4/27/15

For the last week we have just been bumming around this place. Our friends Molly are here so we have done a lot with them and then our other friends on Hooroo came in so we have gotten dinner and had tea with them multiple times. On Hooroo the wife Jill drinks here beer in a mug with a straw, it always makes me laugh. 

This is an old mining town but after being closed for a long time they reopened it so the town has a lot of young people and a lot of construction which is cool to see. We went to the mining museum, all the little stores, restaurants. I am sick of eating out but everyone always wants to do that. 

The other day Oliver was in the cockpit and I hear him say, "uh oh the dinghy is floating away" I knew right away what must've happened and Paul comes running up. Sure enough he had untied the dinghy from the boat and it was floating away so Paul had to strip down and jump in this disgusting water to swim over and then pull it back. Of course we were just leaving to meet our friends so there was no time for a shower, like he would've anyways haha. We have been here a week and Paul has only showered once. I am not too much better at twice but still I am like Paul you need a shower he just shrugs. We are getting way too accustomed to being dirty. When I did our laundry we only had 2 loads worth and those weren't even full. We haven't done laundry in over 2 weeks so that is just another tidbit you probably don't need to know about our filthiness.

They have a store that is very similar to a Sears in the states and so my girlfriend and I went there because we haven't seen a actual store like that since La Paz. They have the clothing upstairs and appliances and what not downstairs so my friend ended up getting a memory card downstairs where they wrote her out a slip to take to a counter when she was ready. Then she got a bra from upstairs so we went to the counter without he paper in the downstairs in one line she paid a lady for the memory card and they told her she had to buy the bra upstairs. So then she went to another guy down the counter who gave her the actual memory card. After that we go upstairs to pay for the bra and there is one line for that which a lady is ahead of us. We wait 15 minutes for that transaction to go through before we are helped and in the mean time we see about 5 people walking around/near the registers but no one stops to help, by this time 2 more people are behind us. One lady we thought was coming to help but she was talking on her cell phone and just came up to the 2nd cash register like she was opening it then walked away again. And she said we had to take a plastic bag for the bra so they knew she had paid for it to leave the store. All I could think was I could come into this store and within a week have it running so much smoother and efficient but whatever. It just made no sense. Then we go across to the big chain grocery store in Mexico called Ley and the cashier is doing scratch offs as I unload my stuff. It just cracks me up more than anything. Reminds me of all the times we have sat at a table and had to ask them to bring us menus and what not. Just different. 

Molly actually left today so we spent the morning with them and said goodbye, they took us out to a nice dinner last night and time with them is always fun. We saw a boat come in the other day with a 3 year old girl so we talked to them and they are having a birthday party for her tomorrow so we will go to that before we leave. Oliver needs some time with people his own age. I keep telling him how many friends he is going to have in Minnesota and will get to play with kids every day, he is so excited for that.

I am looking forward to getting our diets back on track. It has basically been 6 months of eating like we are on vacation where calories and pesticides and GMOs aren't real. I heard my son get up this morning saying he needed to pee so he did, we are very happy and then he wants his 2 skittles so before he has had anything healthy to start his day he is having some candy. I know this is only temporary to get him trained and it is working but geez that was a little too much this morning. 

Our plan is to go to this kids birthday party tomorrow and then plan on leaving the next day. We just need to get some groceries, we are ready for a nice beach.

Having Mexican food with Jill and Jim from Hooroo and of course Christine and Erik, volleyball court behind us but we weren't invited to play

After hike up to cemetery at the highest point in the town...kind of weird. It was gigantic and some people had really nice stones and others were just piles of rocks.

Cemetery looking down on Harbor and Sea

Famous church designed by Eiffel who designed the Eiffel Tower (duh). It came from France since this mining town was owned by a Frenchman when they discovered the copper 

The city fire truck-sweet retro

Very curious pelican near our boat

Would you like Fish Wire Fence?

