La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

Our stay here in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle has been an interesting and fun stop over. Many cruisers congregate here in preparation for the "puddle jump" across the Pacific in late March through April. There is a nice marina here and an anchorage just outside the entrance, so there are options for every budget and need. The marina is fairly new and caters to cruisers, making it user friendly.

Marina At La Cruz

Town Park

Huanacaxtle Tree in Town Park

Green Tomate

Legend has it that the town got it's name from a large cross carved into a Huanacaxtle tree where a local village woman was buried. It became a marker for giving directions and eventually lent its name  to the town in the 1930's when it was formed by the Chavez family, who set up a number of mango orchards on the outskirts of the fishing village. Today the entrance to the town is marked by a large cross made of Huanacaxtle wood and although it remains a fishing village and farming community, there are also a number of shops, restaurants and businesses who cater to tourists and cruisers.

We enjoyed the food and spirits at the Green Tomate and Octopus Garden where the food is cheaper than we could buy it at the grocery, and tastes great! Chris loves Huevos (Eggs) Rancheros, and my favorite meal is always the Camerones (Shrimp) Tacos. Wifi is available here in some of the restaurants and at a place called Cruiser's Comfort where we visited just once due to being double charged and getting zero wifi. Perhaps we might give it a second chance since some of the cruisers swear by it, but we were unimpressed. Gecko Rojo has great margaritas and happy hour that pretty much lasts all night. The band who played there Thursday night rivaled anything I've heard in the USA with fabulous renditions of classic American rock and roll. The place was rocking!

Gecko Rojo pre-party

Gato 

Chris at the Gecko Rojo

All Tangled Up in Banderas Bay

With our generator finally fixed with the correct capacitors we left Cabo San Lucas bound for Puerta Vallarta, which is located in Banderas Bay, a 26 mile wide bay ringed with small towns and anchored at the back with the large port of Puerto Vallarta. Our trip down was uneventful, and with less wind than we would have wished. But motoring and motor sailing brought us close to our destination without incident, while we shared many close encounters with whales and dolphins dancing along the boat.

Upon our approach to Banderas Bay we enjoyed a lovely sunset and just as we were settling in for the evening watch we were brought to a jarring halt. Chris pushed the throttle to neutral and I jumped for the engine shutoff switch, leaving us drifting in the darkness and wondering what the heck happened. Grabbing a flashlight we each circled the boat looking for clues. It took only a minute to confirm our suspicion that we had become entangled in net or fishing line. Streaming from the stern was what appeared to be a bright yellow rope of some sort, no doubt the other end of it was wrapped around our prop, shaft, and possibly the rudder. Moving the wheel and watching the movement of the rope confirmed that the rudder was not entangled, so we could still steer, but we would need to dive on the boat to clear the rest before turning on the engine or we could do damage to the prop or engine itself.

Lacking an underwater dive light, we tried a few others things since we had the whole night to kill. Not much wind meant not much sailing, which meant we were pretty much drifting until sunrise ten hours away. First we used a line and hook to snag the rope and pull it up for a better look. Turns that the line was saw was actually a cluster of smaller lines, drift lines used to catch fish with smaller filament lines and hooks attached to it. We dragged up and cut off as much as we could, carefully removing hooks as we went. No floats or markers or lights marked the setup, and no fishing boats were anywhere nearby, and the hooks were empty of bait or catch, so apparently this was just a lost line and a hazard to navigation. We pulled and cut away a great deal, but a quick test of the engine proved that the shaft and prop were still well entangled, so we hove to and waited for morning and light to dive on the boat.

Dawn found Chris strapping on his dive gear and headed into the water with a sharp knife to hack away the offending lines. He worked on it for half an hour and said the prop looked like a giant cocoon encased in yellow line! But eventually all was cleared away and we started up the engine without further delay and headed in to La Cruz, a small town that seems to be a favorite of cruising boats. We dropped anchor in the anchorage just outside the marina and have been here for a week now. More updates to follow!

Views From Around Cabo Marina

Valentine's Day, 2016 finds us hanging out in the marina at Cabo San Lucas on a lazy, hot Sunday afternoon. Here are some views from around the marina. First off we have a local celebrity, Pancho the sea lion. He is (I'm told) blind in one eye, but his nose is in perfect working order. Each incoming boat is inspected for fish and Pedro is often seen hanging on the swim platform begging for handouts.

 Pancho the Sea Lion begs for fish from local fishing boats.

The marina is fishing central, filled to capacity with large private fishing yachts and very few sailboats. People here take fishing very seriously, as one local signboard stated...

                "Fishing is not a matter of life and death. It's much more important than that!"

