We are away from the dock and are anchored out at Caleta Partida for New Years. Expect to be out 4-7 days.
Happy New Year!
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At 12/31/2014 5:26 PM (utc) our position was 24°31.97'N 110°22.86'W
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Friday, 26 December 2014
Our Christmas in La Paz (2014)
Although we miss being with friends and family back home for Christmas (it would have been especially nice in the snow at Whistler), we managed to fill up our time here in La Paz Christmas eve and Christmas day.
Christmas eve started with a "white elephant" gift exchange for about 20 of us, mostly from dock 3 here at Marina Palmira. Rather fun with some "interesting" gifts. This was followed by caroling, which was when, in our tradition, Michelle and I slipped away to Pelagia. For good reason, as Michelle had prepared and excellent short-rib stew for dinner for five of us.
Christmas morning was sunny and the north winds had stopped, making for a rather warm potluck breakfast on dock 3. After breakfast, Michelle and I took off on our bikes for a swim at El Coroumel. Sea temperature was a comfortable 23 deg C.
After swimming, we went for a short hike up to the cross on the hill behind the marina.
Christmas day ended with a very good turkey dinner at the "Dinghy Dock" restaurant, followed by a Flor de Cana nightcap in Pelagia's cockpit.
Christmas eve started with a "white elephant" gift exchange for about 20 of us, mostly from dock 3 here at Marina Palmira. Rather fun with some "interesting" gifts. This was followed by caroling, which was when, in our tradition, Michelle and I slipped away to Pelagia. For good reason, as Michelle had prepared and excellent short-rib stew for dinner for five of us.
Christmas morning was sunny and the north winds had stopped, making for a rather warm potluck breakfast on dock 3. After breakfast, Michelle and I took off on our bikes for a swim at El Coroumel. Sea temperature was a comfortable 23 deg C.
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| El Coroumel beach |
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| The creature from the turquoise lagoon emerges... |
After swimming, we went for a short hike up to the cross on the hill behind the marina.
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| Marina Palmira and La Paz beyond |
Christmas day ended with a very good turkey dinner at the "Dinghy Dock" restaurant, followed by a Flor de Cana nightcap in Pelagia's cockpit.
Monday, 22 December 2014
La Paz is decorated for Christmas!
Last year, we were pretty impressed with the Christmas decorations in La Paz; but this year the decorations have really taken off!
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| Christmas village/Santa's workshop (across from Marina Palmira) |
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| Yes, that's snow on the hill with Santa's sleigh and reindeer coming down (sort of) |
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| Further down the Malecon |
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| Unusual countdown clock for Christmas... |
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| Live goats! |
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| Goats are Michelle's favourite... |
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| This elf looks familiar... |
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| This Santa is a little scary |
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| Not sure how happy she is with this Santa... |
Even the Aramburo cow (the Aramburo grocery store on Madero is affectionately known by cruisers as the "cow store", for obvious reasons) has a totally new set of clothes, boots, and gift bag! (compare with the photo from last year: http://sailing-pelagia.blogspot.mx/2013/12/merry-christmasfeliz-navidad-from-la-paz.html
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| New clothes and new this year: boots! |
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015!
Friday, 19 December 2014
A short trip to the islands (of Bahia de la Paz)
After a week or so in La Paz, we were hankering to get out and anchor in the islands of Bahia de La Paz.
The first two nights, we anchored in El Mezteno, a small indentation on Isla Espiritu Santo. The cove has a beautiful sandy beach with a small pond behind. There was water in the pond with hundreds of small fish providing a yummy treat to a heron.
Water temperature was 25 degrees C, so swimming was great. We were the only boat on the first night (2 boats on 2nd night)
We then moved next door to Caleta Partida -- again, only a few boats anchored.
However, a power boat anchored nearby insisted on running his generator 24 hours/day as well as lighting up the ocean with its blue underwater lights -- so after one night, we decided to move over to Ensenada Grande (Isla Partida).
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As before, the anchorages were pretty empty -- seems most of the boats have "headed south" (Puerto Vallarta, Barra de Navidad, etc).
Next day, on the way back down, we saw many humpback whales, including one that breeched only about 30-40 meters from Pelagia -- that was a "WOW!" moment!
We decided to spend one more evening in the islands, anchoring in "Ensenada de la Raza" (Isla Espiritu Santo), an inlet that feels like you are anchoring at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. With a little imagination, one can see many faces (of the Raza?) in the cliffs.
We were the only boat.
On our last evening of this 6-night trip, we anchored in Caleta Lobos on the Baja peninsula, making it a short 2-hour trip into Marina Palmira.
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| Pelagia in El Mezteno |
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| El Mezteno |
The first two nights, we anchored in El Mezteno, a small indentation on Isla Espiritu Santo. The cove has a beautiful sandy beach with a small pond behind. There was water in the pond with hundreds of small fish providing a yummy treat to a heron.
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| Heron fishing at El Mezteno |
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| El Mezteno (Pelagia on left) |
Water temperature was 25 degrees C, so swimming was great. We were the only boat on the first night (2 boats on 2nd night)
We then moved next door to Caleta Partida -- again, only a few boats anchored.
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| Looking East into Caleta Partida |
However, a power boat anchored nearby insisted on running his generator 24 hours/day as well as lighting up the ocean with its blue underwater lights -- so after one night, we decided to move over to Ensenada Grande (Isla Partida).
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| Pelagia anchored in the North Cove of Ensenada Grande (behind catamaran Ascension) |
Next day, on the way back down, we saw many humpback whales, including one that breeched only about 30-40 meters from Pelagia -- that was a "WOW!" moment!
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| Humpback "spying" near Caleta Partida |
We decided to spend one more evening in the islands, anchoring in "Ensenada de la Raza" (Isla Espiritu Santo), an inlet that feels like you are anchoring at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. With a little imagination, one can see many faces (of the Raza?) in the cliffs.
We were the only boat.
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| Dropping the anchor in Ensenada de la Raza |
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| See the face? |
On our last evening of this 6-night trip, we anchored in Caleta Lobos on the Baja peninsula, making it a short 2-hour trip into Marina Palmira.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Arrived "home" in La Paz
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| Our route from Mazatlan to La Paz |
It feels great to be back in Baja and La Paz. The "islands" are beautiful.
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| Playa Bonanza (Isla Espiritu Santo) |
A couple of nights ago anchored at Bonanza Beach (Isla Espiritu Santo), we marvelled at how clear the water was, how we could see our anchor and chain along the bottom.
White sand beach, beautiful turquoise sea, fish everywhere, rays jumping, etc.Beautiful.
Nexy day, we did a short hop to Caleta Lobos for one night, then went in to Marina Palmira, our "home base" for December through April.