SATURDAY
Fly from home into the area, and catch a taxi to the marina. Explore the boat, stash your gear, and head out to get acquainted with the city of La Paz. Wander the Malecon (the ocean boardwalk) and grab some fresh local seafood at an outdoor restaurant. First night onboard!
SUNDAY
Do a charter briefing, finding out about sailing conditions in the area and information about all of our destinations. First sailing class; boat familiarization, systems overview, docking and anchoring. We set sail for Espiritu Santo Island, and a wealth of scenic coves. Arrive early to spend time snorkelling and exploring the area.
MONDAY
Morning sailing class; boat systems, sail theory, points of sail and sail trim. Spend day morning sailing and getting the feel for our boat. Set sail for Ensenada Grande, our anchorage for the evening and a beautiful cove. Head ashore and stroll through the cactus forest and enjoy the deserted beach.
TUESDAY
Set sail for Los Islotes, a rock outcropping teeming with playful seals. Snorkel and enjoy their impressive underwater antics.Introduction to navigation, chart reading, GPS, and chartplotters. Chart a course and set off on your first ocean passage. We’ll sail up the coast of Espiritu Santo, to the island of San Francisco and the famous “Hook” anchorage. We’ll continue with our sailing lessons, and everyone will have a chance to captain the boat. Fishing techniques for cruisers will be introduced, and hopefully we’ll catch fresh fish for dinner! Today is our first test, the ASA 101 test. When finished, go for a hike to a scenic viewpoint high above the anchorage or just relax on the white sand beach.
WEDNESDAY
Todays challenge is to circumnavigate Isla San Francisco! Put your navigation and sailing skills to the test, sailing every point of sail to see how fast you can sail around the entire island. We will also practice man overboard drills, reefing, heaving to and heavy weather sailing along the way. Take the second test, ASA 103 today and then head out to snorkel the “boulder garden” a cool jumble of car size boulders with tons of fish!
THURSDAY
As confident sailors now, you’ll captain the boat for the passage back to Espiritu Santo, practicing your navigation, chart plotting, sailing, and fishing skills along the way. Explore more of Espiritu Santo Island, finding a new cove to anchor in for lunch and for the evening. Today is the hardest test of the week, the ASA 104 test!
FRIDAY
Sail to beautiful Balandra Bay and explore the stunning beaches around “Mushroom Rock”. If you are on a catamaran course you’ll take the final ASA 114 exam! Return to the marina in La Paz for docking practice. and head out to celebrate passing the sailing course!
SATURDAY
Pack up bags, and catch the shuttle to the airport for your morning flight home … Or, stay on a couple of days and explore the area further!