San Carlos 2012

Cyn and I have been back in San Carlos for about a month now. We completed several maintenance and improvement projects on the boat over the last few weeks. Solera is in the bay and ready to cruise. We went out for a sea trial on Easter with Oscar and Pilar. It was a nice reward for the labor we put into the boat. The sailing was just about perfect. We beam reached on flat seas back to SC under full sail with the wind in the mid teens. Solera kept her speed around seven knots. Like I said, perfect.

Earlier, we took some time off from "work" to climb the west peak of the Tetas. What an  impressive trail with a lot of scrambling and exposure. It proved to be too difficult for Morgan. Even though she scrambles up rock like a goat, several sections would have required me to carry her over sketchy terrain. Cyn and Morgan waited in a cool alcove while I climbed the last 300 feet. The view from the top of the 1400 foot peak included the summit spire of the twin peak, San Carlos Bay and marina, Marina Real and Algodones Beach, and a distant view across the sea to the Baja coast. I highly recommend this non technical climb.

This has nothing to do with sailing but was very special for Speedway, Indiana natives Cyn and I. Not long after we arrived in San Carlos, we went to the Marina Cantina for a beer and wifi access. I noticed an older fellow who was just sitting down at the table next to ours. He looked like Bobby Unser the famous race driver and three time winner of the Indy 500. I was almost sure when I heard his voice so I walked over and said " Hi... Bobby? ". He said with a big smile "Yes, and what's your name!" We began talking and soon he insisted that Cyn join us at his table. What I thought would be a quick hello ended up being a two hour conversation with one of the friendliest and most interesting people I've met. It surprised me that little was said about racing. He did talk about family, friends and various other adventures on land, sea, and in the air (he is also a pilot).

Currently we're waiting for an approaching weather window to head North up the Sea. Tentative itinerary is to sail sixty miles up the Sonoran coast to the Midriff Islands. We'll cross to Baja along the seventy mile island chain then continue North to Bahia Los Angeles and it's surrounding Islands and anchorages.