Wednesday, January 28, 2009

salmon burgers

we are presently sailing around the sea of cortes.

it has been windy and the sea can be like the georgia straight in canada sometimes, with big steep waves. not fun if they are against you.

we have been hanging out in small bays and meeting campers and spent a few weeks in la paz. a beautiful city founded by cortez.

we are planning on an offshore voyage to south pacific in the next couple of months. this will be our longest passage yet and we are both scared and looking forward to it. we are working on repairs and some upgrades to make this passage safer and more enjoyable.

leaf has met some other boat kids and is having lots of fun making crafts and reading.

we are planning to be exploring more around the sea of cortes for the next few months, we may even go over to mainland mexico.

here is a recipie we enjoy onboard often.

salmon burgers

one can of salmon including liquid
two eggs
chopped onions
one half cup of flour
one half cup of rolled oats
one teaspoon of salt

mix all well.

tablespoon into hot oiled frypan and flatten burgers to thin round shape with flipper.

flip as it is browning a couple of times till firm and cooked.
served on a bun or with pasta is our favorite way to eat them.

we sometimes use cooked fresh fish or canned tuna or even leftover chili instead of canned salmon.

best wishes

Saturday, January 17, 2009

cape condo

John Steinbeck famously wrote in his book "sea of cortes" about his privately chartered science expedition from California around cabo san lucas and north along the baja peninsula that the little place called “cabo san lucas” was little more than a bar with locals hanging around hoping someone would buy them a beer.
In less than a hundred years “cabo” as they call the whole cape section and all its golf courses, hotels and condos has grown, one could almost call it “cape condo“.

But the beauty of the land and kindness of the local people cannot be tarnished by this crass condo crisis. Many condos look like palaces and small utopias designed for tourists to get a few weeks of relaxation from the endless grind. Some of the architecture here is in a style and quality that is amazing. We have seen condos covered in sheets of onxy, crystalline and castlelike is the over all effect. grand pools and golf courses in a dessert where in the past locals could not afford a beer, now they drive sport utility trucks and shop at walmart and cosco just like americans in the north. The conundrum of growth in mexico reaches paradoxical extremes. Locals seem to agree, growth is good and bad.

chiclet gum selling momas begging outside of the high end malls where you can buy a harley motor bike or a rolex gold watch is an example of these extreems.

The cape if famously expensive and very limited for selection of fresh food, but we find endless ways to use, peppers, onions, cabbage, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, and limes. together with our dry stores, fresh tortillas and all the fish i can catch we are enjoying many fine meals.

Sailing has been good and bad too, everything. Sometimes motoring all day, sometimes sailing in warm winds that make it all worth while.

Family time has become our entertainment. Daily we make our meals, stories, games and songs.

on a bay called Los Frailes we met a nice fishing guide who was camping with his family. He and one of his sons could speak good English and we spent an evening by the campfire with them. the kids played games, flew kites and went swimming for most the next day. They gave us lots of fresh seafood including a huge piece of marlin. They were very kind and shared their views on progress in mexico.

We have met other sailors on our travels and friendships are quick and everyone gives advise and directions to favorite places and services.

One sailing family we met today had a little boy, he was only one and a half but leaf and him became friends. after we said goodbye he ran down the beach crying after us to say goodbye one last time and gave us a huge smile as we all waved back to him.

Fair winds and flat seas to all our family and friends.

Monday, January 5, 2009

yahoo! i caught a wahoo!




we made it to cabo san lucas!
the sail from bahia santa maria to cabo was a little of everything, storms, calm, and lots of good stiff breezes with perfect sailing most of the time.

cabo is amazing, horrible and great.
the marinas cost $185 dollars a night but anchoring out is free so that is our choice.
dingy dock is only $3 dollars a day and it has security so that is great.
the town has grown so much that you really can hardly know the place from even ten years ago, really it is ten times as big at least.
it is like a new acapulco or something.
with big malls that sell everything from harley davisons to fancy clothes etc.

we will stock up on food and stuff for our further adventures.

on the way down i caught lots of tuna which we all threw back since we are tired of eatting them.
but a big wahoo has made some fine meals.

we didnt get seasick on this last two day sailing trip and that is the first time on any leg so far.
the water is warm and leaf and i went for a late night swim off the boat last night.
i will post more stories later.

keeping our sails trim and our hooks sharp.
best wishes