“. . . we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

If you’ve watched the movie The Wizard of Oz, you’ll probably recognize this quote. The entire quote is a line Dorothy says to her dog upon “touchdown” in the Land of Oz: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

You might have the same reaction at some point when cruising in Mexico -- but substitute “California” for Kansas. I’ll offer two examples from my experience where this seemed very appropriate.

First up was anchoring in and exploring Puerto Balandra. The name is a bit of a misnomer because there is no port. There are a number of coves that open to the large bay and the Sea of Cortez. The attraction to this area is its beautifully-colored, warm waters with sandy beaches.

What makes it even more enjoyable is the fact that the shore – although only a 35-minute drive from La Paz – is not developed! The beach-goers are day-trippers from La Paz; the nights are wonderfully quiet. I have not found an equivalent along the California coast.

The other example was a sunset while crossing the Sea of Cortez from Mazatlan to Bahia de los Muertos. This leg (188 nm) requires only one overnight – a good thing for a single-handed sailor – and a far better option than crossing to Cabo San Lucas and then upwind to Bahia de los Frailes before reaching “Muertos.”

The sea was calm with a light breeze from the southwest. The sunset was impressive for its gradual evolution of clouds and color-intensities. Added to this were the feelings of remoteness and serenity when doing a 360-degree visual survey with no land in sight!

I wish you similar experiences if you cruise in Mexico.