Today is the one year anniversary of the day we set sail from Wescott Bay in the San Juan's to start the "Big Left Turn" and head from Mexico. I find it quite interesting, that this day falls on a day here in warm, dry sunny Mexico that looks so very much like the PNW we left because of. Wet, rainy, gray, gloomy. OH well, it is much cooler, with a high of around 88 and it is right now, at 9:30....81. There is so much we have accomplished in the last year, so i will leave this short and try to put together a full wrap up tomorrow.

Time for bed while it nice and cool, hummmm wonder of we might actually need a sheet tonight?

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We are sitting here in la Mona anchorage, in the south end of the Bahia De Los Angles, enjoying an interesting change in the weather. If you were to just pop out of the boat and look around, you would be pretty sure we are back in the PNW!! We have had two days of low gray clouds, moderate to heavy rain, and temps in the low 80's. this on a week where the Seattle area is seeing high 90's...what happened? Oh well, it is a very welcome change. The boat and our cloths all get a much needed wash down, it is much cooler and despite the high humidity, very nice.

Yesterday, before the rain stared in earnest, we made the 4 mile trip to the village at BLA for some fresh veggies and eggs. Our early morning run was flat calm seas, and no wind. We anchored out in front of the village, and dinghyed into the beach. we did a bit of exploring, got our groceries and headed back to the boat. By then, the wind was up to nearly 20 knots, and there were 3 foot waves crashing on the beach...made for an interesting (and wet) exit from the beach. The up side was an awesome sail back to the La Mona anchorage with steady winds at 16 knots and a few gusts up to 23.

We hope everyone back home enjoys the heat, as we are enjoying the break from it, as long as it doesn't last too long.

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Well, it seems that our first Chubasco, the one we got to enjoy in Animas Slot was only a "training Chubasco" since the one we got last night was way less fun! First of all this one came upon us much quicker, as we do not have the benefit of being able to see` out over the Sea of Cortez. We have a small mountain range that we are anchored along. This turned out to be a blessing as it did block some of the worst of the winds for us. We have steady winds from 25-35 knots for the better part of 3 hours, with 35-50 knots for about an hour right in the middle of all this. We were pretty well prepared, but had the dinghy hanging in it's normal spot along side the boat, so it got quite a ride, sometime turning completely sideways with the outboard attached!

Some of the other boats around us had a little less fun than we did, with Deja La having their dingy go airborne and wrap it's painter on the wind vane. Sonrisa lost one of the kids bean bag chairs that did not get put away. Interabang was farther down the beach, with out the benefit of the mountains blocking, and saw 62 knots with steady 50 knots for the the bulk of the storm. A few misc tarp's and such got torn but John on Time Piece had the bulk of the problems.

About an hour into the first of the storm, John's Life ring went past us at a pretty good clip, then his dinghy flipped upside. He got the dinghy righted, just in time to have it flip back upside down again, and then anchor swivel parted with the anchor, and he began drifting away. The farther he got from the protection of the shoreline, the rougher the seas got. He is single handing, and has a manual windlass so he had to get the boat under control, then hand crank in the chain, albeit no anchor. Then he had to rig his back-up anchor, and come back to the shore, in the dark, with a huge lightening storm crashing around us. Once he got the second anchor set and could ride out the balance of the storm,which by the time he was done, had started to calm down.

We spent quite a bit of time snorkeling and diving today looking for John's anchor, but so far with no luck. We will look again tomorrow. They are calling for more storms tonight, so we need to get ready again. And you all thought we were getting bored out here!!

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A milestone of sorts was passed this morning, while under sail we crossed our 4000 mile mark since leaving Seattle. We had not planned on being in Puerto Don Juan for more than one night, and sticking to the plan, we hung around until the after noon winds filled in so we could sail around the corner to the bay of LA. This is a pretty large circular shaped bay, with four anchorages. The south east end of the bay is La Mona, where we are . The south west end is Gecko, and the north end is La Gringa. The fourth anchorage is not really any thing special in the way of anchorages, as it is just a long beach, right in front of the Village of Los Angeles. The whole bay is known for some pretty strong winds, especially when they get an "elephante" if you remember back to my weather lesson these are very strong night time westerlies that cross over from the Pacific ocean side.

