The Calm After the Storm

After the legendary birthday party for Cavu Dave, things were quiet in the anchorage. It was time to relax, detox, and chill. But it didn’t take long before our little fleet got the itch to sail again. It was time to find a new anchorage. Our next destination was the east side of Isla Carmen.

Off to New Adventures

Pati and I had recently circled the island, but as the Sea of Cortez offers almost unlimited anchoring options we hadn’t stopped at nearly all the spots we possibly could. When a weather window promising some sailing opened, we all set off one by one. Cavu and Alegria took off first, followed closely by Milagros. Crack and Crystal on Small World took it easy and stayed behind. Elana and Travis on Island Fox left us for a few days to meet friends further south but would rejoin us later.

The Race Begins

Our mission was to close the gap on Cavu and Alegria, who were far ahead. Once other sailboats are around and heading in the same direction, it’s a race. Always! It doesn’t matter if you know the people on the other boat or not and it doesn’t matter how far ahead or behind they are. It’s a race. No matter what.

Bye Bye, Alegria!

We started out pretty sporty with full sails up and after a couple of hours we managed to catch up to Alegria while the winds subsided and were very light. Why were we faster than them? No idea. We just were. An annoyed Alegria Mike radioed us with that very question, to which Pati couldn’t resist adding salt to the wound: “We have a Kelly Peterson 44, and skills, maybe.” she replied. He he he.

Meeting at Las Salinas

When the wind completely disappeared, we all turned on our engines and spent the night in two separate anchorages. We anchored with Cavu, and Alegria with Small World. Since a bit of north wind was expected, we met the next morning in “Las Salinas,” an anchorage well-protected to the north, and a spot Milagros hadn’t visited yet. Readers might remember: Last year, we were stuck for a few days in a nasty north wind in the bay right next to Las Salinas with Swan Song Pete and Momo Bernie. Once our fleet had arrived at the new spot, we spent the days at anchor hanging out, walking on the long sandy beach, and snorkeling near a shipwreck.

Wreck Diving

We had been told a few times how great the snorkeling was at the wreck. Now we had to see it for ourselves. We tied our dinghy to a very Mexican marking buoy: a white jerry can. The snorkeling turned out to be as great as everyone said: The water was teeming with countless fish of all sizes and kinds around and inside the wreck. We dove through huge schools of fish so dense that you could feel the temperature drop when the gap in the school closed above you, blocking out the sunlight. It was fascinating to see how the different schools were layered. Smaller fish on top, slightly bigger ones below, and the largest ones at the bottom, only visible when the others parted. A really cool experience.

Mike’s Sea of Cortez Barbershop

Later, it was haircut time for the whole group again. What could possibly be better than a good friend who’s discovered a passion for barbering? “Mike’s Sea of Cortez Barbershop” set up a tent on the beach, and we all got spruced up. Even a kid from another boat got a haircut; an undercut, to be precise. When her mom came flying to the beach in her dinghy, we expected a scolding. Instead, Mike had to cut her hair too.

Fishing Luck and Sushi

The fishing this season had been great for me. One evening, I cruised along the shore with a couple of beers in the dinghy, trailing a lure behind the boat. Just as I was daydreaming and thought I wouldn’t catch anything, I got bites and quickly reeled in two great snappers. They were turned into delicious sushi we shared with all our friends aboard Milagros.

Setting Off for Cholla Corner

With fresh haircuts looking good, bellies full, and a light southerly wind forecast, we left Las Salinas after a few peaceful days and nights. Mike and Katie had spotted a spot on the charts marked as “Cholla Corner,” not officially marked an anchorage but looking like a hidden gem. Our new destination was set. And just as we set off, my fishing season turned even better.

Tight Lines!

We had barely left Las Salinas when I caught a huge Mahi-Mahi. Mahi-Mahi (also called Dolphinfish) are some of the tastiest fish in the seven seas and are plentiful in the Sea of Cortez during summer. After filleting, we had 3.5 kg of mahi-mahi meat in the freezer. Yesssssss. It’s wild how much work it is to catch a fish on a sailboat. Especially the “cleaning the aftermath”-part. The giant had spread its scales, bloodstains, and other remnants all over our aft deck. We hope the pictures do his fight justice. It took the two of us to hold him down.

Paradise at Cholla Corner

Our new destination “Cholla Corner” turned out to be a little paradise. Small rocky and sandy beaches where the other boats could let their dogs run (we were the only boat without a dog), and perfect sandy bottoms for our anchors to hold securely. Life was good here. So off to the beach we went.

Floating Season Begins

As summer approached, temperatures were steadily rising. The water temperature was now just right. Floating season had officially begun. Floating doesn’t require much: a beach canopy, floating gear like paddleboards, swim rings, mats, or chairs, a hat on your head to protect you from the sun, and a beer in your hand (or both hands). The hours flew by as we stayed cool and hydrated. Finally, Kim on SV Salt and Randy and Jody on SV Free Luff joined our group. We were now a fleet of seven boats, a happy mix of monohulls, a catamaran, and a trimaran.

Suddenly, Drama!

Did I mention our anchors were holding well in the sandy bottom of Cholla Corner? One evening, just everyone had returned to their boats from the beach, a strong westerly wind came up, bringing waves into the anchorage. Nothing too serious, but Pati and I were just securing our kayak on deck when we heard a foghorn. We were shocked to see one of the boats drifting sideways toward another. The boats’ anchor had dragged, and it was adrift. Mike on Alegria had sounded the horn to alert us all to the impending danger.

Collective Response

Island Fox Travis reacted first, jumping into his dinghy to help. The rest of us stood by on our boats, deck lights and engines on, ready to assist or move out of the way if needed. Mike and Katie decided to re-anchor, which was challenging as their anchor wouldn’t find proper holding anymore either. But after several attempts, they succeeded. A brief scare early in the early evening right after sunset, with a few beers too many, but all ended well.

All’s Well that ends well

We reacted quickly and effectively as a team. No one held any grudges. We’re all literally in the same boat, and things like that can happen to anyone. That’s life on a boat for you—one moment, you’re sitting carefree on a sandy beach, and the next, things take a sudden turn. Starlink deserves credit too; apart from Mikes’ idea with the fog horn our WhatsApp group chat allowed us to quickly alert each other and be ready in record time.

The Last Stop

Soon, it was time for another change of scenery. Our happy little family would soon split up as everyone had different plans for the summer. Small World were headed north to Puerto Peñasco, Free Luff south to Loreto, Alegria to La Paz at the southern tip of Baja California, Cavu to Bahia Banderas on mainland Mexico, Salt and we were headed back to Guaymas and San Carlos respectively, while Island Fox wanted to summer in the Sea of Cortez.

Back to San Juanico

So, we had to agree on one last stop. After some grocery shopping in Loreto and a night at the trusty good old Isla Coronados, where did we end up? Well, guess. San Juanico, for the third time this season. We really hadn’t traveled far this year, but we had been busy nevertheless. San Juanico is awesome and some of our friends hadn’t been yet this season. We had the best time after the armada invaded the anchorage. Activities ranged from spearfishing and snorkeling, floating with beers, beach walks, watercolor painting, and yet another great birthday party for Cavu Marla, late into the night. This is the way!

Farewells

Unfortunately, one of the few constants in sailing life is saying goodbye to good people you’ve had a great time with. Everyone does their own thing while trying to spend as much time together as possible. For me, it was especially bittersweet saying goodbye to our friends after a wonderful time. A few weeks earlier, I had decided to “swallow the anchor” as sailors say. My adventures aboard Milagros would come to an end. After four years of living at breakneck speed and one adventure after another, I was ready to return to a “normal” life. I needed more stability, and I had felt that all year. I had been going back and forth for months, but now my decision was made. With a heavy heart, I shared the news as we all sat together on the beach one evening.

Return to Normal Life

After four years of living at breakneck speed and one adventure after another, I was ready to return to a “normal” life. I needed more stability in my life, and I had felt that all year. I had been going back and forth for months, but now my decision was made. With a heavy heart, I shared the news as we all sat together on the beach one evening. But that’s how it goes. Goodbye Free Luff, goodbye Small World, goodbye Alegria! See you soon! One by one, we had to wave goodbye to our great crew. More about my decision in a few weeks in the end-of-season post.

Waving our Goodbyes

Then it was time to bid farewell to part of the group. Goodbye Free Luff, goodbye Small World, goodbye Alegria! Thanks for all the good times and see you soon! One by one, they took off and disappeared on the horizon. Suddenly, our fleet of seven was down to four: Milagros, Cavu, Island Fox, and Salt. Next stop? Punta Pulpito.

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Der Beitrag Island Hopping And Good Times And Farewells 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.

