We left Puerto Escondido yesterday after a quick 8 days on a mooring buoy. We were boat locked for a few days during high winds(30+ knot range) and had some great times with Linda and Dale off Moxie touring downtown Loreto and having a nice dinner on their boat last Monday night.

We spent Monday getting ready to leave tidying up Zephyr for the long distance(3.5 miles) to Honeymoon Cove right across the channel. We both went in for showers and dropped off some videos we had borrowed from the yacht club. We also got the rest of our jerry cans filled with diesel and gasoline. We now have 5 five gallon cans of gas so we can stay out for the next month with no problems. That much gas will run our generator for quite some time, not to mention Dragon(our outboard motor). We poured the diesel into the tanks so all in all, we added 20 gallons to our tanks. We have plenty of diesel to get us just about anywhere on the Baja.

We packed up a bunch of my clothes to give to the Hidden Port Yacht Club at Escondido to be given to a local charity(or other cruiser) if they could fit into them. I've managed to keep the 55 pounds(20 more to go) off that I have lost since we left Port Townsend so what I hadn't already given away at previous marinas got disposed of here. Now that my waist line is down to 34 inches, I hadn't been there since college. So right now, I'm sure there is some cruiser walking Escondido in a new pair of blue jeans. Heck, some of the pants never got worn.

We filled our water tanks and left the harbor abut 1040 for the hop over to Honeymoon Cove. We had originally thought to come here before we went to Escondido several weeks ago but since there was a big storm coming(winds hit 55 knots-63mph) we hid out in Escondido instead. Now we were back on track to see what we missed before. When we arrived, Guenivere 1(we had met them in San Evaristo while we waited out another storm) was in the North cove(the most protected) with a bow and stern anchor out. It's a small narrow anchorage good for just a few boats and only if they double anchor that way. Another boat(Apolina) was in the middle cove so we headed for the Southmost cove and dropped the anchor(25 48.36N 111 15.414W) and settled in. On our way in, Guenivere 1 called us to welcome us and let us know about the anchorage. Once we got settled in, we invited both boats over for drinks. Hey, it a social group out here and what better way to meet your fellow cruisers. About 1200, the "Park Police" showed up in their boat to check for permits. Isla Danzante and Isla Carmen are "National Parks" in Mexico and require a permit to visit. We had kidded each other while having lunch as to wether we would see anyone to check on passes while we were here and lo and behold, here they came, right on cue. We had bought our permits while in La Paz and had never actually expected to use them as that is the way it normally turns out. Buy a pass and no one will show up. Don't buy a pass and they will. We pulled out our passes and surprised the officers. I don't think they run into too many folks that actually took the time to buy permits. Ours are supposed to be good for a year, but it expires in June of 2010(go figure since we bought them in late December. They asked us where we bought them and when. Most folks simply buy day passes to be out here. You get charged by the day or year, nothing else(no monthly). Our names were added to their list and we were set for our stay. Most of the islands up the Sea of Cortez are all part of the National Parks system so the pass will take care us no matter where we end up.

We are continually fighting "bobos". Small flies that are everywhere. We've never run into so many at one place. They don't bite so they just buzz and annoy you. Hard to kill as they are fast little buggers. A few wasps joined in the fun during the afternoon but haven't been back yet today. Maybe they will stay away(hope so).

About 1300, a group of kayakers showed up--9 boat and 11 people and set up their own little village right off our stern on shore. We turned from a nice deserted cove into a big settlement. They set up camp and put up tents and settled in for the night. At 1630, the party started and went till 2000. We had a great time and met more cruisers. I'm sure we will run into each other again especially since Apolina is headed for San Juanico and we expect to go there again before we leave the area. And that is about the way yesterday went. Lots of sun and fun out here.

Today, off to explore the island.