San Blas

Currently in San Blas, Mexico and loving it.

After repairing the alternator and electrical wiring we took a two day trip down to Chacala. We saw whales and dolphins on the way. We had a great time and hiked to a small volcano crater on the south end of the bay. The trip back was punctuated with a spectacular sunset.

Home for the Holidays

We are heading South by boat to fly North! Moving the boat to PV but flying home for the Holidays. Flying on December 17th. I have to get Tucker his health papers prior to that. Wish me Luck!

Following the 80 degree water heading to P.V.

Wrapping up our stay here in La Paz. It has been really fun. It is an interesting Town with lots of nice local and transient folks. We have Jamie Rosman on board as crew and will make the crossing of the Sea tomorrow. I will turn the SPOT back on so you can follow as you like. I will try to post some pictures of our stay here in La Paz later on.

Today Jamie and I spent 3 hours in immigration because I noticed my VISA was only good for 30 days, I had asked for 60 days. And Jamie didn't have any paperwork at all. So technically I was here with an expired VISA and Jamie was illegal. We are now "Schooled" and will not to leave the airport immigration without the proper VISA. The official gave me half the time that I asked for and I didn't know to check or question what he did. Before I left to go over to Immigration I radioed the other women who had also traveled by plane the same day I did and asked her to check her VISA. The official had again only given her half the time she had asked for. So she came along with us. Jamie had come down to La Paz via crossing the boarder in San Diego then catching a plane from TJ to La Paz and did not have any paperwork at all. So he had two forms to fill out. Again the immigration officer said don't leave the airport until all your paperwork is in order and it's your responsibility to make sure it is in order. Lesson learned. For me it was a 236 peso lesson and I think it was double that for Jamie. So from now on I will go for a 180 day VISA and not be intimidated by the guy with the stamp.

The collectiva or local bus

Well, I've figured out a few things wandering around this little town. I actually think I have acquired a little bit of local knowledge.

Like I said in previous posts I was doing a lot of walking. Well, I got tired and am too cheap to pay for a taxi so I decided to figure out how to use the local bus called the collectiva. They are basically the short yellow bus no one every admits to have taken as a school child. Let me tell you how they work.
There are only certain streets they roll on, I think the taxi's and the buses have their own turf zones. So what you do is stand out in the street and look in the direction you think the bus might come from. Then when you see the bus you try to get a good look at the writing on the bus. Sometimes it is handwritten on the bus where it is going like "Walmart" or "Sorianna" along with many other places. So the key is to read as quick as you can and decide if you want on the bus.

If you want on you jump up and down and do the hokey pokey and the bus will stop in front of you. I had a little bit of trouble yesterday when I fell off the sidewalk and into the bus. Just a little bit embarassing in any language.

I ALWAYS carry a map with me and I point to the general area I want to go and the driver will either says "Si" or just look at me blankly. Then I sit back and hold on for Mr. Toad's wild ride. The bus takes off with the petal to the rusted out floor and stops just as abruptly at the next person waving. They wander all over town, through neighbors, grocery store parking lots. You really can't go wrong. If nothing else its a good tour of the city. It only costs 8 pesos or about .70 cents. Once I decide where I want to get off I have enough energy to wander around.

Sometimes there are folks on the bus who speak english. This helps a lot. I met a young man home on vacation yesterday, he now lives in Guadalajara. He came home to go to a party and did not have the right shoes with him so his mom sent him out to buy some new shoes. His folks and his sister live here in La Paz. Mom is a dentist, Dad is a Doctor and his sister is a Lawyer. He is a mathmatician working at a bio tech firm. Wow, I was impressed. Never no who you might meet on the local bus.

Yesterday I ended up walking back to the boat because I was more interested in looking down at the sidewalk then catching the bus I guess. The sidewalks here are really quite treacherous. There is NO UNIFORM building code for sidewalks in Mexico. Some are lined with catus, and the sidewalks are all different widths, heights, steps, shear drops, uneven pavement you name it! I thought about taking some pictures but I really dont think I could possibly catch the danger on camera.

The first week in La Paz

Hola, Thought I was going to go walking today but decided it would be better if I did the laundry and organized stuff on the boat. I'm trying not to let the laundry pile up too much since it quite an ordeal to get over to the laundry. I wanted to get there early so I could get two machines, so I was up and out of the boat by 7:30 or so. The early bird get's the washing machine first! I spent most of the morning waiting on the clothes and chatting to anyone who happened by. It was nice. It was really hot here today. It was probably 85 degrees.

