Isla Carmen

Last week I learned that our SUP (stand up paddle board) is great for meeting people and making new friends! I paddled over to sv Nyon for a little chat and half an hour later we had the entire anchorage in the water surrounding the SUP Board Bar. sv Eagle was kind enough to get the party started by bringing cups, pineapple juice and RUM! The water was so warm that we stayed in until after dark and never got cold - I'm guessing the rum helped.

SUP-Board-Bar. Photo by sv Eagle

Puerto Ballandra, Isla Carmen

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Great snorkeling

Beautiful water color

Pineapple Rum Cake (Easy Recipe here)

View from the top of the mast of Camille

Why is my boat on shore?

NOAA Ship Fairweather in Alaska - where Mike and I lived aboard and worked for two years.

As many of you may know, Mike and I worked as hydrographers for the past 8 years. Nearly every time we tell someone about our (former) profession we are met with blank stares -- hydro-what? 


Hydrography: 

1. : of or relating to the characteristic features (as flow or depth) of bodies of water
2. : relating to the charting of bodies of water

- Miriam Webster Dictionary

Hydrography is the science of measuring the depths of navigable bodies of water and searching for underwater dangers to navigation, acquiring data for nautical charts and modeling the seafloor. 
Be sure to watch the short video about hydrography at the end of this post.


Today being World Hydrography Day we would like to dispel some of the myths concerning the data that is displayed on your chart plotter. 

• "Spending more money on chart cards for a chart-plotter will give me better data"
• Since all chart data comes from the same "source data" this is an incorrect assumption. However, some chart cards use all the detailed data available in all areas the chart card covers, while others only show detailed information in high traffic areas.

• "The company that sells my chart cards collects and updates the data for the charts"
• In the US, and most other countries, it is a branch of the government that runs the "hydrographic offices". In the US NOAA's Office of Coast Survey produces nautical charts and related products. 

• "I have a fancy 3-D chart plotter and can see the seafloor as it really is."
• The data on the 3-D display could merely be interpolated from the spot soundings on the regular chart. This all depends on the age of the source data. Be careful: If the original chart hasn't been updated in the last 20 years or so, the spot soundings do not come from a survey that scanned the entire seafloor. There could be unknown obstructions in between the soundings. NOAA charts include a source diagram that gives the user the age of the surveys which were analyzed to make the chart (Chapter 1 of the United States Coast Pilot has more information on source diagrams). Here is what can happen if you rely upon a chart which was compiled from an old survey that utilized lead line for soundings: Read the article.

• "Charts should be easy to update with the advance of satellite data"
• While satellite data can help in establishing coastlines and other above water features, satellite data is not used for depth measurements.

• "Most ships and boats have echo sounders. Why can't we use all that data to update charts?"
• Data from ship traffic is not used for nautical chart updates although there is technology that has recently been developed by private enterprise that uses data collected by ships for navigation. Most chart data today is collected with multi-beam echo sounders and side scan sonar.

• "Airplanes have lasers that can pierce the surface and see the seafloor"
• Laser or LIDAR data is being used for chart updating however there are many factors such as poor water clarity that lead to inconsistent results in data quality. 

• "Nothing in life is free, I have to pay for my charts"
• In the US, chart data and updates are available for free (well, actually you paid for it with your tax dollars). Chart plotter manufactures take this free data, copy it to their chart cards and sell the data back to you. There is free software for your computer that will read the free US charts downloaded from NOAA as well as ocean charts from NGA.

• "Here in Mexico, my boat shows up on land, so I need to buy a better chart card."
• As a country with far less money to spend on hydrography, Mexico's charts are often outdated and inaccurate, especially in regions less traveled by commercial shipping. If you find yourself on land a lot make sure the horizontal chart datum on the chart plotter matches that of the chart card (most likely NAD83 or WGS84).

Small "launches" are used to survey in areas the ship is unable to maneuver. It sure was an amazing commute!

Loreto

Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, founded on October 25, 1697

ENSENADA BLANCA - Staying in an anchorage in front of a resort has its perks. Not only do we get to use the pool, pool bar, showers and wifi, but also their shuttle service. Since there isn't a marina or decent anchorage in Loreto, it can be tough to get to and from town to shop for groceries. Taxi rides are expensive, buses rare (and it's a long, hot walk from the resort to the main road), and rental cars are only available in town.

As non-paying guests we get a seat on the shuttle if hotel guests haven't filled it. In the afternoon we got lucky and squeezed in for the 45 minute drive.

We had heard differing opinions about Loreto and were pleasantly surprised by the tree lined, cobblestoned streets. Unfortunately, the malecon (boardwalk along the water) is currently under construction, so we explored the town center after we got our groceries.

I've long been fascinated by the Spanish missions and have visited nearly all of the 21 missions in upper California (US). Since many of the missions in Baja (lower) California (Mexico) no longer stand I had only been able to visit empty sites so far. Loreto is home of  the earliest (read: oldest) successful mission! When we were in town the bells were rang by hand for evening service. 


While the mission's church is still being used, the mission closed its doors in 1829 because the native american population of Baja Sur had become extinct...

Meet Cesar

ENSENADA BLANCA - This is Cesar. He runs the palapa bar on the beach of Ensenada Blanca.



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There is no written menu and only three meal choices: Fish Tacos, Ceviche, or Clams. When you order the clams you better have some time to sit back and enjoy a cerveza because after bringing your drinks Cesar will don his fins and snorkel and dive into the ocean to dig them up. Talk about fresh!



Getting ready to get some clams



After about 20-30 minutes he comes back with pockets full of clams



Fresh chocolate clams (spanish: almeja chocolata) from 4-8 feet of depth


Cesar gets the knife just between the shells to up open the clam



Ready



Whack



My picture taking must have made him nervous because he sliced his finger while opening clams



Chocolate clams inside



Rinsing and scooping the clams out of their shells



Chopping clams 



Cesar then sautés the clams in lard (!) and garlic



And then he spoons the cooked clams back into their shells for presentation



Yum!



Enjoying clams with some cruising buddies

Bahia Aqua Verde

When looking at Bahia Aqua Verde from the water you would guess that there is not much of a town there. And you would be right. The goats seem to outnumber the people and the local dogs make sure the goats aren't harassed by curious gringos.

Most front yards are adorned with mattresses on wooden frames. Right near the outdoor kitchens. We were told that it is still relatively cool this time of year, though we really can't imagine it getting much hotter! Maybe we will be sleeping outside soon as well.

We have been keeping cool swimming, snorkeling and SUPing.

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Main Street

Typical home (with bed to the left)

Garbage pickup for the visiting boats

Todos Santos

We took a short side-trip on our way back from the airport in Cabo last month and visited the "pueblo magico" of Todos Santos on the Pacific. After the heat of the Sea of Cortez, the cool ocean breezes were most welcome. It's a surfer and artist community lush with palm trees and funky beach homes.

A sea of palm trees in the desert 

Cactus blooms

Pelicans relaxing on the beach