Dec 30

The trip up the coast went well with a low NW swell and light winds. Like so often around capes, just North of Ipala the winds picked up and build to 30 Kts and seas got ugly. Took a few greenies over the deck and slowed down to a crawl. This lasted 6 hours then we where able to turn away from the wind and take it on the beam and things quiet down. Arrived 1700 hrs in la Cruz.

Earlier this week woke up a few times by a beeping noise thought to be some electronics. However found we have a cricket on deck hidden under the hatch garage. During the trip he got quiet as he was motion sick? When things got better he started all over and we hear him still very regular. Joanne tried to get rid if it be spraying some Off under the hatch but he is still there. As it outside am not to concerned.

This morning got Whaled and Circumwhaled? A Humpback was cruising through the anchorage and got closer and closer and swam right around us missing the anchor chain by inches. Have some pictures but to close as we can only see part of the skin. The tail is enormous that close. Than about a hour later we got a Mom and a calf coming by. The calf was darting around doing training jumps. Never get tired of seeing that.

 Looks like 35 boats at anchor right here. Temp have been cooler than normal the last few days but today looks like is a lot warmer again. Another boat (Lovely Rita) with a couple onboard here had a close call. While they where underway they lost the skipper overboard as he was trying to tend to his fishing rod. A life line broke and he fell over and she managed to get the boat turned around and find him back and recover him. A close call and another case for getting some good rail around the  boats

Dec 29

Spent the whole day at anchor in this warm and sheltered lagoon. The town is nice and it was busy with the Christmas holidays. Our guests spent time in town and did the shopping and the sightseeing thing. The beach is sandy and you can swim on the inside or on the ocean side. A big surf area where the surfers are hanging out.

Our guest disembarked in the afternoon with a cab to the airport in Manzanillo. We departed at 1530 carefully negotiating the narrow and shallow channel. Made it out with no mishap and are now underway to PV as the weather is nice. Probably keep going overnight.

Dec 27
Underway at 0815 and a 3 hour trip to Barra de Navidad. Carefully negotiated our way in as this is very shallow area. A very peaceful place as there is absolute no motion as the waters are calm. A light breeze keeps it comfortable. Plans are for checking out the shore later today.

Dec 26

Did the jungle tour and earlier suspicion of crocodiles presence were confirmed as we saw a small crocodile laying on a log. Where there is a baby there are parents so the jungle is not without dangers. Don't dangle your feet in the water. In the afternoon moved to La Manzanillo and brought guests to the beach. A great sunset and a quiet night.

Dec 25
Underway early to get into Tenacatita to celebrate Christmas. Arrived 0800 hrs or so and found 7 other boats at anchor. A nice day with guest exploring the Blue Bay resort. A very spectacular beach landing both ways.  Some very big Yachts laying near to us.

Dec 24
It was decided guest like to do a onshore trip and rejoin us in Chamela 14 hours down the coast. We departed at 0700 hrs and got in at 2130 and met our crew on the beach. Glowing report of the day and the adventures. We had some to match as the trip was slow with some rough seas around Cabo Corrientes.

Dec 23
Got up early and underway forthwith, as sea conditions deteriorate overnight. The beach was totally underwater and the waves washed right into the lagoon. Retrieved our stern anchor and underway in rather rolly conditions. Apparently swells from 2 directions and interesting motion. Made it to Tress Marietas and anchored on the South side. Went ashore with the Zodiac and made a respectable landing. The caves as interesting as ever as there are always new corners to explore. Made it back with no incident and underway to Punta De Mita. Brought our guest ashore and they got there firsts real surf experience as we all got dinghy bud. We brought the boat over to the new La Crux marina and guest rejoined us there at night.

Dec 22
Guest arrived at 0930 and got underway to beat the low tide. The channel to the marina is slowly silting in but since a fix two years ago at a much slower rate. Set course for Yelapa and arrived at 1400 hrs and dropped anchor on the East side our normal spot. Guest ashore and exploring. Move Western Grace to the middle of the beach to try to get less motion. Worked a bit but still sloppy.

Stayed a few days at La Crux anchorage till Dec 20 and got a spot in Paradise village to get ready for our next trip to Manzanillo. Really worked hard to get the boat cleaned up and ready for the next trip. Amazing how fast things get dirty in Mexico.

Dec 17

Arrived at 1100 at anchor in a low swell. Had a noisy night as some halyard was loose and we did not want to get up to straiten it out. Living inside a hull is like a guitar box as any noise from anything clinging against the mast make it reverberate much louder inside.

Underway this morning at 0845 for the final few miles to our anchorage in La Crux. Lots of rays jumping and spotted already a whale. This is a total different climate and are from the Sea of Cortez and we always like the change. Going to be busy as now plans have changed to look over the main for loose stitches. A stitch in time saves nine.
 

