Well, everyday is new adventure in our new retired life at sea! We've been diving and whale watching and meeting folks out here at the Island. We're still at the Braithwaite Anchorage at the Socorro Island. We found a Sea Mound to dive that is about 1/4 mile off shore and about 1 1/2 from where Storm Haven is Anchored down. We're diving out of the dingy, as you probably know, and it's a lot of fun. The mound has so many little fishes - and some not so little but no sharks. It is a natural underwater aquarium with all the beautiful colorful fish and the lava rock formations are exquisite! We took our underwater Ikelite with the video camera and Paulie tried to get some shots. But it's a learning experience and so it may take a few times to get the hang of it with the surge and everything. Also, she has to learn to not go too fast with the video cam. Don's been hunting and has been really successful at finding "bugs" and he caught 2 yellow fin tunas which are delicious! You can't beat fresh fish that's just been caught out of the sea. We don't like fish at home as it's been frozen and it just doesn't taste the same at all. We're spoiled I guess. Catching it and then eating that night for supper is the best. We had a weather report that it was suppose to be 25-30 knots of wind last night and today. It might be 10-15 and has been since yesterday. It's a little swelly here as the waves are about 2.5 meters but are far apart so it's not bad. It's not nearly as rolly as it was at the other anchorage, Punta Tosca, that we were at when we first got here. The whales are so neat. Every evening we see at least 1 or 2 Mommies laying on their side nursing their babies. It takes about 45 minuets or so and then both Mom & Baby gives us a show. They jump, sometimes, all the way out of the water and splash back in. Then they wave at us with their fins and slap the water again & again. Don says it's 'cause Mom feels so good about having all the milk out and baby just feels good cause he got a good meal! It's so neat. They jump and blow all the time, although it seems they are not quite as active as they were at first. Yesterday we pulled the little 15 HP Motor off of our little dingy which is the one we dive out of, as we were afraid the seas were gonna get rough. Anyway, about 3:Pm or so, a couple of guy from the local Navy came swimming out to see us as they were snorkeling and hunting around the shore line which is about 1/4 mile from Storm Haven. They have much more stamina than we do! Although the water is about 75 degrees, it was a little breezy and they were tired from their swim. They came aboard and we gave them drinks and brownies. It was fun and they talked and talked until they were rested. They stayed about and hour or so. When they left they gave us a HUGE lobster and a big shell. We made ceviche out of the lobster (we've been eating lobster regularly, thanks to Don the great hunter!) for dinner and it was great! Several dive boats, including SolmarV out of Cabo (I think they actually all must come out of Cabo) have been out here and 4-5 big mega yachts, all privately owned, have been out here or are still here. Also. a big private jet plane came out a couple of days ago and landed at the airport. I guess since it's free to come out here now, they're coming like crazy. But we must not know the right folks as we don't seem to be able to get a land tour even though our permit says we can, IF the Navy Commandant says it's OK. The first time we asked, the Governor was here and they said no. Then we asked again yesterday and they said that the environmentalists were a shore and that it wasn't a good time again. Oh well, maybe next time. One sailboat came by a couple of nights ago to check in with the Navy and also to check out. He was heading for the Marquesis! It was fun to talk to them (2 guys) as the one we talked to was a recently retired farmer from Canada about our age. We haven't met too many retired farmers out at sea, so far. So, although we didn't really get to chat too much, it was fun to meet them and maybe see them next year when we do the "Puddle Jump" as everyone calls it. We have a lot to learn before we go. But Don has been studying and studying up on the dos & dont's. There is a Ham Radio Net that is specifically for those that either have or want to cross to the Marquesis. We've been listening to it and have learned a lot about it just from listening. Don has always said he projects it will take us about 19 to 20 days, depending on weather. And that's just about what we're hearing from the ones that have made it. The worst waters are at the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergent Zone) which is the equator. Everyone seems to cross it at about Latitude 00 00.00 N and somewhere between Longitude 124 & 133 50.00. It's where the North seas meet the South seas and it gets confused and has squalls and rain, etc. But it only takes about 24-48 hrs, depending again on the weather. Safe boating is all about the weather. Don is very careful and he is always checking to make sure there's a good window before we do any crossing. Speaking of which - we will probably leave here tomorrow (4-3-2010) or so and go to Isla Benedicto, about 36 miles from here. That is where you can swim with the Manta Rays. Some folks we met on a sailboat named "Namaste" have been out there since we all left the Punta Tosca anchorage a week or so ago. And they've been writing and telling us what a great time they're having riding the mantas. So- - hope we can get some pictures for you and maybe some good videos, if Paulie learns to run it!!! Anyway, we'll probably stay there for a few days and when a good 3 day window comes up we plan to head to Magdelena Bay and then work our way back to San Diego to get Storm Haven ready for her passage to the South Pacific! We'll update again soon. Thanks so much for going to our web blog and for being patient with Paulie for learning how to write these blogs! Fair winds to you all Don, Paulie & Bootsie M/V "Storm Haven"