Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Caleta Lobos: Sailing Intermezo

I’m back on Intermezzo again.

I returned to La Paz a week ago Sunday, January 14 and found Intermezzo in good condition in the slip at Marina Palmira. I had a productive week working and writing from the boat. I’m pleased about that, as I hope to be able to combine sailing with my other life interests and priorities going forward. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to do that, with careful planning and a little flexibility on the part of others. 

Renee arrived this past Sunday and we set sail for Caleta Lobos yesterday after spending Monday provisioning and getting the boat ready for a 10-day cruise to explore the multiple coves of Isla Espíritu Santo. The past few days have been sunny and clear, but quite windy, blowing from the NNW at 15-25 knots. The forecast is for the winds to subside for a few days before piping up again on the weekend, but so far, they are still blowing strong.  We’ll be motoring against the wind in short hops northward and then should enjoy a nice long downwind sail back to La Paz at the end of next week.

We stopped at Caleta Lobos in November 2015 on our way to La Paz after finishing the Baja Ha-Ha. We considered it then one of the best anchorages so far and time has not diminished the impression. Yesterday I ventured to shore on the dinghy in the late afternoon and enjoyed walking along the beach and edge of the mangroves, climbing a rocky hillside, doing some yoga and meditating before a beautiful mountain backdrop.  The weather is cool, but comfortable. The water is a bit chilly for swimming, but comfortable for wading.

This morning, I was woken up by a sea lion fishing around and below the boat, making quite a bit of noise and occasionally banging against the hull. I’m amazed by how wild and isolated this anchorage is, less than 10 miles away from the marina in La Paz.


A short time ago, I started a new blog as a place to write when I’m not sailing and posting to this blog. It’s called “Steve’s Words” and you can find it at www.therealstevecox.com and subscribe to follow by email if you like what you read and are interested in my non-sailing musings as well.

Caleta Lobos anchorage 
Desert mountain backdrop beyond the mangroves

Intermezzo and the dinghy sharing Caleta Lobos with a shrimper and one other boat

Hiking rocky terrain in flip-flops

Caleta Lobos landscape

On board Intermezzo again