Southern California to Cabo

Mexico here we come!

Captains Log 11/2/03, Notes from Bahia Santa Maria- The Voyage Begins

 We made it away from the dock as planned on October 23, helped off the dock by our good friend Dale Lefebre, fueled and left Channel Islands Harbor by about 1030 hours, bound for Catalina Island.  There we were to pick up Crewperson Mike who was staying at the Isthmus.  After a beautiful, though very light air passage, we arrived just before sunset, picked up a mooring and went ashore for a fine dinner.  The whole trip Barb and I had to keep reminding ourselves this was really happening and not a dream.  Well actually it was a dream, but was coming to be real.

 Next stop after a foggy passage was Dana Point, where we spent a couple of days getting final provisions and bidding farewell to several of Barb’s friends who live there, then we were off for Mexico.  We were about a day ahead of the infamous Baha Ha Ha, but headed for the same first rest stop at Turtle Bay.  After three days and nights at sea, this beautiful big natural bay was a welcome sight indeed.  Especially for our two four-legged companions whose doggy bladders had each only emptied once on the trip.  Needless to say, the dinghy was in the water and they were ashore within minutes of anchoring.

 A couple of days at this dusty little outpost was enough for us, and we again left a day ahead of the 100 Ha Ha boats for the next stop here at Bahia Santa Maria, just North of Magdalina Bay.  It was fortunate for us we left Turtle Bay about 1530, because it put us in here about 0730 after a pretty mellow two night passage, and we avoided dealing with the current 20-25 knot winds and associated seas the fleet had to contend with.  Most of those poor boats had to enter this bay at night as well!

 Anyway, we have two anchors out and we’re riding nicely here in this awesome spot.  Too windy to take the dink ashore, but it gives me time to write this and Barb to do some needlepoint, so it’s all good.  The forecast is for more of the same tonite and tomorrow, so we may be leaving with the fleet on Wednesday for the final overnight hop down to Cabo.  I’ll try to find a cyber café there so I can get this on the web for you, along with any good stories of our passage, and some pictures hopefully.

Remember, “Life’s a beach, then you go sailing”

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