Or maybe some Fused Chesse? Too many decisions here in Mx

Random dogs, so cute

Lots and lots of old houses like this one here

Their thrift store called a segundo...I got a used suitcase after haggling with the guy he was trying to get me to take all the nasty old stuffed animals in it. When I was walking back to the boat Christine kept telling me that it looks like a very suspicious bag to be walking around with and that I would probably be arrested for suspected drug smuggling 

A lot of old mining structures like these around. It's funny to think these would never be in the states because some punk would be defacing it and fall and sue the people...so wrong

4/15/15

Oliver and I went to the beach to play while Paul hung around the boat. When we were on the beach we saw Molly going by, we were so happy. We had been trying to get ahold of them but they don't have a very high antenna so often they could hear us and we couldn't hear them. At nap time we pulled up the anchor and headed to Bahia Coyote. We got there around 2pm and Paul and Oliver went to see where they had showers and internet. When he came back and said they didn't I was so bummed. I was really counting on both of those things. 

Later I went to this little town across from where we were anchored to look around and see if I couldn't get some internet off of someones house. I couldn't but I did end up talking to these two old men about what I was doing and what not. They had me sit down and I had some wine and they let me email my parents quick. They also gave us a pizza and some pie, it was so nice. They told me they were going to town tomorrow morning and if we wanted to come they had room for us. I went back to the boat with the good news and that was all we did.

Little town

4/16/15

We went into town to catch a ride with Ron and Cathy I met last night but while we were waiting we went to talk to a lady who was having an open house on her beachfront property/house. It was 78k. Granted it wasn't like a house because the hurricane had blown their second floor off but it was livable (had a kitchen, living room and a lot of other open space they keep their camper in) and you could build up if you wanted to. It is beautiful there and not far from Muleje which is nice but I still don't think I could do it being so isolated, it would be really boring after awhile (to me at least). Anyways we went into town with them and they took us to all the grocery stores that were the best, they still are very small compared to anything in the US but they got what you need. After that we went to a Mexican restaurant they like and had a few drinks with lunch. Oliver has been toilet training really well lately so he enjoyed going to the bathroom at the places and getting little pieces of chocolate for his 'hard' work. We were gone for about 4 hours and just exhausted after that so we laid around the boat until we went to meet them for drinks at the restaurant near our boat that evening. We called Molly but they didn't want to go but wanted to hang out after. We called them over when we got back and ended up sitting around on our boat until 130am drinking and exchanging stories since we hadn't seen them in a week or so. It was great, we are so fortunate to have them. This trip wouldn't have lasted this long without them.

Cathy, Ron and Paul at lunch

Oliver found some girls to play with while we had cocktails

4/17/15

Everyone is a little slow moving this morning so we just hung around the boat until the afternoon when we met Christine and Erik on the beach to hang out. Paul and Oliver walked over to a horse that was tied up and fed him one of our apples, Oliver loved it. We all decided we were too lazy to make dinner so we went to get Mexican food at the restaurant on the beach and this couple we know invited us to sit with them. None of us were in the mood but what were we supposed to say so we did and they had already been drinking and it just wasn't a great dinner. They sat in the middle of the table so we were separated then were being obnoxious and it took over an hour to get our food. They are a nice couple but that night I was just looking to sit and relax with Christine and Erik so it sucked. Oh and Oliver walked off and we didn't notice until Erik went around and found him behind the restaurant with 2 big thorns in his foot crying for me. I was right behind Erik when he found him but I felt so bad. It happens so fast, I had just checked on him. Anyways he was ok and I guess he had followed a dog back there and he wasn't wearing any shoes. 

Random horse tied up on beach

4/18/15

We left the one anchorage for this little island that has a very small secluded beach. We didn't know until we got there if we could even anchor since there is only room for maybe 2 boats. It is white sand and clear water but small enough that we have to put out an anchor in the front and back of the boat where normally we just but one out in the front so we can swing. Shortly after we anchor Oliver and I go to shore where I am almost instantly stung or bitten by something that doesn't stop stalking me until I go into the water and start splashing like a manic school child. I don't see a stinger and it doesn't swell so I think it may have been a fly or some sort, I didn't get a great look at it just black on my leg and pain. We play and Paul swims in then Molly is pulling in. We all hang out on the beach and then like a switch the wind kicks up and Molly is rocking and we start thinking they might not be able to stay until tomorrow if it doesn't stop but they decide to wait it out for now. We hang out until nap time, Oliver and Erik go spelunking, a word Oliver now loves that means to explore caves or something like that. The flies are horrendous here real house flies and the little black annoying ones so we are happy to have some wind. We play on the boat until we go in to make a fire. I got stung by a bee on my hand on the way in, I couldn't believe it. I did have a stinger in that one so we flicked it out and I used this sting kit we just go and it seemed to help but it might have just been placebo. So needless to say this is my least favorite place bug wise. We have a great fire with Chrisitne and Erik and head back to the boat late to sleep. I also think something has been biting me or us at night and so it wakes me up and then I have trouble getting back to sleep I have bites that itch terribly all over my legs and 2 stings within 24 hours. Argh.

