Passage Acapulco to Huatulco part 4 ( Pureta Angel to Huatulco)
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sun 28 Mar 2010 03:11
Passage length 235 NM
Distance to go:0 nM
Location: (15:44.5N 96:07.0W)
Speed: Huatulco marina
The night was quite rolly as the current often put as odds with the swell,
even with the "flopper stopper" out, and sure enough the family did not like
it too much, but we all did get some good rest. We woke to the pangas around
us racing out of the bay as dawn broke adding to the rolly ness and waking
me out my deep sleep. When I walked on deck we had "Wunderlust" to port, and
"Telcon"(which we had past 2 days before 20 miles out of Acapulco were off
our bow more in the center of the bay, I can only assume they arrived in the
early hours of the morning. As I looked around a new boat was coming in a a
small double ender they dropped anchor next us, and we chatted as they had 3
kids on board, they had left Acapulco 3 nights before, eg a day before us,
and had pulled into Escondido yesterday to find it way to rolly and spent
last night coming around, the husband had not slept for 3 nights and was
exhausted. They have cruised a lot in the Caribbean and cannot get over the
rolly ness of this coast, like us, and so many around us we have all found
this trip down the coast quite tiring due to the rolly anchorages, effecting
peoples sleep and therefore their enjoyment.
Certainly Tracy has started investigating Australia, and south pacific
asking people who have cruised there and generally it is accepted as much
better cruising, more the picture of cruising you get from "Jimmy Buffet"
the relaxation. But this is apart of the experience and the adventure.
Central America provides a different culture and new experience and if we
combine this with a 2 month trip to South America, we can gain our
travelling experience of Americas as a whole after spending the last 10
years doing north America, and now central, and South America.
I am writing this as we 15 miles form Pureta Angel which was a nice bay, and
town with 2 good beachs and a lot of activity for a Saturday morning, but we
decided with "Wonderlust" to leave and make the 25 mile run to Huatulco so
we can plan and rest and explore after a week travelling. Getting the boys
on their bikes and off around town would be nice, and getting the boat into
living not passage mode. As expected the wind is lite this morning 8 knots
at 120 degrees off our stern, but with a 2 + knot current against us which
is slowing us down to speed over ground of 4.3 knots. But it is sunny,
caught one fish, seas are not bad.
We have had a lot of dolphins the small ones today, we had Alex at nearly 2
on the bow watching and pointing them out for 1/2 hour as they swam/ surfed
just beneath him on the bow wave. Then we had another large whale go past
going north again 20 feet away and it was basically the same size as the
boat. We all seem to be on a mission to get to a location, aware of each
other but not worried.
One of the challengers Tracy coming to terms with is the long hops we doing,
and putting these in context, like the passage form Acapulco to Huatulco is
235 Nautical miles, this is just under 2 Newport to Ensenada races, or twice
the distance from Sydney to Batemans bay which surprises her, as we are
handling them well and certainly in Australia we would not do that run non
stop.
The coast we off now is made up of lots of smaller beaches and rock
headlands, and looks very interesting to canoe etc. The sand is a yellow
deserted beach sand with forest behind it, it looks like an ideal day
sailing crusing ground, and from what we reading they developing it as such.
In many ways I could be off the north coast of Kenya with the small bays and
beaches and the semi dry/ jungle behind, key part of this coast is the tall
cliffs and jagged headlands which will then fold away to a sandy beach.
There is sparse development but you can see a new road going in following
the coast (maybe in) with spotted developments with the white Spanish type
apartment/ hotels growing, they are trying to develop this coast in an Eco
torism way, we will see when we land. A nice part is we are seeing
traditional light houses the white tall tower with the light dome at the
top, we had one at Angel which we came around last night, and now Sean and I
have seen another 2 down this run today. I can see a tour panga with
passengers and cover between us and the coast on the other side I have a
shrimp fishing boat heading north, we have past a couple of luxury private
yachts some anchored and others travelling north. I was just interrupted due
to catching 2 more fish Bonito again, so on this passage we have caught 10
fish, I have kept one for dinner tonight, but the fishing rigs are working
just need to get Mahi / Mahi, but suspect El Nino has effect them along this
coast according to the local fishmen.
So today has been a easy start today with a leisurely breakfast before we
lifted the anchor the family played in the on board blow up pool as we
gentle sail down the coast, they have now gone down for an afternoon sleep,
ready to run around when we get to the other end.
Seas are small swell, wind dropping to less than 5 knots off our stern, heat
has come up, in the day it is too hot to walk on the decks without foot
ware, I am looking forward to a swim when we land, suspect we will need to
discover the beach.
We pulled up on slip in a channel next to marina, with no power and water,
which we do not need, but it calm and secure. This marina is under
development but looks to have great potential, there are a number of other
cruisers here waiting for a window which could be next Wednesday we will
need to decide if we go on it. But Monday will be busy fueling and getting
things ready so we can go when needed.
We joined "Wunderlust" and went into town and were most impressed with the
charm, cleanest we went into the main square played in a great square and
had a superb dinner, it was lovely after a couple of days at sea. But the
warmth and culture of the town with a lot more Indian culture was nice and
we all seem to enjoy with green and trees for of singing starlings, and the
open air market under these trees.
It is hot with little wind so it will be interesting how we go tonight, as
it is hottest evening we have yet.
But we are at our last port in Mexico now it is challenge of fueling up
which looks like it will be via jerry jugs and then formal check out which
will be Monday / Tuesday, so we are ready to go.