San Juanico to Bahia Santa Maria

Monday December 5, 2005 LOCATION: San Juanico to Bahia Santa Maria
GOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES: 27 07.738N,114 17.478W

As we had anticipated it was very tough to leave Asuncion Bay last Sunday and our new friends there. It is exciting to think of the fact that all these new connections are really just the beginning not the end. We had a one more great adventure there the Saturday before we left in a nearby by area called the Valley of the Goats. It is an area known for fossil hunting and we were not disappointed. Together we found everything from crystals to petrified bones, coral and even a couple of shark teeth. Very hot, dry desert location with large mesas, cactus and tarantulas to prove it.
Sunday and Monday we hunkered down in Abreojos. They had forecasted strong winds to be coming down the Baja Peninsula and they weren't kidding. We had sustained winds of 25 - 35 knots for nearly those whole 2 days. It makes for a quick and tricky anchoring job but other than that it is all about laying low and rolling around in the swells. The town itself looked like a large beige cloud from all the dust that is continually blown off the land. By the time we left every inch of the boat was covered in a good 1/4" layer of grit. Trying to sleep becomes rather comical as you lay there stuck out like a 5 point star fish trying not to slide around in bed. You get really good at judging just how big of a swell is going to slide your drink off the table as well. It was a bit like a cartoon, where it slides away from you and it slides back in time to catch before going over the edge. At the first chance we dodged out of there in hopes for a bit calmer weather in the next hold. A great call on our part.
San Juanico was our next anchorage. Plenty of sun and best of all NO WIND in the anchorage. We pulled in to find only one other boat anchored there. They were from Canada and on their way to Nicaragua when they were slightly delayed by a pang, which is the name for a fishing boat. Early one morning the fisherman's view was obstructed by his lobster pots and they ran head long into the port side stern of this boat. Had one of the crew not just left his bunk he would have been severely injured if not killed. The panga broke clear through their hull just above the water line. Long story short, they have become quite infamous as the entire shore could hear the event happen. They spent the week doing fiberglass repairs and were on their way.
We on the other had spent a glorious 5 days there playing on their long beaches and LONG rolling breaks. Perfect for the boys and I to practice our surfing. We spent each morning doing school work and each afternoon playing and exploring. World known for its great breaks we enjoyed each minute. It was yet another new world of sea shells and creatures. Miniscule, small green worms that would carve out little squiggles in the sand, hermit crabs of every shape and size and other inhabited snails that would drag themselves around on top of the sand. The occasional live sand dollar could be found along with sting rays in the water and another surfer found a small octopus. Operculums are the hard disc that univalves (snails) use to close up their shell when frightened could be found by the hundreds. The boys also had a great time fishing off the boat. They could hardly set their bare hooks down in the water without catching them. I haven't the foggiest idea what they were though.
The town has a much larger "gringo" population than we had seen in other towns so far as evidence by "gringo hill". Many homes are retirement spots for people who come to stay 4 months or so out of the year. Friday we walked the town and had lunch at a great restaurant named Snakes. We met the owner Chris and his family who had relocating from Hood River Oregon and loving every minute of it. Saturday we walked the other end of the town down by the point and found the palapas that you can rent for a great price. We were treated to the sounds of fantastic Mariachi music nearly the entire stay as a wedding had taken place that Thursday night and the played around the clock for the next 3 days. I kid you not. It was a very special wedding we hear.
Today we left out with just a little wind to push us along. Knowing we were going overnight we are not in any big hurry. We through out the big fishing line to see if we could catch something other than a skip jack and were pleasantly surprised. We caught a couple beautiful little Yellow fin Tuna and a Bonito right off the back. We let each one go and decided the next tuna we got, if decent size we would keep and try our hands at our fist wild fish of the trip. I will think twice next time. First we were all down below practicing our plotting of courses by hand (Tristan is a pro). Both he and I hear a strange sound and by the time we snap our heads around to figure it out we see the pole bend deep, the line play out and snap - it's gone. We are not sure what it was but we are assuming it was a pretty nice size as we have not had this problem before. We hunt to discover that was our only reel of significant weight line and opt for our next biggest reel. We play it out, have another strong hit and carefully reel in a very decent size tuna again. Unfortunately, my eldest son was now thinking better of having to kill the poor innocent creature and there was a moment of indecision. Mom of course had to be the villain - off with his head, all in the name of a great new experience. We fillet the beauty and saved him for another day. The killing was enough trauma for one day, we will save the feasting for another. Tristan did decide that if we knew it tasted like pizza then it would be much easier task.
It is currently 4:00 am and we are a few hours out yet from Bahia Santa Maria. It is quiet and peaceful and the only traffic I see is an occasional cruise ship off in the distance. Our destination is a small bay located outside a larger well known stop on the lower half of Baja known as Magdalena Bay. We will most likely not go into Mag Bay but stay outside and take a quick break before we head down to Cabo San Lucas. It will take another good overnight trek to make it there where we will have the chance to refuel and provision again. I must say it feels like true cruising now. We have been off the docks for over three weeks and have done a few small essential loads of laundry by hand. Made tortillas and baked goods when necessary. Learned the art of the sparse showers off the back of the boat. We are starting to create some decorations for Christmas and see what new version of the old traditions we will put together this year.
until next time, nos vemos
love lisa and the boys