Feb 8, 2013, Old Harbor, Mazatlan
Photos on facebook
Yesterday we moored and settled in. Today we went ashore to sign in with Club Nauticia. From reading the cruising guides and conversations with other sailors, we had assumed that this whole anchorage was called Club Nauticia. When we got ashore we discovered that that was very much not the case. We landed the dingy at the small building that had been pointed out when we picked up the mooring to discover there was no one there. Eventually we were directed up the street to another complex where a large sign on the wall declared that this was Club Nauticia. We finally tracked down someone in charge, checked in and paid $35 for a weeks privileges, included were dingy dock, bathroom with hot shower, wifi room, 24/7 security, barbecue and dance floor. We were the only people here.
One half of the complex is storage garages. Almost all of them have a home cut in the door with a trailer hitch sticking out. This part at least seem to be doing well. The other half is the entertainment area, a large pavilion with a sunken dance floor in the middle and a build in bar on one side all covered in while tile. Off to the other side is the barbecue area. The pavilion is covered with a rusting tin roof held up by concrete pillars designed to look like palm trees. It looks like it was built in the 60s and must have been very ritzy in it’s day. You can imagine the rat pack hanging out after a day of sport fishing, eating and drinking and singing and dancing. Alan and I are tempted to bring our ipod, buy some steaks and throw ourselves a dinner dance. Today it is marred by crumbling concrete and rusty gates. Bathroom doors are falling off of their hinges and wind blows through the one dirty shower. But the plumbing works, the water is hot, at least in the women's and the people are nice. Although the office manager is almost never around, there really is a watchman there 24/7 who lets us in and out on our numerous trips into town.
Turns out that our mooring is not part of the Club but belongs to another man at the office where we first landed. Bill lived much of his life in San Diego and now owns a small building with a dock and a few moorings here and would love to take some business away from Club Nautica. Trouble is, he only has the dock and a small office and bathroom, none of the faded grandeur of the Club. He is also almost never there and although he promises to leave the gate unlocked, most of the time we cannot get from the dock to the street. Nonetheless, Alan decides that it is worth paying for the mooring, given the soft muddy bottom and the frequent winds. Even with two payments, it is still much cheaper here than at the new marinas. And we are within walking distance of town.
Now that we are officially checked in, we decided to celebrate with a cold beer. A short walk up the street brings us to a waterfront bar which looks like a good spot. The beer comes with a saucer of salt and limes. There is a bar at one side where a man is making cerviche. We order some to go with the beer and it is delicious, a huge mound of shrimp cooked in lime juice and covered with tomatoes, onions and cucumber, along with chips and hot sauce. Of course with all that food we need more beer. The bar seems to be full of crew from the harbor tour and sport fishing boats. After a while a band shows up and serenades everyone with not-very-good but very loud music. We sit and drink and eat and look at Rhapsody in the harbor and enjoy the good life.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Feb 7, 2013 Thursday, Mazitlan.
I awoke to a lovely still morning and decided to bake scones for breakfast while Alan slept in. Together with hot coffee and the last egg, they made a wonderful breakfast. We sat on the deck in the sun and watched schools of fish swarm around the boat. I tossed a line out but had no luck. The fish were not interested. We had made it to Mazitlan in time for Carnival but we were anchored outside of the harbor on the wrong side of the shipping channel with no way to get into town. I have not been able to get internet yet so I am not sure of the schedule of events but it is supposed to start today. According to the cruising guide, there is a ferry that goes from here to town but from what we can see it looks like a long walk to the ferry dock and no place to tie up the dingy while we are gone.
There is another anchorage just inside the entrance to the main harbor, on the other side of the channel. On the charts it looks ideal, but we have been hearing a lot of trash talk about it. It is not safe. It was closed by the port captain because dinghies and generators got stolen. It is dirty and smelly and run down. But it is within walking distance of the old town which is what we want and it is cheap, so we decide to try it, at least for a couple of nights. We can always move. We do have a history, after all, of staying in funky places and enjoying them.
