Sailing Espiritu Santo and Partida - Baja

We met under the oddest of circumstances – after we did a dance in a courtyard to a rendition of Imagine by a fantastic guitar player and singer just entertaining the dinner crowd. How would you like to come sailing with us? Sure!

A week later, we were buying supplies and moving our provisions on board. We set sail for the islands of Espiritu Santo and Partida, which are north of La Paz, MX. Virtually uninhabited and known for its great diving and being part of a natural preserve, we were excited to combine the adventure of sailing with diving.

Our crew consisted of the captain, Dennis, owner of Spirit, and his best friend, Bill. They'd known each other since high school, graduated in 1969 – same as Bob and all owned the same motorcycle at one time. Dennis had taught sailing; sailed for years, so thus was very knowledgeable. Bill was learning along with the rest of us, altho he had a two month jump having sailed across the Sea of Cortez recently.

We stopped at three anchorages. We learned how careful one must be to find the right depth to set anchor; the right distance between boats; the right anchorage itself according to current and predicted winds. We learned how much a weather forecast matters. What are the predicted winds? What direction? What is coming up in the next few days? We learned that sailors rely on each other and help each other because each knows their lives depend on each other with accurate information.

First thing you learn on a boat is how to ration everything. Water – for cooking, cleaning, bathing – is minimal. Trash is kept to minimal levels. Noone could shower (the shower drain wasn't functional) – altho if you dove or swam during the day, you sort of cleaned off; but after several days in salt water, your hair feels like straw. Cleaning dishes – the faucet dripped, soap was barely used, if any; dishes were wiped with paper towels and never stacked before washing as you'd dirty both sides that way. The sea or a bucket became one's urinal; the head was reserved for the other function. I became chief cook; Bob became interested in all facets of sailing, helping with the anchor and lines.

Living on a boat can have it's challenges. Both Dennis and Bill were smokers. You'd think smoke would fly out the back of the boat, but interestingly enough, it circles around and infiltrates all areas. I think it contributed to the slight nausea I felt during the trip. It is difficult for more than one person to be in the kitchen at a time; drinks needed to be put in the kitchen sink if not being used; things secured or put away when under sail.

 We didn't leave until Tuesday due to rough seas and wind. We anchored at Ensenada de la Raza. I think there were maybe 9 other boats there. We had arrived around 4pm and Bob and Dennis took out the dingy to do a dive at a nearby rock island. That night, we had a condition called the coromuels. These are winds that come from the south/southwest and hit heavy at night. I believe they are unique to the Sea of Cortez. Our boat rocked during the night, altho it was not bad and eventually put you to sleep.

A typical view from the boat of the two islands.  Barren, but beautiful in their own way.

 Dennis and Bill on the Spirit.

 Mary on the boat - typical spot!

 From our hike - look at that water!!

 Our next anchorage was at the Ensenada del Candlelero. This had a massive island off shore, which we dove completely around it the next afternoon and following morning. The island tip had more schools of fish than I'd ever seen and we saw the largest lobster all three of us had ever seen. The beach areas of these anchorages are crystal turquoise blue waters – absolutely stunning water. We took the dingy over to shore and Bob and I hiked a one mile or so trail through spectacular rock formations. It was nice being on land again and there were under a dozen people in this whole area. We stayed several hours here until we all got hungry. There was a small fish camp and also a spot where kayakers are brought to kayak around this island. Other than that, these islands are basically uninhabited – except for a few other fish camps. They are rock, mountainous and full of cacti.

The last anchorage we stayed two nights. This anchorage was the crater of a long extinct volcano and you could see the bowl you were in. There was an “S” curve of shallow water leading from the windward side to the lee side, and we took that in the dingy to check out some caves. Motoring on down this coast was amazing. I wish I had a camera for that, but it's just too risky in a small dingy with water splashing on you. The cliffs were layers of various types of rock and huge hunks of rock had fallen along the shores. We got to where the sea caves were – and jumped in with our diving gear. The waters were crystal clear; coral was more abundant and we saw various fish, including a rather large angel fish. That morning, we had gone to two other dive sites along the coast. I “ran into” a moray eel – perhaps 4-5 feet long. He slithered into the rocks backwards and showed his open mouth. I excitedly called the others over to point him out.We saw several turtles; a whale breeching pretty far off; dolphins jumping near the boat; and manta rays doing flips in the waters. I also learned that it is nearly impossible to identify birds while on a boat. You can't keep your binoculars focused long enough on the details. That being said, I did see Brown Booby's, Frigates, Masked Boobies, Brown Pelicans, Caspian Terns, and Pelagic Cormorants.

