S/V Perspective

Hola Amigos! We are pretty much caught up after you read this post, yahoo! We headed for Concepcion after our wonderful stay in La Ramada. The trio of boats made the journey together and once again gathered in the same anchorage. As we made our turn into the bay, we were met with 23 knots of wind, and a cell tower that provided 4G coverage. Both were very exciting! The internet has been better than expected down in Mexico but the winds have been mostly absent when we need them.

Our first stop was La Posada which is next to a large RV destination called Santispac. La Posada is a very exclusive community that does not allow outsiders to come into the neighborhood so we often took the dinghy to Santispac to enjoy a meal and drinks on shore. Thanks to Kathy we have a photo from land displaying our boats in the anchorage… It was routine to call the fleet, Tabula Rasa and Magic Dragon, each morning and ask if they wanted to go for a snorkel or spear. The boys became masters of their spears and we never went hungry! We have tried a variety of fish thanks to their spearing efforts, including: grouper, cabrilla, snapper, grunts, golden trevalle, hog fish and mullet. The ladies have laid down the law that they are not allowed to spear the “pretty” fish because we enjoy looking at them when we snorkel.

Here are some fishies to check out thanks to our GoPro…the glowing blue fish is a juvenile Damsel, and the large grumpy looking guy is a Cortez Angel. The angel fish were very curious and checked us out frequently. Mullets at the surface…A hogfish looking for a hiding spot. He was off limits to the boys because he’s beautiful!Here’s the gang doing their thing…Bay of Concepcion has many great places to snorkel, and we only went to a few. We found the 90 degree water and the 95-100 degree indoor temps to be deflating. We decided to move cabins. We gave up our large aft cabin for the forward cabin. The V-berth gets much better airflow than the aft, which in theory should keep us cooler. Even with a slight breeze and the fan pointed directly at our heads we still struggled to stay cool. So we resorted to sleeping on deck!The morning views from sleeping on deck were gorgeous…Chores were done early in the morning, including laundry. Who doesn’t love a colorful laundry on the boat photo?! When it was time to stock the boat up with fresh groceries we decided to dinghy over to the next anchorage, El Burro. We wandered around for awhile but could not find the tienda and finally asked someone on shore. It’s funny what happens when you ask people, we ended up talking to a bungalow owner that does the weather report for the Sea of Cortez every morning. He’s been living on the beach for over 20 years, in the same house. He let us know the tienda was actually in the next anchorage, called Coyote.Getting to Coyote took less than 5 minutes. It appeared that the houses were all gated in and there was no way out. Luckily, a nice woman asked if we needed any help and we asked her about the tienda. She was quick to lend us her gate key and gave us directions. Little did we know this quick interaction would turn into much more. It turns out that this woman, Bobbi, has a boat anchored in La Posada which was next to us. Later that day we saw her snorkeling to her boat and she offered to take us to Mulegé. The girls were all happy to accept and the boys stayed home. We had a lovely time and completed some much needed errands while in town.

Bobbi ended up inviting us to her beach house for dinner the following night. It turned in to quite a cruisers potluck with delicious food and great company. It was fun getting to know “Bobbi on the Beach” for the next several days.Unfortunately our time with Bobbi had to come to an end and we needed to get to Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo is located near the entrance of the entire bay and is an understated anchorage. The shore is lined with beautiful shells, the water temp was 86 degrees and the winds kicked up each afternoon. It was paradise compared to the heated conditions we experienced inside the bay. Views from Santo Domingo…Gathering shells…Hosting game night on the deck of Perspective as we say “See ya later” to Tabula Rasa. They are heading to San Carlos to haul out for the season. They will be missed!!!Sydney and I enjoying the amazing afternoon breeze…Speaking of Sydney, she’s got some words for our readers…Hey it’s Sydney here. I need your help, it’s hot here and I need more beach time! I give my humans all the signs, I stare at shore constantly. I let them know that a fresh water rinse does not cut it, and I’ve resorted to tantrums on the couch! You see, I just can’t cool off!!! Would you believe I met a dog that lives on the beach? I think my humans should quit playing on their floaty toy and get a beach house just for me! And another thing, I’ve ran out of treats. Apparently none of the stores in Mexico carry dog treats, I’m ready to bail! Send help!!!

