Crossing the Sea of Cortez: Mazatlan to La Paz

I started my trip back north this week with the 36-hour crossing of the Sea of Cortez  from Mazatlán to Bahia de Los Muertos, an open bay near the end of the Baja peninsula.  Then it was another day along the coast to La Paz.  Thanks to picking a good weather window and having the pleasant and capable company of my long-time friend Curt, it was about as enjoyable and easy a crossing as one can have.  And that's no small thing.  I've heard many a tale of others who had such a rough and scary time that crew and spouses bail at the first landfall and boats are damaged.  The most difficult part, not surprisingly, was docking at Marina Cortez in La Paz.  It's a beautiful and modern marina with helpful and friendly staff, but when tidal currents are flowing, getting into a slip can be treacherous.   When I came in, the current was quickly pushing the boat away from the dock and toward the boat on the other side of the double slip.  It took me three attempts, but with Curt's help on deck and three of the marina staff on the dock muscling the dock lines, I made it without crashing this time.  (see The Great Crash),   Needless to say my paranoia and trepidation were extreme.  I had to head straight for the end of the dock hoping the current pushed me just enough to avoid hitting the dock, but not so far that I went into the boat on the other side.  I made it.  I'm pleased and grateful for my good fortune this time.
It was interesting to be back in La Paz again after a two-year absence.  It is growing fast with a big condo complex going up behind the marina and the adjacent malecon upgraded with new bike lanes and more.  I'm quite a bit more comfortable with my Spanish now, too, which makes the whole experience easier and more relaxing.  After only a few days, two things jump out.  Most obvious is  the contrast between lush tropical mainland Mexico further south and the stark beauty of Baja.  And here drivers seem to actually stop at stop signs (at least sometimes).  Amazing!

The last sunsets in Marina Mazatlán were spectacular!

Time-lapse of the sunset on my last evening in Mazatlan

Looking back at Mazatlán as we headed for Muertos

My buddy Curt added companionship, good

conversation and years of cruising, racing and sailing 

expertise to the trip... not to mention standing 

night watches!

Curt adjusting the lead for the furling line.

The intrepid sailor...looking critically at the primitive

outhaul rig for the main.

Sailing into the sunset in the middle of the Sea of Cortez.

Into the sunset:  the movie!

Transitioning to night mode:  instruments tuned and

displays dimmed.  On dark moonless nights, you

depend on them!

The next day was just as mellow as the first.  We had

to motorsail, but it was pleasant and comfortable.

Arriving at Bahia de Los Muertos, we were visited by this

little black bird that flew out a couple of miles to land

on board.

If I got too close, it simply flew to the opposite end

of the boat.

Evening in the Muertos anchorage.  It's lovely, but open

to the south, which was where the chop was coming

from.  As a consequence we had a pretty bouncy night

until after 10 pm.

I anticipated a nice sunset and ….

...I wasn't disappointed.

It was challenging trying to get a decent panorama with the boat

bouncing up and down!

The next day we headed through the Cerralvo Channel

and the Canal de San Lorenzo toward La Paz.  There was

so little wind and the seas were so flat that we didn't

even hoist the mainsail.  While we had to motor,

our luck held with favorable currents pushing us 

through the Cerralvo Channel.

While going through the Canal de San Lorenzo 

requires paying attention to your navigation

and watching out for shipping, it's not difficult.

The landscape is dramatically different from mainland

Mexico, with the stark, dramatic geology of the

mountains.  The area has some of the best

cruising in the world, so it is common to see other

boats.

The reward after the long passage and traumatic 

docking maneuvers:  indolence,,,

...and a nice view!

First sunset in La Paz seen from the walkway next to

Marina Cortez.  Circadian's slip is to the right.

One of my neighbors

Lunch at a restaurant on the malecon

One of the locals at Marina La Paz

On his last night before flying back to Mazatlán,

Curt and I ate dinner at The Dock Restaurant

overlooking Marina La Paz.

This was the view from our table.

I shot this photo from our table using

 just my phone.   Friendly locals!

Another shot from the table later in the evening.

A major international long-distance off-road race

finished this week on the La Paz malecon,

so the town was filled with all sorts of off-road

vehicles and motorcycles.

In Baja it's all about cactus, not mangoves!