08/19/2012, North side San Marcos Island
Picture is of Osprey Nest Isla San Marcos
North side San Marcos Island : Peace found here in the rich blue waters white clouds, red, orange, yellow & green brown & black veined mountain cliffs protecting us. Offering us a warm & wonderful pallet of colors for a peaceful safe anchorage. During our dingy exploring we discover several Ospreys perched on top of pinnacle rocks guarding the area. A white friendly seal patrols these waters. This area of the Sea of Cortez is alive with big and little critters in and out of the water. A off shore sea mount offers plenty of fish far more than we can eat. Sometimes it's hard to no longer be sport fisherman. We only take from the sea what we need to survive. This area is like a smorgy board; it's all here Lobster, Crab, Claims, oysters, reef fish and deep water fish, including the monster Humboldt Squid. Just from shinning a light off the stern of Magic Carpet at night we see hundreds of moon jelly fish being attacked by reef Squid who suffer fast swim by attacks from larger fish. Oh the balance of nature is alive and well in the Sea of Cortez. We are not night swimming at San Marcus Island. Winds have been from the south east, so at the north end we are very protected. Dingy touring the Trinity Sea caves exploring both above and below the water keeps us busy from sun up till sun down. Sunsets are fantastic a very special time of day at sea. Boat chores are always present; keeping Magic Carpet running smoothly is a challenge. So far this season all is well Greg is on top of it he says we have reached "renewable superiority" To me that means we have the entire electricity we need to live comfortably. To make seven gallons of water per hour, I can run the shop vacuum, run several fans day and night, watch movies at the end of the day, and charge the cell phones, nook cameras and computers. With the big plus Ice cube & a freezer full of great foods. This seasons Magic Carpet breads were the best yet! Including San Francisco style sour dough French. This was made from a starter my Uncle Al brought home from Alaska years ago. This dipped in our home press Olive Oil makes a super treat. Life is good! Exploring in one of the Trinity Sea caves the other day I saw a large green Moray Eel swimming with me. I do not know if he was the one who bit me a few years ago in the very same cave. But he scared me big time and I got out of the water quick. I do not think I will swim or dive in that cave again, I do not think he likes me or maybe he likes me to much!
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07/15/2012, El Burro Cove
Picture of 2012 net controllers attending Geary (PKH) 4th of July party at El Burro Cove.
Small World!
Fellow cruisers working on their master plan to get us to buddy boat to the South Pacific next spring included us on (they have a car) their Loredo provisioning trip, farmers market, pharmacy & bulk food store included breakfast in town. Lots of talk on their future puddle jump (3000 miles to land) than joining a sailing rally to Micronesia, a tempting idea. But todays thought is we must see more of the Mexican Rivera & Central America before we cross the Pacific to new oceans. We feel that once we leave this area we will not return, there is so much to see and do. Shortly after words we meet a couple on a Trimeran Javier who just happen to be from our home town area and have an interest in our favored Ford dealership! Yes they lent us a Ford Van for a propane run and we were able to include other cruisers who also needed cooking fuel. Small World. We have few shore side needs propane, diesel and dingy fuel being the major requirements. So with all "needs "filled we are good to go. It was great not having to walk & carry - wheels are wonderful, thanks to all who made our life a little easier. It's the quite peaceful Island anchorage we are here to explore. Back to Isla Coronados and its clear warm water teaming with marine life, morning dolphin shows and evening manta ray performances we always feel they are just for us. After a few days unwinding from civilizations we head north to San Juanico on the Baja main land and snuggled Magic Carpet in between two reefs and hide from the South wind for a few peaceful days of totally enjoying the beauty of the Serra Gianites from spectacular sunrises to sunsets birds diving bait balls with fish jumping all around us. The Dorado are everywhere we are eating well the challenge is cooking the catch of the day a different way each night. From there we rounded the point to La Ramada a perfect little cove offering southern wind protection and chocolate claims and under water caves. A big