The insects called “bobos” were a pain to deal with. They'd usually find us around 8am and if the wind wasn't up, would stay with you until the sun set. They are just little annoying pests. Don't bite; just go everywhere – like up your nose, into the insides of your sunglasses; ears, etc. You could use DEET to avoid them – or just get in the water or pray for wind. One day we just set sail out into the open sea to escape them and chase them back to the land.

The diving was good – I wouldn't say spectacular – just good. The reefs aren't all that colorful or full of life. I guess we compare every place to Bonaire and with that as a standard, there isn't any place even close. We're looking forward to Cabo Pulmo as it is one of the premier diving spots here in Baja.

When we pulled into La Paz after 6 days, the marina was closed and it forced us to anchor out in the harbor. We took the dingy over for some yummy hamburgers at Shacks. Getting into a slip the following morning, we then cleaned house (or should I say, cleaned boat), helping to wipe everything down.

It was strange being on land again. During my shower there, I reeled back and forth and swore the marina was floating. (It's not!) We were both happy to have had that experience. On to Los Barrilles!

Baja Beginnings

 Crossing the border at Tijuana is like landing in a whole new world. The first thing you notice is the people living around the bridge, looking for anything to use or eat, and then the presence of trash everywhere. From broken glass to plastic bags to baby diapers – you can't escape it. You have to wonder what kind of upbringing or culture people have that litter so effusively and don't seem to think twice about it. Unfortunately, this wasn't restricted to Tijuana; it was this way all the down the Pacific coast until we hit El Rosario and headed inland (where it is a desert with very few people.) Even for several miles past the last town, you'd see the desert sparkle with broken glass. Any pull-off on the road (of which there were precious few in the north.  This picture just shows the promise of new construction - but left empty for lack of....funding?  interest?  buyers?  Quite common.

The Baja road – Mexican 1 – is quite a unique experience. It is wide enough for two cars and barely wide enough for a truck and an RV to pass each other. I'm glad we have a van. The road itself wouldn't be too bad except there are no shoulders and miles of steep drop off. When I read that online, I thought they meant that there are cliffs with no guardrails and steep drop offs. But that wasn't it. Instead, the road is built up – so it sits maybe 4 feet above the surrounding ground. The asphalt sits inches above that; so you can't drive off the road for breaks, emergencies, or to escape an on-coming car. You basically have to stay on the road.  Speed limits are set around 80 kph (50mph) and are a good limit if people kept to it. Unfortunately, most people don't. You find yourself having to be very attentive while driving, as you cannot relax too much, as if you did, there's a good chance your car could flip as the drop off is so great. The good news is, the road is generally in very good condition with minimal traffic. This is why there is advice not to drive at night.  It's much more hazardous if you stray.  So, you drive closer to the middle of the whole road until you confront another car. The roads seem somewhat better, with more gradual tapering of the sides of the road in Baja Sur.

 Past El Rosario, you turn inland. The desert here is uninhabited and very stunning. There are acres of various cacti, including the odd circio cactus and an area of huge boulders mixed in with the cactus. Finally no broken glass and just the stark beauty of a natural landscape.

 Driving onwards we crossed the desert until we saw the Sea of Cortez. The blue you see is just amazing! It's such a contrast to the desert you've been in for the last day or two and is a welcoming site. We went on near the Bahia de Conception and I felt like we were in St. Thomas, Caribbean.  The drive south from there had gorgeous bays, islands and cactus – with crystal clear waters. You'd see rows of RVs parked along the water's edge. We met people from Canada who had lived there for the winter, and who had come to this area every year for 9 years. We later learned that that isn't all that unusual. Many people make the drive in Nov or so and stay until May. We asked at one park; they charged $1500 for one year, no matter if you stayed six months or twelve. Their nightly rate was about $8.

