We’re on the Run, Robbie’s Got Our Gun and Right About Now It’s Time to Have Some Fun

For those of you in the know, that is a play on some lyrics from one of my favorite Beastie Boys songs…for those of you not in the know (family)….No we are not running from the policia, no we do not have a weapon on board…but we are about to have a boat load of fun. I mean, we have been having a blast, but we have officially arrived in the Sea of Cortez…land of short day trips, warm clear water, cheap beers, cheap tacos and the infamous Shack burger in La Paz (or La Paused as cruisers call it).

This is our 6 month update. It was supposed to be sent out on November 11th via SSB radio update…but as it often happens in cruising…fun happened and it was delayed. So here it goes. We left Seattle on a sunny cool morning on May 11th 2013 to join some friends for one last raft up. From there we started north…and then went south:-) We have traveled about 2700 miles (we lost track), we have increased the air temp. by 40 degrees, the water temp. by 30 degrees, the sun has officially been found and California has been conquered. We have traded fuzzy sea otters for angry looking birds and beautiful fish. No longer are we catching Ling Cod and rock fish, but we have caught 3 big eye tuna and almost snagged a Dorado. The crab traps and down riggers have been traded for spear guns and Hawaiian slings and the sun screen has been dug out and is being applied liberally (that’s for you mom).

We officially arrived in Mexico on October 22nd to be hauled out in Baja Naval Boat Yard in Ensenada for some work, as mentioned in the previous post. It was cool, rainy and felt pretty much like America with street tacos. As we started heading south it got warmer, the water temperature rose…but once we rounded the tip of the Baja Peninsula was when we found our Mexico. The Mexico you dreamed about while working endlessly on boat projects and while curled up freezing your ass off in bed in the Broughton’s. This is when it all begins…until you move on to the next location with even more awesomeness…that is the life of a cruiser. We are currently in Bahia de Los Muertos pirating some wifi from the beach bar…where they pirated us of our money for expensive, but delicious cervesas and nachos. We will be moving on tonight and will be in La Paz in a few days to meet and greet that Shack burger we have been dreaming of since we were down here 2 years ago with s/v Deep Playa.

We have been traveling with s/v Loukia (the couple mentioned in the famous dinghy flipping of 2013). We officially met them in Fife inlet way up in Canada when they saw us sailing off in the distance. They hailed us via VHF radio and said they were heading south as well. We never ran into them after that until we randomly saw them at anchor in San Francisco. We hooked up again in San Diego and have been traveling pretty much together since. They have a West Sail 32 and a dog named Boaty who is frequently threatened with being left on the beach to fend for himself with the Mexican beach dogs (usually after he jumps out of the dinghy and causes it to flip). There are numerous boats down here from the Pacific Northwest. 2 of them were from our dock in Shilshole. We are looking forward to more adventures with new friends and old. Here are a few pictures of our trip down the coast.

The small dusty town of Bahia Tortuga, 288 miles from Ensenada…this place is like 150 miles on a dirt road from Highway 1 (the main route down the Baja).

Beautiful Bahia Santa Maria, 248 miles from Bahia Tortuga. The 2nd stop on the way down the Peninsula. This bay is basically uninhabited accept for a few fish camps. We stayed here 5 days because it was so cool. Hiking, surfing, spear fishing and swimming were all achieved.

Fish Camps up in the mangrove lagoon in Bahia Santa Maria. You had to go over 2 sets of surf to get in here with the dinghy…we were successful…I hear s/v Bella Star was not when they came through 2 years ago;-)

S/v Loukia…Westsail 32 sailing wing on wing toward Cabo San Lucas…this was the only time they were in front of us…trust me.

From left: Boaty the barky terrier, Joanne, Brad and CB. This was on Joanne’s unknown #’d anniversary of her 29th birthday.