Mag Bay to Cabo

After a day exploring Bahia Santa Maria, we decided to head into Magdalena Bay just to see what we were missing. Ha! We spent the better part of a day moving the boat 8 miles (as the crow flies) to a less secure anchorage. It was time well spent, though, as we finally got the windvane dialed in with the smaller jib, and were able to use it on every point of sail, from dead downwind in steep breaking seas to a stiff beat to windward once inside the bay.


We never did go ashore to see the tiny village of Puerto Magdalena, as the wind shifted soon after our arrival and raised the surf on the beach.

With more wind in the forecast, we decided that a beachwalk wasn't in the cards, so we might as well keep moving south to warmer waters. Another sailboat, Tillicum from Sidney, BC, headed out an hour or so before us, and we caught up with them outside of the bay, and were in radio contact the rest of the way to Cabo.

The wind died in the evening, right after a vivid Green Flash sunset. But it came up with a vengeance as we neared the low point in the peninsula separating us from La Paz. In the middle of the night, we found ourselves reefing once, twice, and holding on in 25-30kt gusts. The windvane did great, and we were glad we had practiced with it the day before. In the morning, we found that the offshore breeze had delivered a hitchhiker to Southern Cross.

The next morning, the wind died again as we approached Cabo Falso, the southern tip of the Baja peninsula.


We motored the last 20 miles to Cabo San Lucas, 4 miles beyond Cabo Falso.


There could hardly be a more striking contrast between the impoverished fishing villages scratching out a living in the bays north of here, and the compact resort of Cabo. Marina space is taken up by a glistening fleet of sportfishers and megayachts, and any cruiser wanting a slip for the night has to fork over well over $100 for the privilege. Not in our budget! We anchored amidst a buzzing beehive of jetskis, fishing pangas, para-sailors, and water taxis. The beach is lined with hotels, hawkers, and pale tourists in lounge chairs. But we'll put up with it for a day or two, so we can replenish food, water, and fuel. The next anchorage is nearly 40 miles away.