As luck (more or less) would have it, we all arrived at the agreed meeting point around the same time. On our AIS (Automatic Identification System), we could see well in advance how we were all sailing towards our destination. In the flotilla approaching from the south were SV Cavu, SV Alegría, and SV Small World. We knew the first two boats well from our Cabrales boatyard days. Small World Craig had helped us launch Milagros back then. This time, his wife Krystle and their little dog Louise were also with him.

Reunion Joy

As soon as had we set our anchor we saw Alegría Mike paddling over on his paddleboard. The joy of reunion was great, and in no time, we updated each other with brief versions of the latest news. Much and yet not much had happened since we last saw each other almost two years ago. Later, we all met for sunset drinks on Alegría. And although a lot of time had passed, it felt like we had just seen each other recently.

Reason to Celebrate

Aside from the fact that we were all in the same area and wanted to meet on this occasion, there were also two reasons to celebrate. Dr. Cavu Dave and Island Fox Travis both had birthdays on the same day. And after the super fun boat crawl two years ago on Cavu Dave’s 40th birthday, nothing stood in the way of a repeat. But more on that later.

The Rehearsal

As more boats (SV Island Fox, SV Ayala, and SV Remedy, whom we all didn’t know (yet)) made their way to the party venue, we grabbed our shopping cart and marched together to the nearby mini market to stock up for the party.

In the evening, we invited the entire flotilla for sunset drinks on Milagros. This was the rehearsal for the upcoming party. And we found that 14 people fit in our cockpit. Good to know.

A New Game

The days leading up to the party were spent snorkelling, fishing, preparing, and chilling. The large, flat beach also invited us to linger. In the afternoons, tents were sometimes set up, blankets spread out, and coolers brought along. And we were introduced to a game unknown to us: Beersbee (beer frisbee). Two teams try to hit a sand-filled beer can placed on sticks in front of the opponents with a frisbee, all while holding a drink. If the can and frisbee fall to the ground on a hit, the opponent gets points. If the can and/or frisbee are caught – one-handed, of course – before they hit the ground, it reduces the points. At least that’s how we understood it. It’s a social and entertaining game, even if it wasn’t always clear how the points were counted. In any case, one team eventually reached 15 points and won.

Party Time

And then the party day – you literally cannot call it anything else – had arrived. Seven boats, seven signature drinks, seven snacks, 15 participants (or 1000kg / 2200lbs of people), and one hour per boat, starting at noon. Following the moustache theme, all willing male participants got “dressed up.” Moustache or not, it’s a matter of taste, but the unusual faces caused a lot of laughter. See for yourself:

Island Fox

We started the boat crawl on SV Island Fox with birthday boy number one, Travis, Elana, and little dog Tails. We were greeted with a rum-berry smoothie and homemade muffins. The nearly one tonne of extra weight on the 38-footer (11.5m) was noticeable as the stern sat low in the water. During the boat tour, my gaze lingered on the tool corner. Hanging on several magnetic strips along a wall about 2 meters long were all kinds of tools: pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, saws, hammers – sorted by size and type. A dream! Suddenly, the alarm went off on Small World Craig’s wrist: He had set a one-hour timer on his watch – it was time to move on. Chop chop.

Small World

Next, we visited Crystal, Crack, and Chihuahua mix Louise on Small World, a 42-foot (12.5m) ketch, where hibiscus mezcalitas were served. It is always exciting to check out other boats, so I naturally took part in the small, guided tour. I was most fascinated by the spacious engine room with meticulous labelling. Every single cable had a label with a number, and devices had their operating instructions right next to them. I was very impressed!

Remedy

Afterward, we were guests on SV Remedy with Baron and Heather. The 42-foot Hans Christian ketch impressed below deck with its spaciousness and immaculate varnish. It also had a refrigerator with a regular door that opened forward. David and I were a bit envious, as our refrigerator opens from the top. So, if you want something at the bottom, you either must rummage or take everything out above it. Energy-wise, it’s good because not all the cold air “falls out” when you open it, but it’s not so convenient. We were served sausage-cheese crackers and Bloody Marias with an ingredient I never expected in a drink: fried bacon bits. Although I’m not a fan of the salty tomato juice drink, this bacon twist was something special. If I ever order a Bloody Maria again, it’ll be with bacon, bacon, and bacon.

Milagros

Next was Milagros’ turn. On the 44-foot sloop with a center cockpit, I particularly noticed the beautifully shiny freeboard and deck. It looked freshly painted. It was also festively decorated – with silver Christmas tinsel. I was especially impressed by the bright interior and the spacious engine room, though not as well labelled ;). The hosts, Patricia and David, without a dog but with Pokémon Wobuffet, served coffee and cake, and a Swiss cherry liquor. Opinions about the schnapps were divided. Those who wanted could alternatively have a Tequila Sunrise or try a mouthwash shot. The shot was an impulse buy at the mini market, which we initially laughed at: a light blue liquid in a PET bottle. Water with colouring, blueberry flavour, and 5% vodka. It wasn’t as bad as it looked and sounded.

Ayala

With the ringing of the Craig alarm, we moved to the next boat, the all-electric sloop Ayala with Charles, Nora, and crew Mehul aboard. We snacked on Nora’s homemade bean pirogues and drank Micheladas – beer with Clamato (according to Wikipedia, Clamato is a commercial drink made from reconstituted tomato juice concentrate and sugar, flavoured with spices, dried clam broth, and monosodium glutamate). You can think of it as beer with red-coloured broth. It’s a popular refreshment here. Not so much for David and me. We were deep in conversations about how we finance the sailing life when it was time to move again. The schedule was tight, and Craig ensured it was adhered to. Perhaps he has German or Swiss roots?

Alegría

The sun was setting as we gathered at Mike, Katie, and dog Rosco on Alegría, a 50-foot Gulfstar and thus the largest boat in the flotilla. The snack potatoes with homemade Mexican salsas were devoured as if we hadn’t eaten for days and not had snacks on every previous boat. There were also coconut-strawberry margaritas, not quite my taste but still tasty. Dave and I received a small tour of the latest upgrades Alegría had received since we last saw her.

Cavu

Last but not least, we moved to Cavu, the boat (a 37 Tartan) of birthday boy number two, Dave, and Marla with dog Gomez. They served pizza rolls with tomato sauce for dipping and birthday cake, with (finally) regular beer. The highlight came from the Alegría crew: black light lamps and neon markers. Once someone started, the patterns and drawings on arms, hands, legs, feet, and faces became increasingly wild. Much painting and drawing was going on. Even days later, we still found traces of these surprisingly persistent markers. Especially on finger- and toenails, the stuff seemed to be water-, salt-, and sandproof. We celebrated the two birthdays until well after midnight in the best company. With countless unforgettable impressions from the celebration, we headed home.

Check out the party vibes yourself:

A Kind Gesture

The days after the party were spent snorkelling, fishing, and chilling on the beach, once even with a campfire. We regretted it a bit afterward, as everything, really everything, smelled like acrid smoke for days. We also met a small family camping on the beach with their RV and interested in boat life. For them, our little flotilla was a stroke of luck because they could visit and see the advantages and disadvantages of each boat from 37 to 50 feet, aft cockpit and center cockpit to sloop and ketch. As a thank you, the family brought us a huge load of vegetables from the nearest town, which we shared among us all.

Star Wars

Gradually, Island Fox, Ayala, and Remedy left the flotilla, and the days turned quieter. David and I had originally planned to watch all six Star Wars movies from May 1 to 6 (the international Star Wars Day is on May 4 as one should know). We ended up only watching one movie (Episode V, for those interested), which we watched with Cavu and lasagna in our cockpit. At least we did that.

An Unusual Find

On a final shopping trip before we all planned to move on, we discovered something very unusual on the beach. An animal, quite a large one at that, lay half in the water. Upon closer inspection, we found it was a mountain lion. With its head under water, we were pretty sure it was dead. But not for long, as it hadn’t been there the day before. It had no visible injuries, and we could see its tracks in the sand. It must have walked along the beach, then turned to the water and died. We suspected it was poisoned. Very sad for such a beautiful animal.

Time to Go

Eventually, it was time for us to move on. Not that we had to leave – it was wonderful in our little spot, and the weather was perfect. However, we were eager to discover new anchorages, and the others felt the same way. So, we set off for the next destination and the next adventure. But more on that next time.

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PS: Picture credits for most of the pictures in this post go to Island Fox, Small World, Cavu, Ayala and Alegría.

Der Beitrag Sailors United: A Flotilla Adventure erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

It was time to try out the hidden gem recommended by ‘SV Cavu’: an anchorage not listed in Navionics, a popular navigation program. When the weather conditions were right, we leisurely sailed there, and we were happy to find that nobody else was there. We anchored using the GPS coordinates provided, and we immediately liked it there.

