Inland Trip: Tequila, Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Morelia, Patzquaro, Lake Chapala, Moscota

One of the many beautiful buildings in Guadalajara.

Yes, we really did visit all of the above mentioned towns and cities, including others too numerous to mention...  Leif and I joined our friends Ed and Connie in their trusty Isuzu Rodeo to experience the interior of Mexico.  We packed up and left La Cruz on a Tuesday morning for an eight day excursion that will not be forgotten.
   Our first stop was the city of Tequila, as it was lunch time and who wouldn't want to stop in a place called "Tequila"?  We had a great platter of tacos followed by a visit to the gift shop at the Cuervo distillery.  Back on the road quickly, well sort of, as it is never easy to find your way into or out of any Mexican town.  Road signs are lacking, and Leif and I had our GPS on our phones to help guide us, but the little blue dot seemed to always go in the wrong direction.  Let alone the endless "topes" or speed bumps that are EVERYWHERE in Mexico.  Thank heavens Ed's car has excellent shocks...  Just as you get going on any road, there will be speed bumps to slow you down.  They are VERY effective as if you don't, those of us in the rear seat will be hitting the ceiling.

Orchestra music in the town square in Guadalajara.

   We arrived in Guadalajara and miraculously found our hotel, Hotel Morales.  It was a beautiful old home that had been turned into a hotel a hundred years ago, then abandoned, then renovated and now is quite up to date with a swimming pool on the roof!  The rooms were exquisite, and surrounded large enclosed patios and sitting areas with fountains and lush vegetation.  All this for about $80.00 a night.  We decided on this trip to keep the room rates under $100.00, and I thought that would mean skimping, not so.  Most, if not all, were equal to 5 star rooms in the states.  Not that I'm a snob, but this is our one big trip this time around.
   In order to see the city, which was quite extensive, we jumped on a double-decker bus and checked out the sights.  We were staying in the old town area, filled with churches, government buildings, and beautiful town squares with gazebo's filled with musicians.  It was pretty amazing.  The history of the area seeps from it's pores as the buildings are filled with statues and murals telling the tales of the people as time progresses.
   A side trip to Tlaquepaque was necessary for Connie and I as it was listed as an artist colony nearby.  We wandered the streets taking in all of the pottery, glass, carved wood, and textiles, while the men sampled what turned out to be a fruity concoction called a margarita, but in fact was nothing near.  One goal while on this trip was to try to find the best margarita in Mexico.  It turned out to be quite the challenge.  One would think that a simple margarita would be easy to find, but alas, most are made with sprite!  And, we discovered that limes are expensive, and in short supply due to the cartels charging fees for shipping out of Mexico.  That is another story altogether, the Knights Templar.  Perhaps later.

Hotel Chocolate, on the hillside in Guanajuato, below El Pipila.  

   Guanajuato is a small town in the hills a couple of hours outside of Guadalajara.

This is showing one of the tunnels headed under the city.

 It originally was a mining town, and second in the world for silver production during it's heyday.  The truly amazing thing about this town is that most of the roads on which one would drive are all underground!  And I mean not tunnels in the sense that we know, with light at the end of the tunnel, but truly dark one way tunnels with signs on the walls going in all directions.  It was a miracle that we ever found our way out, and then to our hotel, Hotel Chocolat.  Our hotel was beautiful once again, but alas, it required walking up and up and up and up to get to the hotel, at which point we walked up and up again to our rooms!  The car was parked across town, probably 5 miles away as there is no parking in the town.  Poor Ed had to walk back and then up the millions of stairs to get to the balcony for refreshment.  We were not anywhere near the town center where the church bells rang all day and night, or the discos and cacaphonous groups of students who partied loudly until 4 a.m.  No kidding.   But, it didn't matter.  For some reason the sound echoed throughout the streets, or callejones which are streets too small for cars. It really is a unique town, with lots to see, among which were: the mummies, the mines, the purgatory museo, the Juarez Theatre ( second most respected in Mexico) and the Callejon de beso.  We moved on to another hotel, Hotel San Diego which was in the town square... need I say more?  Bells on the quarter hour 14 times, tours of tourists escorted by students dressed as minstrels playing instruments and singing and clapping ( 7-12 pm), disco music and loud groups partying until 4a.m....   Ok, I feel old, or tired.

