Breaking free from Puerto Penasco!!!

After splashing Perspective we both took a sigh of relief knowing our time in the yard was finally done!  It didn’t matter that we still had lots to do, things just felt better in the water.  Our main priority was to get ourselves moved onto the boat and out of our apartment.  Luckily we were able to borrow cars from our cruiser friends which made this process much easier.  We figured we would move in stages rather than all at once.  I’m glad we did it this way because it kept the chaos to a minimum.  We would take a load to the boat, let the boat swallow it, then grab another load.  This process went on until mid October and then we were completely aboard.  It was great to be home again.  

Aside from putting all our belongings away, we had a few chores to do.  One of which was sending Brad up the mast to correct the angle of our second spreaders.  Brad being the clever man that he is, created a special tool for the job so he could make sure the angles were correct while he was aloft, rather than going up and down several times to check.  We ended up borrowing a pulley system from a friend that made it much easier to send Brad up.  Rather than me cranking on the winch at the mast, he hauled himself up while I kept the line tight on the winch acting as a safety backup.  Once the spreaders were tweaked to their correct position, we sent Brad up with a hose and rag to wash the rigging of dirt and filth.  Boy was it filthy!  The water cascading from the rigging was completely brown, with no regard for our freshly washed deck. 

It wasn’t long before the jobs were ticked off the list and Perspective was ready to head out!  Our plan was to leave midday and arrive to our destination the following morning.  I had been dreading the overnight component to our “shakedown” sail,  but there was no getting around it.  We left the dock on Thursday, October 29th with plenty of nerves jittering.  We told ourselves if something goes wrong, we can always turn around and go back.  As we headed out of the slip we were immediately focused on dodging shrimp boats that were moving about the harbor.  Once we got a safe distance from the harbor, we focused on getting our sails up.  We decided to rig the first reef in the mainsail just in case the winds piped up mid passage. We then got ourselves on course and let out the headsail.  Ahhhh the moment the engine shuts off and the boat becomes powered by the wind is indescribable.  Rather than plowing through the water, you gracefully glide with sounds of lapping water rather than a droning engine.  

We continued to sail for as long as the winds allowed and then it was time to turn on the “iron genny”, the engine.  Brad took the first watch and I relieved him at midnight until 4am.  It was a calm night and I remember looking to the top of our mast, imagining it to be dancing with the constellations in the sky.  The moon was full, the seas were flat and the wind was calm.  Not a bad combo for our first overnight after 14 months in boat jail.  Brad came up at 4am and I was beyond happy to see his smiling face as he climbed into the cockpit.  Ahhh it was time for sweet, sleepy oblivion!  I came back up at 7am and it wasn’t long before we were discussing where we were going to anchor.  The weather forecast allowed us to comfortably anchor in the western side of Refugio.  It was our first time in this anchorage and I am so glad we dropped the hook there. We had beautiful mountain views that changed constantly with the light in the sky.  At times the mountains were shades of blue and gray, other times, it glowed a fiery red or orange!

Once settled, Brad went down for a well deserved nap and I sat the in the cockpit, camera in hand, marveling at the beauty of where we were!  We were finally free from the stresses that plagued us on land and were able to enjoy a moment of stillness.  I noted in my journal that “I am feeling so content and relaxed on anchor.  There is no crazy running around, errands to run, or obligations.  We make our plans and do as we please.” This is freedom at its finest!  Our plan that day was to cut Sydney’s hair, take her for a swim and get ourselves in the water.  Sydney agreed and we dropped the dinghy, loaded her up and zipped her to shore.  This kind of routine carried on for a few days until the weather told us it was time to head south.  

Our next stop would be a new one for us, Ensenada Pulpito, located on the eastern side of Angel La Guarda island.  We’d heard great reports from other cruisers and were excited to see it for ourselves.  It would be a quick 5 hour hop south.  Along the way we picked up some escorts.  No, not those kind of escorts.  We picked up hundreds of dolphin escorts!  We were guided from every angle and I had no idea where to look!  I changed lenses on our camera three times trying to find the best way to capture them.  My favorite spot is at the front of the bow; sitting above the anchors, feet dangling, getting splashed by dolphin snot.  What more could you ask for?! 

Along the way Brad took the opportunity to make water.  He filled our water tanks and emptied our worries about the system not working after being decommissioned for so long. Having the ability to make water makes our quality of life increase exponentially!  Showers all around!

We approached the anchorage and watched as Sydney thrust her nose towards shore, sniffing wildly.  This was our cue to get the dinghy down and get ourselves to shore.  We had a large swell that day, creating breaking waves on shore.  We decided to anchor the dinghy in deeper water and all swam in, much to Sydney’s delight!  We did a little exploring and discovered a gorgeous estuary behind the sand dunes. Ensenada Pulpito anchorage is at the base of a valley with mountains sloping upwards on either side.  Absolutely stunning and we can’t wait to go back again for another visit.  We stayed two nights and decided to keep moving south.  

As we departed Pulpito the winds were non existent. We motored, carrying our unwanted friends with us.  I haven’t mentioned these friends yet, but I will now.  These unwanted friends are called No See Ums. They are the biggest jerks!  In fact, Brad and I have been getting bit up ever since our first anchorage in Refugio.  This made for long nights of scratching, hiding inside the boat, and being a little cranky/crazy.  So you could imagine my disappointment that these buggers wouldn’t leave our cockpit while I was at the helm.   I steered the boat while simultaneously slapping my legs, ankles and toes. Killing those bastards one at a time.  Eventually the wind picked up and we were able to sail. Thankfully our unwanted friends were blown out of the cockpit! 

Our plan was to sail to a highly recommended island known as Isla Partida.  You know what they say about plans?  We quickly got reminded that Mother Nature is in charge and that our plans were not going to happen that day.  What happened?  The winds picked up well above the forecasted amount. This meant our intended anchorage would be a no go. We figured the island was not large enough to create a protected area from the swells. Plan B had us heading over to Isla Estanque, a quick detour that was along our way.

We anchored on the south side of the island, protected from the seas and northern winds.  What we didn’t expect was a strange wrap around swell that came up as the tide went up.  We were getting rocked side to side but knew things would improve once the tide went back down.  Unfortunately for Sydney, the conditions were a little too wild for us to feel comfortable leaving Perspective unattended. We swung on our anchor for the night and made plans to voyage to Bahia San Francisquito the next morning. But first, we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise! Can you believe these views and colors?!

I’ll fill you in on our passage south to San Francisquito in the next post. I hope you’re all having a great week! Take good care of yourselves and we shall see you in the next blog (which should be coming soonish). Cheers from the crew!

Before I wrap this up, I just want to give a huge shout out to Brad. The stress of preparing the boat, testing the systems and repairing the failures mostly fell on his shoulders. While we weren’t playing with Sydney on shore or taking a quick moment to relax, he was buried in projects. From repairing the water maker, fixing our dinghy motor and worst of all, servicing a plumbing leak, he got it all done. I know this wasn’t easy and it is much appreciated. Thank you, Brad, for all that you do to keep your girls happy! I love you!