Hanging about and hiking

We have been living off the grid for the last couple of weeks, at anchor, no internet, no restaurants just lazing around, lovely.  We spent about a week in the Bahia Conception then moved south to an anchorage that was beside a massive rock called El Pulpito or the pulpit.  Then we sailed another 10 miles along to an absolutely gorgeous spot called San Jaunico. It’s time to get some laundry done and stock up on supplies so we are headed to a town called Loretto.  

In each spot we have been in we have been on some marvellous hikes. The first one was the highest it was in the Bahia Conception, a marked trail, but not the easiest of footing.  The guide book told us about these rocks with a lot of iron in them and when you bashed them with another rock they rung like a church bell, the sound was unbelievable. 

This is the hike up El Pulpito, an easier walk, except for the beginning where we had to negotiate the bouldery beach before walking up a ridge line around the back of the pulpit. The anchorage is a superb spot if there is any north in the wind and we had it mostly to ourselves. The next day we explored further down the coastline and found a wonderful arroyo or canyon that you would not want to be caught in after a rain. The smooth pathway of the creek was easy to follow down to the sea.

We had a great sail down to San Jaunico, gybing back and forth in a +20 knot breeze, playing in the waves.  I really enjoyed myself.  Our first walk we went across a  neck of land to another bay and luxuriated there on the beach out of the wind before venturing through the rocks to the far side of the bay. It has been cool most days, a long sleeved shirt and a windbreaker are always on hand.  This morning Barry had on shorts, windpants, socks and long sleeved heavier shirt, his fleece and a reversible vest, fleece on one side a windbreaker on the other. We were expecting it to be a little warmer.

Our last hike was really great.  We dinghied over to a beach where we had been told their was a trail up the cliffs. We found it and followed the trail of prairie oysters along the path.  We saw the ranch where the horses were kept, a dwelling nestled in the crook of the hills with the stables below.  

It actually sprinkled a few drops of rain that day, but it kept us cool as we hiked along.  We stood up on this ridge and watched a couple of whales out to sea.  All we could see where these long skinny black shapes. They would be on the surface for awhile and then they would disappear and come up in another area. We stood at different spots along the trail and stared until we could find them again, there were two to start with and then we only saw one for quite awhile.  Barry spotted a ray winging it’s way along the edge of the cliff in the clear aquamarine water.

Janet Diveky showed us where the farmer was located about a kilometre from the beach.  We got some freshly picked peas, carrots, tomatoes, green onions and farm fresh eggs. There were lots of baby goats so he did not have any goat cheese that we had heard was so good. The turkeys were not happy to have us invading their space and gobbled madly at us. We have been playing many hands of bridge and sharing meals, we are so enjoying having George and Janet close by.

Cruising at last

We have been in the water for almost a week now and we are having a great time. We spent 4 days around Guaymas enjoying the peace and quiet as well as the wildlife in the area.  We had a bit of a hiccup with our batteries when we launched so we motored the 12 miles to Guaymas to charge them up. On the way over we saw a seal lazing about on the surface with a flipper and a tail wavering about to stabilize itself. She didn’t pay any attention to the noisy boat thundering by, just hung about doing whatever it is seals do. As soon as we had the anchor down, the bay we were in was alive with porpoises feeding. It is always so special when they welcome you to a new anchorage.

The birds were fantastic, there were herons, ibises, snowy egrets and birds of prey. We have seen the usual turkey vultures soaring about with their easily recognizable wing tips, then we spotted a bald eagle perched atop a cactus, magnificent. We marvel at the brown and white pelicans flying in formation around the boat keeping an eye out for the unwary fish.  The fowl have me stumped though, I can spot the cormorants and some ducks, but there are little guys around that paddle about, unafraid, quite close to the boat.  I want to get a good close look so I can find what they are in one of my bird books. I saw a white bird with bright pink plumage the other day.  I thought it was an ibis that ate a lot of shrimp like the ones we saw in Trinidad.  It was a long way away though and it’s bill looked quite weird.  I think it was a roseate spoonbill, quite something to see.

We were preparing to cross the Sea of Cortez.  They were forecasting a good 15-20 knot northwester to blow through, so we wanted to wait for it to appear.  We took the boat into Guaymas for the afternoon and Barry went ashore and got fresh fruits and veggies.. We hauled up the anchor and got underway at 1700 hours. The crossing was 90 miles anchorage to anchorage and we didn’t want to worry about trying to get in during the daylight.  It was a great sail after the first half hour. We were hard on the wind for the first little while and we were bashing into the waves.  It was going to be a long night, but once we got out of the lee of the large cliffs we had been anchored behind the wind shifted and it was just forward of the beam and the motion eased and we were just flying. It was a cool sail but nothing went wrong and we even slowed down 15 miles out so we could have some light to approach land with.

We have been in Conception Bay before, 12 years ago, and although it is somewhat familiar it is good to get to know it again.  Our good friends Janet and George Diveky were anchored in the bay waiting for us. How wonderful it was to be greeted by them when we arrived.  They have given us the inside info on where to take our garbage, when the fruit and veggie lady comes and where to get the best internet.  We are headed to their trawler for dinner tonight. 

I am so happy to not have to go up and down the ladder every time I need to use the washroom.  I smiled with pleasure at the thought the head was close by every time the urge came upon me during the last week. It is so wonderful to be afloat again.  It is too bad a boat needs to be maintained so much!  Barry was cursing it a few times in the past weeks swearing we should sell right now.  Near the end of three weeks I was almost ready to agree.

We have no set plans for the winter.  We are just going to mosey about in the Sea of Cortez, exploring new anchorages and getting reacquainted with old favourites. My brother is going to return with his wife and spend about a week on the boat just gunk holing about.  The freedom of not having an agenda appeals to us. 

 

The internet is really slow here so I have taken out the pictures, sorry.

In the water

We are in and off to an anchorage, yippee