Alcyone is downwind from CANADA, but things ll change now as we have to sail back north and the  sea of Cortez is dominated in winter by ...northern.

There is not many choices if we don't want to use an overnight sailing to reach a protected anchorage from LOS CABOS and with an early start the first landfall is "LOS FRAILES" , 50+ miles away with a good chance to tack for the last 15 miles. We ll approach LA PAZ with another classical anchorage ENSENADA DE LOS MUERTOS and one third stage a bit more out of the beaten path during N wind: The Sandspit west of CERRALVO ISLAND.

LOS FRAILES is the  gate of the sea of Cortez: "Cactus Sun n Clearwater", that what we expect here !

Folowing this local guy, the 4 next pictures are a panoramic from S to W

This  safe anchorage is pretty busy:  anybody wait for the right conditions to sail to mexican mainland or LA PAZ...

LOS FRAILES offer also a lot of space for locals visiting  from the land...

...A bit of exercise to climb this small hill among the agressive bush but the result is rewarding...

with a view on Sierra LA TRINIDAD on the west side.

down to the sea level again, on the shore of the drying rio,

This is what you can find, but back to sailing, other creatures wait for us

To reach this second stage ENSENADA DE LOS MUERTOS choice is often tacking in a northern...or motorsailing.

Not glorious...As 35 years ago, easiest shots of these guys are done in local garbage dumps...

North of Ensenada of los Muertos are 24h/24h guarded private properties...

More that 150 solar panels (= around 40 000 watts ! we live with Helena- including the watermaker with 800 watts.)

We have a christmas celebration with Kate and Ed...new cruisers but...

...around 30 years ago, Ed spent 83 days to join USA and Hawai , alone...on a kayak  !

East cape skies...

...sometimes not as clear as we imagine

3rd n last stop of ALCYONE before LA PAZ: CERRALVO island sandspit,  a bit limit by northern about confort...

The North windward side of the sandspit is like an open air waiting room...

...for families of local scavengers..

Imagine such a fantastic soaring bird with another head !

Pure wood natural (?) carving

The leeward side is also exposed to the fierce north wind and this create strange geologic formations...

...kind of "Cheminee de fee"at a very small scale as this is a few cm high !

These flowers love this living cactus...

This strange local guy love dead cactus...

a pity that an investor closed all the area with a fence...with numerous adds

hoping that an hotel buy this land, but...we are in a pure desert...

...water is more than scarce and we can hope this beautiful place will remain open for pangas n cruisers  for long !