Ed, Connie, Lisa and Leif atop the hillside near El Pipila.

  San Miguel de Allende was a refreshing stop on the way to Morelia.  We stopped for lunch and enjoyed the town square once again, visited the church, as they are the center of all towns in Mexico, and bought the obligatory straw hats.
   On to Morelia.  I was a bit apprehensive as this is in Michoacan, the state that has the Nights of Templar cartel which has been quite active in the past few months.  Leif and I read about the various news alerts and thought it sounded ok, as long as we stayed in town or on the main roads.  Which we did not.  Morelia I thought was the area where the Monarch butterflies migrate to each year.  Well, that's true, but it's more like the state of Morelia, and they migrate to an area near Anganguao, which is a 3-4 hour drive through the mountains from the city of Morelia.  So, off we went.  We arrived, and discovered that it was now a 1-2 hour hike up 700+ stairs (1000') to get to the habitat area.  Leif and I were all over it, but poor Connie and Ed didn't sign up for a high altitude stair adventure.  They were troopers and made it with us up to the top.  As we walked up there were a few butterflies and we thought it was good enough and tried to stop and turn back.  Our guide told us in Spanish that there were many more ahead and we should persevere.  We were skeptical to say the least.  We had been told that they had migrated already and there weren't too many around.  But, we hung in there and walked up and then down into a valley below where, lo and behold there were truly millions or billions of Monarch butterflies!  It was amazing, the highlight of my trip.  They hung in clumps from the trees, lay dead on the ground and flew all around when the wind gusted.  I've never seen so many in my life.

Gee, it's a Monarch! We thought we'd better take pic's of the few on the branches on the way up, not knowing there would be billions up higher.

 I have been to Santa Barbara where they also migrate to, and a place in HB where there are Eucalyptus trees that they like.  Here, they like the pines, and a certain flowered tree, of which we couldn't figure out the name.  Well worth the trip.

Monarch butterflies at the preserve near Morelia, well sort of near Morelia!

Ok, back to Morelia and our wonderful  Hotel Mansion, once again in the town square.

Thick bunches hanging from the pine trees.

 The next morning we left for Patzquaro and Lake Chapala.  Patzquaro was supposed to be a gringo community on a lake, with lots to see and do.  This turned out to be not true, at least not for us.  We may have taken a wrong turn, but it was a shallow muddy lake with small houses nearby and not much else.  On to Lake Chapala.
   Lake Chapala did have a large gringo community, and seemed more welcoming than Patzquaro.  It apparently has the best climate in the world according to National Geographic.  And it was very nice, dry, warm but not hot.  We chose the Hotel San Francisco which was right across from the lakefront.  It was a large home that had been transformed into a hotel, basically a bed and breakfast.  Lovely rooms with balconies, quiet, yes, quiet!  Thank heavens, I needed some sleep.  However once again the church happened to be less than a block away and bright and early in the morning there were the 12-14 gongs on each quarter hour.  And we are talking real bells, not the small recorded things from So. Cal.  These things would wake the dead, which I was.  Oh yes, and the squeals of little ones in the nearby preschool.  Ok, I'm a bit tired.  I have to admit that I'm longing for our boat and the peace and quiet of Marina La Cruz.
  After a healthy breakfast we headed out to see the small towns which surrounded the lake and were on our way towards home.  Ajijic was the next town over and was truly a gringo area, homes surrounded by electric wires, guard gates, and English on the tienda signs.  Sort of weird.  Lots of Canadians here, as they can spend 6 months away each year and still have their health care in Canada.  We drove on, looking for a lunch spot.

Lake Patzquaro, in many ways ,not as picturesque as we had heard.  On the other hand, unique and beautiful in a rural sense. 

  Mascota looked promising, so we bounced on into town on the cobble streets and topes.  There was a large town square, but not a restaurant to be found!  So we asked, and were directed to a side street where we found a local place.  We stuck out like the tourists we were, and received some really unfriendly stares from the locals at the nearby tables.  This was the first place where we felt uncomfortable.  Ed is fluent in Spanish, and Leif isn't half bad either, but we were obviously not welcome here.  We ate and moved on.

The Hotel San Francisco, near Lake Chapala.  Lovely, quieter rooms with garden views.

