Ensa. De Pechilinquillo 18 12N 103 08W We anchored near the large rock island on the N side, in 40 feet, well away from shore. This is another open roadstead anchorage, unprotected from the W side, but with light winds for the last 2 weeks and anchor anywhere conditions it wasn't an issue. Arriving at 12:30pm, sashimi was on the lunch menu, along with fried noodles. Yum! This left plenty of time to vacuum pack the fish and work on this blog, so there! That evening, we renamed this playa del fuerte or beach of fire. It seems locals lit over 30 beach fires on the shore and kept them tended for hours. We couldn't help wondering at this, but no furtive ships arrived and the fires gradually died out. Interesting and very dramatic in the pre waning full moon darkness. After a very rolly night, we were up early and gradually got going. With no morning breeze, we motored our way NW ½ mile offshore along dramatic gold colored cliffs in the morning light. Canyons opening onto the ocean did provide 10 kt plus land breezes so out went the jib for those short lifts. We did see rays jumping, along with the usual birds and pangeros. It was 13 nm and about 3 hours to our next anchorage area, Bahia de Maruata.

Bahia De Maruata 18 16.1N 103 20.7W After arriving at 10:30, we anchored near two rock islands. It is very scenic here; the rocks and cliffs to the N very dramatic. A small village lines the shore beach; palapas have tents set up under them; perhaps a backpacker resort. Pelicans and terns circle and dive near shore in a continual effort to stoke their tummies and reduce the minnow population. They also cover many of the rocks on the two islands. So far (mid afternoon) it is less rolly here with the SW roll taken out by the islands and we are being held into the SE swell by the light SE breeze. It looks like you could land a dinghy in the very N corner of the bahia, but we decided since we need an early start manana, not to complicate things and stay on board. Another long lazy day; reading, eating, drinking cold cerveza frio, and refreshments with ice cubes. It will be grilled Mahi for dinner and here is hoping the breeze keeps up!