February 4th, we started sailing south. We reached Barra de la Navidad after about a week of exploring the anchorages of Bahia de Chamela and Tenacatita with friends (more on them in the next entry). Barra de la Navidad is a delightful, smaller town with the only marina again being associated with a resort. In the town, we all visited a doctor so we could get our health forms signed for camp. The doctor spoke English well and it didn't take long to explain why all four of us needed the forms completed. Dave and our daughter also visited the street market and we all saw some excited preparations for Carnival (mardi gras), and a fishing tournament where folks were bringing in huge marlins. The main excitement occurred the night of a fantastic lightning storm. Our marina was nestled behind a hill protecting us from the Pacific - we could see the lightning was just beyond the hill. About 12:30 in the morning, we heard a boater (and fellow Purdue grad) calling in to ask about storm conditions in the marina. It turns out that he was in the middle of that mess and we were very grateful he and the boat made it in safely to the marina. I think he was grateful to know someone was listening.
We had to leave Barra de la Navidad and head North because our stack pack (for the main sail) was to be completed soon. It was then we realized that just over 19° latitude was the furthest south we would travel on this trip. It was a bittersweet realization - we only made it halfway to the equator from the Bay Area's latitude 38°. You see, once we pick up the stack pack (we're still waiting, sadly), we have to cross the Sea of Cortez almost immediately to give ourselves enough time (and little pressure) to make it back to the US before the Visas expire. At the beginning of this trip, we had grand ideas of visiting several countries. We didn't know then how much we would enjoy the journey and how we would want to take our time. We didn't realize how beautiful Mexico would be nor how much fun we could have anchoring or exploring a town. We met one couple who plan to sail the world, but after four years, haven't left Mexico. There is no hurry, and that is good. For us, it is important not to be in a hurry - that is when we have accidents or issues and its much more difficult to correct things when not in port.
The general plan is to make it back to La Paz after a stop at Isla Isabella (to see the birds), spend some time at our favorite anchorages near there and then make our way back to Cabo San Lucas. We have to leave Cabo by tax day to comfortably make it back up the western coast of the Baja peninsula. Six weeks may seem like a long time, but when waiting for weather and only traveling 5-7 knots at best, these things take time. Once back in the states, we'll visit all the San Diego sites, including the Catalina islands, that we missed when sailing south. We then spend a month camping in the Sierras and will be back in the Bay Area in early August to search for work. Of course, I am always reminded of Eisenhower's quote, "When preparing for battle, plans are useless; but planning is indespinsible." We have plans. We'll see what happens.
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