Turquoise water of Isla Coronados

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By Lowell | May 2, 2012 | Category Baja 2012

  Tuesday May 1 7 AM

Quiet night in the Mulege channel except for a 1 AM fishing boat arriving and stowing their nets and washing out their boat just 10’ from us. I hear the inbound motor shut down just outside my cabin.

 

 

 

The Mulege channel is deep this year.. We passed over the shoal at the entrance at 5’ a good 2.5’ to spare. Westerly winds blew at 10 as usual. We anchored with both our bow anchor and put out a stern anchor to hold Gato Loco closer to the sea wall and out of the main channel. Garth, one of our local boating friends, suggested we needed to stay further out of the main channel with all the night time ponga traffic. BTW: that’s Garth in the picture above heading out on Tunaholic as we sail out toward Punta Conception departing Mulege.

 

There’s now boat traffic as we round Point Conception and head south. Up north we rarely see any. We decided to head for San Juanico 38 miles south. It’s going to be a motor sailing day with winds building from the south where we need to go. We were hoping for more of a SE wind to have another sail only day but the wind Gods think different.

3:30pm Arriving in San Juanico winds are at 18 from the south creating a swell into the anchorage. There’s 6 boats anchored and room for us to hide behind the pinnacles in smooth 12’ water. Mono hulls arriving with us had to take a slightly more exposed spot.

 

 

 

 

 

Above picture is the line of boats anchored south of us..

As you see, this is the anchorage with the cruiser tree to make a crew offering for safe passage. It’s a tradition well practiced by past Gato Loco crews so Doug and I have to keep the tradition going. (Goto Loco 2012 Lowell & Doug). It’s a net float we picked up in Puerto Refugio.

 

Looking for past offerings, we only find Leg 5, 2010. It’s amazing how it has stood the test of mother nature. Maybe a more detailed search might have turned up more..

 

 

 

 

 

At sunset we watch a mother Osprey feed her little ones with fish she swooped up near us..

 

 

 

 

Wednesday May 2 … 6:30pm (Mountain Std) The sun is just rising over the Sea to the east. The pinnacles that protected us from south wind in the distance Below.

 

 

MoonDrifter (Ralph & Helen) promised us coffee if we join them at Isla Coronados this morning so we’re out of the anchorage early heading south. As we approach the Coronados anchorage, Doug saw his first whale show. Just 100’ in front of us a whale surfaced and did a tail up dive. He surfaces again 1/4 mile north of us doing tail slaps and making a big splash. Sorry no pictures.

 

 

 

But we did get a picture of dolphin sex.. Shortly after anchoring, a group of dolphins (5 or 6)  were very frisky all around us. Lots of tail flapping (no pun intended) and jumping. It looked like males were competing for the female or multiple males were having there way. Not sure how that works.

 

 

 

Anyway, back to MoonDrifter… We pulled into the north anchorage next to the beautiful Seawind 1160 that Ralph & Helen call home this time of year. Coffee was ready and it’s great to see them again. It’s been a year,since last Loreto Fest.

 

 

Doug got a tour of their boat and was totally impressed as people always are. It will be great spending the week with them. Mid-day they head south to Puerto Escondido where Loreto Fest starts tomorrow night.

 

 

 

 

We’re staying in the Coronados anchorage tonight to enjoy the cool anchorage with white sand beaches, turquoise water and maybe a little hiking.

 

 

 

Mid afternoon and the skies are overcast, with a good breeze from the east. MoonDrifter reports a nice sail south. We decide to take a hike on this rugged volcanic island.

 

 

 

 

I can report we didn’t make it to the top of the mountain. The trails are nothing but huge volcanic rocks. We climbed high enough to get a few pictures, some exercise, with no injuries.

 

 

 

6:15pm As we are preparing dinner, we are being invaded by bees looking for fresh water. The good thing is, as soon as it starts getting dark, our visitors will depart.

Tomorrow we sail into Puerto Escondido and Doug’s last night on Gato Loco. He’s still having a great time and has settled into a good boat pace. He’s lovin the galley and now knows all the sails, lines and anchor which makes a perfect crew mate. I stopped keeping track of Bitchin Rummy scores only to report that I’ve been doing most of the Bitchin. Next update will probably be after Doug departs Friday morning. Frankie, Bill & Steve will join me on Sunday for the Seawind Rally.         

Until the next Update.