Buenos Dias From Caleta San Juanico

We have been here in Caleta San Juanico for about three days. It is another beautiful anchorage, which we are sharing with our friends Sundancer and Shaman I. (You identify everyone by their boat name out here.) We had a great visit with Sundancer the first night we were here, which involved lots of good talk, laughter, sharing stories, and having WAY too much to drink - and I have not been that hungover since I can't remember when - but it was a wonderful time with good friends. Shaman I went snorkling yesterday and got lobster - but we are not doing that because Mike cut his foot and needs to keep it out of the water for a day or so. I guess the lobsters will still be there when he recovers. The cut is healing nicely, so it is not a problem. He was able to build a lobster extraction tool (to get them out from under their rock hiding places) - those are tough suckers that do not succumb easily.

Both of us are reading books about Baja. Mine is called "Almost An Island" and Mike's is called "Baja Legends." They are both about the history, geography, and general lore about Baja California. We will switch off when we each finish.

Today we made water - it took three hours to make about 100 gallons. We used a lot of water yesterday giving the boat a fresh water washdown to get rid of the crusted salt. It is good for the boat and all the winches and lines and stuff to do that as often as you can. When we daysailed our old boat, it got a fresh water washdown every time we sailed it. Obviously that can't happen here, because we are not tied up to the dock with unlimited water. It seems like our biggest water use is for cleaning - dishes, laundry, and ourselves. We do drink several gallons per day, because it is so hot. It is important to stay hydrated, everyone knows that, but sometimes you forget, especially when you are swimming even when the swimming is in salt water. My, my, my - what a run on sentence that was! Sorry Matt and Buffy!

Today when I was hanging the laundry off the lifelines I saw two rays swimming near the surface right next to the boat. They are beautiful with their patterned backs and graceful swimming. I also love it when they jump out of the water, flapping their fins which look for all the world like wings. I have probably said this before, but I like to think they jump because they are having a really good day. Mike says they are probably getting rid of parasites, or some other rather prosaic reason. I like my idea better and I am sticking to it.

We had another wonderful sail from Isla Coronados to where we are now. Again, the wind was exactly where we needed it to be and we just flew along at 6 to 7 knots. It was the best sailing possible, I believe. We caught a skipjack, but threw it back. I have decided that we are going to keep the next one we catch and see what can be done with it to make it taste good. Skipjack is very dark meat with a strong flavor and most people won't eat it. I think if I soak it long and hard in salt water, rinsing often, and then marinate it in soy sauce and ginger, I can make it palatable. If we could eat jack cravalle, which is supposedly worse and not hate it, I can do something with skipjack. Especially since that is all we seem to be able to catch. The fishing does not seem as good as it was a couple years back and I do not want to think about why that might be the case.

I could go on and on about how beautiful it is out here, but I would only be using the same words over and over again, and I could not do it justice anyway. Even photos do not do it justice. While we were sailing down here, we got in with a pod of dolphins. I took pictures of them and I will post the good ones when I am in a place with regular internet connections. I don't care what anyone says - I think they play with boats. They go all around and under, and at times seem like they are racing. I tried to get a shot of them jumping, but I am not that good of a photographer. However, they are so close to the surface and the water is so clear you can see them really good from the deck of the boat.

Speaking of the boat, things seem to be going well with all the systems. The new water pump is way better than the old one ever was. For some reason we do not understand, the batteries seem to be charging better. We didn't do anything that should have made that happen, but there you go - it does seem to be the case. The engine is running better now that we are not putting as much oil into it, but it still acts up sometimes when it is time to turn it on. It clicks but does not turn over. When that happens, Mike goes into the engine compartment and fiddles with the starter wires, which makes it work, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. I guess we will need to get it checked out at some point. I just hope all hangs together until we get to either La Paz or Mazatlan at the end of the fall. I do not want to be engineless!

We are starting to think about where we want to go this winter - likely down the Pacific coast all the way down the Mexican mainland, then on to Central America. Mike is leaning towards the south Pacific - Tahiti and so on - and I really don't know what I want. It all sounds good to me. I guess it depends on what we feel tough enough to do. I know I have said that before, and will likely say it again.

This is enough for today. I wish everyone reading this a really good day and hope all is well.

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