La Paz to Puerto Escondido

April 19–23–2017  Weds. April 19th we left Marina Palmira headed for Isla Partida.  Tony and Lynn from the McGregger 65 Mamala helped with our dock lines and bid us farewell.   Motorsailing with no wind to start with but expected to build to 10–15 out of the NNW.  The wind started about 1130 in the channel inside of Isla Ballena. 

Isla Ballena

 

 We checked out Calleta Partida but thought there would be better wind protection at Ensenada Grande southern lobe.  Anchored at 1330 as wind continued to build. With gusts to 29 Kts from the NE.  Saw 32 Kts but that was when we were resetting the hook as we had moved back slowly toward another boat over time.  We were sailing on the hook even though we had a side snubber so Al put up a reefed Mizzen and re anchored closer to shore and by 1830 it was calm.  Then switched to the SE 8–10Kts till 0200. 0930 Thursday April 20th moved to the middle lobe of Ensenada Grande as the predicted wind was not favorable to head north.  We anchored in 13 ft of water with 75 ft of chain.  Decided to go kayak exploring before the wind came up.

Cool EROSION

 

ENSENADA GRANDE

Ensenada Grande Middle Lobe Chez Nous to left in 13 ft of water.

CHEZ NOUS on the left

    Of course by the time we got back and got the kayaks on deck the wind was picking up.   We had to reset by mid afternoon and this time put out 150 ft of chain.  Now really dug in.

CLEAR WATER

0645 Friday April 21 we were underway to San Evaristo which is a small fishing village on the Baja in the Canal de San Jose about 27nm NW of Isla Partida.    

SUN RISE

Leaving Isla Partida for San Evaristo

1040 We anchored at Evaristo which is about 27 no NW of Partida and chose the  north corner in 25ft of water and 150 ft of chain.  We our not going to move if the wind picks up.

Love the Color

NORTH CORNER

Close to wall

We did take a short kayak trip to shore but I chickened out thinking the swells would make it too difficult to get back later in the afternoon.

Little Fisherman at Evaristo

EVARISTO IN MORNING LIGHT

0645 April 22 on our way to Agua Verde with hardly any wind.  Just beautiful scenes of the Baja mountains and islands.  Indescribably beautiful, isolated, mostly inaccessible and unpopulated.  Rays jumping the entire trip, plus two humpback whales off in the distance and several hundred dolphins.

Early morning leaving Evaristo with Partida in the far distance to the left.

LOS GATOS

WASHING SAILS

1345 anchored in Agua Verde near two boats that we have met before.  Aldabra with Nancy on board from ZIHUATANEJO and Aeolion with Jane and Jerry from Mantanchen Bay, PV and ABYC. Both know the boat Myla.

Dinner

Beautiful little horse getting some beach time

Chez Nous to left in Agua Verde middle beach with Roca Solitaria in background.

 

 

Hundreds of dead Grebes on the way north ?     The next morning we took a dinghy ride out around Solitary Rock and found a couple of Magnificant Frigate nests and great snorkling spots along the reef on the way out.

Rocka Solitaria. 115 feet high

American  Ostercatcher on east side of rock

 

Magnificent Frigates nests on west side of rock!

1010 April 23 lifted anchor and motor sailed north passed close to the awesome Candeleros Chico which is just before Bahia Candeleros where I'm told there is great WiFi at the resort there.

Candeleros Chico

We arrived here in Puerto Escondido and picked up a mooring around 1400 right in front of Wind Rose with Steve Roberts and friend.  24 nm from Agua Verde.  This is a natural round Bay with two low areas called windows then the open zig zag entrance on the right of the panorama.  First window you can see Isla Coronado, second window is Isla Carman and you can just see Isla Danzante off the opening.  The other sides are the Gigantes that also protect.

Windows and entrance from inside Puerto Escondido.

Sierra de la Giganta range

 

 

 

 

 

 

4/1-8/17 LAPaz and near Islands with Janet and Henry

April first got reacquainted with La Paz and had lunch at Marina de La Paz.  First impression was that the town is a little tired looking compared to 11 years ago.  The big Los Arcos Hotel has been closed for 6 years over a labor dispute and the windows are all painted red and black plus it has a lot of graffiti.  Marina Cortez a new floating dock Marina just east of Marina de La Paz has a couple expensive nice restaurants in front.

Open Grill 

Always cool Cars in La Paz

 

Home made Ice Cream Store still the same !

APRIL 2, 2017 We took a bus trip across the Peninsula to Todas Santos on the Pacific side toward Cabo.  It was a small artist colony with lots of character but now it seems to be made for Tourists with way over priced everything.  

Cactus garden

 

Lunch with Janet and Henry

More cool cars

Hotel California

  Got a surprise message from our daughter, and it wasn''t an April Fools Joke.  Drew and Lynnette are now Mr. and Mrs. Martin.   4-04-17.    Monday was a day off but Tues we sailed to the for Espírito Santo and anchor in Caleta Partida.           