The Hidden Gem

We rowed ashore and explored the long, deserted beach, then climbed a nearby hill in search of the rumored village that supposedly housed a shop. Upon reaching the top, we spotted the cluster of houses and decided to pay it a visit the next day. In the evening, we packed a sunset beer and a beach ball set and rowed back to the shore. (Yes, we could have used our functioning outboard motor, but rowing is cozier and a good workout). It was fantastic to have everything to ourselves, except for the bobos – small, harmless, yet very annoying insects.

Yet Another Breakdown

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay long at this beautiful spot because once again, there was a forecast of north wind. So, we sailed to the neighbouring Isla Carmen, which offered a lovely, protected bay: Bahia Colorado. On the way, it gradually became apparent that something was wrong with our not even 3-year-old B&G radio. We couldn’t hear anything, and the device in the cockpit connected via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to the main unit refused to connect. The radio test was also unsuccessful. So, we were effectively deaf and mute. The AIS, the GPS position transmission, seemed to still work. Well, mostly.

Making Do with the Old

We had a sinking feeling that something might have gone wrong with the antenna or the cable. If so, it would be very troublesome and unsolvable until the end of the season. But to rule that out, we retrieved the old radios from the bilge and installed one indoors and one outdoors. Lo and behold, we immediately heard chatter on the radio indoors. But nothing outside. Then we switched the devices. Everything was audible indoors again, but not outside.

So, we knew: Everything was fine with the antenna, the cable to the navigation station, and the old devices, but the antenna cable to the cockpit was broken, too. At least we now had a working radio. We also spent about – not joking – 10 hours on hold with B&G. The result: the warranty had expired, the device was irreparable, and they could send us a new one at half price, but not to Mexico. Lovely.

Protection from the North Winds

Bahia Colorado was a beautiful bay with a rocky coastline on the southeast side of Isla Carmen. We explored it up and down with the kayak, as many rocks usually mean many pretty fish to look at. But it was still too cold for snorkelling. The north wind didn’t help either.

As soon as the wind subsided, we headed back to Isla Coronados, and essentially completing a circumnavigation of Isla Carmen. We had hoped for a stopover in a small, but very nice bay on the northeast side of Isla Carmen. But from the north, there was still an old swell that rolled into the bay, and we didn’t want to deal with the rolling.

A Long-awaited Goodie

The reason we wanted to go back to Coronados was specific: Bernie on ‘SV Momo’ was there. A few days earlier, he had sailed from Guaymas to the Baja side. And not only were we looking forward to see him, but he also had valuable cargo for us. Just before he left, I had bought a Sailrite sewing machine in Guaymas, and he had it on board. You might be wondering what a Sailrite sewing machine is. It’s a very strong industrial sewing machine that sews up to 12 layers in straight and zigzag stitches. I could even sew a sail if I wanted to. And I’ve wanted such a sewing machine since the beginning of our sailing journey. All previous sewing projects I have done on borrowed Sailrites, now I finally have my own.

High Time

In the following days, it became routine for Bernie to come over to our boat for an after-work or sunset drink, and we’d leisurely chat over a beer or two about everything and anything. Eventually, our supplies, especially the propane, ran out, and Bernie wanted to go a bit further north to spearfish. So, on a calm morning, we sailed back to Loreto for shopping. It was a good decision. Because just the evening before, we ran out of propane while cooking. Luckily, we have a portable induction plate for the morning coffee.

Meeting Up

We planned to do our shopping in Loreto in two trips, once for groceries and once for propane and diesel. Our dinghy didn’t have enough space for both. Once anchored there, we spotted the ship ‘Turquesa’ with Chris on board. We met him a few months ago north of Guaymas in an anchorage. On the way to the beach, we stopped by to chat with him. He spontaneously decided to come to the beach with us. So, we settled into a beach bar and enjoyed breakfast tacos. Bernie, in the meantime, was somewhere in town getting his hair cut.

Goodbye Bernie

Armed with our cart, we walked to the supermarket to replenish our supplies. The path led us along the attractive tourist mile, lined with trees and palms, ending at a church. On the way back, instead of ice cream, we treated ourselves to a delicious smoothie. When we got back to the beach by our dinghy, there was no sign of Bernie and ‘Momo’. He had already set off with his boat to the meeting point on the west side of Isla Coronados.

Mexican Hospitality

Meanwhile, we prepared for the second trip to town after storing the groceries. We grabbed our diesel cans and propane bottles and headed back to the beach. Chris was right behind us with his dog Max and his propane bottle. At the front of the street, I asked a Mexican where we could find a taxi. He just told me to wait a moment. Shortly after, he came back and said his friends could drive us.

A Bit Overweight

When the rather old and battered car pulled up, I asked again if he was sure: we’re 3 people, 1 dog, 3 propane bottles, and 3 diesel cans. He just said “yes, of course” and opened the trunk. We stashed all the bottles there and then squeezed onto the back seat. Pretty packed, with the cans still empty, we touched the asphalt at the first speed bump. But it didn’t bother them, and they continued to enjoy their beers. They told us they were fishermen and where in the area you could best catch the coveted yellowtail amberjacks. After refuelling with diesel and propane, the car was even more of a lowrider, but still our two new friends didn’t see any problem hauling us around town. They then dropped us back at the beach where we handed them a tip for their random act of kindness.

The Superyacht

When we looked towards Coronados, we saw that there must have been a huge boat at anchor. Bernie shortly sent us the link to the super yacht ‘La Datcha’, as he was anchored right next to her. David noticed two private jets approaching Loreto, and shortly after, two helicopters heading towards Isla Coronados. You read that right – 252ft-long ‘La Datcha’ carries not only one but two helicopters! But see for yourself: ’La Datcha’. That same evening, we also anchored next to ‘La Datcha’ and Bernie.

Heading North

The plan was to sail or probably motor about 20 miles north (about 4 hours under motor), as there wasn’t really any wind forecasted for the next day. But we didn’t mind. Our engine only consumes about 2.5 l/h. When I woke up early the next morning and put the coffee water on, I saw that Bernie was already gone and nowhere to be seen on the horizon. When we were ready to lift anchor, Bernie messaged that he had already arrived. He couldn’t sleep and had set off at 3 in the morning. Alright then.

Break for Burrito

We lifted the anchor without expecting any wind, but further north, we saw boats with sails hoisted. So, we prepared everything so that we could sail too. There really was enough wind to sail, and Burrito could take another break. We hoisted the sails and sailed leisurely north. In the south bay of San Juanico, six hours later, we dropped anchor next to Bernie. He paddled over shortly after with beer and self-caught and smoked mackerel. What a treat!

San Juanico

Bernie was ready for spearfishing, as the water temperature was finally acceptable, and San Juanico had excellent reefs for snorkelling and hunting. David was also ready. Unfortunately, David’s spear gun gave up the ghost while loading: the rubber bands were brittle and tore immediately. The same happened with my swim fins. The heat and salt just don’t do the material any favours. But luckily, we still had more fins on board, and Bernie had his own spear gun, so I could snorkel, and Bernie could catch fish. By the way, it was my first snorkelling of the season; before, it was simply too cold.

Back South Again

So, we spent a few relaxed days in this beautiful bay, and it became routine for Bernie to catch a fish, David to clean and fillet it, me to cook some menu out of it, and then all three of us to have dinner together in our cockpit. Sometimes it was fish and chips, sometimes ceviche, sometimes butterfish in wine cream sauce. Unfortunately, another north wind was forecasted, bringing an end to those days. We decided to sail back south again because we were about to meet with sailors from our time at the Cabrales Boatyard in Puerto Peñasco.

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Der Beitrag Sailing, Snorkelling, Enjoying erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

We need to get out of here!

We just wanted to head out at this point, we had been stuck in Guaymas for far too long. And we knew we had to get out into the open quickly because cabin fever was taking hold, as you could probably tell from past blog posts. We needed new horizons, new neighborhoods, anchorages, anchor beers, and dolphins at the bow. Baja California was calling.

The crossing to San Juanico

But first, there was still a crossing to do. We wanted to set sail to San Juanico. Many consider this area one of the highlights in the nearly 1000-kilometer-long Gulf of California. We didn’t need any lead time because we had already made the nearly 16-hour passage a few times. As always, we chose a weather window that promised sailing with good but not too much wind, and we set off late in the afternoon. Goodbye, Guaymas, see you not so soon, thankfully.

