Spanish Missions

Plaza in Loreto

Post: We had been sailing through the islands of the Sea of Cortez for almost a month when we arrived at Puerto Escondido (“Hidden Harbor”) located fourteen miles south of Loreto, Mexico. It was time to get off our twenty-four foot sailboat “Little Lara” and do a different kind of traveling—by car. Up until now we had seen only the coastline of Baja California. Now we wanted to see what the interior of this peninsula looked like. So we rented a car and started our inland journey traveling at sixty miles per hour verses our typical 4-5 mile per hour. As we drove we noticed that every town or city we visited, like most Mexican towns, had a central plaza and a Catholic church. We were interested to learn of the historic and cultural contributions these old missions played in developing the area.

Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto

The first mission in the Californias was founded by Juan Maria Salvatierra in the city of Loreto in 1697. As the area grew in population it served as the base for California’s exploration and the expansion of the Catholic mission system throughout the Baja and western United States region. Thus, Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto is known as the “Mother and Head of the California Missions” and was the capital of all Spanish California. We were told that at one time even the early Mormon settlers had to travel here to record official government documents (i.e. marriages, births, deaths, etc.). The still functioning church sits in the center of the plaza surrounded by small shops selling souvenirs, clothes and food.

Mision San Francisco Xavier

Twenty-two miles southwest of Loreto is a small village of thatched-roofed, adobe houses named San Javier. Just getting to the village was an adventure in itself. We were told that the road was good - “all paved”. What they forgot to mention was the washed out portion up the steep winding canyon. We could tell the rushing waters from the last hurricane took out the road and was powerful enough to roll car sized boulders down the canyon. In a half dozen other places we had to ford rivers crossing over the “paved road”, and skirt goats wandering down the center of the road. But our little rental car made it to San Javier in one piece. We were entranced with the cobble stone streets and the clean orderly town. Here is located the best preserved Jesuit Mission we found: Mision San Francisco Xavier de Vigge-Biaundo. In 1701 Juan de Ugarte arrived in the area after traveling from Mexico City. The entire building, from foundation to vaulted ceiling was constructed using stone quarried from nearby Arroyo de Santio Domingo. No two side windows are identical. The two bells in the church tower are dated 1761 and 1830, respectively. The altars within were brought here from Mexico City by boat and burro in the mid 18^th century. In the center alter stands a statue of San Javier.

Mision Santa Rosalia de Mulege

In 1770 the Mision Santa Rosalia de Mulege was constructed inthe town of Mulege after the original building was destroyed in a flood. Constructed of native river stone the building stands on the bluffs over looking the town and the palm treed lined Rio Santa Rosalia. What we found striking in this church was the unusual statue of the “Resurrected Christ” ascending to heaven. The town of Mulege is bisected by a river (one of the few flowing rivers we have seen in Baja) which flooded the town in the recent hurricane and the damage is still very apparent.

Mulege's “Resurrected Christ” statue

Iglesia Santa Barbara de Santa Rosalia

A novelty in the Baja is Iglesia Santa Barbara de Santa Rosalia. Though not an old building compared to the missions noted above, it is unusual because it is a prefabricated, steel walled church designed by French architect Alexandre Gustave Effiel in 1884. Effiel is best know for designing the locks of the Panama Canal, the Statue of Liberty, and Paris' Effiel Tower. Originally the church was built in 1887 and exhibited in Paris at the 1889 World Exposition. Effiel took first place for the building's modular design. It was purchased in 1897 by Compania El Boleo, a French copper mining company and shipped to Santa Rosalia then reassembled so the mine workers living in the area would have a place to worship. While we were visiting the plaza we met a group of teenage girls practicing their drill routine for a marching competition. They were very interested in practicing their English with some willing Americans. One 12 year old spoke quite well because she visits her cousins in the San Francisco Bay area every summer. Her English was much better than our Spanish! We also made sure we visited the French Bakery that was originally established in the 1800s!

As always, every village, town or city we visited in Baja California the people were friendly and extremely helpful. It was delightful to get to know them and visit a part of the peninsula we normally would not see on a sailboat. We hope all is well with you and want you to know how much we appreciate our family and friends, whom we miss very much. Be safe and fair winds wherever your travels may take you.

Plaza in San Javier

Islands, Vistas & Sunsets (Part 2)

Peggy's Post: We left San Evaristo January 26, 2015 to explore Isla San Jose which is an hour sail back across Canal De San Jose. We had heard that there was a lot to explore on the island and we were glad that we didn't pass it by. Our first anchorage was at Punta Salinas. Years ago there was a salt mine here and it was interesting to see the abandoned buildings and equipment.

