Just another Sunset!

We continued on to Isla Carmen, an island that is 20 miles in length with numerous beautiful anchorages. We spent the week in Puerto Ballandra fishing, hiking and much swimming. Ken and I hiked the valley that goes through the island to the anchorage at Bahia Salinas. We didn’t make it the whole way. Bahia Salinas is an abandoned salt mining operation. This island has quite a bit of wildlife. We saw many tracks of various different animals. A few snake skeletons. Better than the life version.
We also met up with fellow cruisers Normandy and Michael aboard Sea Venture. We have played many games of Mexican Train and have shared many meals together. The people you meet are a big part of this life style, some will be friends passing by others will be long time acquaintances.
We reprovisioned in Lorreto and headed further north to Isla Coronados (6nm). Wow! It has beautiful white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and warm water. The island has a distinctive volcanic cone rising to a height of 928 feet. There are trails leading up to the cone if one so wishes. I sure wishes NOT.
Caleta San Juanico would be our next stop in the bay of La Ramada. I have several cruising guides for this area. The guide by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer intrigued me. They talk about Apache Tears and I had to check it out for myself. Ken and I took the dinghy to shore and followed the dirt road up, up, up the hill. I know I am out of shape. More swimming for exercise needed.
The road had dots of black and brown obsidian stones. I will re write what the authors had to say. Apache Tears are smooth, glossy stones of natural volcanic glass known as obsidian. Obsidian comes from lava flows that were cooled so rapidly, crystals did not have the chance to form.
The legend of the Apache Tears began back in the 1870’s when the US cavalry fought against the Apache in Arizona. The Apache warriors refused to be held captive and leapt to their death from atop the face of a cliff. The families of the warriors wept greatly for their loss and with each tear shed, it turned to stone. It is believed that anyone who carries an Apache Tear will never have to weep again, for the families of the Apache warriors have wept in place of your sorrow.
The geology of this area is truly unique. The granite stone has fossils that remind me of the quarries that my Aunt and I would visit to look at fossils in Ont. There the rock formations were part of the Great Canadian Shield. Sandstone, continually being evolved, some with caves made by the constant wave and wind action. Black and red lava rock everywhere. Unfortunately this would also be the place we encountered our first jellyfish sting. Nothing vinegar won’t cure.
Bahia Conception will now be our home for the next week or so. It is a 25 mile long bay with awesome beaches. The water temperature here is 89F.

I was born on Wolfe Island, Ontario, the largest island of the 1000 islands. It is an area equal in size to Montreal.
Ken was born in Kelowna on Lake Okanagan. What do these two places have in common? Awesome electrical storms.
A vivid memory of my childhood when I was maybe 7 yrs. old was sitting in my Grandparents kitchen in the village around a table. My Aunt Lynda, Grandmother and I believe my Uncle Tom. An awesome thunder and lightning storm was underway, when all of a sudden a lightning flash came through the stove. Needless to say, I have respect for storms.
Rules I was told whether they be fact or fiction………………….

· Never sit on a toilet during an electrical storm
· Don’t take a bath or shower
· Stay away from windows and doors
· If you’re in a car it is safe because of the tires
· Never go swimming
· Don’t hide under a tree
· Stay off the phone
· The storm will curdle milk

What causes thunder? God bowling…….. Clouds bumping……..

Unfortunately I have witnessed lightning dancing on the water and the land. Many people have been hit in Ontario by lightning while camping, playing baseball and hiding under trees.
I have never been afraid of storms, actually I have been fascinated by them and the science behind how they are created. However I have observed from safe quarters not in the water.

Leaving Puerto Escondido brought with it 20 knot winds. It was a SE blow so it was pushing us along. Three hours into our trip the sky turned ominous. Turning around was not an option as the storm was gaining steam and escaping its reaches would be hopeless. We were only 20 minutes from our final destination Puerto Ballandra on Carmen Island.
We radioed and got responses so at least people knew where we were.
Sheet lightning, bolt lightning and a squall line were 3 miles ahead heading towards us.
I was hoping our Grandparents, parents, sister and all those people that have left us in this world (I think of them as our cheering section) were going to get us through this. It sure is amusing what runs through your mind in crisis situations. We were now having 40 knot gusts. We had met the squall line with its rain. Only 5 mins left to get to the final destination. The storm became less intense as we were ready to drop the anchor. But….. the lightning was still there! I had to touch the anchor. Pure metal in water. Don’t go swimming going through my mind! What about living on the water in an electrical storm?
We had just witnessed what the Mexicans refer to as a Chabasco. This term refers to a localized summer squall. They occur in coastal waters directly below the mountains on both sides of the Sea of Cortez. It contains blasts of wind from all directions at once, even straight down with bolt lightning. A Chubasco is intense and dramatic but is short in duration. I am sure this will be just the beginning of many storms to come. Since you are reading this you may have gathered we came through the ordeal. Again, I didn’t take any pictures.
We are in a very tranquil anchorage.