Well on that high note, I think I should wrap this blog up and get to work on the next one! Stay tuned and I’ll tell you all about Santa Rosalia next. Hope you’re having a great weekend, cheers!!!

Hola Amigos! Once we left Loreto it was quick sail to Caleta San Juanico. Gene and Kathy on Tabula Rasa were already there and helped us choose a spot to drop our hook. We chose to drop between two large rock formations with an acceptable depth below us. We quickly dropped the dinghy and went for a swim. Who knew anchoring could be so hot?!

It wasn’t long before Dave and Jamyne on Magic Dragon pulled into the anchorage and we all made plans to go for a snorkel/spear fishing excursion the next day. Dave just bought a Hawaiian sling in Loreto and was eager to give it a try. As it turned out each event was successful and the boys were excited to go again the next day! While the boys had plans to fish, the girls made plans to paddle board to shore and search for Apache tears, aka obsidian stones. The story goes that the roads used to be covered in obsidian, but the rocks were too sharp and were causing damage to tires. Eventually the obsidian stones were shoved aside and new gravel was laid. We searched and searched but didn’t find any stones. What we lacked in stones we made up for in pleasant conversation and girl time. The rock formations in front of and behind Perspective…Sydney’s taxi service and Brad’s spear fishing bounty…Life was good in the anchorage until the wind picked up to a consistent 15-20 knots. Remember how I mentioned we were anchored between two rock formations? Brad and I were no longer comfortable staying so we made plans to move to a new anchorage, La Ramada, around the corner. It was a short trip that packed a punch. The consistent winds had caused the seas to build. We were faced with large, quick interval swells on our beam. Rather than take a side to side beating, we headed out further and then took the waves on the stern on our way in. This is where our large motor comes in handy, Brad kept the boat going with the waves and it was actually a smooth ride in. Once inside the new anchorage we were treated to calm, clear waters. The protection there was great!

We spent a few days in La Ramada and spent plenty of time in the water. The temperature outside was climbing and the only way to cool off was to stay in the water until your core cooled down. This takes awhile when the water is in the mid 80s. We also had reason to celebrate. Gene’s Birthday was on the 4th of July and they hosted all of us for the celebration. Jamyne baked the most delicious drunken, upside down pineapple cake in the world! We enjoyed several hands of cards before calling it a night.Sunset and sunrise views in La Ramada…Thanks to Dave and Jamyne, we found Apache tears in La Ramada!It seemed that our time flew by and before we knew it we had plans to go somewhere new. This time we would be heading to Bay of Concepcion. Stay tuned and I’ll tell you all about it in our next post. Hope you are all doing well! Cheers my friends!

Hola Amigos! We’re currently anchored in a bay that has internet so now it is time to get all caught up! Our sail from Candeleros to Ballandra was mostly a motor due to fluctuating winds but we made the best of it and made water along the way. We typically make 30-36 gallons an hour depending on the water temperature. The warmer the water, the higher the output. As we headed north the water temps were creeping up into the 80’s!Puerto Ballandra is located on the northern end of Isla Carmen, basically parallel to Loreto.Once we arrived we were taken back by the views. The water was very clear and full of life. We watched a ball of fish move throughout the anchorage for the entire stay. If the water is clear, one of the first things we do is lower the dinghy and jump in the water. It’s a refreshing way to get settled in to the new neighborhood. We spent a couple nights in Ballandra and experienced our first encounter with bugs. In the evenings the wind would die down, and the bugs would come out. It was here that we discovered Brad is a much tastier specimen than me. He woke up to around 100 small bites covering his body, I didn’t have a single one! But as luck would have it, I wound up cutting my foot on a rock that same morning. We were taking Sydney to shore and I hopped out of the dinghy barefoot and stepped sideways on a rock. I looked down, saw blood and wanted to cry. It wasn’t the pain, but disappointment of having to miss out on our upcoming snorkel. Brad doctored me up and I was only out of commission for the day. Thankfully it was just a scratch and not a deep cut! The next morning we pulled anchor and headed across to Loreto. We would be meeting up with our friends on Magic Dragon. They had been there 2 nights already and were enchanted with the town. Once we arrived they met us at the dinghy dock and led us to the best markets in town. With their help we shopped til we dropped, filled the scuba tanks, had our laundry done and stocked up on pesos at the local bank. It was time well spent and we appreciated their company and knowledge of Loreto! What we didn’t expect to find in Loreto was our first cockroach. Jamyne, Dave, Brad and I all loaded into the dinghy after sharing a wonderful breakfast on shore. Jamyne discovered a large moth and was holding it as we motored away. Suddenly I felt something crawl across my foot and I kicked at it. Shamefully I admitted to possibly murdering the moth only to find out it was still in Jamyne’s hand. Uh oh, so what the heck ran across my foot?! It wasn’t long before the offender ran across Brad’s foot too. From there it was chaos and I believe I mentioned we should set the dinghy on fire! We watched helplessly as the offender snuck between the pontoon and the anchor locker. Feeling deflated about the whole situation, and assuming this cockroach was laying 1 billion eggs, we thought we were doomed. Luckily we spotted her when we opened the anchor locker and were quick to dispose of her once and for all! Cockroaches are not allowed as crew on Perspective!