Oliver sitting on the bow on the way to the island

Coming to the island beach/anchorage

Picture of Mouse Pad from beach

Picture of island beach from halfway up mountain (cloudy morning)

Bon fire with Erik, Oliver, Christine and myself

4/19/15

We wanted to go find the whale sharks today that we heard were close by. We didn't really know exactly where though so we decided to both circle the island on our sailboats to look for them and then maybe meet up in a bigger anchorage to get in the dinghy and swim with them. We didn't see any from the sailboat but luckily Molly had ran into a trimaran who told them they just went over some with their boat so we headed over to anchor in that cove and go search. There were a few other boats out so we figured it must've been the spot then before long we were on them. It was a lot better than La Paz in that there were more of them and it was easier to see. I only got video so I have to get that up, it was so amazing. They are gigantic and just so calm and nonthreatening. We swam with them for a few hours then headed back to get ready to head north. We got to Punta Santa Domingo in the afternoon and went straight to the beach, well Oliver and I did Paul had some stuff to do on the boat. Oliver and I were swimming for a bit when Oliver started itching his legs really bad and was acting like he couldn't sit still. There had been a bee around so I wondered if he had gotten stung and was having an allergic reaction so I kind of freaked out looking for a stinger or anything but I couldn't find anything but he didn't stop so I raced him back to the boat just in case I had to give him a benadryl or start an IV (not really but that is my nurse mind going into high gear). We stop by Molly who was dingying in at the same time we were racing back and tell them really quick and even by then he seems a little better. By the time we get back to the boat he isn't itching so bad so I just grabbed an anti-itch cream and brought it with me just in case he got bad again. Lucky it was nothing serious because Paul had the boat torn apart pulling out all the anchor chain and rope trying to detangle it (how that happened I have no idea). We went back to the beach and Oliver and Erik went off on their own doing man stuff while Christine and I went to walk the beach looking for shells, this beach has so many you could spend a week or two going through them all. After we had enough beach we went in and made vegetarian tacos and had them over for supper and drinks. A good time as always. So weird to think we only have maybe another week with them before we part ways forever (or at least until we take a plane to go visit them in Portland, I have always wanted to go there).

Whale shark video from boat, it took WAY too long to try to download any other videos of us swimming with them but at least you get to see one. This is a small one.

4/20/15

Had Molly crew over for crumb cake and coffee then we both set sail when the wind came up around 11am. We sailed to Bahia Santa Ines, which is a little bay that has a hotel and a lot of beach. And Yes sailed the whole way, we were so happy it hasn't been happening much lately. Molly pulled in a little after us. We saw a whale shark right away so that's awesome we can swim with them here too. Oliver and I went to the beach and played around and Paul swam in a little later to meet us. We saw a huge hotel on the corner of the bay so we walked up to see if they had a restaurant or internet we could use. It was totally deserted. It was a little unkept but really a beautiful place, it seemed so strange to just be sitting there empty. After walking through it a bit it began to feel like the beginning of a horror movie so we headed back to the beach. Christine and Erik showed up and the boys went to look at the airplanes and Christine and I went to walk the beach. When we met back up the guys had found a restaurant on this woman's porch so we went to eat there. They told us they talked to a pilot who lived there and said the hotel opened but there was never any advertising and then it closed a few weeks later and they had heard it was just a place for the cartel to launder money. It makes sense. It also seems like a place only really rich people would vacation you know where no one else goes with a little runway you can land your private plane on. Who knows. So we ate a great supper, fried chicken, fresh veggies, beans, rice, tortillas, salad, and 8 beers for under $30 with a big 25% tip included in that. We were talking about how in the states you could never open a place on your porch with all the health codes and I understand they are meant to protect us but we have been eating in random people's houses this whole trip and not gotten sick once. Anyways, because of the wind today, which was great for sailing, the waves were tossing the boats around a bit but luckily we were so tired we all fell asleep pretty quick.

