Puerto Refugio

18 November 2022– After a near-fiasco of a splash we cast off at around 1230, two hours past high tide, and after Jimena found saltwater spewing into the bilges from an incompletely tightened engine raw water strainer cover. She located the source, we got it stopped, then made it out of the harbor without further incident. We set sail and sailed through the night on very good, if boisterous, winds and following seas, making good time.

I drove through the initially moonless night, then watched the moon come up around 0200. At first, I thought it was a cruise ship off on the eastern horizon.

Jimena took the helm around 0300 and I fell out, utterly exhausted. Jimena drove us into the morning, the winds and seas abated and then we pulled in and anchored in the lee of Isla Mejia around 1130, a total of about 110 NM in 13 hours. Not too bad.

West Bay, in the lee of Isla Mejia, Puerto Refugio

As soon as we were safely anchored, I fell out sick as a dog. I went to sleep the rest of the day with fever, cough, body aches, a basic upper respiratory infection brought on by the stresses and strains of the days leading up to our launch.

Fortunately, we had planned to stay several days in Puerto Refugio and the wind stayed out of the NW so I was able to rest and recuperate for several days.

Looking west toward the Baja peninsula from West Bay

We had a lovely calm first evening then swung out into the swell just a bit so we raised anchor and moved up closer under the lee of the island and all was fine.

We stayed there until early morning of the 22nd when we weighed anchor and flew down to Puerto Don Juan to beat a forecast blow.