Windy night at Trinidad, Heading for Kino, May 13th, (Sun)

By Lowell | May 13, 2007 | Category Baja 07

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Cruisin North to Kino

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Windy night at Trinidad, Heading for Kino, May 13th, (Sun)

Happy Mother’s Day. Here’s some special pilot whale photos just for all our Mothers reading our Updates. I know my mother Betty will enjoy them.. These rounded nose whales (we think they’re whales??) have not been seen in the northern Sea of Cortez on Gato Loco. If someone has information on them please let us know. Motoring north we saw three different pods. They are not very interested in the boat and we had to make an effort to intercept them for these photos.

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Yesterday (Sat), we were all slow readying to leave Santa Rosalia but the late departure (11:30) worked out giving time for afternoon winds to build (and that they did)!

Huge tanker loading Gypsum for making drywall board near mine 15 miles north of Santa Rosalia (photo right)

Heading north, we first saw a large 25′ whale shark. They are slow gentle plankton eaters with beautiful spots. For the next 3 hours we had a steady stream of sea life heading south including whales at a distance. No fish on our two trolling lines though…

(3:30) Here it comes!! Playing cards, we spotted a white cap wind line ahead. Screacher head sail rolled and jib out in preparation.. 20… 24.. 28.. 30kts! Yep we’ve got wind on our nose to Punta Trinidad 12 miles out. No time for cards. Motors off, we’re going to sail in! Wind off shore with no waves just short chop. Fun, fun, fun after not having wind for the past day & half. Looking at wind line we see that it is a local wind coming out of the canyon behind Punta Trinidad. There’s places on Baja where the Pacific spills over into the Sea of Cortez when atmospheric conditions are right. This must be one of those spots because it blowing a solid 25kt as we set our anchor in the spot recommended by the cruising guide. Not long after anchoring we make the decision to move to calmer waters. We can see smooth water 5 miles up the coast and we would prefer to have a quiet night at anchor. Finally set the anchor in 15′ of water off the gravel spit at Punta Salina with the wind line 1/2 mile south. Sun just setting and the water & air temp is 10 degrees cooler. During dinner, that Pacific wind line arrives at our anchorage. We’re in a good spot for the off shore breeze so the wind will be a bonus for sleeping assuming it doesn’t get too strong.

(5:30 AM Sun) Anchor up at first light and we began our 70 mile crossing to Kino Bay. Wind was blowing a cool off shore breeze @ 15 all night. Crew under blankets. Seas are flat and we have 8kts from SW as we sailed out of the Trinidad Pacific wind line.

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Dolphin leading the way for mother whale and her calf near Isla San Pedro Martir.

(10:00) 3 miles SW of I. San Pedro Martir and we find pods of whales & dolphin feeding in a small area. Dolphins came IMG 5286a and played by the boat and the whales dove until IMG 5299a we were safely past. 39 of 70 miles remain. ETA for arriving in Kino 5ish.. Light winds smooth seas forcing us to motorsail.

(11:30) winds @ 10 from the SE allowed us to fly dual head sails and back the motors down. As we sailed south of I. San Pedro Martir another pad of frisky dolphins gave us our best ever show. Are we at SeaWorld?