Motor, darkness, and cold

The crossing to Baja California started promisingly. A brisk wind from the north blew Milagros sportily forward. We sailed into the night, where the wind subsided, and we had to start the engine. And it got cold. Very cold. And dark. Very dark, because it was a new moon. It’s crazy how much of a difference moonlight makes on the open sea. With a full moon, you sail almost in daylight, with a new moon, it’s pitch dark.

Light Torpedoes

And then something happened that we had heard a lot about, but unfortunately had not yet experienced. It was Pati’s night watch when she suddenly woke me up because she noticed unusual light trails in the water. When the familiar blowing sounds also appeared, it was clear: luminous dolphins were cruising along with us in the nighttime bioluminescence.

Unfortunately, we can only show you what it looks like with stolen pictures. It’s incredibly difficult to catch the beauty of bioluminescence. But we can tell you one thing: that was a lifetime experience. You can also watch moving images here.

Arrival in the early morning

At dawn, the wind returned, and we were able to sail the rest of the way back under sail. We arrived safely in San Juanico in the early morning. “You’ve been there before,” the discerning reader will say? Yes, that’s true, that was back in 2022 together with Paul and Hazel on SV Susimi (who have made it all the way to New Zealand by now). Our previous San Juanico experience was a very wobbly south wind experience. Now it was winter and north wind season – perfect for a stay in San Juanico, an anchorage that is well protected against north winds.

Life in the wilderness has us back

Finally, we were back where it was beautiful – with Milagros at anchor far from civilization. Just us, Milly, the desert, other boats, the wind, and nature. We spent over a week enjoying ourselves. Canoe trips, hanging out with other sailors, and exploring our surroundings. We found some really beautiful spots. Unfortunately, during her first swim of the year, the jellyfish also found Pati. Ouch!

Exploring San Juanico

San Juanico offers numerous great desert paths for walking and exploration. One of them leads to a small ranch with animals and a vegetable garden. Horseback rides and boat trips are also offered. Or were offered, to be more precise. Because the worker at the ranch, who immediately invited us for a cup of coffee when we arrived, said that the new owners had abolished the excursions for tourists. This directly harmed his wallet because he could earn a good supplement to his $1000 salary per month with the tips from tourists. We chatted with him about this and that; he was a really nice guy. Unfortunately, I can’t remember his name. Sorry about that.

A fireworks display for Pati’s birthday

We also celebrated Pati’s birthday and promptly invited a few cool kids from our neighborhood onto Milagros. They were a mix of boat people sitting at anchor and RV people who had set up camp on the beach. Happy Birthday, Pati! Elon Musk also congratulated warmly – he lit up fireworks. In the form of a SpaceX rocket that one evening rose high into the sky. We were only witnesses to the spectacle by chance when Pati suddenly stared wide-eyed at the horizon and could only say, “What the hell is that?” The rocket rose like a beacon high into the sky and left a glowing, ionized atmosphere. Very impressive!

New friends from the big Canton

Our neighboring boat, a large catamaran, flew a large flag in the famous black-red-gold colors. Of course we had to take a look! We rarely meet people from the biggest state in Switzerland (which is what we call Germany back home). The catamaran was called “Thosyma” – from which we skillfully deduced that at least two people on board had to be named Thomas and Sylvia. And behold: we were right. Thomas and Sylvia from Saxony in Eastern Germany were amazed when we greeted them directly by their first names, although we had never seen them before. We got along well right away and spent the rest of the afternoon on their great, large catamaran balcony. They wanted to go in the same direction (south) as us, so we would surely meet again. Of course we did not take any pictures. But before another meetup with Thosymas we wanted to make a hop north to collect another anchorage check.

Continuing to Punta Pulpito

After we had canceled the trip to Panama again, our new goal for the sailing season was to tick off as many new to us anchorages as we could. And just north of San Juanico was such an anchorage. Punta Pulpito was its name, a few hours further up the coast. When we weighed anchor early in the morning, we were already prepared for Burrito noise, when suddenly a very fine south wind set in and gently pushed us in the right direction. Sails up! What followed was some of the best sailing we had so far. We sailed slowly and comfortably towards Punta Pulpito.

We climb the peaks

When we arrived there, a spectacular backdrop appeared. Punta Pulpito is a huge rock that protrudes into the sea and steeply drops there. The large, rocky point is what covers the anchorage at its bottom. We had to take a closer look at that, and the next day we made our way up the steep path to the summit. We were definitely not the first people to tackle this hiking trail. You could clearly see a small path that we just had to follow. When we arrived at the top, the impressive surroundings of the Sea of Cortez revealed themselves in all their glory.

Sea of Cortez Obsidian

Another thing that makes Punta Pulpito a destination is the vein of obsidian that winds its way down the rocky outcrop. Scattered all over the ground, you can find the volcanic glass practically everywhere. It forms when lava cools rapidly under certain conditions. Of course, we had to take a closer look and found large chunks of obsidian right on the beach. A few smaller pieces are now travelling along with us aboard Milagros.

We take our time but are always on the move

Despite taking plenty of time to relax in each spot, we were always on the move. We seized the next northerly wind to head further south, towards Isla Coronados, a volcanic island we had visited several times before. It was about half a day’s sail south, and our sail-to-motor ratio at the start of the new season was excellent. We spent another fantastic day sailing, eager for more adventures.

Back at Isla Coronados

Arriving at Isla Coronados, we sought shelter at its southern end, avoiding a predicted harsh north wind. Additionally, a solar eclipse was forecasted, and where better to witness it than at Isla Coronados? Such events don’t happen every day.

Nortes are loud and cold

When the north wind arrived, it brought discomfort—cold, noise, and a reminder of winter in the Sea of Cortez. We spent the days working on the computer and doing laundry. After some time on the move, the dirty clothes had piled up. Since we staunchly refused to return to civilization just yet, we took matters into our own hands and washed them ourselves. A bucket, water from the freshwater tank, clotheslines for drying, and it was done.

David vs. Pelican

The most entertaining thing that happened during our stay at Isla Coronados. It involves me and a cheeky pelican, that decided to take a rest on our solar panels. We have absolutely no problem with animals hanging out aboard Milagros (apart from cockroaches, rats and such), but what we don’t like is cleaning huge Pelican poops off our solar panels. So the guy had to move. Easier said than done. What followed was a short argument in which I tried to shoo the pelican off, while he acted like he was going to bite me. In the end, I opted for a paddle of our kayak, which drew him off, just come back again right away. Pushing him off with the paddle tow times helped, and he gave up.

Continuing to the north end of Isla Carmen

When the Norte (that’s what the north winds are called in Mexican) subsided again, and south winds were forecasted, we wanted to tick off another point for a new anchorage and cruised (even with a visit from dolphins) leisurely under motor to a corner called “Puerto de la Lancha.” Well protected against the south, it lies at the north end of Isla Carmen. And it was well protected against waves from the south. But not so much against the wind because the forecasted southerly was rather channeled into the anchorage. It was quite the blow, and Milagros was rocked back and forth on the anchor chain.

Puerto de la Lancha

Nevertheless, we stayed and waited out the south wind. We took walks over the hills in the area and along the beach, where we found all sorts of exciting remains of marine creatures. Among other things, a complete dolphin skull. Of course, there was also plenty of plastic waste, so we also cleaned up the shore a bit. Even after 3 years, it is simply impressive every time anew how we are destroying the world’s oceans. And the Sea of Cortez is known to be a rather pristine area.

An unexpected reunion

But as it is, at some point, the fridge was empty, and we had to move on to Loreto to provision. So we chugged a few hours to the west and anchored off the town. We placed the dinghy on the beach and headed for the supermarket. Remember when we helped Ray deliver his boat to La Paz a long time ago (and ran into a fishing net at night)? Ray now lives in Loreto, and since we were in the area anyway, we wanted to get in touch with him. Guess who we practically ran into in the supermarket? Ray. It’s crazy how the world plays sometimes. He was there with his truck and kindly helped us bring all the food stuff back to the dinghy. Did we take pictures? Of course not.

A Sad Sight

Unfortunately, on the beach of Loreto, lie the sad remains of a sailboat well known to us. A friend of ours from the boatyard in Guaymas got into serious trouble during a sailing trip towards the town, which ultimately led to his pretty sailboat “Colymbus” being stranded on the beach of Loreto. The locals, of course, wasted no time and promptly helped themselves to anything that was and wasn’t nailed down in the nights that followed. Among other things, our old batteries, which we offered him when we installed our new lithium batteries. SV Colymbus is now a reminder of everything that can go wrong when offshore sailing. Nature shows no mercy.