   After driving most of the day, we arrived home at the marina around 6p.m. and headed to our boats to unpack and see what shape they were in after being left for a week.  All was well on our boat, and we met for some tacos and beer up at the marina "yacht club" and to rehash the trip.  A fun time was had by all, and we learned a great deal about some of the inland areas of Mexico.  It is interesting to learn the differences in each locality.  Glad to be back on our little barco.

Ever resourceful, we purchased hats from this mound of merchandise.

Banderas Bay Regatta

Every March the Vallarta Yacht Club hosts a regatta which includes many different classes of sailboats and abilities.  This year there were cats, J 80's, racing yachts, and cruising yachts.  Each class has its own rating system, as the cruising classes are varied with everything from stripped down cruising boats to yachts with dinghies, davits, dodgers, biminis, kayaks, outboards and liferafts all mounted on deck.

The start line with the committee boat surrounded by different classes.

   We were fortunate enough to snag a ride on Snapdragon, a beautiful Beneteau 473, which is a larger version of our boat.  Russ, the skipper had it in excellent shape for the races, and so we joined for 4 days of racing which included a day of practice racing and starts.

Snapdragon leading at the start!  Notice our extensive group on the rail, Alan solo, as we had 5 on this day.    

 Gregg and captain Russ looking serious at the start.  Note the solar panel and bimini!  We were in cruising class.

   The winds were blowing nicely on the first three days, which favored us.  Russ got to the start line in great position each day, and we all worked hard to get the boat working at her best.  We had to give time to everyone in our class of 6 boats, so we knew we needed to get a move on and be out in front by at least 21 seconds a mile.  Our courses varied from 12 miles to 16 miles, so we really needed to be moving on our competetion.  On day one we were second by 2 seconds, day two, we had some difficulties and ended up third, and on day 3 we did better and pulled in second.  Overall we ended up second place.  We knew that with only slight changes we could have been in first, so we felt pretty good about our racing.  The crew had never worked together and some were a bit inexperienced with racing.  I tried my best, but by day three I was pretty bleary eyed and tired.  My jobs were mostly jib and spinnaker trim and pushing the buttons on the automatic winches.  Thank heavens for them or we'd have been exhausted after one day with all of the tacks and jibes.

Our crew ranged in number from 5-8 on different days.  L-R:  Lon, Steve, George, Alan, Lisa, Leif, Gregg, Russ. Celebrating at Vallarta Yacht Club.

   On the last night there was a banquet for all of the racers and a trophy presentation.  We had a wonderful time out on the beach front in Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta.  There was a long buffet line of great food, and a band that played some popular songs that many folks danced to, including me.  I brought a bottle of BV cabernet, a Georges de Latour 1997 to help celebrate our racing successes, and everyone had some to toast our second place.

Russ and Leif with our second place trophy!

   Each day Leif and I walked in to the taxi stand at the marina entrance and hopped a cab ride into Paradise village, a 200 peso trip each way.  We tried the bus on day one, and it was ok, but took so long we needed to leave 1 1/2 hours early to make it on time.  So, it was with great pleasure to relax and clean our boat on the day following all of the festivities.  One note, as we just finished hosing and scrubbing our boat, a huge helicopter circled and landed in a dirt field upwind of us, spreading dirt and debris all over our clean decks.  Apparently the dignitaries get to fly in for the Copa event.  Hopefully this won't happen everyday, but it's been two days in a row so far...  It looks like a large military transport of some sort.

The happy, tired, crew.  L-R:  Alan, Russ, Lisa, Leif and Gregg.

   During this time in Marina Nayarit, the regatta Copa Mexico was ramping up, which is an even larger event for on the water racing.  It includes: sailboards, kite boards, Lasers, Optimists, J24 North American Championships, 420's, and larger ocean going cats (Ormas) and yachts.  It will be a spectacle to observe all across the bay, and runs for about two weeks.  We will get to see some of it, as we are leaving to go north in a week or so.

This boat was not racing... and is more typical of some we've seen cruising.  We try to keep the decks clear on Finisterra.

La Cruz, Friends, Events

We have been here in La Cruz for almost a month and it has been a whirlwind of activity for us.  We stayed in the anchorage for a day, then moved into a slip 10A14 for the next three weeks to accomplish some chores.  There are positives and negatives to being in a marina.  It's much easier to move about the town when the boat is in a slip.  It's great to meet people that we've known from before as well as new folks, as there is an endless stream of people walking past the boat daily.  On the other hand, it can be tough to get anything done as it is VERY social.

