Northing Xmas.

December 25, 2003. Isla Espirito Santo, BCS, Mexico.

we left here around the 11th, took 22 hrs to make bahia frailes, and had to wait out a norther for 3 days. got underway for vallarta with a double reef on the tail end of the blow, and the transmission went out within sight of the anchorage. sailed back in, arrived at 3 options, and waited out another fierce norther, and got underway to lapaz for repairs.

with no engine, we had to stand off the land mass and had a lively 30 hr starboard tack making as much northing as needed to lay la paz. About 5 hrs into the port tack we were completely becalmed with no land in sight {thankfully} but were drifting SSW[through all tides!] for over 30 hours and lost much of our northing. We attempted the Cerallvo canal but were denied after many tacks. we spent one night in bahia muertos. next day we stood off again to make northing outside of isla cerallvo and were hit with an unpredicted light/moderate norther for a day or so [6 to 8 ft seas with an occasional 10 about 6 seconds apart and 25 knot winds] thats when sandy and i decided Gitano del Mar was the proper vessel for our endeavors.

Above the island we were becalmed within 4 miles of navigational hazards and began to deploy the dingy as a tow vessel. around 3 am we had enough wind to sail again. We made a large protected anchorage on the south side of Isla espirito sancto early Christmas eve for needed sleep/rest and land hikes. we saw no people but lots of wildlife..it was wonderful.

y'day, underway in the first southerly in 2 months so of course so we had to tack our way to la paz only to become calmed 800 yards short of the marina. I used the dink to tow Gitano, and made a slip at dusk with many hands on deck to assist and an ovation to welcome us to dock #9.

so it took us 7 or 8 days to get back to la paz. A very rich experience neither of us would trade for anything.

merry christmas everyone, and good will toward men...steve / sandy