San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
10/16/2003 - 11/12/2003
Beautiful, calm, Bahia San Carlos -- the view from the anchorage east toward the mountainous mainland.
Marina San Carlos. The dramatic Tetas de Cabras tower over Bahia San Carlos.
Return to San Carlos
It took several days to re-acclimate to the humid 95°F+ heat. Though not a "scorching" broil like June, we were on a slow simmer in October. In late October, the locals assured us -- 10 more days. In 10 more days, the weather would cool.
Since the boat had been stripped and readied for hurricane season, we needed a few weeks to get the boat ready to cruise again.
Initially, the afternoons were so hot, we did only light chores in the morning, then escaped to the Marinaterra hotel pool for an afternoon cool down. At the pool, we visited with several other cruisers also escaping the afternoon heat. We caught each other up on our summer adventures while soaking up to our necks in the 85°F pool water!
Unfortunately, somewhere in the first week back, we both acquired colds -- probably from the Dallas-Denver-Phoenix flight. Duncan's cold only held him down for a few days, but Robin's cold hung in there for a few weeks. Although she could function, she lost her voice and felt lousy much of the time in San Carlos.
During down time, we updated the website through the end of the summer tour and spent several comfortable days sitting in the coolness of the Marina Cantina. Again, Grant (the owner) allowed us to connect to his wireless WiFi hot-spot. With great (fast & free!) internet access on our laptops, a cold beverage, and a tasty lunch, the simmering afternoon heat was an easy excuse for a trip to the Cantina.
Dun-Can, the Music Man
While Duncan recovered from a cold, he transferred our CD music collection to a newly acquired Apple iPod® MP3 music player. We thought an iPod will be great way to listen to music/books while on long passages without disturbing each other's sleep.
First, he figured out how to burn (or is it rip?) the CD's as MP3's onto the computer hard disk. He did this using Windows Media Player (WMP 9.0, with an InterVideo XPack plug-in for WMP -- $10).
Duncan burned/ripped dozens of favorite CD's as MP3's. over several days with some part-time attention required to feed the PC our CD collection. Once connected Windows Media Player to the web -- at the Marina Cantina wireless, it automagically updated the song #, title, artist, and album information for every MP3 song! After several days and 2500+ songs later, half of our CD music collection is on the computer!
Back on the boat, WMP 9.0 (with MediaFour's XPlay -- $30) synchronized almost 10GB (~2100) of these songs to the iPod -- in about a half-hour -- very cool. In retrospect, we should have purchased the 20GB iPod and a larger hard drive for the laptop!
Whisper's Mexican Courtesy Flag was very faded and tattered after a scorching summer and two near-miss hurricanes.
Time for a Planning Session...
The origianl plan was to explore the anchorages north of San Carlos this fall. After the September RV trip and October colds, we eliminated that plan because it felt too rushed to go north as well as get south to La Paz by Thanksgiving.
The revised plan was to get Whisper ready to go, then cross the Sea of Cortez to enjoy the Islands north of La Paz and La Paz -- an area we have not yet explored.
After La Paz, the plan to be in Zihuatanejo for Christmas requires a long sail from the tip of the Baja peninsula south -- directly to Zihuatanejo.
We plan to skip Banderas Bay, Chamela, Tenacatita, Barra de Navidad, and Santiago Bay on the way south and visit these anchorages on the way back north to Puerto Vallarta. We will get ready for the "Puddle Jump" in PV starting in mid-February. Then we will leave PV in March-April to cross to the Marquesas and the South Pacific. Even in this early planning stage, we feel "rushed" -- a feeling that we do not usually like.
Victor, Yolanda, and Catarine came by for an afternoon social visit.
Victor & Family
Victor took care of Whisper all summer and the boat looked great upon our return. Victor brought his beautiful family -- wife Yolanda and daughter Catarine -- by for a visit. We practiced (lousy) Spanglish, while Yolanda and Catarine practiced their (very good) English. It was a fun visit and it reminded us we need to escape the gringo community more often -- to meet more wonderful Mexican people and their families.
Social Animals
On the social front, we had several nice visits and dinners with Dick & Pat on Crusader and Rick & Corby on Emerald. One evening while sitting in Whisper's cockpit with Rick and Corby, we looked up at the full moon to realize it was being eclipsed. Over the next couple of hours, we enjoyed an incredible full eclipse of the moon.
Get to work already, will ya!
By early November the heat finally abated and a full day of chores was possible. The "10 more days" prediction was accurate to the week! We started in earnest on numerous boat chores. Many must be completed before we leave San Carlos.
The cleaned, un-twisted running rigging was all re-routed and secured. The genoa (big 125% foresail) received a thorough cleaning as it was re-hoisted. Duncan repaired the dinghy, tracked and fixed a propane problem, and completed a major watermaker project (phase 1).
A repaired dinghy keel dragged back from the USA gets glued back in the dingy (aka "Shout"). After lots of cleaning, gluing, fume inhalation, and swearing -- Shout was ready to re-assemble.
Shout is back together and looking better than she has in a year. The keel inflates and stays inflated, the floorboards seem to be staying together now, and most of the various loose, peeling attachments have been glued back into place.
After two replacements of the propane solenoid and regulator in a year and a half ($100+ each time), it was time to devise a better solution. An "Otter" waterproof box now protects the mechanisms from the (saltwater!) elements .
Robin fulfills her role as the winch-wench -- cleaning the two mast winches.
Robin, the "winch-wench" cleaned the winches on the mast, then lubricated and reassembled both of them. We were a bit behind on cleaning these, so it was a big job!
We also cleaned the teak decks and readied the engine and genset by checking and topping off their various fluids.
The watermaker posed Duncan's biggest challenge -- a plumbing project! Over the summer, we obtained two new low pressure feed pump heads for the Spectra Santa Cruz (under warranty!).
To Robin's (and Duncan's) great surprise, the new pump heads went in without any swearing and without leaks! Amazing! Although this should be the end of the watermaker saga -- in less than a month, Duncan will again disassemble the Spectra.
Amazing! Duncan smiles while working on the watermaker! A first for Duncan; a plumbing project completed without swearing or subsequent leaks!
The Marina San Carlos Swap Meet. Lots of junk and a few good items too. Unfortunately, the good stuff demands a premium because it's so hard to get any new/decent boating stuff in Mexico. This guy had two tables full of stuff to "swap". It is illegal for gringos to "sell" items in Mexico -- although we have not seen this enforced.
The interesting rock formation at the entrance to Bahia San Carlos. Most folks see a face -- some say it is an indigenous Mexican, Aztec, or Mayan warrior. Yeah, I can see that.
Dick (from Crusader) at the swap meet. He smiles after we swap a couple of really bad DVD movies.
Relaxing at anchor in Bahia San Carlos awaiting a favorable weather window. Many of these boats stay moored in this bay year-around.
In addition to chores, Victor washed, waxed, and polished the boat one last time -- including all of the stainless. Victor also cleaned the bottom and checked the zincs in preparation for our departure to the anchorage.
Robin did a major provisioning with two trips into Guaymas in one day. Finally, we are ready to go!
On November 10th, we said our goodbyes, and left Marina San Carlos. After relaxing in the anchorage for a couple of days, finishing up chores, then stowing the dinghy -- we were ready to cross the Sea of Cortez. This is our fourth Sea crossing in less than a year!