 Marina at Cabo San Lucas

K Dock at Cabo Marina

Many of the larger private fishing boats are for hire, with a steady stream of them departing each morning. You wonder if they really catch much with all of the stress on the local fishing grounds. I've been asking around and it seems the larger billfish are a rare thing these days, with a 150 pounder being a typical catch, often thrown back after a fight to land it. More often Tuna, Dorado, and other more common fish are caught here, but that's just my limited survey after the catch. The locals promise lots of "big fish" are to be had...just like those Las Vegas jackpots.

If you're looking for more of a sure thing as far as entertainment is concerned, the pirate ship seems to be quite popular. The Buccaneer Queen sails at least twice a day with a full interactive pirate show presented while aboard. We noticed that the "sails" are actually just curtain fabric swags, but no matter...she looks the part of a salty sailing vessel and no doubt a lasting impression would be made on any starry eyed child (or adult) with a good imagination.

Buccaneer Queen 

Outhaul Overhauled and Capacitor Casualties

AT LAST! The Lewmar outhaul car parts arrived and we have made the repairs. It only took a week for the parts to arrive, leaving the US via USPS Global Express and arriving via FEDEX with a Customs tax of around $20, plus a taxi ride across town to the FEDEX building, and shipping costs of $85 for $75 worth of parts. Geez. Next time you make a purchase from another country and the item shows up in your mailbox without any hassle or additional fees, just be thankful you are living in the USA. Other countries don't like it when things are imported. Buy local, pay the tax, or do without seems to be the general theme.

But I digress...the outhaul car is now repaired and seems good to go for many more miles. The two end caps were replaced, along with the pea-looking bearings. This turned out to be the trickiest part of the procedure since the bearings ride alongside the track and must be held in place by a plastic loading device while being positioned on the track. A few strips of electrical tape added insurance that the peas would not once again be raining down upon our heads. Once the outhaul car was carefully slid onto the track, we fished a new outhaul line through the boom to replace the old, chaffed line. I neatly tied a bowline to attach the sail and we were set.

Newmar outhaul car on boom

So we must be on our way to Puerto Vallarta now, right? Nope. No sooner did we have the outhaul car repaired, when the capacitors we replaced in Ensenada broke. Yes, really. We motored into the marina in hope of finding a repair person to address the problem quickly, but as it was by then late on a Friday afternoon we had no luck. Everyone was out fishing already! But we did discover one thing...the capacitors installed in Ensenada were not the correct ones called out in the manual. Note to self...check everything yourself, even if the work is done by a "reputable" company. The capacitors provided by the repair guys in Ensenada were smaller and not capable of handling the loads of our electric system, so when the water maker and refrigeration systems came online at the same time, the capacitor burnt out.

Capacitors

With any luck at all we will locate the correct parts on Monday and be on our way. I suppose there are worse places to be stuck over Valentine's Day weekend than Cabo San Lucas, right?

Cabo San Lucas

Cruise ship at anchor

Holy Leaping Mantas!

On our voyage down the Baja coast one of the most interesting sightings was of a pair of Manta rays leaping out of the waves with "wings" flapping before crashing back into the water with a huge splash. It looked for all the world as if they were chasing, or being chased. Our curiosity grew as we watched this behavior repeated over and over as we sailed out of sight of these strange beasts.

Manta rays are named for the Spanish manta, meaning cloak, but are often called devil fish by locals due to the appearance of the "horns" on their head, which are actually fins. Growing to over 20 ft in width, and closely related to sharks with their skeletons of cartilage as opposed to bone, these peaceful giants feed on plankton. They can be found in great numbers along the coast of the Baja peninsula and Sea of Cortez, and it turns out that flying Mantas are a popular sight. But why were they leaping out of the water?

A little research on the topic turned up the unusual answer...scientists don't really know. Some suspect it is part of the mating ritual. Mating takes place usually around a full moon (we saw them on a new moon) with a male and female manta copulating. The gestation period for mantas in approximately one year with the female giving live birth at the end of that period to one, or possibly two, 150 lb baby mantas and no ongoing parental care. Perhaps the female was trying to get away from the male?!

Other researchers postulate that the leaping and flopping behavior is designed to remove parasites or the ubiquitous sucker fish which attach themselves to the mantas. But I wonder if they do it for much the same reason that the dolphins leap and play, racing along the bow of our boat as we speed through the waves...because they can. Dolphins are known to be highly intelligent beings. They are working alongside Navy divers to identify underwater bombs and other hazards. Since Manta rays actually have one of the largest brain to body mass ratios of all fish, perhaps their cognitive ability brings with it behavior usually considered indicative of an intelligent species...play. This possibility seems especially likely when large groups of the rays, sometimes numbering over 100 individuals, are seen leaping and flapping together in formation. Sounds like a fun way to spend the day! Play like a Manta and belly flop in the waves.

