Our First Chabasco of the Year
07 July 2011 | Santo Domingo
Admiral Donna Lou
From ships log 7-2-11
Today’s weather from Caleta San Juanico 26 22’ N 111 23’W to just inside Bahia Concepcion Santo Domingo.25 51’ N 111 50’ W, was great a 10 hour passage with eight of them under sail a nice smooth reach with Magic Carpet sometimes doing 7.9 knots:
Gregorio’s fishing report: 4 Skippy’s released 1 Dorado kept for dinner! Dorado caught on a blue & white skirt. Wind currently (7pm.) at Santo Domingo is from southeast at 5 knot’s. Temperature 95 degrees.
A few hours after serving & broadcasting as net controller and giving the above current weather from Magic Carpet. A Chubasco hit! Our first for this season, wind picked up to 50 knots from the southeast. We were with five other sailing vessels anchored at Santo Domingo a shallow (17 to 20 ft) protected bay. All boats held in place. Captain Greg turned on our radar & alarm as soon as the Chubasco came up to makes sure Magic Carpet did not drag. We were held in place by 100 ft of 3/8 chain & a 35 LB CQR anchor. The Chubasco was short lived about 5 hours. All was well aboard Magic Carpet and with fellow cruisers anchored near by. All heading to the Sonrisa Ham weather man 4 of July party at Playa El Burro. July 3 rd early morning Ham radio check ins revealed 2 cruisers in the far north of the Sea of Cortez (Puerto Refugio) suffered damage. One sailing boat went ashore on a sandy beach (they had re-floated her by net time 7:30, and the second had his inflatable in the water with motor on. It had flipped over and over during the Chubasco and he had lost his engine & ores but not the inflatable. That evening we heard for the first time about a large chatter boat out of San Felipe that had sank during the Chubasco with 40 people aboard And presently we understand eight Americans are still not accounted for. We are very saddened for this loss! And understand National News is covering this story! Magic Carpet at this location (El Burro Cove) Has no access to the world except through our Single Side Band Marine/Ham Radio. SO we are posting this ASAP so family & friends will be reassured all is sunshine & roses on Magic Carpet.
At this time we are also in the dark about cruising friends Doug & Trish aboard their beloved sailing vessel KMT heading home to Oregon abandoning their boat. We do not know why, but do know all are safe and are now on a boat headed to Hawaii. Our love and prayers go out to them and we thank God for their safety.