The Mexican Navy on patrol in Banderas Bay.  Fortunately they didn't stop and check us again.

   We took some friends out sailing on Finisterra, to a small group of islands at the mouth of Banderas Bay called the Tres Mariettas.  On the way we saw many humpback whales, turtles, boobies, rays, and fish of all sorts jumping.  I was thrilled to see more blue footed boobies in the bay this year, last time only the brown ones were here.  Also the increase in the number of sea turtles is obvious; there is a breeding/hatching program over in Nuevo Vallarta.  They are everywhere.

This mom and calf were heading right in front of us, we stopped and turned away.

The girls can join this group at 8 yrs. old, this young lady is having her first event.  Note they ride sidesaddle, and somehow manage to stay clean in this dusty area!  They crown them with sombreros and flowers by their parents.

 Next, our friends Tom and MaryEllen arrived from San Diego for a stay with us in La Cruz.  We were glad that they got a chance to come down and visit as the trip down from San Diego to Ensenada, on which they accompanied us, was not especially a fun one.  So, we hit all the local taco bars, Philo's for music, and just relaxed with them for a few days.  We also traveled to Bucerias to watch a horse show or dancing horses.  It sounded like a lot of fun.  After arriving at the supposed start time, we waited and waited and waited.  Two and a half hours later we decided to leave.  Apparently the band was late, although they did finally show up and the "music" was loud and cacophonous.  Worse than the piped in music which was played for some reason at earsplitting levels. There was a procession of finely dressed girls on horseback, a blessing of the event by a priest, and crowning of the new queen of the rodeo.  I guess the rodeo started much later...

Ok, now how to get the sails off and the mast out of the water???

Safely back at the dock.  

      During this time one event did occur that was unexpected.   We went out sailing one afternoon on a friends' boat, there were 6 of us on board.  Lovely day, and the wind was just picking up.  Suddenly, kaboom!  The mast broke in half and was now dangling in the water with sails dragging all about.  Thankfully, no one was hurt, and there were enough capable people on board to get the mainsail off, the jib stowed alongside the rail, and lift the mast and roller furler out of the water so we could motor into the marina.  It was a tense situation which was solved nicely by those on board.  This was a first for me, but Leif has been in many emergency situations and was a great help to the owner in organizing the logistics.

Dinner at Cruzers restaurant.  Tom, Mary Ellen, Leif, Lisa, Ed, Connie

   That evening a group of usl met at the Cruzer's restaurant for some dinner and a chance to decompress.  Now our friends were all heading back to the states for various reasons, so we decided to move out to the anchorage for some space and quiet time.  It's a little rolly but not bad.  We also get the chance to make water and take the dinghy into shore daily.  Our friends Wolf and Judy are staying at a lovely condo nearby which has a swimming pool.  So, they invited us over for a delicious dinner, Mexican train, and the chance to swim finally!

There are dogs absolutely everywhere down here.

 The anchorage is a bit sketchy for swimming as we're not sure everyone uses their holding tank.  I did finally blow up the kayak and did a tour of the anchorage for some exercise.  As I passed our boat I noticed that it looks a bit cruizy as there is a dinghy and a kayak both bobbing off the stern.  And, yes we have our sun covers all deployed as it's hotter than blue blazes, as my mom would say.  Probably only 85-89, but really humid from noon until 6 p.m.
  As I sit here and type, outside I hear the sound gulls laughing, and dolphins blowing right next to our boat.  Sure enough, there is a small pod circling us, rising and falling with the gentle swell.  Nice to be out here at anchor.

Just another beautiful sunrise at the anchorage, looking towards Puerto Vallarta.  There are clouds today, perhaps not quite as hot.

Scenes from around La Cruz

We have been enjoying La Cruz for over a week now, and have started to venture out to other areas as well.  The boat jobs have been accomplished; varnish, wax, clean, etc.  Bryan Savage's show was excellent, and we see him in the mornings as well out walking.

Local dancers at the Sunday marketplace.

A day in the life at Marina Nayarit.  Dogs swimming, fishermen fixing nets, sailboats arriving.

