City of Peace

Old Man and the Sea

Jay's Post: After motoring up the inside of the Sea of Cortez  we finally arrived in La Paz (Peace) Friday, December 5, 2014. Along the way we stopped to anchor at Bahia Los Frailes (The Friars) and Ensenada de Los Muertos (Bay of the Dead). Frailes lies 59 miles north Cabo San Lucas with scrub-covered sand dunes that lie behind a white sandy beach. RVs and campers line the shoreline. We did not go ashore here, but we did enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings. We do not know where Muertos got its name, but the locals do not like it, as they have tried to change it to Ensenada Los Suenos (Bay of Dreams) with little success. I think the name “Muertos” adds a certain charm, if not mystery, to the area. Perhaps the name comes from the fact that there is not much here at this small pebbly cove, which lies 47 miles north of Frailes. This was once a thriving port for the silver and salt mines in the area. Now all that is left is the remains of an old stone warehouse and stone pier.

La Paz is 55 miles north of Muertos. We were excited to arrive here, as we intend on spending

Ruins at Muertos

several weeks here. There is a Stake and five Wards in this city that boasts a population of 250,000. La Paz has a fascinating history. It was first inhabited by Neolithic hunter-gatherers at least 10,000 years ago who left traces of their existence in the form of rock paintings near the city and throughout the Baja California peninsula. On May 3, 1535, Hernán Cortés arrived in the nearby bay naming it Santa Cruz. He attempted to start a colony here but abandoned his efforts after several years due to difficulties obtaining supplies. In 1596, Sebastián Vizcaíno arrived, giving the area its modern name, La Paz. Other explorers came however, since Baja California Sur is one of the most isolated parts of Mexico, there were no serious efforts at colonization until the late 17th century. Until then, English and Dutch pirates in the Sea of Cortez, plundered Spanish galleons, while the local Indians remained unfriendly towards settlers.

Little Lara with the big boats in La Paz

At the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1847, the United States withdrew its troops that had occupied the area during the war. The following year the two countries signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico agreed to sell to the United States the land that now comprises the modern states of California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. In return, the United States acknowledged Mexico’s ownership of the Baja Peninsula. Despite the treaty, in 1853 a journalist named William Walker, who was dissatisfied with the treaty and hoping to add another slave-holding state to the United States, led a group of 45 Americans to capture the city of La Paz. From January 10, 1854 to May 8, 1854 La Paz served as the capital of “Republic of Sonora” after he proclaimed himself as president. Because the expedition did not have the official support of the United States government, the Mexican Army quickly drove out these Americans. Walker fled back to the United States where he was tried for violation of neutrality laws and fined. Two years later he was executed by the Nicaraguan government for attempting a similar takeover there. La Paz is featured in John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl and is mentioned extensively in his travelogue The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Today, there are many foreign visitors to the town, but La Paz is primarily known as a Mexican vacation area.

At the Plaza

Peggy's Post: I am in a celebratory mood! It's hard to believe we are really here! After traveling for 2 ½ months we are finally in the Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California as it is also known). It feels so good to be staying put for a few weeks and not to have to worry about storms, anchors dragging, submerged rocks and ships in the night! Our leisurely travels had the benefit of being able to stop along the way and enjoy many towns and picturesque anchorages, but also allowed us to time our arrival in southern Baja AFTER hurricane season was over. We have seen the effects of hurricane Odile in Cabo Sa Lucas and in La Paz, and though services are back to normal here, they are still cleaning up and repairing the damage.

One of the things I really enjoy about La Paz is the Malecon which is a 3 ½ miles long paved walkway that runs in front our Marina all the way along the city's waterfront. There are statues and

Yahoo, Santa says
Jay has been good this year

palm trees and little parks along the way while

Peggy rides in Santa's Train

across the street are shops and restaurants. The city is all dressed up for Christmas with decorations on the lamp poles and in these little parks. There is an area near our marina that has a little Christmas village, a train, Santa's house and workshop with elves, reindeer with sleigh, and a nativity. At night it is lit with thousands of lights... looks just like some of the fancy neighborhoods back in the states. La Paz is much different than Cabo San Lucas. It is more laid back, less touristy, and no in-your-face hucksters. And the people have been very helpful and friendly. We will enjoy exploring this area and seeing all the historical buildings while we are here, so stay tuned for more on La Paz.

Below is a video of us leaving Cabo San Lucas

Red sky at night, sailors delight: