Wednesday looked like a good day to start across the Sea from Banderas Bay to San Jose del Cabo, a 270 nm trip. Wytie Cable joined me for the first stage from La Cruz to Pta de Mita on Tuesday. The old racer in Wytie was pretty obvious. He is a fanatic about sail trim, even with my ancient un-shapely dacrons. The jib leach was fluttering and needed tightening. But I can not reach it. It is just too high both furled and unfurled. He said he would try but I observed that he was no taller than I am. Can I try says he. Sure says me. Well he goes forward and stands on the upper lifeline and holding the sail with one hand he adjusts the leech cord with the other at the extreme end of his reach. I was impressed.

Wednesday I set out from Pta de Mita mostly motoring up the mainland coast in very light air. I turned left after Isabela and the next morning a breeze filled in from the southwest. This was the outside nasty winds coming around the cape and up intp the Sea. At this point these birds started orbiting the boat. and several landed for a visit. The wind peaked at 20 and seas came rolling up. I headed more northwest to run with it for comfort A dozen or so booby birds, of the 20+ orbiting, landed for a rest. They had to be almost 100 miles from home. By evening all but 7 had flown off. Those 7 stayed the night with 6 hanging on to the weather lifeline, sleeping and balancing with their heads under a wing. The 7th bravely wandered about the boat finding more comfortable places to sleep.

At the peak of their visitation I thought I was on an aircraft carrier, CVAS (sail) Seabird. We almost needed air traffic control, Some could clearly not make the landing. Some could land, some boundered several times, some just did fly-bys and some made themselves at home. Of the 7 boarders, 4 took off in the morning and 3 went the whole trip.

In the morning of Day 3 at the northern apex of the crossing I got above the SW winds and began motoring SW to Cabo. That lasted about an hour when big winds, peaking at 30 kn, came back from the north with large cresting seas. Those conditions lasted until I was 10 miles outside of the marina. The guests were literally washed of the lifelines several times but always returned undaunted. They kept looking at me with their open beaks pointing up. I tried to explain that I was not their mother and tossed 2 flying fish casualties into the air after making them fly. They dove to one fish, squabbled a bit and came back to their precarious perches. The final three bailed at the breakwater and have not retuned to the mothership hiding in the marina. Perhaps I colonized the cape with brown boobies.

I spent 4 hours cleaning the deck for my 36 hours of entertainment.

Wifi is very good here. The antenna is on the chart table. I signed up for 4 days departing Tuesday. Victor Barreda will do all the Cabo clearances to San Diego for $125 plus the fees. He will come here to pick op info Monday AM and return papers in the afternoon. That is easier because I will not have to stop in Cabo at all. I can fuel here on the way out (all 20 gal). Just waiting for the window at $100/day!!. It is a good recovery spot but last night it cooled to 53 F and I tested the heater and found a blanket. I should unpack the foulies and fleeces before departing.

Trip stats: Covered 342 nm from Pta de Mita to Los Cabos in 53 hours and used engine for 24 hr and genset 2 hrs. Avg speed 6.4 kn

If anyone has related information about these birds and their habits please comment.