Birthday Cruise Update 1

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By Lowell | May 31, 2017 | Category Baja 2017

They’re Here!

Loreto Marina a refuge for local Pangeros fishing charters

Monday May 29th

The Birthday cruise is well underway as I begin this update. It’s been pretty busy since the birthday cruisers have arrived. Our first night (Sunday) we was spent in Loreto provisioning and enjoying the Loreto ambiance. Sunday evening we find the town pretty much closed up and we found ourselves back at the palapa restaurant next to Mediterranean for another good dinner. Murril has sailed recently on Gato Loco while Allison, John and Carol have never been to Loreto.

Today’s plan is to sail south to Puerto Escondido for fuel and water. Winds out of the SE came up mid afternoon allowing us to finish the trip with some good sailing. As I hoped the marina restaurant was open allowing us to enjoy the mania view with a cool drink in our hands.

 

Monday evening found us anchored in Juncalito after a good SE wind that provided us a very relaxing sail north. Murril and I  had another nice visit with our Juncalito fiends Elvin and Connie who had volunteered to get our empty propane tanked filled. Water is clear and warm good for swimming and paddle boarding. The birthday girl loves the paddle board and spends hours on it. Our first meal on board features scallops & coconut rice so I think it’s going to be a good culinary cruise.

 

Tuesday May 30th

Restful evening as everybody settles into the their cabins. Murril has decided to sleep on deck under the stars. Evenings are cool in the mid 60’s and he’s sleeping in a sleeping bag. Our plan today is to sail back to Loreto for birthday girl (she drank all her wine in one night), then on to Puerto

Ballandra for the evening. First we stop at the Clam Shack for lunch.

I have to recommend the Rancharios dish on the menu. I had shrimp and scallops that was the best in a long time.

18 –20kts at our back as we sail north for Al’s wine in Loreto. Winds have seas up where we normally anchor. One trip to shore and we decide to move Gato Loco to the north of the breakwater marina. A quick taxi to the mercado and Al’s wine situation resolved. Sailing from Loreto to Ballandra winds continue with a bumpy reach sail until we get within a couple of miles of the anchorage when we ran into a pod of dolphins the first sea life encounter of the birthday crew. Fun afternoon  and a beautiful evening in the anchorage. Murril and Al brought some cool Luci inflatable  lights that try out on different locations on the boat. The night was finished a hat light (Luci under a straw hat) on the foredeck. Everybody is now settling into the boat routine now. Al even got excited when she got a happy birthday shout out on the Amigo SSB radio net. She’s now part to the cruising community. Nice Arrchera steak dinner and cooler evening that everyone is enjoying. All good on Gato Loco.

 

Until the next update.

We will be away from internet for the next couple of day’s……..