Leg Three - Bahia Santa Maria to Cabo San Lucas

The winds are so light on this leg that the 30-hour cruise seems like it will never end.  Motor-sailing at 5-knots feels like we are standing still.  The main sail bangs back and forth in its track.  The jib slaps in cadence with the ocean swell.  The days are hotter and the nights are warmer.   At nightfall, the lights of La Paz brighten the horizon to the east.  We can smell dirt in the air. The Milky Way provides hours of entertainment.  A long line of port lights and stern lights stretches for miles on the north/south horizons.  The entire fleet is wallowing. 

As we near Cabo Falso in the afternoon, we are charmed by sea turtles paddling by. Condos and hotels appear on the beaches and hills.  Sport fishing boats cross our bow with lines out.   Suddenly, we are back in a busy port and our serenity is obliterated. 

 

We anchor off of the beach which is great for diving off of the stern into the 80 degree water.  This is a busy place with jet skis screaming by, pangas motoring by with tourists, cruise ships and party boats plying the bay.  There are numerous restaurants to choose from and well-stocked supermarkets. We purchased an internet modem from the phone company’s main customer service center which was open on Sunday!  Everyone with whom we’ve come in contact in Cabo has been very friendly. 

The Baja Ha-Ha rally ended here with a fabulous catered lunch on the beach and an award ceremony in which we all celebrated our triumphs and challenges.  The rally provided support via a daily net which delivered weather information, organized medical support, helped the fleet address mechanical issues and logged daily position reports of each boat.  We are grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the rally and will take many of the lessons learned with us as we continue cruising.