The Chewed Gum Conundrum

First, let’s rewind a bit. Our setting is Guaymas, in the midst of the bustling boatyard, where our spirits were dampened by prolonged frustrations. The anticipated three-week stay had overstretched, turning the drive shaft project into a relentless ordeal, akin to an over-chewed piece of gum – tough and lacking any semblance of pleasure. David had mentioned in his latest blog post about our urgent need for new engine mounts. Fortunately, we swiftly located a supplier, though the delivery was less than swift.

Batteries and Breakthroughs

On a brighter note, we achieved a significant milestone: the successful installation and commissioning of our new lithium batteries, specifically lithium iron phosphate ones. This task was not without its tedium, necessitating meticulous testing of each battery before installation. The advantages, however, were numerous: significantly reduced size and weight, deeper discharge capabilities, and no daily full charging required. To illustrate, our three former AGM batteries collectively tipped the scales at 210 kg (460 lbs) with a usable capacity of 380 Ah out of 765 Ah. In contrast, our trio of new lithium batteries weighs a mere 66 kg (145 lbs) while offering a usable capacity of 410 Ah out of 510 Ah – a remarkable improvement.

A Humorous Tale with Batteries

We experienced a rather amusing incident involving our batteries. Prior to our summer hiatus, we purchased from fellow sailors, Coy and Kalina, two batteries which they had only used for a few months. However, during our testing phase, one of the batteries exhibited unexpected behaviour. We promptly informed Coy about the issue, and he planned to file a warranty claim with Renogy. As we had not received any updates from him during our stay in Switzerland, we decided to order a new battery. Coincidentally, there was a promotional offer: ‘buy one, get a second at 50% discount’, prompting us to buy two batteries instead of one.

An Abundance of Batteries

Shortly after our purchase, Coy sent us an image of the brand-new replacement battery he received through the warranty claim. This was a pleasant surprise. Further, we later discovered that the ‘faulty’ battery was, in fact, in good working condition. Thus, we unexpectedly found ourselves with a total of five batteries, whereas we initially wanted only two. Fortunately, serendipity played its part when another sailor in the boatyard expressed a need for two lithium batteries. Hence, two of our excess batteries found a new home just a couple of boats away.

Revived and Resplendent

Master painter David, responsible for our deck’s fresh coat, also remedied some paint damage on the freeboard caused by the Travelift’s straps and another mysterious source. The result? Milagros was now gleaming, arguably the most stunning vessel in the vicinity, a sentiment we proudly shared.

Quest for an Outboard Engine

While awaiting engine parts, we ventured to Puerto Peñasco for an outboard motor. In May, we had seized the opportunity to replace our ailing inflatable dinghy with a more robust plastic sailing dinghy. This upgrade offered numerous benefits: lighter weight, no air loss, easier rowing, and sail capability. However, its lightness meant limited stern weight capacity. Our trusty 4 HP four-stroke, weighing nearly 30 kg (60 lbs), was too hefty, prompting the need for a lighter alternative. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a perfect fit in Peñasco: a 13 kg (29 lbs), 3.3 HP two-stroke.

An Unplanned Road Trip

The dilemma was transporting the outboard motor 600 km back to Guaymas. Thus, we decided to retrieve the outboard ourselves. Joined by Pete from SV Swan Song, awaiting his deck’s painting, we embarked on an impromptu road trip, armed with snacks and tunes.

Dodging Potholes

Opting for toll roads to avoid the infamous potholes of the alternative route – rumored to be 5 m (15 ft) wide and 2 m (7 ft) deep – we successfully navigated around the lesser but still treacherous potholes off the toll roads.

A Whirlwind of Activities

David, adept at securing Airbnbs, found us delightful beachside accommodation, which unexpectedly got upgraded to a beachfront house. Though our time to bask in this luxury was limited, given our jam-packed schedule: picking up the outboard, reuniting with old friends, showing Pete around, indulging in the finest Pastor Tacos, and more, all within less than 24 hours.

A Fortuitous Turn

Our afternoon arrival in Puerto Peñasco, followed by the collection of the outboard and check-in, was met with an intriguing proposition by the landlord. Originally planning to return to Guaymas the next morning, his offer to extend our stay for free, due to sparse tourism, was an unexpected boon. This stroke of luck for us, though unfortunate for the locals, was a result of a recently closed border crossing north of Puerto Peñasco.

The Quiet Town

The border guards there had been withdrawn to assist with surging asylum claims from refugees from Central and South America and African countries like Eritrea, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Cameroon. This shift, following the repeal of Trumps ‘Title 42’ in May, reinstated the right to asylum procedures for those setting foot on US soil.

Extended Leisure

With the beach, restaurants, and city almost to ourselves, we decided to indulge in an extra night. After all, there was ‘nothing’ pressing back on Milagros. A quick call extended our car rental, making the extra day possible.

Familiar Faces and Fond Memories

Back at the Cabrales Boatyard, we were greeted by more familiar faces than anticipated. Our encounters spanned numerous sailors, each exchange filled with stories and updates since we left Peñasco in February 2022. The camaraderie and sense of community were palpable, almost overwhelming in its warmth.

A Sense of Home

The boatyard, with its familiar faces, favourite eateries, and overall ambience, evoked a sense of home. In the spirit of being in the shrimp capital, we procured a kilo from our trusted fishmonger, planning a garlic butter feast for dinner, much to Pete’s anticipation.

The Last Gringos

Our day unfolded with moderate culinary delights, the world’s best donuts from Candy Cake, a serene beach stroll, and a visit to the deserted Malécon. The closed border had rendered Puerto Peñasco a ghost town, a situation we found appealing yet bittersweet for the locals. An encounter with a local, who jokingly dubbed us ‘the last gringos’, led to a heartfelt conversation about the prevailing uncertainty. He and his girlfriend, working in a pharmacy and a restaurant, respectively, were directly affected by the downturn. His parting offer of a significant discount on medicines and sunglasses was both generous and telling of the situation.

The Shrimp Fiasco

Our afternoon snack at Pane y Vino, boasting Mexico’s finest Pizza Margherita, preluded our evening plans. Aftera farewell drink on SV Lodos and a visit to SV Liquid we went back to our beach house for the shrimp dinner.

Unfortunately, the shrimps’ odd smell, initially dismissed by the crew, turned out to be a tell-tale sign of spoilage, confirmed by an unpleasant ammonia scent upon cooking. The meal was a bust, but the seagulls reaped the benefits of our misfortune. Thankfully, our earlier snack lessened the disappointment.

A Satisfying Conclusion

Our final day began with a return to the boatyard, heartfelt farewells, and a last indulgence in Candy Cake’s Apple Fritters. Our timely return of the rental car in Guaymas and some yummy pastor tacos marked the end of a memorable and largely successful excursion, a reminder that sometimes, things indeed fall pleasantly into place.

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Der Beitrag The Last Gringos: A Voyage to Beginnings erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

After 9 weeks at the boatyard in temperatures up to 47°C (120°F), we were relieved to be able to travel to Switzerland. I mean, who actually comes up with the foolish idea to end the season with boat work instead of chilling at anchor? It seemed like a good thing to do at the time of the decision, but well. Moreover, the painting work took 9 weeks instead of 6 weeks, which led to a mad rush towards the end.

Dire Forecasts

The icing on the cake – and what made us want to flee – happened when the yard moved Milagros from the work yard to the storage yard. Mario, who normally operates the travelift, had the day off, so the boatyard owner took over this task. It didn’t exactly fill us with confidence when he said he had last done it 2 years ago.

Quick getaway!

And our suspicions were confirmed. As the boat was being lifted, the forward sling slid back about 1ft, scratching the paint of the topsides and the fast stripe down to the primer over an area of 1sqft. Yes, that very topside into which we had put so much work in 2021. In addition to the installation of the new drive shaft, which had not made it to us before our departure, we now had another project on the list for after our return. We just wanted to go home.

We look forward to it

In Switzerland, our families welcomed us with a raclette on the farm. I don’t know if we’ve mentioned it before, but good cheese is rare in Mexico, so we always look forward to Swiss cheese. And we generally look forward to beautiful Switzerland: family, friends, forests, meadows, animals, food, the comfortable life that is structured and holds hardly any surprises. I can turn on the tap in the shower, and I know I’ll always have hot water. I can take the train to Basel, and know that it will be there at exactly 17:38.

Here are some impressions of our stay:

Over too soon

The time in Switzerland flew by. And shortly before our departure, we also said goodbye to my sister Carmen and Iñaki. They travelled back to Panama to their sailboat ‘Anila’. Next spring, they plan to sail from there across the Pacific and spend a year in French Polynesia.

Back again?

