Contrasts

March 9, 2010

As it appeared in the distance, the Baja California landscape was in stark contrast to the lush green coast of the mainland we’d left behind. Emphasis ‘stark’ – as Cabo’s barren terrain and scrappy mountains rose in pointy peaks, like Dairy Queen ice cream cones.

It had been a lumpy ride: not quite the 10-15k from the beam we’d expected; and both experienced and novice crew members alike grew queasy and quiet as the wind built to 24 on the nose. But there was nothing difficult or dramatic in the 27 hour passage: just stand your watch, keep a good lookout (although we saw only two other boats – cruise ships – in all those hours), avoid the big waves that lunged over the dodger, and hang on.

The marina in San Jose del Cabo is new, with neat docks and landscaping, but the toilets left something to be desired. We showered almost immediately in trailers with wobbly floors and too-hot water, then took off for dinner at a restaurant apparently acclaimed for its food – but we were more impressed with the heads! Then we motored back (having taken the boat across the channel to the dock, instead of taking the l-o-n-g walk around­).

Tomorrow Coco will fly home to her Dad’s, and start over with school and career plans. ‘Do Over!’ I have mixed emotions: I’ve loved having her with me this last 10 days, but the next leg – “The Baja Bash” – is typically surly, and I am better able to get on with this job if she’s not here for me to worry about. And best for HER to skip this too: as she does NOT like ‘tippy’ sailing. Boy, can this child complain when the seas are rough -- as if I had a personal hand in whipping them up – so it’s good that she is getting home to the air conditioned, stationary comfort of Simi Valley and her father, while I plod up the course.

I have mixed feelings about a lot of things: mostly the end of my ‘big adventure’. It’s been six months, to the day, since I left, and I have seen and experienced so many things it boggles the mind. Am I any more clear on what’s next? Or where? Or how? Not at all. But I will continue to just press onward, with faith that everything will end up even more grand that I could have imagined.

PHOTO: a huge wrought iron cross overlooks the marina at San Jose del Cabo