Isla Isabela

November 14, 2007-11-19

We finally tired of the bustle of Cabo San Lucas so departed the anchorage last night just after midnight, in order to arrive at our next stop, Isla Isabela, mid-day on the 15th (after a 37 hour passage). It is always best to enter a new harbor in the daylight, and preferably with the sun high in the sky. This we did, and so set out anchors (bow and stern) on the volcanic rock seabed that is the most protected anchorage at Isabela.


November 19, 2007

We’ve been at Isla Isabela for four days now and will stay for several more. Isabela is a marine and bird sanctuary managed by the Mexican government. It was cleaned up several years ago after many years of neglect. It is beautiful, rough, isolated (45 miles from San Blas on the mainland), and home to Boobies of several varieties, Frigate birds, and Iguanas. It also has a transient population of Mexican fishermen who go out several times a day in pangas (small boats) to tend their long lines. We bought several red snapper from one panga yesterday (our fishing success is terrible) which we barbequed for last nights dinner party. Our guests were the crew of Capricorn Cat: Wayne, Carol, Christian, and Mary, who are anchored nearby.


November 21

Bread is baking today on Snow Goose. Another hike today. Same birds…..

November 22

Thanksgiving Day

Dinner today was aboard Capricorn Cat with Wayne, Carol, and Mary. The crews of 3 other boats joined us: Endless Summer, La Sirena, Eupsychia, and Solstice. Everyone brought something. We brought fresh baked bread, wine and yams. The “turkey” was a nice Dorado that Wayne traded for with the “pangueros” (local commercial fishermen).

November 24

Finally sated with the natural beauty of Isla Isabela, we motored 45 miles today to Mantanchen Bay, Nayarit, Mexico. It’s on the mainland north of Puerto Vallarta. On the way we caught our first “keeper”, a nice Dorado which we will BBQ one of these nights. After anchoring, we took a long dinghy ride into San Blas for a quick look around the “real” Mexican town. No touristas other than ourselves. There’s an internet café for us to visit tomorrow.
San Blas is our first taste of tropical Mexico: Palm trees, mountains, warm breezes and occasional rain. Showers last night left a couple inches of fresh water in the dinghy and nicely rinsed Snow Gooses’ topsides (and everything we left drying on the lifelines).

November 27

Sailed from San Blas to Chacala today: a 4 hour spinnaker reach in perfect conditions. San Bals was near paradise. Chacala IS paradise. Photos later...I got sand in my camera.

November 28

We had planned to stay here only one or two nights. That will not be enough time.