Cruising the Sea of Cortez - Summer 2009

The moment you have been waiting for, a blog update on the adventures of Dennis and Dolce Vita. This summer I am sailing up and down the Sea of Cortez, called the the world's aquarium.

I started out on May 28th. My first stop was Caleta Partida on Isla Partida. I have been anchored here a number of times before so there wasn't anything more to explore so I thought I would do some work on the boat while here. Why work on your boat in your home port when you can do the same in paradise.

For those of you that wondered what it was like at the top of the mast, the following photo should give you and idea what it looks like from 50 feet above the water. I hauled my fat butt up there and was very careful not to screw up since hitting the deck from that distance would have not made my day.


After a long day hauling myself up and down the mast, it was time to enjoy a beer and watch the sun set.


The next day I motored a short distance on the same island to Ensenada el Cardonal. I had not anchored here before so it gave me an opportunity to do some exploring. There were a few boats there with me but otherwise quiet until a party boat showed up. They were good enough to anchor a distance off of the other boats so we would not be disturbed too much. They partied until 4 in the morning. Mexicans love to party into the early morning. I was disappointed that they didn't send a boat over for me to join them.

I decided to walk around the mangroves and take a photo of a plaque with information on the island. All islands in the sea have been made federal parks and are protected. Fishing is not allowed around these islands.


The next anchorage was Isla San Francisco. The distance was about 20 miles and I enjoyed one of the best sails that I have had since arriving here. The wind speed, direction and the sea were perfect for putting up the gennie and the hammock. The photos speak for themselves.







After arriving in Isla San Francisco I decided I had relaxed enough for one day and went for a hike. There is a trail around the top edge of the island. Some rock climbing was necessary but for the most part it was an easy hike. Dolce Vita is in the bay waiting for me.


Next, onto Isla San Jose where I had hoped to been able to take a tour of one of the largest mangroves in the Sea of Cortez. Unfortunately, the tide was too low and I went aground on the dinghy so I will wait until returning from up north to try again at high tide.













This is the first installment of this summer's cruise. More to come in the next few days.