surprise came when gale force west winds from the Pacific side of the Baja found its way through the mountains to the Sea of Cortez & La Ramada cove. From there we had a fantastic all day sail north to San Domingo at the mouth of Concepcion Bay. Magic Carpet average speed was 7 knots with highs to 9 knots not bad for a fully laden boat towing a 14 foot inflatable (Aladdin) amazing speed and lots of fun. After a few days enjoying San Domingo and her white sandy beaches loaded d with "goodies". Magic Carpet sails south to El Burro Cove and the 16th annual July 4th BBQ Bash hosted by Geary the Sonrisa Ham radio weather man & Beach Bum Extraordinaire, "PaPa Kilo Hotel" Hot Dogs by Geary and super pot luck by all the cruisers with Fire Works & a Fire Dancer entertained us at sun down this year. For the first time El Burro Cove was not an inferno so exploring both above and below the water was in the game plan this year for our visit to Concepcion Bay. Wreck diving claiming scalloping and fishing entertained us daily, life is good. Soon El Burro heated up 100 plus outside & 90 in the water very high humpty so it was time to move on! San Domingo was 10 degrees cooler than across to Punta Chivato , shell beach & dozen of Whale Sharks . Than all hell broke loose! At 1 P.M. a Chubasco hit this very exposed anchorage winds to 40 knots with wrap around swells giving us a very wild Rollin night. Magic Carpet held in place we watched on both the radar and from the cockpit it was a long night! Soon after sun rise we hauled anchor and headed north to San Marcos Island. Winds for the next few days are protected to be coming from the south east , each night we have seen lighting & heard thunder coming from the Mexican Main land we are now on hurricane watch as the sea warms it perfect, Condition for hurricane to come our way, always trying to remember it's the journey not the destination that counts in life and that weather will always dictate our travels.
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06/26/2012, Puerto Escondido
Change of Plans:
Regular part of the cruising life, Opportunity knots and we could not refuse. Fellow cruisers on the S/V Eagle out of the Pacific No. West had won an entry for 4 in the Tripuli fishing tournament at the Loreto Fest and was looking for partners for team Eagle, we jumped at the chance. We had a great time the super ponga Captain "Pancho" he was a hard working fishing guide who put us right on the fish tight lines for everyone. Tournament rules were you could weigh in Two Dorados and one other non-bill fish per day. Our Dorado were all too small to win us a top spot on the score board, but our other fish Yellow Tail were top notch. Great fighting fun was had by all, freezers are full.
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06/26/2012, Isla Danzante
June 15 2012 Isla Danzante:
To close for comfort!
8:00 p.m. The south east wind that's been steady for the last few day's switches and grows and grows to a strong westerly, with reports of gust to 40 knots. Magic Carpets being blowing into the rocks. Dark has set in our CQR was holding tight! But the new westerly direction was changing our relationship with the Isla Danzante. It was time to get out there, engine was started, inflatable (Aladdin) was smuggled close to the mother ship (we do not want to foul the prop). The Admiral at the helm, the Captain on the bow cranking in the anchor & 5/16 chain road (hand windless). Magic Carpet hovers ready to shot out of the anchorage as soon as the hold is broken. The engine was soon but in gear with just enough rpm to stand our ground. As soon as the anchor is on deck the rpm is increased and Magic Carpet charges into the dark of night on her preplanned escape course. 10:00 p.m. Where do we go? Basic rule on Magic Carpet is not to enter any anchorage after dark. We are in a reef infested area of the Sea of Cortez, hoving to and drifiting into one dose not sound like a good idea. So we decide to brake our rule and head for the hidden harbor of Porto Escondido. Boy hidden harbor is a good name for it, because both the Mexican Navigation lights and channel markers lights were out! So with the Admiral now on the bow and the Captain at the helm Magic Carpet creeps into a safe anchorage in the dead of the blackest night we have ever seen. With our hand held VHF both on channel 17 the admiral calls a little to port now to starboard and on it goes like that with little cockpit visibility the Captains guides the helm from the bow calls of the Admiral. Team Magic Carpet eventually drops the hook safely protected from the strong westerly wind. All is well in the peaceful quite waters of hidden harbor.
