Mag Bay!
We had a great run down from Turtle Bay, a much different experience from 2015. The seas were relatively benevolent, we stayed with the group, fishing was great .. for everyone else! But I was able to have the line in the water a lot, which always makes me happy.
The overnight was good, worked out well with no glitches. Sunsets and sunrises as usual are the best time for being on watch because they are so beautiful!
We had a lot of dolphins playing alongside us day and night. They are small but fast – maybe they think the bulbous bow is one of them and are trying to impress it!
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We came into Mag Bay in a bit of a fog bank, although by the time we got there it had dissipated somewhat. Anchoring was easy, and we then got to work getting the dinghy down. Another first for us – this boat is all about firsts… learning as we go along. As we worked it out, Ken came over on his inflatable. I invited him aboard to help out and provide moral support… we got the dinghy in the water, and the engine started beautifully. Then off we flew, Val with Ken, and Lawrence and I, to see who had the fastest engine!!!!
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Ken won, but it was close. And it was pretty fun – then we took ourselves over to Varnebank and ended up staying for the evening. Their crew and guests put together an absolutely amazing dinner, fresh caught Dorado barbecued to perfection, angel hair pasta and green beans.. and wine. An amazing meal on an amazing boat.
Today was the dinghy tour – a bit like herding cats, 15 dinghys, and two pangas with some of the Cubaristas aboard.. and a fog bank that gave us about 100 yards of visibility …..
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lots of hanging around trying to figure out what we were doing, then all of a sudden off we went… and within five minutes one of the dinghies got lost in the fog. Fortunately the dinghy that was lost had the ability to send out their coordinates, and someone in the group had a chart plotter and could pinpoint where they were, so off he went to round them up. After that we all stayed pretty close until the fog lifted.
The tour was to the mangroves – the trip was delightful, everything was very pretty, but there were certainly not very much wildlife.
The highlight for a lot of people was being able to hang out across from Puerto San Carlos… and talk on their cel phones!!!!!
By the time we were finished, the fog had lifted and everyone kind of scattered to head home.
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Unfortunately we didn’t see a lot of wildlife – one small blue/green and red heron, to be determined when I get my bird book out… ospreys…. many many many pelicans, gulls, and cormorants… but not a lot of anything else. But it was fun, and sunny, and a good way to spend the day.
Back to the boat, a quick shower and clean up, and then it was time to head to shore for dinner on the beach at the restaurant.
We arrived, set our anchor buddy out and our shore anchor, and settled in for a few cervesas and chips and conversations with fellow boaters. The school teacher and children came down to take the supplies the Cubar group had brought to donate to the local schools, which was fun to watch.
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After that it was dinner time – fresh prawn soup and ceviche, followed by real baja fish tacos… totally yummy meal! lots and lots of fun and conversations. And then.. it was dark… and the tide had come in and our beach anchor was about twenty feet in the water and three feet under. Luckily one of the cubaristas had come by kayak and was hanging around talking to us, so he offered to go out and drag the boat in for us! yay! no one had to go swimming!
And of course, the sun goes down and it is dark dark dark. Luckily tonight we left our lights on so finding the good ship Northern Ranger II wasn’t all that hard.
And because everything started so early, when we arrived at the boat after dinner it was all of 630. Tomorrow won’t be an early morning leaving so we are sitting around, reading and writing and having a glass of something cold and yummy that isn’t beer…
and I am dreaming of the fish I am going to catch…
Fishless in Mag Bay but ever hopeful!