Summer time (and the livin' is easy!!)

Upper temp in cabin, lower outside, at 5 pm.

Happy summer, everyone!  The solstice has come and gone, and things are indeed warming up here in the Sea.  Actually the locals keep telling us what a nice cool season it's been so far, but it sure feels warm for us gringos from the north country!!!  And summer's just begun.  We've been hearing reports from Geary, a local weather guru, that the temps in the Bahia de Los Angeles (a bay around 100 miles to our north, where we plan on spending the summer) have been ranging from 110 to 116 degrees  this past week.  Yikes!!!  I didn't even know it got to 116 on planet earth!!!  Happily he reported that it was an error on the part of the automated reporting station, and the temps are only around 100.  Whew, that's more like it!!!  August and September are when it gets warm, so folks say!!!

We've been busy exploring the various islands and anchorages in the area.  Islas Carmen, Coronados, and Danzante all have wonderful protected spots to drop anchor, kayak, fish, hike, snorkel, and just relax.  We've even been getting in some excellent sailing for a change!!!

Looking pretty cruisy, w/ just a kite up, no main!!!  Photo courtesy of Bill, on 'Iron Maiden'

We took a quick 5 day trip up to the US for some business and to renew our visas.  Flew in and out of Loreto, went very smoothly.  Now anchored at Isla Coronados, where we can get internet connection out of Loreto, approx 6 miles to the south.

 

Had a great time exploring Isla Carmen.

One spot that we anchored at, Bahia Salinas, was the site of an old salt mining town, where great quantities of salt was collected and shipped globally.  The town was abandoned in the early 1980's, and it's pretty much as it was left, with the harsh elements rapidly reducing it to rust and bricks.  Very cool to explore, and the hike out to the salt flats was a good one.  Joined at Salinas by friends from boats Kashmira and Kachasa, we also snorkeled on the wreck of an old tuna boat which sunk a number of years ago in the bay.  Great reef has formed with a tremendous array of fish, lobster, and other critters.  We stayed for hours on the wreck.

The closest we came to playing in the snow this year!!

 

Forklift has lifted it's last bag of salt!!!

View from top of Coronados

The hiking on the islands has been excellent, especially in the morning, before things really begin to bake.  Though Adam has been nursing a pulled back for the past couple of days, Cindi did a fun hike up to the 1000' high top of Isla Coronados yesterday with friends Mark and Ann from boat Blue Rodeo.


Fishing report:  Remains pretty slow.  We've had good luck catching skipjack tuna, but due to their funky blood red meat, they always get a "catch and release" aboard 'Bravo'.  Had a small dorado on the line, but he threw the hook just as he was coming over the rail...Otherwise, a small baracuda caught while dinghy fishing is about it.  The water is warming up, so hopefully so will the fishing!!! 

Some tasty new tidbits!!!

We did get several new lures in Loreto, so stay tuned!!!  (though some say that "lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish".....hope springs eternal!!!



Will weigh anchor today, and continue to work our way north in the Sea.