SANTA CATALINA ISLAND has 2 tricky mooring posibilities by Northwind; tricky because the bottom is a stone field without sandpatch to burry anchor;  on the west coast, by settled weather, there is the beautiful tiny bay of PALO PARADO (25 40 953N-110 47 884W) wich gives a tiny but nice sandbottoms anchorage.

The day we spend in YELLOWSTONE BEACH- with an unusual light southwind- , north of MONTSERRAT island  is one of the best before discovering the now "hotel" PUERTO ESCONDIDO.

This natural harbour is now 100% private... The marina is well maintained but with a 100% monopol on the area ! you can't anchor free anymore, even in the waiting room n must pay  unsane fees (per foot) for moorings...this operation means the end of the crusing life: How a private interest can manage n control such a huge natural anchoring area ?

Many cruisers don't look the luxury facilities onshore but just a safe n nice place to drop the anchor... Fortunatly you still can stop outside 1 mile south along the beach (25 47 968N-111 18 454W) with a good west n north protection n dinghy ride inside but nothing is easy if you want to escape this very pretty but scandaleous hotel monopoly.

50 boats on moorings...Let's hope that the pro n nice managment, looking the empty restaurant n pricy boutique ll understand that the best way to fill the marina facilities is maybe also to welcome the transiant cruisers, happy to spend money for a super cocktail, an alternative dinner, some food in the shop etc etc etc Why not establishing a kind of "first week promotion"dividing by 3 the present weekly mooring prices, or offering a 1000 pesos maxi for anyboat spending this first week at a mooring or...with his own anchor ?

Visiting 2 days later the huge touristic complex of NOPOLO next door ll open our mind to the situation: thousands of canadian n US "snowbirds" spend the winter near LORETO in this luxury condominium...an obvious target for the marina wich is renting a few modern cruising catamarans for a week between 5959 US$ (LEOPARD 43) n 10995 US$ (SABA 50) or for 3 hours (1300 to 2100 US$)...why should the staff been concerned by live on board cruisers ?

With all this money, let's hope beautiful LORETO - at least for the live on board cruisers, because this gives some jobs to mexican- not follow the sad way of CABO SAN LUCAS !

ALCYONE anchored in 12m of a stone field the middle of the bay...this is wild here: time to walk ashore...

The arroyos can be followed in the sand for a nice distance...

There should be  rattle snake ...without rattle here...Let's have a look...

Huge baril cactus, many odorant elefant trees...

...some proud lizards...

also impressive cardons...

even some of these guys, but no rattle snakes...

Wind increase...time to come back on board...

...Already 35 gusting 40k+...ALCYONE is slowly drifting...reason is mostly due to the stone's bottom...

No risk, no danger behind: we re anchor with 55m chain; noisy but no problem anymore

...in fact this bay is on the venturi of the west of the island...no wave but strong wind, we ll get 45k during the night!

...fortunatly a local sphinx watch ALCYONE...

we could have prefered a good sand bottom...

but ALCYONE did nt drag anymore during all days...

..

.and during all nights...this is the last of our 4 nights in this anchorage...wind is now below 20k...

"Palo Parado" on the west coast:  sand in the bottom with garden eels...

difficult to resist to follow the arroyo...i learned 3 days later you should not walk in SANTA CATARINA...

My nuisance anyway was limited to foot prints n a few pictures...

...cardon cactus...they  die too...

More north, a dolphin's welcome in Yellowstone beach on top of MONTSERRAT ISLAND

Shortly after a strong northern, the place is for us alone ...at least for the morning

...with a light south wind, no better spot in all the area ! A tiny cruise ship arrive in the afternoon n we leave...

...to anchor in front of the hotel of Bahia de los Candeleros: good with W wind...

Tomorrow, we plan to anchor in famous Puerto Escondido...but situation is not the same as before for cruisers...

Wahou ! A luxury hotel got the concession, and not only of a part of the shore...

...but on the whole area including 100% of the huge lagoon...

...Nice...but where is going the cruising life if natural harbour like this one...

...are monopolized by private sector establishing very high price ?

What is normal about de dock is not about the compulsory moorings !

Fortunatly ALCYONE may anchor 1 mile south; safe with N n NW wind.

...Fast sailing  to ISLA SAN CARMEN; but these numerous n excited small dolphins don't play with ALCYONE...

Facing  LORETO, popular PUERTO BALLANDRA offer  nice hikes; big horn sheep can be seen from the arroyo...

LORETO: A lot of action in the tiny pangas harbour this saturday morning !

Malecon shows also animation with these cow boys...Let's follow them !

No cactus here,  but some riders show the complete protection...

...Final destination of this yearly event is the mission, but not through this low street...

Have a look indoor too, the mission is not the single colonial charm in LORETO !

Let's spend one day in nearby SIERRA DE LA GIGANTA...

Paradox: the more you climb, the more chance you have to find water holes...

On top, a nice smell comes from orange trees: the mission SAN JUAN

We try a side way ...limit without a 4wheel drive car, even with an average less than 20km/h...

Water means cattle n ranch but very few remain active...

n we saw a fast geocoucou...to fast for us !

as fast as these noisy n smogy animals enjoying Baja desert...

Back in the valley in NOPOLO: walking through the huge expat condominium...