We left La Cruz marina on April 2, after several days of projects including paying a diver to clean the bottom, and what a difference that has made in performance and handling. The water down here is warmer than it gets in SoCal, even as cool as it is this year it is still warmer than our summer temps and the marine life grows quickly on the boat's bottom, prop and shaft with all kinds of 'stuff' that slows the boat and clogs intakes. I didn't want to do the job and for a buck a foot includiing zincs it was hardly worth doing it myself. The fellow really worked hard and did a good job. I dove the bottom at the conclusion of his work and it was spotless. I think he was surprised to see anyone get into the water and inspect his work, but I had no complaints and as a bonus the water was 74° with good visibility and lots of tropical fish, even here in the marina.

We had a great time in La Cruz, but it was time to start our trek north. The marina there was full with many boats like us transitioning back to the north following the season. I thought the weather was great, Marisa said it was getting too hot for her liking, much like in Zihatuanejo, which gave us our warmest temps of the season thus far. Anyway, we refueled and made an uneventful exit from Bandaras Bay on Saturday morning. We were treated to a mother humpback whale and calf swimming close by us as we left the bay. The little guy was flying out of the water, spinning and turning as he crashed back down repeatedly then spanking the water with his tail while mom just swam alongside and kept track of him and probably of us too. We didn't get to close, coming between a mother and her calf can be dangerous. On the down side I was coming down with a cold; yes the rhinovirus exists down here too.

We arrived at the anchorage off Rincon de Guyabitos at about 1500 and anchored in close proximity to So Inclined, Blue Rodeo and Swift Current. That evening we all took our dinghies ashore to have dinner at the place we had found while there in December. On that visit we were with Swift Current and had a great coconut shrimp dinner. The table next to us ordered what we thought was a "mocajete" that looked fabulous and we had decided there and then to come back and try that entre the next time. What luck, it was their 'special of the day' and everyone at the table ordered it, actually one per couple since it is large enough to split. I have to say it was good, but not great. It turned out to be 'fajitas' in disguise, hence the disappointment. After a short stroll about the town we made it back to the boats and settled in. The next morning my cold was worse and I felt it too. We took a day off and I laid low to take it easy and rest up while the rest of the fleet continued on to Mantanchen Bay. Marisa had not really wanted to go there anyway because of all the "jejenes" (no-seeums) we encountered there last time so nothing was lost. We didn't have any wifi here but at least our phones worked.

We departed Guyabitos on Monday, April 4 for Isla Isabel, about 60 nm to the N/W at about 315°m. It was an easy crossing, much like the run from Oceanside to Catalina's Two Harbors. It's about the same distance and the wind was right on the nose, so we made a night crossing, motoring into light breeze and flat seas. Isla Isabel is a bird sanctuary for frigates primarily, but there are also boobies and albatross. This island is an extinct volcano with several caldera or collapsed caldera. It is low lying and only about a quarter mile across. There are two small anchorages and both are rocky and notorious for snatching and holding anchors. We put a trip line on the head of our anchor in case it got snagged in the rocks. In that event you're supposed to be able to retrieve the trip line, which is attached to a float and pull the head of the anchor out so it can be retrieved. In addition this island and surrounding waters are rich with fish and there are several "co-op' fishing camps at the main beach. They run countless submerged nets around the island and think nothing of surrounding the anchorage with them as well. You end up anchored in a sea of floats; it's un-nerving and makes for very careful entry and exit. We were joined there by the rest of our fleet and while most of them went ashore to hike I stayed on the boat nursing my cold while Marisa worked on her special project, to be disclosed at a later time. Again we didn't have any wifi and out there no cell phone service either.

On Thursday April 7 at about 0630 we all made an early departure for Mazatlan, some 85 nm to the NN/W at about 330°m. We had some issues getting our anchor up, essentially the anchor chain got stuck in the rocks, not the anchor, and it took about half an hour of slowly going across it, pulling it up by hand, lowering it, backing off then going forward again, but we got it up and set out after our fleet carefully working our way out of the fishing net floats. We got to the Stone Island anchorage outside Mazatlan's old harbor at 2230 that night. It wasn't cold but very damp, it may as well have been raining it was so wet. It was a short night, rocking and rolling in a large swell that ran through the anchorage. The next morning we made the last ten miles to the entrance to Marina Mazatlan. We were the last of our boats to head in and were stopped by an official looking boat, maybe the port captain? Anyway, because of the large swell that was running they told us the harbor entrance was closed. We insisted that our friends had made it and while they were not happy said go ahead but to be very careful. This entrance is tricky, it's narrow, shallow and with a swell running from the SW the surge continued up the channel. Anyway, we made it in between the big sets and I saw 8.4 knots boat speed on the one swell we did surf in on. Pretty cool! We're here and we have wifi again!

We are in Marina Mazatlan and have gotten the boat cleaned up. We are getting ready for an off boat excursion to Mexico's Copper Canyon by bus and train. More on that in the next installment.