With a fully loaded boat, sans a cockroach, we made plans to head to San Juanico the next morning. Magic Dragon and Perspective would be reuniting with Tabula Rasa at the new anchorage. I’ll tell you all about that in our next post. Until then I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Cheers!

Hola Amigos! After Bud Light came through the sea it was time to head south to Agua Verde. We previously rushed through the area and wanted to take a closer look. Our guide book mentioned a tienda (market), some beach restaurants and some goat farms. What we didn’t realize is that a couple of boats that we met back in La Paz would also be there!

As we pulled into the anchorage we spotted Magic Dragon and Tabula Rasa. We gave them a call on the radio and plans were made the next morning to go explore the town. We were in search of a cemetery but had a tough time finding it. We tried to decipher the info the locals gave us, but we failed. In the meantime we walked by a couple of goat farms, an adorable school and managed to buy some goat cheese.On the way back to the boat we tried one last time to locate the cemetery. It was across the soccer field and beyond some cactus- we never would have found it! I admit it was a bit eerie looking and walking around the graves, but also pretty fascinating. The next day we made plans to find a cave with some hand paintings inside. It was in our guidebooks but listed no directions on how to get there. We heard from friends where they thought it was, and we ran with their advice. Well, it turns out we completely missed the cave and were asked by a cowboy to go back to our boats.

Our friends on Magic Dragon scoped out another cemetery on shore and we all decided to take a look. We had to walk up a steep gravel path and walk down the other side to get to the cemetery. I know what you’re thinking, why were we so obsessed with viewing cemeteries? I was asking myself this same thing! The oldest person we could determine was born in 1900.Enough about the creepy graves. Let’s erase those images and look at some beach photos…Brad in hiking action…Agua Verde was a charming little village and we made good use of the market and enjoyed a fish taco dinner on shore.Our next stop was Bahía Candelero, located just south of Puerto Escondido. Our main goal for staying here was internet access, and it was a well protected anchorage. At first glimpse I was not a big fan. There’s something about dark green, murky water that is disappointing but after paddling around we started to enjoy it a bit more. Tabula Rasa and Magic Dragon joined us the next day and we all planned a get together on Perspective. We invited a single hander, Jason, on Volare to join us. We met him at the dock in La Paz and were excited to cross paths once again. Over the next few days we enjoyed several potlucks and just great company! We also did quite a bit of fishing too. While the boys fished, the girls enjoyed a beautiful snorkel. I think this is what we all thought cruising would be like. Getting up, planning an adventure and sharing the bounty for dinner along with a nice sundowner. Thanks to Kathy on Tabula Rasa and Jamyne on Magic Dragon for the extra photos!

Here’s the small village on the other side of the anchorage. The town has about 200 people who we found to be extremely friendly! Thanks to Kathy here are some photos of the local medical facility and their church. Both charming! Next up for us is a place called Puerto Ballandra and Loreto! We may not have internet for awhile, but I will update the blog as we can. Hope you are all doing well. Cheers from Perspective!

