| Registered User
Name: FB Age: 49 Vessel: small Location: Surprise Job:Geek
Posts: 561
| Re: Great trip
Well here is a better report from the trip…
We departed in the evening of the first day to head to Ensenada for that checkin, which was supposed to take only 1 – 2 hours. After 6 hours we were finally underway.
Heading out of the bay, we could clearly see the grounded freighter with the 4 tugs pulling (getting nowhere, it has been grounded since Christmas and now is almost fully unloaded).
As we cleared the islands, it began to rain. That evening we were in 5-6 foot swells and 20-30 kts of wind, all from behind so not a big deal. Sunday morning we spoke with some Fishing guys who trailer-ed to San Qintin. We were about 40 miles offshore at this point.
Fishing was limited to an occasional trash fish, max of about 2 pounds all the way to Isla San Benito, where I hooked 4 Yellow tails to about 20 pounds while surfing in the 35 + kts of wind at about 8 kts. We passed just west of the island about ¾ of a mile off. As we cleared, the first of many whales appeared close to port. A smaller gray whale, who breached at least 10 times within ½ mile of us.
We continued toward Isla Cedros’ south end surfing at 7-8kts under main only. We passed the s-w point of Cedros in about 60 feet of water, with the dirtiest color I have ever seen. Altering course, we rapidly approached Isla Navidad’s n-e side. clearing Navidad by about 1 mile, we were close enough to see many people watching us pass. Sunset at Navidad meant a dark entrance to Turtle bay.
We arrived in the entrance of Turtle bay at about 9pm, in total blackness, not even a few stars. After some slow progress into the shallows we anchored in about 20 feet of water ¼ mile off the pier.
Next morning we work up late and got fuel by anchoring off the pier, then backing stern to it where a hose was passed to us. We took on about 10 gallons of diesel. ½ way to cabo on only 10 gallons.. got to love sailing.
After tour of the town, netted a shower (hot) and some food at a local establishment (lobster lunch.. 5 dollars each), we set sail for points further south.
That afternoon we again hit the winds up to 30 kts. And surfed along at 7-9 kts I fished some but got nothing. The next afternoon we happened along to the thetis banks, where I hooked and got to the side of the boat 7 wahoo, up to about 5 feet long, not that big, but surely fighters. We did not boat any fish as the owner did not want his boat covered in blood and stuff as the first fish had done. (It took over an hour to bucket down the blood and that was from a lousy trash fish). I reached down and got the feathers and either took the hook out (if I could reach it) or cut the line short. Catch and release….
As sunset fell I was at the south end of the bank. So sailed in darkness toward Mag Bay. I sat off of mag bay for the remainder of the night, having sailed the 30 miles from the bank easily in the darkness. I lingered around the entrance waiting for the sunlight to enter when “Bud” approached a bit closer then the other whales. Now “bud” and his friends lingered around the boat for the next several hours, sometimes surfacing within inches of the boat, but never contacting it (at least not as far as we could tell).. the school (pod??) would swim along on all sides front and back. Sometimes they would raise out of the water, and stare at us. The owner was not too enthusiastic about being so close and finally we had to leave Mag bay for his sanity. They followed us out again to the entrance, where Bud was the last to turn away, I think that he had a thing for the green/white boat..
The trip to cabo was mostly mortoring along in light to no-exixtant winds. NO fish. I crossed every high spot I could find , one of which came to within 60 feet, with no life, not even birds. In addition to the several freighters and cruise ships we saw every day/night, I saw two of the long range boats between Mag bay and Cabo. They did not answer the radio, nor did it appear they were fishing.
Cabo was expensive, we got a slip for $143.44 for one night. Dinner was over 100 for both of us without any drinks. We departed cabo late on Saturday headed to La Paz.
On the route past san Jose Del Cabo we passed by 25-35 marlin all of which ignored the feathers I was dragging. N-E of San Jose, I nailed several Dorado, again releasing all except one that committed hari-kari by jumping into the boat… He was about 20 pounds and made a great lunch. The last night to La Paz while between the shore and Isla Cerravlo the sea became alive with TUNA. I hooked countless fish who again got released (we still had lots of fresh fish to eat!). Dorado and tuna were hooked almost as soon as the jig got back 50 feet. What fun!.. well the passage and the fishing ended at the same time. As the north end of the island came into view, the fish must have headed back south.