Disappointment in Balandra

After all the groceries were stowed away in Milagros’ belly, we wanted to move on to the next place. Puerto Balandra was its name, a great horseshoe-shaped anchorage and well protected against all kinds of weather from almost all directions. On the way, we saw on the chart plotter that the Thosymas were also heading there. And when we arrived, disillusionment set in. Unfortunately, there was no room left for us. When Thomas and Sylvia set off back towards Isla Coronados, we decided to follow suit after a short stop.

We make the best of it as always

We spent a few more days at the southern end of the island and met with Thomas and Sylvia from SV Thosyma for sundowners on the beach. Walks to the picturesque northern bay were also due of course. The paradise beach frequented during the day by excursion boats from Loreto, which take up its entirety during the day. Good thing we were residents on the island, so we could use the evening hours and had the whole island to ourselves. Just beautiful!

When it suddenly gets dark

We also had an appointment: a solar eclipse took place at noon on April 8th. In the morning, we worked, then we made “solar eclipse margaritas” and sat in the cockpit. It was quite something when it suddenly when the moon darkened our surroundings at noon, and the intensity of the sun noticeably decreased. We could not really see anything of the actual eclipse, as we didn’t have special glasses or anything. All in all, the experience in our latitudes was quite unspectacular. Further south, especially in Mazatlán, it must have been much more impressive.

The freshest sushi ever

So without wind and waves, I had to go fishing again and was lucky – a beautiful Spanish mackerel (Sierra mackerel) took my bait. A great fish for sushi and sashimi. Of course, we didn’t miss out on that – homemade sushi from self-caught fish. What more could you possibly want in life? With this great fish in tow and sushi in our stomachs, we could set off again.

Continuing to the insider tip

And one Thursday, we packed up our things again and set off further south. Because a visit to a special place was due. A kind of insider tip that was recommended to us by Marla and Dave on SV Cavu. Whether we’ll tell you where it is? We still have to think about that.

Things are back on track for us

You see, things are back on track for us. As soon as we’re out of Guaymas, on the water, and on the move, it became increasingly clear to us that this is where we belong with Milagros. Living on an offshore going sailboat and then just sitting around in the same place is wrong. We had to get out, away from the noise, crowds, and civilization. Just the horizon and a thousand possibilities and adventures ahead of us. Because that’s the way it should be.

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Der Beitrag Continuing from where we left off erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

On the day of David’s departure, we dropped Milagros’ anchor back into the Guaymas (or Guymanese?) cesspool. From the beautiful, clear, pleasant, turquoise, swimmable water into the murky, stinky mess. From the tranquillity and the gently splashing water on our hull to the circus and the traffic noise. What a delight. But as I have explained in a previous blog post, it was a necessary evil. There was no better option within a reachable radius. However, there were tacos à la carte, access to project materials, and nice people. This time, however, I didn’t want to spend the time at the marina dock out of sheer convenience, but rather at anchor – preferably not in Guaymas.

Goodbye, David

The first mission in Guaymas was to take David to the bus. We chugged along with our fully packed dinghy to the marina. From a distance, we saw César, our trusted taxi driver, and punctual as always, already waiting. His little blue Chevrolet is unmistakable. After saying goodbye to David at the bus terminal, I went straight to the second mission: restocking supplies. Fully loaded, I returned to the marina. A few friendly workers helped me there to load everything into the dinghy.

There was something else

Back on Milagros, I wanted to put my feet up after storing all the purchases. But then I remembered that I had to lift the dinghy out of the water for the night. Although nothing had been stolen from the boat so far, and our 3.3 HP engine is not exactly the most attractive target, there is a significant social disparity here, and poverty means that even a small outboard motor can somehow be turned into money. Therefore, we adhere to two principles: “better safe than sorry” and “don’t be the easiest target”. It would be very annoying if something disappeared and the issue could have been prevented with 2 minutes of effort.

A simple crane design

With two people, stowing the dinghy is much easier, so I had to come up with a system to do it as simply as possible on my own without a possibe back injury. Using a halyard, the whisker pole, and a block and tackle, I built a kind of crane that allowed me to lift the dinghy with relatively little effort and then lift the outboard motor on board at a comfortable height. Voilà.

That’s too close

The next morning, before the first coffee, I received the next mission. After I had put the water on for the coffee and was waiting for it to boil, I looked out of the windows on both sides of the boat, as always, to see what was going on outside. And what I saw, I didn’t like at all. A 70-footer was getting pretty close to us (or we to it). When we had anchored the day before, the wind was coming from a different direction, and the distance was fine. Overnight, the wind had shifted, and now the situation looked different.

Wait and see

But I couldn’t immediately haul up the anchor because the other boat had positioned itself right over it. After every anchoring manoeuvre, we mark the estimated position of the anchor on the chart to check if our anchor is holding and everything else is okay. So, I let out more chain first so that I felt more comfortable. By then, the coffee was ready. I sat down with it in the cockpit and watched the situation. I was ready to start the engine if necessary. But I knew that fortunately, the wind would turn a little later and the situation would look different again. And I knew that I would immediately re-anchor. I asked Lucas if he could help me with its after his morning coffee. Together, we then parked Milagros a bit further away.

Something’s happening

In the following days, I felt like I didn’t have a quiet minute. Civilization had me again! In addition to working online in the morning, managing the boat, and running the household alone (and also doing the dishes – the worst!), I tinkered with various projects. Soon, Milagros was enriched with two new cockpit cushions, two triangular leaning cushions, and a new mattress cover. On Facebook, I stumbled across a small ad for custom-made cutting boards in a local group. Despite our bad luck with custom orders, I held a nice new board in my hands two days later.

The sailing demographic

And of course, there was a bit of socializing. Demographically, Guaymas is rather one-sided: mainly retired, white, male single-handed sailors from America and Canada are to be found here. Nevertheless, there are occasionally women or sailors my age. So, I spent pleasant hours with Annette on her ‘Ananda’ at the dock or met up with Skeet and Amanda, two fellow sailors my age. In the evenings (after sunset, haha), I sank into bed and slept soundly, unless the wind was howling through the bay at 30 knots (about 60 km/h).

On a Mission

When the weather forecast showed a calm window without wind, I prepared for another mission: I wanted to take Milagros out alone for a little excursion. I had chosen the Carricito anchorage, 3 hours away, as my destination. Since David and I always take turns with all manoeuvres, I knew exactly what I had to do. And since there was no wind, I had all the time in the world. The conditions were perfect: a boat and its manoeuvres that I mastered, an area I already knew, a bay we had already been to, with local language skills and acquaintances. Moreover, Gavin on ‘SV Petra’ was also going to come along later. What could go wrong, right?

Someone was generous

It took me about 1 hour to lift the anchor because the anchor chain was so dirty, and I had to spray it off inch by inch to avoid having this dirt in the anchor locker. Moreover, Lucas had been very generous with letting out the chain when anchoring. At a water depth of 4 meters, I would normally let out about 20 meters (5:1 the water depth is said). He was a bit more conservative and let out 50 meters, all of which I had to spray off.

Alone on the Move

It was a great feeling to start the engine, lift the anchor, and head out. Out of the noise, along the canal, past tankers being loaded with cement, past fishermen pulling in their nets, feeling the wind in my face, and hearing the sound of the water being displaced by the bow. The only thing that disturbed the idyll was the dirt that Guaymas had caused on our deck: slimy, black mud from the bottom and bird droppings. A night heron had decided that it liked our bow pulpit and wanted to spend the night there. Then it cheekily did its business on our deck. You won’t be surprised that this strained our hospitality quite a bit.

You can watch a little video of my trip here:

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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Patricia Büeler (@patriciabueeler)

Successful Mission

The outing flew by, and soon it was time to prepare the anchor. I had chosen an anchorage in the small bay, and the anchoring manoeuvre went smoothly: steer slowly to the desired point, turn into the wind, go forward, and when the boat has no forward motion, lower the anchor. Then slowly let out the required amount of chain, go back to the helm, engage reverse gear, and slowly give throttle until the anchor sits well and no change in position is visible on the deck bearing. Later in the afternoon, Gavin appeared on his boat, and we toasted to our successes.

A Short Break

We spent a few days there in the bay, Gavin on his side and I on mine. Now and then, we met for a coffee or a beer – very peaceful. I explored the area alone, swam a few laps around the boat, and enjoyed the tranquillity in the cockpit. Soon it was time to go back to Guaymas, as David’s return was imminent. Gavin and I lifted the anchor at the same time. Unfortunately, there was no wind, because a little race under sail would have been fun. I won anyway, because even under engine, Milagros is a machine. I anchored Milagros again in the cesspool of Guaymas, this time I had to take two attempts because the anchor did not hold the first time. And to avoid having to re-anchor, I placed us nicely far out. How far out I only realized when I rowed ashore later. Nevertheless, the mission was 100% successful, and I will surely have the chance to sail Milagros alone at some point.