Remains of an old Bulldozer

Cab of an old Ford Truck

The salt pans are still evident where rectangular areas were flooded with sea water and then allowed to evaporate leaving the salt behind to be processed. I especially loved the three mile long white sandy beach covered with thousands and thousands of sea shells. Also we found an interesting collection of shoes in one of the abandoned buildings.  This raised all kinds of speculations on our part: were they left here by former inhabitants? Did they wash up on the beach? Or is this the resting place for all lost soles?

Lost Soles

The next day we moved the boat to the end of the island five miles further south to Bahia Amortajada to explore the mangroves and lagoon. Here we put the outboard motor on the dinghy (this involves me being on the boat leaning over the stern railing while lowering the motor down to Jay who is standing in the inflatable dinghy as it rides up and down on the waves then maneuvering it onto the transom of the dinghy without dropping it into the water. We have a line tied to the boat and the outboard motor as a safety precaution, just in case!) After carefully motoring over the shallows of the lagoon we found our way into a corridor lined on both sides by mangrove trees. Here are dozens of narrow waterways meandering through the mangroves creating a maze. I was relieved to discover we could backtrack to the main channel by following the air bubbles left in the water by the motor ... similar to leaving breadcrumbs on a trail. After exploring the many channels we hurried back to “Little Lara” because the wind was picking up and the tide was going out.

Entrance to the Mangroves

We ended up back on “Little Lara” with an uphill slog (up wind into the waves) back to a safe anchorage. We stayed at Punta Salinas for a couple of days waiting for safe conditions to cross the channel back to San Evaristo for provisions and water.

On January 30^th we sailed to our next destination, Agua Verde, which is one of our most favorite anchorages so far (even though it involved sailing in the rain to get there). It is more more tropical than the desert beaches we previously visited. There are lots of palm trees, white beaches, a quaint village, herds of goats (we tried the goat cheese they make here and found that we really like it!), pangas (local fishing boats) and very friendly people.

Agua Verde Anchorage

The only things that interrupted the solitary dreamlike quality of this very protected anchorage was the day after our arrival a mini-cruise ship and several other sailboats arrived … one sailboat anchoring a mere 30 feet in front of us. Jay had to ask them nicely to please pull up their anchor and move further away. We knew that when the wind shifted or the tides changed they would swing on their anchor rode and hit “Little Lara”. We did appreciate the “UnCruise” ship after they kindly shared some ice with us so we could continue keeping the groceries in our icebox cold.

Yiks, they are anchored close!

Though we loved Agua Verde we set sail for Puerto Escondido on February 3rd. This was a 23 mile sail, which took us five hours to complete as there was no wind. We ended up motoring the entire way. Plus, it has almost been a month since we last last communicated with friends and family, and we knew there was internet service here. Puerto Escondido is one of Baja's most protected anchorages and it is here everyone heads when hurricanes approach the region during the summer months. It is almost completely landlocked except for a 200 foot wide entrance channel. The inner bay can hold over 100 boats. Here we met many of the boats we had become friends with as we sailed down from California and up through the Sea of Cortez. We plan staying for several days so we can travel inland by car, visiting many of the larger cities like Loreto, Santa Roslia and Ciudad Constitution.  We also want to attend Church in Loreto, where there is a "Casa de Oracion" (House of Prayer, i.e. Dependent Branch.)

Loreto Dependent Branch

Below is a short video clip of the anchorage in Agua Verde:

Islands, Vistas & Sunsets (Part 1)

Fun in the sun or do we just look tired?

Jay's Post: We left La Paz, Mexico on January 8, 2015 heading north for the islands. Along the way we stopped to enjoy several of the more popular anchorages that lie just a few miles outside of La Paz. One of our favorite stops was Bahia Falsa, just five miles away. We stayed here for several days enjoying the bird and marine life. While here we saw frigates, pelicans, and blue footed boobies, plus sand bass, angelfish, yellowtail and mullet. We also spent time exploring the shoreline by dinghy. While here, Peggy caught one fish and one bird, and I caught three fish.

"I caught a fish, I caught a ..."

Mushroom Rock and "Little Lara"

We had to stop and anchor in Bahia Pichilinque even though it was just a short four miles from Bahia Falsa. This area is known for its fine white sandy beaches and beautiful clear turquoise waters. It was here that we caught a ride back into La Paz so we could attend Church on Sunday. While we were waiting for the bus at the bus stop, a “Policia Federal” stopped to ask us if we needed any help. When we explained we were headed into town to attend church, he offered us a ride. Along the way we talked about Mexico, California, sailboats, families and the Church. We were able to catch a bus ride back to the anchorage after Church services were over.

We crossed the Canal de San Lorenzo on January 14^th headed for the first big island north of La Paz: Isla Espititu Santos. This island is 18 miles from La Paz and is part of the National Marine Park System. It is know for its colorful striated layers of pink, ivory, brown and black rocks.

