Leaving La Paz heading to Playa Pichilingue Cove

La Paz and Playa Pichilingue Cove

2/21 We thought we’d stay productive so we hung protective nets on the galley shelf, top of the closet shelf, and on the port side of the v-berth. No netting wasn’t that big of a deal with all our down-wind sailing, until we started beating back up the Sea of Cortez. So much mess of everything we own exploding all over the floor as we drive our ship up an escalator. Something we should have done before we left. Truth is, if we had done everything before we had left we wouldn’t have ever cast off. “Cruising is fixing your boat in exotic places.”  

2/22 Dolphins were echoing under the boat. Such a crazy 6^th sense that they have. Equally crazy that we can hear it through our floor and under our bed. BIG ring around the moon tonight 19:40. Weather book says this could mean 40-80% of rain. More definite 75% if the pressure is dropping. Well, the pressure rose slightly this morning. Report says Northern Baja had rain the past 24-48 hrs. Doubt we’ll get any of that but it might be a nice change.

2/24 Beautiful morning and afternoon. Stronger North wind picked up with the evening. This is fine with the incoming tide, not so thrilled and hoping for a smooth time with the outgoing tide. Almost full moon too, making the tide heavy. Cirrostratus clouds again tonight with the huge ring around the moon. “thin sheets that look like fine wells or torn, wind blown patches of gauze.” ice crystals up high form the ring. The pressure has dropped on our barometer and the updated forecast says northern blow next 72 hrs.

2/25 Very windy all night and today. Bay closed for small craft advisory. Didn’t leave the boat. 21:30 finally calming down. Should pick back up at some point.

2/26 Beautiful moonrise over the city tonight. Calm North wind all day. Forecasted heavy blow North 30+kts on Thursday.

2/27 Winds picking up like forecasted. Feeling a little under the weather. Decided to bleach the inside of the boat, shake out all the blankets, and oil everything wooden. Fresh and clean.

2/28 Both of us nonstop puking all night. Ya, we only puke on anchor.

3/1 Most likely food poisoning. Close to death.

3/2 Still sour. Took a 2 mile dinghy ride up the channel to Marina Palmira. Claire got a radio call to do some haircuts! I told her she should get some cards that say “dockside doos” an easy 400pesos in the can. We also went to a boat christening party for our friends we met while staying at the marina. A Canadian family. Mother, Father, Son 18, Daughter 10. Who just bought their first cruising home! A buffet of fresh fruit and salsas, along with popping champagne bottles rightfully left ‘Dolby” behind and a new “Vida Rica” to be had (rich life).

3/3 Piña loves to be put up on the boom. Anchor up at 14:30. 8 miles to either Lobos or Pichilingue for my birthday! I had 2 goals this year. Not to be in America and not to be in La Paz. big High pressure and calm for the next few days! 16:00 anchor down in Playa Pichilingue Cove. Very confusing around here because there are so many nook and cranny anchorages that share slightly different versions of the same names. This one seemed just right without having to wander around too much. Beautiful night, every single star was out. We almost forgot what it was like to be in a secluded cove after sitting in a crowded channel for so many weeks. I fell asleep with the thought of our boat sitting in the middle of a placid puddle. So peaceful it felt like we were tightly tied to a dock. 

March 4^TH - my birthday. Woke up to 88º out, clear and hot. Immediately set up the hammock and threw the swim ladder over the side in crystal clear water. As claire climbs into the hammock I start spazzing out as a sea turtle swims past the boat, slowly coming up every few yards to look around. We took the dinghy over to Lobos to check it out. Super clear and potential snorkeling grounds. ‘Sweet Dreams’ was anchored in Pichilingue when we skiffed back around the corner. Pronounced Pee-chee-LING-way, named after a Dutch pirate group. A local mexican hang out. We spent the rest of the afternoon pulling each other around behind the dinghy, frisbee, digging for clams, and beach combing. A van pulled up with 2 Mexican men, 3 young boys, and a puppy. They started fishing with hand lines. Using an old spark plug for a weight and a rusty hook with almeja (clam) for bait. Standing on the small rock platform overlooking the aquarium below us we joined in as everyone peered over the edge. Anxiously watching fish nibble on the meat, as the boys took turns dropping the puppy off the platform into the water teaching it to swim. John and I came back with our fishing poles. I gave the dad a few weights and hooks. He was ecstatic. I asked him about all the shellfish I’ve been finding around here. There are multiple species of clams, oysters, conchs, mussels, crabs, and snails. He said they were all fine to eat. I gave the boys a ride on the dinghy and let the older one troll with my rod. We had left the boat open because it was so hot and when we came back on the dinghy piña was out in the cockpit. Normally we always lock up and leave her safely inside. She stands up on the rail and gives us a vicious lion hiss. As we stand up and climb onboard she notices that we are not a creature with a loud motor. She’d never seen us come back home on the dinghy before. For dinner claire and I made our special orange chicken for john and sara. Then we played dominos. Later that night we enjoyed the most intense phosphoresent neons I had ever seen. Fireworks in the water. Every single fish was exposed like radar or x-ray. As John and Sara dinghied back home we watched in awe as their wake was a psychodelic swirl of every shade neon green and blue. Not a bad birthday at all.

From here we plan our trip northward. Packages never received. We must sail 150 miles north with about 8-12 anchorages charted along the way. We will be in Loreto by March 27^th for my Mother’s Easter week visit. Which so happens to be at the first mission built in the Californias 1697. We have made it from Temperate ocean waters to Subtropical, now we are beginning our journey into truly Tropical seas.

Maybe some readers can help us? We are looking for somewhere in america to live and work from June to most likely September or October. Because by Autumn we will be back to the boat, continuing on with our Quest! We would like to live somewhere that we have never lived before, preferably in the south or south east. Feel free to send an email if you could help us locate a free or cheap living situation! Who wouldn’t want a private chef and licensed cosmetologist under their roof? Michaelcalvino@gmail.com or insley33@gmail.com

new netting

claire's fish cakes

new netting and our sweet DVD set up (thanks joe!)

la paz moonrise

one animal. fresh. head to prove it.

fresh mexican bread

good morning

good morning again

birthday!

dead coral

steak and egg

bean train

this ice lasted us over a week!

starting to grow 

don on 'double overhead' adios! 

another moonrise over la paz