Flea Market

The following day, I participated in a flea market for sailors in San Carlos. Rendt and Marea, two New Zealanders with their son Nico on a Swiss steel boat, kindly took me in their car. The flea market started at 8 a.m. I had a few good things to sell, but they were not in demand that day, and by 10 a.m., the flea market was already over. Afterward, we treated ourselves to a delicious Mexican breakfast and visited a historic coffee house in Guaymas.

A Fun Sailing Day

Unexpectedly, I was also invited to a sailing day. Lucas had installed a new autopilot on Matt’s boat, which now needed to be calibrated. When I boarded the boat at the marina, it was ready to cast off. There was just one small problem: Matt had found diesel in the oil but thought that it was now fixed. So I mentally prepared myself to jump overboard. In the worst case, diesel in the oil can cause the engine to run away, meaning the RPM gets out of control and the engine virtually destroys itself. Normally, this can be stopped by cutting off the air supply; otherwise, the engine explodes. Spoiler: Nothing happened. We spent a fun sailing afternoon on the small ketch. Back at the dock, we were even invited to Annette’s for lasagna. Since David was going to arrive in Guaymas early the next morning at 3 a.m., I left our dinghy at the marina for him, and Gavin drove me home.

David is back

In the middle of the night, the soft clattering of our bathing ladder woke me up. David had forgone the outboard motor and sneaked up with oars because he wanted to surprise me. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out. He was laden with goodies from Switzerland (chocolate and raclette cheese) and fine Asian sauces, and I was happy that he was back.

Preparations are underway

The next day, we started preparing for a crossing to the other side of the Sea of Cortez. Water, propane, and diesel needed to be refilled, as well as our supplies. And we had found a buyer for half of our lead that was still unnecessarily lying around in our bilge. Doug, a sailor we had met in Puerto Peñasco in 2021, needed some ballast for his boat. In exchange for the lead, he invited us to lunch and told us about his adventurous sailing trip from Peñasco to Guaymas. Along the way, he lost, among other things, a propeller blade and the ability to use his mainsail, so he had to be towed to San Carlos, unable to manoeuvre.

One last mission

But before we could leave Guaymas, there was one last mission to complete: sewing sail bags for Lucas. I was kindly allowed to use Corky’s Canvas’s sewing machine at the marina. Over two afternoons, the machine rattled, and voilà, two sail bags were born. Two Pati Bag originals that will be worth a lot someday

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Der Beitrag Pati Home Alone 2.0 erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

We had decided not to sail to Panama this year – again. This time, however, not because of any technical defects on the boat like last season. The boat is in top condition, and our to-do list (currently) consists mostly of nice-to-have things: scraping and oiling the toe rail, sewing additional cockpit cushions and more covers, installing a remote control for the anchor windlass, and possibly wiring its forward gear and replacing the membrane in the watermaker. Such things.

A bad move?

We have worked hard to get to this point and to have Milagros the way we like it. At this point, I must comment on various voices that have reached us with the tenor that Milagros was a bad move. This is not the case at all. Milagros is a solid, 45-year-old boat with normal maintenance cycles and quirks like any other boat.

Typically Swiss

Our work-sailing ratio would certainly be better if, firstly, we didn’t always do all the boat jobs for the first time and they therefore took longer, secondly, we weren’t in Mexico, where everything takes longer and good materials are hard to find, and thirdly, if we weren’t so perfectionistic. The third point means that we try to avoid shortcuts as much as possible, and try to do the necessary repairs, maintenance, and improvements properly, not just turn a blind eye or wait until it’s too late. Preventive maintenance, so to speak. But of course, there’s a bit of bad luck involved from time to time. But with another or newer boat, it would not have been any different.

It’s about demands

They say “Sailing is repairing things with a beautiful view” or “Sailing is the most expensive way to explore the world for free.” Sea and sun are a harsh environment for all materials, and wear and tear is high. All sailors are metaphorically in the same storm, and for everyone, it applies that “On a boat, everything is broken, you just don’t know it yet.” What mainly differs are the demands on oneself and the boat and the ‘good enough’ threshold, i.e., when and whether something is good enough. Some don’t mind if water leaks into the boat here and there where it shouldn’t, and others want to eliminate leaks immediately. Some don’t care if the boat looks run-down, others do.

Milagros is great!

Therefore: Milagros is a great boat and ready to explore the world! The problem is that we are not. About a week after our failed crossing to Topolobampo and a few days of doing nothing, we still didn’t know what to do next. We felt good about our decision not to go to Panama for now. But we didn’t want to go home directly either. So, we decided to explore the area north of Guaymas.

To the north

We went to Bahia San Pedro, about six hours north of Guaymas. The huge bay had plenty of space, offered many exploration opportunities, and was also suitable for the prevailing north winds. It was far from civilization, without houses or shops or bars. At night, we could hear the coyotes on the beach and even saw some cows during the day.

Varnish must go

We spent 10 relaxed days in Bahia San Pedro exploring, fishing, walking, doing nothing, and as always, a few small boat projects. David dedicated himself to the varnish on our toe rail and removed the pitiful remains, whose layers still held together but no longer to the wood.

Pan Pan

We had also replaced the broken pin on our sailing dinghy’s rudder, and David used the nice breeze in the bay for sailing. As he was already on his way back to Milagros because the wind had meanwhile reached 18 knots and was too strong, the rudder gave up the ghost. Unable to manoeuvre, he drifted away. I couldn’t save him because he was sailing our dinghy and the kayak was still stowed. Via radio, I asked the neighbouring boat for help, and they towed him back to Milagros. Oops.

Fish gift

One morning we saw a pink panga coming into the bay. We got into the dinghy and rowed to the fishermen to ask if they had fish for sale. It turned out they were two gringos from San Carlos who had just been fishing further out and knew a sailboat in the bay. When asked about the colour of the panga, one said it was theft protection. On the one hand, it was a conspicuous colour, and on the other hand, no Mexican would ever want to zoom around in a pink panga. We exchanged two cold beers for three delicious fish with them. One of these fish was turned into one of the best fish dishes we ever had on Milagros thanks to our new grill.

Campfire

The last days in the bay we spent practically alone, only the Frenchman Chris anchored next to us. He suggested that we use the pleasant weather to make a fire on the beach. He collected wood diligently, and we brought dough for snake bread. So, we enjoyed the sunset sitting around the campfire.

A new security system

He told us about an interesting security system that he was developing. It’s called ‘Barking Boat. Sensors mounted in the hull emit a Doppler radar signal with very low power and detect movements outside the boat at a distance of up to 8 meters. This triggers a barking sound from a speaker and imitates a watchdog. Pretty cool

There are problems

We only had two small “problems” while we were there. One was food. We didn’t have enough fresh food with us. We had left two weeks earlier thinking we would be in Mazatlán 5 days later, where we could shop again. It’s not that we were starving. We just lacked some essentials like butter, eggs, milk, tortillas, and fresh vegetables. But in a pinch, you get creative. So we just made our own tortillas, baked a Russian braid with coconut oil instead of butter and without egg, stirred powdered milk into the coffee, and ate canned vegetables. Not too bad.

We must leave

The other problem was time. David’s next trip to Hong Kong was coming up, and we had to return to civilization. We really enjoyed our time in Bahia San Pedro and didn’t want to leave yet. But it is what it is. With a nice north wind, we sailed back to Guaymas two days before David’s departure. But we anchored first around the corner in Bahia Catalina. From there, we took a taxi into the city to buy the essentials. Two of the stories from the last post ‘Journeys and Connections: A Week in Guaymas‘ came from that day. Only on the day of David’s departure did we go back to the cesspool in front of Guaymas, where I would spend another two weeks alone on the boat.

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Der Beitrag Sailing Beyond Expectations erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

Julio – The Visa Agent’s Story

We find ourselves anchored in Bahia Catalina, Guaymas, a welcome return to civilisation after a fortnight in secluded anchorages. It’s Sunday, and our provisions are dwindling, necessitating a shopping trip. Our stay was not meant to be this extended. The urgency is palpable; we’re out of milk for our morning coffees, and even the powdered substitute is depleted. Bahia Catalina, perched on the outskirts of Guaymas, is barley accessible by car, a fact that deters most taxi drivers. Our usual go-to, César, is regrettably away, celebrating his father’s 76th birthday in Hermosillo, some 150km distant.

Resorting to WhatsApp, I liaise with a taxi firm. After some negotiation, they assure us of a pickup at noon. Yet, 12:20 rolls around with no sign of a taxi. Just then, a white car cruises past, executes a U-turn, and approaches us. The driver, a Mexican, rolls down his window to inquire about our destination. We’re headed to the centre, we inform him. Coincidentally, so is he, and he invites us to join him.