On the Hook in Cabo

Still here at anchor in Cabo San Lucas waiting for our part to arrive in the mail from the US. Seems that everything going to Mexico takes the donkey route, and even "overnight" packages sometimes take a week. Our parts to repair the Lewmar outhaul car are (according to the post office tracking number) only a few miles away now, so we are keeping fingers crossed that they arrive today and perhaps we can head out for Puerto Vallarta tomorrow.

Meanwhile we are enjoying the services of the local water taxi's so we don't have to unlash the dinghy from the deck. Yesterday we walked up the beach and enjoyed a wonderful lunch of shrimp tacos before catching the $1 bus to the place where all good things can be found...Walmart!

$1 bus to Walmart - whoopee!

Yes, the bog box store might be a freak show in the USA, but here it's top drawer with lots of fresh produce, a fabulous bakery with fresh pastries and bread, and the surprise of all surprises...a meat department stocked not only with local fresh fish, but the finest BEEF, yes I am talking filet mignon that will melt in your mouth and rival any Texas beef that ever walked the earth. Whoda thunk it?! We bought four 2" thick filets for $191 pesos, with the 18pesos = 1 USD exchange rate posted yesterday that's $10.61 folks! Not per pound, mind you, but for all of them! We were skeptical of quality, but after last night's dinner we will definitely be stocking up on more of that for the freezer! Hooray for Walmart!

The anchorage is still busy, but not so bad as the marina. Several other sailboats are anchored here and the water taxi's and jet skis kinda grow on you. The hotels on the beach play music late into the night, but it sort of drifts on the wind. Last night we were front and center for a huge fireworks display and I was very glad we were not anchored any closer to shore. The swell makes for a gentle rocking motion most of the time, and the water is clear over a sandy bottom and perfect for cooling off.

Sirena at anchor

This morning LoWang and I watched the little silver bait fish swim around the boat. I'm no fisher-women but I think they might be Mackerel?

Shawna and LoWang on deck

Mackerel schooling in shade of Sirena

Circus Cabo

Cabo San Lucas

Arch of Land's End

Approaching Cabo San Lucas from the sea, it appears idyllic, a calm refuge from the wind and waves. The rocky spine of the Baha peninsula thrusts into the sea like a sea monster returning home. But once we rounded the rocks and viewed the harbor, another vision came to mind...something closer to a circus with water taxis dashing in and around the large private fishing boats jockeying through the docks. Chaotic masses moving about in large and small tour boats, skiffs, and the occasional sailboat looking quite out of place in this powerboat strewn marina. We hailed the harbormaster and were directed to a slip which turned out to be much too narrow for our 16 ft beam. Thankfully Chris is very talented with boat handling and I waved off oncoming boats as we turned around and followed a security lead boat to another larger slip. There we tied up and hooked up to shore power for the first time since Ensenada.

The marina in Cabo is clean, well patrolled, and the facilities are superior to San Diego's transient cop dock by a far stretch. I made use of the laundry facilities and found them to be the best we've encountered thus far.

LoWang hangs out on deck at the marina.

Leaving the marina we exited through one of the locked gates that guard the end of each dock and strolled along the walkway that surrounds the marina in a sweeping U shape. Shops and restaurants front this walkway while street vendors hawk their wares incessantly. Cheap silver (or maybe nickel) jewelry is dangled in front of each passersby while the phrase "want to go fishing?" echoes through the air. Cuban cigars (not good ones) are shoved in front of every man and restaurant owners wave their menus.

Overall we found the food to be average, the prices high (the dollar is commonly used here so no benefit is received from the current 17 pesos = 1 US dollar exchange rate) and the scenery around the marina sad. A large US type mall is adjacent to the marina, selling luxury goods mostly to the cruise boat people. Just on the other side of the fence is poverty. In one direction you can see luxury timeshare condos and in the opposite is a half-built high rise building, abandoned. Perhaps a hotel project that went bankrupt during the real estate market crash in the US a decade ago? The casino and luxury goods contrasting with the ramshackle surrounds give this area the feel of a cheap Mexican Las Vegas knockoff. But the locals are warm and friendly and the natural scenery, spectacular.

We enjoyed some great seafood meals and drank our share of margaritas during Super Bowl weekend before heading out to the anchorage off the beach a little further up the coast. Here we wait for the replacement parts for our Lewmar outhaul car to be delivered.

 LoWang on deck

Bahia Magdalena

After a brief layover in Bahia Santa Maria we sailed a little further down the coast and into a large bay named Bahia Magdalena, or Mag Bay for short. This area is a Gray Whale Sanctuary from January to March each year while the mother whales give birth to their calves. Gray whales are migratory mammals, traveling thousands of miles across the ocean, and protected due to their limited population. Once abundant worldwide, these magnificent creatures were hunted to extinction in the Atlantic ocean and severely threatened elsewhere. Scientists believe that some Gray whales may now be migrating to their ancestral grounds once again since the pressure from whaling has been reduced (except for waters near Japan where whales are still heavily hunted.)

