Dolce Vita skipper on s/v Talaria With Bill and Jean

I am finally taking the time to complete my blog outlining the voyage from Santa Rosalia to La Paz with my friends Bill and Jean. You remember them from my last blog as the TWO CAPTAINS. You will soon meet them as you move through this blog.

We took our time to reach La Paz taking thirteen days. The weather was warm, with light winds from the north which gives you following seas and wind. These are the conditions that all sailors look forward to.

As mentioned in my last blog I crewed on sailing vessel Talaria. As crew I get to leave the skippers to worry, plan routes and anchorages. If something goes wrong, they get to fix it, although I helped out when asked. As you will note, being crew does have advantages over being the skipper.

The anchorages we stayed at each evening were quite, comfortably warm, remote and beautiful. As best as I can, I will give you some photos and notes about each location. I will give the GPS Lat/Lon for sailors that may come down here to visit or those that know how to use Google Earth.

10/20/2008 -- GPS 27.14.03N 112.06.24W

We pulled anchor at Santa Rosalia and set course for the island of San Marcos. It was a short trip of six hours. Yes I said short. When you travel through the water at 5 mph you cover a distance of 30 miles in six hours. That is why I refer to it as SHORT.

San Marcos has a large mine where they pull gypsum from the earth. Gypsum is used in construction of homes normally used in drywall. There is a small village where people that work in the mines live. The church, that you will see in a moment, was made from gypsum. There are a few very nice homes on the island as well as the typical small, should I say, shack, were people get by from day to day. We did see a small hospital and school which were built by the mining company.

The computer bandwidth here is VERY slow so I am going to limit the photos. Sorry, but I don't want to sit here all day.

10/2o/2008 -- GPS 26.51.98N 111.60.77W

The next day we set off for Bay of Concepcion. This was probably the least interesting anchorage on our trip. Jean and I swam to shore to look for interesting sea shells. This was a costly swim as my camera became wet in one of those pockets that advertise that everything will remain dry. Jean and Bill have a niece so we picked up some small shell that she can place in her aquarium back home.

Let me introduce you to Jean. You are probably asking why she has such a big smile. Remember that there are two skippers on Talaria. Well Jean is smiling since the other skipper is sleeping as we head towards Bay of Concepcion and she can do anything she wants.

Jean is great as a sailor. She plans the anchorages, routes, cooks, fixes stuff that is broken, handles the ham radio communications, downloads weather files on the radio, runs the water maker, etc, etc. I told here if she ever get tired of Bill that I would marry her. Bill was there when I said this and he told me, "no deal".

10/21/2008 -- GPS 26.30.88N 111.26.97W

We are off to Punta Palito.















This is the Point we are anchoring at. Notice that the able bodied crewman is alert and ready to respond to any emergency.

10/22/2008 - GPS 26.22.00N 111.25.86W

Our next anchorage was San Juanico.
















Let me introduce you to the other skipper, Bill. He does not have that big smile that Jean had when Bill was sleeping, but he does look a little smug. I think this is at the point in time when he won the argument with the other skipper, Jean. I am sitting there just as an observer.



We took a little ride on the dingy. This is a photo of Talaria. Sorry we didn't get a closer look but we should see other photos later.

We stayed at this anchorage a couple of days so we could hike around on shore to do some exploring.





Here is a photo taken of our anchorage while hiking. Also me diving on the boat to remove creatures from the boat speed impeller. The skippers give the dirty work to the crew.




















10/24/2008 GPS 25.48.52N 111.15.46W

Finally of to our next anchorage called Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante. This location was everyone favorite. It is a very small bay where few boats would fit in, so get there early and there will be room. We did a lot of snorkeling and I was given another dirty job of again diving on the boat to install a zinc on the propeller shaft. Just kidding. I enjoy the adventure and told them I would install it for them. I still can hold my breath for a long time.
















