Punta Chivato to Santa Rosalia

Gypsum mine, Isla San Carlos

The anchor dragged at Punta Chivato taking us close to a motor boat. We had to react quickly, start the engine, weigh anchor and then re-anchor in a better place.

Dinghy tunnel

The next morning (Happy Birthday Sophie) we motored six miles to Sweet Pea Cove on the NW side of Isla San Marcos. First, we had to navigate through Craig Channel. We were lucky that it was flat calm and the tide was with us, so we had no problems. We could see clouds of white dust above the gypsum mine and the village, near the south end of Isla San Marcos, beyond the extensive reef and sand bar. Once again, we had problems anchoring. The first time the chain wrapped around the anchor, the second time it dragged and the third time it held.

Underneath the arches

We stayed for three nights, just south of a panga fishing camp. One or two pangas landed at the camp from time to time, usually spending the night ashore. We explored by dinghy. Just north of us there were a number of interesting sea caves and arches. Jeremy found a cut off pair of legs from some jogging bottoms. Later he made them into fender socks.

More arches

The following day, we took the dinghy to some rocky islets just beyond Punta Piedra Blanca.  We wore our snorkelling gear and wetsuits. There were many interesting fish and starfish but the visibility was not as clear as it had been the previous day. Back on SD, we took advantage of our good phone signal to keep in touch with our family and to book further hotels for our land trip to Canada in May. Jeremy was upset when he lost a spanner overboard replacing the top step of the bathing ladders. He dived the 9 metres for it with no luck as the bottom was partially covered in weed.

Cave man

On UK Mothering Sunday, 11^th March, we headed for Santa Rosalia, eleven miles away on the Baja Peninsula. It was very calm and on the short passage we saw dozens of dolphins, a leather back turtle and a sealion. We were greeted by the security guard at Marina Fonatur. Two yachts came in soon after us. Other cruisers greeted us. It was a friendly place.

Inside Iglesia Santa Barbara

We checked in on Monday with Isabel in the marina office. We were happy to pay 8 pesos (less than 50 US cents) a foot for our berth. 

Highway 1

We stayed for five nights. Drinking water was delivered to our berth and our empty cooking gas cylinder was refilled. We made use of the laundrette at the marina and enjoyed the hot showers.

Hotel Frances

 Santa Rosalia was a copper mining town for many years. Extensive remains of the huge operation can still be seen. 

Mining trains

We went to the free Museo Historica Minero de Santa Rosalia and learned more about the town’s early mining days. Most of the buildings nearby, including the museum, were built of wood in traditional European style.

Iglesia Santa Barbara dates from 1897. It is steel and was designed by Gustave Eiffel, creator of a famous tower in Paris. The church was disassembled in Brussels, shipped to Santa Rosalia by the French mining company, Compagnie de Bolero, and reassembled on the site where it stands today.

Old copper processing plant

 Naturally, we gave SD’s galley a rest and ate out every day, including one evening when several other cruisers invited us to have dinner with them at Tonks. We enjoyed the company of Laurie Lee and Dave from Slipper, Karen and Alan and Geoff from Stryder.

Harbour view from the museum

On our last day, we finalised bookings for our Canada road trip and shopped at Leys Supermarket for our passage to Bahia de Los Angeles.