Empty pool at empty resort

More empty resort pics

One of the airplanes and the dirt runway

Sunset from boat

Ladies porch/restaurant 

(you could see and hear her son watching tv in the living room right behind Paul and Erik)

Finishing up supper/beers

4/21/15

I slept in since the sleep last night was not so great with all the rocking. Paul and Oliver went to check out the hotel again and I guess Oliver fell down a few concrete steps and he had a scrape on his forehead and quite the mark below his right eye. I felt so bad for not being there but I guess he was ok. He told me all about it once he got back to the boat and that he needed a bandaid because it hurt, no blood at least. The wind picked up so we headed out to sail. We had 22 miles to go to Santa Rosalia. Oliver and I played and watch some Life dvds. Molly left before us but we caught them and took turns taking pictures of one another so hopefully those turned out. We got to Santa Rosalia at 530pm after sailing most of 5 hours. I am so happy to be in an actual city that will have internet and stores and even a museum (I think).

We went and walked around for a few hours before bed, it is a nice place, I'm looking forward to spending some time here.

4/6/15

I woke up at like 330am and couldn't get back to sleep for an hour or more so then I slept in while Paul and Oliver went to do the one load of laundry. When they got back we pulled the anchor up and headed to Isla Danzante to 'honeymoon cove'. It is nothing spectacular. Paul and I cleaned up while Oliver took a nap, we swam off of the boat and then went to the beach. We walked around and Paul hiked up to take a picture. It has a lot of seaweed and gets really deep fast. It is nice just not extraordinary. When Molly showed up Paul dove on their anchor to make sure it was good and then they came to the beach with us. Christine, Oliver and I walked around and saw a almost complete skeleton of a sea lion (we think), I took a picture. The skull seems so vicious but I am not sure. We gathered firewood and agreed to meet up at dusk. We went in and Erik got a great fire going and we listened to some music then set our eyes on the stars. I know so much more  about astronomy now then I did when we left, it's so fascinating. Christine has the app where you can point it at stars and it shows you the different constellations. It was very cool and educational-bonus! We stayed up until 1030, there was a time change here I think that is different from the US. We were all screwed up for a few days but I think we got it right now so it felt like 930 which is still late for us. It was a good time. 

Skeleton of sea lion...maybe

4/7/15

Oliver and I went to the beach while Paul did some work around the boat. We drove the dinghy around the rocks first just checking out the starfish and fish then we parked it and walked along the rocks. It is amazing the variety here. I feel like every time I go in the water I see something I never saw before. While Oliver and I were walking I saw a bright pink starfish that was spiky, it was so cool I had never seen anything like it. It was one of the ones that has more than 5 legs. I saw today that they actually move pretty fast too if they want to. I watched one move around a rock in just a few seconds. By the time I got back with my camera it had moved I was bummed to not get a pic but glad I saw it. I also saw the biggest red starfish I have ever seen, I did get a picture or video of that. We went back to the boat to get Paul then went into the beach again to hang out, we walked the rocks more looking for that starfish but didn't see it. We stopped by a catamaran and talked to them, Canadians really nice with their son on board who's probably our age. Then we stopped by Molly to see if Christine wanted to go snorkeling with me, she did so I put Oliver to sleep, had lunch and picked her up. We saw a lot of stuff but it wasn't as clear as it had been. We did get to see the flat fish with eyes on top up close and some other fish we had never seen before. I got cold before she did so I went back and Paul went out that way to spearfish. 

Evening on friends Cat

4/9/15

We bummed around 'honeymoon cove' a few days then left today for Puerto Ballandra (a different Ballandra than the one near La Paz). This isn't near as nice as the other one but not much can compare to that place. I got some time to myself while the boys went to the beach to help a panga that had sunk. I guess the guy hit a rock and flipped it, he was ok and they got the panga out of the water so it was a success. I went to look for some shells but not much to pick from. It was cloudy today and mostly yesterday, I want the sun back.

