Isla Espiritu Santo to San Evaristo

Part of the reason for us to go on this sailing journey was to meet people and share stories. We met Jane, Simon, Hugo and Ethan on Elixir in San Quintin on the outside of the Baha waaay back in January! We have been bumping into them as both our boats travelled down the Baja and up into the Sea of Cortez. Elixir is a 48 - 51 foot catamaran and the family is travelling to Australia. We enjoyed spending time with them and playing with the kids. My hat is off to Jane and Simon undertaking such a challenging journey with a 3 year old and an 18 month old. They are from Australia so we hope to see them again when we get over there !!

As we travel up the Sea, I am amazed at the varied and continuous beauty of the bays and islands we are stopping at. Each one has something new to explore from cool cactus to unique tiendas (little stores) and friendly locals. I am so grateful for the evolution of the camera from film to digital!! I can click away with out any concern. Everything looks picture worthy; it is hard to stop taking shots.

We are currently in a small bay called Honeymoon Cove across from Peurto Escondito. For some reason we can get internet; even though we ARE out in the boonies!! (?) I am trying to get caught up on the blog so everyone knows where we are. Today's date is March 15 and we are having some quiet time with our young buddies from the Misty Moonlight. Time is closing in on them and we are spending a few days together before they head back to La Paz and back to their working lives. Time closes in on us as well and we haven't even touched the tip of the exploration iceberg !!

Our plans for the next few days are to explore a bay called Agua Verde and then it will be time to part company with Misty. I try not to think about our departure from them; they have become like daughters to us and we are going to miss them immensely. We have spent alot of time together and I can't count the laughs there have so many. We have made some tentative plans to see them in the future; when and where will be determined. They have touched our hearts and we look forward to more trips with them in the future.

We will head north to Bahia Concepcion to investigate that area to finish our trip for this year. We will meet up with some folks we met in Peurto Escondido and sail with them before we make our way back to Peurto Escondido where we will leave the boat for this year.
We will leave Honeymoon Cove tomorrow and will be away from internet service for a bit. Hoping this finds everyone healthy, happy and ready for more blog news as the Nordic V wends her way to her most northern destination on this; our first trip around the Sea of Cortez.



Old pearl farm in Bahia San Gabriel Isla Espiritu Santo

More ruins at San Garbriel

Mangrove swamp at Bahia Amortajada on Isla San Jose

It was that we decided we needed to have a holiday so the crew on Misty Moonlight proclaimed March 1st as Cactus Day. We all celebrated at the beach on Isla San Francisco with afternoon appies. Pictured is Sarah from Misty Moonlight and Neil from Rootea

Bahia San Evaristo

Simon, Jane, Hugo and Ethan from Elixir. Blake from Nordic V

Cabo and points North

Lands End at Cabo San Lucas
More Cabo San Lucas Bay

Greetings from Ballandra Bay!! Finally, I am putting on some nature type pictures. We are having a blast as you can well imagine. This pretty little bay is just north of La Paz and we spent some time there with Amber, Cory and Taylor
Nordic V at Ballandra

Hondo Rock

Sharing the bay with these fine feathered friends!!

On the road to San Jose del Cabo to the airport. Taylor and Me!

Cory, Amber and Taylor snorkelling at Ballandra

Wedding in La Paz

Amber and Cory renewed their wedding vows during their visit to La Paz

La Paz Carnaval

Just a few pictures to show Carnaval (Mardi Gras) here in La Paz. This the people were celebrating Mexico's 200th anniversary of their independence from Spain.

Yep, that's right, chips on a stick!!

Blake, Cory, Amber and Taylor enjoying hand made tortillas filled with delicious meats and veggies done up Mexican style!!

Parades were held every night and the costumes and floats were colourful and the music could be heard from miles away!!

The Mardi Gras Queen for this year

Cabo San Lucas to La Paz

Hello everyone

We are about to leave Marina La Palmira in La Paz and this is my last project before we untie and head out to Isla Espiritu Santo. My apologies for the lack of photos, but the internet here just will not allow them to upload.

We have been enjoying ourselves for the last few weeks on all the beautiful beaches from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz. We visited Bahia Los Frailles and gorged ourselves on sun, snorkelling, kayaking and swimming. The water was perfect for swimming and was an amazing clear blue green. We stayed there for 2 days and then moved up the coast to Puerto Los Muertes de Ensenada. We stayed for 2 days and played on the beautiful beach there as well. There was a restaurant at this bay which served up all the traditional Mexican food so we took a few breaks from the galley and let somebody else do those chores!

Next we headed up to La Paz for Carnaval and to witness the renewed wedding vows of our daughter Amber and her husband Cory. They have been married almost 10 years and decided to renew their vows during their visit. A picture says a thousand words and when the internet will allow me, I will post some photos. Needless to say, the bride was gorgous, the groom was smitten and the setting was beautiful. With a minister from the "Church of What's Happening Now", a professional photographer, a commandeered mandolin player and the rest of us, the ceremony was touching to witness and an honour to be a part of. Afterward we enjoyed an authentic Mexican dinner complete with a sombrero wearing singer belting hispanic melodies!!

After a few days in La Paz sightseeing and enjoying Carnaval we went back out to visit a bay called Ballandra. In our guide book it looked very beautiful and we did not want to pass it up and it was only a couple of hours from La Paz. Cory and amber and Taylor only had a few days left of their holiday and we needed more beach time! Ballandra turned out to be as gorgeous as the book said. We played around there for a couple of days and then back to La Paz for the end of Carnaval. This year the Mexican people are celebrating their 200th year of independance and that was the theme of this year's Carnaval. I will share pictures when I can; the floats and costumes were amazing and everywhere there was music, music, music!!

