Bahia de Tortugas Where The Dock Goes On A Walkabout

You are only as beautiful as your last action.

Stephen Richards 

Pantheon (cemetery)

Turtle Bay, so called because of its shape is a good rest area ½ way along the Pacific Coast of Baja California. Imagine living at the end of a 135 mile, not so well maintained, dirt road from any major town, dirt road so rough some people wait for low tide to drive on the beaches rather than using the road when possible. At least the ocean waves smooth out the beach/access more than once a day…

Bahia de Tortugas – Near Hit in The Dark!

What you see in yourself is what you see in the world.

Afghan Proverb

Dolphins to starboard...

Left San Quintin around 11:20am when the winds finally picked up. We were able to leave anchor without motoring.

Bahia San Quintin, A Whale of a Back Scratch

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows will fall behind you.

New Zealand Proverb 

Various old volcanoes (Isla San Martin, Ceniza, Monte Mazo, etc) around the estuary in north of the bay we were anchored in.  Quite the desert landscape – raw and unadorned.

This finally feels like traveling rather than preparing, now that we have completed the immigration and customs paperwork.

Oh The Universe Has a Great Sense of Humor (random tidbits)

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

By the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.

 Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain 

Always a surprise around the corner

A marina in San Diego where we are docked for a night doesn’t have hot water when it is time for us to take a shower; we are offered a nice hotel room to take one. What a nice gesture!

Ensenada Mexico – A New Country!

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

Anonymous 

That great big flag so the 'gringos' can find their way.

We arrived late on the 16th. We tried on several occasions to hail Cruiseport Village Marina with no luck. Sailing vessel Reunion ahead of us also was without luck in reaching them so we both ended up at Baja Naval (VHF 77 once in port) instead. Prairie Rose had seen us come into port and suggested we tried them on that channel. I love that people in the sailing community are so helpful to one another.

Anchoring (usually free) and What It Can Mean

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel 

Is to be able to experience everyday things 

As if for the first time, to be in a position 

In which almost nothing is so familiar 

It is taken for granted.

Bill Bryson 

Sabot dinghy racing

Free anchoring and what it can mean – Part I

It means it is not really your own area (like when you pay for a dock or mooring) – it is usually a public area and used by many recreationists: paddlers, swimmers, sailing classes, fishermen, etc

San Diego Bay – Somewhat Frazzled Nerves Thanks to President’s Visit

The possession of knowledge does not kill 

The sense of wonder and mystery.

There is always more mystery.

Anais Nin 

Oh the submarine... 

Not much wind but we manage to sail to San Diego Bay. By the time we get near Point Loma however the quietness of the trip comes to an end. Helicopters hover over us from many directions, guns pointed and ready, we are also checked by US Navy boats and Coastguard. We suddenly feel like intruders in our own land.

Mission Bay and Another Kind Gesture From a Stranger

The real question is not whether life exists after death.

The real question is whether you are alive before death.

Osho 

Down the hatch... hairy meets hairier

We enjoyed a very decent sail with winds upwards of 12 knots. 31.7 nautical miles in 7.4 hours, cool and sunny. Arrived at sun down, just in time to find a good anchorage in Mariner’s Basin, Mission Bay. We are surrounded by about 50 other boats – busier place than expected but quiet.

Tylar Goes Up Déjàlà’s Mast (from before we left Long Beach)

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.

George Halas

 

Tylar up the mast

Angela’s daughter, Tylar, said she would love to go up our mast after watching Mike up there while he was installing the lazy jack. Angela, like most mothers, did not want Tylar to do it. After a little convincing, Tylar was allowed up the following weekend (weather permitting).

To Oceanside Riding Uncomfortable Entrance Waves

Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember,

And remember more than I have seen.

Benjamin Disraeli 

Mike and Nikki kayaking back to the boat

Depending on winds we are heading to Oceanside or San Diego. Since the winds were so light again we ended up in Oceanside. I noticed a small rip in the jib at the spreader area beginning to show so we took time to fix that while docked.

First Anchorage of the Trip

From a distance there is harmony.

Nancy Griffith 

Pilgrim brig and Déjàlà

We are still in Dana Point waiting for the weather to be our ally on our way to San Diego. The weather report is calling for another storm to come through on Sunday, so the choice was a quick day sail to Oceanside, spend the night and next day waiting out the storm, or just stay put in Dana Point and make a nice sail to San Diego on Monday.

Dana Point and Learning How to Ask…

When you travel, remember that a foreign country 

Is not designed to make you comfortable.

It is designed to make its own people comfortable.

Clifton Fadiman 

Phone booth by Banksy

Since we cancelled our cell phones it was hard to call the Dana Point Marina office after hours. Mike walked around for a while, found a pay phone, and lost 3 quarters trying to dial out unsuccessfully.

How Catalina Became Dana Point

We must go and see for ourselves.

Jacques Cousteau 

No wind

Unfortunately, weather alerts were continually being broadcasted for all night gale winds on the eastern side of the Catalina Islands that we decided to head directly to San Diego.

Leaving Long Beach

Wandering reestablishes the original harmony which

Once existed between man and the universe.

Anatole France 

Two future shellbacks - Which we became April 2014

Met our target departure date and just left the Long Beach Marina office to turn in keys, fobs, and parking passes, experiencing one last time the slow pace of dealing with Long Beach bureaucracy.