Trip log: 800 nautical miles. We followed Cat's Paw IV into the Puerto Escondido anchorage at around 5pm yesterday afternoon. The anchorage is small, and it is 80-100 feet deep very close to shore. All of the really viable anchorage is taken up with panga moorings. Cat's Paw found a ridge out further, while we are anchored very close to shore. The anchor went down in 35 feet of water, and we finished up with the stern very close to shore. There are many people vacationing here, and swimming on the beautiful beach. This means they are swimming very close to us, and in fact are swimming around us.

This area of the beach, which is next to the town, is quite calm. However, the three mile extension to the south east is purported to be one of the top four surf beaches in the world. From the boat, you can see huge breakers rolling in. It's a beautiful clear day. Sal and Tane have swum ashore and are walking along the surf beach to check out the action. Our guide book says there are sometimes hundreds of spectators on the beach, watching the surfers handle the really big ones. I decided to stay on the boat as the wind is increasing, and from the south, which is directly into the anchorage from offshore. I'm concerned that if it continues to increase, there's a danger of being driven ashore.

Some time ago, an Italian wrote a book about Puerto Escondido, with the result that many Italians decided to move here. This was really evident last night when we went ashore, in the architecture and the fact that most of the restaurants are Italian, offering pizza, pasta, and calzone.

Our plan is to stay here another night, then to move on to Puerto Angel, 37 miles away.