Destination Cabo San Lucas

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas

It’s a quiet morning. I’m so excited that we are almost to our destination, yet feeling a little sad we won’t be on a sailboat sailing in Mexican waters again for a while.

The day is warm and sunny and the sea looks bluer than the days before. As we are sailing along, we notice a few friends with us. Some more Dolphins are swimming along with us at our bow.  I managed to get a few pictures but nothing of them jumping completely out of the water.

As we were approaching Cabo a few miles away, Rick caught a huge fish! And this one was the biggest one caught yet! It was another Barracuda probably 40 pounds.  We did not keep this one. We decided to let it go. I don’t think we felt like cleaning up the mess afterwards etc.  And, we heard that it was a difficult fish to cook. So, Rick got the fish up to the side of the boat where Konrad grabbed the fish by the tail with somewhat of a struggle and several attempts with one arm to remove the hook. It took a while because the fish was thrashing about. Finally he removed the hook and the fish swam off.

Barracuda

Konrad grabbing a hold of the fish trying to remove the hook. Not an easy task!!

Turning the Arch was really awesome. We dropped the sails and slowly motored closer to shore to drop our anchor.  As soon as we set the anchor, Rick and I put on our swimsuits, jumped in the water and swam to shore. We walked down the beach to the Office on the Beach for some fish taco’s and ice tea.  We saw the same waiters we’ve seen the year before. The restaurant looked to be in good shape since the hurricane. No damage to be seen. If there was much damage, they got it all repaired and looking good as new.

After our bite to eat, Rick and I walked back down the beach towards the boat. As we got right in front of where we were to start our swim back to the boat, we decided to sit and rest for a minute.  For some reason the swim back did not look as short as the swim to shore. We made the swim but felt like the boat kept getting further and further away.

That afternoon we all just took it easy around the boat enjoying the scenery. Later after the sun set, Jeff, Peggy, Rick and I took the dinghy to walk around the Marina. It was a pretty happening place….lots of vendors walking around trying to sell you jewelry, baskets, hats, cigars, blankets and so on; restaurant employees trying to lure you into their restaurant.;  lots of lights, music and people strolling around. 

We did not stay long and soon got back in the dinghy and headed back to the boat. While we were in the dinghy in the dark (forgetting our light) a Panga came dashing out of nowhere right at us at a fast pace! They obviously could not see us and we could hardly see them. We only saw them for a split second in time for Rick and I to yell at Jeff to GO LEFT and that there was a boat was coming.  We missed the boat by inches. We are all so lucky we saw the boat at all…and that Jeff had such a quick response!

After making it safely back to the boat, Rick and I called it a night early. The rest of the gang stayed up for a while longer out in the cockpit watching the nightlife on shore.

Early the next morning we all slowly got up and had our coffee/tea out in the cockpit and soaked up a little morning sunshine. We couldn’t believe the stillness of the morning because during the night you could hear the music from nearby nightclubs and restaurants until the wee hours of the morning. It was a really peaceful and beautiful morning.

Soon it was time for Rick and I to get packed and to help clean up the boat inside and out.  Everyone pitched in to clean and get Amante back to looking shiny again.

Around noon, we loaded our suitcases onto Jeff’s dinghy (which practically sunk it) and motor into the marina…to the dinghy dock where we were dropped off. 

Rick and I then took a cab over to Pueblo Bonita Sunset Beach where we were to stay for the next 7 days. 

The view from our balcony

Sunset from our balcony

Later that night we met up with Jeff, Peggy, Konrad and Kim for dinner at Mi Casa in town. It was sort of a celebratory dinner and we couldn’t have picked a better restaurant for that other than Mi Casa.  It’s such a festive and colorful place. The food is pretty delicious too!

 

Mi Casa

Peggy & Jeff

Konrad & Kim

We had a mariachi band come and play at our table. There was a clown who made us some balloon hats.  And lastly a guy came to our table with two little canary’s that hopped out of their little cage and picked a little piece of paper out of a little box with their beaks which had a fortune written on it.  Each of us participated and received good fortunes.

Pepe the canary picked my fortune

After a several hour dinner, we walked the streets downtown window-shopping while making our way back to our different destinations. For Jeff, Peggy, Konrad and Kim it was back to the boat. For Rick and I it was over to Pueblo Bonita Rose to catch the shuttle over to Sunset Beach.  Unfortunately Rick and I missed the last shuttle, which left at 10:30p.m, by five minutes. Rats! We had to take a cab ride that costs about $14.00.

We have now been in Cabo since the 23^rd and will be leaving on the 2^nd of December. We’ve just been spending time on the beach, walking around a lot and we’ve met up with Jeff and Peggy a couple of times. We don’t have any big plans other than just to take it easy….soak in as much of the sun and ocean as we can. We know when we get back home it’s going to be quite a bit cooler!

Peggy left today for home by airplane and Jeff, Konrad and Kim picked up their anchor and moved Amante down south a little more. They are headed to Los Frailes where the marine life is supposed to be plentiful.  At the moment they are at Marina Puerto Los Cabos where the winds are blowing 23 knots.

Received a text from Jeff not too long ago stating that he has his charts now, which should make the journey from here a lot easier! Eventually Jeff will be making Puerto Vallarta his home for a few months. Peggy will come down at Christmas and pay visits when her schedule allows.

This trip has been such a learning experience….fun times and some challenging times. The fun times and the beauty of being out at sea and exploring what’s on shore trumped the challenging times.  I’m so glad I took this trip. I was a little apprehensive at first…all of the unknowns and what if’s. But I also knew it was going to lots of fun. But all of the great things I have experienced were better than what I’d ever imagined.  I’ve never felt more alive than I did taking this sailing trip. I think it’s impacted my life in such a positive way.  I found that I am stronger than I thought I was.   The scariest thing of all was the times when I felt afraid. Once I was not afraid, anything was possible.