Yesterday was a typical Sea of Cortez sailing day as we headed north out of Puerto Escondido. Light winds off the stern quarter encouraged us to hoist the main, mizzen, and genoa. We smiled, contented. No engine noise, and we were making a decent 5.5 knots. Then the wind sighed once and slipped away. A breeze disturbed the water ahead, so we started the engine. It gave us enough lift to fill the sails again. We saluted each other and sat back. Sea Venture eased into the wind again. We throttled back, put the shift in neutral, and killed the engine.
Twenty minutes later, no wind again. We started the engine, found wind, killed the engine, sailed on until we couldn’t fool ourselves. The wind had picked another place to blow.
We rolled in the genoa, lowered the main, and kept the mizzen raised to stabilize us. By three, we were entering the southern hook of Isla Coronado. Already anchored were a large, fancy sloop, a trimaran, a small sloop, and a power boat. As we edged out of their way, all three of the sailboats upped anchor and fled.
Was it something we said?
We watched them leave, picked a good spot, dropped the hook, and had just settled down to rest when the bees swarmed. That explained the exodus.
Well, we’re made of sterner stuff. Michael always sets out a low container of water on the foredeck in bee country. Because the critters can’t swim, he gives them a perch, usually a well soaked sponge. When we upped anchor to go shopping at the Loreto mercado this morning, we noticed a container full of dead bees. Too much water.
Joe and Sandy from Wind Song had braved the anchorage with us and joined us for the market day. We’d met them last year when Mama was along, and they remembered chatting with us off Isla San Francisco and recognized Sea Venture in Puerto Escondido.
I love the outdoor market, which has the best vegetables in Baja. Michael needed new tee shirts as his have succumbed to hard life he leads. I stocked up on all sorts of goodies. Then the cab driver took us to the supermarket for canned foods and to buy ice cream and sorbet at La Michoacana.
Joe and Sandy took off for Coronado. They’re on their way north. We crossed to Isla Carmen. A year ago today, we motored into the wind during a wild chubasco, one of those big, bad thunderstorms with high winds, during which boats need to be well anchored and watchful. Our friends, Ken and Faye on Genesis, were with us in an anchorage full of other boats. (Ken and Faye, remember that night, when the fool who anchored too close in front dragged between us?) This time, Puerto Ballandra had only one other occupant, a motorboat. We’re not sure they even noticed us arrive and anchor, because they were down below in their air conditioning.
We dropped the hook, ate lunch, and turned on the aft cabin a/c for a nap. When we got up, one other motor boat had come in.
Here’s the reason only boats with air conditioners are in Ballandra this year:
