Isla San Francisco

By Aaron

With the forecast calling for strong northerly winds in the next few days we decided to head for Isla San Francisco which would offer some decent protection from the wind and swell.

A leisurely 4 hour reach to Isla San Francisco

Our course brought us closer to the mountains on the Baja side with all their layers and colors

Hard to believe it was Thanksgiving Day with temperatures over 80.  We jumped into the water and did some swimming around the boat and lounging in the sun.  This worked up quite an appetite, and Nicole was determined to produce a proper dinner for Thanksgiving.  Wow did she succeed! 

Delicious!  Nicole decided not to cook the feet, heart, and other bits that came with the bird.  Maybe next year.

And homemade pumpkin pie for dessert!  Special thanks to my lovely wife for slaving over a hot stove when it’s 86 degrees in the cabin.  Also we ate pie for breakfast the next morning.  And then again for lunch.  We do what we want!

Throw in a nice sunset to cap off the evening

Nicole, hearing my complaints about having no more pumpkin pie, baked up some coconut banana bread with a lime-coconut glaze the day after Thanksgiving.  I love it when she bakes stuff back to back like this.

She even used rum to bake this, so you know it’s got excellent ingredients

The day after thanksgiving… Black Friday.  There weren’t any malls around so we spent the entire day on the boat just reading and relaxing.  The forecasted 20-30 knot winds were blowing and while we had a nice protected spot in the anchorage it still got rather gusty.  So we opted to stay aboard and relax. 

The next day we went ashore to do some hiking on the island.

We walked across the dried up salt pond in the middle of the island

We hiked up the ridge on a trail that meandered alarmingly close to crumbling cliffs

We enjoyed the nice view from the top

Alas, this is the end of the line for our northern foray into the Sea of Cortez.  At least for now.  The Latitude Reduction Program is to be started up again soon.