Nautical Mile” – a relativistic measure of surface distance over water – in theory, 6076.1 feet. In practice, a number of different values for the nautical mile have been observed while under sail, for example: after 4 pm, approximately 40,000 feet; in winds of less than 5 knots, about 70,000 feet; and during periods of threatening weather in harbor approaches, around 100,000 feet.
Hello Everyone,
We’ve been ticking off the nautical miles these days and discovering all kinds of interesting people and places. We’d barely dropped the hook in tiny San Sebastion Cove on our first night’s anchorage south of Bahia Concepcion, when we were invited ashore to join in a neighborhood party. Many of the gringos in the small community are old friends from Santa Cruz who’ve helped each other build simple Baja vacation homes. A dozen of them had just finished dinner on the patio of one of these homes after helping the owner lay tile all day. We didn’t intend to stay all evening, but the conversation was so good natured and funny, that’s just what we did. Our dinner that night consisted of red wine from one of the couple’s vineyards, Neapolitan ice cream and chocolate. It had the flavor (literally) of an Italian family gathering in the countryside, complete with ribald humor.
The next night we anchored in Vee Cove at the northeastern tip of Isla Carmen. I’ve included a picture of one of the intriguing caves cut into the cliffs of white volcanic ash bordering the anchorage. The pristine water and beautiful colors inside the caves created a magical kayaking experience. I’ve often been struck by how similar our Baja nature excursions are to E ticket rides at Disneyland. Except these are real. We feel so lucky to be experiencing real-life adventures rather than amusement park imitations … despite the mosquito bites that accompany the real thing. Lets see, I just counted over 60 red bumps on my left leg, and that’s the good leg! Our arrival in San Carlos on the mainland side of Mexico must have coincided with a big mosquito hatch. We like the Baja side better so far. San Carlos reminds us of Orange County. Expensive homes line the waterfront with sleek boats tied to private docks. As in Newport Beach, we notice the people most often aboard are the Mexican workers who wash and wax the seldom-used boats. Everyone we’ve met has been really nice, it’s just that a simple, nature-centered life feels more real to me.
The other pictures were taken of the Salinas salt mining operation on Isla Carmen, closed since 1950. The glistening salt flats in the center of the island are the result of volcanic activity. The abandoned town was full of photo ops and we took dozens of pictures: Cacti growing from rusted vehicles, piles of rubble that once were homes, swaybacked stairs hanging off the sides of buildings, even one of Balena peacefully at anchor framed by a window with very little glass or wall attached. Picturesque moments captured in time. Like the nautical mile, time has a relativistic quality here. Geologically, the land is young, yet any man made structure ages quickly in the desert air.
Speaking of time, Randy passed a significant milestone on May 19th. Until that date, he’d worked for the County of Los Angeles over half his life. Now he’s worked there less than half and it gets better every day. Hooray!
With Love,
The Young Geezers
p.s. pictures have experienced an exception