Hello there! In the last post I mentioned Hurricane Bud wrecking our plans to head to the states. Well, he succeeded, but his great plans of being a hurricane also fizzled. So we will call it even. This was our first storm, ever, so we were taking things seriously. Which meant we would be leaving the La Paz area and heading north to a “hurricane hole” known as Puerto Escondido. We would be happier there and our insurance company would be too!

Our storm avoidance plan had us heading north, stopping in Isla San Francisco, Agua Verde and finally to Puerto Escondido. Puerto Escondido is just outside of Loreto. We were days ahead of the storm and enjoyed beautiful, downwind sails all the way up. It was hard to believe a storm was on its way with the nice conditions we were experiencing.When we finally made it to Puerto Escondido we secured a mooring ball for 3 nights. This was a much cheaper option than renting a slip. At this point we knew Bud was fizzling to a tropical storm and that the mooring would be sufficient.We took the time on shore to socialize with other cruisers and to have meals/drinks. It was a really nice change. The cruisers all joked about hurricane Bud turning into Bud Light. The next morning Bud Light came along and washed our boat in plenty of fresh water, about 6 inches. This was great except we had to stay on top of the leaks inside. Otherwise we could incur water damage and discoloration to our wood. Brad even made a mid rain repair to our chain plates that were being super naughty! Here’s a look at Bud in action…After a few hours of rain it was time to take all the laundry to shore. Puerto Escondido is expensive for pretty much everything, including laundry. For $5 a load the laundry added up quickly. But after weeks of rationing clothes it was a real treat to have everything clean again!

Brad and I also met up with our friends from Silver Wings while we were in Puerto Escondido. Their boat will be there for the next 6-8 weeks while they visit family in the states. It was SO nice to see them again! We all hiked the Steinbeck Canyon together and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the waterfall. Bud Light brought plenty of water for us to play in! The hike included some bouldering and even Sydney made it up there with Brad’s help. She soon discovered frogs and froze in her tracks. She could not understand what they were or what they were doing. It was pretty adorable. Eventually we made our way down the hill and back to the marina. It was time for us to ditch the mooring and head back out to the sea.We had our hearts set on heading south to Agua Verde. I’ll tell you more about that in our next blog. So until then I hope this post finds you well! Cheers from Perspective!

Ensenada Grande is located on the northern portion of Espiritu Santo and has three lobes to drop anchor in. There was a small, private beach near where we dropped and we promptly took Princess Sydney to shore. Having her on board is a pleasure. Because of her demands we have the opportunity to slow down and observe while she fetches her heart out. Here she is in her element…Brad checking out the views from above…More views of Ensenada Grande…We took a dinghy tour the first evening and made plans to snorkel the next day. We scoped out some amazing stops and couldn’t wait to explore the next day. As nature would have it, we did not get to snorkel the next day. Instead we quickly prepared to pick up anchor and set sail. Why the sudden change? One by one we were invaded by bees looking for fresh water. The swarming sound as you descended the stairs was unnerving. Luckily they were not aggressive, and even better, they left us as we sailed away! We chose a small fishing village called San Evaristo on the Baja side of the sea. Our guidebook told us there was a small market, restaurant and a place to drop off trash. We arrived and settled in to green, murky water. Gone was the beautiful blue water that we saw on the island. As I sat in the cockpit I noticed some serious splashing going on in the cove across from us. Upon further investigation I determined it was the mobula rays making all that ruckus. Brad, Sydney and I loaded up into the dinghy to get a closer look. We were shocked to be in the middle of a school of jumping rays. Here, let me show you…Sydney was a little startled by all this action and we are afraid it has made her skittish about swimming in deeper water. Don’t worry kid, I’m with you on that! Can you believe how much air these guys catch?!After grabbing lots of photos and videos we went back to the boat for the night. We stayed in San Evaristo for a couple of days and utilized the trash facilities, the restaurant and small market. We also hiked over to the salt flats on the other side of the cove.We took the dinghy to the salt flats beach and were met by a pod of dolphins. Sydney was once again overwhelmed by all the action. Naps on cuddly pillows always help her out. 😜Eventually it was time to head south back to La Paz area. We anchored in Candelero and then down to Balandra. We had big plans to dock the boat in La Paz and drive to the states. But Hurricane Bud had other ideas for us. I’ll catch you up on all of that on the next post! Thanks for stopping by and I hope this post finds you well. Cheers!!!

