La Paz, Mexico - Sea of Cortez (II)

Cruising Log of La Paz, Mexico (II)

Prologue

This log covers our seven day, six night charter cruise in the Sea of Cortez, chartering out of La Paz. Our charter was of the bareboat variety, through The Moorings.

Saturday, 14 September, 2002

Our entire crew of eight flew into the international airport at Los Cabos. There is a small airlines (Aerocalifornia) that flies directly into La Paz, but reviews from other travelers of that airline have not been favorable, and additionally, we all wanted to fly via Alaska Airlines. After gathering the crew in Los Cabos, we rented a van through one of the major car rental agencies (located within a mile of the airport) and drove Highway 1 up to La Paz. The road is fine, a bit narrow (particularly when oncoming traffic is a semi-truck) and I’d recommend driving it only in the daylight, as it does wind through the mountains quite a bit and it is not unusual to have livestock in the middle of the road. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting and often beautiful drive, taking around 2.5 hours.

We arrived in La Paz and stayed at Hotel Palmira Azira, which is across the street from Marina Palmira. A fine hotel, good service, although Hotel Marina is a shorter walk to the marina slips.

Sunday, 15 September, 2002

Checked out of our hotel and made it to The Moorings office at 0800 hours, when they begin their scheduled briefing of the cruising grounds. This is a very laid back operation, but being The Moorings, everything was taken care of extremely well. We received a 45-minute briefing of the area we’d be cruising, and The Moorings did a fabulous job. One note on cruising in this area: weather reports are essentially non-existent. Your best bet is to check with other boats in the area (if there are any). Failing at that, keep a close eye on what the skies and winds are doing.

Immigration is another task that has to be taken care of prior to shoving off. The Moorings helped out considerably here, taking all eight of our passports and running them down to the immigration office for the official stamping while we were loading our gear aboard. We left on a Sunday, which meant paying an overtime fee of $200, so if you want to avoid that fee, it’s better to leave on a weekday. Nevertheless, with the help of The Moorings, this was an easy process.

After the initial briefing, we received our boat briefing and inspection, and again it was handled most professionally. We were chartering a Moorings 505, and although it’s a large yacht, it’s rigged to sail very easily, certainly no more difficult that my 36 footer back home. By 1030, we were motoring out of Marina Palmira under blue skies.

After sailing for a few hours in Bahia de la Paz (including a visit from a school of 40-50 porpoises), we motored up to our first anchorage, Ensenada Grande. Do not miss this cove! The temptation is to put into Caleta Partida (and with good reason) but Grande shouldn’t be passed up. We anchored in 25 feet in the southernmost bight (called Caleta de la Cruz for the white cross on the hillside overlooking the anchorage) and it was spectacular. Excellent snorkeling and a very beautiful, white sand beach to explore.

Monday, 16 September, 2002

Weighed anchor in Ensenada Grande and sailed north to Isla San Francisco. Winds were building (due to tropical storm Iselle on the west side of Baja) and as a result, we had a terrific beam reach most of the way to our next stop. Managed to catch a dorado while under sail, securing dinner for the crew. There was some crew discomfort on this crossing due to the beam seas we were experiencing, so if you make this crossing with anything approaching an east wind, make sure those who need it take their motion sickness medicine.

Anchored inside The Hook on San Francisco, and if there’s a more beautiful anchorage in the Sea of Cortez, I’d love to see it. You’re protected from virtually any type of wind, and the scenery has to be seen to be believed. A long arching sugar-white beach surrounding classic tropical blue waters. We anchored in 11 feet on a sand bottom. Snorkeling, particularly in the northwest end of the bay and over by the lighted marker, is great. There is also a well-used hiking path to the top of the hills on the south end of the anchorage, and this is well worth the effort. Not only do you get a spectacular view of the cove, but also the rugged southern cliffs are a thing of beauty. Make sure you take plenty of water, and use some sort of insect repellent.

A note on anchoring in this region: virtually everywhere we anchored was a sand bottom, but relatively hard. We were equipped with a chain anchor line, of course, and a CQR anchor, but it wouldn’t necessarily grab on the first try. This was particularly true in San Francisco, where we witnessed a couple of other boats try repeatedly to anchor. Eventually, your hook holds, but the bottom showed a multitude of drag marks, evidence that people usually have to try more than once here. We also got into the habit of swimming the anchor line and often setting the hook by hand, as the CQR would typically end up on its side. Most nights this was probably overkill, but on a couple of occasions, we had strong winds, so in all likelihood this practice kept us from dragging.