Caleta Partida

Sunrise

Beautiful water

Fish camp

Man Power in Too Low Tide

Siblings

Next day a giant 5 mile trip out to Ensenada Grande.  Choose to anchor in the southern lobe anticipating more protection from the north winds.  Not sure it made any difference but there was a hiking trail there that I thought everyone but myself might enjoy as my Achilles are still chronically inflamed I opted to read on the beach.

LOVE THE WHEELS

CHEZ NOUS FROM THE BEACH

SUNSET AT ENSENADA GRANDE

Spent a lovely evening on Mamala, which is a McGregger 65 meeting new friends and listening to Toni play a mechanically amplified guitar.  I think sold by National Guitar Co.  A wooden guitar with a polished aluminum cone speaker on its face.  Really a beautiful sound.  Plus he played an incredible sounding Mandolin. Pretty windy but very smooth water in the cove.  In the morning we took a dinghy exploration of the little cove west of us (Las Cuevitas) that was supposed to have a blue footed booby colony.  No blue feet but interesting geology.

Weather Worn Sand Stone 

Cool Geo

Heron

4-06-17 at 10:00 we got underway for Isla San Francisco about 19 miles NNW of Isla Partida.  in plenty of time to hike but no one was up for another hot afternoon hike so Janet and I kayaked and looked for shells.

Isla San Francisco

San Francisco looking SW over the Bay of La Paz

Panoramic sunset looking SW

  4-07-17 When we lifted anchor in the morning we could see all the chain snaking around in the white sand but the anchor itself was completely buried.  The water was as smooth as glass more than halfway back to the Marina.  

Heading back to La Paz

Selfie reflection in water from Bow of Chez Nous

  Got back in time to cool off in the pool and get cleaned up for a very nice fair well dinner at Marino Azul restaurante at Marina Costa Baja.

Mantanchen Bay to La Paz

March 27,2017 I'm so behind in writing this that I'm just going to use parts of the log to try and catch up.  I know its not to interesting or creative but later it will help us remember the trip, which all and all wasn't too bad for a crossing.

Leaving Mantanchen Bay and warmth !

  0805 anchor up and underway to Isla Isabella as Al did not get to go ashore last year.  No wind motoring at 6.5 kts. 1119 wind up to 19 kts on the nose.  Miserable.   Goal changed.  Now Mazatlan by morning with mizzen, staysail and main.  Wind increasing. 1500 reefed the main for the night, still tacking up the coast and by morning the wind was down.  March 28

Mazatlan by morning

Good morning

0600 off of Mazatlan Harbor we decided since the weather was predicted to be favorable for a crossing of the sea that we would set a course for La Paz via Los Muertos Instead of stopping at Mazatlan.  We altered course to C 302 degrees to sail a little high of the rum line of 273 degrees.  

Captain's Keens were failing

 

Too cold

  1830 wind up to 18 kts apparent so reefed main for the night but by 2100 wind topped at 28kts with 2nd reef in Main, now beating into the wind. March 29  at 0000 wind 18 to 22kts with short steep wind waves which is definitely not smooth sailing. 0300 the Mazatlan Ferry and a container ship passed to starboard from opposite directions which added a little interest to Henry and Janet watch, since that was the only traffic we had seen on the crossing.  By 0600 the seas 3-5 ft with wind 22-26kts none of which were in the forecast.  145nm in 24 hrs. 1000 seas and wind down 14-16 kts and sunny sky. 1430 Anchored in Ensenada de Los Muertos.  The crossing was 196nm in 32 hrs. from Mazatlan to Los Muertos.  It wasn't a bad crossing but it is so nice to have the boat stop bucking so much.  The constant movement is tiring and such a beautiful place to be, out of the rough water on a boat quietly floating on its very secure anchor.  At peace.

Greeted with Welcome Home at Restaurant in middle of the beach

Model trains around balcony and gorgeous brick ceiling.

Cool drinks Hot sand

Ensenada de Los Muertos

Love our wheels

Guess we anchored a long way out !

Chez Nous at Anchor in Los Muertos

  March 30 a wonderful day on shore and got caught up on wifi/internet, enjoyed breakfast at a lovely resort restaurant who's waiter greeted us with ''welcome home".  Dinner at Rest. 1535.

Navionics track

  March 31 anchor up at 0700 NW winds at 17kts headed for La Paz though the Cerralva channel then tacking though the Canal de San Lorenzo.  Docked at Marina Palmira at 1550.  77NM from Los Muertos.  The total nm from Paradise Village Nuevo Vallarta to Marina Palmira, La Paz was 471nm.

Los Muertos/ChezNous

Places we have been !