After we recover from our night of being Lusty-d we spent our days relaxing and enjoying the hot days. Making plans to begin our trek south and meet up with our summer crew in Santa Rosalia for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. As the boats begin to head south on their own schedule bouncing from anchorage to anchorage we hang back waiting for the wind we need to make it to the next place. Boy it will be nice when the engine will be fixed.
The crew on Lusty had left shortly after our taste bud extravaganza but returned a few days later for one more stop before they began heading south. They woke us up one morning with the offer to take their boat over to the Bahia De Los Angeles Village for some Queso Birria Taco and some last minute provisions. We could not refuse the offer so we locked up Hiraya and off we went on a zoom zoom boat and enjoyed a visit in town. We stopped by the Birria taco lady who is only open on Sundays. We enjoy her delicious food and warm smile. Happiness spreads from deep inside her soul and you can’t help but feel loved.
We return back to Hiraya with full bellies and Hug Karen and Max goodbye. They head south and we have our fingers crossed that they save us a slip in Santa Rosalia. The news has spread of the planned party but also that the City will be having their City Celebration. What we hear is something we shouldn’t miss. The excitement builds.
As the wind cycles through we pick our windows to day hop south. Some times we are alone other times we have friends. We land at Isla Partida. Sailing onto our anchor right behind Jackdaw! Jon and Meredith have become good friends. We have shared a few anchorages together, sat through hurricane Kay, and even saved Jon one day when he was floating aimlessly in his dinghy because the motor wouldn’t start. We spent time on Pescador playing cards by flash light, snorkeled, and paddle boarded mornings away. We are sad that soon our paths will split and they will be heading to Panama as we head to the South Pacific.
As we spend a few days fishing, hiking, and lazing about we find another window and hop down and across to San Fransiquito. This will be our jumping off spot for our over night trip to Santa Rosalia where we will meet up. The crews on Jackdaw, Anna Maria, and a few new boats sit in the bay. We arrive after everyone else of course because the wind predicted didn’t show up, and then it did as we approached the bay. A very strong westerly was blowing off shore into the bay. 30 plus knots blowing hard at our nose. We tack, tack, tack up to our spot. A few times we weren’t able to complete a tack where the nose (bow) crossed through the wind. We were forced to jibe, where the stern (back) of Hiraya crossed through the wind. We were out there pointing one way, then the other way, and sometimes spinning in a circle. Boats radioed and cheered us on. Must have been a hilarious sight. It was most frustrating to us. After 8 maneuvers we finally made it to an acceptable spot, Sam let the anchor drop and I dropped the sail a second later. Hoping I gave enough time for the anchor to reach the sea floor and we wouldn’t loose too much ground. The anchor grabbed hold of the sand and we dug in.
We sat there that night sleeping fairly well with the wind howling. At some point however the wind died we turned sideways and that dreaded swell came in. Rocking us from gunnel to gunnel we rocked and rocked and rocked. Looking out at the other boats they too rocked and rolled through the day. The Sea gets very confused when the wind switches direction while the tides and currents are still causing an effect. The waves become treacherous and down right dangerous. Also with the wind blowing from the south it is putting us on a lea shore. Meaning if we loose the anchor holding the wind would push us on to the shore. So we wait. Everyone waits. For the winds to pick up or calm and the waves to become organize. We have about 24 hours before the predicted pattern works it’s self out. Those with motors make it until the wee hours of the morning but we have to endure. We watch as they fire up their motors, reef their sails, motor up to their anchors and out of the bay. They are in for a “sleigh ride” to Santa Rosalia but it will be far more comfortable for them then it will be for us in the bay.
We wait and wait doing nothing but holding on and rock from side to side. The boat creaks and moans and the dishes clank, the block knock, and we grit our teeth and try to laugh through the uncomfortable rolly anchorage. around 10 am it seemed something changed. The rocking was subsiding a bit. Looking out we could see that we were lining up with the swell better. Meaning the wind was starting to change and fill in. We prepared our selves gathering our life jackets and clipped in. In a few minutes, more like an hour or so the wind filled in from the west. Pushed us off the shore and we hauled that anchor up so fast and out we went. Fast. We tried to choose the most comfortable angle to sail with the swell to get us out of the channel. We sailed on a little anxious about how abruptly we left and realizing that we will most likely arrive in Santa Rosalia in the dark we soon relaxed just happy to be free of the rolling and rocking pendulum of awkwardness.
The rowdy sail down calmed through the day and we arrived in Santa Rosalia in the day light. Some times things just work out. We arrive to find that all the slips were taken but they allowed us to tie up to the fuel dock where we didn’t need water and power hook ups. We are also small so we take up little space. The anchorage is as full as we had ever seen it. Friends begin noticing we have arrived and we begin making plans for the party.
This will be epic!