Well hello there! It’s time to catch up so let’s pick up where we left off. We had no issues picking up our anchor and leaving La Paz. The only difficulty was choosing where to drop the anchor next! Along the way we were escorted out by a pod of dolphins. There were so many heading our way that it looked like a wave breaking over a shallow reef. They proceeded to play in our bow wake and kept us company for a few precious minutes. I am always in awe whenever we see them, they are magnificent and oh so graceful.Espiritu Santo Island is full of great places to visit and drop the hook. After reading about the different stops in our guide, we chose Candelero. It’s a large anchorage divided by a small island with great holding on either side. We got settled in and went for a swim to cool off. The water was so clear we could see the anchor chain all the way to the bottom…We planned to stay a night or two at Candelero but were charmed enough to stay 4 nights. We spent our time snorkeling, taking Sydney to shore and trying to exercise by swimming laps around the boat. These laps were full of giggles, ankle grabs and cheating.

When it was time to snorkel, we anchored the dinghy next to the small island and I wasn’t prepared for all the fish we would see. We were immediately surrounded by Sergent Majors that had no fear of humans. We also saw trigger fish, angel fish, puffer fish, coronet fish, rooster fish, mackerel, and a moray eel. All the fish inspired Brad to bust out the spear gun! It turns out he is a great shot and we enjoyed delicious fish tacos!The main island had two wonderful beaches for Sydney to play on. In the middle is a rock formation that we saw as a photo opportunity…Others before us laid out shells beautifully on the textured formation…Candelero was so full of life. Dinghy rides were a great way to see the rays nestled below in the sand. Turtles would pop up every couple of minutes and Sydney made a new friend. She had her first encounter with a sea lion. We assume she visited our boat to hunt for the fish taking shelter underneath Perspective. Sydney couldn’t stop staring at the sea lion and we can only imagine what she must have thought.Candelero was just what we needed. Clear water and plenty of wildlife to observe.I hoped you enjoyed checking out Candelero with us and we hope this post finds you well! PS, if you’d like to see more, then check out our Instagram: SV Perspective. There we have videos of snorkeling and Sydney diving for sticks. Cheers til next time!

Good Morning Amigos! We are sitting on anchor in La Paz with plans to pick up the hook and sail to the islands today. We are waiting for the winds to die down to take care of a potentially sticky situation involving our neighbor. We went to bed with him on our starboard side and woke up to him on our port. Turns out his anchor is now sticking and he’s in fine shape, except his engine is out of service while he’s doing repairs. Here’s where it gets sticky…we aren’t sure if our anchor chains got tangled as his dragged across ours last night, or if the chains are running parallel. So we are going to play it safe and wait for the wind to die down to prevent any further excitement. So what else has been going on since I came back from Oregon? Well, Brad has been HARD at work installing a new water maker system and a new toilet in our aft head (bathroom). These are very exciting additions to our cruising lifestyle! We’ve been getting along just fine without either of these, but now we are living the life of luxury with both!