   One event was the engine belt replacement, which ended up taking 3 long days of searching refactionarias (auto stores) for the right size.  This can be challenging as one needs either a car, or endless bus trips. Fortunately our friends on Sirena ferried us all over creation to find the right belt.

Band practice at 5a.m.

On one early morning( 5a.m.), after a late night, we were awakened by a rather loud Mexican band playing.  Since we couldn't sleep with the music playing, we went for a walk to find it's source.  Alas, in the middle of town, on a corner, there was a small band set up practicing their music.  We still don't know what the occasion was, but they were quite good.  Probably had jobs and the only time for all to get together to practice was 5 a.m.
  Yesterday we took a cab and a bus into Puerto Vallarta, stopping to drop off some blankets that we definitely don't need down here at the local DHL delivery service.  $200. later, our 2 packages will arrive in the states in 3 days.  Most expensive blankets we ever bought!  But, space is more valuable on the boat.  Then, on to PV for some lunch with Wolf and Judy, friends of ours from our first trip down.  I ran into Judy in the bano in Cabo on our way down last time, then caught up with them later in La Cruz.  We had a nice lunch at a very American/Canadian place called the Cheeky Monkey.  I wouldn't exactly recommend it, but it did have $1 beers.  Afterwards we walked the malecon, the beach, stopped for some local students presenting folkloric dances and later an art walk in old town.  It was quite a busy afternoon and evening, and ended with a bus ride back to Bucerias and a collectivo after that.  Collectivo's are mini vans that are a blend of taxi and bus for the local folks.  They are cheaper than a taxi, but more expensive than a bus.

As we were already up, we took a long walk and saw this fellow near the beach.

   I'm still a little unhappy that I haven't gone swimming yet, but soon.  It's my own fault, I need to pump up the kayak and get myself out into the bay for some clean water, and hopefully no sea snakes or sharks.  Yes, they do have sea snakes here.  I saw a lovely yellow and black banded one last trip down.

The view from La Cruz across Banderas Bay to Puerto Vallarta.  Quite clear this year.

   Also... after much thinking and wine, we have come to the conclusion that it might be better to stay in Mexico, go back up into the Sea of Cortez this spring and not head south until next fall.  We didn't get to see as much as we had hoped the last time, so this would give us a better chance to see more.  Also, it would give us a head start towards heading south in the fall, and we could make it to Panama in one season, not having to stay the summer in El Salvador or Costa Rica, yet have time to tour and visit. We shall see...  

Cabo San Lucas to Punta de Mita and on to La Cruz

Jan. 23, 2014
We left Cabo at 10:30 a.m. after refueling at a very busy fuel dock.  Motoring out we passed a large cruise ship which was surrounded by pangas waiting to swallow up the passengers and take them ashore.  The sea temp. was 77 degrees, and light winds.  We had wondered where the flying fish were, and after several hours of motoring, a few flying fish took off ahead of our bow.  They traveled for about 100 yards and then dove back down.  The only remains we found on deck were some small squid that were flung up with a  bow wave.  One had the misfortune of landing on our bimini, leaving an ink stain behind as a memento.

One of our flying friends who joined us along the way to La Cruz.

   We sailed for two days and nights, with the seas starting out calm and flat and ending with a cross swell and 12-14 knots of wind abeam.  For some reason, we both were quite tired on this leg, and couldn't wait to hit Punta de Mita to get the hook down and get some rest.  We did see some Blue Footed Boobies finally, and Humpback whales and of course dolphins.  Arriving at the Tres Mariettas at midnight, we motored on to Punta de Mita and arrived at 2:30 a.m.  This is not my favorite thing to do, arrive in darkness, but we were careful when entering the anchorage and got the anchor to set quickly.  Ah, finally in Banderas Bay, and almost La Cruz, our favorite place to hang our hats for awhile.

The view of a small enclave near Marina Riviera Nayarit, and La Cruz, from the anchorage.

