5/6/2011: left Puerto Morelos1015 after waiting for port capt. to deliver internat'l zarpe, & for fuel truck to deliver diesel. Winds<15 kt. but seas were very turbulent w/ 4'-6' waves @ 4 sec.rolling from 2 different directions. Made 1st 100 mi. very barfy but was worse along shore. Yucatan Channel = rough water even when…
[Hi there. Recently, both Skymate and our current marina's WiFi connection have been so weak and intermittent, I haven't been able to post any text to this here blog, let alone photos. I'm workin' on it, but meanwhile here's what I tried posting 4 days ago & have been trying to post ever since. -m]…
1.April, a new weather forecast warns of strong trade winds building along the end of our route in to Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Winds to blow to mid-to-high 20kts. w/ 6'-8' seas on a 6-sec. period on Mon., 4/4, our expected day of arrival. Our 1300Z position today, 2.April = 18deg.02'N/083deg.33'W. E winds 8-12, seas ENE…
1300Z position = 16deg.27'N/081deg.46'W. Winds SE 8-12, E swell ~5' @ ~7 sec. Bar is 1012, skies = 50% PC, 83F in cabin. Course = 300T, speed over ground = 5kt. With these light winds & relatively fllat seas we're sailing wing-&-wing. Wow – at least for today, it's a classic Caribbean Cruise. Finally persuaded…
Left Panama @ 1600 on 3/28.Good sailing winds of 10-20 kt. NE but w/ rolly beam seas to 6'-8' 3/29 gave us a couple boarding waves into cockpit. Now easing to 6' or less. Our 3/30 0800 position = 12 deg. 40'N/081 deg. 00'W. 1014mb, winds NNE 035, 12-15kt., sea 1.5m-2m @ 6sec. Course =350T,…
No satellite connection thus no trip report for a while. Waited out approx. 8 days of enhanced trades w/ strong breeze to high-20s/low 30s when daily squalls passed over. Had a few days of sun & calm water when the snorkeling was excellent. Very crowded everywhere, about 200 boats just in the western San Blas.…
3/12: after consulting Total Yacht Works/Mazatlan & Nigel Calder's manual, GB lowered the raw water intake on engine thru-hull by about 2". Cutting hoses was involved. No leaks, no apparent prob's tho we'll know more once we're beating to windward & heeled over. 3/13: left Chichime, 12 mi. later anchored next to s/v CYNOSURE at…
Yesterday, 3/11 was 1st sunny day on Dark Side (Caribbean). Arrived at Chichime Is., 09deg.35'N/78deg.53'W. All San Blas anchorages have far more boats than we were used to on the Pacific side but snorkeling visibility=great. No big fish seen, just 1 spotted eagle ray but the usual small reef fish are here in brand-new species,…
Yesterday, 3/10, 0720: sailed close-hauled 45 mi., from Isla Linton in NE winds 8-15, but very lumpy NE swells 4'-7' at 5 sec. Bounced in to Isla Porvenir, San Blas/Kuna Yala @ 1700. Today, 3/11 = check in w/ officials, make general inquiries, then explore other anchorages. Skies are partly-clear, morning breeze = NE 10.…
3/9: This morning at 0700 we saw calm seas and light breeze in Portobello Bay, despite the forecast for area winds getting into the high teens/low 20s – which for exiting Portobello and heading north and then east means steep, choppy seas and not much fun. So, we took advantage of the flattitude and promptly…