Fantasia: SailBlogs

Green Oranges

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:20:38 -0600

After arriving in Santa Rosalia we anchored opposite Marina Santa Rosalia, which had been devastated by Jimena back in September. Thankfully repairs have been made and pontoons reinstated ensuring the residents and visitors here can continue to enjoy this wonderfully individual marina and not be forced to move to the modern and less personable Singular. We took the dingy ashore wondering whether the marina office with its 'yacht club' housed in a tumble down white boarded building on the harbour wall would still be there. Pulling open the cast iron grill that serves as a door we found everything was just the same as when we had left last December albeit a 'Bloody Mary party' was in full swing at 11.30 in the morning. We checked in and as before were instructed that cold beers were available in the fridge and we should make a record of what we take and pay for everything at the end of our stay. After a shopping trip in town we returned several hours later to find the party still going on and the party goers slightly less steady on their feet but more the merrier for it. We were invited to join them and found the heart of cruising right there in a building that looked as if it should have been abandoned years ago. (Continued...)

Night Passage

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:57:41 -0600

The 80 mile trip from Bahia Santa Teresa to Santa Rosalia would take at least 16 hours based on our average speed during this trip. By leaving early evening we should make it into the harbour by lunchtime Saturday and hopefully avoid the unlit pangas in the area at night. The forecast was for light winds but the tide was in our favour and with the wind from the north at least it wouldn't be on the nose this time. I made some supper to eat on the way and were soon on a beam reach making a steady 5 and a half knots, slowed by the weed that had already attached itself to Fantasia's hull. The wind gradually increased until at midnight with 20 knot gusts we reefed and Stuart took over the helm. It was impossible to sleep as the wind continued to build and the forecast 7-9 knots turned into 30+. Several big waves came over the deck and we had our fingers crossed that we had lashed everything down securely enough. There was a definite feeling of de ja vue with regard to the accuracy of the forecast! (Continued...)

Pacifico?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:52:45 -0600

Each morning at 0745 we listen to the Sonrisa ham net for Gary's weather and for the last week he has forecast winds of 7-9 knots. Each day we experience something slightly different such as our downwind roller coaster ride from Bahia de Los Angeles and last night, gusts up to 30 knots blowing through the anchorage. We had read about chubascos, strong westerly katabatic winds that blow across the Baja from the Pacific and down the mountains into the Sea of Cortez. Our main concern was dragging our anchor in a tight anchorage between volcanic rocks and without a moon to light the cove it was hard to tell how far away from them we were. The clear sky had clouded over and so without a star in the sky the blackness seemed to wrap around us making us feel quite vulnerable with just an anchor and a length of chain keeping us safe. We set a depth alarm for both shallow and deep water and maintained a regular watch with a spotlight. It was a noisy and rolly night but by first light we were relieved to find all was well and if anything we had only moved by a few feet. It is impossible to predict a chubasco which is common in the northern gulf but on the morning net its effects were reported by cruisers as far south as La Paz. (Continued...)