March 16, 2016: the forecast called for continued light winds, north-northwest 9 to 12 knots, and that is exactly what we got. Seas were flat with at most only a low chop, and we enjoyed a fair current for most of the day. We motorsailed with inner foresail only and made the 58 miles to…
Caleta San Juanico is a favorite anchorage of the Baja cruising community. It has a selection of scenic anchoring spots all around the bay that can accommodate a large number of boats – depending upon the weather. Sea and shore birds frequent the area; three or four permanent osprey nests can be seen atop rocky…
March 11, 2016: Puerto Balandra. Overnight was calm through sunrise. Our departure was slightly delayed as our anchor snagged a submerged shrub-like object but was otherwise without incident. We motorsailed 26 miles northward in calm seas to Caleta San Juanico. En route, we spotted one sea lion, four dolphin, and about a dozen small sportfishers.…
March 10, 2016. No photos. Day was too busy. Cold front still blowing in Puerto Escondido but forecast calls for gradual clearing. Motored from mooring buoy to fuel dock. Landed without incident in broadside gusts to 20 knots with 2-foot fetch. This is when a 40-foot boat feels like a battleship. About 100 more fenders…
Puerto Escondido is one of the largest and most sheltered bays in the Sea of Cortez….right up until it isn't. Talk to any cruiser who has spent more than one season in the Sea of Cortez, and you will hear tales of what can happen in Puerto Escondido when the weather gets up. Much of…
It was an uneventful motor-sail from Agua Verde to Puerto Escondido on March 6, 2016. A couple of lazy whales moseyed in the channel with a few leaping mobulus nearby. Entering Puerto Escondido, we noticed some changes since our previous stop there. The narrow part of the entrance seemed to have been recently dredged, as…
The March 5, 2016, forecast called for about 2 more days of calm weather that would be followed by 4 or 5 days of a Norther. We had the opportunity to thoroughly explore Agua Verde before scooting into the shelter of Puerto Escondido, just 23 miles further north. While GB fished from the dinghy all…
After a pleasantly cool night, on March 4, 2016, we raised anchor at Cazadero with light winds still coming from the WSW. As the day progressed the wind stayed light but returned to the more typical NW direction. We had yet another hot day with flat seas, but haze was increasing, signifying a potential change…
March 2, 2016, had calm to light air. While most of the boats departing Isla San Francisco headed south toward La Paz, we motored northbound a mere 16 miles up-channel. We saw very few boats in the anchorages we passed at San Evaristo (just 2), Amortajada (also 2) and Nopolo (0). As we entered our…
February 2016 was almost gone. The weather in the Sea of Cortez was turbulent. Mazatlan grew hot and humid. The Port of Mazatlan was closed due to the weather but forecasts indicated that a nice 4-day weather window would soon open up. It would be an excellent chance for us to cross the Sea and…