We ourselves were somehow not yet ready to return to the boat, to leave the comforts of Switzerland. To switch from planned to unpredictable, from fixed to flexible, to the other life on the sailboat, where I don’t yet know in the morning what the day will bring. We would have liked to stay a bit longer. And we had no desire to deal with the paint damage and the new drive shaft. And we didn’t look forward to the long journey of over 30 hours, which then extended to over 48 hours because our flight from London to Mexico City was cancelled.

All is well

But here we are now, back on Milagros. Everything is fine with her as far as we know. She has survived the 3 months unscathed. She was just a bit dusty. I would now like to say that we immediately threw ourselves into work. But we did not. We took it easy, nudging all the projects along. A lumbago shortly after our arrival forced me to take it easy anyway. We are now in Mexico, where mañana anything is possible. Saludos.

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Der Beitrag Leaving the Heat with Cheese in our Sights erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

The marathon of visiting friends passed as quickly as it came. After Juli packed his things and we said goodbye to him at Mazatlán airport, we returned to Milagros, which layed anchored in the old port of Mazatlán again.

Home alone

Being back on the boat alone again was weird, but nice. For the first time in a long time, we had the whole boat to ourselves. Having all those friends over was great and we’re already looking forward to welcoming folks back aboard Milagros – but now we were been able to stretch our feet again, and immerse ourselves in our little everyday rhythm that we’ve built up on the boat over the years.

Something’s different

One morning, we experienced Mazatlán from a side that we hadn’t seen before. As always, we woke up early in the morning at first sunlight. But this time something was different. It was extremely quiet and only the occasional horn blast from large boats echoed through the area. I had to put my head through the hatch right away and check on the situation.

Cruise ship in the fog

And I was amazed: We were sitting in dense fog. We hardly saw the boats next to us it was so dense and Milagros was covered with thick drops of dew. However, the Mexican sun had already risen and quickly put an end to the spectacle. The fog cleared, revealing an impressive scene. With a deep, loud horn blast, a huge cruise ship pushed through the port entrance and the remaining clouds of fog and past our friends on SV Munday’s Off into Mazatlán harbor.

Back at the Kraken

We also visited the «El Kraken» football stadium again. The local football club had a home game against Monterrey. It was our third visit to the stadium already! We should have gotten a season ticket right away. So, we headed back out to cheer for the purple heroes. Instead of Florian, Tyr and Onno were with us this time around. Before kick-off we made ourselves comfortable in a restaurant near the stadium.

A stroke of luck

The restaurant we chose randomly should turn out to be a stroke of luck. We were received super friendly by the owner, who explained to us that in addition to various barbecued meat, the owners also served their own homemade cheese. Of we ordered a mixed meat platter with the cheese.

Filling our bellies

We were amazed when not just one, but two table grills filled to the brim with pork, chicked and beef seasoned with different BBQ sauces were placed in front of us. Wow! We enjoy the game satisfied and with full bellies where Mazatlán was defeated by Monterrey (as expected). In general, it was more of a Monterrey home game. The stadium was filled with black and white jerseys, and the Monterrey fans were LOUD.

Topolowhat? Topolohow?

Soon it was time to look for a weather window for the onward journey. A larger hop of about 200 nautical miles (370 km) was pending. The next destination was a small port town called “Topolobampo”. That would be yet another tongue twister for our good friend Hürzi, who has contributed a blog post about his visit on Milagros. At that time, he had a hard time pronouncing “Zihuatenejo”. Before leaving, we had to fill our diesel tanks, as we expected to be motoring during night time.

Topping up the diesel tanks in a different way

Getting diesel was a bit more complicated here in the Mazatlán harbor than anywhere else. We had to pack our diesel cans in our dinghy and cruise across the harbor to a dock where taxi boats took day trippers to a secluded beach. There had to be a gas station somewhere over there, Google said. So, we first did an on-site inspection, because here in Mexico you never know if the places that are marked on Google Maps actually exist. And indeed: there was a gas station with diesel, gasoline and even propane gas.

The viking rushes to help

We summarily recruited Tyr, who accompanied us on our drive through the harbor and helped us haul diesel. Under the incredulous eyes of a few dozen Mexicans, we docked our dinghy, got the diesel we needed at the gas station and were promptly given a ride back to the dock by a friendly local. Back on Milagros we filled her belly.

All the better!

Topolobampo is about 200 nautical miles north of Mazatlàn on the mainland of the Sea of Cortez. Unlike the much-visited Baja California Peninsula, only a handful of sailors lose themselves on the mainland because the general consensus is that there isn’t much to see, which is simply not true. All the better for us, so we could explore the area undisturbed. What is true is that on the mainland, the distances between the anchorages and cities that you can visit by sailboat are bigger.

Let’s gooo!

So, to our great joy (not) there were two nightly sails to be done. But you can’t always choose, so we had to bite the bullet. It is important that we have to jump over our own shadow from time to time. Our theory is that all we need to do is experience a few great night shifts for our attitude to change. Let’s do this!

Goodbye Mazatlan!

Unlike our last visit to Mazatlán, Burrito (our engine) started without a murmur and we were soon on our way. We expected southerly and easterly winds and no wind at night for the entire trip. The trip started with great sailing. Bye Mazatlán, it was fun! Vamos Maza!

The weird waters of Mazatlán

Along the way we noticed the same phenomenon as during our crazy crossing from La Paz to Mazatlán with Flo. The sea was choppy, with waves hitting the boat from different angles and at irregular intervals. Milagros’ movements, while weird and unfamiliar, were not uncomfortable. The wind also did what it was supposed to and pushed us towards Topolobampo.

Managing night shifts

We also managed the night shifts well. The moon was shining brightly in the sky, which helped a lot, our surroundings weren’t just pitch black. As expected, we had to cover part of the nightly route under engine, which at the same time always means that the sea calms down. Only having to deal with the noise of burrito, we could sleep without being constantly pushed around.

Sea creatures everywhere

The second day was peppered with great encounters with sea creatures. A humpback whale surfaced right next to the boat to take a breath, sea lions were haning out the waters everywhere and could hardly believe their eyes when they saw Milagros passing by them, dozens of sea turtles were on the move.

We’re too early

Since we wanted to take advantage of a window of good wind, we left Mazatlán a little early. It quickly became clear that we were a little too early to enter the channel to Topolobampo. We had to actively waste time. In the early morning hours of the second night, a light wind picked up. So, I could enjoy beautiful and very slow sailing on my shift while Patricia could snooze. When fog came up, the scenery turned into a dreamland.

Magical, foggy night time sailing

The moon in the sky lit up the whole sea of fog, the sea was smooth as glass and the light wind pushed Milagros very slowly but steadily. We sailed absolutely silently through the fog at a snail’s pace. Nocturnal bird calls, which we normally never hear, rang out from the humid environment. Light rippling on the hull, no noise from the wind blowing around our ears, no creaking and squeaking from the cabin, no rushing of the waves. It was pure magic.

Buying time

Although we only made slow progress during the night, we were still too early. When it was Pati’s turn for her shift, we just decided to drift for a few hours and wait for the first light of day. It was my turn to take a break and I didn’t wake up until we were slowly but surely moving toward the entrance to Topolobampo Bay.

Through the canal to the marina

The small town lies inland in a beautiful bay at the end of a man-made excavated canal. Large container ships and a ferry pass through the sandbar, so the canal is well maintained and buoyed. So, it was easy for us to find the way. The night before we radioed back and forth Tim from SV Coconut, who was also on the way from Mazatlán to Topolobampo right in front of us. He found a place in the marina there, told us that there was free space, and so we spent two nights in the pretty little marina of Topolobampo.

Exploring Topolobampo

As soon as we arrived, we set off to take a closer look at Topolobampo. With almost 6000 inhabitants, it is a tranquil town, but it has a large port where big cargo ships can dock. The houses painted in many different colors are particularly beautiful to look at – they reminded us of our great visit to the mind blowing Iztapalapa district in Mexico City together with Nic and Janine from SV Rua Hatu.

Tacos at Don Gato

After indulging in tacos at Don Gato (which are probably some of the best we’ve ever had), we just walked around town, following our noses. This under the curious gaze of the inhabitants of Topolobampo; apparently not many foreigners stray into the city. Topolobampo is very pretty and definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately, the ugly side of humanity showed itself, too.

Ewwwwww

At the very end of town, a river of sewage pours straight into the waters in front of the town. In general, Mexico, like so many other countries on the planet, has a problem with the treatment of its sewage. In many places, these flow directly into the sea, often completely unfiltered. The kind of mess we are making of the only freaking planet we have leaves us speechless over and over again.

Discovering yet another new to us anchorage

Back on the boat I discovered an anchorage just at the entrance of the canal in our navigation program that looked promising and which we had overlooked in the planning. “Hook’s Anchorage” was its name. What a salty name for an anchorage – of course we had to check it out. Said and done.