We will hang around the BLA area for the next couple of weeks. Rumor has it that the fresh veggie truck comes into town on Thursdays, so we will go anchor out in front of the village Wednesday night. There is also supposed to be some VERY slow internet to be had in town so if it is not too slow we will try to down load some pictures to the blog.

Manana

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but we're not whining.....yet!

It's currently 103 degrees out in the cockpit and 99 inside due to a 18 kt breeze. Here in my corner of the bookshelf its 98 as proved by the Infra red heat gun! It's been getting quite a bit of use lately just because it's fun! Tom's rum and coke is 67 degrees...only because we've not made ice in a couple of days.

We left the great anchorage of Animas Slot around 10 this morning and sailed for most of the 12 miles here. Like most passages lately, we've had no, or little wind in the early part of the day, and then it really cranks up about 2-3 miles from dropping the anchor! Guess Jeanne will like the next passage... I heard them talking about sleeping in and leaving later in the morning, or even after lunch! Yea right, like that will happen! They kinda like to get to where they plan on anchoring early, then they have the option to go explore or chill.... such as they are doing now....... can you say 'landing rums'?

We just learned from a fellow cruiser here in Don Juan, also formerly of Shilsole, that the veggie truck arrives in Bahia De Los Angeles Village on Thursday. From what I can hear, it sounds like we'll be leaving here tomorrow and going around the corner to Gecko beach or La Mona for a day or two...then to get veggies. Maybe I'll get to go ashore this time..... kinda tired of my shelf!

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I guess you know how that saying goes by now! We have to admit, up to this point, Mexico has really been pretty easy for us. Sure, it is hot, and sure it is very humid but nothing that were were nor prepared for. I am pretty sure we weren't mentally prepared for our first full on Chubasco storm. At least the boat was ready..... I will try to give a brief description of our storm last night.

When we anchored here in Animas slot, I put out quite a bit more anchor chain that usual due to the fact that I can. we are the only boat in here, and there really isn't room for another, so we let out 175 feet of our 3/8th's BBB chain. If any storm should happen along we are on a lee shore and if we should drag then it would push us right on to said shore. Our 55 LB Rocna anchor dug in nicely and we were set. We anchored in 18 feet of water so we have nearly a 10/1 ratio.

Last night we were able to see the lightening storm as it approached. We pretty much had all the awnings down, and everything that was loose secured, just in case. This is a nightly routine. The storm made it's appearance around 1:00 AM and as it approached, we could tell we were in for it this time. We did manage to take some of the most incredible lighten photos I have ever seen (to be posted later) and then sat around waiting for it to hit. We had been told that when the Chubascos hit, they hit hard and fast....they were right. The lightening got closer and closer, and then BANG, the winds went from dead calm to 45 knots in about 30 seconds. The strong winds really only lasted about an hour, then calming down to 20-25 knots but the electrical storm raged on for hours, finally slowing down around 5:30 AM. There is no way to count, but there must have easily been hundreds of strikes. It was steady, non stop all around us from 1:00 until after 6:00 AM. At the slow points there were 3-5 strikes per minute, and at it 's peak, there seemed to be one every 10 seconds. An electrical show the likes of which I have never encountered before. The great thing about Animas slot is that it is virtually surrounded by steep high peaks, with a very small opening to the sea. Our 55 foot aluminum mast is clearly not the highest thing around, and the waves didn't build up in the small bay.

We came thru it just fine, just a little tired, so it is time for a nap. Unfortunately the weather man called for the same weather pattern for the next three days so i guess we will just hunker down right here and hold on.

Talk to you all later

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