Island Hopping ... Night Watch to Mazatlan

We venture out of La Paz harbor on a short run to Puerto Ballanda again. This limited venture is to get the kids, big and small, younger and older, settled into cruising. The bay has white sand beaches and millions of sand crabs. Next to Isla Espiritu Santos but the engine stops; we unfurl the Genoa and make six knots going north while Captain Steve bleeds the diesel lines. Rocky bottoms at Puerto Ballanda make the anchor hold uncertain; a close in anchorage off the cliffs at Puerto Ballena is no better this time but the drag is out to sea and safe waters.

Ensenada Grande, Isla Partida has the perfect sand hold and protection for the night. The waters are warm for swimming; the beaches include trails into the mountains. Captain Steve, Billy and I start a hike to survey the trail and critters ... too many critters and snakes to venture far from the beach.

We haul anchor and head for the sea lions on the north end of Partida. Tour boats full of snorklers visit the noisy inhabitants.  Some of the young, tough sea lions shout us away from their neighborhood. We turn east across the top of Partida and down the east side of Isla Espiritu Santos, destination Mazatlan.

As we head out through the Canal Cerralvo between Baja California del Sur and Isla Cerralvo, the wind freshens for a close reach to Mazatlan. The sun has long set; the sliver of moon is setting quickly for a dark night. On the horizon to the south is the glow of Cabo San Lucas a distance of about 80 miles; Squid Roe should be livening up about now. Orion’s belt rises in the east to guide us to Mazatlan (just in case the GPS fails). The stars on the horizon are muted and fuzzy with the moisture and particulates in the air. Above Seahorse V the sky is bright with high power stars, the milky way and constellations lighting the cosmos. A large high pressure zone sits off the coast of Baja in the Pacific; the low has passed to the eastern US. There will be pleasant weather and calm seas; unfortunately, good weather brings little wind.

The calm seas are best for Tina and the children; a nice passive sea. Steve and I are willing to cross whatever the weather is; Seahorse V likes big wind and high waves; the rest of the crew does not. Three hour watches; Betty and Tyler together; next is Steve; I get the middle of the night. This is the quiet time of the passage. Look out for traffic …. none ...?? ... then the Baja Ferry slides up to look us over; check the sails … very little wind and DDW (dead down wind); Orion’s belt reaches to the top of the mast with the passage of the watch. Then to sleep; Mazatlan is still two days away.