Bahia de Tortuga to Cabo San Lucas

Bahia de Tortuga or Turtle Bay has the most expensive diesel on the Pacific Mexican coast, at the end of the long dock. We learned this the hard way on our last visit and had to pay the high price. This time we took containers ashore and a trolley and walked up to the Pemex filling station, where Jeremy paid half the asking price at the dock. Ok, it was a bit of a struggle lowering the 25 litre containers down the dock steps and into the dinghy, but it was worth the effort. While ashore, we topped up our food supplies from the two supermercados.

The rugged coast of Isla Cerro

The passage from Turtle Bay to Bahia Juanico was an overnighter. We were determined to sail and managed 2-3 hours goosewinged. In the evening, a fresh wind arrived and we sailed again for several hours. The weather was noticeably warmer at last. We wore shorts and t-shirts during the day, but the nights were cold requiring long trousers, woolly hats, socks and jackets. It went dark about an hour before our arrival at Juanico, so we entered the bay using radar and MaxSea to help us. Our night sight was severely hampered by a bright spotlight ashore and a brightly lit fishing vessel at the harbour entrance.

Off we went the next day on another overnight passage to Bahia Maria, arriving at 0810 on Saturday 20^th January. Strong winds were forecast so I was happy to relax for a day and a night at anchor. One fisherman came by asking for batteries, candy and Coca Cola. We gave him 3xAAA’s and a cereal bar. Apart from one or two passing pangas we had the bay to ourselves. I swam in the sea for the first time this trip.

Stunning ochre colours

The next morning we saw a yacht anchored about half a mile away. It was Chris and Angie on S/V Motu (Octopus). We had met them in Turtle Bay. We had a lighthearted race to Bahia Magdalene. Sal Darago led the way. Soon we had to reef the mainsail and genoa as we zipped along at 7 knots. By evening we had two reefs in the main, followed by a spell of motoring and then another few hours of sailing in the early morning hours.

Jeremy was cross with me for dawdling along at 2.5 knots after lunch, as he wanted to arrive at Cabo San Lucas while it was still light. We motored the rest of the way expecting the forecast 25kts of wind from the north at any moment. They didn’t materialise and we rounded Cabo Falso with 11 kts of SW winds. It was calm enough for us to eat our sandwiches.

Pacific sunset

We anchored off Cabo San Lucas at 2030 on Monday 22^nd January in the dark. Four or five yachts were anchored nearby. The next day Jeremy called API (Port Authority) and gave them our anchoring position. We were fine to stay where we were for the next few days. The cooking gas ran out before breakfast. Fortunately, we had spares.

Punta Lazaro from Bahia Maria

We made use of the marina dinghy dock for a charge of 3USD per day and visited the usual cruiser haunts i.e. Officina de Capitania de Puerto, fuel dock, lavenderia, supermercados and restaurants. As before, we watched the various watercraft taking tourists out for daytrips, parasailing, snorkelling/diving or jet skiing. The long, curved, pristine beach is dotted with sunbeds and umbrellas. Behind them hotels and apartments stretch out for several miles. What a contrast to the peace and quiet of Bahia Maria.