10/25/2008 GPS 25.48.88N 111.18.68W

We moved over to the mainland today to explore the harbor at Pueto Escandito. It is a good hurricane hole, meaning a place to hide from the storm. While on the way we saw some boobies. I saw a couple of big ones that were young and firm.... Now the guys that are excited for me and the women that are throwing their arms in the air saying something like SICK!, these are birds. They enjoy circling the boat to check out the crew and look for a place to land so they can rest. They show their thanks for letting them go along for the ride by shitting all over the boat. So the thing to do is to not invite them on board.















This is a couple we met that are kyacking around the Sea of Cortez. They have more energy than anyone I have known. Mexican government are building several small marina's around the Mexican coast. They all are built the same with minimal services. Here we find Taleria resting until we push off again tomorrow.







10/26/2008 GPS 25.31.39N 111.04.37W

Are next anchorage was Aqua Verde. Great place for snorkeling if you don't mind getting stung by little critters in the water. They leave a small welt on your skin that looks like you were burnt by a small chain that you often find holding your keys to the house or car. I found out later that this is often a problem in the Sea and many people buy a very thin wet suit to cover your body. Other than being annoying, they are harmless. We stayed here a couple of days to enjoy the area.

















This is a view of our anchorage from atop the hill that Jean and I hiked to. There was a small fish camp near us were we boat three large lobster tails for a total of $15 dollars. Needless to say we enjoyed that evening dinner.

There was a small village across to the other side of the bay. We came upon these goats while walking through the village. I thought i recognized one of them that was on my bus riding up to Santa Rosalia.





10/28/2008 GPS 25.18.18N 111.56.75W

Next stop was Los Gatos on the Baja peninsula. Not much here except some very interesting rock formation. Notice the red color and how it looks like they flowed down from above. Jean found an empty crab shell that is also colorful. There is a 1 peso coin near the crab so you can get a idea of its size.


















10/29/2008 GPS 24.54.66N 110.42.37W

Next stop was Punta San Evaristo. Nothing here to see. There is a very small village for the fishermen and a store to buy some supplies except on the day we were there the store was closed because they were out of supplies.


















10/30/2008 GPS 24.31.96N 110.22.91W

Last anchorage before we reach La Paz. Isle Espiritu Santos. The anchorage is called Caleta Partida. This is a popular anchorage for people leaving La Paz for a couple of days.

Here we see Jean smiling because this is the last time she has to set anchor for at least six weeks when they sail off to Mazatlan to meet me. Bill is also smiling and feeling good since, while on land, there is only one captain and that is Bill.

We had a wonderful time and I am happy to have had the opertunity to sail with old friends on the Sea and to optain some local knowledge that will be helpful for me when I return to La Paz in March to start my sail north up the to the other end of the Sea.
















Until next time, be safe out there. This is Denny signing off after finally finishing this blog that I have been working on for three weeks because of the slow network.

Santa Rosalia

As promised, what follows are words of wisdom and photos taken during my voyage from the Northern part of the Sea of Cortez back to La Paz. I sailed as crew on S/V Talaria for skippers, yes it is true, SKIPPERS Bill and Jean. There is never a dull moment when you sail on a boat that has two skippers, especially if the two skippers are married to each other. I tried my best to keep a low profile. Those that know me are probably laughing knowing that it is impossible for me to keep a low profile.

Don't misunderstand. Bill and Jean are wonderful people and I enjoyed every moment with them, in close quarters, for 15 days.

You will find very few towns on the west side of the Sea when you travel North of La Paz. So if you are looking to go drinking, dancing and eating in fine restaurants as you sail the sea, you will be disappointed. If on the other hand you are looking for beautiful and peaceful anchorages with a bounty of sea life, you will believe you have died and gone to heaven.

Santa Rosalia is a copper mining town that was built by the French. The French shipped lumber down from Washington for building the town and the mine. There is also a church that they disassembled back in France and rebuilt in Santa Rosalia.

This is the Marina in Santa Rosalia and a hotdog stand where one eats if you have just sailed into town. The hotdogs, with all of the fixings, are great.

This is a photo of what remain of the copper mine and the church that was brought back from France and rebuilt.

Above the town, high on a hill, is the grave yard. There was a three day celebration there

during the recent Day of The Dead festival.

