Bill & Dave’s Big Adventure to San Carlos
|
Cruising to San Carlos Monday, April 16, 2007 It’s 5:00, Dave and I (Bill) are heading out of Puerto Penasco on a broad reach cruising at 7.5 knots. The sun’s rising and it’s another typical day on the Sea on Cortez -beautiful. We arrived at Gato Loco around 11:00 last night and didn’t hit the bunks until 12:00. After the loud music shut down in the Puerto Penasoc harbor and the seagulls quit laughing we were able to get a few ZZZZZ’s. We’ve got 90 miles to go and plenty of time to catch up on lost sleep.
Until the next update.
2:00pm and all is well. Sailing under three sails @7.5knots trying to make up lost time. We were a couple of bouncing Bettys for a few hours with swells coming at us in every direction, but much flatter seas right now. Catch of the day-bonito- by Dave. He didn’t realize he put out half mile of line so it took both of us to pull it in. The first whale was just spotted 50yds. off our bow. He waved at us with his tail and disappeared. If winds hold we will reach our destina Until the next update
Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Slept in this morning and woke to clear blue skies and light breezes. The late start and high tides made us miss caving at Islote Pomo and the tidal waterfall on the northwest side of Isla San Luis. Next trip! Winds picked up to 12knts out of the southeast at about noon so we ran up the sails and hope to be in Gonzaga bay by mid afternoon. Still haven’t seen a soul since the beginning of the trip. Arrived in front of Alfonsina’s restaurant, in Gonzaga bay, around cocktail hour and headed for shore. We enjoyed a couple of margs and conversation with the locals and some off road bikers. After dinner we headed back to the boat for dinner and a movie. Playing on the Gato Loco big screen was Anchorman starring Will Ferrel and Christine (OH MY GOD) Applegate.
Until the next update
Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Woke up to another beautiful sunrise with a few high clouds and glassy seas. Temperature is beginning to warm. Heading to our next destination Puerto Refugio, 42 miles to our southeast. Five miles out of Gonzaga we crossed paths with a three mile long pod of Porpoise. Several of them stuck around and played off our bow.
The water in the above left picture was how the water looked the entire leg to Refugio. Relaxing, reading and fishing occupied our time. Catch of the day, mackerel, by Dave. We arrived in Refugio around 4:30 and had every bug on the island over for Bill and Dave dinner. I’ve never seen so many nats on a human in my life. We tested most of the anchorages in the area and finally picked the one in the open bay on the north end of the island. Out came the Off mosquito repellant and we sprayed our cloths and many areas on the boat. Dave and I had enough and moved into the galley, closed the hatch, sprayed some more and played backgammon. The nights movie- Intolerable Cruelty. Until the next update
Thursday, April 19, 2007 Up at 6:00am with sunny skies, temperature in the upper 60’s, wind out of the north at 15, gusting to 24knts. The wind began to blow late during the night so the decision was made to exit early in the morning so we might take advantage of the tidal movement. The 15 mile wide channel between Refugio and Bahia De Los Angeles gets very rough when the extreme tide works against the wind. This day was no different. One big washing machine! Our next destination was supposed to be an anchorage on Isla Smith, about 35mi. to the south. None were exceptable so we chose a calmer spot to the west called Punta La Gringa. The movie tonight- Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest Dave drank to many margs at Alfonsina’s and woke up with a new leg!
Until the next update
Friday, April 20, 2007 Woke up to sunny skies , temperature mid 60’s, wind out of the west at 20knts. Last night was not pleasant with wind gusting thru the Bahia de Los Angeles slot at 20knts. gusting to 30+. La Gringa is a good anchorage but the terrain around it is very flat and succeptable to high winds. We arrived in Bahia De Los Angeles at 10:30 and headed for the internet cafe and then on to the the Mercado for provisions. As we walked to the local Pemex station for fuel we noticed the many changes taking place in L.A. A new metal sculpture at the entrance to town has been put up and is designed to replicate sails on a sailboat. Another change is two more lanes on the main road thru town and street lights down the middle. The electricity for town normally runs til 10:00 on a generator but that is about to change with elect power lines coming soon. We provisioned and decided to stop at Guillermos for a marg or two. Should of had only one. Winds very erratic during the afternoon so we decided to head for Puerto Don Juan about 10 east. Beautiful anchorage with total protection from every direction.
Overloaded bar!
The next stop Puerto Don Juan located 10mi east of Bay of LA. This is the most secure anchorage I’ve seen on the Sea of Cortez. Winds that night blew 15-25knts and Gato Loco set very still. A good nights sleep.
Until the next update
Saturday, April 21, 2007 After a good long nights sleep we woke to cool, sunny skies with the wind out of the northwest at 15knts. We took our time getting underway. Fishing and other chores slowed us down. Sure Bill!! At 10:00am we began our next leg of the trip with our first stop at an eco camp located 10mi southeast in a bay called Ensenada el Pescador. With an approaching storm we decided to move our crossing, to the mainland, up a day. Our plan was to stay the night in Pescodor but…….
