March ‘00
*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!
March 2, Thursday
Sunny, breezy.
Mom, Daddy and Goon called for my birthday - #45 – Angela had us over for dinner, it was great.
*Oh my goodness, 45! It is so weird knowing that I’m creeping up on my 40th birthday in 7 months. I think it would be so cool if there were a way to be friends with my Mom at these similar ages. Maybe in another life. 🙃
March 3, Friday
Cloudy and cool. Samie and the other girls have been hanging out with Jared and Sean, who’s family is staying at Marina El Cid Hotel for the last 2 weeks. They are all going out to dinner.
March 4, Saturday
Samie and Megan went out to anchor with Natalie on Night Owl to watch the fireworks – they said it was quite a show.
*Samie met Stephen, Dream Weaver. 😊
❤ ya, Mom.
*I added that last part - Stephen was my newest crush.
I’m surprised that I don’t really remember going out for the fireworks.
March 5, Sunday
Samie and I went to the parade with Angela, we were invited up to a hotel room with Dr. Pepe to watch from a balcony. What a view! Beautiful floats and fireworks.
*We had a great time watching the parade. I remember it being so very crowded in town and walking through the streets. It was nice to be able to see the parade from up on the balcony. I don’t remember who Dr. Pepe was.
March 6, Monday
Happy Bday, Cardon.
Second day of a mild migraine, only the second one I’ve had since mid-November. I think this one is the weather? Who knows.
We heard that Duncan from Scorpio in PV was found in his boat with a gun shot to the head; maybe suicide, they’re not sure. We just saw him and his girlfriend in La Cruz last month.
*Mom had also mentioned a 4-day migraine in February. This one makes 9 days’ worth of migraines for this season. Thankfully, less than the last.
How terrible to hear about Scorpio - I don’t remember meeting him, but I remember hearing the boat name a lot. Heartbreaking, no matter what the cause of death was. 😢
March 8, Wednesday
Had pizza last night with Jo and Gene, Sunbear.
Lakeside got 14” of snow, but it’s melting fast.
Wind blew 20k all day – cold.
March 9, Thursday
20k – cold.
March 10, Friday
Angie took me in to the store for a big shop ($958). John went with Pam, Novia, to get all the meats ($500). Hal, Angela, and the gang took us out for tacos – great place – across from Taco Loco and better.
Wind 10k until 5 pm, now 15-20k, strange. Cold!
March 11, Saturday
Happy Bday, Cammie
Visited with Glo, Double Time, she just flew in to join Lee.
March 12, Sunday
John paid the fuel and slip fee, $485 US. We were there 1 month. It might just be a record – planned to leave on the 13th and it looks like we’ll actually make it out on that date – no waiting for weather!
Calm, light SW, 5k.
We had Hal, Angie, Megan and Hal Boy over here for a roast dinner. I sure have enjoyed their company this year. Really nice to be right next to them in the slip.
*Mom always enjoyed Angie’s company, she was a really sweet lady. I always enjoyed being over at their boat - her and Hal were pretty easy going and were ok with a bunch of kids being over at their boat, and so patient with all of us, too!
March 13, Monday
Maz to Baja
Fogged in – great CALM day to leave! 8 am, Neal, Novia, played tug boat and pushed the nose around as we backed out of the slip – perfect. Went through the entrance in fog – some swell. Dolphins, huge ones, escorted us out! Cool! 5 miles out it fogged up again.
Saw several big turtles floating, one at a time, not together. Went through a pod of small dolphins – jumping and spinning in the air – so cool. They swam the bow for quite a while. Had small marlin jumping around, but no one hooked one.
Nothing over 12k all day and night.
*We didn’t video nearly as much this year, but we did get some footage on this trip. Apologies for my sort of all-over-the-place filming, I edited most of it out for an easier watch. I kept the “tour” for a little glimpse of the interior of the boat with our new upholstery and whatnot.
Glad I did get some great shots of the dolphins in the third video. I love hearing how excited Mom always got when there were dolphins. 😊
March 14, Tuesday
As the sun rose beautifully behind us, we had dolphins at the bow for a long time. The water is clear blue and I can see many “layers” of dolphin below the bow – wow (again).
We had 12k WNW all of the last 25 miles or so, nice sail. Small manta rays flipping, more dolphins.
We were anchored at 11 am – 27 hours – wonderful crossing.