I came back and organized the boat some more. Cupboard by cupboard. I found my extra sheets, beach towels and the emergency beer! I cleaned my vegetables, again, and made a pot of chili verde for supper.

Yesterday we went to Los Islotes on a dive boat. Doug went diving, I went snokeling. It was my idea to go on a boat so I could snorkle with a group. Turned out that I was the only one snorkling that day so I was ONMYOWN. I sucked it up and jumped in the water (FISH TANK). It was amazing! The first thing I saw was an adult male sealion in my face. I don't think I screamed too loud, well maybe a little and a few bad words. Then I closed my eyes and tried to get my breath back. When I opened my eyes there were hundreds of fish all around me. The visability of was maybe 40 feet. This island is a place where you can go to interact with the sea lions, so they come right up to you and want to play. They were all around me blowing bubbles and coming right up under me. I never put my hand out but I think they would have liked a taste of my fingers. No one feeds them, so they are not expecting food.

I had my underwater camera so I took a few pictures. I will send out a link from Doug's computer when I get a chance. He just went through and did some editing. I was just snapping not really knowing how the pictures were going to turn out.

After Los Islotes we went by boat over to a PLAYA (beach) for lunch. The cove was litteraly tourquoise with a white sandy beach. The boat just drove right up on the beach, beach landing in a dive boat. They put up a PALAPA (Unmbrella) up and put out some chairs. We enjoyed a good old ham sandwhich. After lunch the dive boat left and went out of the cove to dive on a wreck. I stayed at the beach thinking I might go snorkel on the reef. I tried walking out to the reef via the beach but then I decided I was walking way to close to the creepy fisherman's hut, so I then tried wading out to the reef from the beech and there was something in the water that started stinging my legs. I'm not sure if it was some kind of tiny jelly or what. I had this same experience once in Florida. So back to the beach I went. I could here the fisherman laughing! Darn it!

The wreck that Doug went diving on had an interesting history. Turns out that in about 1999 this boat shows up here from China full of Chinese expecting to get off in Mexico. Mexico said no way and they went out to the boat and took everybody off and took them to the airport and sent them all back to China. Then they sank the boat right there. Sounds kinda strange. Mind you my Spanish is not so good, but that's what I think they were saying.

There is another wreck near here. It is a ferry that went down in the San Lorenzo channel in the 40's. I understand that it's a really great dive. They told me you can see the old cars and trucks. Sounded pretty cool if you are a diver. I'm a snorkler, can't snorker there.

Here at the marina we noticed today that there is a Tartan 37 right next to us. The name is WILD ROSE from the Bay Area I think. Doug went over and chatted with her today. She was looking for some anchor chain. We are looking to sell our current anchor chain since it does not fit correctly on our windlass. Did not fit on hers either or the other guy who came around looking for chain. I'm going to go chat with her tomorrow and see if I can get some pictures of her boat in full cruising mode.

Sunday is a pialla cook off downtown. It starts at 10:00 am and I can go and watch them make it. Sounds really fun.

Here are pictures of the seminar on the 70-ft schooner VLTAVA.

Here are pictures of the Thanksgiving dinner at Marina La Palmira.

Adios! for now

Ensenada de Los Muertos

We stayed here for a few days waiting out a wind storm from the North. We sailed here from Bahia Frailes and arrived at 10:30 PM at night. We anchored way away from all the other boats so we wouldn't drag into them in the middle of the night. We also anchored near a set of buildings with a lot of lights. The cruising guide mentiond a hotel there so I was hoping I could pickup some free internet.

We went in the next morning to check out the restaurant also mentioned in the guide as being cruiser friendly. Clark and I got out our empty boxes and Linda went out networking. She heard about the hotel that we anchored near and that they wanted the cruisers to come over. They had a full staff but the golf tournament scheduled for that week was called off so the staff were looking for something to do. It was a spectacular place. We heard it was built as a single family residence; WOW! We also learned that they were trying to change the name to Bahie de Los Suenos (bay of dreams; not the bay of dead).

More Pictures.

Barrel Catus Farm

This is located in San Jose Cabo. This was a very interesting sight to see. It's a solid catus field. I don't have any idea how they decide when to take them to market.