The Final Post of the ’09 Season

After leaving Conception Bay Vagari went up the coast of the Baja stopping for the first time on the north side of Punta Chivato for a peaceful night. The next day as we approached Santa Rosalia fog developed so we radioed the port. He told us not to proceed because the fog was so dense he couldn’t see the entrance from his office which is right on the port entrance. Ok, so Rhea goes to the front of the boat and blows into our foghorn every minute while I monitor the radio and radar and steer Vagari in a square box pattern. Rhea must have blown the fog away because it clears up in less than a half hour. The port official radios to tell us it has cleared there also. Off we go only to run into the fog again. But we learn it’s still clear at the port entrance. Using the GPS, radar and with Rhea powering the foghorn we didn’t see a thing until just outside the harbor entrance where the sky was bright blue and the sun was shinning.

Santa Rosalia is a great place to spend some time because the town is built along the harbor and there is nominal American presence or influence. After a few days of exploring the town looking for unique restaurants and shops and riding the bicycle all over the area we decide to cross the 74-mile wide Sea of Cortez to San Carlos, our homeport.

We left well before sunrise with just the bright stars to light the way. Before sunrise we were in fog so dense that Rhea stood in the cabin doorway handing me paper towels to wipe my glasses so I could look at the radar screen. The radar showed one large vessel but it stayed exactly one mile from Vagari. After several more hours the radar showed another very large object. I was thinking I have never seen an object that large on the radar when I realized it was Turtle Island.

Before noon the sun burned off the fog but it was still hazy. The wind was moderate and from the side on the first half of the trip but then it picked up and moved in front of the boat so we had to motor into the wind and the increasing waves the second half which slowed us way down.

We coordinated our crossing with a large powerboat. They passed us in the middle of the Sea. They left after sunrise and didn’t experience any fog. They arrived in time for a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant. That’s why our kids still call motorboats, “easy boats”. The crossing was long and rough and we just made it in before sunset.

That ended our season. It was short but sweet. We hope to see you next year.