12 February 2023 – We weighed the anchor out of Los Frailes at around 0645 but then had a bit of a cluster getting the main up and the first reef in. I caused a serious overrun of the main halyard on the winch at the mast so we could neither pull the sail up further, nor let it down further. Fortunately, the sail was already up at the first reef so we just pressed on with it as it was. I was able to clear the overrun later when the wx calmed down some.

The conditions were quite sporty as we came out from under the lee of the hill at the anchorage with winds out of the N at 15-20 knots and 4’ seas. Fortunately again, most all of this was helping us and we ran off at between 6 and 9 knots, flying as it were.

These conditions continued through the day and into the night. Jimena hates this but we were making good time under the reefed main and staysail. We did not have a lot of choice anyway. Back to Los Frailes would have been an arduous beat; we might have run off SW to San Jose del Cabo, but it would have been the same sailing in the wrong direction, and once we were there, then what? The forecast models all called for moderating conditions in the night, so we pressed on.

A couple of waves slapped the stern and soaked the cockpit (and us) but we had no serious issues. Some of those big waves are the ones one wants to ride, like the bull at the rodeo; sure, they can hazard the boat if they catch her beam-on when they are breaking, but surfing down the front of these waves will push the boat at well more than theoretical hull speed and one makes great time.

We were 50 NM past the halfway point to our destination by 2200 of the first day. We flew on through the night.

As it was too rough to cook, Jimena made us sandwiches of Prosciutto and cheese for supper.

The wind did moderate a bit around 2000-2100. We put out the genoa with the staysail and kept making 5 knots. I was finally able to get the windvane to steer for several hours which lightened the load considerably.

In the night I found a flying fish and a couple of small squid on the deck, all beyond any ministrations. From all I have read flying fish are delicious when fried up, but I decided against putting this proposal to Jimena.

In the morning of the 11th we furled the staysail and poled out the genoa and the windvane kept steering for us. We sailed through the day and into the next night seeing a couple of turtles and some dolphins.

The Michin must have realized this would be a long passage as he got up in the second night and had something to eat and sat around a bit. He seems to get into the swing of cruising when he must.

The wind began to die off and so I went to sleep early on the 12th after logging our midnight position, course and speed.

When I woke up after several hours I had been dreaming something strange. I looked up to see Jimena standing in the cockpit steering but could make no sense of what I saw. The wind had died off completely in the early morning which is why Jimena was steering. The wind picked back up a little during the day and we were able to sail albeit slowly.

We finally sighted the mainland around 1430 and then had to tack a couple of times to stay well clear of some islands to the south of our course but miles ahead.

Eventually, around 1630 the wind died off altogether and I cranked the engine so as not to spend another night on the ocean. This was near the Islas Marias, a former Mexican penal colony known as the Mexican Alcatraz (or it could be Devil’s Island or Robben Island or any other notorious island prison). There would have been no escaping this place.

We decided to anchor at Punta Mita in the daylight on the 12th rather than continue to La Cruz and arrive in the dark. As we entered the Bay we saw whales breaching and making giant splashes in the distance. Then, just as we were taking down the mainsail and maneuvering to anchor, a young whale jumped completely clear of the water, breached, not 50 yards behind our boat. It was spectacular but Jimena was focused forward and did not get to see it. A good thing.

We got anchored by 1830 in Punta Mita, fairly far from the dinghy dock and from the throngs of other boats anchored in the Bay. It had gotten dark by the time we buttoned up the boat but we were across to the mainland and could relax and sleep soundly at anchor all night