Tuesday, 17 September, 2002

Pulled out of San Francisco and headed north up the San Jose Channel, our intended port of call being Puerto Los Gatos. All reports were that this is one of the best anchorages on the Baja, unless an east wind is blowing. Winds up the channel were squarely at our back, and while it rained often, the temperature never made it uncomfortable. However, as we sailed north of Nopolo Head, the winds started shifting more from the east, increasing in velocity to 35-40 knots and seas built to a large as 14-15 feet, with some breaking tops. Additionally, a line of thunderstorms were developing just north of us, fairly near to Gato, and the idea of piloting through these did nothing for me, so I decided to turn around a make for San Evaristo and better protection. My DR plot told me that if I could make it back to Nopolo by 1500, I’d have no problem making Evaristo before dark. The seas were more or less on our nose, so we motored down the channel with just a reefed jib up for stability.

Made Evaristo by 1630, much to my relief, and anchored in the southern bight in approximately 11 feet. We were then treated to a series of strong rain and thunderstorms, which resulted in a spectacular flash flood down one of the dried riverbeds, but caused no problems.

Evaristo is a charming little village, home to perhaps 50 residents total. They subsist largely on a salt mining operation, the piles of which can be seen from the San Jose Channel just north of the town (this is also an effective navigation point, and if often visible even at night, I’m told). Life in Evaristo (as in most of the Baja) looks pretty relaxed. One home, built right on the beach, featured a rather comfortable looking hammock strung right on the front porch. There were a few fishing buoys out in the cove, probably for lobster, so we did our best to avoid these during anchoring. This is another terrific bay for protection from just about any weather, and we were all grateful for its calm waters after spending the day pounding up and down the San Jose Channel.

Wednesday, 18 September, 2002

Left Evaristo at 1000 hours, the crew making a request to return to Isla San Francisco for another day in that wonderful anchorage. San Francisco wasn’t visible when we entered the channel, being obscured by a few rain clouds, but I plotted a course of 120 magnetic out of Evaristo, and eventually the island appeared. Be aware of a set of rocks in the middle of the channel named Seal Rocks. They do have a lighted marker, which helps in avoiding them. I gave them a wide berth, and still noticed a reduction in depth from over 200 feet in the deep to less than 60 feet off the rocks.

There’s also a small settlement on Isla Coyote, just one mile or so north of San Francisco, which is the smallest inhabited island in the region. It’s home to a handful of families who mostly fish for a living. We had intended to visit Coyote, the reports of friendly people enticing us, but the clouds obscured the area enough that I didn’t want to fool around with the myriad of rocks that extend west from the island, so we made directly for San Francisco instead.

Our second day in this wonderful anchorage was again a winner, the rains largely subsiding, and we were able to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and beach visits. We also hooked a yellow fin tuna right in the anchorage, providing an excellent dinner for all eight crew members. This was by far the crew’s favorite anchorage of those we visited.

Thursday, 19 September, 2002

Weighed anchor and left San Francisco, bound for Espiritu Santo and Caleta Partida. Had excellent winds most of the way, and we were able to avoid the few rainstorms that were remnants of Iselle. Caught a brief view of a marlin just 15-20 feet off our starboard bow, so adding that wildlife sighting to our list, which also included manta rays, stingrays and pilot whales. By the time we arrived at Caleta Partida, the clouds had parted, the skies were blue and the sun was out! Amazingly, we were the only boat in here, which makes a strong argument for coming to Cortez during the off season (as this can be a crowded anchorage during the winter, spring and fall). Anchored in the northern bight in 10 feet of water. Not long after, we were visited by two locals in their fishing panga. They spoke little English and our Spanish wasn’t too much better, but eventually it became apparent that they were trying to locate a replacement spark plug for their engine. Unfortunately, the plugs our dinghy outboard used weren’t the right size, but we offered them two cervezas, which were warmly accepted. Without exception, we found the people in this region unerringly friendly, always ready with a wave and a warm smile.

