Monday, December 31, 2012

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas
12/18-12/27
A lot has happened in Cabo San Lucas. We were there for 9 days! Our longest stop yet. After not seeing much civilization for the past month it was a huge culture shock. We pulled into a bay loaded with water taxis, jetskis, parasailing, mega yachts, kayaks, etc. We threw our dinghy off the deck coming into the harbor entrance and weaved our way through all the chaos into a much needed slip at IGY marina. For $40 a night we felt like kings. They had everything. Hoses on the dock, extremely nice bathrooms, wifi in the slip, concierge services in the office, 24hr. Security guards with key carded access gates, laundry room, pool, and a grillin’ patio area. We stayed in the slip for 4 days and nights and boy was it worth it. Not just for all the amenities but it made our provisioning so much easier. Normally we have to dinghy to shore, surf in, beach it, wheel it up and hide it, unload, walk, carry stuff back, launch back into the surf, and load everything onto a bobbing vessel. Well we went to costco and walmart and loaded up with a few more months worth of provisions. Dry goods, can goods, spices, toiletries, etc. Having the boat in the slip also made it easy for us to go worry free to the airport with my father, who has left us. After about 2 months, from getting the boat equipped in dana point to riding out full gails down the baja. We would like to thank him beyond words for taking the time out of his life to help us battle the pacific ocean and the learning curve a new sailor must endure. We also refilled our propane tank which was a quest within itself. One would think such a town would have propane readily available but we had to make it by bus and taxi to the outskirts of town and fill up. But it was still cheaper than the states only $8 to fill up! Plus we got to grocery shop at a huge local grocery store for our christmas dinner. After our time at the slip we moved out to the anchorage, which was hell. Now we know why alot of the seasoned cruisers do not stop here. All that chaos creates nonstop wake, churning, sloshing, and noise. Very uncomfortable. So we spent most afternoons off the boat, exploring while the craziness was at its peak. One night we decided to move to the outer bay with ‘sweet dreams’ away from all the tourism and side-tie to each other for a nice christmas eve. Well we thought we would make it through the night like that and wake up all together for a joyful christmas morning. But our boats (which I’ve learned surprisingly have the attitude of horses) did not like being tied to each other so we split up for the night and had a wonderful christmas morning. That night I made a traditional thanksgiving/christmas dinner for both our boats and crew. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, bomb stuffing, green beans, gravy from scratch, and serrano cornbread. The next day we went back to the Finisterra resort and climbed up to the whale watcher bar. We actually saw whales on the horizon! After that we walked around to Solmar and found Bullo. He rides for exile skimboards and a few of my friends told me to go see if he was out there and meet him. I borrowed his board and went for a few waves myself! We met another ‘Serenity’ a 29.5ft. Red boat from Oregon. We got some Sea of Cortez info from them and will probably be seeing them again in La Paz. Fireworks almost everynight for the holidays, even a full on orchestra in the marina one night. 12/27 Went to Lover’s beach and skimmed for a while. Pulled up the anchor at 12:30 and headed 5 miles to Playa Santa Maria.


scotch at the whale watcher

literally built right into the rock bluff, even the bathroom


sorry it's sidewards but thats a majority of what we have sailed so far

adios papa

our new fold up cart for provisioning!

date night at the cutest restaurant in town



grilled cheese in chiles

sauteed mushrooms


totally acceptable

hound dog sniffin for her moths

got a big one!

it had red eyes that lit up

time for some greasey skillet food. taters, bacon, and cheese

filming the rope swing with the gopro! i'll be making a movie with all these clips.






christmas morning

pina got a new toy

claire got a new snorkel mask (RED!)

new card reader so we can upload photos to the blog





i guess someone didn't get all the presents she asked for...



surf


typical in the middle of the night when i get up to check the anchor

we got a christmas package at the marina from claire's family!






this one's for you dad

chaos. packs of dozens of jetskis and water taxis would go by full speed. 
our home was in a nonstop earthquake.


another one for you dad


solmar (see bullo in there)

siders!


met Bullo he rides for Exile skimboards, the company that a lot of my friends i grew up with ride for

showing me how to time the sider










:)




neptune's finger

the water taxis would pull right up on the shore and flip a gangway down for the tourists


alleyoop!

lovers beach




tourists can't comprehend the strength of the ocean




BIG

i actually caught some siders. 
(i haven't ridden my skimboard let alone on a sider in at least 2 years. i guess it's like riding a bike.)






count this as our christmas card



21 birthday night

we should have been hanging triple that in flags

best breakfast yet on the trip. machaca and chorizo scrambles

typical overgrowth of tourism

oh hey friend

sorry mom


extremely talented


i only had enough $ to tip him for the photo, not enough on me to have him pull the trigger.

people we meet ask us how we get and store water on the boat... just keep drinking margaritas


sculpture (i would have put a wave painting on the wall behind it)

cashola! for you mom


some rolling stones at the whale watcher


land's end. cabo san lucas. solmar and lover's beach

i spy skimboarders





appetizers on claire's birthday night


pretty much a wings on every corner but they sold cheap alcohol as well

oh ya!


special birthday beverage

best damn breakfast, sad to finish it all

there we are slipped in cabo

dad walking to his boat


full on orchestra playing christmas carols in english

under $5 a plate. in the back of a pick up truck. tons of pans and camping burners with every spanish dish.


mahi

tuna hand roll

dad's returns for deposit at the marina market

someone needed training wheels