The crew may look dead and ready for the hill but he is just trying to come up with ideas to solve world hunger.

This is a family that Jean and Bill introduced me to from Santa Rosalia. She works in the Marina as a cleaning lady. Her daughter is having surgery and Bill and Jean are helping with some of the costs. I helped her in a small way by paying for her round trip bus ticket to La Paz where she met with the dentist. She made me some cookies to thank me which I eat on our sail to La Paz.

There is another friend who showed up for dinner and was waiting for us to open up the screens so it could come inside.

We pulled anchor in Santa Rosalia on the 19th of October and had a short sail to Isla San Marcos. There is a small anchorage there called Sweet Pea cove were we spent the evening. For those of you that know how to use Google Earth, the lat/lon is 27.14.03N 112.0624W. There is a very small town on the Isla that was built by a mining company. There is a large Gypsum mine and if you don’t work in the mine, you are supporting those that do or you are a fisherman.

I olny have a few photos of this location as my camera broke when it became too wet.

As most, if not all, this small town had a church where the locals worship.

I have a number of other photos to share as we sailed to La Paz but those will need to wait until the marina solves thier network problems. Wireless is too slow.

Until then, be safe out there

Denny

On my Way to Santa Rosalia

OK..... I know.... I am way behind in updating my blog. This is Mexico, so putting off to another day is what we do down here. Two friends from San Francisco sailed to Mexico last year and I finally caught up with them last month in La Paz. Bill and Jean had their boat up in the northern end of the Sea Of Cortez, at Santa Rosalia, and were down here visiting friends and stayed with me on my boat. They invited me to join them on their sail back down to La Paz and I jumped at the opportunity. I must have taken more than 100 photos of the bus trip and the sail back down here. So I am going to break it up into two blogs so I am not sitting here all day drafting everything. This blog is the bus trip to Santa Rosalia. The second blog, which I will get around to later in the week, will be from the 13 days of sailing back down to La Paz. The bus ride was 9.5 hours but the scenery was great. Most of the trip was through the mountains and along the coast of the Sea of Cortez. I was somewhat disappointed that I did not have to share a seat with chickens or goats. They must have been on a later bus. The bus was air conditioned with movies to view to break the trip up. We were stopped by the military at two check points and had to step outside with our luggage to have things checked. They were polite but I was careful not to open my mouth and crack one of my sick jokes. I don’t think they had my sense of humor.

Day of the Dead was celebrated this past weekend. I did not make it down town but there were two memorials at the Marina that families had setup so I don't have many photos. It is a wonderful tradition where family and friends visit the grave site bring flowers and items that the person enjoyed while still on this earth. They are at the grave sight most of the day as they enjoy everyone’s company and to dress up the grave site as the photos I have show examples.

These are two memorials that were setup here at the Marina. Very colorful. The photo with two photos on the table has two bottles of booze. That being one of the favorite things the gentleman enjoyed. I would have like to meet him.

I am sailing to Mazatlan next Tuesday so I am setting the boat up and checking things twice to make sure the boat is ready for a three day cruise. This sail is by far the most colorful of the sails I have in the inventory. The pink just confirms I am from San Francisco.

Two new friends. The woman on the left is giving me private Spanish lessons on my boat and the other women servers me drinks in the late afternoon in the polapa. Eat your heart out guys.

This was the first bus stop on the way to Santa Rosalia where we could get something to eat or to pray at the small church nearby.

Cactus? Or if that isn't what you want, how about just laying around the beach.

This is Bill and Jean. This photo is taken in front of a church in Santa Rosalia. The town was settled by the French who had permission from the Mexican government to mine copper. This church was brought over from France, brick by brick, and reassembled in Santa Rosalia. Saint Santa Barbara. The Saint of Fishermen.

This is a photo from the bus as we started into the mountains. The other photo is taken as we approached the Sea of Cortez. This is an area where I will be sailing through on our way back to La Paz.

Finally, just in case I did not make it and crashed in the bus on the way north, this guy was waiting.

Well that is all for know. I will complete the other blog before i leave on the voyage across the Sea starting next Tuesday.