Bahai Santa Maria

We are safely tucked into Bahai Santa Maria but sadly can’t get off the boat because the winds are too wild to run the tenders !!   Winds have gotten up to 31 kn and we are swinging around at anchor like a spinning top.  But thankfully, the Ultra anchor is holding tight !!!  When the winds finally settled, we were able to visit other boats via our tenders and some paddle boarded or kayaked to shore …. There were still some serious rollers hitting the shoreline.

Santa Maria was “home” until Wednesday when we finally hauled anchor and headed to Man of War Cove in Magdalena Bay ….. a 3 hour run.  The seas had settled, making for a very pleasant ride … complete with a whale sighting.

The village which is consists of 57 “buildings”, is tucked along the west bank of Mag Bay.   It is very basic with no running water and no fuel. 

 

 

enjoying the sunshine .....

 

 

changing a light bulb !!  YIKES .....

 

 

The village church .... and a couple of pelicans .....

 

 

the crew of Northern Ranger on their bullfrog, heading to the beach .....

 

If prearranged, 50 gallon drums of fuel are brought down from Puerto San Carlos on large runabouts called pangas, and used to fuel up boats that require fuel. 

 

 

"fuel panga"  as well as garbage pick up ....

Both the BaHaHaHa (the sailboat rally) and the CUBAR (the power boat rally) routinely stop in Mag Bay and the locals host a beach dinner party for all the yatistas (boaters).  Pangas come and pick up the crew from each of the boats and run everyone to shore for a huge fish BarBQ ….. skipjack, yellowfin and dorado are all prepared (either barBQ’d or deep fried) and laid out with tortillas and rice, beans and coleslaw… all the ingredients to make fish tacos !!  And of course, ceviche and cold cervezas !!  YUMMY!!

 

 

arriving by panga ....

 

 

dinner on the beach ....

 

 

children playing .....

 

In anticipation of this year’s rally, the San Diego Yacht Club managed to gather a number of computers and have them refurbished, loaded them with Spanish Language software and presented them to the mayor of the village. 

 

 

presentation of the computers by SDYC .....

 

 It was suggested to all the boaters that any donations we might want to make such as books, school supplies, toys or clothes would be very much appreciated.

Those too, were presented to the people of the village at our beach dinner.  It was a great evening and a delicious dinner and just as the sun was setting, the pangas ran us all back to our boats for the night. 

 

 The plan is to depart the following morning for the LAST of our overnight runs (YAY !!!) … a 24 hour run to Puertos Los Cabos where we will be docked for a couple of days.