A couple of sailors lounging at the eco camp.
At about 12:00 Gato Loco got under way and headed for the next anchorage, Isla Salsipuedes about 20mi southeast. The winds backed off to 8knts so we had to motorsail the last half of the leg. Fishing up to this point has not been very good but we have a long way to go. We pulled into Isla Salsipuedes at 5pm and encountered our first sailboat. They were in one of the three anchorages on the island. We ended up on the western and most picturesque sides of the island. After we got settled we tried out the fishing and had some success. One large rock bass and two scorpion fish. Tonights movie-Wedding Crashers Until the next update
Sunday, April 22, 2007
We woke to sunny skies, glassy seas and a temperature in the upper 60’s. After our morning breakfast Dave and I needed a little exercise. We had been watching a nest of Osprey just above us on a rock pinnacle and decided to investigate. The two little chicks in the photo are laying low and mom is circling above. I think the island dump is located around this nest. Shoes, socks, plastic bags, rope and just about everything else you can imagine is supporting this nest.
Bill by a Cardon cactus.
Gato Loco got underway around 8:30 and motorsailed until it was time to hear the Phoenix Suns show the Lakers how the game of basketball should be played. Our next stop was at the southeast end of Isla Tiburon at a spot called Dog bay. A quiet bay for a good nights rest. Surprisingly, only one sailboat seen up to this point.
Cactus Rock With it’s thick forest of Cardon cactus on the east side. Tonights movie- Pirates of Carribean, Dead Man’s Chest Until the next update
Monday, April 23, 2007
The early morning breezes are out of the southeast at 10knts. with a temperature in the upper 60’s. Seas are choppy from all directions. After fueling the boat we set out on our next leg of the trip. Winds are on our nose so we will be motorsailing until they clock around. We’ve decided to bypass Kino Bay and head to the cruising area north of San Carlos. We want to do some serious exploring on this section of mainland Mexico. At about noon the winds clocked out of the northwest at 10knts allowing us to set three sails and shut down the motors. We cruised at 6knts the rest of the leg. Temperatures warmed so we stepped out on the veranda with coctails. We are beginning to see more sea life. About 3/4 of a mile off our stern a baby whale breached several time while mom cruised nearby and a little later a turtle popped his head up to see what we were doing.
As we pulled into Posomoreno a call came across the radio with an invitation to join locals for cervesas. Gato Loco at her temporary home. After a few we headed back for dinner and a movie. Tonight’s movie- Naopolean Dynomite Until the next update
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Up at 7:00 this morning with very clear sunny skies, light breezes out of the east and a temperature of 70. The plan is to slowly make our way south, towards San Carlos, checking on as many anchorage as possible. First stop, only 2mi south of here is a very small tight cove, called Julio Villa. Dave read about a good hiking canyon close by so we decided give her a look. The cruising book told of a beautiful canyon with pools and a waterfall when water is flowing thru it. We hiked a mile into it and was amazed at the different types of vegetation, color in the walls and rugged terrain. The further we hiked in the more interesting in got. Wish we had more time, better shoes and more life in my camera battery.
After the hike we ate a little lunch, pulled anchor and headed 12mi south to Bahia San Pedro. The winds picked up to 12knts, out of the west, so up went the sails and on a reach we clocked our speed at 7knts all the way into San Pedro.
Our neighbors in San Pedro.
After dinner we listened as long as we could to the Suns-Lakers blowout and decided to take in a movie. Tonights movie- Walk the Line
Until the next update
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Morning skies are clear, temperature in the lower 70’s, winds out of the east at 8knts and calm seas. Plan for today- start slow and take it easy as we sail south 12mi to Bahia Algodones (Catch 22 beach). At the north end of the beach is The old Club Med and on the south the Howard Johnson Hotel. We took the north end were there was more protection from the wind. After a nap we pulled anchor and headed on into San Carlos Marina arriving at 3:00. Our final leg ended at the marina gas dock. Here is were we trade modes of transportation with Lowell and Frankie Mcculley and Steve Quant. Dave and I head back to Puerto Penasco and Gato Loco continues on to the Loretto Fest in Puerto Escondido. Fairwell until the next update Bill and Dave
Email us at emailsailors07@gatolocosailing.com Read more about Gato Loco cruises at www.GatoLocoSailing.com 2007 GatoLocoSailing Tide Calendar online at www.lulu.com/gatolocosailing. |
tion by 7:00pm.
We were relaxing on the Guillermos patio having a marg when the winds quit blowing from the east and in a matter of minutes did a 180. What you see below, right, was the result. At that time we gulped, headed back to the boat and continued our journey.
Tonights movie-After the Sunset.
Beautiful bay with a long white sandy beach and very clear water.
Our anchorage on Isla Salsipuedes
When we were hit the beach Dave and I were welcomed by Phillip, a part timer, from Phoenix, Az. Joining us were Bob and his wife Ginny also Part timers who have a home just north of here. We both learned a lot of history and information about this area and what changes are taking place nearby. Bob told us about the large shrimp farms and there operations located between here and Kino.
