This post is 11 days old as we have been out of WiFi for a while. It is now Dec 30th and tomorrow is New Years Eve. It is hard to believe that I was at this anchorage in Isle Isabela only 11 days ago. Time flies and actually becomes a real blur. If I did not do these blogs, I am not sure I would remember our trip so well. The Blue footed boobies were very special and unique.
Sailing to Isle Isabel, Mexico
On Dec 19, 2017 we left Marina Fonatur in Mazatlán with a well running engine and improved Malo. We were more than ready to be back on the water and so was Malo.
We left 7:30 am and here are a few pictures showing the exit out. We left just prior to a high tide, and in the morning with hopes that the swells at the beginning of the harbor would be relatively small. (Apparently this can be a tricky entrance at times.) We just met a tired, fellow cruiser who hit bottom coming in a few days ago. He had to have his boat hauled out to fix the repairs.) It really makes me appreciate how wise and conservative Captain Dan is when entering or exiting harbors. If in doubt, stay out, and certainly do not enter an unknown harbor at night.
The harbor entrance needs to be dredged out so deep keeled boats like ours can make it in. Here is what the dredge in this Mazatlán harbor looks like.
We were surprised to find the swells fairly large as we left. We motored about one hour before the winds picked up enough for us to open the jib. We never opened the main sail. Malo does very well when sailing downwind with just a jib. She also seems to be very well balanced.
This passage to Isle Isabel was about 100nm from Mazatlán. We really did not want to arrive prior to daylight and preferred to enter 9 or 10am. As we got closer to our destination, we made the jib really small and added on some tacks (zig zags) so we would arrive at 9am. The reason for this, is the sun needs to be high enough in the sky to allow us to see in the water below to find the sandy spots to drop an anchor. These were suggestions we learned from our friend Mike on Sunshine Lady.
Both Dan and I were very happy to be sailing again and to be in tees and shorts was amazing. The winds picked up to 15 to 20 knots with a lot of 6-8 ft swells with a very short period - about 6 seconds. This made for pretty difficult conditions to do anything in the galley, and helming required a good deal of concentration. We were moving along at a steady 6 knots for most of the day and night.
Nighttime sailing is still difficult for me. I was glad our itinerary would require just one overnight sail (for awhile). Even though the stars were bright and I helmed a lot it was still a long night. I sang songs and I listened to music as well as a Spanish Living Language audio recording on my iPhone. I only use one earbud however, so I can still hear what is happening with the sails and the boat. Dan and I did our usual exchange of night watches however I had difficulty falling asleep when it was my turn to rest. The swells and rocking conditions made it challenging for me to sleep - on this trip anyway.
It is always a delight to be on the water when the sun rises and it signifies the end of a long night shift.
We are approaching Isle Isabel
The following information is a quote taken from one of best cruising guides on The Sea of Cortez and Pacific Mexico by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer.
“Isla Isabel is an isolated volcanic Island lying approximately 18 miles off the mainland coast and 40 miles northwest of San Blas. This very unique island has been nicknamed the “Galapagos of Mexico,” due to its enormous number of nesting birds and resident iguanas. Like the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador, the Isla Isabel is isolated in the Pacific Ocean and relatively free of natural predators. As a result many birds on the island, including blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds, allow visitors to approach without fear of being harmed. In 1981, Isla Isabel was given national park status (Parque Nacional Isla Isabel), and in 2003 was deemed a World Heritage Site, resulting in protection on a national and international level.”
This is Isle Mona Mayor & Minor - two amazing rock outcrops on this island.
There were many, many birds flying everywhere. It is probably a bird lovers dream.
We paddled our SUP boards to shore and it was a pretty wild ride. There was a pretty strong current and pretty choppy seas. We did not have far to go and the surf shore break looked manageable. We both got there safely and only wiped out on the return trip back to the boat.
Once on the island we saw many, many blue-footed boobies hanging out in the grasses, the sand and under the small trees. Some were laying on eggs, others were standing near protecting eggs, and some did a dance with their blue webbed feet as their beaks went up and down. It was amazing and they were everywhere. They did not seem afraid of us, but were protective of their space. We just took a few photos and tried not to intrude too much. Above us soared the frigate birds by the hundreds. Here are the pictures:
Blue-footed boobies protecting their eggs.
Blue-footed boobies in the woods.
I am not sure what type of bird this is, but it is large and fearless.
Dan and I walked around on what we thought were trails but they soon disappeared. The Cruising Guide Book mentioned some trails but we did not really find them. There is another anchorage that people go to at the southern end of the island. We were happy to see what we saw.
To top it off, there were these large iguanas soaking up the sun!
Dan loves to take pictures and he was in his glory.
Malo's Anchorage off in the distance at Isle Isabel.
Dan and I both enjoyed getting some photos of this spectacular place. As soon as we got back to the boat, we each got busy editing our photos. This really was a spectacular place and worthy of being and remaining a World Heritage Site.