John helped Bob with one of his dinghy motors – Samie and I blew up the kayak. I went out in it. 82°, 5k breeze – great.
Had BBQ baby back ribs – really good.
*The layers of dolphins really is the coolest, to see how many there are both under and surrounding your boat! It is such a fun thing that they like to come play with boats as they cruise along on the water’s surface.
March 15, Wednesday
It sure feels good to be away from the marina and anchored again.
John and Bob, Storm Haven, went for a dive – no luck, but good visibility. Wind blew 10k SE all day, so the anchorage was bumpy.
Talked to Angela on 4051, they were 2 hours from Isabella at 6:30.
March 16, Thursday
Los Frailes, Baja
Southeast, 12k again – a bit lumpier today.
Pot luck dinner on Storm Haven. It was so swelly that Miss Kris’s dinghy got up under the swim ladder on a swell and it got popped. Tore a 4” L-shaped rip in it. We’re not talking just a dinghy – it’s a big-bucks power boat “tender” – you know the kind, with a steering wheel! Anyway, they got it out of the water before it sunk and drowned the engine.
Great evening.
*Ooof! Good thing Miss Kris noticed the dinghy in time!
March 17, Friday
Light and variable breezes, beautiful. Gail, Priority, and I got out in the kayaks for an hour or so. I had a school of small manta rays swim under the kayak – one jumped and flipped beside me – pretty cool.
“Party” on Dave and Evie’s boat, Enetie, a trawler – beautiful boat.
*I’m bummed looking back on my journals here - Mom was being a bit more active in some ways during this time, but I was holed up in my room, being a bit of a brat because I just wanted to be back in the States with friends. All my journal entries talk about writing letters, reading and re-reading letters, checking for emails, and daydreaming about getting back to Lakeside. 😕 I noted on the 20th that “Mom wants me to get off the boat and do stuff, but I’m like, naahhh. Dad wants me to go diving with him, and I kinda feel bad that I’m not because he really wants me to.” I go on to admit that I’m acting up basically to get my point across that I didn’t want to be on the boat anymore because I just wanted to be in school with my friends. It’s honestly such a bummer to read back on all that . I wish I would have gone diving and explored more with Dad or learned more things with him and gone kayaking with Mom. I get that it’s normal for teens to behave this way, but sheesh! If only I could have enjoyed the moment and my parents more, instead of making myself kind of miserable wishing I was somewhere else and dismissing how incredibly lucky I was to be exactly where I was. 😥
“If I knew then what I know now…”
March 18, Saturday
North 15-20k all day.
BBQ on Miss Kris – BIG power boat – Kris and Chuck.
March 19, Sunday
Los Frailes
Happy B-day #8, Hal Boy.
Enetie and Miss Kris left early for Muertos this a.m. North 15, p.m. 4V – bar dropped 7 points. Happy hour on Wandrin’ Star with Priority and Storm Haven (aka Spam Haven).
John and Bob went out for a night dive.
*Neither Mom or I remember this nickname for Storm Haven - they must have had an abnormally large stock of Spam?!
March 20, Monday
It was so calm all day, it was like glass. Bob, John and Jim all went fishing in Bob’s tender – way out, 12 miles or so – no fish.
About 5 pm a mom and baby humpback were putting on a show just 500 yards or so away. Spectacular!
Us and Priority baked pizzas and took them to Storm Haven and we all shared. Fun.
March 21, Tuesday
North 10-15 all day – cool.
John sanded the varnish in the cockpit.
Oh, it was fogged in totally this morning.
March 22, Tuesday
Happy Birthday Delores.
John did half the varnish in the cockpit. 10-20 all day.
Movie and popcorn on Storm Haven – Cynthia is a good social director and/or planner. Anyway, we (us, Priority and Spam) all watched There’s Something About Mary. We all put out a lot of loud laughter.
Wind blew all night.
*Cynthia was so great and I definitely remember more get-togethers whenever she and Bob were around. I loved how much fun Mom had with her.
I remember watching this movie with the group, it was a good time, and yes, a LOT of laughter.
March 23, Thursday
Cloudy, 20-25k north all day.
Goon called, she and Caleb want to drive down to San Carlos when we get there.