We stopped in La Paz. We walked the malecon and were quite impressed with the cleanliness and layout of the city.  We decided to stay Friday night to check out the dancing and night life there. That evening, we heard this solo guitar player at a restaurant/bar play and sing – and he started off with “No Se Tu” - a Luis Miguel favorite of ours – and just commanded the song. We were hooked. His playing and spin on songs were creative and masterful. When he sang, “Imagine”, we got up to dance in the middle of a courtyard – and ended up getting an ovation from the crowd. These two guys from the States complimented us, and we ended up moving to their table and exchanging stories. Turns out they both graduated in 1969 (same as Bob) and both had the same motorcycle as Bob did; and are all the same age (well, not me). The one guy, Dennis, sailed his 36' sailboat from the mainland Mexico last week and offered to take us sailing. We met up with them the following day, made our arrangements for next week and plan to go out on their boat for a 3-5 day sailing excursion of the islands near La Paz. This is a dream come true – the best diving is around these islands, with schools of whales, sharks (the nicer kinds), seals and dolphins all around. We are really excited about this trip next week! Wow! All from one dance!  

But this week, we are in La Ventana – about a half hour drive out of La Paz. This is a famous windsurfing/kiteboarding (sailors) area. From the small dot on the map, we assumed it was a small nothing town. Wow – were we surprised. The “Campground” has sailors that live here for months at a time. Once again, they drive their rigs down in Nov or so, and stay here, camp out, windsurf or kite for months – then leave and head to the Columbia River Gorge in the summer. Professional bums? Or what? I don't know – people living cheaply, really LIVING – doing what they love. There are restaurants here, gas stations, mini supermarkets, etc., so you can get your supplies as needed. The water is nice – right out your front door; and everyone is friendly and ready to lend a hand. It's eye-opening. To camp here is from $3-$12/night, depending on the amenities.  You forget you are in Mexico; there are Mexican restaurants and Mexican workers, but everyone else around are American or Canadian.

Must tell about our experience with the police. We had entered the town of Cuidad Insurgente. The sign showed a left to take to head towards La Paz. We took that left. Well, turns out that right there, that left was a one-way, so as soon as we realized it, we righted ourselves. The proper left was the NEXT left. Well, the police were waiting for Gingros like us to make that mistake and pulled us over. “Ticket, you!” to Bob. He says that'll be $200 or $100 if we pay them now and we can go on our way. We say, “$200 USD?” Si, senorita. We tell them we will go to the station and pay there. We insist on that – and they take Bob's license and tell us to follow them to the station. At some point, maybe a mile later, on a side street, they pull over – so we do. He comes back and says, “$70 at station; $50 now”. We say no – we'll go to the station. Take us there. He says something about us having to wait until 8am tomorrow. We say “Fine – give us directions to it, we'll go in the morning”. We pull out some paper for him to write on. He scribbles a little, shows us on a map that the station is supposedly 25km north opposite of where we were headed in some other smaller town and again mentions the money. We say, we'll go to station in the morning – where is it – address, Senor? He tries to get us to speak Spanish, (we could pick up very little really of what he said, plus his English was tough to understand as well), goes to his squad car, talks to his buddy, comes back, hands us our license and says, “Goodbye – you can go”. What'd we learn? Play dumb. Insist on going to the station. They want you to feel inconvenienced so you will pay the bribe and get on your way. There was no ticket.

Generally tho, the military checkpoints (of which there have been half a dozen) are of no consequence. Mostly we are waved through after we mention where we are headed and “vacation”. That is the magic word.

A tip for those traveling from North Baja to Baja Sur tho. There is a vegetable/agricultural stop at the border here. You must turn over all your fruits and possibly vegetables to them, even ones you bough in North Baja. We learned of this the night before after buying fruit and ended up gorging on what we had purchased for one week in two meals. 4 oranges, 3 avocados, 5 apples, a cantelope, half a papaya and two bananas – Wow! But didn't want to throw it away. Next time we'll know!