Our first couple of nights after leaving La Paz we had strong coromuel winds, but after getting just another twenty miles or so north the nights have been silent. No swell—the beauty of the east coast of Baja—and not a ripple on the water. You can’t sleep better than that.
Today we motored an hour north to Puerto Escondido—it is time to fill up the water tanks, do some laundry, and stock up some fresh fruit.
We pulled up to the fuel/water dock and while I filled the tanks and gave the boat a quick rinse Ali and the kids went ashore to play. When I finished up I got my first chance to pull the boat off a lee shore single-handed. Like a pro I wrapped a stern line around a dock cleat and back up to myself, threw off the bow line, backed the boat up to get the front of the boat to swing out into the wind, and pulled away with a smug sense of satisfaction.
From there I motored out into the bay to pick up a mooring. I swung out around the mooring and let the wind drift me back into it. On the first swipe I picked up the line, got my line through, and tied her off. I glanced around discreetly but couldn’t spot one person who had witnessed my amazing accomplishments. If a tree falls in the forest but nobody is around to hear it does it still make a noise? Granted, in the catamaran I would have thought nothing of pulling off these tricks in a twenty knot wind, but I tell you what, these monohulls take some skills to maneuver.
One of the best things about our catamaran was the ability to lay down on the front trampolines, reach down and pick up a mooring line without a boat hook then hold the boat perfectly steady while the lines are tied off. With this boat we’re standing like eight feet above the mooring ball and there is no maneuvering—you get one shot—and in a breeze you have to be quick about it.
After getting settle in I headed to shore to join the gang and spend the afternoon in the much less appealing—but no less exciting to the kids—pool.
9 Comments on “Puerto Escondido”
No offense intended, but you may not have been kicked out of the pool if the little boy was wearing a swimming diaper.
Servus,
Thanks for your blog.
I am always wondering, when will you change back to a catamaran? 🙂
Kind regards
Josef
As soon as I quit goofing off, go back to work, and sack away a quarter. In other words, not any time soon. No plans to go back to work. 🙂
Pat,
I’m working on retiring in 1-2 years and wondering your thoughts on water makers? Obviously expensive but as I will cruise Baja but want to spend 90% anchoring I wondered what they charge for potable water at most marinas?
Roger
We drink the tap water everywhere. The marinas charge between zero and .02cents per gallon. Essentially water is free, but you’ll probably have to spend thirty bucks to spend the night at the dock. We’ve gone back and forth and back and forth. If our only plans were to stay in Baja I don’t think I’d spend the money.
Completely unrelated to your post. As a long-time recreational consumer* of your blog – when I run out of Downton Abbey or Bobbieroundstheworld episodes – I suddenly realized your resemblance to Ric Ocasek. Not just physical. Thought I should let you know. Cheers!
*I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder if anonymously following strangers’ real life blogs is some kind of an unhealthy thing. Heavens. Maybe in the future everyone is a star. In an interactive Milky Way. Kind of like real life, or something, except with an on/off button.
Anonymously following strangers’ real life blogs isn’t unhealthy, watching Downtown Abbey is. 🙂
Enjoy reading your blog. I had a 36′ Morgan Ocean Cruiser which I cruised and race. I could have done what you did in 2003. I was a day trader. I wish I had. I came across your blog when Tree mentioned you in his blog Sprinter Life. I’ve been living vicariously through your travels over there and now here. I just shook my head when you first started out on your adventures on the Cat not having any sailing or navigation experience.
I’m curious if you follow the America’s Cup with the 72′ Cat that can reach speeds of 40 – 50 knots. One of those Cat’s flipped when the nose dug into a wave. Unfortunately,a crew member Artemis was lost.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/America-s-Cup-probe-could-change-race-4506568.php
Thanks George. I don’t follow racing stuff, but wow, what a story. Amazing the speeds that technology has been able to bring about. How many years before this sort of thing is the norm. Thirty years from now my kids will be sailing around the world at 50 knots. 🙂