In order to enter the harbor we have to have permission from the port captain. Since the entrance is so narrow, he monitors and schedules every boat going in and out. We had the radio on to channel 16 and could hear lots of chatter, all of it in Spanish. We could tell that other boats were calling for permission to enter or leave. Some were given the OK, others were scheduled for later. So here was the plan. We would get all ready, then call the port captain and ask for permission to enter and anchor. If we got permission we would pull up the anchor and go. If not, we would wait where we were until it was our turn. It was going to be up to me to make the call because Alan’s spanish is not that good. I checked the dictionary to be sure I knew the word for anchor. First I tried calling Club Nautico several times and got no answer. Then I tried El Capitania del Puerto, still no answer. Finally, after listening to the other boats, I tried calling “traffico” This finally got a response and we were cleared to enter immediately.
Up with the anchor. Carefully out of the shallow harbor and around the rocks, past the breakwater and there we were. Just inside the entrance was a little harbor filled with sport fishing boats. Slowly we worked our way in looking for a good spot to drop the anchor. Just as we let it go, we heard a man in a rowboat calling to us. He seemed to be insisting that the bottom was no good but there was a mooring we could use. All the better, especially since the anchor, once we pulled it up, was covered with gooey mud. Our new friend guided us to the mooring, helped us tie on and then whipped out a cell phone. The phone was handed to Alan and it was confirmed that we could stay as long as we liked. Whoever it was that we were talking to was not actually here today but at some point we should come into the office to discuss arrangements.
So here we are in Mazatlan old harbor. First thing is to get on the internet and see if I can find a schedule for Carnival. After some searching I figured out that there would be fireworks Saturday night, a parade on Sunday and a final parade on Tuesday. In between there were the crownings of several different queens and big concerts and rides and games but all of these seemed to be at the other end of town. Tonight there was nothing happening, which was perfect because it gave us a chance to settle in.
I awoke to a lovely still morning and decided to bake scones for breakfast while Alan slept in. Together with hot coffee and the last egg, they made a wonderful breakfast. We sat on the deck in the sun and watched schools of fish swarm around the boat. I tossed a line out but had no luck. The fish were not interested. We had made it to Mazitlan in time for Carnival but we were anchored outside of the harbor on the wrong side of the shipping channel with no way to get into town. I have not been able to get internet yet so I am not sure of the schedule of events but it is supposed to start today. According to the cruising guide, there is a ferry that goes from here to town but from what we can see it looks like a long walk to the ferry dock and no place to tie up the dingy while we are gone.
There is another anchorage just inside the entrance to the main harbor, on the other side of the channel. On the charts it looks ideal, but we have been hearing a lot of trash talk about it. It is not safe. It was closed by the port captain because dinghies and generators got stolen. It is dirty and smelly and run down. But it is within walking distance of the old town which is what we want and it is cheap, so we decide to try it, at least for a couple of nights. We can always move. We do have a history, after all, of staying in funky places and enjoying them.
In order to enter the harbor we have to have permission from the port captain. Since the entrance is so narrow, he monitors and schedules every boat going in and out. We had the radio on to channel 16 and could hear lots of chatter, all of it in Spanish. We could tell that other boats were calling for permission to enter or leave. Some were given the OK, others were scheduled for later. So here was the plan. We would get all ready, then call the port captain and ask for permission to enter and anchor. If we got permission we would pull up the anchor and go. If not, we would wait where we were until it was our turn. It was going to be up to me to make the call because Alan’s spanish is not that good. I checked the dictionary to be sure I knew the word for anchor. First I tried calling Club Nautico several times and got no answer. Then I tried El Capitania del Puerto, still no answer. Finally, after listening to the other boats, I tried calling “traffico” This finally got a response and we were cleared to enter immediately.
Up with the anchor. Carefully out of the shallow harbor and around the rocks, past the breakwater and there we were. Just inside the entrance was a little harbor filled with sport fishing boats. Slowly we worked our way in looking for a good spot to drop the anchor. Just as we let it go, we heard a man in a rowboat calling to us. He seemed to be insisting that the bottom was no good but there was a mooring we could use. All the better, especially since the anchor, once we pulled it up, was covered with gooey mud. Our new friend guided us to the mooring, helped us tie on and then whipped out a cell phone. The phone was handed to Alan and it was confirmed that we could stay as long as we liked. Whoever it was that we were talking to was not actually here today but at some point we should come into the office to discuss arrangements.
