We're anchored in Ensenada de la Paz, off the Magote, which is a peninsula protecting the harbor area from the more open Bahia de la Paz. The anchorage is subject to a hefty current flow, which often acts counter to the winds. Evening corumels blow through here and provide cool nights. The resultant dance is called The La Paz Waltz,in which boats gyrate with either the current or the wind -- or a combination of both. We're fortunate to have a 120 lb. Spade anchor and lots of heavy chain, and have our anchor bouyed, letting us see where the boat sits in relation to it, sometimes in front, sometimes at the stern, usually to port or starboard.
We spent our first week at Marina Palmira as we debated the various anchorage options. Lucy the Goose, a Palmira refugee and now guard goose, entertained us. We had some lovely times with our buddy boat's owners, Phyllis and Erwin, especially the evening spent watching the two of them play pool with another boater. Erwin is a master at the game, though Phyllis looked really professional with that cue in her gloved hand. I can't imagine being able to announce that your ball is going to hit five various points before it scoots its object into a pocket -- and have your announcement result in performance. Amazing.
Marinas offer fun things to do, but anchorages give us the opportunity to keep cash in our pockets while we stay cool and independent. Our solar panels are performing beautifully. The solar shower delivers lots of hot water: I learned last night that one doesn't use it until the water has had an hour or so of dark to cool down. I, who love hot showers, had to mix it with cold from the boat's tank via the shower head so as not to scald myself. Of course, if one waits too long, one has the opposite experience. Michael likes a cool shower: he experienced cold.
The dinghy is now our means of local transportation. We tie up cheek by jowl with other dinghies at Marina de la Paz's dinghy dock for the princely sum of 15 pesos, which at 13 to one is just slightly more than a dollar a day. From there, it's about eleven blocks to the CCC, the closest grocery store. Parts suppliers are all within easy walking distance, and Club Cruceros, right at the marina, provides the lending library of choice.
Sunday found us heading out into Bahia de la Paz to make water and wash clothes. A few miles offshore we parked the boat with the wheel hard over, intending to drift. Well, we did drift, with the current, slightly, but we were obviously hove-to, as we created a lovely slick on the water to windward when the afternoon breeze piped up. We made over 125 gallons and washed four loads. Wonderful dry air cut the drying time to minutes.... We had intended to listen to a podcast sermon while out there, but the generator's noise (needed to run the high-output watermaker) precluded this. Instead we had a worship service of praise for the glorious creation and then heard a sermon once we returned to the anchorage, where another sunset accentuated our desire to give thanks where thanks are definitely due.
If it weren't for the flu scare, we'd be thrilled with life. Yesterday's trip to the market showed closed schools and face masks everywhere. There haven't been any confirmed cases here in Baja, but that doesn't mean folk aren't sick. We're not eating out these days, which is probably healthier anyway. Considering that the virus seems to have jumped borders and oceans, I'd suggest everyone take care.
Do check our pictures on the link at the side. I've never seen so many gorgeous sunsets and we haven't even been here a month.
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