Most of the crew members decided to take the dinghy through the narrow cut which separates Isla Partida from Espiritu Santo. The islands are actually one land mass, having been separated by volcanic activity eons ago. Today, you can take a shallow draft boat through the winding cut, and the effort is well worth it. The landscape is striking, particularly at the eastern end. Make sure you wear plenty of insect repellent or Avon Skin-So-Soft, as the mosquitoes were prevalent. Most of the crew members didn’t, and they returned to the boat with numerous bites.

Also, if you’re going to swim in Caleta Partida, consider a wetsuit. The waters are warm (80 degrees or more) but in this particular bay, there were numerous jelly fish that could leave minor stings, although none serious. We didn’t run into this at any other anchorage, so it may be unique to this one cove. Nevertheless, this is a spot you shouldn’t miss. The scenery was among the best we experienced, and the protection from all winds is excellent. We experienced a strong southwesterly Coromuel here (the local evening breeze, prevalent in the summer months) and we had no problems whatsoever.

Friday, 20 September, 2002

We left Caleta Partida in perfect summer conditions. Virtually no clouds in the sky, and we had fresh breezes out of the southwest. Right after leaving the protection of Partida, we were greeted by a pod of pilot whales that swam briefly around the boat. Our plan for this day was to sail north around the tip of Isla Partida and visit the sea lions on Los Isolotes, an outcropping of small islands on the northern end of Partida. This we did, and it’s well worth the trip. The islands are rugged and spectacular, and are home to hundreds of sea lions, which reportedly will swim with you if you are so inclined (although the male bulls can be somewhat aggressive, I’m told).

After Los Isolotes, we sailed down the eastern side of Partida and Espiritu Santo. This is another “don’t miss” opportunity. Our winds were very strong, even in the lee of the islands, finally overpowering the boat to the point where we reefed both main and genoa (and still made 6.5 knots on the GPS). The scenery here is possibly the most spectacular we found during the entire trip. Unlike the western side of these islands, which slope relatively gently up to their summits, the eastern side is a series of spectacular cliffs and rock formations. Particularly in the sunshine, the colors of these cliffs are incredibly striking. There are few places to anchor here, but nevertheless, treat yourself to this side of Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santo, if you possibly can. You won’t be disappointed.

Having transited these two islands, we motored through the San Lorenzo Channel, heading towards our final anchorage outside La Paz. The channel does have a rock and partially hidden reef approximately in its middle, so we piloted through on the north side, which shoals to about a 20 foot depth.

Our eventual anchorage was planned for Caleta Lobos, a reasonably well protected spot, particularly when contending with Coromuel winds out of the southwest, which we were again. Lobos has a certain stark beauty to it, but after anchoring, the nearby mangroves produced enough “no-see-ums” that it became less than comfortable. Additionally, Isla Lobos, southwest of the anchorage, is home to so many birds that at least one local has dubbed the island “Poo Island” and with southwest winds, we were actually picking up some mild odors, so we decided to pull the hook and head back to Puerto Ballandra, which we had passed en route to Lobos.

What a great move! Ballandra is a rather large bay, and is home to a public beach as well. It’s also home to the famous “Mushroom Rock,” a large rock balancing on a relatively narrow spire of rock. Apparently, the original Mushroom Rock fell over some years ago, and has been replaced by a fiberglass facsimile, which I for one couldn’t tell from the real thing, at least at a distance. Ballandra also has several beautiful white sand beaches and some very spectacular landscapes beyond the beaches.

The only catch to Ballandra is dealing with the Coromuels. Particularly in southwest winds, you can get some wave refraction around the corner. Your best bet, and what we did, is to tuck as tightly as possible into the south shore. We anchored in 9 feet, which was about a low as I cared to go. It shoals considerably near the beaches, and there’s a partially submerged rock reef to watch out for, so anchoring here prior to nightfall is best. We watched a large sailboat (not a charter) come in at dusk, and not only did they skirt the reef closer than I would have, they also managed to run aground in the sand close to shore, requiring them to kedge off with their dinghy. We again set our anchor by hand and, even with the winds, had no problem. The wave refraction made it a bit rolly, but not excessively so, and the entire crew enjoyed our final night at anchor.