Conversing in fluent English, he reveals he hails from Monterrey, near the American border. His role as a visa agent brings him here, assisting a company in securing US visas for its Mexican employees. An unexpected extension of his stay led him to explore the local sights on TikTok, which is how he discovered Bahia Catalina and its stunning seaside stone arch.

Curious, we inquire about the complexity of obtaining a US work visa for Mexicans. He reassures us that it’s straightforward, barring any prior incidents. His expertise lies in arranging seasonal work visas for American agricultural enterprises. Business is thriving, with around 1,500 applications processed annually, a reflection of Americans’ reluctance to work on farms. His comprehensive service, priced at USD 650, covers accommodation, meals, and cross-border transport during the three-day visa procedure.

He then turns the conversation to us, asking about our line of work. We mention our involvement in social media management for small businesses. This piques his interest, and he wonders if we have a business card. Contact details are exchanged, pleasantries are shared, and he kindly drops us off at Walmart, marking the end of an unexpected yet enlightening encounter.

Alfonso – The Taxi Driver

We’ve just finished our shopping spree at Walmart, with milk for our morning coffee safely in tow. Now, the challenge is finding our way back to Bahia Catalina. But before that, we have a little detour to make. I stumbled upon an advert for Indian cuisine in a Facebook group and couldn’t resist ordering some Butter Chicken and Naan via WhatsApp. Picking it up is our next mission.

Our game plan involves summoning an Uber for this errand and then persuading the driver to take us all the way to the boat, even though Bahia Catalina lies beyond Uber’s usual operating area. Enter Alfonso, steering his Chevrolet Beat. We lay out our plan and ask him to quote us a price for the extended journey. He ponders for a moment, noting that the area’s remoteness makes it an unpopular destination for drivers. Eventually, he quotes us 150 pesos (USD 7.50).

As we drive, Alfonso inquires about our origins and our purpose here. We share that we’re from Switzerland, exploring on our boat, and turn the question back to him. He shares that he’s been taxiing for a few years, following a two-decade stint running his own video game store. But the business eventually took a downturn.

Alfonso confides that he harbours dreams of becoming a truck driver, armed with all the necessary permits, which he proudly indicates are stashed in a red folder between the seats. However, his lack of experience has been a stumbling block in securing employment. He’s even contemplating investing in his own truck, a 500,000 pesos (USD 25,000) investment, to kickstart his independent trucking venture.

As we pass a bus depot, Alfonso muses that while he could opt for bus driving, the earnings are modest (10,000 pesos / USD 500 per month) compared to what he can make as a taxi driver. Nearing Bahia Catalina, he reflects that it’s been two decades since his last visit. He hints at the area’s seclusion and potential dangers, given its isolation.

Upon arrival, Alfonso assists us with unloading our groceries and takes a moment to admire our small dinghy and the anchored boat. We express our gratitude, “mucho gusto,” pleased with the encounter, and hand him 200 pesos (USD 10) for his troubles. After all, it was quite a journey into the unknown.

Mario – The Author

I’m walking along the main road in Guaymas, with a blue duffle bag on my back, heading to the laundrette. I hear a “hola” behind me and ignore it. Then, a bit closer, I hear “hola, buenos dias” again. Not wanting to be rude, I respond with a “hola.” The young Mexican smiles at me and asks in good English if I’m an American tourist. I clarify that I’m from Europe, Switzerland. He expresses curiosity about what brings me so far from home, and I briefly mention my journey on the boat.

We continue side by side along the main road, which is also a construction site, dodging holes, piles of gravel, and barriers. He then offers to help with my backpack, but I politely decline. I ask him in return where he’s from and what he does. He’s a local, from Guaymas. He inquires if I’m familiar with “Creativo” in San Carlos, a creative studio that offers various courses like pottery and painting. He works there and suggests it’s a great place to meet people, mainly gringos (Americans). It’s easily accessible from Guaymas by bus. I dodge the suggestion; I’m not looking to take a course to meet new people. With the boat, I meet new people almost daily.

He asks if he can walk with me a bit longer and shares that he’s about to publish his first book, which he’s been working on for four years. Interested, I inquire about the book’s content. He shares his personal revelation he says, detailing his past struggles with drug addiction, single parenthood, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Seeking an escape, he ventured into the desert and experienced a transformative epiphany.

As we reach the laundrette, he expresses his gratitude for our exchange and heads back the way we came. He only wanted to withdraw money in the first place.

Francisco – The Versatile Helper

I’m anchored solo with Milagros in Guaymas, as David has set off for Hong Kong. Weary from a night disturbed by gusty winds, I still resolve to go ashore, craving some physical activity and needing to replenish our water reserves. I prepare to take two empty 20-litre bottles to shore, a task made manageable by the water refill station’s proximity, just 500 metres away. At the dock, I find a trolley I can borrow, easing the burden of my errand.

Midway to my destination, a car with its windows down pulls alongside me. The driver, calling me by name, offers assistance with the water bottles. It’s Francisco, a jack-of-all-trades day labourer familiar with all things nautical. We had been introduced by another sailor a few weeks back. Without hesitation, he’s out of his car, loading the bottles and trolley into his vehicle. He explains he’s just returned from San Carlos, where a promised job fell through. Now, he’s checking if there’s any work to be found here.

Together, we head to the water station and fill the bottles. Francisco insists on carrying the full bottles himself, a gesture of kindness I’m grateful for. We return to the marina, where he unloads the bottles and transfers them into the dinghy. I attempt to offer him a tip, but he refuses, stating it’s a favour among friends. He then hands me his number, suggesting I reach out if I ever need assistance again.

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Der Beitrag Journeys and Connections: A Week in Guaymas erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

On the morning of David’s departure, Pete and Nicole picked us up from the marina for one last breakfast together. After a somewhat mediocre meal at the hotel buffet across from the bus station, David embarked on his 52-hour journey to Bangkok. Pete, Nicole, and I then headed to the opposite end of Guaymas, to the sea. Our destination was the ‘Perlas del Mar de Cortez’ pearl farm, where Pete had arranged a tour for us.

Local Pearls

Our tour guide, Fernando, was clearly passionate about pearls. With great enthusiasm, he led us to the Palappa by the sea, where they worked with the oysters. The process takes years – from collecting the baby oyster, inserting the nucleus, to finally harvesting the pearl itself. Originally a research facility, the farm now operates as an independent business. According to Fernando, the Sea of Cortez pearls, though cultivated, are unique. He showed us their range of colours and a special feature: under UV light, they glow red.

Back to Milagros

After the tour, I returned to the boat. It felt strange being alone on Milagros at anchor for the first time. A year earlier, David had been in Bangkok for two weeks, but then Nicole had visited, and I was docked at the Kingdom of El Mero for only a few days alone. Being alone at anchor is no issue – many solo sailors do it all the time.

A Bit Uncomfortable

However, something made it slightly uncomfortable: a strong, persistent north wind was forecasted. According to other sailors, one boat in the bay didn’t handle anchoring well and would drift across the bay in strong winds. Normally, David wakes up at any sound, while I sleep through. I was curious to see how things would go.

Nearly Freezing Temperatures

The first night brought a blast of icy wind from the north, dropping temperatures below 10°C. You might think that’s not too bad, but without heating, it was quite chilly. With 7 Beaufort (30 knots / 55 km/h) winds whipping over the water and buffeting Milagros, I trusted our anchoring, our anchor, and Milagros itself, but I set the anchor alarm and regularly checked our position. After a particularly strong gust, other sailors would check in to see if I was okay. Though sleeping through was impossible, but usually, the wind would die down by 3 am, allowing me to spend the last part of the night in dreamland.

A New View

Until now, we could only read the wind speed from the chart plotter in the cockpit, but it was too cold for that. So, I unpacked a yet-to-be-installed display, connected it to our data system (for those interested: an NMEA 2000 backbone), and set it up on the chart table. This way, I could comfortably see the wind speed from the aft cabin bed, through the tunnel.

It’s Over

Once the north wind had passed, my time at anchor came to an end too. While vacuuming the cabin one morning, I discovered water damage under the stairs leading to the cockpit. I opened the floorboards to find 5 cm (2”) of standing water in the bilge. Tasting it, I found it was salty. With the water damage above the floor, there weren’t many possibilities for its source, only one: the saltwater foot pump, which was indeed dripping. Unfortunately, we had neither a spare pump nor a maintenance kit on board.

Moving In

This pump is crucial for us, as we use it for washing dishes to save fresh water. Normally, we have a watermaker, but we don’t use it in places like Guaymas to avoid damaging the membrane with polluted sea water and, frankly, we wouldn’t want to drink the water from this cesspool. Anchored far out and not wanting to lug water back and forth, I booked a spot in the marina.