Dec 16

The Norther is gone and all is left is a swell slowly diminishing. Lost all winds early this morning. It is getting warmer to as it was 28 C in the cabin but we are not hot at all. Looks like every year we need more heat to stay warm. Must be old age.

Washed the decks this morning with the pressure washer a effective way to get rid of the salt. Everything was salty after a vigorous sail. Cleaned the squid and the flying fish off the decks.  Isla Isabella passed 20 miles to the east. After we passed it felt sorry not stopping in as it is one of our most favorite places similar to some of the Galapagos Islands. Well next time as we want to clean up and do some engine room work. Have to look at the valve settings and check shaft alignment, and check the bolts etc. Also want to repaint the engine a big job.

Expect to arrive 2200 hrs tonight at the anchorage at Punta De Mita. Joanne is getting Taco's ready. Feel sorry for the people at home as winter is hitting hard up North.
 

Dec 15 2330hrs

Just came on watch as Joanne did hers from 2100 till 2330. Some traffic in the form of shrimper's as they look like are relocating to the other site. Just like everything else the grass is greener on the other site?

It is a gorgeous night. The stars are bright and Western Grace leaves a lighted phosphorous trail in her wake. The waves break with burst of lights off the bow and streaks of light shooting by and double back along side the trails of the porpoises or dolphins. Last night at my watch heard a thud like something falling down and then a commotion on the pilothouse floor. Turned on the light and had a flying fish inside. What a a mess as they seem to disintegrated on impact. Cleaned it up very good as Joanne is not fond on fish in the boat not even in the freezer. Just shook out the last reef as the Norther seems to be at its last legs and thing are lightening up. The side decks look like squid row. Have to watch where you step.

Have the generator running too much as the inverter charger is not putting out. It is cutting out on the overload switch even though it is only charging a lot less than it normal output. We are hooped on this on as we are not be able to service till we are back in Canada. We carry a spare but that one was changed out a month ago as it failed also. Over all we find that the inverter/chargers from Xantrex are not holding up well. Just like a lot of marine equipment not good enough. We find a lot of that as we use our equipment more than most and problems show up sooner. Just like some of our UK Sails are failing. If we complain we always hear  that others have them for 15 years no problem, but then again, they rarely go anywhere. It is high time we should take some off these guys to task as there is too much substandard equipment around and they get away with it.

Really slowing down now. See 3.9 Kts looks like we are crawling.
 

Dec 15

Our prolonged stay in La Paz came to a abrupt halt as we got a inquiry and then the next day a charter confirmed. Have to start in PV so have to cross ASAP. Wasted no time and in real Western Grace fashion was underway in hours. We fueled up in Marina Costa Baja and anchored for the night just North in Ballandra cove. Went up the mast to replace the anchor light and was glad to be down as it was a bit rolly and the motion on top is always too much.

On Friday morning 0300 hrs the winds where fresh from the West and decide to make a run for it. Sailed through the Lorenzo channel and slowly made Easting to get away from the coast and its light winds. The Norther picked up in the late morning and soon we where sailing at 7-8 Kts in a building sea. Winds picked up to 25 gusting 30 overnight but made good progress. Had to double reef the main to keep the boat balanced but this morning shook out one reef.
It was a beautiful sunset last night as often happens down here. This morning we had a school of porpoises on the bow escorting us in the 7-9' seas.

Since we been sitting for a few weeks we been getting soft and the night watches are tough starting out. After a few days at sea it gets easier but the first few night are brutal with a short crew.
The Norther is supposed to last till tomorrow and we hope to get there before the winds shut down. Saves a lot of fuel and sailing is faster most of the time anyway.
 

Dec 2

Still at anchor in La Paz. Things are  slow and the scheduled trip we had hoped for to fill has not sold so we decided to wait and see of something may show up this week.


Still lots of work. Made some progress on the cosmetic repairs on the paint job. We made a new dinghy skirt(protecting it from UV damage)Also made a new storage bag to organize the ever present clutter in the Zodiak. Looks great. Did install a additional smoke alarm system as required by transport Canada. Looks like a small job but routing the wires and securing everything is a major undertaking. Virtual everything has to be made accessible and panels removed. Then a snag with how to route the cable and before you know it another day gone.
Almost working as we where short a few cable ties and some connectors.

It has been dark the last few days. Temp ideal. Matter of fact had some rain for the first time we can remember in years down here. Anyway things have cleared up. A Norther is in the forecast.

Things in town are carrying on. We can hear the noise from the shore from the constant stream of cars and the police whistles directing traffic. A few parades the last few days from a Rally for cancer research to Religious events. The Mexicans take there parades very serious.
 

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