4/11/15

Still cloudy, so sick of the clouds. The sun came out this morning for a bit but it didn't last. We bummed around yesterday (I wanted to leave but Paul thought it was going to be windy and that we should wait so we did and guess what no wind) and made sure the boat was ready to go. We left Ballandra at 845am and got to Caleta de San Jaunico around 245pm. It's a really big bay and so we anchored on the side where there were no other boats. If it were sunny this place might be perfect. The water is clear, shallow, beautiful green and blue waters, at least 6 different beaches to choose from, ect. Once we got anchored we headed to the closest beach. It was great, soft sand, private and warm waters. Paul and Oliver were catching crabs in the water while I found some really unique shells. We climbed over some rocks to get to another beach where we found even more shells and wildlife. Once we got hungry we headed back for supper and just in time because it started raining. It had rained a little yesterday so it wasn't a huge surprise but I thought we were in sunny Mexico. It has been cloudy for 4 days now. As we were eating the wind was picking up and from the wrong direction for where we were anchored so the waves were getting bigger and the boat was rocking up and down more and more. We decided that before it got dark we should move to the other side where all the other boats were, it was only a mile so it didn't take long and it was good we did because the wind picked up and it poured rain for a bit. Paul let out a lot of line on our anchor since we had the room so we just went down below and played.

First beach we anchored at

The pretty crab Oliver and Paul were harassing

4/12/15

It stormed all last night. Thunder, lightening, rain the whole shebang. I am so unaccustomed to hearing rain and especially thunderstorms it woke me up a lot. Don't get me wrong I like them but from living in California and now Mexico we just don't get those hardly ever. Anyways everyone we talked to said the weather was extremely unusual but that is the case all over and with global warming of course everything is going to be different. It scares me a lot because I honestly think humans are going extinct. Unless we change the way we live drastically immediately I don't think there is much hope. Not to be such a downer but I wouldn't give us 200 more years in my opinion. I know no one wants to think or talk about it. We just figure someone will figure it out I don't need to change I just need to keep buying crap I don't need. We just stay distracted by the celebrities and sports and someone else can figure out where to put my trash, I can have as many kids as I want we aren't overpopulated.
Ok sorry back to what we are doing down here…the sun finally came out and stayed out but it was still really windy all day. We went to a different beach in this bay which was really rocky but had great shells so we stayed for only a little but then went to a different one that was white sand. I worked on some stuff of mine and Paul and Oliver went for a walk. After lunch we met these kayakers and so we talked with them and then collected firewood for a bonfire later. There is a big dead eel on the beach, probably like 4-5 feet long, those things creep me out. Paul sees them sometimes when he is out spearfishing and he said he has seen some bigger than that and they don't look very afraid of him. I can't imagine accidentally putting my hand in their hole, they have a lot of sharp teeth.
Because of the storm our boat was rocking back and forth side to side so much you could basically step onto it from the water without climbing up the ladder. It was miserably uncomfortable but Paul didn't know where we could go to make it better because all of the 'good' spots were taken by smarter sailors than us. We decided to go have the bonfire and hope it would calm down, I was not very happy. We met the kayakers and started the fire, they were 3 days into a 12 day trip which seemed much more legit that the catered ones we saw in Gatos. It was just 3 guys who they have all their stuff and a guide who does do more but they all pitch in. The guide was from Canada, in his mid twenties and had started doing it straight out of high school, not a bad gig. He told us about a good hike that wasn't in any of the books and also showed us how the black light made scorpions light up neon green in the dark. It was awesome, we only found one in our woodpile but they said the night before they found 13. After having some s'mores we headed back and luckily the rocking was better but not great, however throughout the night it got perfectly calm.

                               
                                                               scorpion under black

Dead eel on beach

4/13/15

We went to go try to find the beginning of the hike the kayaker guide had told us about. There are 6 beaches he so he told us it was number 5 and to go through the arroyo until you would have to start rock climbing to go any further. He also told us there were cave paintings that weren't dated but at least 350 years old. He said that 90% of the natives died within 15 years of coming in contact with spaniards or whatever outsiders of disease of course. We actually saw them coming out of the hike as we were going in so that helped reassure us that we had found the right arroyo. At first it was easy and then it got pretty thick and a few times I went ahead to see if I saw footprints anywhere because we weren't sure which was to go but we found our way. It was pretty impressive to see them. We could definitely make out people and a dolphin but a lot of it was either smeared or we just didn't know what it was, different signs. The landscape had definitely changed since they had done the drawings, they were very close to the ground on rocks that were at almost a 90 degree angle. Oliver played around on the rocks and Paul and I took our guesses as to how they lived and what the drawings meant. I hiked out ahead of them because they wanted to stay longer, it's amazing how quickly you can do things when your 2 year old isn't slowing everything down. When I got back I threw down my stuff and walked down the beach, I found some awesome bones, a scapula, 2 vertebra, a rib and part of a hip. I love finding that stuff, also more great shells. I don't know what I am going to do with them all but they are irresistible to me. I am just blown away by the colors and shapes, nature is the most extraordinary creator. 

