Saturday, April 30, 2016

April 22, 2016 - Puerto Los Gatos

We always have a plan (or a tentative plan) that takes us at least a week or two into the future.  Usually it is much more of a plan than we will have on this current trip. On this last outing we are basically “killing time” while we wait for the ship that will take Adagio from La Paz to Victoria B.C. and it is not due for about a month.  We love the middle Sea of Cortez so we are heading north to spend our final month cruising this wonderful part of Mexico.  It is quite nice to have a plan that does not outline our next 5 or 6 stops, or where we will be in a week or two.  On this trip we just need to be back to La Paz in about a month.  This time out we will revisit our favorite anchorages, and visit a few new ones that we missed the first time around.   Now the major part of our plan is being close to a provisioning location approximately every week for fresh produce and to get internet access so we can keep tabs on the ship's timing.  

Los Gatos was our first fun stop (with no planned departure date) and we felt great about just relaxing knowing that we would simply stay as long as we were having fun or the weather forced us to move. We arrived by 11am since we left so early from San Jose Channel.  Other vessels came and left during our time there.  The weather forecasts are great for the next week, at least.  It was quite nice to not feel any stress from weather or plans to make us move on. 

Beautiful Los Gatos anchorage

A different view of the rock formations

From the other side of the bay
Kevin on the boogie boards
Cindy

Cindy likes big pancakes!
Zappa finding some shade on the bow

We were here not too long ago and enjoyed the hiking and the beach so were happy to get back to being able to do both.  On our first afternoon that sailing vessel we mentioned in the last entry arrived and anchored just off the great sand beach.  Terrapin is a boat name that we have heard about many times from other family/kid boats.  The family from s/v Terrapin came ashore later in the day, with two girls, and we quickly introduced ourselves.   So great to meet them and that our kids finally have some other kids around – we have not had any other kids boats since our return to Mexico in January.  We had a beach afternoon together, and a fire at night with the family from s/v Terrapin where we used up the last of our graham crackers, crazy flavored marshmallows, and chocolate.  Plus we got to have some great adult conversation with parents on the same adventure we are on!  We hope to catch up with them in the next few weeks while they also remain in the middle sea.

Jessica, Kevin, Cindy, and Emma making a swimming pool
Cindy climbing the rocks.  Terrapin in the background.  Moon rising.
Jessica, Emma, and Cindy
Our beach fire with the family from Terrapin.  Smores, and fun!
While we were here we went snorkeling several times.  There are 3 good spots that we have found so far.  One is a rocky shoreline with a large shelf and the other two are reefs that extend into the bay on the south side.  All three were excellent with a wide assortment of fish to observe.  

Snorkeling the North reef


Following a ray


Kevin dives deep


A striped eel.  First good view of an eel for us

The hiking is great here too.  The red sand stone is so different and interesting.  We took several hikes at various locations throughout the bay.  There are also 4 sand beaches here.  One of them is simply fantastic with clean white sand and nice shallow water to play in.  The kids found a perfect skim boarding spot and spent hours riding their skim boards.  With so much to do, it is easy for the days to pass by while in Puerto Los Gatos....  We spent 3 full days having a great time here.

Great shoreline to explore
These Mexican crabs are FAST.  They can even jump from rock to rock
Kevin doing a little "cliff jumping"
One more time!
Cindy getting ready for another skim board attempt

Kevin gets burried in the sand.  Fun times.

Kevin burying Cindy in the sand

Cindy now trapped in the sand.  Both kids found out how hard it is to get out
once buried.  The sand is heavy and it's almost impossible to break free.
Climbing the very loose shale-like rocks
Near the top of this ridge
A Frigate flies by another interesting rock formation
Where's Cindy?  Wonderful formations.
Adagio peacefully anchored in Los Gatos
We are not sure what this is/was used for, but it's getting a little beat up by the
weather now.  Most of the roof is gone.
View of the north end of the bay.  Nice!


1 comment:

  1. Nice pictures of a beautiful spot. Your striped eel is a Zebra Moray.

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