Last night was not so pleasant with winds of 25 kn and 6-8ft, 3-4 seconds apart, waves on the beam that I was trying to manage. As much as my plan was to stay a west direction I ended up turning Sarantium south to surf the waves instead of getting smacked on the beam! Most of the night, Sarantium kept 5-7 kn with three reefs in the main and only staysail flying! I slept zero minutes until 05.00 when wind eased and wave action improved. This morning, feels different! We’re just getting into the trade winds and wind is gentler. We’re are presently on close reach and self steering is happy!
These landed 4 hours ago and are not leaving. They’ve been preening and hanging out. I could get within 4 feet and they still didn’t move. One left but came back! I think they’re called Red footed Boobie but could be wrong! They stayed for 20 hours!
Before I forget, I would like to thank you for reading my blogs! I also want you to know that all your comments are read and appreciated! During my night watches I read comments, however seldom have wifi on and therefore do not comment back. Comments often brings a smile to my face. 💙
At 17.15 Pacific Standard Time. N23*14.87 W109*15.57
COG: 174* SOG: 4.5 kn
We motored out of the anchorage to get away from rocks and shore. After about 45 min, I raised the sails and was heading south following the cost line of south Baja. We hardly had any wind at first, so Sarantium did a fair bit of bobbing around. Swell was building slowly as we played cribbage and took turns swimming while hanging off the dragging line for safety. The blue water has intensified in the past 2 hours. Sea lions, Manta Rays, and whales are frequent visitors. North Westerlies are building and the forecast predicts winds between 10-20kn. We are getting closer to the trade winds! I just got to keep an eye on three to four large boat coming my way. Zaandam, Navigator of the Sea, Julian II and CSL Tecumseh. The last one, I have already hailed 4 days ago, as we were on collision course, so we know each other. Fortunately, they altered course on that day. Let’s see if it is the same captain and he remembers me! Out, for now!
Goodbye Mexico!
The night was somewhat long. Wind never quite filled in and I was trying hard to keep Sarantium on a close haul to head south west. At times I dropped the sails, tied off the heavy furling boom to the side, as swell bounced it around and made it difficult to sleep. As we were situated about 15 NM off the south end of Baja and current was bringing us further south, I decided to sleep for an hour. Just as my alarm went off, wind started to build and at 8 kn of wind I raised the sails. It is always excited to feel the wind build and I always think to myself “this is it” and unfortunately so far it never turns out to be “it”! This went on all night and finally at 04.00 I turned the engine and motored South West. Around 05.00 I handed over the helm to my crew, Adrian, and I went to bed. I believe wind decided to tease some more and sails were hoisted and dropped for the next 4 hours. This makes for a very restless sleep below. 🤬 I ended up playing musical beds for the four hours as the forward cabin is quieter when engine is on and aft cabin is quieter when sailing…. around 09.00, we raised the sail again! This time, I am hoping for the last time until the equator!
Not sure what to call this Day 1 or Day 7. In regards to food, it is Day 7 but in regards to sailing to French it is Day 1! So I am going to call it Day 1!!!!
In fact, I believe that another name for the bay Sarantium is anchored in, is called Chicken Bay! As I previously wrote, wind looked poor for today and tomorrow. I knew Bahia Los Frailes was close by, so we motored in and anchored. I have spent the day swimming, snorkeling, watching whales go by, walking the beach and socializing with other sailors.
I woke up this morning to a welcome/goodmorning message in Danish, on the app “Foreignland”. The boat beside us belongs to a Danish man and his partner from Malaysia. They resided in Malaysia for 10 years where he had sailed to from Turkey, where he bought his boat. Since most sailors belong to the app “Noforeignland” he right away knew who I was, where I have sailed and where I am going. We ended up chatting back and forth, until they pulled anchor, motored out and is now heading to French Polynesia! Their boat is a Beneteau 59, so there is no way I can catch up to them. But I am sure I will see them again, as he owns property in Sweden where he plan to reside part time! The sailing community is small!
An hour later, a catamaran pulled up with a couple from Santa Barbara who are bashing back. When they learned that we were heading to French Polynesia they decided to bring over a bottle of red wine. I learned that this wine is from the oldest vineyard in Mexico called V3, Casa Mara from 1547. They said to “open it on the equator and think of this anchorage and us”.
The day allowed for going through the boat again and I decided pull the Assymetrical Gennaker out of the bag, mostly as I was curious whether I had sewn the bag and sail together when I was stitching the sail bag. The Gennekar comes with a sock/snuffer. Since I have never used these, I decided to watch a few instructional videos, as hoisting a massive light wind sail incorrectly, can lead to a disaster. I think I figured it out… I hope! Dinner consisted of concoxious items, such as, black rice, lentils, squash, onion, garlic, cauliflower with a dash of turmeric stuffed into a wrap! No wine!
These south easterly winds makes for perfect water surface; flat as can be! Boat cruised at 7 -7.5 kn but since we were bucking a knot of current speed over ground showed around 6knots! If this keeps up, we will be out of the Sea of Cortez in 24 hours!
To make the evening more special a pod, perhaps a mega pod, of Short finned Pilot Whales came out of nowhere and swam across our path. We must have watched them move across the bow of the boat for an hour, slapping and keeping everyone in line and moving! My guess is that there were 200 whales moving through. Spectacular show!
In addition an almost full moon appeared and at the same time wind picked up a notch! I decided to furl in my Genoa sail a bit as flying fast at night is scary with fishing boats not using AIS. Speaking of which, I noticed a light in the distance and right away tried to find it on the chart plotter, but couldn’t see any AIS vessels so I switch to radar to locate it. No signs of a boat… I decided to turn everything off and on again as that always fixes things😉! But nope, nothing! I switch back and forth a few times but still nothing but the light is now getting closer as the mast seems to be taller. After half an hour I realized that the light is a planet…
Course on ground: 100* …direction towards Mazatlan.
For now, I think the low wind and flat water conditions are over. After 3 days and 3 nights of sailing (and not moving at times) on glassy water at 3-6 knots, the wind picked up just outside of Isla San Hose’, not far from La Paz. Sarantium is now on a beauty beam reach and doing 5.5-6 knots on some chop!
I flipped the chart to “course up”instead of “north up”, to see if having it correspond with “real life” orientation feels better! It’s taking some adjusting on my part!
As much as we would love to spend time in Mazatlan and La Cruz, I’m ready to move on from Mexico! It is still early within the season to be crossing to French Polynesia as technically season begins in April and ends in June. People do, however leave as early as February.
Nights have been a bit cool and damp. We have had quite a bit of dew during the nights. One downside is, besides feeling like I’m back in Nanaimo😂, that I can’t see the whale spouts. I sure can hear them all around as we are in the area where Blue Whales hang out! I feel extremely fortunate laying in the cockpit in absolute silence, looking up at Milky Way listening to whales’ breath.
Retiring early, cutting ties to paying bills and keeping up with values around a set system of doing what’s expected, was a good idea for me! As I move through the sailing world, whether in person or virtual, I make sense of who I am on a different level than before. Time has slowed, appreciation of small things are richer and being present in time, is now much easier!
In addition, as I move further away from the life I had in North America I feel a change. I revert back to thinking in my native language more often and have to search at times, for English words when I communicate. I dream more often and they are often a replay with the life I had and the people I hold close to my heart. Goodmorning world!
After the EL Norte winds, south wind kicked in and flattened the water and I get to do some beauty low wind and flat water sailing! It does not get any better than this!
4 knot speed! Isla Catalina SunriseSunsetLook at direction!!!
Sailaway Sarantium 