Cave paintings

                                                       

Once the boys got back we headed over to the calmer beach we were at the day before so Oliver could swim. The water was so warm near shore Oliver was calling it his hot tub. We walked down the other way and up onto some rocks that had millions of fossilized shells in them. Also the water is eroding the rocks underneath so the water sound were really unique. On the way we saw this tree littered with peoples plaques of their boat names and when they were there. Some of them were very creative and some just carved their names in the soft rocks nearby. Paul didn't like it and I can see his point, it was kind of trashy looking. I guess I thought it was cool since it was just the one place but he is right if people did this all over it would be awful and the obnoxious people who carved their names really big up on the mountainside did take it too far. Needless to say we did not add our names. We talked to a nice couple walking on the beach (the only ones, by evening there were some 10 boats in there but no one gets off of their boats, weird) then headed back to the boat to pack everything up so we would be ready to leave in the morning.



Junk tree

Oliver swimming

Oliver and his adopted dog for the afternoon, a nice stray

4/14/15

We left San Juanico at 730am. We motored sailed as usual just not enough wind to sail alone especially since we have 35 miles to go or at least that is what Paul says. We got to Bahia Concepcion at 430, yeah 9 hours to go 35 miles it drives me crazy, we need to go almost 10 miles further tomorrow down into the bay to be sheltered from the storm we heard is coming. It was a very long day and I do not look forward to sailing further in or coming back out of it in a few days to head further north. It took us two tries to get the anchor to set which is the first time that has happened to us. 

4/3/15

We left for Laguna San Ignacio at 730am to make sure we gave ourselves enough time to get to the 11am start time. We did get there with a little time to spare but the roads here are so bad and signs are so infrequent some of the time we could only go 5-10 mph and hope we had gone the right way.

When we finally found it they said as soon as we were ready we would leave and we would get lunch afterwards. We ended up on the panga with one guy who was a film maker and a Mexican family so there was plenty of room which ended up making it so much better.

Oliver was a little scared by how fast the panga went but it didn't last. When we got to the first spot there were whale spouts everywhere you looked. It was amazing, I almost cried. Some came up close but not close enough to touch. Then we kind of took off toward these rough looking breaks and I was kind of mad wondering why we left that awesome spot. Little did I know we were about to be surrounded by grey whales and their calves. You could look any which way and see a mother whale and/or her calf. A lot of them came right up to the boat, the calves, so that they could see you and you could touch them. At one point their were 3 calves coming up all around us. We saw the mothers of course but they never got close enough to touch, they were still only like 5-10 feet  away. They apparently liked to be splashed so we would splash a little to attract them and then when they came up we would keep splashing them and they did really seem to enjoy it. Sometimes if we splashed a lot it would stay up for 15-20 seconds just looking at us. I got to touch 4 of them. I took like 200 pictures of the whales and got a lot of video too, I really could've gotten about 70 minutes worth if I had recorded the whole time because there were just that many but I wanted to just enjoy them. It was so worth the time and money!

They were all grey whales and there is a part of the lagoon that is shallower and more salty which is where they have their calves so then it is easier for them to float after they are born. We were told that for the first 20 minutes the calves need their mothers to keep their blowholes above water so they can breathe then they can do it themselves. So no boats go over to that part (which I think is great) but the mothers and their calves are not shy at all once they come out of that area. 

Oliver got scared and/or mad the attention wasn't on him but he eventually fell asleep on a blanket on the bottom of the boat. He is the only 2 year old I have ever known who will tell you he is tired and go to bed.

Grey whale calf, you can see it looking at us

Calf and mother

Loving the splashing

Panga we went out in

Touching whale next to boat

After that we got a great fish taco lunch and headed back to the actual town of San Ignacio to find a hotel and explore the little town. We ended up staying at this tiny little motel near the center of town which actually said the hotel name and that they had hot water 24 hrs. It was funny. We took a nap and then went to find supper. There was a group of teenage boys sitting outside the house next to the restaurant playing guitar and singing, it was amazing just to sit and listen. We went to bed early.

