Wednesday, May 20, 2015

May 20, Isla San Marcos

Typical Baja Sunrise

Today has been a VERY easy going day with not a whole lot going on.  Tallen has had a very sore throat for several days now and it seems to be getting worse.  I have had him gargeling with salt water and taking throat lozengers as well as some Throat Cote hot tea but it doesn't seem to be making much difference.  I emailed Marne's mom Catherine, who is a nurse, and asked about antibiotics and so we have started him on some Cipro and I am hoping that it will start to make a difference soon.  I feel bad for him.

Around 10am he thought it would be good to get some fresh air so we took a dinghy ride around to the north side of the island.  I am not sure why but the water is very green and murky right now as well as a little chilly, around 65 degrees.  If the water held it's normal clarity the north end of this island would have absolutely amazing diving, both free diving and SCUBA.  SCUBA would be off the charts as the waters are littered with large vertical volcanic rock pinnacles that almost reach the surface and go down at least 40-60' with outcroppings and overhangs which would make it an underwater paradise.  As it is today, the visibility is less than 15' so we just drove on by wondering what amazing landscapes lie below the surface.  

On the way back we stopped at the ol' Honey Hole and took a spin through.  Upon entering the cave I saw my large moray eel friend wandering about near the entrance but he payed me no attention so I swam on by and went inside.  I saw several bugs, maybe 10 or 11, but they were all smaller ones so I let them be.  It looks like I must have harvested most of the larger ones over the last couple of days.  I am very curious to know the growth, birth and mortality rate of lobsters.  How long does it take for them to grow to a certain size?  Something I will have to Google when I get home.

This afternoon found Tallen napping and me reading along with slowly putting things away and securing the boat for the possible passage tomorrow.  Winds are supposed to be 9-14 knots out of the southeast tomorrow and if that is true it should make for a good passage.  If the winds are too strong, which make for uncomfortable seas, or coming too much on the nose I will probably turn around and go another day.  The passage should not be long as it is only about 75 miles which should take between 12 to 16 hours depending on our speed.  I want to tackle as much of it as I can in daylight so the plan is to leave between 3-4am having only a few hours of darkness before spending the rest of the day getting across.  We are not sure if we are going to go directly to San Carlos or up to Bahia San Pedro for a day or two.  That decision will come once we see which way the winds are blowing.  Our haulout day is May 25 at 4pm so we have a few days to play with.

This afternoon while Tallen was napping I went up top to arrange a few things.  While I was up there I heard a very loud blow hole spew and looked out the the west to see a huge whale just 75 yards from the boat.  I rudely awoke Tallen, grabbed the GoPro and headed out in the dinghy.  There were actually two of them and they were casually making their way through the anchorage and going north.  At one point one surfaced no more than 15' beside the dinghy exposing his massiveness.  Easily 40' long but gracefully moving through the water.  I don't know what kind of whale it was but it was very dark, almost black and very big.  We saw them 3 or 4 more times then lost track of them as they traveled long distances between breaths.  As we were heading back to the boat we saw one of them surface again about a half mile out.  It was shaping up to be a very ordinary day until the unordinary happened. Which is more ordinary than not. That is the unordinary happening just when you think its only ordinary.  Are you confused?  I think I am. lol.  

Long story short, I am constantly left in awe at the raw beauty of the Sea of Cortez.  I am always grateful for the life here on the sea and even though my circumstances may be somewhat unique or outside of the norm, wonders abound wherever you are. Put your cell phone down, turn off the TV and get off the couch.  It is out there waiting for you to be part of it.  Get some.

Bret and Tallen
SV Liahona

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