We experienced deep dense fog every morning for the first three days in Man o War. By 10 am it would magically disappear up over the hills as we drank our morning coffee uncovering a stunning sight. Looking into shore from Hiraya we seen a small village with colorful buildings dotted along the dirt roads that snaked up the hills. The beach was a mix of soft sand and shells. Right in front of the only restaurant is the best place to beach your dinghy. It is also where the fisherman beach and anchor their pangas. As we made our way to shore we asked permission to beach the dingy there and they said yes it was the best place. This became our daily landing zone.
The desert dusty roads awaken in mini twisters as the old vehicles puttered on by. We didn’t mind. We enjoyed sitting at Mira Mar Restaurant ran by Jose and his family. With his happy energy and giant smile we quickly felt at home. It wasn’t long before he invited us in to help our selves to the cold cerveza chest like he does with everyone. But the morning he offered coffee and invited us to sit with him was the day we became Amigos. He pulled up his large wooden rocking chair and wanted to know everything about us. We tried hard. Sam’s Spanish is becoming three word sentences and mine still a word here and there. Jose spoke about as much English as I did Spanish. There were some very quiet moments when we patiently waited for the WIFI to come back so we could translate a word and then the stories would begin again. Lots of charades, hand gestors, laughs, and smiles. Memories for a life time.
After our daily stop at Jose’s we would walk the beach. We quickly made friends with one of the neighborhood dogs Lola. In her desperate need for attention and compulsive demand for some one to throw what ever she had brought to your feet we caved. Once you touched her sea shell, bottle, or rock you belonged to her. You could see it in her deep dark eyes. We took the Pacific hike over the mountain to look out over the Pacific Ocean. Lola followed through the desert heat and lack of water. She did drop the shell and picked up a stick halfway through. At the top it was crazy to see the Pacific from the perspective of the mountains. It was also crazy to see it flat and calm. If you recall, half our sail to Magdalena Bay was wicked washing machine. We took time to drink water, stand in the breeze, through the stick, and share our water with Lola.
It is a daily goal when on land to walk everyday. It is hard to get cardio and movement when stuck on the boat. Lets just say you have to be extremely creative. On one of our daily walks we took every dusty road we could take making a loop back towards the restaurant. Sam noticed a fisherman grab a net from the rocks and walk back to his home across the road. The net had something in it. As we got closer we noticed that they were clams and they were shucking them. We haven’t really seen that before so of course we went on over to watch, learn, and in Sam’s case taste. That’s right! In broken Spanish we found out that they use the chocolate clams for bait for the lobster pots. As they spoke in rapid fire Spanish they told him how best to eat them and they offered to share one with him.
As I was processing a knife movement, sal, limon, and swallow that was all the Spanish I needed to say no thanks and the wife was off to get sal and limon. Sam along with his new Amigos quickly took the shell and cut the clam splashed it with limon throwing the limon skin over their shoulder with gusto as the other shook sal all over it was like a ritual taking place right there. With a quick slurp, chew, and swallow they all gave a cheer and laughed patting each other on the back. Sam’s shocked faced proved that the chocolate clams are tasty fresh out of the ocean.
Magdalena Bay was were we finally found our selves surrounded by other cruisers. At any one time there would be 5 to 7 boats in the bay. Still plenty room for more. As they came and went there were two boats that hung around like we did. Their routines began blending with ours and before we knew it we were sharing itineraries and future plans. We would all head to shore about the same time. Lola on shore watching for the dinghies would great us at the waters edge. She was in heaven having so many people to play with. We would discuss weather and plans over cerveza and fish tacos. Take our walks and watch for whales. Jose, his family and friends would wander through and join in our conversations. They gave us tips on hiking over the sand dunes to Bahia Santa Maria and the man groves.
We took the dinghy across the bay to the sand dunes. The water gets very shallow approaching the beach and we slowly made our way in. Watching the sea floor for fish and sting ray. They darted this way and that way as we puttered on through. Beaching the dingy in the white sand and looking back over the bay was stunning then turning toward the sand dunes we began our hike. As we crested the first dune the view of the bright blue sky meeting dune after dune of soft sand spotted with desert green and red foliage with thousands of butterflies taking flight took our breath away. Tiny lizards scurried about as we walked by. We walked with only natural sounds in the air.
The sounds of waves crashing on Bahia Santa Maria got louder the closer we got. We also started picking up a very putrid organic smell. We couldn’t quite put a name to the odor. We reached the bay and the first thing we noticed were the blood red waves. The red tide! Mesmerized by the rolling red waves we were half surprised that we didn’t come across a fresh carcass of a whale. We found our selves trying to get up wind from the smell. While we walked we came across shells of lobsters and crabs, hundreds of sand dollars and sea shells, dolphin carcasses and turtle shells. The view was raw and untouched by human development. There was hardly any plastic trash which was a welcome relief.
The next day we took a nice dinghy ride through the mangroves. the white sand floor changed to dark brown mud. Making it more difficult to see the fish. But if you looked you seen schools and other life below the water. My favorite though was the stark difference between the dark green leaves of the mangroves and the white birds. Trying to sneak past them with out them flying away became our mission. Although if they did take flight they would only move a little ways ahead and then watch us paddle by. We spent hours floating, paddling, and trying to catch the perfect picture of each species.
After our adventures hiking and exploring it was time to start planning our last leg of the Pacific. After we make Cabo San Lucas we are heading up into the sea and our environment will change. Mag Bay was beautiful and also the first place that we slowed down. We actually stopped there and didn’t think about the departure date. We enjoyed time with our new friends. But mostly enjoyed getting to know Jose and his family. But we also couldn’t end our trip there. We must move on.
So plans were made and the weather window opened and we began the nearly 200 mile trip to Cabo San Lucas. Maybe the delay had to do with needing to sail for two days and after the last one we just weren’t looking forward to sailing all night again. But this time we will have boat buddies. This will be new and exciting. A little bit of radio traffic through the night and those anchor lights out there in the distance will be reassuring. We got up and prepared Hiraya. Dinghied into shore to say one more goodbye to Jose and his family.
We returned to Hiraya and pulled anchor. A little bit of sadness shown through the excitement that we are almost to the Sea. If we ever find our selves on the Pacific side again…we will stop to see our Amigo Jose. We want to return to see our friends again some day. Hasta Pronto Jose!