Still on our way slowly ... The winds were very calm today so we motored for a large part of the day. Lots of dolphins and porpoises to keep us company as well as two birds that seemed cute at first when they decided to rest on our boat for a while. Less cute when they started leaving large poops on the deck and the children. One is still on the mast head 12 hours later.
We had swimming stations half way across the sea. Seems unreal to swim in 29C water but it is still refreshing especially when followed by a fresh water rinse from the solar showers.
Trolling two lines but nothing caught. We had some nibbles for awhile.
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At 18/11/2012 06:54 (utc) our position was 23°13.80'N 107°19.92'W
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Saturday, 17 November 2012
Departed Cabo San Lucas (Attempt #2)
Our previous attempt to leave Cabo was thwarted about 25 nm miles out when something went wrong with one of the house bank alternators - bad burning smell and no alternator output. We shut down the engine and drifted for awhile to determine the extent of the problem. When switched over to the other alternator it was not clear if the burning smell was getting worse or not and the engine was too hot to do any real troubleshooting. We turned around and had a fun sail in shifting winds (boat speeds between 0.5 and 8.1 kts) back to the anchorage in Cabo with a 0500 arrival.
Still not sure exactly what caused the failure but it appears isolated to that alternator/regulator system so after some testing we left yesterday evening just before sunset. Since then we have been alternating motoring and sailing in the lights winds. For a heavy old boat she does well in light winds. TWS has been around 4.5 to 5.5 kts and we are doing about 3.5 kts through the water. With the beam seas across the Sea of Cortez though it is rolly and hot. Water temp is between 28 and 29 degrees C.
ETA in Mazatlan is sometime tomorrow (Sun).
Max
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At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
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Still not sure exactly what caused the failure but it appears isolated to that alternator/regulator system so after some testing we left yesterday evening just before sunset. Since then we have been alternating motoring and sailing in the lights winds. For a heavy old boat she does well in light winds. TWS has been around 4.5 to 5.5 kts and we are doing about 3.5 kts through the water. With the beam seas across the Sea of Cortez though it is rolly and hot. Water temp is between 28 and 29 degrees C.
ETA in Mazatlan is sometime tomorrow (Sun).
Max
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At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
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Thursday, 15 November 2012
Departed Cabo San Lucas
With just enough wind to keep the spinnaker flying we have departed Cabo San Lucas and all of its noisy jet skies and powerboats for Mazatlan. It is about 190 nm across the Sea of Cortez and we will take our time crossing but ensure we are across before the next "Norther" sets in on Monday.
Still debating where to go in Mazatlan. There is an anchorage just outside the harbour and there a closer one at Club Nautico.
Max
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At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
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Still debating where to go in Mazatlan. There is an anchorage just outside the harbour and there a closer one at Club Nautico.
Max
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At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
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Sunday, 11 November 2012
To Rally or Not to Rally
Our mentors in SV Totem http://sv-totem.blogspot.mx/are doing an article on rallies and we were humbled to be asked to provide our perspectives based on our very limited experience so far.
From our limited experience with one rally and limited cruising:
Pros:
- Instant social network. As a "kid boat" this was our primary motivation for the rally and was worthwhile.
- Mutual assistance. Not so much at sea although there was a few cases of people being helped at sea with dead batteries and the like. For us the mutual assistance with helping fix things at the stops was great. For once we were able to help others as well as receive assistance. This of course happens whether or not you are in a rally but it helps if you have met the folks ahead of time.
- Discounts: we saved quite a bit at the marina in San Diego while we continued to prepare the boat. Also we received some discounts at Downwind Marine before departing.
- "Race" mentality. Not really a race but they are keeping track of times so ... good motivation to learn how to sail the boat efficiently
- Local knowledge: intro available from the organisers so much of the planning was done for us.
- Schedule: no excuses to procrastinate cutting the dock lines as you have paid to leave with the group ...
Cons:
- Schedule: Although the Ha Ha is very informal we found the perceived pressure to depart and arrive with the group a burden. Several of us "kid boats" decided to stick around Bahia Santa Maria for another day to allow time for a dingy expedition up the estuary which meant we missed the infamous Squid Roe party.
- Racing Mentality: we can be a bit competitive so we most probably pushed our "home" a bit hard especially with the spinnaker (came second in our division though).
- Crowding: 147 boats is a lot in one place so we flooded some areas creating an environment for inflated prices and supply shortages. Not a big issue though.
- Nets: although the nets had certain utility, they took a long time. In harbour there was considerable radio chatter that led us to shut off the radio sometimes.
Overall, we are glad we did the rally as we met some great folks and accelerated our learning process on cruising in Mexico. That being said, we are also glad to be done with the schedule and slow the pace down a bit.
From our limited experience with one rally and limited cruising:
Pros:
- Instant social network. As a "kid boat" this was our primary motivation for the rally and was worthwhile.
