Guaymas to La Paz
Currently we are in Marina Palmira in La Paz following a 3 day crossing the Sea of Cortez from Guaymas.
We splashed on January 7, and then headed over to El Mero (the free, but not quite free docks) just around the corner of Gabriel's, where we had stored BOAT for the off season. The time spent on the hard could not have gone better; Gabriel's Yard was incredible--BOAT fared beautifully and without incident from a few nail biting hurricanes we watched from NOAA reports in later summer/fall. Gabriel himself being incredibly responsive the entire time, letting us know all was ok and not to worry. We had the bottom painted while there and the work done was also exceptional (and at a fraction of the cost of what we would have paid in The States, with the same quality if not better work--score!)
However, Jay and I were beyond anxious to get out of the yard and back in the water. Boats are meant to be IN the water, not out ...enough said.
After a few quick/efficient provisioning trip(s) and picking up Matthew (Jay's nephew) in Hermosillo, we spent two days in El Mero running thru all our systems, and checking to make sure we were fully ready for crossing "the Sea." Surprisingly, BOAT had little maintenance needed and five days after returning back to BOAT we were confident and ready to make the passage back to Baja.
Course planning our crossing back, we let weather dictate our touchdown to Baja; wind and seas were predicted to be a consistent 1-3 ft waves, 15-20kts S- SW for good 3-4 day weather window. So, we gladly took what nature handed us and left El Mero late morning headed straight for La Paz.
Sea of Cortez as the sun begins to set
Sea of Coretz ferry between mainland and Baja
Amazingly, the weather prediction could not have been more spot on. While beam seas did challenge our sea legs a bit faster into a jostled rhythm, it was exhilarating to be back on the water; Jay with his headphones on and back into his audio trance, Matthew reading and getting acquainted with sea life, and I, beyond stoked at not being seasick at all, could finally enjoy the sublime tranquility of the ocean - allowing space to think and just....be.
With three of us, we all agreed on a night watch schedule of 4 hour shifts, instead of our usual 6 when just the two of us. Besides the usual traffic coming in and out of the major ports, the ferry route/shipping channel between the mainland side and Baja, we had expectations of fewer obstacles to deal as we made our crossing. Once out of these busy areas, we enjoyed open ocean and little issue, however it didn't occur completely without incident....
Our second night, with good winds and keeping a consistent 5.5-6kts speed (between sail alone and some motor sailing), we had made it further than we anticipated and were a littler more than 2/3 the way to La Paz.
Around 6:30/7pm, Jay and I were up, Jay making final checks and last minute adjustments before heading off to sleep (I was on first watch, Matthew second and Jay third). Our radar in time's past had given us issue, with the occasional need to reboot the system as radar pick-up would randomly drop off.
AIS was showing little to no activity and for the most part had been pretty calm the entire trip - there usually isn't much activity in the middle of the sea day or night, with exception of the occasional tanker traveling between Mainland to Cabo or headed to the US or/and fellow sailboats making a crossing.
Radar was working and showing returns, mostly related to the two tankers who had a decent distance from us, however Jay noticed a small return that we couldn't quite figure out what it was, if anything. While we kept an eye on it, there was nothing in sight, of what we could make out around us in the inky night horizon. (We didn't have a fuller moon to help us out, so moonlight was at minimal, if of no use whatsoever)
The radar return persisted, and blurry lights off in the distance initially had us thinking it was a ghost return from the tanker who had past us well before sundown and headed in the opposite direction. However, with time, I noticed the lights went from blurry illuminated blobs to three distinct lights. Using binoculars, I was able to make out a green light as well. Now Jay and I at full attention, we continued watching, checking AIS with no returns and flipped on steaming lights fully illuminated with our jib---W-in-the....?!
To be safe, and still without clarity of what "this" was, Jay adjusted course slight to starboard and throttled up just a bit, better to be safe, right? No sooner has he done this, and watching thru binoculars we still assumed this might be a small fishing boat/panga, three white lights, one green, they too changed course and ...finally.....a red light appeared (while neither of us realized until this point, we had been holding our breath as I called out what I saw via binoculars and Jay watched on radar and hand off of binoculars)
With their course change, and with likely 1/2-1/4mile distance between us, three bright lights turned into a full portside viewing of a massive, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven cabin lights in length.....JESUS CHRIST!
(resume somewhat normal breathing as we both silently passed by)
....and this is exactly why we keep watch. Nothing like a do-si-do on the water to get you fully back into cruising mentality and overnight vigilance.
Thankfully, this was our only "eventful" happening in our trip across the Sea. Seas calmed and we arrive on our third day to La Paz, with glassy seas and little to no wind.
Pulled into Marina Palmira, were we had docked a few times before on our trip earlier this year. After trying up lines, we quickly got to work, cleaning off BOAT - who was finally starting to look like herself again; grime and dirt mostly gone and happily salty from her bath in the Sea.
With a plan of a few days at dock, we met up with cruising friends on the other size of La Paz, whom we had met in Zihuat earlier this year. Over BBQ chicken and drinks, we caught up on our last few months, shared some laughs and wearily retired for the evening.
The next few days we would be meeting up with long time family friends who lived in Todos Santos as well as start our planning for the next leg of our trip down to the tip of Baja--and gearing up for the Bash back up north....