Ensenada to Mazatlan - Part 4

We left Cabo San Lucas on November 16, shortly after the power boat wakes made staying anchored impossible. Destination: Cabo de los Frailes, about 45 miles distant - we alternately sailed and motored up around the toe of the Baja Peninsula and into the southern Sea of Cortez, traveling north again for the first time in five months since having left Port Hardy to round Cape Scott on Vancouver Island. Along the way to Frailes we saw manta rays. Leaping manta rays. No, really: I am here to tell you right now, I saw a manta ray jump out of the water and do a back flip, and I saw another one do cartwheels. The little ones jump out horizontally and keep flapping their fins as if they’re still underwater. It’s like watching flying black-and-white carpets, and it’s a hoot. So that’s one reason to come to Cabo. Another reason is the fine fishing around the Cabos. GB, for example, dropped a hook in the water at sunrise as we approached Cabo Falso, and as he went below to take a quick sponge-bath something heavy struck his line. Completely starkers, he came back on deck to reel in the fish - whatever it was. It leaped and we saw it was a dorado (mahi mahi, in the restaurant trade). GB reeled it in, and realizing there were hooks and a very upset fish getting dangerously close to his fine naked self*, he handed me the (fishing) rod while he quickly pulled some shorts over his photo opportunity. After which he landed the dorado, terminated it quickly, and rendered it into about 10lbs. of ceviche, fillets in coconut sauce over rice, and other assorted entrees. Fishing is brutal, yes, and it is heartbreaking to capture and kill a dorado (all the fish’s brilliant colors immediately fade to a flat silver) - but that one fish fed us well for five days. Thank you, Neptune, for your gift.

We ended the day (literally anchoring in the last of the light) at Bahia de los Frailes on the southeastern, Sea-of-Cortez side of the Baja Peninsula. This place was named “Friars’ Bay” because the boulders along the ridgeline of the headland on one side of the anchorage (Cabo Frailes/Friars' Cape) resemble friars in robes with hoods, trudging up the mountainside. In the proper afternoon light the resemblance is uncanny. Plus, the headland has these cool natural stone arches, the pelicans fish in the surf, and baby manta rays practice their high jumps at night, right next to your anchored boat. Two miles northward around the headland is Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, one of only three living hard-coral reefs in North America according to the Rains guide. If you come to Bahia de los Frailes (and you should), plan to stick around a few days for all the action.

We left Frailes on November 19 as soon as it was light enough to see, and crossed the southern Sea of Cortez in wind so light we were unable to sail. Only one other boat left that anchorage when we did and headed east toward Mazatlan instead of turning left toward La Paz. We’d found a buddy-boat and it was great to have the company - especially as Tom and Dawn on "Warm Rain" had already been there, done that in Mazatlan and had some very handy tips for us regarding the jetty entrance and marina. From midnight to dawn we four were presented with a lightning storm we couldn't determine was near (dangerous to boats with masts being the highest thing for miles around) or far (entertaining). Warm Rain being the lead boat, it was agreed we would slow down for a few hours to let the storm mosey past - which it fortunately did, allowing both boats to enter Marina El Cid without further large incident. Here's Warm Rain -- that tiny speck in the lower right corner of this pic - crossing the Sea of Cortez. It's big our here - big water, big clouds, big sun. A suggestion: If you encounter Warm Rain in your own boat travels, invite them aboard for happy hour - they have great stories to tell!

Mazatlan is a terrific cruising destination; we've already met many boaters who are repeat visitors. The only tricky parts to entering this marina area to the north of downtown Mazatlan are, that there’s a dredge operating daily that often blocks the harbor entrance; and the jetty entrance, fairway and Marina El Cid docks have deceptively strong currents, even for folks used to currents in Washington and British Columbia. But, everyone here knows that so plenty of help from cruisers and harbor staff is available when you come stumblin’ in after your overnight passage from wherever. The weather in the cold winter months (i.e., now) is tropically warm and humid for the likes of GB and me, but in a decade or two we expect to acclimate. And Mazatlan has tons o’ stuff going on, during the holidays. More info soon coming on all the action.

* and me, frantically reaching for the camera…

m