April 23, 2015 - Caleta Partida

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Many postings are about to appear as soon as we can get everything loaded from our two week adventure.  Although we had few clouds, little rain, and beautiful days, we are sleep deprived and in need of some marina nights.  Out of two weeks out we only had two nights of calm conditions.  Steve and I do not sleep well if at all, although the kids sleep through everything so we rarely take naps during the day.  We have boat maintenance, home school and then exploring to do!  We hope you enjoy seeing all the fun we had (even though you are hearing some complaints about the poor nighttime conditions).

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Our first stop on our two week voyage was Caleta Partida between the islands of Espiritu Santu and Isla Partida.  We spent several lovely days there.  We were excited to hike up the hill to a trail at the top but found trying to scramble up the slope was too difficult so we abandoned the longer hike after a scramble up a smaller hill.  

Approaching the anchorage in between Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santu

The anchorage

View looking east from our scramble up the hill

Just a little piece of coral!

Coral is all over here!

Kevin on the hill scramble

plants grow here even though it seems so barren

Along with that we also took a dinghy ride to the other side of the islands to some caves and had a marvelous time exploring.  We were able to take the dinghy into one cave and land it on a rocky beach inside the cave.  How cool!  This was one of the first days in weeks, or months, that was cool so we had put on light jackets for the adventure.  We could have spent the day there but the winds were starting to build and we decided to head back after a little over an hour exploring the caves around there.   Our three nights there were windy though which led to rough sleeping conditions.  One boat near us dragged anchor and had to move at first light to get his anchor reset.

heading into the cave

Can you see Cindy and Kevin there?  This is large!

Kevin

Kevin and Cindy on the beach

Kevin and Cindy walking around

Cindy and Kevin

This rock almost looks chopped off like a tree

Kevin's selfie.  Kids took a camera with them......

Kevin taking a picture of Steve and I

Kevin taking photo of Cindy

Cindy's photo of Kevin next to this hole that is actually down to the water

Kevin catching Cindy climbing around a tough spot

another awesome sunset

Blue Footed Boobies, obviously this is their spot!

Do you see a face in this anywhere? hahahahahh

A comparison with a modification to remove a little deformity under his nose!

We were pleased the morning after we arrived to see a dinghy approaching us.  It was Dean from sv Solastra who we had met in Newport Oregon and had last seen him and Lynn in early December outside the "Downwind Marine" store in San Diego.  They came over for some chatting and appetizers and we heard of their stories about this area we were about to explore.  They had not gotten much further north than we were planning to go.  The following evening the kids and I went over for some shell jewelry making lessons and made some nice pieces. Steve stayed back onboard our boat to work on some boat projects.  

Dean showing the kids how to bend the wire

Working on bending the wires around the shells