Striated Layered Mountains

According to the Nature Conservancy this area is the breeding grounds for whales, dolphins, sea lions and turtles. It is a migratory corridor for 210 bird species, and is the home for 31 species of whales and dolphins, 500 species of fish and 4,848 species of marine invertebrates.

White Sandy Beaches of San Gabriel

We founds several beautiful anchorages amongst the possible twenty or more places we could have stopped. The three coves we stopped in all had exotic names -- Bahia San Gabriel, Puerto Ballena, and El Mezteno, as well as white sandy beaches, clear turquoise water and thick green mangroves. We found them all to be quiet secluded anchorages, often times with us being the only boat there. In these anchorages we enjoyed exploring the shoreline in the dinghy, motoring over the reefs looking at the marine life, hiking up steep arroyos over rocks and boulders, and walking through the salt flats.

Sunset at Caleta Partida

The next island we visited was Isla Partida on January 17th, 21 miles north of La Paz. Our first and most favorite anchorage on the island was Caleta Partida. This cove was originally the crater of a large extinct volcano. Over thousand s of years the crater was eroded away and the sea flowed in and filled it. We stayed here several days enjoying the beauty that surrounded us on almost all sides. There were six boats anchored here with us, a record. It was here that we traded with a local fisherman for ice and fish. Further north we stopped at Ensenada Grande to fish, snorkel, explore and hike. At low tide sea caves are exposed that dot the shore line. We were able to swim around, into and through these caves as we saw amazing marine life. We saw many unusual fish including eels, cornetfish, trumpetfish, scorpionfish, balloonfish, manterays, etc.

Sea Lions of Los Islotes

Leaving Isla Partida on January 20^th we sailed by Los Islotes, which is famous for its sea lion rookery. As we slowly motored by the island the male sea lions would bark at us while the female sea lions would dive into the water to swim around “Little Lara”.

Crossing Canal De San Jose we sailed for Isla San Francisco. This is a favorite cruising destination and we soon found ourselves anchored with eleven other boats – almost an entire community! This area is known for its large crescent shaped bay and white broken shell beach. The sunsets here are absolutely gorgeous as the sun descends behind the rugged Sierra De La Gigantas on the Baja peninsula silhouetting this jagged rocky mountain range. Then with no nearby city lights to influence the sky, the stars begin to appear to illuminate the night sky. With billions and billions of stars that appear so close you can reach up and touch them, it is possible to pick out some old familiar constellations like Ursa Major, Orion, Gemini, Taurus, Cassiopeia, as well as some new ones like the Southern Cross. While at Isla San Francisco we again went snorkeling over the reefs. This time, however, we took the Hawaiian Sling (a long spear with a 'rubber-band') with us and were able to spear a fish -- take note Jon. The rest of the fish were either too fast or we were too slow. As Peggy says, “Practice, practice, practice!”

San Evaristo Anchorage

Mexican Cell Tower ???

Because of deteriorating weather conditions we decided to leave

Isla San Francisco earlier than planned and sail over to the Baja peninsula and anchored at San Evaristo. This is a quiet little fishing village of maybe twenty families. Here we found a well protected bay and were able to go ashore to buy food, water and ice. We hiked up the hills behind the village and discovered we could get some very limited cellphone service. This afforded us the opportunity to text family to let them know we were alive and well. We spent several days at San Evaristo waiting on weather and visiting with new found friends.

Musings on Marinas

Sea Turtle statue 

Peggy's Post: This is the first time we have stayed more than just a few days in a marina. We have been here in La Paz at Marina Palmira for 3 weeks, and it has been interesting to discover marinas are miniature communities. There are cruisers who are the old timers who have lived here full time for years. There are snowbirds who have come every winter for decades.  There are those, like us, who are here for just a few weeks. Finally, there are transients, who stop just long enough to purchase fuel, provisions, and water before leaving to cross the Sea of Cortez for Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta (a 48 hour sail).  Everyone does their best to make newcomers feel welcome. 

Marina Palmira with breakwater in background

There are expensive marinas similar to country clubs with every amenity imaginable. Then there marinas that provide the basics like the one we are presently in. There are also cruisers who anchor out in the bay choosing to have no services. This last group described us in the past, except on weekends when we would go into marinas so we could go to church. So lately it has been fun and different to belong to a "neighborhood" of boats.

View of the boardwalk to downtown-about a mile

The best part of sailing is meeting new people.  We have enjoyed going out to dinner, always a great way to get to know people and try the local cuisine. Trading dinner invitations on each other's boat is also fun, but seating is tight on “Little Lara”! Since most sailboats are larger than ours, new friends often invite us to their boat, while we bring the food.

