4/21 Awesome 6 kt beam reach. 15 kt east wind blowing. Anchor up at 10AM in coyote bay and down at 16:30 off the hotel at Punta Chivato. Talked to a few boats on the radio that were night crossing, and others that had already crossed. Thats good reception!
4/22 We woke up at 2:00AM preparing to depart soon. 73 mile sail to Guaymas, across the Sea of Cortez. Our first time aiming for mainland Mexico! Should be calm most of the way. Good weather report, solid south flow the next few days. Hopefully we are there smoothly, before the sun sets. Anchor up at 3:10AM we rounded the Santa Ines islands and shoals in the dark, while the moon set. Phosphoresce dolphins playing on the bow! On course for Guaymas we heard more chatter of other boats crossing. Just as the sun broke dawn a black line formed on the horizon. Thick drifting fog banks. We heard other boats on the radio reporting them too. I hailed a few boats and gave them our GPS coordinates and compass heading. So they could know what our intentions were and to keep an eye out for us in the fog. Motor sailing as fast as we can. Only 4.5 kts, must be a current flowing with the tide. 10:15AM 55 miles to go. Claire on the helm while I took an hour cat nap and sat by the radio evesdropping. Fog burned off after noon. We were beam reaching on a sparkling sea. 5.5 knots ESE wind a gentle 10 knots with a light swell. Aiming for Bocochibampo 24 miles dead ahead on a 46º heading 15:50. MIGHT make it by dusk. I feel like we’re sinking a putt from 80 miles away and holding our breaths as it rolls in, looking good. I called LAND HO! Exactly halfway there, turned around to look off the stern and could see both sides, right in the middle of the sea! So cool. Hoping for some sunlight when we arrive. Coming in we passed acres of dolphins jumping and then acres of these little red crabbies swimming on the surface. Anchor down at 20:30 behind the hotel at Bocochibampo. Couldnt have asked for a better afternoon, and perfect timing with the sunlight.
fog bank behind us
another fog bank on the horizon
on a great beam reach
LAND HO! can you see it?
solitaire
auto-tiller, cruising guides, charts, binoculars, coffee....
still beam reaching
almost there!
weird creatures. i thought they were shrimp. i almost starting throwing nets over.
not sure what it is but there was tons and tons of them
not too worried about anchoring at sunset with this much light
and a full moon
we've officially crossed a sea
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