Sierras Baja adventure 2020

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:32 pm Post subject:

Daybreak, you may recall earlier this last year we offered to lead a group down and help organize paperwork as Dana has been doing it for our sailboat and Tug since 2011, no takers then, it would have been so much fun to be here with some other c-brats, we are up on the deck overlooking the marina in warm tropic breezes, just ordered a great 25$ dinner for 2 and listening to a GREAT Spanish guitarist playing live! We are willing to organize a trip down next year if we don't change up our MO and go back to Dana's old stomping grounds in the Florida Keys. I drove down in the early 70s to La Paz...the roads are much better now!
Adios amigos!

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:29 pm Post subject:

I am following your adventure too with great interest! Fascination, really.

I'll keep watching the pictures Thanks! Wonderful scenery.

Peter & Judy · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:48 pm Post subject:

I'm enjoying your story so far and I am looking forward to more. This trip is on my bucket list someday when I want to escape the great white north. Right now I am enjoying the skiing too much to leave, but the -44 F we had earlier in the month had me dreaming of sand instead of snow. We have been in La Paz before, but we really liked it in Todos Santos on the Pacific side. Catch a bus there for a few days if you have the chance. You will enjoy it.

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:27 pm Post subject:

Peter, I have friends that have built a house in Todos Santos, surfer of course, and my Dad built a house in San Jose del Cabo back in the day so I have been through Todo Santos a few times, yes it is a great town and cooler in the summer months than the Sea side.
Alain, another c-brat does the easier drive down to San Carlos on the mainland from Arizona then he does the 80 mile crossing to Baja, he comes down earlier in the fall when it is calmer with less chance of a norther, later as we found with our (slow) Ranger Tug if you hit January northers it can be hard to get a long safe weather window. There are a lot of safe Anchorages on this side but the Sea can whip up to 6-7 feet at 6 seconds and even big boats avoid those northers. Kind of like I have heard the great lakes conditions can get, it took us a year or two to get a good feel for the weather conditions down here. In the past, northers 20-30 knots for a few days averaged 10 days a month in early winter, they are not as cold as Florida northers according to Dana who lived in the keys and captained their charter boat there. That is why we will be in La Paz until March and this area will be into the 80s most days.

Adios amigos!

hardee · Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:18 am Post subject:

Micah, great to hear of the improved marina and roads. You are keeping my interest up, and I am less liking the cold and damp. Sorry you didn't get any tajers this year. Keep up the great reporting and you may not be alone next season.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 6:45 pm Post subject:

Dana just had a meeting with Javier the harbor master about a possible future c-brat group coming down here, he was very excited about the prospect and willing to accommodate us and give us all a group rate. There are a lot of great, beautiful anchorages north and south within 50 miles and on down 120 miles to the large city of La Paz. Loreto nearby is a great town and used to a lot of gringo ex-pats, no promises but we are definitely thinking about a group trip if anyone is actually interested. This is a gated marina with a 24 7 gate guard plenty of room for trucks and trailer storage. The docks also have a 24-7 guard/helper on duty. Daily temps are running mid to high 70s high 50s at night, this is the coldest month. This is a full service marina with every modern convenience.

Adios Amigos

cmetzenberg · Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:51 pm Post subject:

Sounds so cool. Maybe one day i'll have the time.

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:19 pm Post subject:

Conrad you only live once as the Roman's said "tempis fugit"

localboy · Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 1:40 pm Post subject:

1 year, 11 months, 0 days, 13 hours, 18 minutes, 49 seconds until retirement...

...not that I'm counting. Laughing

hardee · Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:29 pm Post subject:

clayhubler · Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 10:28 pm Post subject:

This sounds like an awesome trip. We are thinking seriously about joining you next year, if you return. Unfortunately it would likely be for only a week or so as we have kids in school.
I have read that the sea of cortez harbors a lot of whales this time of the year, have you seen many? The wife and kids really like the wildlife (and myself, of course). This could be a selling point I could exploit...

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 1:06 pm Post subject:

From the border it is about 3 days drive at 6-7 hours a day, that is 6 just up and back. Speeds between 40 and 60, as some sections of the roads are very narrow. Once you are here you may have to wait for a calm day which are usually 2 out of 3, whales are around but unpredictable lots of cool birds and dolphins almost always. I think for any C-brats that want to come down, they by no means need to do our trip going on down to La Paz, there are many beautiful anchorages with empty beaches within an hour of Puerto Escondido for overnights or day trips, in fact there is a huge 5 star resort and golf course in the bay 10 miles south. Loreto is a beautiful town on the water just north with fun shopping stalls and restaurants, back up in the mountains behind us one of the very first Spanish missions, (San Javier) part of the chain that extended up into northern California. It is still a fully functioning church and is built from native stone and is a sight to behold. So there is lots to see and do here on and off the water, in order to have a relaxed enjoyable trip I think it would take a month.....

alainP · Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 12:15 pm Post subject:

Ola Micah!
Good to see you made it safely to PE!
Looks like you have three days of great weather starting tomorrow..
Alain

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 6:14 pm Post subject:

Alain, we are heading out tomorrow morning, we hope too at least Everisto and hope to be at Marina De La Paz by Monday or Tuesday, as that looks to be our weather window according to Pasage Weather, Sail Flow and Predict Wind. We have a confirmed deposit on a slip, so hopefully it will work out. We haven't gotten a reply in the last couple days from them, if possible, could you do us a favor if you are near the office and ask them to expect Sierra? Thanks. Dana and I are really looking forward to meeting you and seeing your boat.
I hope this is not off topic for the group, this time of year the weather is variable and a good 2 1/2 day window to cover about 120 miles is not to be missed.

Adios amigo

thataway · Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:31 pm Post subject:

Just ran thru the photos in your album--great photos, capturing the feel all along the way. Wow, that new marina--nothing like what I had seen up there.
I didn't realize the Westward came to Baja--we had seen her a number of times in the PNW and in AK...Absolutely amazing is that Westward is going to be 100 years old in 2024, and the original engine, like a watch, is still running strong!

Have a great passage S. To La Paz.