  Morning came and we woke up around 9:00, sat around for awhile then decided that we really wanted to be in La Cruz, so off we went.  We did have wifi, and cell service, so checked emails briefly as well.  The anchorage in La Cruz was really crowded, about 48 boats, but we found a nice spot to ourselves near the entrance to the marina.  There was a huge swell running and some boats were talking about moving as it was supposed to get even bigger.  The waves sent up huge spray along the coast as we traveled from the point.
On the VHF we heard Sirena calling another boat, so Leif hailed them, our friends Connie and Ed.  Alas, we met them for "tacos on the street" one of our favorite places to eat that serves rib eye tacos for about a dollar each.  And now they also serve wine, beer, and margaritas, used to have to bring your own if you wanted something stronger than coke.
   The next morning, Sunday, it was time for the weekly open air market, so no rest, off we went.  It's great to be back here, seeing many old friends and already meeting many new ones.  Today we are having the hull and topside washed and waxed for $200., this would be over twice this much in Calif.  Also someone in to check the refrigerator which is now working great, unfortunately.  He can't fix it if it won't quit.
Tonight we are meeting with friends at the new restaurant called "Oso's" to see Bryan Savage, an excellent sax and flute player.  Tomorrow it's off to Philo's for some pizza and live music as well.  Gotta love this place.  We did notice that many boats have left already, which is a good thing.  We are thinking that we will head south this year after all.  Probably leave mid-February and get as far as we can before hurricane season.  It's so cool to wake up and here the Mexican music from the boat worker's radios.

Ensenada to Bahia de Bartolome (Turtle Bay), and on to Cabo San Lucas

Jan. 16, 2014
Dawn brought a beautiful sunny, windless day.  I walked to the nearby 7-11 to get some bags of ice just prior to leaving.  We left the dock at 10:30 a.m., motored out of the harbor and set sails and cut the engine.  We had good wind for about an hour, then it was on the nose, so on went the engine.  We had a two day and night passage to Turtle bay ahead.  On the way we saw several whales, grey's and humpbacks, lots of dolphins and birds.  Not many ships or yachts this trip.  We entered Turtle bay, dropped anchor and thought we'd have a nap then get fuel.  This was not to be as it was high tide and the fuel dock is in shallow water, so we raised anchor and motored over for fuel.  At this point, we decided it was just as easy to nap while moving, so off we went to Cabo.

It was difficult to see where the ocean ended and the sky began.

   As we motored onward, we noticed a strange thing... our refrigerator and freezer were colder than 32 degrees, hence it was working!  Odd, but good.
   We motored onward with little or no wind, which is  also strange, it's usually howling off Baja.  As we crossed towards Bahia Santa Maria, the seas were glass-like and hundreds of turtles were sun bathing.  It was difficult to miss them with the boat.  The sea temps were quite warm, 70 degrees and rising.  Last time we passed this way it was 45 degrees!

Our yellow-fin tuna, near Turtle bay.

   As we approached Cabo, the air and water were getting quite warm, no more warm clothing and we put out the fishing line.  After an hour, we had two small Yellow-fin Tuna hit the feathers.  We released one and filleted the other for a later date.

Cabo in full swing, tourists enjoying a trip out for the day.

   Sailing overnight for so many days was a little challenging, but not too bad.  The night watches were fairly warm and a lovely moon to see by.  We arrived at Cabo San Lucas at midnight, checked in to our slip and went to sleep.  Ahh, to not be bouncing around while sleeping!  We awoke to pangas of cheering, clapping tourists driving by our boat on their way out to the arch rock for snorkeling.  This time Cabo seemed more welcoming, cheaper and not as noisy as the last time.  We ate several meals along the malecon, rested up and cleaned the salt off of the boat.  Two days here, then off to cross the Sea of Cortez and head to Punta de Mita and La Cruz.  

San Diego to Ensenada

January 12, 2014, Sunday
We had a wonderful time in San Diego visiting with our friends Tom, Mary Ellen, Dave and Jan.  T and ME, we met in La Cruz four years ago and have been enjoying our friendship ever since; and Dave and Jan owned Pendragon a Davidson 44 that Leif raced on, and I joined in later to be a part of the crew as well.  We ate, sailed, drank and generally caught up on things past and present.  Then it was time to leave, and we were fortunate to have Tom and Mary Ellen join us on the leg to Ensenada.

Leif and Tom discussing the ipad navigation system.  Very state of the art!