Brad spent a solid week and a half cramped in our engine room working on the installation. First he had to uninstall the previous water maker system, then figure out where to place the new components. There were moments of late night meditation, shots of tequila, countless hours of boat yoga and lots of bruises/scrapes to go along with it. But now we can make around 30-36 gallons of water an hour through the new system! This means we can comfortably shower on board, dishes can be done with more than a few drops of water, Sydney can be rinsed after her beach visits- without the guilt of using up all the water. This is exciting stuff!!! Here’s the area emptied of the old system…New system before install…Getting installed…New control panel, which meant Brad had to cut a huge hole in the boat…The aft head wasn’t an easy job either. The old hoses and toilet had to come out and a new plumbing route had to be planned based on our new system. I find all of these things mind boggling. Brad enjoys the challenge and the engineering aspects of it all, even when dealing with toilets. I am definitely in good hands out here! Out with the icky old! In with the new!While he was hard at work below, I had a few chores to tackle as well. Our stainless was in serious need of polishing and our teak was screaming for moisture. I snuck the work in during moments of shade, so early morning and around sunset to avoid some serious sun exposure. It wasn’t too long before both projects were completed and good to go.We’ve also provisioned the boat with plenty of groceries and beverages to sustain us during our upcoming trip to the islands.We managed to snag the holy grail of cruising books down here, “Sea of Cortez, a Cruiser’s Guidebook”. This book is incredible! It reminds me of a candy store for cruisers. It gives us all the information we need, plus beautiful photos to get you excited about visiting a new place. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about… We’ve also found ourselves spending lots of beach time with Sydney and her lady friend, Allie, from Jersey Girl. We knew the boat and crew from doing the HaHa back in October. It was nice to get reacquainted with them and to let the pups get plenty of exercise. It turns out that Jersey Girl is operating as a charter boat down here. Let me just say, it’s 65 feet of luxury with a crew that will spoil you! Kenny and Donna have worked hard to get the boat looking spiffy as can be, and they have all the beach toys to keep you entertained. If you’re looking for a getaway with all the bells and whistles, then be sure to check them out! Www.sailjerseygirl.comSydney’s Perspective: So, check this out. Almost every day I get picked up by Allie and we go play at the beach. She loves for me to chase her, but I couldn’t care less! I would rather eat or roll in dead fish, or fetch a stick. Allie does swim faster than me, and she’s blonde. It’s true what they say, blondes do have more fun! All in all it’s been an OK couple of weeks around here. Would be better if I could take a fish to go! There you have it folks! We are going to be out of internet range for a bit, but I’ll be sure to update you once we return. We hope you’re all doing well! Cheers from SV Perspective!

Last time on the blog I mentioned I was heading to Oregon to renew my visa. Once plans were finalized, Brad got a gleam in his eye. He said, let me teach you how to smuggle. What?! He quickly got on Amazon and ordered up a storm. I would be carrying the booty from Oregon to Mexico, praying for the green light at immigration. I didn’t fully understand the process and this was my first time traveling to Mexico, alone. I assumed they would check my bags no matter what. As long as you get the green light, you skip the bag search. How cool is that?! I also smuggled in my Mom’s oatmeal raisin cookies. Once you start smuggling, you can’t stop!Enough about my smuggling. I was in Oregon to spend some time with my parents. My Mom recently moved back to town and I was thrilled to be able to see both parents without making two trips. My Dad picked me up in Medford, Oregon and we enjoyed a 2.5 hour drive to Brookings. We chatted up a storm and were home before we knew it.The following day I had the pleasure of meeting his girlfriend and celebrating her birthday. I swear I ate more chips and salsa at her house than I’ve eaten in all of Mexico! Thank you for the hospitality, Lisa!

The rest of the trip was spent hiking with my Mom and shopping at Fred Meyer! For those of you that have never heard of Fred Meyer, it’s a pretty big deal in Brookings. They don’t call it a one stop shop for nothing. I took full advantage and picked up some items that are impossible to get in Mexico. Like real Q-Tips! There was also a mandatory Wild River Pizza Trip thrown in for good measure. Best pizza on the Oregon Coast!My Mom has always been a hiker. I have lovely memories of hiking with her and my brother. She had a pistol on her hip with a belt full of bullets just in case we ran into a bear or cougar. My brother and I were armed with BB Guns or sling shots. This time we skipped the weapons and brought the puppies instead. If you ever stop in Brookings, make time for a coastal hike. There are plenty of trails to explore, and they are worth every step. The first hike we took was about 3 miles round trip that led us down to the ocean. The coast was BREEZY that day. It would make for some exciting sailing! The next day we went to the Natural Bridges trail and our senses were overloaded as we descended. The trails go through the forest down to the cliffs with so much green in between! It doesn’t take long before you are viewing the natural bridges…The views get better as you go further down the trail. While it’s easy to look at the ocean, there is beauty on the ground too. Spring time is gorgeous! While the hikes were lovely, spending quality time with my parents was the best. Each of them are so strong and have taught me so much. I’m so thankful that they are so supportive of our crazy sailing adventure! It was difficult to leave them and head back to Mexico. I had all the feels as I said good bye to each of them and I’m already looking forward to seeing them again. Hopefully next time Brad and Sydney will be there too!

My return trip to Mexico began at 12:30am with a 2.5 hour drive to the airport. Stops in Portland and San Diego. My stop in San Diego was a 5 hour layover and I was lucky enough to have company! My old boss, Nikki, made the trek to the airport. It was awesome to catch up with her and our time went way too fast! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a real San Diego visit to do more catching up!