Hook’s Anchorage

After two nights in the marina of Topolobampo and far too many days in the filthy but fun old port of Mazatlán, we were finally back in a real anchorage. We made the best of it relaxing, exploring, dinghying into the nearby mangroves and planning for the next leg which would take us to our final destination for the season – back to Guaymas and San Carlos.

Plastic everywhere

But here, too, we were caught up in the grim reality of the state of our environment. The long, beautiful beach was covered in pieces of plastic of all sizes. A particularly large number of the bottles were marked with the famous red caps of a well-known beverage giant. We didn’t let that spoil our mood because we had the whole sandbank to ourselves. So, we enjoyed long walks every day, the peace and quiet and being alone. We just love having anchorages all to ourselves.

Someone wants to move in with us

Apart from us and our floating home, there was only the animal world, which wanted to make Milagros its home. Pati was busy reading in the cockpit, when suddenly our solar panels started making a racket. After an initial startle, she set out to find the source of the riot. The culprits were small birds that seemed to be busy scouting a possible nesting site under our solar panels. They flew in and out and landed on the mounting plates on our railing. We let them have their way because we had to move on anyway, which would not leave enough time for nesting. And they were cute, too, those little guys.

The last crossing of the season

The days passed and soon it was time for the last passage of the season. We wanted to pay a visit to the kingdom of El Mero, where we tackled some projects before being southbound at the very beginning in the winter of 2022. There we had to prepare for the haul out of Milagros. This last crossing of another 185 nautical miles was relatively uneventful with changing wind forces and a few hours of great but uncomfortable sailing in the last part before we finally turned the corner back into the kingdom and anchored there, under the eyes of many old acquaintances and a few new faces.

Preparations for the haul out

Instead of docking at the old El Mero docks, we decided to anchor further out. This enabled us to dismantle our sails and make initial arrangements for getting out of the water. We had big plans. Our choice for the time at the Boatyard was «Gabriel’s Yard», where Iñaki and Carmen did their big refit of Anila. They didn’t leave the best review, to put it nicely. Now we wanted to take a close look at the situation ourselves. Exciting times are ahead!

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Der Beitrag The Comforts of Solitude erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

This time you’ll get to read a blog post from a different writer than usual, as I offered to take over this one. A brief introduction to myself: I am Hürzi, 34 years young, almost always in a good mood and an absolute novice when it comes to sailing. But I am highly motivated to experience new things. Fortunately, I did not embark on this journey alone, but with the professional support of Chrigi. He is also 34 years young, always good-looking and equipped with a sailing license for inland freshwater sailing. We were ready for an adventure at sea.

Where it all began

Years ago, when Pati and Dave told us that they had bought a sailing boat in Mexico and intended to live on it, we were initially amazed. When I asked Dave why, he replied, “There were about 100 reasons against it and about 3 in favor of it. So, the decision was an easy one.” After a brief reflection and, of course, 1-2 beers, we all agreed that it all made absolute sense! The idea to visit them arose relatively quickly. However, it was not until 2023 that it became a reality.

All aboard!

In preparation, we received a packing list from Pati and Dave with many useful but also bizarre items. Decathlon was an excellent point of contact for this. But what on earth were Crocs? After the obligatory Googling, it became clear that we really did need them… (I will explain why later.)

Hello Milagros

Once everything was packed (we did not buy Crocs), flights were booked, pet care was arranged, and our employers were reasonably satisfied with our plans, we were on our way to Mexico to visit Pati and Dave. We arrived at the airport in Puerto Vallarta without any complications, and the two of them greeted us. In no time, we were in La Cruz, a small suburb of Puerto Vallarta, and were able to load our luggage onto the dinghy.

We set off in calm waters in the darkness towards Milagros. Once we arrived on the boat and everything was stowed away, we could familiarize ourselves with the boat, including a crash course on the most important things. After all, a boat’s toilet must be operated correctly. The gentle swaying of the boat was also a bit unusual on the first night, but it became more familiar over the two weeks and gently rocked us to sleep.

Good morning Mexico

We couldn’t miss the first sunrise on the boat, so we unintentionally woke up a bit earlier and witnessed everything around us slowly gaining momentum. Fishermen were heading out to sea, the pelicans and seagulls gliding 3 inches above the water, and the smell of fresh coffee in the boat’s galley. On the first day, we visited a market at the local marina, where everything from the finest Mexican food and vegetables to art paintings and objects was offered. There were also two live bands on site, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Crocs?

On the way back to the boat, waves were already higher than usual, as thermal winds provided a stiff breeze every afternoon. However, Pati managed to maneuver us back to Milagros without getting too wet. But an unexpected wave hit us, and my sneakers were soaked with salty seawater. Pati gave me a sardonic smile and said, “See, that’s why you need Crocs.” (That was Crocs lesson number one.)

The first and only leg of the trip

Having satisfied our cravings for Mexican food and acquiring some souvenirs, we began planning our first leg of the journey. Our final destination, Zihuatanejo (I still can’t pronounce it correctly), was approximately 400 nautical miles away. We planned to reach it in several legs, including some overnight sailing. Our first trip was expected to last about 16 hours. So, we restocked our supplies the next day, and around 3 PM, we hoisted anchor. Prior to our departure, Pati and Dave warned us that we might get seasick. Fortunately, my nausea tablets were safely stored in the sleeping quarters. However, the wind was favorable, and we sailed towards our destination with a pleasant 13-knot breeze and relatively calm waves.

Do we have sea legs?

After about three hours, I had the brilliant idea of fetching my gloves and water bottle from the cabin (my initial preparation was dreadful). This decision caused me to feel unwell, and my complexion turned pale within 20 seconds. Dave quickly noticed and gave me one of his tablets, which took effect just in time. Chrigi remained relaxed throughout the journey and actively participated in sailing. As the temperature dropped after sunset, Pati, with her strong stomach, brought us some warmer clothes from below deck. Just as we were changing, a larger wave hit the boat, and Chrigi’s “nausea-free-since-03” record was ruined. Nevertheless, hats off to Chrigi for bouncing back and being 100% ready for action within minutes. I had never seen anything like it before.

An unpleasant surprise

Even after switching to motor power, the next few hours were peaceful, and the night sky became even more beautiful with stars illuminating it. The light pollution was zero. However, Pati surprised us with the news that the shaft seal was leaking pretty badly. Uh-oh… We had to choose between continuing on without knowing how well-equipped the nearby villages were for repairing the damage or turning around and heading back to La Cruz. We unanimously decided to return to familiar waters and deal with the significant problem. However, since there was no wind, it took about five hours of motoring to return. We were rewarded with rare and stunning green-blue bioluminescence in the water. Chrigi kept a vigilant eye out in the darkness and spotted another vessel to avoid. We returned to our old anchorage around 4 am and deserved some rest and sleep after the obligatory anchor beer.

Damage assessment and boat projects

The next day, we examined the damaged seal more closely and it was clear that it needed to be replaced. Since there were still 2 spare seals readily mounted on the shaft, this was theoretically feasible. However, could it be done with the boat in the water or did the boat need to be taken hauled out? Fortunately, we were not the first to ask this question. And with 2 quotes for hauling out for 15 minutes at $1,000 each, the decision was clear – it should be done in the water. But the preparation for it would take some time.

Small projects here and there

In the following days, we devoted ourselves to various boat projects. Chrigi and Pati decided to install a second bilge pump while they were at it. Dave and I worked on the boat’s electrical system. In case any readers ever have to do this: boat electrical systems do not follow rational physics and like to mislead you by principle. Since we were already so actively implementing several projects, we also changed the oil in the dinghy engine, repaired chipped drawers (fortunately for me with water-soluble glue), and laid a new hose for the bilge pumps through the interior of the boat.

The big moment

The replacement of the shaft seal also went smoothly. First, I sealed the shaft from the outside with toilet bowl wax. Then Pati and Chrigi changed the seal with almost no water ingress. Dave kept an eye on all of us, so that none of us deviated from the plan. After 15 minutes, that was done and we started the rest of the day in good spirits.

Meeting nice people

Our unexpected stay in the same place also had many beautiful sides. Chrigi and I were able to get to know other sailors as well. Hazel and Paul from SV Susimi were the first. The four of us explored the nightlife of La Cruz and found many delights while Paul shared some of his sailing adventures. Of course, a big topic was their upcoming Pacific crossing. Just imagine not having any land around you for about 30 days. Scary stuff. But the two of them were in good spirits.

Settler battles

On another lovely evening, Holly & Saxon from SV Sonrisa II and Brooke from SV Akhlut came over to Milagros for a delicious sushi dinner and stories from the Australian sailing community. After dinner, an intense game of Settlers of Catan ensued. This is never easy against Catan grandmaster Pati and can take several hours and nerves. At this point, cheers to everyone from cold and rainy Switzerland.