- Mutual assistance. Not so much at sea although there was a few cases of people being helped at sea with dead batteries and the like. For us the mutual assistance with helping fix things at the stops was great. For once we were able to help others as well as receive assistance. This of course happens whether or not you are in a rally but it helps if you have met the folks ahead of time.
- Discounts: we saved quite a bit at the marina in San Diego while we continued to prepare the boat. Also we received some discounts at Downwind Marine before departing.
- "Race" mentality. Not really a race but they are keeping track of times so ... good motivation to learn how to sail the boat efficiently
- Local knowledge: intro available from the organisers so much of the planning was done for us.
- Schedule: no excuses to procrastinate cutting the dock lines as you have paid to leave with the group ...
Cons:
- Schedule: Although the Ha Ha is very informal we found the perceived pressure to depart and arrive with the group a burden. Several of us "kid boats" decided to stick around Bahia Santa Maria for another day to allow time for a dingy expedition up the estuary which meant we missed the infamous Squid Roe party.
- Racing Mentality: we can be a bit competitive so we most probably pushed our "home" a bit hard especially with the spinnaker (came second in our division though).
- Crowding: 147 boats is a lot in one place so we flooded some areas creating an environment for inflated prices and supply shortages. Not a big issue though.
- Nets: although the nets had certain utility, they took a long time. In harbour there was considerable radio chatter that led us to shut off the radio sometimes.
Overall, we are glad we did the rally as we met some great folks and accelerated our learning process on cruising in Mexico. That being said, we are also glad to be done with the schedule and slow the pace down a bit.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Baja Ha Ha - Approaching the finish of Leg 3
0034 Local - Max and I are on watch together - we are sailing in 8-12 kts of wind after motoring most of the day and have just crossed the finish line of the last leg of the Baja Ha Ha. We have a few miles to go into Cabo San Lucas itself, where we will anchor for the rest of the night and move to the marina in the morning.
The highlight of today's passage was officially crossing over the Tropic of Cancer. We stopped the boat and took turns jumping into the water (we have all read stories of what can happen to sailing crews who all jump overboard at once!) Frank swam a lap the boat, and the rest of us stuck pretty close to the swim ladder. Even drifting, a big boat can move pretty fast when you are seven or nine! Victoria and Johnathan were amazed at how warm the water was, and how close the colour of our hull was to the water colour - beautiful and clear.
This will be the last of the daily updates for a few days, but watch for some photos of the Ha Ha when we get our Mexican internet access sorted out :)
All is well,
~Liz
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At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
----------
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The highlight of today's passage was officially crossing over the Tropic of Cancer. We stopped the boat and took turns jumping into the water (we have all read stories of what can happen to sailing crews who all jump overboard at once!) Frank swam a lap the boat, and the rest of us stuck pretty close to the swim ladder. Even drifting, a big boat can move pretty fast when you are seven or nine! Victoria and Johnathan were amazed at how warm the water was, and how close the colour of our hull was to the water colour - beautiful and clear.
This will be the last of the daily updates for a few days, but watch for some photos of the Ha Ha when we get our Mexican internet access sorted out :)
All is well,
~Liz
-----
At 09/11/2012 03:01 (utc) our position was 23°07.80'N 110°28.92'W
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Baja Ha Ha Leg 3 Day 1
0200 Local (Baja Ha Ha time - we have not yet changed our clocks for daylight savings or Mexico). The rally left this morning with a lengthy "rolling start" (ie motoring with light winds expected most of the day). Following the example of a few other kid boats, we elected to stay another day in Bahia Santa Maria. It was a bit surreal to radio over to the event organizers last evening to say that Fluenta would be a late start today - in the military if the start time is 0700, then you leave at 0700!
It was lovely to sit in the cockpit in the dawn stillness and see the last of the fleet slipping out of the bay while drinking coffee and looking at Victoria's shells from yesterday's trip to the beach. We launched our dingy, successfully landed it on the beach through the surf, and gave the kids a day to look for shells & sand dollars. In a convoy with three other dingys, we explored the estuary up towards Laguna Santa Maria, and hiked to the top of a ridge from where we could see to the surf on the other side. Supposedly there is a ship wreck and a whale skeleton over there, but it was too late in the day for us to explore any further. All in all a beautiful day, and well worth a slightly later arrival in Cabo San Lucas (Fri am vice Thus pm).
We arrived back on the boat in the late afternoon, hoping for a pre-sunset departure. By the time our dingy was on the davits and the boat was ready, it was 1830 and *very* dark as we left Bahia Santa Maria (to quote Max: "never again"). Suffice to say that we'll enter and leave Mexican bays in the daylight from now on! There are fishermen all along this coast, and fishing boats can be a bit unpredictable. Once we got out of the bay, we sailed for a bit, but we are motoring now in light winds (2-5 kts).
