Cyn and I waited three days for the waning quarter moon and its more moderate tides to leave Puerto Don Juan. In nearly flat calm conditions we made it out of the anchorage with our dinghy lashed to Solera's stern quarter for power. It doesn't seem possible but the little four horse Yamaha outboard pushed the eighteen thousand pound Columbia 40 at three knots. In about two hours we were well into the Canal de las Ballenas (Channel of the Whales) and away from land. We stowed the dinghy on board and began trying to sail South in the almost nonexistent wind.
Our first day was the most challenging. We constantly chased catspaws and puffs of wind in hopes of progress. With the still significant currents pushing us around, we needed to stay well clear of the islands and points of land that were in the vicinity. Frequent tacking and jibing was the order of the day. To make this easier I removed the inner forestay and converted Solera from a cutter to a sloop. After twenty four hours of sailing we had only progressed three miles toward our destination one hundred and seventy two miles away!
Cyn and I resigned ourselves to the fact that the forces of nature were going to determine our progress. We had ample stores on board so food and water were not an issue and Solera's solar panels kept the batteries well charged. We had plenty of gas for the dinghy (thanks to Pochteca!) but wanted to save as much as possible in case of trouble. All we had to do was stay clear of land and all would be OK. As we progressed South through the Canal Salsipuedes the sea opened up and our worries diminished.
This was by far our longest passage yet both in time and distance. One big issue was that Morgan is not really trained to do her business on board. Usually she gets to shore in the morning and in the evening and does just fine with that. It was not easy for her but she finally let go on an old rubber floor mat we carried along just for this purpose.
We had commented several times during the sail North that the sea seemed almost sterile. Gone were the great schools of fish, dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions and sea birds we were used to seeing. Well, as we progressed South the opposite was the case. At every turn we seemed to be surrounded by sea life. Maybe because we were traveling with the rhythm of the sea, I don't know. The most impressive display took place on our third night out. Solera was becalmed about five miles off Punta San Fransisquito on a very dark moonless evening. We were in an area where the tides draw nutrients up from the depths. By shining my flashlight over the side I could see that the sea was like a thick plankton soup. Soon we began to hear whales spouting and the feeding activity began. Based on what we had seen earlier in the day, I would guess there were as many as thirty Finback, Grey, and Humpback whales in the vicinity of Solera all night that night. In the darkness we could not see any of them but the spouting off was almost constant. I could even begin to tell the whales apart by the sound of their breathing. One of the largest species had an exhale that ended with a long low resonance, almost like the lowest note on an accordion or harmonica. The whales were either not concerned or not aware that Solera was there. One spouted within just a few feet of us! The loud rush of air put a chill through Cyn and I.
The next morning the wind picked up and we were off across open sea with about eighty miles to go. The NW wind was coming over the transom so I piled on the sails. The cutter stay was back on so Solera headed downwind with the mainsail to port and genoa and staysail to starboard. What a beautiful sight, three big full sails wing on wing pulling Solera at six knots. As the day progressed, the wind freshened to the point that the only sail left up was the stay'sl.
As we sailed North of San Pedro Island we noticed a commotion of sea birds and dolphin on our starboard side. It was just like a scene out of the Planet Earth series. A bait ball was being attacked by sea and air. The onslaught lasted about thirty minutes ending with the dispersion of the attackers. I assume the bait fish were pretty much annihilated.
We made radio contact with our new friends on SV Pochteca and found that they expected to arrive in Algodones Bay just North of San Carlos that afternoon. I hoped to arrive at a reasonable hour later that evening. No such luck. Our nice late night breeze died about two miles from the anchorage and left us drifting at three in the morning. So, we ended our four day passage the same way it began, with our little four horse Yamaha outboard pushing us along.
