We’re still in Cabo San Lucas or as some people call it: Cabo San Pucas. I would concur with that latter statement. It’s expensive and off the charts touristy. Non-stop cruise ships full of the masses inundate the place, most of whom rent jet-skis for the first time in their lives, and dangerously zip around our boat like hornets. I’m waiting for one of them to get caught up in our anchor line.  The jet-skis are so loco that we don’t risk taking our dinghy into port for fear of being run down by one. Instead we hail a water taxi, and for the same price the marina charges just to leave your dinghy, it will get you to shore in one piece.  I’d much rather give the panga guy my $20.00 then the marina anyway.

I have to admit that the tequila is pretty good.

We stocked up on a few more groceries, which were pretty reasonably priced. I didn’t find food anymore expensive than in La Paz. We’d heard stories contrary to this. The restaurants on the other hand are very pricey and beer is a shocking 40 pesos a bottle – double what we’d seen in most places in Mexico.

Enough wingeing, and on to our strategy. When we were in La Paz a few days ago preparing, we were lucky enough to run into a seasoned Delivery Captain and former fire chief from California, who for the price of a few gin and tonics, came over to our boat and spent all night giving us a seminar on the Bash. Captain Mike has done the bash over fifty times in many different kinds of boats, including a few cats.

He stressed to us that the worst will be Cabo Falso, where we are right now. After that the other headlands\convergence zones to watch for include: Punta Tosca, Abreojos, Ascencion and Punta Norte on Isla Cedros. The winds on the Baja tend to blow strongest from 11 am to 11 pm, so he suggested that we time our arrivals at these capes for dawn or earlier or to be out far enough to lessen the effect.  And on the final leg, crossing Bahia Vinzcaino, up to Ensenada, we will give Sacramento reef a wide berth. Have to be on our toes for this little trip, for sure.

Yesterday, two of the boats anchored with us made a run for it around the cape. The wind was blowing all night again though, and for me, I thought the waves might be too big for my comfort level. One of the boats, Adirondack, was kind enough to hail us on the VHF and tell us what the conditions were like as they were rounding. They agreed that it was pretty sloppy, with the odd 10 footer thrown in for good measure and they thought it was the right decision to stay put if we didn’t want to get too beat up.

So, we wait. Hopefully the wind won’t be howling again tonight.

I have to say that the pacific cruising community has been incredibly welcoming, and very generous with their local knowledge. I wish we were cruising around here for another year, as we’ve met so many awesome folks.

Today, coming back from Cabo, we were talking to our panga guy, Miguel. He’s native, born and bred to this area. Says it’s very expensive for him and his family to live (no kidding), but that he loves it, and it’s his home. Kind of changed my whole perspective on Cabo, anyway, he gave us a great tip about rounding the cape.* Tomorrow morning, he told us will be good. One of the things he looks for is if the winds blow strong before 2 or 3 in the afternoon to wait, but today he said it was calm, and it was. So, hopefully he’s right and Chris and I will give it a try tomorrow morning.

*Really helps to speak a bit of spanish. You wouldn’t believe how nice people are to us just because we speak a little, and not that well, I might add. I love the people of Mexico. They are unbelievably hospitable and chilled out. We gringos should observe and take some pointers.