Pati’s 27th birthday (again)

During our time on board, we also celebrated Pati’s birthday. In secret, Dave, Chrigi, and I had thought about how we could make Pati happy on that day. Our choice fell on a homemade marble cake, a morning of surfing at the beach, lunchtime beers in the shade at the beach, and a fabulous dinner at a fancy restaurant. The day was a complete success, and Pati showed us boys how to behave as future surfing hopefuls from Aesch.

A wake-up call

Once again, the advantage of Crocs over sneakers became evident on the beach. While I tried not to get half of the beach into my shoes, Pati and Dave marched ahead carefree (Hello… Crocs wake-up call number 2).

Starboard, knots, and what the heck is luffing?

By now, it was clear that I should use the time on board to expand my non-existent knowledge of sailing and boats in general. Pati gave me “Sailing for Dummies” for this purpose. A book written as if it were written for me. With simple words and basics 😀 So I could finally participate a little in these conversations and over time, I understood what the three were talking about when they switched to sailor slang.

On to new, deep shores

With most of the pending projects completed, we wanted to test them out. So, we took some short trips in the huge bay of Puerto Vallarta and got to see some of the wildlife Mexico has to offer. Just 200 meters away from us, four humpback whales were leisurely swimming around. Even though we were only traveling at 4-5 knots, a school of dolphins (including a small baby dolphin) joined us and had fun swimming with our boat for about 20 minutes. Everything seemed to be working well after the repairs. The new seal wasn’t 100% tight, but it was much better and more reassuring than before.

It’s deep

We also decided to anchor in the bay of Yelapa for two nights. Well, in the loosest sense of the word “anchoring”… At our assigned spot in the bay, the depth was indicated as 44 meters (150 ft), about 50 meters away from the shore, which speaks to an extreme gradient. It was crazy compared to the 5–6-meter depth in La Cruz. Our anchor chain was nowhere near long enough for 44 meters. So, we had to grab onto a buoy. Now we really felt the waves from the Pacific, so we decided to set a stern anchor.

The stern anchor is no bueno

However, said stern anchor decided to drag in the middle of the night, triggering the anchor alarm. Pati and Dave put in a spontaneous hour of nightly work. They retrieved the anchor so professionally that Chrigi and I slept through it all. The sight of the stern anchor on board and our boat having turned 180 degrees did cause some surprise for us the next morning. But the next anchoring attempt worked perfectly.

Beautiful Nature

During the two days in Yelapa, we took great walks into nature and the village itself. The path to the waterfall was beautifully winding along the entire valley with a little river flowing in its center. Luckily, I had worn my sneakers…until the first spot where we had to cross the river without a bridge, it was definitely the right decision. While Pati and Dave leisurely strolled through the water in their Crocs, Chrigi and I tried our luck with the large stones in the riverbed.

We managed to cross to the other side with dry feet in a clean Frogger-style. “Harharhar!” Crocs are not a must. This time we won over the Croc-wearers…well, at least for the next 500 meters. Then we had to cross the river again, but without the help of big stones this time. We had to take our shoes off and put them back onto our wet feet. (Mhhh. Maybe Crocs would have been a good idea after all? Crocs wake-up call No.3)

A beautiful hike

We were rewarded with a delightful and refreshing freshwater bath at the waterfall. And on the way back, we even saw wild parrots heading towards the sea. We decided to walk back a little bit in the river. Our feet were already wet anyway. Same scenes as before. The two Croc-wearers walked ahead enjoying nature, while we barefoot people had to be careful not to step on sharp stones, giant spiders, or dead toads. (Heaven, I got it! Crocs would have been very useful for this vacation. It took four Crocs wake-up calls to figure it out).

The day ended with a delicious meal and beer at a restaurant. The sunset that evening left us speechless, and we began to understand why people are drawn here. We also enjoyed the second day exploring the village. We discovered some hidden hotels, small restaurants, and a construction site that was still supplied with donkeys and mules. What a sight in today’s time.

A close call

On our second to last day, we sailed comfortably with 11 knots of true wind back to La Cruz, so there was no rush on our return day for Chrigi and me. Even a humpback whale waved its tail fin cheerfully at us from a distance on the starboard side. Everything seemed to be working wonderfully. However, as we were about to switch to the motor after hauling in the mainsail and the jib just before La Cruz, the motor did not start as usual. When Pati shouted from below deck, “There’s a fire in the engine room,” a little bit of panic set in for each of us. The motor stop button also did not work as intended.

What now?

Since I knew the least about engines, I stayed at the helm and steered us in the direction where we had the most room to maneuver. Pati, Dave, and Chrigi tried various ideas to turn off the motor. With a diesel engine that runs and doesn’t want to shut down, it’s not an easy task. Suddenly, Pati jumped into the cockpit and pressed the motor’s shut-off button again, which luckily had an effect. Silence from below. But what now?

Report on the situation

First, a report on the situation. It quickly became clear that there was no fire, thankfully, but rather some oil had vaporized, causing the smoke. The problem was identified as the starter motor, which was likely stuck when starting and did not disengage after the engine started. This caused the starter motor to heat up and explain the smoke. Additionally, because the starter motor relay prevented simultaneous use of the stop button while it was engaged, we now understood why our first attempt to stop the motor was ineffective. So, we tried again. This time, everything worked smoothly without any smoke, and we headed back to our old anchorage. We definitely deserved a celebratory anchor beer this time.

Until next time

The day of departure had arrived, and it was time to say goodbye. The two weeks had passed by faster than expected. We loaded our practical duffel bags onto the dinghy and headed to the La Cruz marina to enjoy one last fresh seafood meal. We discussed the last few days and exchanged our impressions one more time. Chrigi and I would like to say thank you for allowing us to experience this adventure, even though it didn’t go as planned, it was simply perfect.

Lastly, the two of them ordered us a taxi, and after a proper goodbye hug, Chrigi and I headed back to Switzerland without any major issues. Well, almost problem-free, but that’s another exciting story.

Cheers, Hürzi

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Der Beitrag Adventure on Milagros – A Travel Report erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

A maze of memories

The 41 hours from La Paz to Mazatlán were beautiful, extremely arduous, fascinating, scary, extremely easy, extremely difficult. It was up and down and up and down and up and down. I have noticed that this is what I struggle most with since living on Milagros. The constant changes in mindset, morale and level of happiness and comfort. Nothing is ever constant on a sailboat. Everything can change within short periods of time. A lot of people say that that’s where the beauty of cruising life lies for them. Not for me.

A storm of thoughts

What we have both noticed on our crossing to Mazatlàn is nothing new, really. We still don’t like being underway at night. Once the sun sets and the night covers the boat, we feel like we just have to give up a little too much control. We both feel that way. Sometimes, even in daylight, I have the feeling that I’m constantly pushing the limits of my comfort zone, and this is even more noticeable at night. Even the smallest occurrences or unusual things stress me out and my reaction to them is not always the best. I quickly degenerate into a grumbling bundle of nerves that just thinks everything is shit. Boating sucks, the sea state is horrible, waves are the worst, fuck sailing in particular, all is crap.

Change in mindset

Just as quickly my mindset can change in the other direction. It only has to be a shooting star crossing the sky at night or a fish jumping out of the water during the day and I’m completely zen. And it’s been like this for more than two years now. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. The constant swings can be exhausting. I feel that I’m exhausted a lot. Not physically, but mentally.

Next stop – Isla Isabela

All of us were exhausted after our trip from La Paz, not only me. The fact that I also slit my hand the next morning only helped to a limited extent. But what the heck – show must go on, after all we wanted to arrive in Panama at some point, so we started the passage planning. The next stop was going to be a very special one, one that was highly praised by every single visitor. Isla Isabela.

Yet another nightly passage

Located almost 85 nautical miles southeast of Mazatlán, it is a breeding ground for hundreds of thousands of seabirds. There were hymns of praise for the place from all sailors who have visited. But what was the name of the visit? A passage overnight. Argh. It takes almost 17 hours to reach the island from Mazatlàn. The skippers and crew almost went crazy with anticipation. Not. But we had no choice.

Next stop – not Isla Isabela

While on the phone with my parents I was just about to announce our departure while Pati was checking the oil on Burrito in the engine room. She came back with a sober expression on her face. “We’re not going anywhere” she said. We had oil dilution. What that means is that an unfamiliar substance has found its way into our oil. In most cases, this is diesel or cooling water. Departure cancelled. There are many causes for oil dilution, one of them being a leaking cylinder head gasket, which would involve a lot of time and work. We really hoped it wasn’t the gasket because we wanted moooooove. But the cause was quickly found: we had diesel in our oil, because our BRANDNEW lift pump broke. Now we also knew why the engine didn’t want to start during the crossing. After our ordeal back in Peñasco, at least we knew what we had to do.

