The final passage to La Paz completing Leg 1
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Mon 18 Jan 2010 02:01
How different 24 hours can be, this time yesterday we were in 25 to 30 knots
on the nose 4 to 6 feet steep short waves and slogging our way north,
uncomfortable, today we are making all the wind as predicted next to no
wind, we are heading up the channel between the peninsula and Isla Cerralvo
, we have the lines out it 80 degrees (26 C) and doing 7 knots under motor.
Passing two sail boats coming south. This ride today reminds me a lot of the
Pemba Channel between Kenya and Tanzania (except it was green) but the
houses along the side the rising hills, and the atmosphere takes me back to
days when I fished down in the Pemba, the odd Panga (local fishing boat)
flying past, schools of dolphins progressing across the channel after fish,
which you see dance on the surface just a head of them (probably sardines).
We must remember this is Sunday, so day of rest and that is what it is, we
say bat rays again bouncing out of the water, they literarily fly in the air
for a couple of feet. All along the channel there a small fishing camps and
towns such clear skies you can 40+ miles up into the mountains surround La
Paz, then these cute, clean and isolated beaches which you see Americans now
building the odd nice home, again similar to what we say in Kenya in the
development. Nice local styled homes that fit into the surroundings with a
thatched roof, and open air areas looking out over the water. We had a a
final scrambled eggs this morning, that was the last of the eggs, coffee,
fruit, vegetables, beer and bread, after 2 weeks between stocking on these
items it is time to visit port again, so with this weather we should make La
Paz late this afternoon, and pull into a Marina for 10 days. The first 5
days will be doing maintenance jobs on the boat, I have a nice list, nothing
major but things which will help, plus general cleaning, although the boat
has stayed clean, probably due to the fact that while under passage we have
done 1 hour of cleaning a day and stayed on top of it. Then the family will
arrive and we can explore La Paz by bike and do final stocking before
heading out to the islands for a couple of weeks.
To describe where I typing this, I am sitting on the after seats of the boat
outside in the sun with a slight breeze, the water is flowing past, and the
fishing lines splash behind me. The water is a deep blue and the mountains
on the side rise up with yellow sand and then green with touches of orange
moving up through the valleys and shoulders. A flock of pelicans glide over
the water, there bellies barely and inch off the water, picking up the
thermals from the water, while looking for surface fish. Behind them the
dolphins continue their trip the channel parallel to us, just moving along
in formation up and down, there must 100 small dolphins in this school. I
have my morning "Earl Grey Tea" and just taking it all in, I think I am
starting to fit into this life style!!!
Well 2 weeks after leaving to the day we have pulled into La Paz and into a
dock, all went well today, we have washed down the boat with fresh water and
cleaned off the salt this is the initial wash prior to the big wash in 2
days, but we going out with crew for a celebration dinner.