Island Time

With the crossing completed, all of our schedule worries were behind us.  We were a day’s sail from La Paz and our marina reservation was two weeks away.  It was finally island time.  We had intended to visit the islands near La Paz on our first visit back in November but had to cut our stay short when a steady stream of northers started blowing through the area.  Now was our chance to see what we missed. 

Enjoying some "Island Time"

Early Sunday morning, March 31, Interabang, Pura Vida and Seychelles left Los Muertos and caught the flood current north to Playa Bonanza on the eastern side of Isla Espiritu Santo.  That night we all enjoyed dinner aboard Seychelles.

It was a bit windy the following morning, but Trisha and I decided to round the northern end of Isla Partida and head for an anchorage on the west side.  When we were a couple of miles out, we got on the radio and provided the other boats with a weather report.  The wind was twelve knots from the north with three to five foot seas.  Based on our report, the others decided to spend another night at anchor in Bonanza.  We continued north.  The next three hours of motor-sailing were progressively more and more grueling.  The wind continued to build and, at times, the waves were an easily eight feet.  We made it safely, but it was in no way fun.  The only good part of the day was when could finally make the hard left turn and start racing down the west side of the island to shelter.

At anchor - Ensenada Grande, Isla Partida

With the wind behind us, it was a fast three miles to the Ensenada Grande anchorage.  This large anchorage has three separate lobes where boats can anchor.  We dropped the hook beside the wall in the northern lobe.  It was time to have a well-deserved drink and promise ourselves that we will spend more time sailing down wind.  The good news was that the north wind blew hard all night and we were well protected.