We expect to leave Magdalena Bay tomorrow to sail to Cabo San Lucas. We will miss this place greatly. We would stay longer but don’t want to miss a good weather window to continue. This post includes photos of our time here and, lest you think this experience is all play, I have included some photos of our working and learning here in Mag Bay.
The only restaurant in “town” – we ate there last night with friends from another boat. (And yes, Jason has crazy hair now!)Owen and Ryan played with the owner’s son. They both spoke a little Spanish like “Mira!”” (“Look!”) and “Hola!” (“Hi!”). In this photo, Ryan used his phone to look up a translation. Photo on the restaurant wall shows two boats bringing the owner’s friend’s truck to the village.Sunrise this morningYesterday two fishermen asked to use some of our oil because they ran out. We said yes right away, and then they gave us 3 lobsters and a snapper. We cooked them tonight and I am grateful I didn’t have to plan a meal from scratch.Whenever we return to the boat in the dinghy, one of us needs to take the painter line (rope tied to the dinghy) and quickly jump at the right moment from the dinghy to the boat. I managed to get a picture of Ryan doing this yesterday.Learning about our water filtersJason measuring the electricity coming from the solar panels on the roof of the helm station. Notice Flash in the background.This is a basic and relatively uncomplicated job to people who have done this before, but in the spirit of celebrating accomplishments: one of the shower draining and I tackle it yesterday. I had already cleaned the shower filters (unscrewed plastic covers, took out, washed and replaced filter screens), so that wasn’t the issue but I cleaned them again regardless. Then I used an electric screwdriver to loosen the hose clamps for the hoses connecting the drain to the filter and the filter to the outlet. Next, I used a hose puller (black and red handle in the photo) for the first time to pull the hoses off the shower filter. (I did need Jason to help with the first one – amazing how tight those can get and that you can pull without ripping them!). I used a snake to try to locate and clear any blockage. Ultimately I found a small piece of red plastic or tape blocking the hose running from the shower to the filter. Problem solved!! Put hose back on filter, tightened hose clamps. Again, an easy task for those who know, but really exciting for me given my first time.You can get to the ocean by hiking approximately 1/2 mile over the sand dunes from the bay to the ocean, which we did with a couple from another boat. At the ocean, we found three old turtle shells.Ryan also found an old bleached skull.Another photo of the skull and its sharp teeth.We saw dolphins today at anchor. Owen immediately took the kayak to try to get close to them. He didn’t think he got close, but did say he got “the closest he has ever been to a dolphin.”The bay was so calm, we tried wake boarding off the dinghy for the first time. This is Ryan wakeboarding.… and Owen wakeboarding.Yesterday Ryan and Owen kayaked to the beach together while Jason and I did boat projects. This is them returning.They are problem solving and working together to get to the boat, then Owen held on (after letting go without a paddle, so I had to carefully hand it to them) while Ryan untied the rope coil and tied the kayak to the boat.