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06/26/2012, Puerto Escondido
Luxury Cruising Brake:
With the "kids" in town we enjoyed the best of both worlds. Beach clam bakes; to traditional mesquite wood stove dinners, inland travel and short sea passage to a fantastic resort spa. Anchoring Magic Carpet in Ensenada Blanca enjoying shore side amenity's made us feel like we were on the east coast of America for just a short time. Then sadly it was time for the Adios again. We are lucky in life to be able to turn our dream into reality, but it's always hard to be so far from family and friends. Magic Carpet has been based out of Porto Escondido, Baja California Sir the last few weeks. Now sailing out of her hidden harbor we are excited to be returning to our Island hopping way of life. The water has started to warm up and the fish have started to move in. The bit is on , dinners are great - Dorado - Yellow Tail - Serra-
Grouper - Snapper and even Wahoo last night. Interesting enough no Skipe Jack so far this year. We almost miss the great fighting fish, even though it's a catch and release ( not good eating).
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05/17/2012, Puerto de la Lancha Isla Carmen
Wow fantastic to be back at sea, it was tuff putting Magic Carpet back into sea readiness for the second time this year. The call of the sea is a strong force for us. As hard as we try to carry all the wonderful things we do and see with us always, life sometimes clouds the memory. But Oh just sailing out of our safe harbor wakens our senses and deep love for our life style. Dolphins welcome us back like we are long lost friends. Manta rays flip flop around as young dolphins tail dance, birds diving, flying fish scoot across the water. Phosphoresces light Magic Carpets way and announces incoming dolphins, whales blow a quick howdy we feel at home. Fishing is good, breads rising, sprouts are growing sea life is being good to us. Loreto Fest gave us a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We danced under the stars celebrating Cinco de Mayo in style. We attended cruising seminars and for Donna craft classes. Open mike showed how talented may fellow cruiser are. Colorful local dancers entertained us; local food was a super treat a good time was had by all. We often think as we grow older that it's been slower making new friends, yet in the cruising world how fast and strong new friendships develop. We guess it's because even though we all come from so many different walks in life we share one strong driving force the call of the sea. In many ways our safety and independence is linked with each other. Everyone shares learning experiences and equipment knowledge with each other. The Sonrisa ham net and the Amigo and Southbound marine nets keep us all connected providing weather, sea conditions, water temperature & local knowledge. Greg is the Saturday morning Sonrisa net controller and Donna will soon be handling an evening southbound net. Magic Carpet has been cruising around the middle waters of the Sea of Cortez there is so much we have not seen before. We sailed for twenty four hours to Isla Coronado's from our berth at Marina San Carlos three hours on three hours off, averaging 4 1/2 knots. We were greeted by friends and a pot luck beach party, it felt great to back. So far we visited V Cove on Isla Carmen (a favorite) Punta Perico South (new this season) and Peurto De La Lancha. We are enjoying late spring weather the best in years, warm days and cool nights, water temperatures range from 74 to 80 degrees, winds moderate, sea swells 0 to 5 feet. Sometimes it's a pond and sometimes the sea reminds us to keep our PFD's handy and check out tether lines out. Magic Carpet doing great all systems are working well! It's said one week at sea is like one year at the docks for ware and tear on a boat. We try hard to take good care of her as she is taking very good care of us. We thank Bill Lee for the Lancer 36 great design. Fully loaded she still sails fast, she quick to respond smooth and comfortable and we like to go fast! The last few days we have had strong East South East winds with Five to eight foot swells, so we are hanging out on the North side of Isla Carmen. Some rap around swell invades the north of the Island but it's better than being south. Our wind generator and solar stick are doing a super job, batteries are fully charged, and water tanks are full, freezer full, Ice cubes are ready and waiting, soft music fills the cabin, it's so good to be home. AND the Admiral has more fish credits than the Captain on the tally card!
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