After an early evening nap in the cabin, Victoria woke to help with the watch and is now sleeping in the cockpit. It's warm enough on the night watches that I can leave her there. We only need light jackets this evening. The water temp has risen to over 26 celsius. We'll officially be in the tropical latitudes tomorrow. Foulies haven't been necessary since Day 1 of Leg 2.
The best news of all -- our autopilot has been reliably autopiloting us all evening :) We have been hand-steering since early in Leg 1 (hard work physically and mentally - as an aside, I'd be curious to know if others have experienced hand numbness with lengthy stints at the wheel - talking to a nurse yesterday, it seems that hands do not appreciate the constant vibrations that come through the steering column). Max worked with an electronics guru on one of the other boats in both Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria, and it has been doing its thing for the last six hours. What a difference this makes!
All is well. Here is to some good fishing tomorrow :)
~Liz
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At 04/11/2012 23:21 (utc) our position was 25°44.32'N 113°06.09'W
----------
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It was lovely to sit in the cockpit in the dawn stillness and see the last of the fleet slipping out of the bay while drinking coffee and looking at Victoria's shells from yesterday's trip to the beach. We launched our dingy, successfully landed it on the beach through the surf, and gave the kids a day to look for shells & sand dollars. In a convoy with three other dingys, we explored the estuary up towards Laguna Santa Maria, and hiked to the top of a ridge from where we could see to the surf on the other side. Supposedly there is a ship wreck and a whale skeleton over there, but it was too late in the day for us to explore any further. All in all a beautiful day, and well worth a slightly later arrival in Cabo San Lucas (Fri am vice Thus pm).
We arrived back on the boat in the late afternoon, hoping for a pre-sunset departure. By the time our dingy was on the davits and the boat was ready, it was 1830 and *very* dark as we left Bahia Santa Maria (to quote Max: "never again"). Suffice to say that we'll enter and leave Mexican bays in the daylight from now on! There are fishermen all along this coast, and fishing boats can be a bit unpredictable. Once we got out of the bay, we sailed for a bit, but we are motoring now in light winds (2-5 kts).
After an early evening nap in the cabin, Victoria woke to help with the watch and is now sleeping in the cockpit. It's warm enough on the night watches that I can leave her there. We only need light jackets this evening. The water temp has risen to over 26 celsius. We'll officially be in the tropical latitudes tomorrow. Foulies haven't been necessary since Day 1 of Leg 2.
The best news of all -- our autopilot has been reliably autopiloting us all evening :) We have been hand-steering since early in Leg 1 (hard work physically and mentally - as an aside, I'd be curious to know if others have experienced hand numbness with lengthy stints at the wheel - talking to a nurse yesterday, it seems that hands do not appreciate the constant vibrations that come through the steering column). Max worked with an electronics guru on one of the other boats in both Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria, and it has been doing its thing for the last six hours. What a difference this makes!
All is well. Here is to some good fishing tomorrow :)
~Liz
-----
At 04/11/2012 23:21 (utc) our position was 25°44.32'N 113°06.09'W
----------
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Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Prepared for Leg 2
In Bahia Santa Maria in between legs 2 and 3. Scheduled departure for Cabo San Lucas is 0700 tomorrow but we will stay until the afternoon to the kids can play with some other boat kids. Plan is to explore the estuary with the dingy. Gribs are showing very light winds tomorrow so we may get better winds by delaying for 12 hours anyway.
Hopeful we have got the autopilot working again as we have been handsteering much of leg 1 and 2. Isolated the problem to the hydraulic drive and we pulled and cleaned off the brushes this morning so fingers crossed. The Robertson autopilot is over 20 years old so may need replacement. We also have a Benmar autopilot but have not yet managed to get it to work.
Great sailing in general with the asymmetric spinnaker up for most of the time. The fishing has been less successful: after our two tasty tuna on leg one we managed to land no fish for leg two. Our squid lures are gone so playing around with the lures that were left on the boat when we got it.
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At 04/11/2012 23:21 (utc) our position was 25°44.32'N 113°06.09'W
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
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Hopeful we have got the autopilot working again as we have been handsteering much of leg 1 and 2. Isolated the problem to the hydraulic drive and we pulled and cleaned off the brushes this morning so fingers crossed. The Robertson autopilot is over 20 years old so may need replacement. We also have a Benmar autopilot but have not yet managed to get it to work.
Great sailing in general with the asymmetric spinnaker up for most of the time. The fishing has been less successful: after our two tasty tuna on leg one we managed to land no fish for leg two. Our squid lures are gone so playing around with the lures that were left on the boat when we got it.
-----
At 04/11/2012 23:21 (utc) our position was 25°44.32'N 113°06.09'W
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com
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