So here we are in Mazatlan old harbor. First thing is to get on the internet and see if I can find a schedule for Carnival. After some searching I figured out that there would be fireworks Saturday night, a parade on Sunday and a final parade on Tuesday. In between there were the crownings of several different queens and big concerts and rides and games but all of these seemed to be at the other end of town. Tonight there was nothing happening, which was perfect because it gave us a chance to settle in.
Feb 4-6, 2013, Monday, crossing from Baja to Mazitlan, Mexico
Monday morning dawned with a clear sky. We were up bright and early and ready to finally go. One of the other boats at anchor with us had already left and Gemini was getting ready to go too. The sea was calm with a light wind, in fact almost too light. After all that waiting it now looked like we would be motoring across. But as the day went on the wind gradually picked up and Rhapsody kicked up her heals and began to sail. For once the wind was actually coming from more or less the “right” direction. There were swells, what they call a short, choppy sea, but not too bad. Seas are always easier to deal with in the daylight when you can see them coming. We actually got the Monitor wind vane to work. You remember the wind vane. It is like a plastic fin that is attached to the back of the boat to catch the wind. A system of ropes and pulleys attaches it to the tiller to keep the boat on course. Unfortunately it is very cranky. If things are not adjusted just right it takes you off in some other direction. So while it is lovely not to have to grasp the tiller every minute, we still need to keep a sharp eye on it. Anyway, it was a lovely day. Hourly log entries showed us heading slightly north or our destination, which was perfect. We can always sail down along the coast when we get there.
Just before dark, Alan decided that it would be smart to reef the main sail. Somehow the strong winds always seem to come up in the dark and we did not want to get caught fighting the sails in high winds and rough seas in the dark again. We have learned that lesson. I also bundled up in my weather proof overalls, hat and jacket. Of course then the wind dropped to almost nothing. So we turned the motor on, had dinner and and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The quiet did not last long. After about an hour, the wind shifted to the south and began to pick up, getting close to 20 knots during the night, with crazy seas. Of course the wind vane does not work in this weather so we got a workout over night with not a lot a sleep. I have no trouble falling asleep when I am off and then waking up on time but Alan cannot seem to get to sleep and then can’t wake up or stay awake on his watch. One more thing we are going to have to sort out before we make the big crossing. In the morning the wind dropped again and switched back to NW. Looking at our overnight course on the chart, we had sailed almost due south. Good thing we were going north of our destination during the day.
Actually, we did not have a chart that covered the whole way. We had one chart for the coast of Baja and another Mazatlan but nothing for the ocean in between. Before we left this morning I had made a chart by drawing lines of latitude and longitude on the back of one of the other charts. I used the same scale as the one for the coast of Baja and plotted where Mazatlan should be. It was not perfectly accurate but close enough. With the 2 charts side by side we could actually see our course the whole way across. Alan told me later that this is what you have to do across the Pacific since there is not much point in publishing a chart that is nothing but blue water.
Day 2 was more of the same. Clear skies, the swells dropped and the seas smoothed out. We were once again able to sail a good course. If we keep this up we should be there in tomorrow morning. I got ambitious and made pigs in a blanket for lunch using bisquick and my stove top oven. Came out greatI I am getting quite good at cooking under sail. I expected the wind to drop and shift direction at sunset but this time it didn’t. It just kept getting stronger and the swells were back. Alan is really tired by now and has decided that 4 hour watches are too long. We shifted to 2 hours on and 2 hours off. Unfortunately all that did was make him more tired. About 4 in the morning I realized that the boat did not seem to be moving any more. He had decided that he was just too tired and hove to for the rest of the night. “Heaving to” is sort of like parking in the middle of the ocean. You set the sails and tiller so that they work against each other and you just sit there, gently rocking, while the winds howl around you. We have been practicing this a lot and now it came in handy.