March 24, Friday
We stuck our nose out of the anchorage at 9 am- too lumpy for us – we went back and spent a long, lazy day. Storm Haven and Priority went on to Los Muertos said it wasn’t too bad.
We left at 6 pm and had a smooth ride. Small manta rays jumping all around. Just before the dark really set in – we came real close to a panga sitting there fishing.
Beautiful moon rise!
March 25, Saturday
La Paz
We passed Muertos at midnight – talked to Bob and Cynthia. Around 2 pm, the wind in Ceravo picked up – we have a cormel blowing w-20k, but no big seas. The wind followed us all the way around and through the Lorenzo Channel – 25 and 30 on the nose. But still not too lumpy – although there was salt spray everywhere.
Better to have wind in Lorenzo than Ceralvo, and of course 3 ferries.
We were anchored at 10:30 am in 5k – nice. We are tired, but want to get out of La Paz BEFORE we get “stuck” here.
TO DO LIST:
Fresh veggies.
Milk, butter, etc. (3 stores)
Beer
Laundry
Cambio
Dinner out
Fuel
Can’t believe we got it all done in one day!
Talked to Chelle – all is well, she thinks she’ll have the baby any day.
Danielle and the baby are doing fine.
March 26, Sunday
Cloudy, but calm, took on fuel at Marina Palmira at 8:30 am – OUT of La Paz at 9:30 – a record 24 hours in and out!
Calm ride, except the last 2.5 hours into Ensenada Grande on Partida. (20-25N)
Water is beautiful.
March 27, Monday
We decided to stay here today. John had to fix a broken fresh water pump.
Miss Kris and Enetie came in around 3 pm.
It was calm all day until then – gusty like yesterday. Gorgeous sunset.
March 28, Tuesday
Isla San Fransisco
We left this a.m. at 7, along with Miss Kris and Enetie for Isla San Fransisco. Lumpy, left over swell for an hour or so, then smoothed out. Saw dolphins and whales in the distance, and a small hammerhead shark. It was real hazy – dusty, or something when we left – you could only see the island right there – nothing in the distance, strange.
We spent an hour or so on the beach.
Ron – Golf Oscar – Sea Lion, is anchored here with the mini cruise ship. He came by for a while and brought a bucket of ice – neat guy.
Miss Kris, daughter and husband, Linda and Scott also stopped by.
Talked to Jim and Kitty on happy hour net. They just got into San Carlos in their motor home.
Looking forward to seeing them again.
March 29, Wednesday
San Marte
We left San Fransisco at 6 am and anchored in San Marte – south of Agua Verde at 1:30. Just north of Isla San Fransisco we spotted 10 or 12 whales, all in a line, swimming the surface. Never seen anything like it before. Really cool – all blowen’ and it looked like you could walk from one end to the other on all their backs. Unfortunately, they were a ways off and in the sun. Also saw dolphins everywhere and more whales. We think they were sperm whales. (*Yes)
Nothing over 10k all day and calm seas – beautiful 90°.
We’ve never been in this anchorage – but Jeff and Kathy, Abientot are here, good to see them again.
March 30, Thursday
We left San Marte at 7 am and motored the 9 miles to the south west anchorage of Isla Monserrate. It’s not really much of an anchorage – but great when no wind. The guys – John, Jeff, Abientot, and John and Linda from Hawkeye went diving. He brought in some scallops and 2 bugs (lobsters).
We had 8k from the south east but not enough to worry about.
We were hoping to see Linda, Princess Erika, but she flew out of Loreto to B.C. this a.m. Poop.
Talked to Mom and Daddy, they are leaving for Nauvoo on the 4th of April for at least 2 months.
9 pm the wind started out at 10 k SW – bad. By 10:30 all 3 boats were bringing the anchors in – bouncy and sloppy.
John from Hawkeye has been around at the NE anchorage before, so he led the way – Abientot doesn’t even have radar. It only ended up blowing 15-20k, but was pretty bouncy. Also pretty nerve-wracking going around the point in the dark and at times only 20 feet of water between the boat bottom and the reef! It was 12:20 am when we were all anchored safely.
March 31, Friday
By sunup we also had a north swell running in, making for wash board conditions. So – once again we weighed anchor and went on into Escondido.
We borrowed Daryl’s truck and drove in for ice, etc.
Visited with Bert, Island Woman. Daryl, Princess Erika, came over for dinner – scallops, shrimp and lobster.