A Parting Gift

On a calm morning, neighbour Randy came over in his dinghy to help bring Milagros into the marina. Retrieving the anchor chain took surprisingly long because a nasty, slimy black muck clung to the chain, and we had to spray off every one of the 40 meters (130 ft) so it wouldn’t end up in the anchor locker. Finally, the anchor windlass struggled to lift the anchor. I thought Milagros had lined up the next project for us. But it turned out to be a gift. Our Bruce anchor had snagged a tyre for us, how thoughtful. Things could only get better.

Hello, Fonatur

And they did. I docked Milagros at a snail’s pace in the marina, while Shay and Yona from SV Holoholo and other dock neighbours took our lines. With Milagros securely tied up, it was easier to leave her alone. I had a hike in San Carlos on my list that I wanted to do: climbing one of the peaks of the local mountain, ‘Tetakawi’, colloquially known as ‘Teta de Cabra’ (Goat’s Teat) due to its shape.

Climbing the Teat

Nicole immediately agreed to my suggestion of climbing one of the teats. They kindly picked me up in Guaymas, and after a fortifying taco lunch, Pete dropped us off at the base of Tetakawi. We amusedly inspected a huge poster from the local tourism authority advising to bring at least 3 litres of water, wear good hiking shoes, and recommending gloves and a local guide. We, as hikers from Switzerland, found this somewhat exaggerated for a hike that was supposed to take a total of 2 hours.

The Climb

Following the trail, which was well-marked by Mexican standards, we knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park as we looked up at our destination. Initially, it was a simple stone path uphill, but later we had to climb over large rocks and rubble mixed with sand. Near the summit, we even had to use ropes someone had fixed. As I pulled myself up, I wondered if we could trust Mexican ropes, all too familiar with the ‘well-intentioned and then forgotten’.

And Down Again

The ropes held, and we reached the summit in 50 minutes, enjoying the fantastic view and catching our breath. It was indeed no stroll. The descent was challenging, too. Our shoes lacked sufficient grip for the sandy rubble mix. Nicole slid down on her seat, while I scrambled down on hands and knees. The poster at the start of the hike was justified after all.

Among Neighbours

Being in the marina felt like living in a neighbourhood. Everyone knew each other, greeted each other, and helped out. For example, Shay and Yona wanted to buy a larger anchor similar to ours, so I lent them ours for a trial fit. And neighbour Gavin helped me cut aluminium rails for our new grill’s railing mount, as I really don’t like the grinder.

Lucky Break

As the in-house baker for Keith on SV Aurora, I baked special muffins for their next sailing afternoon, and Pete picked them up from me at the marina. I was invited too but chose not to go for various reasons. In hindsight, I was relieved to have declined, as Steve, one of the sailors, passed away from a heart attack en route. He was a boat owner in the Kingdom of El Mero, had reached the age of 83, and took his last breath doing something he loved. It could be worse.

A Success

The maintenance kit for the foot pump finally arrived with the all-Saturday delivery from the USA. Eagerly, I dismantled the part and opened it. I had been warned: in many cases, the pump still leaks after maintenance. The internet suggested this was because the kit comes without instructions, leading to the seals and diaphragms being installed backwards. So, I paid extra attention during disassembly and took photos of everything.

Unicorn Power

Still, I wasn’t spared a typical boat moment. Upon opening, the pump spring jumped out in two pieces instead of one. And, of course, the maintenance kit didn’t include a new spring. Where to find such a spring in Guaymas was beyond me. I spontaneously asked our continental man, Lukas from Poland. He immediately asked for the spring’s dimensions, as he was having coffee with Richard. It’s worth noting that Richard’s large steel boat is said to carry at least another sailing ship in parts. Three minutes later, I received a picture of a unicorn with the sought-after spring. Thirty minutes later, it was delivered, and another thirty minutes after that, the pump was overhauled, installed, and leak-free!

Something Else to Do

While I was peacefully tinkering away, it suddenly hit me that I needed to renew my visa. I was allowed to stay until the end of April, but that was cutting it close. And it wouldn’t be as easy as from Guaymas later on. Last year, I could drive the 450 km to Nogales on the Arizona border with Keith, but this time I faced a bus journey. According to the bus company, it took about 5.5 hours each way.

To the US Border

On the Friday before David’s return, a taxi picked me up at 6 am, and the bus left at 6:30 am. After an endless 7 hours, I finally reached Nogales. Another 20 minutes and I was at the immigration office, where at exactly 2 pm, my passport was stamped with a 180-day stay permit. Afterwards, I wandered the streets and enjoyed a lovely lunch.

A Long Journey

The website listed buses back at 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm, easy. I arrived at the bus station by taxi in good time. Then, oh dear. Both buses were fully booked, and the next available was not until 5:00 pm. Eventually, I got back to the boat at 11:00 pm, making it a 17-hour round trip. Along the way, I discovered something interesting: I had, by chance, renewed my visa on the exact same day for the last three years.

The Other Side of the World

Meanwhile, David was enjoying his rainforest shower, relaxing by the hotel pool after work, and exploring Bangkok on his free days. He also had the chance to spend a day in Tokyo on his way there. Here are a few impressions:

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Der Beitrag Pati Home Alone erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

So there we were, anchoring for the first time in six months, and it felt splendid. Our anchoring manoeuvre was a success, even though we initially fell into an old pattern. Approaching an anchorage, finding it overcrowded, turning around, reconsidering as it didn’t seem so bad after all, and then anchoring. This time, a mooring buoy in the midst of the bay had confused us.

Getting Our Sea Legs Back

We had to regain our sea legs and recall all the procedures. What exactly does one do after anchoring, and in what order? Ah yes, the anchor light needs to be switched on. The snubber for the anchor chain is somewhere in the cockpit locker. And we mustn’t forget the anchor tracker – after all, we want to know if our anchor holds.

A Feast for the Senses

It was magnificent when we shut off the engine and could finally relish the silence. Over a beer, we toasted to our successful relaunch and everything else. A shrimp snack followed immediately. While exiting the Guaymas channel, a panga with two young fishermen approached us, offering shrimp for sale. We agreed instantly, exchanged shrimp for pesos and two beers. The shrimp, whole and freshly caught (unlike our fiasco in Peñasco), were delicious sautéed in garlic butter.

Our New Dinghy

Next, we got to launch our new dinghy and test the outboard motor for the first time. It went smoothly. We took a short excursion to the beach, meeting other sailors returning from a hike to the lighthouse. Their directions were simple: keep the power lines in view, and you’re on the right track.

First, a Coffee

After completing our online work the next morning, we turned off Starlink, packed our backpack with water and snacks, and set off for the beach. En route, we stopped by Shannon and Rob’s ‘Ocean Villa’ for a coffee. They were preparing to cross the Sea of Cortez with their grand steel yacht.

An Impressive Vessel

Their boat is truly impressive. Originally built for a family, it boasts four bunks for children at the bow and a large aft cabin for parents. Between them lies a spacious galley with a dining table and a deck salon with sofas. Above, there’s a pilot house and a ‘terrace’ for lounging. Shannon and Rob use this ocean villa for charter trips around La Paz. If you’re ever in the area, check it out.

Heading to the Lighthouse

When it was time, we said our farewells and headed for the beach. The path wasn’t clear initially, but we spotted footprints and goat hoofprints, with the power lines guiding us. The trail led through a sandy, rocky landscape, dotted with small trees and prickly bushes, ascending the hillside.

Faro Cabo Haro

Atop, we enjoyed a stunning view of the rocky coastline and the vast sea. Following the path along the ridge, we could see the ‘Faro Cabo Haro’ lighthouse in the distance. As we approached, two dogs ran towards us. The brown one greeted us enthusiastically, while the black-and-white one kept its distance. They accompanied us for the rest of the way, healthy and well-fed, though their reason for being there was unclear.

The Lighthouse Keeper

At the lighthouse, we met Omar, the keeper. He invited us to join him to sit on the steps, sharing that the lighthouse operates around the clock, vital for cargo ships and the navy. He works a week at a time, in solitude except for the dogs. He occasionally receives visitors but rarely converses due to the language barrier. Every Saturday morning, it’s shift change for a week.

Beach Cleanup

A path from the lighthouse led down to a small beach, the transfer point for the keepers. We were appalled to find the beach littered with trash. We spent the next half-hour cleaning up, filling crates with plastic bottles, shoes, toys, lines, and other debris. We moved them as far from the water as possible, knowing the next storm might sweep them back to sea.

