A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY Join us on an adventure of a lifetime as the brigantine Irving Johnson embarks on an exciting voyage to: tropical islands colonial ports desert anchorages wildlife habitats quaint coastal villages
The Itinerary 2014 The entire voyage will be composed of four separate legs. You may participate for just one leg, several legs or sign on for the entire voyage. A discount of 10% applies to second and subsequent legs booked. Boarding is on the first day of the leg (1000 hours 1100 hours) and departure on the last day of the leg (by 1500 hours). Leg One: San Pedro to Cabo San Lucas January 15 th January 28 th Grey whale breaching The ship will clear out at San Pedro and enter Mexican waters at Ensenada just south of San Diego. The route from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas will be a mix of overnight passages with some shorter hops allowing visits ashore at small villages and spectacular scenery along the windward coast of the Baja Peninsula. Of special interest will be the offshore islands of Todos Santos and Cedros, Turtle Bay and the magnificent Bahia Magdalena and San Ignacio Lagoon, haunt of the grey whales. Other wildlife to be encountered on this leg are elephant seals, Guadalupe fur seals, and a multitude of aquatic birds and native vegetation. Guadalupe Fur Seals Red footed Booby Returning to civilization at the resort town of Cabo San Lucas for the last night aboard you will have the opportunity to celebrate new found friends, dine out, buy a crazy t- shirt or check on your email. If you re staying on for Leg Two, you will have the option to bunk aboard the ship without any additional cost; however, you will be expected to help with some routine maintenance or provisioning in preparation for the next leg. White sand beaches of Cabo San Lucas 1
Leg Two: Cabo San Lucas to Puerto Vallarta January 31 st February 13 th Leaving Cabo San Lucas, you will be entering the enchanting waters of the Sea of Cortez. This expansive cruising ground is home to clear waters, delightful swimming spots (with seals, turtles and rays) and the ancient colonial fort of San Blas. Of particular interest will be: the ports of La Paz and Mazatlan; the desert islands on the inner side of the Baja Peninsula; the anchorages of Isla Partida (great snorkelling), San Evaristo (visit the little Snorkelling at Isla Partida school) and Bahia Aqua Verde (with its spectacular green water); and the remarkable Isla Isabella which has been called a mini Galapagos and featured in National Geographic and Jacques Cousteau television specials. Frigate Birds at Isla Isabella Heading south from Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta the ship will anchor off the lovely beach at Mantanchen Bay for a visit to the Spanish ruins at San Blas, with old cannon and original fortifications. In 1882 Longfellow wrote his last poem, The Bells of San Blas, about this historic spot. Spanish cannons at San Blas Fort guarding Mantanchen Bay Leg Two ends in Puerto Vallarta for easy connections by air for those leaving and coming. Largely a resort town, the city has every amenity and the old town with its cobblestone streets and pack donkeys is particularly worth a visit. as Fort Overlooking the old town Puerto Vallarta 2
Leg Three: Puerto Vallarta to Cabo San Lucas February 16 th to March 1 st Yelapa waterfront and white sand beach Although this leg ends at the same port the last one began, the route heads west and south from Puerto Vallarta into some completely new territory. Sights along the way include the unique artistic community of Yelapa; rounding Cape Corrientes to return to the open Pacific; and the west coast anchorages of Punta Ipala, Bahia de Chamela, Tenacatita, Bahia de Navidad and Manzanillo. Returning northwards, you will stop at previously unvisited beauty spots in the Sea of Cortez as well as one or two that deserve a second look. Tenacatita Explore mangrove swamps The leg ends in Cabo San Lucas with a good connection to an international airport (although it s a bit of a drive from the marina) if you are departing, or arriving for Leg Four. Beautiful Pacific sunsets every night! 3
Leg Four: Cabo San Lucas to San Pedro March 4 th to March 17 th With the prevailing winds from the north, this final leg should provide some boisterous sailing to windward and Beach and mangrove swamps at Bahia Santa Maria more time under sail than any other section of the voyage. Sea turtles abound Departing Cabo San Lucas, the Irving Johnson will revisit the large and well- protected Bahia Magdalena. A new anchorage is the Bahia Santa Maria, a wild and beautiful bay with a landing through surf, weather permitting, and a hike to the lighthouse on Cape Lazaro. Isla Cedros is on this route and home to sea lion colonies in the northern anchorage. Other points of interest on the sail north are Bahia Santa Rosalillita, Playa Maria, Isla San Martin (an extinct volcano) and Baja San Quintin before arriving in Ensenada, your last port in Mexican waters. Isla Cedros from seaward Clearing customs in San Diego, the ship returns to San Pedro for a farewell dinner for all participants in this extraordinary voyage. We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T. S. Eliot 4
