Fireflies of the Sea

School of rays performing acrobatics off our port side

Dolphins abound this year

Excellent kayaking and exploring 

Incredible rock formations along the Baja

Terns enjoying a bait ball

Turtles were in abundance this year as well

When we’re enjoying the luxury of being in an anchorage, tucked in from some of the wind and swells, experiencing nature up close, there are many moments that take your breath away. Such peaceful repose we earned after working for so many moons on boat repairs. We have been blessed with so much life, from jumping mantas, surfacing turtles, flocks of diving birds going after a bait ball and night time fish frenzies.

Bioluminescent waters swirl around the boat at night, and these last few days we experienced fireflies in the sea. Bright fish that look like they are wearing LED headlamps. All sizes, including flying fish. Non-stop zooming around the boat. Swirling balls of fish that are so bright. It's mesmerizing to watch the light patterns they create. One night, we had hundreds of flying fish partying all around the hull for hours.

At night especially when there’s little or no moon, voluminous stars blow your mind as you gaze in wild wonder at the heavens, galaxy and great beyond. When I was attempting a ‘close up’ with binoculars at some of my favorite constellations, I was blinded by the influx of light and information. It was just too much to process. So, naked eye views of constellations work just fine for me.

After a lovely 5 days exploring San Juanico with friends, we headed south again along the Baja. Turquoise waters and a calm bay welcomed us to the western anchorage at Isla Coronados. The island touts a volcanic cone and we once again undertook the journey up to see the vistas of the surrounding islands and Baja peninsula. At night, the lights of Loreto sparkle in the distance.

We are always on the quest for weather reports and sometimes, all the reporting you gather doesn’t play out. When we arrived Isla Coronados, we set our plan for the next day: early kayak trip to shore for our ascent of the volcanic cone at the nature preserve. It’s spring so the desert comes to life in subtle, yet beautiful ways. Tiny blossoms, bits of green, new shoots defying the heat and sun.

Desert comes to life

We made our descent on the trail then kayaked back to our boat late morning, after a conversation with tourists who arrived for a beach outing. They’re transported here in high speed pangas (fishing boats) for a day on a remote island. The beach was full of people and boats, frolicking was the word of the moment. A nice sunny day in a beautiful anchorage. Mike hoisted our kayaks and when we started a bite for lunch, the winds picked up. Quickly. Soon our mellow little anchorage was anything but. Pangas loaded up their guests and boogied out of the anchorage across the fast-building whitecaps. Being positioned toward those incoming NW winds, anchored on a lee shore with winds escalating to 24+ in such a short time, we hastily decided: time to go!

Sea lion sunning on the surface

Mike managed our way out around the islet to the west of the island, then south through waves that built high and fast, as the channel passage is shallow and somewhat narrow causing bubbling waters. As I donned my life jacket, it reminded me of whitewater rafting, but on a larger scale. Confused seas bounced us around and many things went bump down below as he navigated us to the southern end of the island, where a more peaceful anchorage would surely be found. Those unplanned winds were sustained in the 20s all day and into the next day so we were thankful we made the decision to move around the island to safer waters. No BBQing that night, just too windy.

At Mangele Solo, we hoisted the anchor only to find the world’s largest ball of iridescent green seaweed tangle. It was quite a job to unfoul the chain and anchor of that surreal mass before we could hoist anchor and out. Lucky for you, a photo of that nasty ball didn’t come out.

This afternoon, Sunday April 28th we will cross the sea, back to Guaymas to put Pura Vida to rest for the summer months. It's always a bittersweet moment.

Our version of March Madness

The Work: One last project in the yard, installing sail tracks.
In my closet showing the length of the bolt we were dealing with

The Reward: Margaritas on the malecon, La Paz

While NCAA basketball keeps everyone busy in the US, we were having our own version of March Madness finishing projects after our fabulous paint job. 

Moving up the ranks as the month progressed, we finally launched Pura Vida and prepared for some water-based adventures. 

Carnaval in Guaymas

Kids float

(apparently) famous Lucha Libre celebrity (with cowboy hat) on
Scorpion King float, marine guards for safety

No caption required

The Guaymas float, of course, with the Shrimp

Once again we found ourselves still there for the rowdy and ambitious Carnaval ending Fat Tuesday. We think it’s one of the larger ones in the area and there were absolutely tons of people. 

We did our time there, watched the parade a couple of times (it goes for 4 days), and I won another Pokemon light to match my other one – this time throwing rusty darts at balloons. I got all 4!

One of the many highlights of the event is the crowning of the festival queen and the Ugly King. We had the pleasure of being at the dock when the floral guys created the arrangement for the boat parading the queen along the waterfront. What a spectacle! When I left the dock to do errands, the guys had just laid their first chicken wire. When I returned an hour later, another photo opp presented itself with them hoisting their labor. They had smiles on their faces in the photo, happy that I acknowledged and complimented their beautiful work.

On our dock at Fonatur, these guys created this amazing floral
array for the queen - that's our boat behind the motor yacht

The starting point

The Festival Queen in her glory - right alongside Pura Vida!

On March 18, we thankfully left the dock at Fonatur marina in Guaymas, after laundry, one more round of fresh fish tacos (3 tacos and a coke for 50 pesos = $2.60), fresh veggies at the market and washing the boat. Our friends on Echo sent us off, this time without champagne. They had graciously brought a bottle of champagne to toast our departure two weeks prior but that was short lived and we were back at the dock before we left the harbor. Alternator problems, which kept Mike busy in the engine room the next six days, troubleshooting and reconfiguring. So this time, we said, please, no deluxe send off!

She floats! In San Juanico outside the pinnacles

Dolphins alongside (they move fast so it's blurry)

We left the bay and didn’t look back, enjoying a calm crossing of the sea, motor sailing for 24 hours with ¾ moon up at sunset and setting at 5am. We did our longer shifts once again, so we each had half the night at the helm. We dropped anchor in the early morning hours at our first destination, San Juanico, welcomed by our first visiting dolphins while we had breakfast. The osprey and their nests on the four nearby pinnacles provided a flurry of activity.

Captain Mike enjoying our first anchorage

Living aboard provides ongoing learning experiences. Getting your sea legs after being on the hard takes a couple of days. Getting into a rhythm on board. Seeking better ways to preserve fruits and vegetables, minimize trash, disinfect our environs (more vinegar!) and stow our gear when we’re underway so it's safe and accessible in case of emergency.

Stowing fruits and veggies in the V berth