The last flight of the day left on time and San Diego slowly disappeared as the plane headed south. It’s mind boggling to think we made the trip south in Perspective 6 months ago. What a journey it’s been so far!The plane flew over the Sea of Cortez and my curiosity was in overdrive as I gazed at the islands below. This summer Brad and I will be exploring these islands up close and personal. Before I wrap up this post, I have to brag about my Mom’s creativity. Before the trip started she asked me to pick up anything that caught my eye and bag it up for her. This trip I came armed with shells for her. She picked these succulents on our hike and made good use of the shells! What a cute idea!!!Well my friends, I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog. And if you ever end up smuggling booty to us, don’t say you learned it from me! We hope this blog finds you happy, healthy and having a great day!

Well my friends I am a fish out of water while I write this. I’m currently seat 23D on a flight leaving Cabo heading to Seattle, making my way to Oregon. It’s time to renew my Mexican Visa and to do that, you must leave the country. So this time I’m taking the opportunity to visit family in my hometown of Brookings, Oregon! But that’s not what this post is about. This post is about a slice of paradise!

Brad and I shared similar thoughts about what we envisioned cruising would be like. This place was the jackpot of our imaginations. Clear turquoise water, hiking, snorkeling, and great friends! We found ourselves in Isla San Francisco for several days for a couple of reasons. The primary reason was to spend a bit more time with Jim on Silk Purse before he continued his journey north. He has big plans on land and will be hauling his boat out, and moving back to Kansas! While we are fully supportive and excited for him, selfishly we will miss his company. Reason numero dos: we wanted to get out of La Paz for a few days and explore somewhere new! Both reasons weren’t made in vain. Here, let me show you what the anchorage looks like! It’s a wide anchorage with a crescent beach full of sea shells and soft sand. Oh, and a few sticks for Sydney to fetch! (Sticks and her coconuts are her preferred toys these days). The shore includes hiking trails that provide you with gorgeous 360 degree views. Here are some of my favorite views from the top. As you can see it’s quite lovely! We made the hike with our cruising friends, Liz and Risto on Silver Wings and of course Jim on Silk Purse. On the way back we traversed the ridge and made our way down to the salt flats and then back to the sandy beach. Another thing we loved about this place, there was no shore break. Meaning we could easily land the dinghy or paddle boards with Sydney without any issues.

From the boat we could see schools of fish, turtles, star fish and even a moray eel! I’ll just pretend we didn’t see an eel there, I always assumed they hung out in the rocks! Eeeeks!!! Brad felt inspired to fish off the side of the boat, which unfortunately did not provide us with anything edible. He called it quits after hooking a puffer fish. (No fish were harmed or maimed during his fishing attempt.)😂 Speaking of all these water creatures, we geared up for a snorkel and explored one of the large coves near the anchorage. The water was a little cold so Brad suggested a wetsuit. I happily slapped it on and bobbed like a cork which was perfect. The snorkeling was productive. We saw Sargeant Majors, Angel Fish, Surgeon Fish, mystery fish and even a sea turtle! Brad was manning the GoPro and did a great job of capturing the scene. He’s not afraid to dive down and snoop around. If this is a taste of what the Sea of Cortez has to offer then call us hooked! They say the water will get warmer and clearer as the months pass. And while Isla San Francisco has no internet, stores or restaurants, it makes up for it in nature. Brad and I will have no problem plugging in to that!

In other news, I recently learned the importance of writing recipes down. Apparently getting the recipe for Chocolate No Bake cookies from my Mom constitutes as an emergency worthy of a satellite phone call. We wanted to surprise Jim with a batch before he left and I found myself forgetting the recipe. It’s something I’ve always googled before. Well, not anymore. The recipe is on paper now! We also procured the boat bread recipe and gave it a try. Our loaf turned out picture perfect so I demanded a selfie. Good thing Brad is such a good sport! Alright my friends we will surely keep you posted with our plans after I return from the states. If all goes well, we will be provisioning and heading into the Sea as soon as possible. Cheers to each of you and as always we hope this blog finds you happy and healthy!

More photos for your viewing pleasure…