Puerto Balandra - the New Hurricane Paul Improved Version

I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless,

As it extends into the world around us,

It goes an equal distance into the world within.

Lillian Smith 

Anchored near a new entrance to the mangrove area

I had one wish on the way back South and it was to, hopefully, anchor in new places along the way, bypassing anchorages we had seen before. Well - - - what one wants and what one gets are sometimes different things. With the winds and waves as they were (or not, as the case may be) and the closeness to hurricane Paul possibly heading our way, we decided to tuck in a known anchorage that we knew was well protected.

Back to Santa Rosalia – Sadly a Little Less Alive

If you seek authenticity for authenticity's sake

You are no longer authentic.

Jean Paul Sartre 

Beautiful sunset over Santa Rosalia marina jetty

We had joked with Julio on Rocio Del Mar, the dive boat that we ran into in San Jose Del Cabo around Christmas time and then saw again in Puerto Peñasco (where it was built), that we would meet them again on our way south since we were leaving ½ day ahead of them. We didn’t really believe it would happen but it did.

Ensenada El Pescador – Up Close and Personal with Pelicans

If you think adventure is dangerous,

Try routine; it's lethal.

Paulo Coelho

Mike's first time kayaking near an island covered with pelicans

We had one small adventure during our two-day sail, a female gull kept landing at the top of our mast with two males in pursuit and they would at times fight, endangering the delicate and very expensive equipment we have up there. We tried everything to get rid of her but couldn’t so Mike ended up climbing the mast, at dusk, while under sail. 

Leaving Puerto Peñasco for Ensenada El Pescador

The only mystery in life is why the 

Kamikaze pilots wore helmets.

Al McGuire 

The life of a happy dog

At last, we made it out of PTO PCO (that’s the short name form locally registered boats have painted on their hull) after 24 days. We spent much longer than intended (sounds familiar doesn’t it?) and our fond memories of this area are of the PEOPLE we met.