Voyage of Discovery January 15 th to March 17 th 2014 Leg One: January 15 - January 28 San Pedro to Cabo San Lucas Leg Two: January 31 - February 13 Cabo San Lucas to Puerto Vallarta Leg Three: February 16 - March 1 Puerto Vallarta to Cabo San Lucas Leg Four: March 4 - March 17 Cabo San Lucas to San Pedro 5
Who Can Sail? This voyage is open to youth of all ages. Participants eighteen years of age and older will need to be physically fit, have a valid passport that does not expire for three months after boarding and be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime. Younger participants, 16-18, in addition to the above, will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. An interview process will be in place so that you can understand the routine of shipboard life and offshore voyaging, what to expect and what we expect of you. Life at Sea A voyage, like the one you are about to embark on, could end up being the best thing you ever did. can also be trying, tiring and frightening at times. It This is a sail training voyage, which means you will become part of a working crew. You will join a watch, a group of seven or eight trainees led by a watch officer under the overall direction of the captain. At any given time, night or day, even in port, one of the three watches will have charge of the ship. Your duties will be many: handling sail, steering, scrubbing the decks, helping the cook, and watching the anchor. You will be given a training log book when you board and the senior crew will help you learn the ropes from practical knots to chartwork and pilotage. As you progress, each item will be marked off by your instructor as you work towards any of the levels of certification. How much you achieve is up to you. Your sea time will be recorded at the end of your time aboard. You will have the chance to explore lonely anchorages and bustling towns, swim in crystal clear waters and hike across challenging terrain. You will also have time off to simply relax, write in your journal or enjoy soaking up the atmosphere of shipboard life and an ocean that is ever changing. Costs and Responsibilities The fee for each leg of the voyage is $1,800. Second and subsequent legs are discounted by 10%. Your fee includes a berth and a small storage space, three meals a day (except for the first and last days of each leg which include lunch and supper on arrival, breakfast and lunch on departure) and training. If you are booking for an additional leg or legs, you may stay aboard for the two days between legs at no extra charge; however, we expect you to help with some light maintenance and/or provisioning to get the ship ready to set sail again. No meals will be provided between legs but we will be in port where interesting food at reasonable prices is available. 6
How to Book 1. Phone the office at 310.833.6055 to check on availability. 2. Reserve the leg(s) of your choice. 3. Complete the application form inserted in this brochure or download it from our website: www.lamitopsail.org. 4. Mail the application along with your deposit to: LAMI, Berth 73, Suite 2, San Pedro, CA 90731. If you would like to pay by credit card, you may email the signed application, along with your credit card information, to: info@lamitopsail.org OR You may pay by credit card on our secure ticket site: http://discoveryvoyage.brownpapertickets.com Then mail the application to: LAMI, Berth 73, Suite 2, San Pedro, CA 90731. 5. Your application and deposit must be received in our office no later than 10 days after reserving your dates in order to confirm your reservation. After 10 days we cannot guarantee confirmation. 6. Once your reservation is confirmed (receipt of application and deposit) we will send out a `What to Expect` package and arrange for an interview. 7. The final payment is due in our officer no later than four weeks before the start of your first leg. 8. If you cancel (in writing or by email) no later than eight weeks before the start of your first leg, we will happily return your deposit, less a 10% handling charge. Any later, and we are only able to refund your deposit, less 10%, if we can re- book your leg(s). If you cancel after full payment is made we can only make a refund (less 10%) if we are able to re- book your leg(s). 7