4/4/15

Oliver was up so early this morning like 5am maybe even before I didn't want to look. We walked to town, bummed around and got breakfast before heading back to wake Paul up and that was only 630am. So we met up with the crew and walked to town to look around and got some groceries since they had a great store there before heading back into the car. We stopped after a few hours and had a picnic lunch at a park, a concrete park surrounded by very busy streets that is. At one point a truck with a guy who looked very unconscious in the flatbed surrounded by 3 of his friends drove by and then a police car pulled them over and then the ambulance came and then another before they all left so I don't think it was good but we didn't go gawk. We drove through a lot of places along the coast we will go with the boat so we drove through after that. We laughed about how we needed a vacation from our vacation, poor Americans. Once we got back to the boat everyone was exhausted so we just showered, read and went to bed.

4/5/15

Slept in a little then went with Christine to Loreto to use the internet, get a few more groceries and drop off the rental car. Paul and Oliver stayed behind to move the boat back to the free anchorage, get water and clean the outside of the boat. When we went to bring the car back the ladies son came along to drop us off at the marina and at one point she had him drive us and I was asking him in Spanish how old he was and he said 14 and I was like really, how long have you been driving he said since he was 10. Ok I guess that is ok. Honestly he was a better driver than he mom. So we got back, ate and met up with Christine and Erik to have a few drinks and play yahtzee. We will leave tomorrow morning to go the 2 miles to the island. Our plan is to circumnavigate the island and go from there. It may take us a week or two so we will write when we can.

4/1/15

I obviously had my dates screwed up. Anyways it is the eve of the 1st and yesterday after getting picked up by Christine, Erik, Paul and Oliver we decided to go to this old mission that was about an hour away (we took their rental car). It was a really great drive through the cannons and up and down the mountains to get there. It was a quaint little street with some houses and then the mission. We went in and checked it out, I am embarrassed to say I didn't even go in the one in Loreto, then we walked to the back where there was an olive tree that we heard was around 300 years old. Even if it wasn't it was a very cool tree. We tried to eat there but they closed everything at 5, seems weird they close so much at supper time but I suppose they have their own suppers to have. So we drove back and ate at a nice Mexican place before going back to the boat and crashing. We are going to go on a hike early tomorrow morning through the cannon nearest to where we are.

PS my computer is definitely on its way out. The keyboard helps but it is doing all sorts of funky stuff. Bummer.

Cows and horses walking around and across the whole road to and from, our friends actually hit one in their rental car. They were fine but the car was totalled. 

The whole drive was up on the way there, down on the way back and windy the whole way. Those are the orange signs telling you you are going down (just in case) 

Mission finished in 1758 after 14 years of building

One side of mission

Inside mission 

Old olive tree

Trail behind the mission, along side is the fresh water they collect for the farms

One road leading to mission, you can see at the end. That is it there is nothing else around.

4/2/15

We had asked a guy yesterday for a ride as far as he could take us up toward the cannon so we met up at 8am to get a ride. He drove us as far as he could, probably 1.5 miles, until their was no road at the beginning of the cannon. He also asked for 200 pesos I don't know how these guys ask for so much money to drive you short distances here. Sorry off topic. So we hiked up until we found water and then we swam in it and just hung out on the rocks. I guess when the water is higher you can go down the rock slides and the pools are obviously deeper but this was still great. 

Beginning of hike

Middle, water flowing down almost all the way up

We went up until we couldn't anymore and went swimming, Erik thought it was too cold

Part of the hike

 

Where we spent most of the day until there was no more shade

Hike back down

So as we were there we had talked about going to the other side (back to the Pacific side of Baja) to see the Grey whales that are having their babies and resting at this bay. We had heard about it and that the whales are super friendly (if that is the right word), they come up to the boats and you can touch them and their calves. We heard from some friends that it was awesome, they had just done it the other day. So we decided to do it. They already had the rental car so we just extended the rental and looked up the place and hit the road. Paul insisted on moving the boat to a mooring ball, which is only $20 for 2 nights, so we did that quick before we went. A mooring ball is a concrete slab at the bottom of the ocean that has a chain and ball like a fishing bobber at the top that holds your boat in place of the anchor, if that makes sense. It's a good time to get away from the beaches since it is holy week, semana santa is what they call it, they all have time off and go to the beaches to party. So we left around 4, we stopped to get supper and now we are at the hotel getting ready for bed. We should be touching whales tomorrow late morning, I am so excited!

Just one of the numerous beaches covered with people and their tents to celebrate the holiday