We leave La Paz today to head out to Isla Espiritu Santo to meet up again with Misty Moonlight and then continue our travels north. A lot of the islands are all protected parks. We plan on going to the Loreto area and investigate the islands around there. After that; who knows? If anyone wants to join us , there is an airport in Loreto. You can phone us at 612 152 5724. The cell phone seems to work most places. Anyhow folks, the lines are tugging, it is time to get away from dock and onto more adventures!!

Blog ya later!

Did I mention that the girls had a few boat troubles? Well, it kinda goes like this...
Electrolysis had ravaged their prop shaft strut and the shaft came loose just south of Turtle Bay. Blake and I gave them a tow into the bay and gave assistance where we could with the repair. When they were removing the strut from the boat to fix it, a little more bad luck came their way. The bearing that holds the shaft in place kinda fell out and sank to the bottom. While Blake and Sarah rebuilt the strut with spare pieces of steel from the Nordic and the use of a shop in town, Irene (along with some local lobster fishermen) dove for the missing bearing. Kinda like a needle in a hay stack but luck was with the girls and one of the divers found the bearing. Not a dry eye in the house!! About the time the bearing was found, Blake and Sarah had finished rebuilding the strut and the repair was able to happen.

With the help of a local fish boat, Misty was lifted out of the water and Irene, Liz, Sarah and Blake completed the repair.

Happy team after all repairs were made and we were leaving Turtle Bay bound for Magdalena Bay

Nothing like a little bakery stop after a lengthy underwater boat repair

Bahia de Tortuga (turtle bay)
We stayed here for 3 nights.

Side streets in Turtle Bay. Population here is about 200 people

More Turtle Bay.

San Quintin Bay

My birthday party

Even with the storm raging outside, the birthday must go on!!

From left to right: Sarah, Me, Liz and Irene. Our friends from Misty Moonlight.

Blake out in the storm that struck us for 3 days in San Quintin Bay. We clocked the wind at 44 knots. Quite exciting and just a little stressful....

Beautiful San Quintin Bay with out the storm. Looks just a little different....

Sandy beach, warm sun and a gentle breeze; sighhhh........
During our stay here (four days) we saw humpback whales continuously. San Quintin lagoon is one of many lagoons along the Baja where the whales come annually to give birth to their babies. They travel over 1500 miles to come here. It was rare to not see a whale and they were so close to us we could smell their breath - pretty stinky!!

Baja pictures

Hey everyone - finally some photos to go with our journey. We started fishing as soon as we were in Mexican waters and were rewarded right away with this guy. Not sure what type of fish this is but he sure was tasty!!

Ensenada was the first town in Mexico that we visited. We signed into the country here and stayed one night before heading out to San Quintin Bay 110 nm to the south.

Just some of the beautiful seashore down the Baja peninsula.

We are in Mexico!!

Hola everyone!!

We are in Bahia de Tortuga (Turtle Bay). This small village is 210 miles south of Ensenada. We travelled from Ensenada on the 16th of January and sailed south 65 miles to San Quintin Bay. We waited out a 3-day storm while we were anchored there. The wind was clocked at 44 knots and the five boats anchored had an interesting three days to say the least!! One boat lost it's anchor and careened through the anchorage helpless to do anything. Miraculously, she did not hit anyone, and a man from the boat Elixir was able to get an anchor and rope to the boat before it hit the shore. Quite alot of excitement to say the least!! It turned out that the storm flooded the village of San Quintin, knocked out 2 bridges and cut off the village from outside roads. They called a state of emergency and the army was on site helping with repairs. We walked into town after the main storm had blown through for a few groceries. We found a ride with a young man and his wife and they gave us a ride into town and then as far back as they could on the washed out roads.

We left San Quintin on Jan. 23 and sailed the 160 miles to Turtle Bay. We are leaving today for Magdalena Bay and should arrive in 2 days time. There are many stories to relate, but we need to get going on our way to Mag bay. I will give a full report when we get to Cabo San Lucas, which our destination after Magdalena Bay.

Adios Amigas!!

Once there was a store named Minneys.....

I am writing this today as I sit in San Diego harbour while Blake takes care of our cruising discharge from the united states. Upon his return, we will head off to Mexico!!! Ensenada is 69 miles south of San Diego which is an easy day sail away. Once into Mexico, I do not know how often we will have access to internet, but we will try to keep you as updated as possible.
Now on to the story about Minneys...
This new and used marine store is every mariners dream. They have just about every part a sailor could possibly want and then some. The prices and selection are second to none that we have come across so far in our travels. Blake thought he had died and gone to heaven. Jeff and sherry helped us until we had spent so much time there they were asking us where stuff was...

See anything you like?

Blake bought the pieces to create a new bow roller - total cost of pieces - $68. - 00 new cost 359.00 - Look on Blake's face when he had the finished bow roller - priceless!!(picture coming soon)

We spent so much time there at Minneys they gave us T-shirts!!

Morro Bay to Santa Barbara

Morro Rock - south of San Francisco. This rock is a volcanic plug created 26,000 years ago. All the breakwaters around Morro bay were built from rock blasted Morro rock which is a similiar rock to granite. Excavation of this rock ceased in 1963. Morro Bay

Wing on wing - 10knots!!

Coming into Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Marina

Santa Barbara