pools and swim up areas to sit and have a cold one.  I hate to see the place get crowded, but this resort was pretty classy, and empty.  We hope to have dinner there manana.  As the day wore on, it was amusing to see the parade of sailboats arrive.  We knew that half the marina was on their way over, and truly, about every 1/2 hour a new boat would come and drop anchor.  At sunset today there are 19 boats here, and many, many families camping on the shoreline as it's Semana Santa, or Easter week.  What a great place to come and camp. We hope to spend a few days here, relaxing in the 74 degree water and cleaning the bottom.