On our way back to BC

Santa Rosalia is a bit of an anomaly in Mexico, founded by a french mining company in  1884 in order to exploit the deposits of copper in the area, the town was built out of lumber imported from the Pacific Northwest.  It gives the town a very different feel to anywhere else we have been where cement block is the building material of choice.

We left Santa Rosalia in the early afternoon for the 75 mile crossing to the mexican mainland.  The crossing was uneventful and we were able to sail halfway.  We spent a couple of days in the San Carlos area before moving on to the Marina Fonatur in Guaymas where we spent a week working on the boat and preparing it for 6 months storage.

Our cozy quarters in San Carlos

San Carlos has some very dramatic scenery

We have encountered very few mosquitos but there are lots
of flyingbugs called bobos.  They do not bite but they
swarm over your face and crawl up your nose and in your eyes.
 Scott pulled out the protective hat after accidentally swallowing
a couple of them!  In spite of the fact that they are a good
source of protein he chose not to repeat the adventure.

Some of the fish boats in Guaymas

Searover II is on the left, Ponga on the right is attempting to
get them off.  

Guaymas harbour is quite shallow and the channel into the haul out yard is not marked.  Our friends on Searover II ended up stuck in the mud on a falling tide.....luckily the tides here only change around 3 feet so they were never in any danger but they did stay stuck for about 8 hours.  In the end there was no harm and no foul just a delay in their haul out.

Here we are removing our forestay so we can fit
a bit better in the lift.  

The local taco stand

the dry storage yard at Marina Seca

Goodbye Kialoa, see you in 6 months

The bus we rode to Phoenix was very comfortable.  This is a
military checkpoint where all the passengers must get off the
bus and have their luggage checked for contraband.

Scott and his sister MaryAnn enjoying a walk in the fresh
spring greenery.  Note the long pants and shoes with socks!

 So when we were done getting the boat ready for storage we hopped on a bus to Phoenix.  The bus was modern and extremely comfortable.  No chickens at all!  From Phoenix we flew to Nashville Tennesse, where we are visiting with Scotts sister MaryAnn and her husband David.  The weather is a little cooler than we are used to and the scenery is so much greener!  On the 27th we will be flying in to Vancouver and then back to Saltspring.  So the adventure ends for now......

Oh the places we have been!

Since the end of January we have been cruising at a very relaxed pace.  We are where we want to be and it has been wonderful.  The part of Mexico where we are, on the southeast coast of the Baja Peninsula, is quite undeveloped and quiet with lots of excellent anchorages.  There are many reasons to linger. And since a picture is worth a thousand words........

Swimming with the sea lions at Los Islotes was a real
highlight for me.

Sometimes the water was so clear it felt like we were flying.

Taking a rest from hiking on the giant chair

The best kind of rodeo riding

Los Gatos is known for its cool red sandstone

The lovely protected anchorage at Agua Verde

On a fun canyon hike near Puerto Escondido

Loreto

The pelicans are fantastic!

Heading out for a hike at Bahia San Juanico

Dramatic scenery abounds!

How much luckier can we get?

Fresh fish for dinner

Mulege bomberos fire truck, yes they could probably use some
newer equipment.

sharing the anchorage with whale sharks!

Anchored in the harbour at Santa Rosalia, the abandoned copper smelter in
the background.

We observed an Easter reenactment of Jesus last day, the procession wound its
way through the town of Santa Rosalia, stopping at the stations of the cross
 and culminating in the crucifixtion at the top of a hill

Our next step is to cross the sea of Cortez, it is only 72 miles across from here, and then get the boat ready for storage and come back to BC for the summer.  See you soon!