Goodbye, Ocean Villa

On our way back, we passed the lighthouse again. Omar pointed out a large white yacht with blue underwater paint leaving the bay – it was ‘Ocean Villa’. We watched it sway in the swell, hoping their crossing wouldn’t be too rough.

Anchor Problems

Reaching our dinghy, we saw Pete and Nicole on ‘Swansong’ entering the bay, struggling to anchor. We went over, and Pete explained their anchor windlass had issues. I boarded to assist, and we decided he should anchor without the windlass to address the problem later.

Boat Projects Galore

We celebrated Pete’s successful launch with an ‘anchor beer’ and pondered the windlass’ malfunction. Our theories ranged from a blockage to a power issue. We found the winch’s main fuse switch turned off – fortunately, nothing was broken. We also fixed his toilets, which weren’t drawing water, by adding some to the pumps.

New Year’s Preparations

For New Year’s, with little wind forecast, we wanted to try a new anchorage, less sheltered. Both ‘Milagros’ and ‘Swansong’, without foresails or tuned rigging, motored around the corner to this beautiful bay with clear turquoise water, inaccessible by land except by off-road vehicle.

A Convoy

Exploring ashore, we saw a convoy of SUVs heading for the beach, equipped for the terrain. It was a men’s outing – one man per vehicle. They deflated their tyres and continued over the beach and gravel road, occasionally getting stuck but freeing themselves.

Till Midnight

We spent a cosy New Year’s Eve in Milagros’ cockpit with Pete and Nicole, enjoying tacos and drinks. Surprisingly, we stayed awake till midnight, unlike last year when we barely made it to ‘sailor’s midnight’ at 9 pm. Waking up the next morning, ‘Swansong’ had already left to dock in San Carlos, taking advantage of the calm weather.

Dealing with a List

We used the quiet bay to work on ‘Milagros’. We tuned the rigging and mounted our foresail, admiring the new grey UV protection I had added at the boatyard. We also addressed a slight list. Since removing the old, heavy batteries from the port engine room, ‘Milagros’ had been leaning to starboard. The previous owner had installed lead bars as counterweights. We moved these bars to the bilge, balancing the boat but pondering what to do with so much lead.

Returning to Guaymas

Soon after it was time to sail back to Guaymas. Reluctantly, we left the tranquil anchorage, knowing the noise, dirt, and crowds awaiting us. But it was necessary, as David soon had to fly to Bangkok for work. I would spend nearly 20 days alone on the boat, so we chose to anchor near Fonatur Marina in Guaymas, next to the Malecón – not picturesque, but practical.

A Bad Omen?

Pete and Nicole joined us for breakfast on David’s departure day. We opted for the hotel buffet in front of the bus station, witnessing a pigeon fatally colliding with a TV under the awning. We hoped it wasn’t a bad omen for the weeks ahead.

Goodbye, David

Then it was time for David to embark on his half-world journey to Bangkok: Hermosillo – Mexico City – Tokyo – Bangkok, a 52-hour trip! And there I was, alone on the boat at anchor for the first time…

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Der Beitrag Returning to Familiar Shores erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

The Boatyard Existence

Our tenure in the Boatyard extended beyond our initial plans, and we often found ourselves grappling with the challenges posed by the persistent dust, sand, noise, and an array of other discomforts. Faced with two options—either to succumb to frustration or to make the most of our situation—we oscillated between the two, sometimes sulking, sometimes embracing the circumstances. In a lighter vein, we volunteered to assist other sailors with their ventures, an ironic twist considering our list of pending tasks on Milagros. One such instance was joining Justine’s painting team.

Boat Painting Ventures

Our task was to paint her boat’s freeboard, a project that saw us applying sky blue paint, aesthetically pleasing but technically challenging. This wasn’t merely cosmetic paint, but a type designed for oil rigs, necessitating a thick, protective single coating that dried swiftly and hardened like rock. Achieving a smooth finish without visible streaks and lines proved challenging.

Consecutive Challenges

After multiple attempts, experimenting with various mix ratios, brush types, and contending with the elements like wind and sun, we triumphantly accomplished this task. Our team, self-dubbed the “Rig Pigs”, comprised David as the painter, Justine handling the final touches, and myself in a support role, proved to be a successful combination.

Material Acquisition

One morning, Keith arrived at our boat with the long-awaited engine mounts. Eager to start installing them, Keith had a different plan: “I brought these blocks, now come sailing with me.”

Return to El Mero

Dismissing half a day’s delay, we hastily prepared and joined Keith, along with Pete and Justine, heading to the former Kingdom of El Mero‘s remnants. We had spent time there last winter before a storm nearly destroyed it in July. And Keith had crafted two dock spots for his sailboats from left over materials.

Sailing Interlude

Launching Keith’s 54-foot boat, Aurora, proved tricky. We accidentally grazed a couple of crooked pillars while avoiding damage to ourselves over the boat. A solar panel was the only casualty. And when hoisting the sail, we had to improvise as the mainsail’s foot wasn’t secured properly, quickly fixing it with a rope.

Island Circumnavigation

With sails raised, our journey took us around a small island near Guaymas. Upon reaching the island’s leeward side, Justine took a spontaneous swim, relishing the cool waters. As we returned, we noticed all boats at El Mero tilted due to low tide. Opting to anchor offshore overnight, we encountered issues with a non-functioning anchor windlass and had to rely on guesswork for the anchor chain scope.

The Return to Shore

Keith, his daughter, and Tom stayed aboard while other cruisers helped us ashore. The next morning, we returned to El Mero to assist with docking. Hauling up the anchor by hand proved a good workout. A problem with Aurora’s gear lever required Keith to manually engage it from below deck, causing brief confusion with the boat moving backwards first. Despite the challenges, docking was successful.

Engine Room Endeavours

Back at the Boatyard, we dedicated ourselves to the installation of the engine mounts on our boat. Replacing three went smoothly, but the final one proved obstinate, its head snapping off in a hard-to-reach spot. After failing to drill it out over two days, we left it, resorted to epoxy, and drilled a new hole.

Motor Alignment Challenges

Next was engine alignment, where we hit another snag. I just couldn’t align it to the required precision of 1/1000″ (0.03 mm). Dismantling everything, I found the issue: dents on the surface of the shaft coupling, likely from a fall or a hit. After filing it carefully down, we managed to aligne the engine in an instant.

Fitting the Shaft Brake

Installing the shaft brake was next and another hurdle. This brake is crucial for preventing shaft rotation while sailing, a necessity due to our hydraulic gearbox. The process was arduous, but after much trial and error and a night’s rest, we successfully installed the brake, readying Milagros for launching.

Pre-Launch Preparations

With Christmas approaching, we hoped to spend it on water, but it was dashed by the yard’s schedule, delaying our launch until December 26. This gave us more time for preparations: testing the engine, applying antifouling, stocking up on diesel, gasoline, water, and provisions, and tidying up. We also enjoyed more time with Nicole and Pete. You might remember: Nicole from Switzerland visited us one year ago, now she’s visiting Pete.

Embracing Christmas

Christmas in Mexico is a vibrant affair, starting December 1st with traditional treats and drinks abound. We exchanged traditional delicacies with the boatyard workers, savouring Buñuelos from crane operator Mario and Champurrado from Roberto, while offering homemade Spitzbuben in return.

Our Christmas celebration was low-key, mainly video calls with family and friends and toasting with Nicole and Pete. We planned a barbecue and a movie night for Christmas Eve and a potluck with yard residents on Christmas Day.

The Anticipated Launch

With the launch imminent, we were apprehensive about the strong winds forecasted. The day of the launch arrived with challenging weather conditions, prompting us to reconsider. We didn’t feel confident to back out of the slip and turn the boat around with up to 20 kts in such tight quarterts. After much deliberation and a lack of conviction from various parties, we decided against launching in the gusty winds.

Rethinking Our Strategy

Determined to proceed, we requested the yard workers to lift Milagros and position her for a forward exit from the lift. This required removing first the forestay and then the backstay. This plan, too, had its share of drama: a hydraulic oil leak from the lift, but the staff assured us it was minor.

Launch Day Arrives

Finally, the next morning, Milagros was successfully launched. Walking under the lift, I felt a drop of hydraulic oil on my neck. But Milagros was in the water, all through-hulls dry, all systems functioning, and the engine started immediately. “Lines off!” We were finally moving.

Goodbye, Boatyard!

Leaving the Boatyard behind, we said goody bye, hopefully forever. Hasta not la vista! Memories of the dirt and toil began to fade within minutes, and soon it felt like we were never there. Peacefully, we sailed past Guaymas’ Malécon to a serene anchorage, closing the chapter of our Boatyard saga.

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Der Beitrag Hasta Not La Vista erschien zuerst auf Milagros.