Saturday, 21 September, 2002

We weighed anchor promptly at 0830 hours, having to be back to The Moorings base at Marina Palmira by 1000. The day was again perfectly sunny, and the winds good, but since we were on a time crunch, we were forced to motor all the way in. Arrived at 0955 and made a perfect docking, much to the delight of our crew and The Moorings dock team.

After checking us in, The Moorings paid our cab fare to our hotel that night, Los Arcos, which is a great central location for exploring La Paz. After taking real showers and donning fresh clothes, the crew was ready for lunch. There are a number of excellent spots to eat in La Paz. We selected La Palapa, just a few blocks up the hill from our hotel, for lunch. After that, we visited the Mercado Municipal, as well as a number of other stores. After that, I led a small search party looking for a suitable spot for our end-of-cruise dinner that night. Again, the choices are myriad. We settled on La Caleta, right on the water, and it was an excellent choice. Being the off-season, we were the only party there, and our host Francisco made us feel very welcome and kept us plied all night with sizable margaritas. A terrific ending to a terrific cruise!

Notes on Cruising the Sea of Cortez

• This was the first time I’d ever chartered through The Moorings, and based on the service, it won’t be the last. Their location at Marina Palmira works very well, and their level of service is excellent. Next time, we’d probably stay at Hotel Marina just for the sheer convenience, although Hotel Palmira Azira did a fine job.

• We used very basic fishing gear, all rented from The Moorings, and had good results, particularly approaching Isla San Francisco and Isla San Jose. I’ve heard that fishing licenses are available at the small convenience store at Marina Palmira, but during our visit, we were told they weren’t requiring them. Don’t know if this is standard now or not.

• If you’re planning on sailing out of La Paz, you’re better off leaving and returning on a weekday. We left on a Sunday and returned on a Saturday, and ended up having to pay a total of $400 in overtime fees in order to get our immigration paperwork taken care of. Not the end of the world, but if you’re looking to cut costs, this is one place to do so.

• Watch your anchoring. In virtually every location, we were anchoring on somewhat hard packed sand, and it would sometimes take two or three tries to get the hook to hold. As mentioned earlier, swimming the anchor line is a good idea.

• Weather reports are spotty at best in this region, at least in the off-season. If there’s another boat in your anchorage, it’s recommended that you consult with them to learn anything they may have heard. Most important is basic good seamanship, keeping an eye on the horizon and being prepared for any eventuality. Don’t push a potentially bad situation, either. I really wanted to anchor in Los Gatos, but the prudent move was to turn and avoid poor weather, so I guess we’ll have to make that port next time.

• This region is teeming with wildlife. In one week, we saw porpoises, whales, stingrays, manta rays, marlin, sea lions, and a wide variety of tropical and game fish. In the air, there were hawks, buzzards, terns, boobies, frigate birds and pelicans, lots of pelicans.

• We didn’t have a particularly bad time with insects, but nevertheless, it’s a good idea to have repellent or Avon Skin-So-Soft for those walks on shore. Basic tennis shoes work fine for hiking. This being a desert, there are some poisonous snakes and scorpions, but we saw none and I’m told they typically don’t come out until nightfall, when it cools down. We kept bushes and rock piles at arms length and had no problems.

• Flying into Los Cabos and driving up worked fine, with the exception that our rental car in La Paz for the return trip turned out to be non-existent. However, there are taxi companies in La Paz that will drive you back to Los Cabos (we paid approximately 1600 pesos) and it worked out fine.

• We hydrated heavily every day. Allow for approximately two liters of water per crew member each day (we used bottled water and the water in our tanks, which was pure and perfectly fine). I also made a point of drinking soft drinks with their usual amount of sodium, since I was certain I was losing body salts, what with the heat. After we were anchored each evening, cervezas always made an appearance. If you charter through The Moorings, you can have them provision all food and beverages. They did an excellent job, and the prices were reasonable.

• Navigation is mostly line-of-sight, which is good, because the charts for this region are very sparse and unreliable. I cruised with four separate cruising guides, and used them all. The guides are, in my opinion, your best sources for information. There are few hazards to navigation, particularly if you’re out only during daylight hours.

Bottom line: this is a great cruising area, one that I would recommend wholeheartedly. It has a stark beauty that, to some degree, defies description. The native peoples are delightful, the winds are fairly consistent (at least in the summer) and the navigation is pretty straightforward. Try it and enjoy it. We certainly will again!