Category: 2025-02 (February)

Up at 2:30 am, underway by a little after 3 am. It’s about 85 miles, and we go about 6 knots. We will be anchoring inside, and prefer to have some day light to do it.
Part way into the trip, I put out the mainsail. Then the staysail for a bit. But the wind was pretty light and effectively right on the nose, so I put the staysail away. By about noon, maybe a little later, the wind had shifted a bit to the west and had gone up from about 3 knots to 6 knots. So, I put out the jib, then the staysail we moved up from a little more than 6 knots to 7.25 or so. Yes we are still motor sailing.
Our maximum theoretical speed is 1.34*(sqrt length on the waterline’38 ft’) or about 7.9 knots. That would require flat water, and more wind.
At some point we were about 20 miles off shore, and our internet connection (Starlink) turned off. A couple of hours later, when we were about 12 miles off shore, it came back.
The wind speed is at 9 knots now, I have reduced engine RPM from 3000 (max continuous) to about 2500 rpm boat speed remains about 7.25 knots.
Wind speed continues to rise @10 knots, engine RPM 2000, boat speed
Still about 7.25 knots.
We need 11 or 12 knots wind speed to keep us at 7.25 knots with out the engine. Right now we are between 8 and 10 knots, and the engine at 2000 RPM.
We finally got the engine off and sailed for the last couple of hours into Mazatlan.

Up early, even though we are not going anywhere. We had breakfast, did our bible reading, went kayaking after lunch and finished the movie we started on the 26th, Nicholas Nickleby. A pretty good movie.
Then bed.

This was a very relaxing day to just celebrating us.

Up by 6 am, breakfast and bible reading then underway by 8 am and motored with the Main sail out all day. There were a bunch of pangas out fishing when we left. We saw whales, and jelly fish, and very little else.
We made reservations for when we will be in La Paz. We have 3 days March 6, 7 & 8 at Costa Baja, @$146 per night. La Paz is pretty expensive, and yes that is more than we were paying in La Cruz which was twice what we paid in Paradise Village.

We found a new marina about half way between La Paz and Cabo on the east side that looked interesting, Reneé called and investigated, $185 per night! Oh, and by the way, we would have to sit through a tour and a marketing meeting as they are selling property (several Million dollars per lot). We declined that marina.

We are planning on spending two nights here at Isla Isabela, tomorrow is our 43rd wedding anniversary! We are taking the day off!

Then it will be about 15 hours to get to Mazatlan, we are planning at least two nights there, then about 34 hours to cross to Baja. We will be at Los Muertos and spend two nights there recovering before going to La Paz.

Up at 5:30 for Reneé and 6:30 for me. Underway by 7 am (it was still darkish, but light enough to see which way to go. We motored the whole way as true wind never got above 5 knots. We found a time change so while the clock said we arrived at 4 pm, it was closer to 3 pm local time.
We saw Whales, Rays, Jelly Fish and very few other boats. Only a couple of fishing boats. We anchored in 25 feet of water about 1.25 miles off shore. This anchorage has an issue with bugs, so we like to anchor out, we also put our screens down.
We had an issue with the radar today, I usually use the screen that was set up with the map (chart) with a radar overlay. Well apparently the latest version of the firmware made that particular screen not work. So, I called tech support and was shown where the toggle was to turn that on. Supper easy!
We are thinking of spending two nights here, as the next stretch is an other long day (about 45 miles). We plan to stay there for two days as well Isla Isabella, where the blue footed boobies and the frigate birds nest. I believe we have missed that this year as it is too late in the season for them.
While we were sailing, I noticed a line swinging around up the mast, upon further investigation, we figured out that it was the topping lift for the boom. The line had parted and will have to be replaced.
If it is not one thing it is something else.

 

Up at 6:30, breakfast, the net and then I started filling the water tank, and Reneé headed off to drop off the laundry. We have to be out of the slip by noon (maybe 11 am?). our first stop will be to get fuel and then we will head out to the anchorage until the time to get the laundry. Finally this afternoon, we will head to Punta de Mita at the west end of the bay.
We got underway about 5 pm and arrived at Punta de Mita at 7 pm just as the sun was going down. On the way we saw several whales some were mom and baby teaching them to breech Reneé got some video of them. It has been a long day, and tomorrow will be as well. Our next stop is Matchén Bay, about 55 miles to the north. That should be about 10 hours of motoring, we will see.