With the dawn we could see land and we were right on target. Of course it had only been two days, but still it felt good to end up where we wanted to. Once we were both up and had our oatmeal and coffee, we set the sails and took off again. We can see the tall hotels that mark the “golden zone” of Mazatlan. This is where all the marinas are and where almost all of the cruisers stay. There are supposed to be hot showers, laundry, and even a hot tub and spa. But it is 10 miles north of the city and I want to be able to go ashore for Carnival. Our cruising guide also shows two places to anchor closer to the city. We decide to anchor in Stone Harbor for the night to get the lay of the land so we head off south along the coast. I was surprised at how rocky the coast is here. Reminds me a lot of the coast along Monterey. There are steep rocky islands all over the place. It took several hours to sail down the coast and into Stone Island. It does not look like much of an anchorage. It is very shallow and does not have much protection from the wind. Finally we dropped the anchor in about 15 feet of water. It was later afternoon and time for an early dinner and bed.
Monday morning dawned with a clear sky. We were up bright and early and ready to finally go. One of the other boats at anchor with us had already left and Gemini was getting ready to go too. The sea was calm with a light wind, in fact almost too light. After all that waiting it now looked like we would be motoring across. But as the day went on the wind gradually picked up and Rhapsody kicked up her heals and began to sail. For once the wind was actually coming from more or less the “right” direction. There were swells, what they call a short, choppy sea, but not too bad. Seas are always easier to deal with in the daylight when you can see them coming. We actually got the Monitor wind vane to work. You remember the wind vane. It is like a plastic fin that is attached to the back of the boat to catch the wind. A system of ropes and pulleys attaches it to the tiller to keep the boat on course. Unfortunately it is very cranky. If things are not adjusted just right it takes you off in some other direction. So while it is lovely not to have to grasp the tiller every minute, we still need to keep a sharp eye on it. Anyway, it was a lovely day. Hourly log entries showed us heading slightly north or our destination, which was perfect. We can always sail down along the coast when we get there.
Just before dark, Alan decided that it would be smart to reef the main sail. Somehow the strong winds always seem to come up in the dark and we did not want to get caught fighting the sails in high winds and rough seas in the dark again. We have learned that lesson. I also bundled up in my weather proof overalls, hat and jacket. Of course then the wind dropped to almost nothing. So we turned the motor on, had dinner and and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The quiet did not last long. After about an hour, the wind shifted to the south and began to pick up, getting close to 20 knots during the night, with crazy seas. Of course the wind vane does not work in this weather so we got a workout over night with not a lot a sleep. I have no trouble falling asleep when I am off and then waking up on time but Alan cannot seem to get to sleep and then can’t wake up or stay awake on his watch. One more thing we are going to have to sort out before we make the big crossing. In the morning the wind dropped again and switched back to NW. Looking at our overnight course on the chart, we had sailed almost due south. Good thing we were going north of our destination during the day.
Actually, we did not have a chart that covered the whole way. We had one chart for the coast of Baja and another Mazatlan but nothing for the ocean in between. Before we left this morning I had made a chart by drawing lines of latitude and longitude on the back of one of the other charts. I used the same scale as the one for the coast of Baja and plotted where Mazatlan should be. It was not perfectly accurate but close enough. With the 2 charts side by side we could actually see our course the whole way across. Alan told me later that this is what you have to do across the Pacific since there is not much point in publishing a chart that is nothing but blue water.
Day 2 was more of the same. Clear skies, the swells dropped and the seas smoothed out. We were once again able to sail a good course. If we keep this up we should be there in tomorrow morning. I got ambitious and made pigs in a blanket for lunch using bisquick and my stove top oven. Came out greatI I am getting quite good at cooking under sail. I expected the wind to drop and shift direction at sunset but this time it didn’t. It just kept getting stronger and the swells were back. Alan is really tired by now and has decided that 4 hour watches are too long. We shifted to 2 hours on and 2 hours off. Unfortunately all that did was make him more tired. About 4 in the morning I realized that the boat did not seem to be moving any more. He had decided that he was just too tired and hove to for the rest of the night. “Heaving to” is sort of like parking in the middle of the ocean. You set the sails and tiller so that they work against each other and you just sit there, gently rocking, while the winds howl around you. We have been practicing this a lot and now it came in handy.