Pulling our hair

It was just horrid. After months of our engine purring wonderfully, our confidence in it was back to zero within a few days. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. The pump was quickly bypassed with a piece of diesel hose with a suitable connection that we still had aboard. And with the addition of a small electric diesel pump, we were able to temporarily fix the problem. After an oil change and a 3-hour test run of the engine to see if it worked, we were able to start our journey towards Isla Isabela with a day of delay.

On the way in the dark

The crossing went smoothly. We set out in daylight and a good wind, set the sails and had fantastic weather. The waves were moderate, the wind was steady at around 15 knots. Just like Milagros and we like it. Unfortunately, all the fun was over in the evening and Burrito had to go to work. This time he started up smoothly and moved us through the night to the southeast. The most exciting thing that happened? We moved passed a sailboat that was sitting completely still with its sails set and flapping, and we passed the buoy of a fishing net way too close for comfort. Those kinds of threats are simply invisible in the dark. So much for night time passages and giving up control.

There she is – Isla Isabela

At the crack of dawn and with the first light of day, Isla Isabela National Park appeared. And wow, we weren’t promised too much beforehand. The place is often called «the Galapagos of Mexico». The sky was full of frigatebirds, blue boobies, pelicans and many other bird species. They circled overhead over and around the island in the warm morning light, and their “talks” could be heard loudly from the shore. Unfortunately, we had already seen from afar the many anchor lights that lined the island.

Easy Come Easy Go

It quickly became clear that a stay would not work out. We wanted to make ourselves comfortable on the east end of the island. The closer we got to the island, the more anchor lights from other boats appeared along the shores of the rocky island. At the east end, three boats were already gently rocking over the sandbank that would have been our target anchorage. We still tried to find a spot, tough. However, we didn’t feel 100% comfortable dropping our anchor ultra-close (by our standards at least) next to another vessel in 12 meters of water with no idea of what to expect of the seabed. So, we called off “Operation Visit Isla Isabela”. But not without a little sightseeing tour around the island.

Safety first

In the main bay at the southern end of the island, which is known for its rocky bottom with only small sandbanks, there were a mere 8 boats at anchor. Maybe all the anchors had found sandy bottom, maybe they had found boulders. Who knows? But we didn’t want to anchor there anyway, we’ve heard too many stories of snagged, broken, fouled and lost anchor gear. So, we embarked on a leisurely cruise around the island and are now even more interested in visiting it. Then we turned back to the southeast and thus to the bay of Chacala.

And then I stabbed myself again

And guess what happened on the way there: I stabbed my wrist with a knife. Great, right? I did that when I wanted to kill a fish that we had caught on the way. The big unlucky animal that bit the rubber squid was a beautiful Pacific Crevalle Jack. The other big unlucky animal who now had two holes on the same arm was me. It wasn’t deep or big, but I must have pricked a tendon. Now I couldn’t use my right hand anymore at all and Pati had to make use of the fish. I was so fed up, you cannot even imagine.

Hello Chacala!

Luckily, we arrived in Chacala soon after. A sandy beach, palm trees, beach bars and the good side of sailing life awaited. However, we also had to be prepared for possible uncomfortable nights. In our navigation program sailors wrote of swell, which could roll undisturbed into the bay. So, it was time for yet another first time: We had to make use of our stern anchor. A stern anchor prevents the boat from turning unfavorably in wind and current, possibly putting your boat sideways to incoming waves or getting too close to possible obstacles. With the use of a stern anchor, you can thus move the bow and stern of the boat in the desired direction and prevent the ship from moving around too much. This keeps the ship aligned at the right angle to the waves or keeps it away from dangers in small, sketchy or crowded anchorages.

No problemo!

Said and done. We wrestled our big stern anchor and anchor rode into our dinghy and took the equipment towards the beach. Flo gradually let out line from the stern of Milagros and when we found a suitable position, we dropped the anchor. Everything worked like a charm and soon we were able to enjoy the view comfortably rocking in the cockpit.

Discovering the beauty of Chacala

Chacala is a small village on a beautiful, long, picture-postcard sandy beach lined with many small restaurants. Behind the village, lush greenery borders the hilly landscape. It was very nice to look at and of course we had to see it up close right away. After a quick zoom ashore in our trusted deflatable dinghy we stood barefoot on the beach and sipped on three ice cold margaritas. The next few days we spent with everything that makes life on a sailboat beautiful. Balm for our battered souls.

Finally, greenery!

We were especially looking forward to the vegetation after two years in the desert. So of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to go for a walk in the forests that surround the cute little town of Chacala. We were accompanied by a friendly doggo, which we quickly christened “Schoggi” (which is swiss German for chocolate), because of its brown coat. She accompanied us all the way up into the forest. We were only stopped by the guard at a pompous entrance to a private property. Back on the boat, we met up with friends from all the boats we knew that were also anchored in Chacala, enjoyed tacos made with the fish we had caught, or walked through the village, where, among other things, I was finally able to have the threads of my knife cut removed at the local health center.

Florian gets the full range

Our good friend and crewmate Flo got the full range of highs and lows on a sailboat. The dark clouds had lifted again and we were sitting on a palm-lined beach, sipping alcoholic beverages of all kinds. Where Flo had recently been seasick burying his head in the toilet, he now buried his feet in the sand. Our idea that we could continue from Chacala to La Cruz only met with limited approval from him. He would rather stay in Chacala a little longer. Enough of the sailing adventures for now. Enough of the constant Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.

Flo’s conclusion

This is also Flo’s conclusion of his sailing adventure with us on Milagros. Highlights for him were visiting Chacala, meeting other sailors, experiencing bioluminescence, spotting whales and dolphins and being adventurous with friends. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the technical issues we encountered, the moral lows, seasickness and David’s hand accidents – I would say it was a 360° experience for him with all that entails the cruising life. It’s not just summer, sun, sunshine and champagne sailing.

We continue to La Cruz

The time we had together was short and soon we were getting Flo to the early morning bus that was supposed to take him to the Puerto Vallarta airport. We also packed our belongings, raised both our stern and bow anchor and motored comfortably in the direction of La Cruz. At anchor there we had to prepare the ship again for the next visit of two friends from Switzerland.

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After spending a night in Pichilingue Bay, we sailed the last 10 nautical miles into La Paz. The anchorage in the channel was crowded with boats, and it wasn’t easy to find a suitable spot. Additionally, it was a new moon and low tide, meaning very low water levels. We didn’t want to cross the sandbar to our “regular” anchoring spot as we didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Although the depth was probably enough, we didn’t want to take even the slightest chance to get stuck.

Finally, we found a place to drop the anchor, but soon after we realized that we had anchored right in the middle of the channel. Although we were in good company – other sailboats had anchored in the middle of the channel, too -, we didn’t want to stay there. As it was already evening, we decided to wait and re-anchor the next morning during high tide.

Noisy affair

On the first night, we could hear loud music from shore. It was time for the yearly Carnival in La Paz. We didn’t want to miss out on the festivities and joined the crowd the next day. In the late afternoon, the parade started, which in many ways resembled “Fasnacht” we know from back home in Switzerland but was still quite different. Regional organizations and clubs had decorated trailers with great attention to detail, on which either many costumed people danced, or one or two young women were presented in magnificent dresses and crowns.

The trailers were mostly pulled by pickups with huge speakers installed, blasting Mexican music at ear-splitting volumes. Between the trailers, various dance performances took place. We stood directly opposite a stage where a host commented on all the passing participants. The edge of the parade was lined with amusement stalls and food stands. The atmosphere was especially unique as the sun set over the sailboats which were anchored in the La Paz channel. And this whole vibe made us a little homesick.

Hello civilization

After several weeks of being far from civilization and several months in not-so-nice Guaymas, we enjoyed being in La Paz. The city has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine and culture, and we enjoyed that everything was within walking distance. We also had some preparations to do before sailing south with Flo to unknown waters (to us at least).

Money, money, money

For example, we had our watermaker’s high-pressure pump serviced – luckily by a professional. A stainless-steel spacer between two gaskets that had to come out simply wouldn’t budge. The service technician took the affected unit with him to his workshop but still couldn’t remove it there. The technician then promptly installed the unit of another model on our boat. He also found that the water suction pump was broken. We had suspected this due to its strange noises but had hoped for a miracle or a simple solution. Unfortunately, we had to dig deep into our pockets. The small part cost a whopping $400!!! But without this pump, there would be no homemade water. So, we bit the bullet and paid the price.

