Fall Report (belated)

Like many cruisers, we get too busy to update our blog regularly. Or we’re lazy. Or both. Take your pick.

Here’s a few highlights from Fall 2012

We wrapped up our two months back in California with a visit to our friends John and Lori in Lake County. We stocked up on some lovely local Chasewater (Kelseyville) olive oil, and of course enjoyed some great California wine!

Lovely placid day on Clear Lake in Northern California

Returning to La Paz in mid-September we were welcomed back by one of several (unusual) rain storms (and an earthquake!). The locals say that the 2012 precipitation was the most to fall here in a generation. Several months later, much of the Baja is still quite green.

Puerto Escondido anchorage during Paul's downpour. The darkest colors are the strongest winds caused by the hurricane.

We were brushed by the eastern edge of Hurricane Paul in October. At the time, we were tucked securely into the almost fully landlocked Puerto Escondido, just south of Loreto, with our friends on Seychelles, Milagro and Kisasa. Fortunately this was a good spot to be as we had some internet connectivity and could monitor the storm’s path on the web.

Voyager at right, the day after the storm. Predicted storm track from the National Weather Service.

40 or so boats shared the anchorage, including about six large sportfishers who left the marina docks there to anchor (more securely at this location) out with us. One large commerical fish boat also came in from the Sea. At one point the storm was predicted to cross the peninsula into the Sea of Cortez but never did, instead remaining on the Pacific side of the Baja. We saw a few gusts only into the low 40s and there was about 10″ of rain over a two day period.

(left image) Waterfalls after the rains. Green mountains over Pto. Escondido.

 

statistics as of 10/1/2012, since leaving San Francisco on 10/1/2010

We have changed the location of Voyager 152 times.
We have run the engine for 810 hours.
We have covered approximately 5,264 miles.
We have spent 375 of 730 nights in marinas (51%).
We have taken four trips (flights) back to the U.S., about 90 days away from the boat.

Departing Puerto Escondido, derelict boat being towed.