Thar she blows!

Whale Tail

Mag Bay

That night we anchored in Man Of War Cove next to a tiny fishing village. The local Port Captain, Senior Gregorio pulled double duty as the local fuel supplier, bringing large jugs of fuel out to our boat so we would not have to tie up to the dilapidated dock used by the large fishing vessels.

It was here we saw our first Frigate bird of the voyage. With a wingspan over 7 feet long these tropical birds are able to fly for days and can be found far offshore in their hunt for fish and squid.

February 05, 2016 saw us sailing out of Mag Bay with a nice 15 knots wind on our tail and sunny, blue sky. Shortly after sunset the wind picked up and we played dodge 'em with the fishing boats trolling offshore on our way to Cabo San Lucas. The sea was rolling and uncomfortable, but nothing like the Gale we encountered, so we pressed on through the night, taking turns on watch. Morning brought calmer wind and sea as we approached Cabo San Lucas.

It's Raining Peas!

That was my first thought when I got hit on the head by a small round green object. Looking around I noticed many more of them all over the aft deck. What were they???

The mystery peas turned out to be bearings from the Harken outhaul car on our boom. During the storm it had been torn away and cracked on one end, allowing the bearings to fall out and the car to come off the boom. The purpose of the device is to keep the clue of the sail (far tip away from mast) attached to the boom for proper sail alignment and correct furling. 

With no way to repair it at this point, we removed the outhaul car and tied the sheet directly to the clue. It would have to work until we made it to Cabo San Lucas.

Hove to on the High Seas

Upon departing Ensenada for the second time on a sunny Saturday morning with fair winds, our logbook shows this entry...

"07:00 - Weather report shows a gale expected in San Diego Sun night - Monday so we are heading out ASAP to avoid weather. Hopefully we will stay ahead of it and catch a nice NW wind all the way down the coast."

Well, so much for hoping anyway. By noon we had 15 knots of wind and were making 6.5 knots on a heading of 175 degrees. Sailing was great and everything was going just as planned. We were making good speed and had no need for fuel, so we decided to skip Turtle Bay. Later we would regret that decision.

We enjoyed a salmon dinner Saturday night and soon after sunset the wind picked up and we furled the Genoa and Staysail. The new furling line for the main jammed because it seems to be slightly smaller in diameter than the old one, so Chris and I had to unwind it all and re-thread the line as the wind continued to climb. Sorted out, we reefed the main and sailed through the night ahead of the storm as the swell gradually increased. Chris manned the helm all night to keep the rolling seas on our stern. By Sunday morning we found ourselves in 30 knots of wind and 15 to 20 ft swells. Still, this was not so bad. since the wind and waves were behind us. We were making good headway and the boat handled like a Thoroughbred race horse. The main was double reefed and our speed was under control, but by afternoon it became apparent that the storm was moving much faster than predicted and we would soon be in the middle of it when it was supposed to be farther north of us.

A few hours later the swells continued to mount and breaking waves appeared when the wind speed topped 35 knots with gusts to 40+ knots. We had 1/4 of the mainsail out as a storm sail for stability and  we were concerned about the breaking waves, even though our Iverson's dodger was doing an exemplary job of keeping us dry and safe in the cockpit. But down below it was almost impossible to move about with all the rolling. Even things well secured were jarred loose and we lost two containers, one flour, one sugar, on the floor of the galley. No sooner did I have that cleaned up, when the coffee pot decided to go flying and there was another mess to deal with. The cats stayed on the bed and seemed to fare well, but it was obviously time to put our storm tactics into practice and heave to.

From the log book...
"16:00 - Hove to for the first time on Sirena. It works! In 35 knots of wind we turned to port during a slight lull in the swell and pointed the bow NE about 50 degrees off the wind. Main reefed and wheel lashed hard to port with shock cords. Lowered the centerboard and really could feel the stability with the added lower center of gravity. Some small waves breaking on bow, but we are pretty much standing still and drifting in our own slick of smooth water. Amazing."

The storm raged on all night and into the next day. During the night I made radio calls periodically to be sure any targets that we saw on AIS could see us and avoid us since our maneuverability was limited. I spoke with the crew on watch of the Norwegian Jewel and the Carnival Miracle, both ships bound for Cabo San Lucas as we were. They wished us well and steered clear of our location.

By dawn the storm was still going, but we were better rested and prepared to wait it out as long as needed. We had plenty of "sea room" - space between us and the shore to drift while hove to.

By midmorning the winds had died down to the 30 knot range and the seas were calming with no more breaking waves so we turned back on course and headed for Bahia Santa Maria. We anticipated arriving after dark, but the bay entrance is miles wide and unobstructed, so we sailed in and anchored that night, enjoying the peaceful calm of the protected anchorage!

Bahia Santa Maria

Cats resting after the storm