Burrito is happy

We also brought Lauro, the diesel mechanic from Puerto Escondido, on board. On one hand, to replace the leaking gasket on the fuel lift pump, and on the other hand, to do a general engine check before the crossing. We went through everything together and also checked the alignment of the engine. His conclusion was: all is good with Burrito! That’s exactly what we wanted to hear. We also used our stay in La Paz to stock up on all kinds of goodies for Milagros (and us) in the many boat accessory stores – oil for the engine, sacrificial anodes, a new and completely overpriced toilet seat, etc.

There’s confusion

On the day of Flo’s arrival, David took a taxi to the airport to pick him up, while I stayed on the boat. Suddenly, I heard Flo’s voice on the VHF, calling Milagros, saying that he was at the dinghy dock. So, I drove to shore to pick him up. On the way, David called me to say that Flo hadn’t shown up yet. It turned out that the two had missed each other at the airport. Oops. We celebrated the reunion with tacos and margaritas, as it should be.

The world is a village

The Swiss sailors Thomas and Anja on SV Robusta were also in town. So, we arranged to meet a few days after our arrival for a few beers – unfortunately without Thomas, who would be absent due to a dental appointment. But we saw Thomas a little earlier than planned, because his dinghy motor broke down on the way to his dentist appointment, and we jumped in as a taxi service. As a thank you, Anja brought us a homemade Swiss bread. Yummyyyyy. We then went ashore for dinner and later, we were joined by Alex, another Swiss sailor who has been sailing solo around the world with his SV No Stress for 6 years. The world is a small place sometimes.

Swiss meeting

As a good weather window for the sail to mainland Mexico approached, we prepared for this crossing at full speed: inspecting the rigging, mounting the inner forestay (which had been sitting in our bilge for almost 2 years), provisioning, cleaning the underwater hull, planning the passage of the 350 nautical miles, and so on. But we didn’t forget to have some fun. We enjoyed not only the vibe of La Paz, but also the sailor life. Alex invited us for a sundowner on his boat No Stress, a 54-foot Amel Super Maramu. This is the same boat that the famous Youtubers from SV Delos have been sailing around the world with for 10 years. It was exciting to see this model with our own eyes. We spent a fun evening speaking Swiss German. 6 Swiss sailors on one boat, that’s rare for us. Unfortunately, no pictures were taken.

Let’s go on the crossing

Then it was time: we started our nearly 3-day crossing to La Cruz, because a nice north wind window with 20-25 knots opened up, which was ideal for the planned downwind course. After a few hours of motoring north and into the wind to get out of La Paz, we were able to hoist the sails and turn east. We sailed on a fairly sporty beam reach with the waves on the side. When it was finally time to turn towards the southeast and thus towards La Cruz, we realized that Milagros didn’t want to go that way.

The mood is decying

The sea was really confused and we just couldn’t stabilize the boat. That meant hand-steering. And as soon as it got dark, Flo got seasick and was out. So, David and I steered by hand, which was really exhausting, but we got into the flow, eventually. When we suddenly got a radio call in the middle of the night with the words, “Milagros, Milagros, what are your intentions? Are you going in front of me or behind me?” we lost our flow. We scanned the horizon and couldn’t see anything, no lights, no boat, no nothing. And we couldn’t see any boat on our AIS screen (Automatic Identification System) either. We asked him what kind of boat he was, and he replied, “I’m a cargo ship.”

Then we found out that the AIS information disappears when we zoom out too far on our screen. Not good. Not good at all. We agreed with the tanker that we would accelerate, and he would pass behind us. After that, we lost our desire for the long crossing. The high waves, strong winds, and uncomfortable course strained our nerves and we became lethargic. For example, when a portion of noodles with tomato sauce spilled, we just left it on the floor. No one wanted to clean it up.

It gets worse

After reconsideration, we changed our destination on a whim and headed for Mazatlán. This shortened the crossing by about a day. Eventually, we got back into the flow somehow. Milagros sailed herself with the wind steering system on a downwind course. We had 6 – 10 ft high waves from behind and surfed them at up to 11 knots (which is about the speed of light). So, sailing became fun again – until about 4 hours before arrival. Suddenly, out of the blue, Milagros changed course in the middle of the night for unknown reasons and gybed, in this case, a Chinese gybe, because we didn’t want to gybe (sail with the stern through the wind). Fortunately, we had mounted a preventer line, which prevented the boom from swinging freely from one side to the other. Immediately, we lost all of our sailing spirit again. What had happened? We still don’t know.

It’s over

But that wasn’t all. When we wanted to start the engine it just wouldn’t start. After the second attempt, I went below deck and tried everything related to diesel supply. I started the electric diesel pump, switched tanks, switched to another filter, and operated the fuel lift pump lever. In combination with David giving a bit of throttle on the third try, the engine finally started. This episode was another blow on the already not very enjoyable crossing. Finally, we had to anchor in the port of Mazatlán at night; our first night anchoring manoeuvre. We radioed the harbour master just before entering at 2 a.m in the middle of the night. He only said, “be careful.” But the harbor was well lit and we quickly dropped anchor. We left everything as is and were just glad to have finally arrived after 41 hours.

Misfortunes seldom come alone

The next morning, we wanted to treat ourselves to an extensive breakfast with pancakes and fruit. Which was when the misfortune happened: David slipped with a knife while cutting a mango and sliced his hand open. It was immediately clear that the wound needed to be stitched. So, Flo and I prepared the dinghy, which was still deflated. David and I then set off to shore. The guard at the dock recommended the Cruz Roja – the Red Cross hospital – and an Uber brought us there within 10 minutes. We were prepared for a long wait and packed pancakes and entertainment material. But David was seen immediately, and his cut was stitched with 5 stitches. It cost 180 pesos – about $9. One hour later we were already back on Milagros.

We need to relax

After these exertions, we longed for a hot shower, so we just booked the cheapest room we could find in Mazatlán. We walked through the old town to the hotel, checked in, showered, left again, and treated ourselves to a fine dinner. In the coming days, we stretched our legs with walks through Mazatlán: up to a viewpoint, through the old town and its alleys, and along impressive cruise ships. In between, we enjoyed the rich culinary offerings, from ice cream to street tacos to local beer. We really liked it there. The only thing that disturbed the idyll were party boats, ferries, and cargo ships that constantly passed by the boat.

If we had known

After five days, it was time to sail on, as Flo had to catch a flight home to Switzerland from Puerto Vallarta, which was 200 nautical miles (approximately 360 km) away, and our next guests, Hürzi and Chrigi from Switzerland, also wanted to board there soon. We planned our journey south so that we could stop at Isla Isabel, a bird breeding ground 20 nautical miles off the coast. Only in mild conditions, the anchorage there was somewhat acceptable. But on the day of departure, Milagros had other plans for us. Yet again. We discovered something that prevented our further journey and potentially delayed it for a longer time…

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After several days of strong, gusty north wind, we were really exhausted. The constant noise, the swaying back and forth at anchor and the night’s unrest left its mark on us. We were tired and just happy when the end of the almost week-long troublemaker was in sight. As quickly as the «Northers» show up and hassle everybody in their way, they disappear again. All of a sudden, calmness returned. And as almost always, we had to devote ourselves to one very important object on the project list. Our mast. What was an impossibility in 30 knots of sustained winds, now we could finally tackle.

A Quick Review

As we found out at Cabrales Boatyard, our mast is a banana. The rear mast support (the so-called backstay) on Milagros had been much too short for years or even decades. This pulled the mast backwards too much. Our mast is made of thin, lightweight aluminum, which has resulted in some backwards warping. We carefully examined the whole situation at the boatyard and came to the conclusion that we can correct the deflection with the new rigging, which we did as best we could. Still, we weren’t satisfied as photos of Milagros taken by SV Swan Song’s Pete and Shinyi still showed the bend. After a bit of brainstorming via Whatsapp with Marga (we love you so much for all your help) we decided that the mast had to be corrected again in its position, which required a lot of work.

Important work on the mast

First, we had to loosen all the mast supports, which was the main reason why the wind had to drop first. With two lines we extended a sling that we wrapped around the mast. This allowed us to use the winches to crank the mast back and reposition the rubber wedges that hold the mast in place through the deck. After that we had to readjust the rigging. What sounds short and painless took a whole day. The fact that, contrary to expectations, the wind picked up again in the middle of the project only helped to a limited extent. But in the end, we were very happy with the result. We have lost all reservations about working on even the most crucial parts of Milagros, which is so, so incredibly important.

One hop further

We weighed anchor early the next morning. It was time to move further south. Our friend Florian was counting the days and hours at home in Switzerland, because it wasn’t long before he came over for a two-week visit. He reported regularly how much he looked forward to his time with us. Us too dude, us too! We were on a tight schedule because we had to be in La Paz at the end of February for his arrival. The sun barely showed an orange shimmer on the horizon before we were on our way again and set out to sea. The almost 6 hours passed in no time, a nice little Bonito for Tacos included, and when suddenly a westerly wind blew across the sea from the mountains of the Baja, which made for an hour of two of great sailing. We were happy and enjoying ourselves.

