Halfway down Baja...

First of all, I would like to commiserate with you on how terrible the weather is in California right now. But it looks like it should be generating some good swell and good snow, so I hope you are making the best of it. And then I would like to go and tell you that here in Turtle Bay the skies are blue and the cabin is a comfortable 73 degrees.

Aside from the nice weather, a fuel dock, and a protected anchorage, Turtle Bay (Bahia de Tortugas) does not have much to offer. It is a dirty little town full of stray dogs and dirt roads, although it does have a certain charm about it. To get here, we left San Quintin yesterday morning and sailed through the night. We arrived here about noon, after 30 or so hours of sailing. Not bad, considering the conditions (flat calm with 5-10 kts on the nose).

Last night I had the midnight to 3 a.m. watch. It was not so bad considering I went to bed at 7 p.m. During my watch I entertained myself by eating cheeze-its and M n' Ms.... I hope I don't get fat. I was also reading The Fellowship of the Rings but had to stop because I was getting too creeped out by orcs and thoughts of Moria, etc. Also, while we could not see the lunar eclipse last night, when I went to bed the sky was bright with the full moon, when I got up at midnight it was pitch black, and by 3 the sky was very bright again. That certainly added to the creepiness of the situation. But alas, we are safe and snug in Turtle Bay. We hope to leave tomorrow- weather permitting- and head to Bahia Asuncion.

One more thing before I go: I got to surf in San Quintin! ...if you can call it that. Mom, Dad and I trekked nearly a mile over sand dunes from the lagoon to get to the beach at the ocean. I totally felt like I was in a surf flick- surfing a wave that potentially has never been surfed before, in a remote place; no roads, no people, just open beach. This is why I did not really paddle out. I felt like a kook, but I was too intimidated by the strong current and lack of support (although the 'rents were on the beach, not that they would be of much help if I was sucked out to sea..) to paddle outside, so I just caught a few whitewash waves and called it quits. This is why I had a friend there to say, "come on, Corie, its not that big; you'll be fiiiine." Unfortunately I could not convince myself of this, but next time, I'll charge, I promise.

Until next time, charge the gnar! I'm there in spirit.