Passing through the “Canal de San Lorenzo” near sunset, we elected to anchor for the night at the second anchorage on the S-W side of “isla del espiritu”. Lots of fish here in the anchorage, mostly bait sized. We ate more of the fresh fish and discarded the remainder over the side in the morning.
Motoring up the island, the owner decided to launch his dingy and explore as I headed up the shore line. Along the way, I ran into a Mexican patrol boat, and made some new fishing buddies. I gave them some hooks and the leftover line on the spools I had (which needed new line by now.).
At the north end of the island the dingy was again secured and we motored north toward Loretto.
Near Isla San Francisco we passed by many sea turtles on the surface and many more of the “bat rays” as I call them. The seas were calm with absolutely no ripples except for our wake. About abeam of the island, we encountered a school of porpoise playing or eating, not sure which. A mile or two after them, my last cedar plug got inhaled buy a marlin or something like that, 15 minutes of acrobatics in the distance and the 80 pound mono top shot broke near the fish. Whatever it was, I was never able to gain any ground on it.
The remainder of the passage between the shore and the many islands was alive with Yellowtail, dorados and tunas. I spent all of my remaining hooks (started with a box of 100) and lost almost all the feathers on the last jig. (I tied the feathers about 6-10 inches above the hook so I would not loose the last jig.) this worked well and I was able to hook something within 10 minutes of dropping the jig into the water. The most entertaining part was trying to guess what you hooked before you saw it. The tunas, yellowtails and the jacks would always go down, the tunas and yellowtails would run again as soon as you got them close to the boat, the jacks would never get close to the boat until they gave up the fight, and the dorado would always go airborne. The entire time we were surrounded by some kind of whale.
The final few miles from Los Candeleros and Danzantei islands to Puerto Escondido were dead to fishing as the fish finally got the last jig.
Puerto Escondido may as well be by-passed. There is no fuel dock there nor any fuel in the brand new looking tank. It costs 40 dollars just to anchor in the bay and it looks like the boats in the “waiting room” have installed their own 3-point mooring system and don’t want anyone else to anchor there. Every place we lingered thinking about anchoring someone would inform us that the spot was their territory and not available.
We departed Escondido following the shore toward Loreto in hopes of filling the fuel tank along the way. A radio call to Loreto made it clear that here would be no fuel from that area.
We continued to motor past Isla Coronado following the shore in a building headwind. The owner’s plan was to get fuel in Mulege. About ½ way it became clear we would never get there with the fuel we had. We continued anyway. And about 20 miles short of Conception point, I convinced him to abandon the quest and sail (not motor) toward our final destination. We had 90 miles to go on a heading of 002 to get to San Carlos. We made the decision at about 1430 and began the crossing. With about 1 gallon of fuel, we would have to sail the entire crossing. The winds were about 22 kts on the nose, I set the sails (about ½ of the jib, something I had not before tired but the sailmakers claim you can sail with the sail ½ way unrolled.) the winds built to about 30 true but shifted allowing us to sail almost directly to our destination. We arrive in the area of San Carlos about 2200 that evening, and I rolled up the jib. We continued to sail (somewhat slower about 5 kts) to the entrance where I started the engine with a very nervous owner. We arrived inside the harbor at the launching ramp dock before 2330.
The final 90 miles had taken about 9 hours with our speed (boat speed) showing only 8-9 kts so must have had some luck with the current.
There are several lessons to be learned from this adventure. I might share them later, but for now at least you have an idea of the trip. We took 11 days to make the passage form San Diego, using about 75 gallons of fuel; we stopped for 5 nights and one entire day. (5 12 hour periods and one 24 hour period) translating to 7.5 days of traveling. The weather was not the best, but not the worst. Some rain and winds, but nothing extreme.
Would I go again, SURE,, would I change anything? Yes but there are always things to improve on.
Last edited by FishBert; Mar-06-2006 at 01:15 PM.
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