Every morning at 8:00 AM we listen to the “La Paz Cruiser's Net” on our marine radio. The host asks if there are any emergencies, any new boats to the area or any boats that are leaving. Then the mic is open for announcements of activities from the different marinas. For example, during the holidays there were announcements for a Christmas pot luck, donations of food staples for local families, request for volunteers to fill Christmas bags with toys and candy for needy children, a farmer's market, a musical jam session, a yoga class, Mexican train dominoes, a folk singer performance, a celestial navigation class, and a swap meet. Enough activities to keep us busy every day! 

Maybe one of the boats is missing its mast?
Hurricane damage.

Then the radio mic is open for people to tell about items they have for “swap or trade”. The host always is careful to inform listeners that in Mexico it is illegal to sell anything, unless you are a Mexican citizen or have a business license, so you can only trade things. It is always interesting what people have to swap. For instance, today someone had a mast with sail and roller furling... we were curious what happened to the boat that formally went with the mast!

The marina also has a 'Cruiser's Lounge' which basically is a room with tables, chairs and hundreds of books.  It has a TV, a coffee pot and the most used item: a wireless WiFi router.  So the lounge is used a lot as people log on to check the sailing weather, email, stateside news and update blogs -- like us.

The Pearl of La Paz on the Malecon

We have managed to stay out of the gossip but that too is part of every community! We have also enjoyed going to Church on a weekly basis and getting to know the members.  They have been very friendly and accepting of us. 

The RS (and departing missionary) in La Paz

We have loved being part of this new 'family' and will be sad to say goodbye, but we are looking forward to continuing our adventures exploring the waters teeming with sea life and the deserted islands of the Sea of Cortez.

Selfie from the top of the mountain overlooking the bay.

Feliz Navidad

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas
 from La Paz, Mexico

Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year in Mexico and is rich in traditions. It is celebrated in a variety of ways, starting in early December when homes and businesses are decorated with poinsettias, which are called “noche buenas” from the Spanish phrase “good night” (Mexico is the origin of the poinsettia). From December 16 to 24 there are a series of procession called Las Posadas (from the Spanish word “inn”). The posada is a recreation of Mary and Josephs' searching for a "room at the inn." Two children are selected to play the rolls of each Mary and Joseph, accompanying them in their travels is a choir of small children who knock on three or more doors asking for lodging for the weary couple. By previous arrangement, there are no takers. At the last house the procession is invited in. There all the children enjoy a festive pinata party.

Christmas Pinata

The Mexican interpretation of the pinata rests on the tradition of man's struggle against temptation. The seven points on the pinata represent the seven deadly sins. The pot represents evil and temptations. The person with the stick is blindfolded to represent faith. The turning, the singing and the shouting represent the disorientation that temptation creates. As the participant beats the pinata, it is supposed to represent the struggle against temptation and evil. When the pinata breaks, the treats inside represents the rewards of keeping the faith.

Rosca de Reyes

Many Mexicans open their Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve (“Noche Buena”) as well as have a large family dinner that may last all night. There are some families, however, that prefer to wait and open their Christmas gifts on January 6^th, “Día de los Reyes” (Day of the Kings). It is on this day many believe the wise men arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for the Christ Child. Dia del los Reyes includes eating of the “Rosca de Reyes”, a ring shaped sweetbread, similar to a bunt cake containing small bits of fruit and candy. One of the special traditions in eating this cake is a small plastic doll representing the baby Jesus hidden inside. The one receiving the doll is responsible for hosting a party on and making the tamales for the “Fiesta de la Candelaria” (Day of the Candles), which is held on February 2nd.

Santa's Workshop where the elves
are counting down the days 

Fiesta de la Candelaria falls forty days after Christmas, and is celebrated as the feast of the “Purification of the Virgin” or as the “Presentation of the Lord”. According to Jewish law a woman was considered unclean for 40 days after giving birth so it was customary to bring the new born baby to the temple after that period of time had passed. Thus, Mexicans believe Jesus would have been taken to the temple on this day to be blessed. It is called Day of the Candles because Mexicans take candles to the church on this day to be blessed. Tamales are the preferred food of the day. It should be noted that February 2nd also marks the mid-way point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. This may be a vestige of an old pagan tradition given that this day has long been thought of as predictor of the future weather conditions. In the United States, for example, February 2nd is celebrated as “Groundhog Day”.

In keeping with Mexican tradition we will spend Christmas with family. Thus, Monday, December

22^nd we will travel to Utah by plane to be with our children. It is interesting to note that it took us 2 ½ months to travel the 1,607 miles to La Paz. It will takes us 3 hours to fly from Mexico to Salt Lake City. After the holidays we will return to La Paz to travel further north to explore the islands in the Sea of Cortez. Until then, we on “Little Lara” are wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  We pray for the Lord's continued blessing on each of you this coming year.

Remember, Jesus is the gift of Christmas!

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: