Cabo San Lucas to La Paz

Leaving Cabo San Lucas and the two cruise ships

The Westerly Owners Association (WOA) held their AGM on 27^th January 2018. We were awarded the Rayner Challenge Plate for our trip from the River Deben in England to San Francisco in the USA. According to the WOA website: “The Rayner Challenge Plate, our oldest and most prestigious piece of silverware, is awarded annually for the ‘Best Cruise undertaken in a Westerly’.” We felt proud and honoured to receive such a prize for the third time, but the glory must go to our 43 years old Westerly Solway, Sal Darago.

Los Frailes beach from the top of the hill

Back to Cabo San Lucas. We weighed anchor at 0635 on Thursday 25^th January and started the 45 mile passage north to Los Frailes. A steep rise in the barometer gave us prior warning of what was to come later. Sure enough, by midday we had 25knots of NE wind kicking up short, sharp, steep waves. We motorsailed and tacked, bouncing the rest of the way in an uncomfortable sea. We were relieved to drop the anchor in the shelter of Cerro Frailes at 1640. We were the only boat in the anchorage.

Queen of the castle

We were in Los Frailes for six nights as the wind, known locally as a Norther, blew hard. We heard later that the port of La Paz was closed during this blow. We used the time to climb up to the top of Cerro Frailes, where we had a good mobile phone signal, to walk to the village of Cabo Pulmo 9.5 kilometres away, to swim and snorkel and to walk on the vast beach. Ashore, there was a small, local fishing camp and a few houses. The restaurant had closed down. Usually, only a handful of people were on the beach, so we had this unspoiled beach largely to ourselves.

The long and dusty road

Each day the beach landing became more difficult as the surf increased. My left knee had swollen up from the mountain climbing and walking. I made things worse by falling in the surf and grazing my knee on the sand. As Jeremy jumped out of the dinghy he caught his shin on something and arrived on the beach with blood dripping down his leg. The few onlookers observed in silence.

Some south going yachts came and left. One ketch waited with us to go north. We both left early on Wednesday 31^st January for a quiet motorsail of 46 miles to Bahia de Los Muertos, the Bay of the Dead, recently renamed by developers, the Bay of Dreams. We anchored in Ensenada de Los Muertos amongst a small flotilla of yachts, the most we had seen in one place since Turtle Bay. (The Muertos refer to mooring weights not dead men – work it out?)

Balandre beach

The next day we followed the flotilla out of Muertos to the Canal de Ceralvo, motorsailing close to a sandy spit on which stood a lighthouse reminiscent of the Point of Ayr off the Isle of Man. By lunchtime we were able to sail almost all the way through the Canal de San Lorenzo to Puerto Balandre. Once again, about 14 boats were anchored here. We went ashore in the dinghy (no surf), walked round to see Mushroom Rock and I snorkelled back to SD from the beach. Jeremy had to keep his wound dry, so he rowed back in the dinghy.

Tricky entrance to La Paz, well buoyed

It was only 12 miles to La Paz, so it seemed like no time at all before I was speaking to Marina de La Paz on the VHF to ask if they had received our email request for a berth for 4 nights. There was some confusion, but a berth was allocated and then the fun began.

Nuestra Senora de La Paz

There is a tidal flow through the marina, so Jeremy was going a little faster than usual as he turned into the pontoon berth. The gap between SD and the pontoon was widening but I jumped down with our line, the pontoon tipped towards SD and I was falling in. A strong hand gripped my arm and hauled me upwards. I banged my sore knee on the pontoon and only my right foot and lower leg were wet. I was shaken and my pride was hurt as an audience of three watched our arrival. Everyone was helpful. Jacob, the Mexican, who had saved me, took the stern line and Jim, from a catamaran nearby, took the bow line, giving it to his wife, Chris, while he helped to secure SD. Thank you to all our helpers and rescuers.

Guess where?

Checking in was easy at the marina. There was a laundry on site, hot showers and a restaurant. In town there were several good supermarkets and restaurants. We sampled a few of each. We joined the Club Cruceros (Cruisers’ Club) and listened to the morning Cruisers’ Net on VHF 22A. La Paz is an excellent place for provisioning, boat parts and boat storage.

One of the many sculptures on the malecon

Jeremy celebrated his birthday at La Paz. His first job was to mend the toilet. The flush pump handle housing split on four of the six retaining screws. The day improved and we ate out for lunch and dinner. But ill luck returned as the mains electricity failed on our return to SD.

Birthday lunch at Claros

We left La Paz at 1350 on Tuesday 6^th February and decided to motor to Isla Espiritu Santo, as the wind was light. Three boats anchored here overnight. We have another large, white, sandy beach to explore in this National Park.