A Perfect Day (24°19.269' N, 110°19.924' W)

I crouched on the bottom step of the swim latter, grasping tightly to a 2 quart saucepan as I scooped water for scrubbing dishes.  The sun was long set and the kids were getting ready for bed after an evening of watching the movie, "Up!" and stargazing.  I enjoyed seeing the little specs of light (the sea's lightning bugs) of bioluminescent something or other as I splashed the water.   I heard what sounded like a dolphin surfacing for air, but it was regular, like a person swimming (though there were no sounds of swim-strokes).  At my request, David brought over a flashlight; but that didn't 'shed any light on the subject'.  Then, we saw two large, milky shapes flowing through the dark water.  A little while later, 4 or 5 flowed by.  We think these were dolphins and the coloring is due both to their skin and to bioluminescence set off as they glide through the water.  We brought the kids into the cockpit to see the dolphins, too - before trundling them off to bed and finishing the dishes.  

This was a serene way to end a rather joyous day.  The afternoon before we left La Paz, a fellow cruising family hailed us "on the net".  They heard us announce on the morning La Paz cruisers VHF radio net that we were heading out.  We sailed the next day to Bahia Balandra and spent the evening with them on their trawler - the kids watched a movie and "hung out" while we adults chatted about all sorts of things from rude boaters to how to grow watermelon.  Then today, the two families snorkeled together in wonderfully clear water and spent a couple hours warming up on the beach while the kids ran down the sand dunes and threw sand balls at each other.  We marveled at their use of the clear, plastic box that we keep the gear in as a sort of diving bell - rather than using the masks and snorkels we had brought with us.  Yet another reason why this trip is important: for the kids to have time to make their own fun without adults interfering.  And no, none of them were deprived of oxygen from using the bucket as a diving bell. 

When I first woke, the wind that blew hard on the boat all night - and kept Dave up for much of it - was still blowing.  We learned later that the maximum gust was 32 knots.  The anchor held, but it was "exercised" so to speak.  Because there was still wind and the boat was cool, I baked.  We have a favorite recipe for coffee cake that makes for a nice way to warm the boat and stomachs.  And alas, I used the last of my brown sugar - no more coffee cake until San Diego.  However, it made for a very nice start to the day.