With the dawn we could see land and we were right on target. Of course it had only been two days, but still it felt good to end up where we wanted to. Once we were both up and had our oatmeal and coffee, we set the sails and took off again. We can see the tall hotels that mark the “golden zone” of Mazatlan. This is where all the marinas are and where almost all of the cruisers stay. There are supposed to be hot showers, laundry, and even a hot tub and spa. But it is 10 miles north of the city and I want to be able to go ashore for Carnival. Our cruising guide also shows two places to anchor closer to the city. We decide to anchor in Stone Harbor for the night to get the lay of the land so we head off south along the coast. I was surprised at how rocky the coast is here. Reminds me a lot of the coast along Monterey. There are steep rocky islands all over the place. It took several hours to sail down the coast and into Stone Island. It does not look like much of an anchorage. It is very shallow and does not have much protection from the wind. Finally we dropped the anchor in about 15 feet of water. It was later afternoon and time for an early dinner and bed.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Feb 3, 2013, at anchor, Bahia de los Muertos, Baja California Sur
We actually ended up spending this day at anchor. According to the morning weather, the winds were starting to drop but the seas were still very choppy. There were two other boats in the anchorage with us and they were also waiting one more day before heading out. Actually, the real reason they were waiting was that it was Super Bowl Sunday and the restaurant ashore was showing the game. Since we did not care about the game, we just spent the day on the boat, doing odd jobs and listing for updates from Circe.
As of the morning, the Mexican navy still had not arrived. Little by little the radio chatter picked up. They were getting permission. They were getting a team together. A sailor named Eddie came on the radio who spoke good English and said that they were on their way. They arrived. Eddie went aboard Circe to assess the situation. Eddie went back to his boat and they went back out to sea where they could get better reception. They went back to Circe and went aboard again. They left and went back out to call their commander again. They called in a bigger boat. The bigger boat arrived. Lots of people went aboard Circe. There was lots of discussion in Spanish. Even the larger boat was not going to be able to tow her into La Paz because of the jammed rudder. Eventually, Circe was towed closer to shore to a reasonably safe anchorage. The anchor was set. The captain and his little dog left Circe and boarded the coast guard boat and were taken back to La Paz.
We heard the next day that he found someone with a large power boat who was able to tow her back to La Paz for repairs. The sad thing was that he had just gotten this boat. What a shake down cruise.
We actually ended up spending this day at anchor. According to the morning weather, the winds were starting to drop but the seas were still very choppy. There were two other boats in the anchorage with us and they were also waiting one more day before heading out. Actually, the real reason they were waiting was that it was Super Bowl Sunday and the restaurant ashore was showing the game. Since we did not care about the game, we just spent the day on the boat, doing odd jobs and listing for updates from Circe.
As of the morning, the Mexican navy still had not arrived. Little by little the radio chatter picked up. They were getting permission. They were getting a team together. A sailor named Eddie came on the radio who spoke good English and said that they were on their way. They arrived. Eddie went aboard Circe to assess the situation. Eddie went back to his boat and they went back out to sea where they could get better reception. They went back to Circe and went aboard again. They left and went back out to call their commander again. They called in a bigger boat. The bigger boat arrived. Lots of people went aboard Circe. There was lots of discussion in Spanish. Even the larger boat was not going to be able to tow her into La Paz because of the jammed rudder. Eventually, Circe was towed closer to shore to a reasonably safe anchorage. The anchor was set. The captain and his little dog left Circe and boarded the coast guard boat and were taken back to La Paz.
We heard the next day that he found someone with a large power boat who was able to tow her back to La Paz for repairs. The sad thing was that he had just gotten this boat. What a shake down cruise.
Feb. 2, 2013 Isla Espiritu Santo to Bahia de los Muertos
The best laid plans....