  We all met at the dock at SDYC at 6 a.m. for an early start, hoping to arrive in time for celebratory cervezas y refrescos.  Well, it was foggy, cold, and no wind.  Lovely start.  Then the wind filled in, but from astern and so we motor-sailed the entire way.  It was a cold, windy cloudy day.  Not what the Dr. ordered. Just east of the Coronado islands we had a surprise inspection from the Mexican Navy.  They appeared out of no where, and hailed us to stop and allow them to come aboard.  There were about 10 of them, many with large weapons, so who's going to complain?  We tied up in very bouncy seas, and they were formal yet friendly, only wanting our documentation, and to know where we would check into Mexico.  Still, not a fun experience.  Once we arrived, we cleaned up and went to Sano's, an excellent restaurant owned by T & ME's friend Juan Hussong, who also joined us for dinner.  After a fantastic meal we were driven back to the boat by Juan and hit the sack.  It was a very special night having such good friends to dine with.

Mary Ellen and Tom, from cold and foggy to beautiful sunny morning.

  We then said good bye to Tom and Mary Ellen, who took the bus back to San Diego while we checked into Mexico.  Upon arriving at the Capitania de Puerto, we met one of the fellows from the Navy boat that inspected us, all smiles, and we were grateful that we did what we said we were going to do.    One more event for us was a wine country tour that we had heard was excellent.  And, it was. I expected strong rich wines similar to Paso Robles, but no, very refined and smooth.  Not rough at all.   We went to L.A. Cetto, Adobe Guadalupe, and J.C. Bravo.  These ranged from large production like Californian wineries to exclusive/expensive to a small winery run by one gentleman who produces one red and one white, but very good.
   Our one glitch was that on the evening prior to leaving our refrigerator decided to not turn on.  Bummer as we had a full freezer of meat and frozen dishes.  So, I gave some away on the dock, and went in search of ice and a cheap ice chest for cold drinks on our trip south.  We have plenty of food that's not in need of cold, but it would have been so nice!

Arriving at Cruiseport marina in Ensenada, wearing long pants and jackets for one of the last times in awhile.

We are off to see the wizard, or whatever appears along the way!

We left Alamitos Bay in dense fog on January 3.  I asked Leif if we were out of the jetties yet, and he said "Oh yes, we're off of Seal Beach".  Thank heavens for radar!  We headed for Newport Beach, not such a long way, but still a beginning of our new journey.  It stayed socked in fog until we were off of the Huntington Beach power plant.  Arriving at the American Legion Yacht Club in Newport we tied up to the guest dock and sorted out the boat.  We had two days of friends dropping in to visit and help send us off.  Thank you to: Craig, Liz, Steve, Muffy, Marlane, Chris, Beverly, Steve, Koren, Greg, Lon, Mark, Maria, Susie, Craig and Shelly.  We are truly grateful for all of our friends.

The American Legion Yacht Club in Newport Beach at high tide.

  On Jan.5th we left Newport for Dana Point, and had a hot, sunny sail which reminded us both of our final destination.  It was amazing to be sunbathing in January!  We arrived in DP at 3:00 p.m. and anchored for the night.  Morning arrived early, 4:00 a.m. our alarm clocks went off and we left by 5:00 a.m. bound for San Diego, and Southwestern Yacht Club.  On our way down we encountered several whale pods, one of humpbacks and one of grays near Point Loma, and another near Laguna Beach farther north.  It was a wonderful sight to see, and very uplifting as we set off.

Leaving Newport Beach for the last time.  Fashion Island in the background.  Such an odd feeling!

 

Sunrise over Camp Pendleton and Oceanside on our way from Dana Point.  I love being at sea in the mornings, and even seeing the stars prior to sunrise.  It makes me feel alive. 

 Southwestern YC is a welcoming yacht club, with a new clubhouse and our friends Tom and MaryEllen there to catch our lines as we arrived.  It seemed like old times as the last time we were here, we were on our way back from Mexico, and there were Tom and MaryEllen to welcome us.

Gray whale off of Point Loma, crossing our bow.  We stopped.  

   We spent three days at SWYC, some spent at T & ME's home and some on the boat.  Great food, great friends, and a fantastic West Marine store.  Our friends Jan and Dave from the yacht Pendragon also live down here and we got together for a fun time catching up and seeing their new Beneteau 473.  It's going to be hard to leave, but the best news is that Tom and MaryEllen are going to join us for the trip to Ensenada!  Tom and Leif are like two peas in a pod, both design boats, love sailing and can talk all day about past boats.  MaryEllen is a fantastic cook, and I'm hoping to learn a bit from her.  She and I get along so well, I even got my hair cut again by her stylist.
  We are moving to San Diego Yacht Club tomorrow, then off to Ensenada on Sunday.  Tomorrow we plan on playing Mexican Train at T& ME's and another lovely evening at their home with their mom who's 95 and doing well.  

