Blue Whales in the Emerald Sea

In Loreto Bay, departing from Puerto Escondido

Blue whale surfaces 50 yards from Pura Vida

Time to dive

 As we make our way north along the Baja coast, we’re gliding in and out of magical anchorages that defy photos or words. We stop in the late afternoon or when winds are directly on our nose from the north.  Since leaving La Paz after a great week of exploring and seeing friends, we’re sharing experiences ‘buddy boating’ with new friends on SV Gosling. After 9 remote days, we have a brief time of internet access until we head north from the Loreto area.

Shrimp trawler arrives early morning - we score fresh shrimp 

Cormorants drying their wings on cardon cactus

Got these scallops from the trawler
in exchange for some JB Weld

Right now, we’re anchored safely on the south end of Isla Coronados, tucked in from the 16-27knot winds that made our journey a bit choppy. After an aborted attempt yesterday at the roadstead anchorage that Loreto offers, we returned this morning to load up on veggies and walk the town.( With the amazing exchange rate of 15.41/1USD, we made a haul. This is the ‘best’ the exchange rate has been since we arrived in 2011.)

Aptly named anchorage: Agua Verde (Green Water).
That's us in front of Gosling

All along the coast, our eyes are peeled for the various types of whales that grace these waters in winter and spring. Yesterday, we hit pay dirt sighting plenty of the largest animals in the world, the great Blue Whale, reaching lengths of 105 feet. Considering their size, they are very graceful as they skim the surface before diving, leaving a swirling wake as their tales lower into the sea. It's pretty darn amazing.

Gosling in front of amazing rock formations

Rock formations at Puerto Los Gatos

Incredible rainbow effect at sunset!

Tonight, we'll enjoy a starry starry night that's reflected perfectly in the bioluminescent scene that plays out below the water around our hull. Tomorrow, we'll continue our journey to new ventures, hopeful that the predicted decrease in north wind comes to fruition.