This was the day we were finally going to to be able to leave the island and start across to Mazitlan. We plotted a course, listened to the weather report and checked the tides and moon. Since we were expecting winds in the 20s, we reefed the main sail the night before. We had about 200 feet of anchor chain out so it took a while to get it all in. Thank heavens for the electric windlass with remote.
We were finally out of the bay around 9:00 and headed south in brisk north wind. Alan decided to leave the motor on because the batteries were very low but we were actually sailing down the bay and out through the channel into the Sea. Course set for 120 to take us down along the inside coast of Baja to Bahia de los Muertos. We had it all timed out perfectly. We reached the head of the passage between the Isla Cerralvo and the mainland right at noon, just as the tied turned to carry us down. And then Alan picked up a distress call on the radio. (pan pan)
There was a sailboat named Circe, drifting with a broken rudder about 10 miles ahead of us. No one else responded to his emergency call, so it was up to us to help. So now we had an exercise in navigation. Here is where you are, there is where he is. What course do you set and how long will it take you to get to him. Of course as always the wind is not blowing in the right direction and in fact is getting lighter and lighter. I am afraid that we did not do too well plotting a course, even with radar, ipad and paper charts, but eventually we found him about 2 miles off the shore.
When we arrived it was not clear what we could do. First thing was he wanted was for us to stand by while he jumped overboard to see if he could figure out what was wrong. That water is cold but over he went. He hopped that it was just something jammed or wrapped around the prop but when he went down, he discovered that it was actually bent. He tried several times with a crowbar but could not get it to budge. Once he was back out of the water, no one had any idea what to do next. We could not pull him, especially not with a jammed rudder. Our only idea was to wait until 6:00 when there would be a radio net and put the word out for help. It was shortly after 3:00 at this point.
Eventually I could not stand just drifting and doing nothing. I got on the radio and started calling for help in english and spanish on any channel I could think of. VHF radio reception was weak, so Alan got on the SSB radio and started calling on it. Eventually we started getting answers. Boats in La Paz and also in Los Muertos got on radios and on cell phones. People called the port captain in La Paz and eventually someone talked to the mexican navy. The community came together to help one of their own and the mexican navy said they would send an inflatable. Since it seemed like help was on the way and it was already late in the day, we eventually headed on our way south. We had lost several hours and also the help from the tide. And of course, the wind had died. We were gong to be anchoring in Los Muertos after dark and the moon would not come up until midnight.
Unfortunately, the navy did not get their act together. There was lots of radio traffic, in spanish. If you think it is hard to hear and understand on a radio try doing it in spanish underway with the noise of wind and waves added to the radio static. For a long time the navy thought Rhapsody was the boat with the problem and kept asking us where we were and what the problem was. Then someone said that the capitan said that there was too much wind in La Paz and the navy would not be able to respond until the wind dropped, but we should keep calm. At one point the captain of one of the Mazitlan ferry boats got into the conversation. And there were still a number of other boats trying to arrange help. At least there was not much wind where Circe was and she did not seem to be drifting onto shore. In fact, once the tide turned, she was being pushed off shore and further north.
Alan finally brought Rhapsody into the Bahia de los Muertos about 10:00pm and dropped the anchor perfectly. As far as we could tell, Circe had given up for the night and hopefully was getting some rest, too. The one good thing was that I finally had some real life experience on what to do in an emergency. I have long had the question of what I would do if I needed to get help. The answer is, get on the radio and start calling and keep calling on lots of different frequencies until you get an answer.
The best laid plans....
This was the day we were finally going to to be able to leave the island and start across to Mazitlan. We plotted a course, listened to the weather report and checked the tides and moon. Since we were expecting winds in the 20s, we reefed the main sail the night before. We had about 200 feet of anchor chain out so it took a while to get it all in. Thank heavens for the electric windlass with remote.
We were finally out of the bay around 9:00 and headed south in brisk north wind. Alan decided to leave the motor on because the batteries were very low but we were actually sailing down the bay and out through the channel into the Sea. Course set for 120 to take us down along the inside coast of Baja to Bahia de los Muertos. We had it all timed out perfectly. We reached the head of the passage between the Isla Cerralvo and the mainland right at noon, just as the tied turned to carry us down. And then Alan picked up a distress call on the radio. (pan pan)
There was a sailboat named Circe, drifting with a broken rudder about 10 miles ahead of us. No one else responded to his emergency call, so it was up to us to help. So now we had an exercise in navigation. Here is where you are, there is where he is. What course do you set and how long will it take you to get to him. Of course as always the wind is not blowing in the right direction and in fact is getting lighter and lighter. I am afraid that we did not do too well plotting a course, even with radar, ipad and paper charts, but eventually we found him about 2 miles off the shore.
When we arrived it was not clear what we could do. First thing was he wanted was for us to stand by while he jumped overboard to see if he could figure out what was wrong. That water is cold but over he went. He hopped that it was just something jammed or wrapped around the prop but when he went down, he discovered that it was actually bent. He tried several times with a crowbar but could not get it to budge. Once he was back out of the water, no one had any idea what to do next. We could not pull him, especially not with a jammed rudder. Our only idea was to wait until 6:00 when there would be a radio net and put the word out for help. It was shortly after 3:00 at this point.
Eventually I could not stand just drifting and doing nothing. I got on the radio and started calling for help in english and spanish on any channel I could think of. VHF radio reception was weak, so Alan got on the SSB radio and started calling on it. Eventually we started getting answers. Boats in La Paz and also in Los Muertos got on radios and on cell phones. People called the port captain in La Paz and eventually someone talked to the mexican navy. The community came together to help one of their own and the mexican navy said they would send an inflatable. Since it seemed like help was on the way and it was already late in the day, we eventually headed on our way south. We had lost several hours and also the help from the tide. And of course, the wind had died. We were gong to be anchoring in Los Muertos after dark and the moon would not come up until midnight.
Unfortunately, the navy did not get their act together. There was lots of radio traffic, in spanish. If you think it is hard to hear and understand on a radio try doing it in spanish underway with the noise of wind and waves added to the radio static. For a long time the navy thought Rhapsody was the boat with the problem and kept asking us where we were and what the problem was. Then someone said that the capitan said that there was too much wind in La Paz and the navy would not be able to respond until the wind dropped, but we should keep calm. At one point the captain of one of the Mazitlan ferry boats got into the conversation. And there were still a number of other boats trying to arrange help. At least there was not much wind where Circe was and she did not seem to be drifting onto shore. In fact, once the tide turned, she was being pushed off shore and further north.
Alan finally brought Rhapsody into the Bahia de los Muertos about 10:00pm and dropped the anchor perfectly. As far as we could tell, Circe had given up for the night and hopefully was getting some rest, too. The one good thing was that I finally had some real life experience on what to do in an emergency. I have long had the question of what I would do if I needed to get help. The answer is, get on the radio and start calling and keep calling on lots of different frequencies until you get an answer.
Jan 29-31, Feb 1, 2013, Caleta Partida, Isla Espiritu Santo, BCS
Up early, a quick breakfast and up anchor. We are not going to spend another like that. Since the promised norther is finally starting to blow, we are just going one cove down, back to the volcanic crater which has a much more sheltered anchorage. Even though it was only a a mile or two away it took almost two hours to get there and anchored. There were 5-6 other boats already there but we found a spot and let out lots of anchor chain. And there we sat for the next 4 days while the wind howled around us, with periodic gusts up to 30 knots. Since this really was a quite sheltered anchorage, the boat actually was fairly still, just rocking slightly. But it was cold and we did not even want to go on deck. In fact we stuffed a pillow into the hatch at night to keep the wind out.
You would think we would be bored out of our minds, but in fact we were not. There are still lots of odd jobs to do as we settle into the shipboard life. We ran the water maker. The water maker uses a reverse osmosis technique to create fresh water from salt water. It needs to be run every 3-4 days and takes about 1/2 hour to refill our tanks. Although we are still careful with water, it is wonderful not to have to ration every drop. Several more cupboards were cleaned and sorted. I did a lot of sewing and sorted out photos. Alan worked on various mechanical projects. We put on music and danced. We read. We have radio reception again and a couple of hours a day are spent listening to the various nets. It was actually a lovely quiet time, just living together, just the two of us.
