A Child’s Mind

Woke up quite early to anxiety-provoking wind gusts, earlier than predicted, and decided to haul anchor and get underway to Puerto Escondido, winds having shifted pushing us onto the other shore of Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante.  Our anchoring routine is getting old, as we’ve had a broken windlass remote, sketchily holding the hot power supply together by hand with occasional sparks.  We are picking up grandparents and a needed diode to fix our system that currently takes all four of us to haul anchor. 

Our 3-mile trip into Puerto Escondido was surprisingly easy and we tied to a mooring ball for the first time in one of Baja’s most protected harbors, being almost completely landlocked with the exception of the 200-foot-wide entrance channel.  The towering 3,000 foot Sierra de la Giganta range rose from the flat desert just two miles from the harbor.  The expected north winds started howling, but we decided to dinghy the half mile from the boat to shore to check-in and do some laundry.  This venture turned into a boondoggle, as the winds built to cold gusts of 38 knots, howling through the mooring field and building waves.  We had completed two loads of laundry, but the dinghy ride turned into a full water ride, as waves splashed up and over our heads, soaking all of the no-longer dry laundry and us with salty water.  We started whooping and hollering, providing entertainment for the others who were cozy on their moored boats. 

Daily tasks, such as laundry, are often not straightforward while cruising.  Back at the boat, we started the process of recleaning all our laundry, as well as the salty clothes on our backs.  The next day we rented a car (cheaper than a taxi) to go the 15 miles to the seaside town of Loreto, where we reprovisioned, purchased the perfect boat cactus (hand-knit), enjoyed breakfast, and picked up Gpa and Gma Hyer from Anchorage, who would be with us the next two weeks. 

Re-provisioning is often a task as well, some stores selling good apples but awful onions, another good onions but awful apples, and another the best fresh tortillas; it is a game of food hide-n-seek. 

Back at the harbor, winds were still gusting, so we passed time taking long hot freshwater showers (a true joy!) and going out to eat compliments of the grandparents where I drank a margarita bigger than my head. 

The dinghy ride out to the boat was much improved, though in the dark by moonlight. 

Woke to the sound of silence…calm….and had a mellow 19 mile motor to Isla Coronados with its distinctive volcanic cone rising to a height of 928 feet, the turquoise waters and white sands juxtaposed against the dark lava. 

We enjoyed a paddleboard in, followed by a sunset desert hike, dolphins jumping in the surrounding waters.  We left much to do here and will return. 

Gpa and Gma brought out piles of goodies for us, some we had ordered via Amazon to their Anchorage address and other treats they found – we laughed as they brought out everything from seasickness meds to goldfish crackers, from a new macerator pump to a trick kite.

Heading north to Caleta San Juanico, where we would spend the next 3 nights; the geology of the surrounding coasts was spectacular, from black obsidian Apache tears to shells buried in ancient layers of sand, as we tucked in between rock pillar formations. 

We dinked over to a sea cave, then scurried up a mountainside for spectacular views. 

Calder scooped up a rapidly scuttling ghost crab, eye stalks moving about.  Surf built while we explored, making for a wet dinghy ride and entertaining jump from Calder as he launched us from shore.  Happy to enjoy a night of fish tacos, margaritas, crib and togetherness.   The north swell wrapped around into the bay, rolling us awake the next morning, the tinkling of Calder’s coral wind chimes our school bell.  We went for an afternoon hike to nearby Ensenada Almeja, delighting in finding handfuls of obsidian stones along the way, which we then hid along the trail to avoid bad luck. 

Discovering the festively adorned Cruiser Shrine Tree, we enjoyed adding an SV Terikah shell to the storyline of cruisers across the years. 

Gpa’s birthday was celebrated with a pancake breakfast, hiking along a burro trail through a lush river valley, and trick-kite flying on the beach before he scrubbed the boat. It’s a tough life here.

The kids made it look so easy, but I instantly crashed the kite into Chris, dropping him dramatically to the ground as he called for the vultures to take him now!  A female elephant seal surfaced near us and brown-footed booby birds flew overhead, two new species for us.

Almost every morning in the cockpit, before the others are awake, I do my morning meditation.  In mindfulness meditation, one is encouraged to look at the present moment with a beginner’s or child’s mind.  “All my life through, the new sights of nature made me rejoice like a child (Marie Curie).”  Every day out here we experience something new, from a large piece of obsidian to a ghost crab scuttling about, from a sea cave to a blue whale.  This trip is a true gift of discovery and wonder.