Returning North
Feb
11
Written by:
2/11/2010 7:38 PM
Finally had a weather window to get out of Barra and we planned to do an overnight all the way to La Cruz. Shortly after leaving we noticed we were starting to overheat. Since the seas were kind of lumpy bumpy, we decided we had better pull into Tenacatita to change the water pump.
We stayed the night and headed off again in the morning. This time, we got as far a Chamela, once again lumpy seas, and the water pump wasn’t the problem, we are still overheating. Problem appears to be a plugged mixer elbow, but too difficult to work on it at anchor while we are rolling in the swells. Tried to soften some of the crud with a vinegar bath, seemed to be a little better. Not much else we can do until we are tied up, so we will leave just after dark in order to cross Cabo Corrientes during the morning hours when the winds are generally lighter.
The wind was in fact lighter, but we had to dodge several storm clouds that kept appearing on the radar. 
We did make it to port without running into a rain squall.
Unfortunately seas were lumpy the whole way, and of course the wind was in the wrong direction, so it made for a very long, slow crossing since we couldn’t power up without risking overheating. It wasn’t until we turned the corner into Banderas Bay that we finally had wind in the right direction, we were booting along with a reefed main and staysail going 7.5 knots, our theoretical hull speed.
Just when it was time to take the sails down to prepare for entering the marina, a whale breached right in front of us, not once, but three times, he was so close, he had me hollering at Don to “Stop”… as if that could happen under full sail. The whales radar works pretty well, he got out of our way every time. We were also treated to a little show by a dolphin, jumping right out of the water and twirling back down again. Quite exciting !!
I am most definitely looking forwarding to being tied up at a dock for a while…we have been at anchor for the last 7 weeks, and I know I will really appreciate a long hot shower !!!