s/v Hotel California: North to Isla San Francisco – April 29

Leaving La Paz, Finally

As usual our plans changed. We had a late night on Friday with ‘Just a Minute’ and didn’t feel like leaving the dock. One more day won’t hurt because we’re not on a schedule. We left about 10:00 Sunday, after helping ‘Corvidae’ get out of their slip in the wind and current.

We motor sailed north to Isla San Francisco and checked out the eastern anchorage, we haven’t been on that side. The wind was coming in from the south west, so we went around the island to the west anchorage and tucked in close to the hook. We had flat seas and a calm night.

Sunset from the hook in San Francisco

Monday morning we went to shore with Steve and Nona of ‘Corvidae’ to hike the trail. We made it to the top and back down to the other anchorage, then back across the salt flats to the beach where we were anchored. ‘Corvidae’ came over for cocktails that evening, then left early the next morning. They are hurrying up to Escondido for the Loreto Fest. We’ve decided to skip it this year and stay out of the crowd of boats.

Looking Down at San Francisco

Pam and Rick at the Top of the Hill

We spent one more day and night in San Francisco watching the Mexicans on huge power boats party on the beach. Their crew go to shore to set up tents with chairs and tables, volleyball nets and jet skis. Then the owners or guests were brought in by skiffs. Later the crew brings the food over. Just before sunset, they pack it all up and head back to La Paz. We wonder who these Mexicans are??

Beach Party for the Mexicans

We left in the morning to head to the north side of the island. We anchored about 10:00 and took the dinghy across the channel to Isla Coyote. About 10 people live on this small rock of an island. They sell fish in La Paz and have beaded jewelry for sale. They also have a museum with a whale skeleton. It’s an interesting place, but very small. We took a picture of a seagull that wasn’t too happy with us, it kept squawking at us. Looking at the picture later, we realized it had a baby in its nest on the rock. After our visit, we left for San Evaristo.