Sailing north up Whale Channel with the wind at our backs.

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By Lowell | June 13, 2011 | Category Baja 2011

 

Sun’s in our face as we sail into Bay of LA. >>>>

South winds have come and gone as we’re  heading north from Isla Salsipuedes. Water is very cloudy probably an algae bloom just south of Bay of LA. Turning west with Guillermo’s in our sights, north winds give us a great ride in and lightens as we reach the anchorage. Thank you wind Gods. Big entrance as the crew says. It’s 6ish and we’ve got work to do, provision, gas, internet and dinner at Guillermo’s.

That was easy… Guillermo’s fishing captain gave us a ride for fuel.. When we return Sue, Lew & Agnes are  enjoying  happy hour.

No Elefante winds tonight AND our dinghy is staying away from the dock that holed it on the way south.

 

Crew relaxes at sunset and ready for a nice dinner. Gato Loco sits quietly in front of Guillermo’s,

Motel guests have been out fishing today and caught yellow tail and white sea bass.

After dinner I walk to the internet café which stays open until 10PM. While I uploaded a blog, locals come and go making phone calls. Still no cellular in town.

Restful night with quiet seas and cooler than usual.. Morning starts with breakfast at Guillermo’s and we’re off for Puerto Refugio at 9ish.

 

 

Check out this finback whale skeleton setting in front of the motel. Ishmael, our waiter enjoys hanging out with Stevie Ray.

Morning ham net is predicting south winds. Here’s hoping as we head up Whale Canal to Puerto Refugio 48 miles north.

 

 

 

Killing time heading north as Pat hooks up on a nice bonita.

 

Instead of fighting strong winds in the channel we have an 1/2 hour dolphin show. Maybe best ever. They are with us for 15 minutes then went off to chase dinner while we have a hook-up on both poles at the same moment with too more bonita. Soon after the dolphin  chased us down for a second show probably because the bonita school is near us. Sometimes there are 20 under the boat.

 

 

 

You should see the video. These guys are rockets zooming everywhere and probably 500 of them forming an appearance of a reef as they approached the boat.

Even after the dolphin leave the bonita are still biting.. We finally pull the lines. Soon after winds are from the south at 18, motors are off and Leg 8 is experiencing our first pure sail. Life is good.

 

 

 

 

Tonight’s anchorage is our usual north bay of the Puerto Refugio anchorage with winds still blowing from the south.

Relaxing at anchorage. Pat & I ventured up to the shrine to light a candle for safe passage north.

 

Peacemaker Concert Night

Saturday night and it’s Peacemaker concert night on Gato Loco. We can’t make it back to Penasco for the concert but we have the music on board. Sammy opened the concert and we jammed to the new Unida Cantina and all the other CDs. We have the anchorage to ourselves so the music is loud and the gulls they’re a jamming. Not much tequila left.

Here’s to Life!

Go with the FLow…. And we’ll go, Rolling on with the Flow, Let’s just go, The only way that I know, Is to go, Go with the flow

Sorry we missed the concert and all our friends but we did have a fun night.

 

3:30 Sunday morning and Gato Loco is rocking with 15 kt winds twisting into our anchorage from south winds blowing up Whale canal.. Our anchor is secure but I would prefer to sleep and not be concerned about the lee shore behind us.. By 5 winds have backed down and it’s time for more sleep.

We’re off for Bahia Willard today 52 miles up the Baja coast. Seas are pretty confused from the night time south winds as we exit our Refugio anchorage.

We’re now close enough to Penasco that we might be able to raise Villa, our Cholla Bay port authority. Sure enough he comes back loud and clear.  We learn it’s going to be windy in Cholla from the south today and tomorrow as our south wind begins to build. Before long we have winds gusting over 30 and I’m hand steering hitting 12kts through 4’ seas..

Alfonsina’s here we come…   All is well on Gato Loco…  Until the next update.

Sending this from Alfonsina’s… Looks like we’re on schedule to cross to Penasco tomorrow (tue, june 14)