While at Muertos Cove we met Astrologer (Megan and Chris). They were headed to La Paz also. Stormvogel, Astrologer and Mark decided to pass through the Cerralvo Channel at high tide which would be at about 3 or 4 am. We all took a naps so we could leave at 1am. I am sick with a stomach bug. I tried to stay up on first watch and did not make it. We were in the lead because again, Mark has the charts and good radar and sonar. After 2 hours we were in the channel. Mark said the luminescence was wild. The Cerralvo Island is a National Park. The waters are filled with life. Either side of the boat had five to six feet spread away from the boat filled with color made by the waves. I saw this later at an anchorage. The life that is luminescent is a very tiny spot but when you disturb the water it all goes together. It looked like what they did on Avatar (the movie).
The reason they wanted to hit high tide in the channel it so the current would push them through. Otherwise we would be fighting a very strong current against us. We hit it just right and it took 2 and 1/2 hours to navigate the channel. We caught the tide just right, current pushing us from starboard, minimum waves (3-4 ft). When we got out of the narrow part of it the water turned to glass.
Mark woke me at 8:30am to take the wheel so he could fish before getting to La Paz. We passed through the last channel on this trip, San Lorenzo. with no problem. At Pta Prieta we turned to go in to the La Paz Channel where we would stay for about a month.
It was a very long ride up through the harbor making it a very safe harbor. We planned on staying one week but the winter winds came and the harbor captain closed the harbor to traffic. They wind was sometimes 40 knots in the safe harbor. Out in the sea would have been worse and they would not come save you if you left.
La Paz is a very nice, clean, and friendly city. So far on our trip we did not need to learn spanish. Most people speak english or understand it well enough to get everything we needed. Marina Cortez has floating docks so the wind was a little more at this marina than others, but no one else had a spot big enough for our boat.
 |
| Wayne preparing Stormvogel for passage. |
 |
| Stormvogel at anchor |
 |
| Muertos Cove Restuarant |
 |
| Fancy Mexican buildings. |
 |
Last sunset at Muertos Cove
Astrologer |
 |
| Hello Marina Cortez |
Welcome party at Marine Cortez dock
 |
| Welcome dancer on the streets of La Paz |
