Anna's & Ellie's Solar Wind Adventures

              THANKS ANNA,  for taking on the writing of a blog entry!

Arrival at Marina Palmira, La Paz

Ellie and I arrived in La Paz on a Saturday afternoon and were immediately introduced to cruiser culture at Marina Palmira with a boat-christening dock party for a family from Victoria, B.C.  

Christening party for Vida Rica's family on Dock 3

We met a few of Mom and Dad’s cruising buddies and wished S/V Vida Rica and its new family many happy adventures.  Modern Mexican food at Corazon Café and a great jazz combo at a cool gallery/venue and we were ready for bed!

Out to breakfast at Rancho Viejo (pre sun-therapy)

Sunday morning was errands: a boat swap, breakfast, the Mercado where we found a soccer ball and tortilla press, and the grocery store.  We cast off in the afternoon, and had a fast sail to San Gabriel on Isla Espiritu Santo.  Everyone swam and sunned, and Mom and Ellie cooked the first of several INCREDIBLE galley meals.

Trying out the new tortilla press

The next morning we motored and sailed around Espiritu Santo counter-clockwise to Playa Bonanza, a white sand beach perfect for kicking the soccer ball and beachcombing (check out those dead blowfish!).  We climbed the cape at one end of the beach for some aerial shots of Solar Wind.

Tuesday morning brought another great sail up Espiritu Santo’s rugged East side, to an adjoining island to the North, Isla Partida.  



















We made a lunch stop at Los Islotes, guano-covered rocks at the northern tip of Isla Partida.  We wet suited-up for some snorkeling with the resident sea lion moms and pups.  Amazing to swim with 200 pound plus, well-toothed wild animals!  

Are... there... sharks...?

Lavanderia

After lunch and laundry we motored on.  Mom and Dad had their eyes set on a little cove called El Cordoncito, but expected it to be occupied.  It was empty and was ours for the next two nights! 

Geo-cacheing

After a spectacular sunset we woke to cloud cover on Wednesday, a welcome relief for the pastier among us.  Ellie and Anna did their first Geo-Cacheing, and we all hiked and climbed up to the ridge overlooking the next bay.  

Rock climbing!

Family portrait

Do you guys always eat like this??  Yep, pretty much!

Dinner was boat-caught dorado and snap peas that Mom bought at the farmer’s market.

Sunset in El Cardoncito

Dinghy trip!

Thursday brought a dinghy trip through Caleta Partida, the spit between Isla Partida and the Isla Espiritu Santo, to the famed sea caves.  In the afternoon we motored back across the channel to the mainland, catching a few raindrops on the way.  












We spent the night at Puerto Balandra, a much larger, more populated bay than we’d seen on the islands.  Reading, evening and morning kayaking, more good food, and several games of Bananagrams later we were on our way back to La Paz under sunny skies.

Sunrise kayaking

As I write this, we’ve scrubbed the boat down, Ellie is getting in some final sun on deck, and Dad is napping.  We’ll do a bit more exploring La Paz tonight and be on our way around noon tomorrow.  We had a great – if too short – visit with family in Seattle on our way down and look forward to another on the way home.  We’ve been so fortunate to share this spectacular place and get a glimpse of the cruising life.  As is their way, Mom and Dad appear to have shied away from nothing – it’s been a joy to see their Spanish abilities, confidence as sailors, mechanical and technical knowledge of the boat, and enthusiasm for whatever comes.  We look forward to their landfall in Sequim in July, many thousands of miles from now!  Onward!
Parting shots -- a night out in La Paz:

Last night Margaritas

Stuffing ourselves with pizza at El Rutico

Doing a little gift shopping at the Artiste Collectivo

SO MUCH fun to be together!!