Isla San Francisco

April 17

After a couple more windy days at San Evaristo we managed to score a perfect 24 hours at Isla San Francisco.  The cover of our cruising guide has a photo of this anchorage. It's practically circular on the south side, surrounded by the most gorgeous white sandy beach imaginable. The hike up the south ridgeline trail gives a few thrills as you wonder how many seconds your slide to the bottom would take. Fortunately it’s so dry that even cactus don’t grow well. The splintered volcanic rocks make a musical clink as you step on them. No photograph we took does justice to the views.

In the morning I took another walk and found an osprey nest with a pair of adult birds, one sitting. It was a pathetic structure, almost all dead wisps of sticks. There are no trees.

We have used some of our time at anchor to concoct a list of jobs for our stay in La Paz prior to the Up Beat*, as I am now calling it, to San Diego. All supplies are low and the boat needs engine maintenance and a good cleaning and waxing. The larder has never been so bare. I am really looking forward to shopping in the big city! Charlie is excited about tying up to a dock for a good night's sleep.

*known to some as the Baja Bash