Sunday, February 27, 2022

Los Gatos to Isla San Francisco

As we headed south, each day was warmer than the next. Not only were we moving through winter and approaching spring but the latitude was decreasing every day.  Oh so nice to take off the socks.  On the morning of the 13th we rounded the corner out of Candelaros Chico and deployed for the first time our lightweight geniker sail, pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to hoist with its nylon sock.  Way to go, Nepenthe, give us something that actually works for once. 

Two hours later we doused the sail and motored toward shore near Isla San Cosme, anchoring in 25 feet on a sandy bottom and considerable swell coming down from the north.  Then all four of us piled into the dinghy and motored to shore to find a hot springs that Connie and I had visited eight years ago. 

How nice to be in bathing suits lying in a warm pool in the sun!
 

Three hours later we arrived in Agua Verde getting into a little race with another boat as they tried to beat us into the anchorage. Why does this always happen? Nepenthe won and claimed her spot.  Dropping the dinghy into the water, I paddled around and found some fishermen in a panga cutting up a Mahi Mahi.  When I asked if they had any more, one of the men showed me their fish well chock full of fish.  I motioned them to come visit our boat and soon thereafter we had two big slabs of meat aboard and the bony skeleton as well for Connie to make ceviche out of. 

Bahia Agua Verde faces north and gets the full impact of the swell.  We found that out the next day when we took the dinghy into town and had to execute a surf landing.  I tried to find a place where the surf was less challenging but the whole beach seemed like a mass of crashing foam.  Motoring back and forth just out of reach of the breaking waves, we looked behind us watching the size of the swells and finally after one big one, chose to begin the surf towards the beach.  As we got into shallow water, suddenly a big coamer crept up behind us, and slapped the flat stern of the dinghy, drenching the captain.  We rolled the boat ashore on its new dinghy wheels and set off to explore the village.

Two small tiendas in town provided us with fresh vegetables and fruit plus a chicken for the freezer.   Connie and I then braved the surf and ferried our purchases back out to Nepenthe as Myron and Noreen stayed ashore at Brisa Del Mar, a small thatched roof restaurant with WiFi.  Soon they were head down, noses into the cell phone, lost to Mexico and back in the information world, along with the other customers who were all doing the same.  Funny how when you are in cold wet Washington all you dream about is being at a sunny palapa restaurant with a cold beer in your hand, gazing out upon a white sandy beach without a care in the world.  That’s the challenge… letting go.

Coming back to the beach, the landing was straightforward, the food at Brisa Del Mar was good and everyone caught up on their email and WiFi needs.  By mid afternoon large breakers were crashing ashore on the flat beach as we rolled the dinghy into the surf.  Connie and Noreen got in and sat at the bow while Myron and I pushed from behind.  As waves hit the bow, the women were soaked as they both paddled furiously to get us off the shore.  “Get in.  Get in!” Myron jumped aboard, I did the same and put down the electric motor and punched it full throttle.  Just then a monster wave crashed into us, the bow rose up to meet the wave and in a waterfall of liquid we launched over the top and fell into the trough, then powered on out into deeper water where we shivered our way back to Nepenthe to find some dry clothes. 

Our boat was finally looking like a true Mexico cruising vessel.  The lifelines were full of salty, wet clothes and towels.  There was sand on the deck and cockpit and the gunnels smelled of fish.

The next day we sailed most of the way to Puerto Los Gatos then anchored and went ashore for an amazing time hiking around the red rock formations.   

 


Massive rocks at Los Gatos look like big fish laid out on the beach.

The next morning we prepped the boat and sailed her off the anchor in light winds that became strong westerlies soon thereafter, making it necessary to reduce sail.  To do so, we first turned downwind to blanket the jib with the main and were able to get it rolled up about halfway.  Then, back on a close reach, with the jib driving us to windward, we loosened the main sheet, tightened the topping lift, and let the main flog a bit as we tucked two reefs in the main, all without turning on the engine.  That went well.  Later, we rolled up the jib a little bit more as the winds built to 15 to 18 knots.  This was the most wind we’ve had Nepenthe in and she sailed well with a couple of scraps of sail.  Later, the wind moderated a bit and we were able to put more canvas up, arriving in San Evaristo at three PM after a successful 6 hour sail and 26 nautical miles.

Anchor down, dinghy in the water, electric motor mounted.  Noreen and Myron took the dinghy to shore to visit the tienda and a little restaurant.  By the time they returned it was dark and the wind was howling from the West, coming overland from the Pacific Ocean.  We sailed off the anchor again the next morning and entered the San Jose Canal between Isla San Jose and the Baja.  This area funnels the wind and waves from the north and can kick up quite a mess down around San Evaristo.  Soon we were bouncing up and down with a jib out halfway and no main but still maintaining over four knots speed.  Because of the sea state, we headed toward the sheltered anchorage of Isla San Francisco.  Connie took the wheel and in true Connie form, opted to run out the full genoa and soon we were galloping down the sea, pots and pans crashing below and everything in the cabinets tossing themselves back and forth. 

I left the crew to run the boat and laid down to read, every once in a while having to steady myself to keep from getting tossed onto the floor.  Sooner than we thought, we rounded the corner into the beautiful crescent bay on the south side of Isla San Francisco.   After dropping the hook in the northwest corner, we were shouted at by a loudspeaker on a big white catamaran, “ You are over our anchor.  I’ve got 200 feet of chain out.”   First of all, I thought we were more than 200 feet from that boat.  Second of all, why did he have 200 feet of chain out in 15 feet of water?  Oh well.  We brought the anchor up and moved closer to the beach before resetting.  


 

With lots of wind but no swell and little wave action, the anchorage was perfect for us to use to shelter in for the next few days as we waited out another period of strong north winds.  I clocked 20 knots of wind that afternoon while reading in the cockpit.  The National Geographic ship “Explorer” was in the bay and we watched her crew ferrying guests to and from the beach all day.  Everyone on our boat got to hike around to our heart’s content and, all in all, it was a very good two days.  


 
Salt Ponds

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