Up early, a quick breakfast and up anchor. We are not going to spend another like that. Since the promised norther is finally starting to blow, we are just going one cove down, back to the volcanic crater which has a much more sheltered anchorage. Even though it was only a a mile or two away it took almost two hours to get there and anchored. There were 5-6 other boats already there but we found a spot and let out lots of anchor chain. And there we sat for the next 4 days while the wind howled around us, with periodic gusts up to 30 knots. Since this really was a quite sheltered anchorage, the boat actually was fairly still, just rocking slightly. But it was cold and we did not even want to go on deck. In fact we stuffed a pillow into the hatch at night to keep the wind out.
You would think we would be bored out of our minds, but in fact we were not. There are still lots of odd jobs to do as we settle into the shipboard life. We ran the water maker. The water maker uses a reverse osmosis technique to create fresh water from salt water. It needs to be run every 3-4 days and takes about 1/2 hour to refill our tanks. Although we are still careful with water, it is wonderful not to have to ration every drop. Several more cupboards were cleaned and sorted. I did a lot of sewing and sorted out photos. Alan worked on various mechanical projects. We put on music and danced. We read. We have radio reception again and a couple of hours a day are spent listening to the various nets. It was actually a lovely quiet time, just living together, just the two of us.
Jan 23,-25, 2013
After a couple of lazy days in Puerto Ballena, watching birds and puttering around on the boat, we moved up the coast. We poked our nose into the next bay, Candelero, but decided that it was just like the first, without the wonderful rock faces so we went on up to Caleta Partida.
This anchorage is actually an old volcano crater and separates Espirito Santo from Isla Partida. That is the mainland of Baja that you see in the background.
Beautiful, calm, not a cloud in the sky. Once we were anchored we unfolded the dingy and went touring. The water was beautifully clear and the cliffs went straight down. It is almost, but not quite, warm enough to go for a swim. Once we are settled in, we set off in the dingy to explore the bay. There are fish everywhere, little stripy ones, bright butterfly fish, star fish and scallops on the rocks. I even saw a turtle basking in the sun. The rocks are covered with crabs, great big blue ones with bright red legs, that scatter when we get close.
When we are finished rowing around, we get to work on more boat jobs. This time it is painting, specifically the outside of the cabin and all around the deck. The paint is all flaking off and still covered with soot from Long Beach harbor and should have been done long ago. I have been daunted by what a huge job it is, so I decided to take it in small sections starting with the area just outside of the hatch. After a few hours of scraping, sanding, washing and painting it is done. What a difference. It looks beautiful. I am anxious to start the next session.
The wind starts to blow in the afternoon but quits in the early morning for another glassy smooth morning.
After a couple of lazy days in Puerto Ballena, watching birds and puttering around on the boat, we moved up the coast. We poked our nose into the next bay, Candelero, but decided that it was just like the first, without the wonderful rock faces so we went on up to Caleta Partida.
This anchorage is actually an old volcano crater and separates Espirito Santo from Isla Partida. That is the mainland of Baja that you see in the background.
Beautiful, calm, not a cloud in the sky. Once we were anchored we unfolded the dingy and went touring. The water was beautifully clear and the cliffs went straight down. It is almost, but not quite, warm enough to go for a swim. Once we are settled in, we set off in the dingy to explore the bay. There are fish everywhere, little stripy ones, bright butterfly fish, star fish and scallops on the rocks. I even saw a turtle basking in the sun. The rocks are covered with crabs, great big blue ones with bright red legs, that scatter when we get close.
When we are finished rowing around, we get to work on more boat jobs. This time it is painting, specifically the outside of the cabin and all around the deck. The paint is all flaking off and still covered with soot from Long Beach harbor and should have been done long ago. I have been daunted by what a huge job it is, so I decided to take it in small sections starting with the area just outside of the hatch. After a few hours of scraping, sanding, washing and painting it is done. What a difference. It looks beautiful. I am anxious to start the next session.
The wind starts to blow in the afternoon but quits in the early morning for another glassy smooth morning.
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