Sailing Encore

On Wednesday we left Cabo San Lucas and sailed up the coast 15 miles to the port of Puerto los Cabos. The shoreline is stretches of beautiful beaches with mountains lined behind them. The beaches have hotels along the whole way.

Most are very nice architect and style that blends into the rugged coastline. But so many hotel rooms, how can there be this many turistas here? No wonder the Cabo marina had so many tourists walking around. They were coming in from these hotels to enjoy the boat excursions available: sports fishing, sailing, glass bottom boats, parasailing, and whale watching to name a few.

As for us, we are surrounded by whales the whole 15 miles. Spouting, head slapping, breaching, tail slapping, and fluking. It is so fun to have them pop out but every time I take a picture is it a second late and it looks like a splash in the sea. Oh well. Just enjoy!

We have been in the marina at Puerto los Cabos for a few days now. The marina is quiet and peaceful. When we checked in we enjoyed a drink at the bar overlooking the marina.

And we are enjoying visiting the town of San Jose de Cabo. It is a historic town that is about three miles from the marina. We walked along the manicured roadway and across the estuary. This area of Baja is fed by natural aquifers in the Sierra de Lagunas mountain range.  By the 1500s many Spanish explorers and merchant ships were stopping to take on water from this lush area. The indigenous Pericu people hunted and fished the lower half of Baja and resisted the missionaries when attempts were made to establish Christianity. After WWII, Mexico lured pioneers to populate the still wild territory of Baja California and they built canneries and fishing cooperatives up and down the coast. Then in 1968 the federal government wanted to build new harbors at the south end of Baja and Cabo San Lucas said “Si”. So they got their inner harbor and a boost in tourism and growth. San Jose del Cabo remains quieter and quainter with a more traditional Spanish feel. The town has many artisans living there and shops line well-kept streets with beautiful craft from all over Mexico. We walked the streets and had lunch in a quiet café. And then took the local bus back to the marina. The bus system is great in Mexico and very reliable and cheap way to get around. You just have to get on the correct one. The locals are helpful and we have no problem taking the bumpy ride back to the marina.

The weather is subsiding in the gulf of Baja and we will head out to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday very early so that we have time to cross and arrive in daylight some 30+ hours later. Oh boy, another overnighter