Finally north wind again! Not.

We continued with our plan to visit anchorages we had never been to on our (probably) final trip in the Sea of Cortez. Our destination San Marcial was such an anchorage. The cove offered protection to the north. Wonder why? Well, guess why. A few days of north wind were coming! Haha! Great! Finally, a Norther again! We couldn’t wait. F****** hell. At least, the forecasts only showed moderate winds compared to the monster that had just passed.

Bahía San Marcial

As we rounded the corner into the bay, our little sailor hearts beat a little faster. Not a single other boat far and wide! That’s how we like it! Anchorages are always at their best when we have them to ourselves. Just us, Milagros and the nature around us. And wow, Marcial was a great stop. The hills around the anchor bay shone in all the colors the Sea of Cortez has to offer. Earthy brown tones fading into reddish copper, plus the rain from the hurricane had caused grass to sprout, which has now dried out in a light yellow over the entire impressing scenery.

Quickly ashore!

Our time in San Marcial was spent going ashore, flying the drone for pictures, fishing and just plainly enjoying. For example, we followed an old river bed that led inland through the flora and fauna of the desert. During these excursions we notice again and again that the desert may appear dead and lifeless, but it is a complex habitat for countless animal and plant species. Birds sounded the alarm in the bushes and announced our appearance, various lizards sat on stones and warmed themselves, brown heaps or small balls on the ground indicated the existence of wild mules and goats.

Another small weather window to move on

Of course, our old, unwanted acquaintance joined the whole pleasure and holiday feeling – the cold northerly wind. This time, however, it didn’t blow so mercilessly and couldn’t spoil the beautiful San Marcial anchorage for us, because it only kept us company for two days. So, we were soon able to prepare Milagros again for the onward journey. Back towards Isla San Francisco we went. But this time we would only pass the island close by and hunker down at the very southern end of Isla San José. A large bank with a small mangrove forest awaited us. Well protected against the NORTH! Because of the NORTH WIND, which would annoy the entire Sea of Cortez again shortly after our arrival at the new spot.

Sheltered by the mangroves

Very early in the morning we set off on a long, 10-hour trip from San Marcial for a stretch which unfortunately we could only cover motoring. The wind was too weak or non-existent. We chugged along, enjoying the view and looking out for dolphins or whales. Not much to report on that front. Burrito purred along in his engine room and we sat on deck, taking in the scenery. Who knows if we’ll get lost in the Sea of Cortez again. Who knows, maybe we will. Nothing is for certain. What is certain is that this place will forever hold a very special place in our hearts.

Bahia Amortajada

When we arrived at our new anchorage “Bahia Amortajada” we first had an anchor beer. We anchored 5 meters deep, but the water was so clear it was almost a little scary to look down the side of the boat. Only the big “5” on the screen in the cockpit confirmed that everything was fine. SV Grace was also anchored in the same bay. Of course, we recognized their backside immediately. The boat’s backside that is. Yet another sister boat of Milagros! “Grace” is actually a Formosa 46, basically the same boat as Milagros, just different. Makes sense? Yeah, we know. So, we met Joseph and Louisa to inspect each other’s boats. Always a very interesting pasttime!

Lush greenery on shore

The fact that the shore was made of greenery as far as the eye could see was a novelty for us. Of course, we had to go and explore. As the tide was low, we were unfortunately unable to take the dinghy into the mangroves. So, our dinghy tour turned into a short walk. Mangroves form an extremely important ecosystem wherever they grow. Mangrove forests and mangrove swamps are mainly found in tropical coastal areas. Comprising a total of almost 70 species of trees and shrubs, they have adapted to brackish salt water in which they stand with their root systems. They are an important habitat for specialized animal and plant species and a nursery for numerous organisms and animals. Unfortunately, like many other habitats, mangrove forests are threatened by rising sea levels, pollution, drainage, fishing and other human encroachment. Brave new world.

Florian, here we come!

At each new anchorage on our way towards La Paz, we informed Florian, who was counting the days in Switzerland, about our progress. After two nights in the mangroves of Amortajada, we hoisted the sails in a stiff leftover northerly breeze and set off towards Isla Espiritu Santo. We have already visited many anchorages on this paradise island, so we had to add another stop in a new anchorage as planned. But first we had to get there, and the road to get there was rocky.

Until it hurts

The way to Isla Espiritu Santo turned out to be a tough one. We were able to sail along nicely, but at the same time the notorious Sea of Cortez swell built up – small, steep waves at an unusually short distance. This made the movements of Milagros quite uncomfortable, after almost 6 hours of rodeo my already damaged back started complaining. My back is much, much better now, but the being pushed around for hours was still a little too much for my herniated disc. We were happy when we finally arrived in the new bay called «Ensenada Grande». It consists of three smaller bays, each of which extends in a different direction. There was still space for us in the middle lobe.

Isla Espiritu Santo – one for your bucket list

Entire books could and should be written about Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida. A stone’s throw by boat from La Paz, its entire east side can only be described as: anchorage after anchorage after anchorage after anchorage. One could spend days and weeks just on this one island. One corner is more beautiful than the other. The proximity to La Paz also means that hundreds of excursion boats visit the island every day and tourists populate the beaches. But that doesn’t detract from the beauty, because in general a lot of consideration is given to the island. The largest bay at the very southwest end of the island has now even been completely closed to visitors and anchored boats.

Edgar – Lord of the Kayaks

We found out that a few hiking trails were marked in Ensenada Grande, which we wanted to explore after a little rest. We inflated and our kayak, paddled into one bay after the other and found an old creek bed in the southernmost corner through which one could climb up to the hilltops of the island. On the beach we also made the acquaintance of Edgar, who was in the process of setting up a small camp. A storage tent, a small off-site toilet and about 10 kayaks were lined up on the beach. Edgar is a cook for a kayak tour operator and has already prepared everything for the guests’ arrival the next day. We arranged to meet him for a cold beer after our walk, because we didn’t have any more on Milagros. An emergency situation!

Hiking up the barren island hills

Our little excursion was not a walk in the park. The way up the river bed was rocky. The further we penetrated into the interior of Isla Espiritu Santo, the steeper the creek bed became, until finally we were just climbing. Over millions of years, large boulders had accumulated left and right from the top of the valley, which we had to climb up. Stone by stone, step by step. Until we got to the top. And the climbing was worth it. The view was crazy impressive.

Isla Espiritu Santo from the other side

The east side of the island is completely different from the west side. Instead of bays for anchoring, there are steep cliffs that plunge vertically down into the sea. Not great for anchoring but great on the eye. It doesn’t get much more dramatic than that. So, we just sat and enjoyed the view before heading back down. After half an hour on the way back, a classic “David” happened to me. I was able to tackle back up the steep terrain again because my sunglasses got lost on the way. Cursing, I climbed up the stones again, because I knew exactly where I had lost them. When I found the sunglasses, I climbed down the path cursing a little less.

Conversations the Mexican way

Arrived at the beach we enjoyed a few cold Pacificos with Edgar and talked about God and the world. We really enjoy such conversations with the Mexicans, we never learn more about the country and its customs. And our Spanish stays in tip-top shape. We’re still far from fluent, but nothing stands in the way of conversations with the locals. And every time we put a smile on the Mexicans’ faces and we regularly get compliments. See, can’t be that bad.

Trouble anchoring – for the first time

The next morning, we continued our journey back to La Paz. After a short trip along the island, we wanted to anchor in the Ensenada La Gallina. Wanted. Our anchor just did not want to hold. For the first time. We tried three times and then we gave up. It felt like we were trying to bury the anchor in concrete. It just scraped along the bottom, I even had to reluctantly jump in the cold water because we wanted to know what the problem was. However, the visibility in the water was so bad that in the end we simply decided to head straight to La Paz.

A sporty ride to La Paz

We had already come to terms with the fact that we had to motor the entire way, when a strong easterly wind came funneling through the Canal de San Lorenzo. With the wind 90 degrees off the side, Milagros activated monster mode and we blasted through at 7 knots to Bahia Pichilingue, our destination. Another new tick on the “bays we’ve never been to”-list. We anchored in a busy bay, as is often the case near the big(ger) cities. Lots of boats both big and small, lots of people on the beach, loud music on the beach and a few restaurants. We went to the latter immediately upon arrival and enjoyed the sunset with a beer and absolutely mediocre food. We had done it again. We were back in La Paz. Time to prepare for our passage to the mainland of Mexico. If only we had known what was lurking on the horizon…

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Der Beitrag Our Farewell Tour erschien zuerst auf Milagros.