Isla Isabela
Jan 20
Up for sunrise to witness where I’m actually anchored! The cruisers guide says this anchorage is well protected from Northerlies but at sunrise it felt like we are really rolling around! Like to much for comfort.. I look out the companionway at sunrise and directly to starboard are the outer rollers that smash into “Isla Alcatraz”! I didn’t realize I was a little bit too far out of the outer edge off the cove. This anchorage is easier to sail into at night than the day. Simply because in the day you know how difficult it is and at night I was oblivious to the technicality of laying the hook here. Scary situation. Im too exposed out here and pull anchor and slide into the back end of the anchorage right behind Dear Karma :)
“Karmas a bitch, but only if you are”
The only way I can start to describe this island is like a magical little kids idea of what a treasure island look like in the middle of the ocean. Like the moment Peter Pan and the kids fly through the clouds and the Neverland appears. Its identical. Lagoons, sea cliffs, towering pinnacle rocks, forests, white sand beaches, caves, thick forests with vines, and BIRDS!
A day from any sailors dream. We swim around the anchorage and check the boats anchors down below! We are all in 15-20 feet of crystal clear water so this allows us to see the anchor situations. We swim down to Karmas and see her chain is literally just wrapped around a massive rock. Strugglers anchor is no better as it proudly sits ontop a big section of flat rocks…. I swim down again and place it in the sand and give it a good haul back to set. The group of us head out spear fishing. Liam (from Karma) is a cheeky clever sharp minded smaller fella and his girlfriend Heather is some kind of legend. What she tries she conquers. What she puts here hands on comes alive! She spears 2 large black Bluntheaded Triggerfish. Back to Karma, Dave (Vela boat) shows us how to fillet a Trigger (which is a gawdamn nightmare if you dont know the technique) I’ve never felt such hard skin to get through. Thick like leather you could easily dry it out and make a sheath or little wallet. In one short hour those triggers turn into Ceviche served over freshly cooked rice.
Sunset is spent climbing the lighthouse and observing thousands of frigate birds soaring high above the island. Nesting and mating Blue Footed Boobies are everywhere you look. This strictly protected sanctuary allows for us humans to have a small peak at how these birds live. You truly do need to watch where you walk to avoid eggs and nests. Feels like we shouldn’t be here. Gaze out to the sea in all direction at sunset and its whales diving and breaching. Late into the night and the cruising party ends up at the Struggler. First party onboard like this and the place is packed. I now know 10-12 folks can be on Struggler and it doesn’t even begin to sink…
I provisioned a bottle of vodka and 24 beers for this section of the cruise and that is mostly gone after hosting all these sailors aboard ;)
You can’t beat it.
“In an atmosphere of smoke, booze, and bullshit”
Jan 21
Sunrise.
Funny Net on the radio hosted by Karma (Introduction, Emergencies, Checkins, Arrivals/Departures, Weather, Wildlife Spottings, Bird Facts, Spanish word of the day, Parts swap or anyone in need of assistance, Jokes, Poems, Final Comments)
Nature Walk.
Sundowners with ol’ Dougy and crew.
BOOBIES
‘You know I’m down for one more.’
Jan 22
Net
Whale watching out on the Snuggler
Secret Beach
Cribbage tournament 2pm
Good chat with Andries Bik on Seahorse. How to start thinking about making an income out here sailing. There are humans out there that want to watch people on adventurers. He has worked hard to build followers all around the world and is supporting himself and his sailing dreams with social media. Pretty cool fella.
Diving down below the boat for 5 lobsters. Fresh lobster for a late dinner.
Jan 23
“Because we felt the need to move right now”
0530 up for coffee and cleanup. Everything is stowed, dinky dingy is up and loaded. 40 mile run to San Blas ahead. LIGHT AIR forecasted. Goodbye to one of the best gangs Ive met yet by far. When the guidebook says dont skip over Isla Isabel, it might be your best stop in all of Mexico I couldn’t hardly believe that was possible. I now can say this was most definitely the most enjoyable 3 days of the trip as far as anchorages go. Unbelievably beautiful and all around great community to spend time with.
08:00
As I look back at the island disappearing from view I see what appears to be a large bird struggling in the water a few boat lengths behind us! I then realize a very unusual event is happening and I have hoooked into a bird… This is not great. I ease the sails and make a 180° turn back and start reeling in the line. It then becomes apparent that I have hooked into a very large frigate bird. I dont see any movement and the head looks to be facing down. The white head and neck tell me its a female.. This is not good.
I jump down to grab the pliers, reel in, lift her up to the boat, and see her dangling neck stiffen as she looks into my eyes and comes back to life. She looks nervous and confused. I grab the hook with the pliers and twist it out of her wing. She makes a flop back to the water with 1 feather most certainly missing as it stays on the fishing hook. She looks stunned and holds her wings out of the water for 1 minute as if to drip all the water she can from them. she tries flapping after she gains some energy… No flight.
She slowly continues flapping and up she rises from the water. I watch her fly away as she shakes out her tail feathers and continues her flight back to the island. I feel like she was a minute away from drawing while I was dragging her. I should not have started fishing 5 miles from the island. Once back to the island she tells her mates about what a horrible morning she has had.
10:00 Becalmed. Engine will not start. I believe it could be a lack of juice/power or possibly a fuel pump problem? This is the first time on the voyage that it will actually NOT start. I clean off the solar panels and Ill wait until noon to give it another crank. Im certainly okay with moving at 1.5 knots in the right direction right now. “Its a sailing boat”
I need to find/make the time to focus on the Struggler and her health. Every anchorage/bay calls me in with excitement and adventure. Struggler needs work and attention at this point. I need to fix the ripped out Boom Vang and the switch for the Bilge pump before moving on from San Blas. No excuses here. I also need to scrub the bottom again.
11:30. Engine fires right up. Voltage was up at 13.5V and the engine was warming up from the sun. I believe this starter/engine needs full voltage to start. What a relief!!
Motosail to San Blas. Yuck