Time is almost here... tick, tick, tick

We are cleaning the house after staying for a few weeks over Christmas with the dogs.  Now, back to the boat, finalize the stowage of every last bit and piece that we can cram aboard, and set sail for our next destination of the American Legion Yacht Club in Newport Beach.  Such a long distance sail!  But, one last stop to say hello/goodbye to our friends that have been so supportive of our long distance friendships.
    Then, on Jan. 6 we will be off for San Diego for a brief stay to see our friends, and a stay at Southwestern Y.C., and then... off to Ensenada!!!  Finally!  With luck, some good friends will be joining us for the trip to Ensenada as well.  So, stay tuned, the travels are about to begin!

Finisterra resting at Avalon a few weeks ago.

Trial run at Avalon, Catalina

We are inching ever closer to our departure date.  That is how it appears at times, then at others it's as if we are barreling headfirst down a rapid in a stream.  We decided that due to some excellent weather, we would head to Avalon for a test sail.  The newly installed solar panels, re-wire of the entire battery panel, and newly added reefing system all needed to be checked out prior to departing.  And... we have some freebies from the West End Cruising Club at the Isthmus that need to be used up! 
   So, off we went, motor-sailing across the channel on an 75 degree day in December with 10-14 knots of northerly wind.  Arriving in the early afternoon, we settled into an un-crowded Avalon harbor for a few days.  The winds were supposed to be up a bit, giving us pause as to whether to sail around to Cat harbor on the backside for protection from the Santa Ana winds.  Fortunately it died down out here and it was fabulous.


Leif with his competition!!

Christmas lights and sunset over Avalon.

   Day one found us up early, hoping for a Cape Canyon tour around the inside of Catalina on a Hum-V, passing over dirt hiking trails and seeing areas that the tour busses don't get to see.  As we arrived at booth, we were told that the tour was cancelled due to no reservations, but tomorrow's tour would be available.  Bummer.   So, instead, we played mini-golf, and had a yummy breakfast ashore, as well as a very extensive walk up the hill to the Wrigley Botanical Gardens and back.  We didn't actually go into the gardens, as the mini-golf course gives an excellent account of many of the native plants around Catalina as you play each hole. 
   And, as to our solar replenishment of our batteries, we left the refrigerator running, some small appliances charging, and still returned to full charge on the battery panel.  So, success on that part.
   The next day again found us up early and off to try our luck at the Cape Canyon tour.  We succeeded in our quest, and jumped aboard an eco-fueled Hum V for a 4+ hour tour.  It was a bumpy ride past the many water storage ponds, many, many bison, lovely Cottonwood lined canyons and serene rocky beaches.  One would never know that much of this was on the island.

A captive bald eagle, injured and can't fly for more than a few seconds.

 There are many bald eagles which have been transplanted on the island, which replace the golden eagles that began taking over and eating the small island foxes.  The foxes were close to extinction, so they created a program to help keep them from that fate.  Now there are many foxes, and bald eagles which eat fish and not foxes!  We did get to see one bald eagle and one golden eagle in pens as they were unfit to release into nature due to blindness and inability to fly. 

Shark's Cove on the backside of the island.

   One thing I forgot to mention was that the Carnival cruise ship Inspiration showed up anchored offshore in the morning.  I had never seen one anchored here, it was quite a sight, with the shore-boats constantly ferrying back and forth all day.  It was kind of a relief to see it set sail at 5 p.m. and the crowds diminish.  Great for the local economy, but it's so nice to be here as if on our own private island this time of year. 

Our very capable ride!

   Another interesting event is that the small squid appear to be in season for laying their eggs.  There are millions of them here, and this in turn attracts thousands of seagulls!  It's fascinating to watch the squid come to the surface for some unknown reason, and then the seagulls will dive and pick them off for dinner.  The bay is surrounded by circling gulls night and day!  We heard that one of the Cousteau family is here filming this event with lights at night.

Finisterra, surrounded by seagulls searching for squid!