Where are we now?

We quite enjoyed Agua Verde with its grazing cattle and goats, but it was time to move on. It is hard to believe that 50 plus families can live without electricity. They have a life of hard work that has been passed down for many generations.

Sunset at Agua Verde

Population is sparse in this area as there is little in the way of services.
Our last night there would be quite a treat. A couple on the sail boat Oh Baby from Canada came over to visit. They brought with them chocolate cake as it was Elizabeth’s birthday. They had left Panama and took 45 days to travel to Puerto Vallarta where they had new sails put on their boat. They then travelled 10 days to get up here into the Sea of Cortez. As he said twitchy knowing it was now Hurricane season.
It turned out he was born in Newfoundland, she in Sweden. Terry had been in the Canadian Armed forces as a jet fighter mechanic. He was given the golden handshake in 1993 when the Liberal government decided to decrease the numbers in our forces. He then went to the Middle East where he worked for the armed forces there as a mechanic. In 1999 he left Canada and has been sailing ever since. We gained lots of important information in regards to traveling in Central America. His Newfie accent is still as strong as if he had just left the rock. Later they drove their dinghy to the shore. Terry had bought fireworks in Panama and put on a wonderful show for Elizabeth’s birthday.
Under calm clear skies we departed for our next anchorage. Mano de Dios ( God’s Hand).
As you may remember a year ago while circumnavigating Vancouver Island, we stayed at an anchorage called God’s Pocket. Later we recoined the anchorage Hell’s Hole. We had had a cold, windy and very wet night where we had dragged anchor. We were surrounded by crab pots, worried we would snag one around our prop.
This time it was a hot, clear, calm night. No dragging. However we feel that it takes a lot of imagination to see the hand of God in the side of the mountain as is reported. Much like the Virgin Mary in a piece of toast! I am not being sac religious but sometimes I wonder about such visual claims.
The following night we anchored in Bahia Candeleros just a short hop from Puerto Escondito. They are building a hotel resort in this bay and with the new developments with the lack of tourists I hope all goes well for them.
Puerto Escondito is a Hurricane Hole. There is a marina that holds maybe 9 boats and hundreds of mooring buoys. One can anchor here as well. There is a swimming pool, restaurant, store and lots of road to walk the legs off. A pleasant break. We will stock up and get ready for the next phase of the trip.

Do you see the hand?

Agua Verde (Taken By a Friend)

As we motored to our next destination the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range gets steeper with more contrasts on colour.

We decided to motor past Timbabiche where an old abandond ruin exists. Casa Grande, or Large House, has its roots tying it back to the rich pearl history of the Sea of Cortez.

Natural pearls are formed randomly and really are simple accidents of nature. When a certain type of irritant, such as a parasite, becomes lodged in the tissue of a mollusk, the animal responds by secreting a calcium carbonate substance called nacre to coat the intruder and protect the mollusk. Over a period of several years, this build-up of nacre forms a natural pearl.

The Casa Grande was finance by the sale of a large, rare, green pearl weighing at least 5 carats, found by a local fisherman back in the early 1900's.

We continued on to Puerto Los Gatos where a local fisherman approached us to see if we would like some langosta. (Lobster). We said sure and he dove into the water and brought up 7. We paid him with pesos and a cold cervesa. We decided not to anchor here for the evening as the wind was coming from the east creating a swell. We did take pictures of the red rocks at Los Gatos.

Red Rocks at Los Gatos

We continued on to Agua Verde. We almost cruise right past as the charts were so askewed. Upon entering we discovered 3 bays to choose from. The name Agua Verde gets its name from the beautiful colour of the water. The water temps are now 85F. This village has a tienda, school, dairy and is a fishing village. There is much to do here with trails leading to my favouite place. The graveyard. I like to check out dates. There are numerous goat trails with goats that traverse the hills. We spent the first night watching the thunder and lightning storm over on the mainland heading our way. It never did reach us thankfully.

Until next week.