Socorro Island

Our position: 18º48 N, 111º02 W

November 2002

Sunday, 10^th

It is now an uncomfortable ride. We are reefed, 2 in main and jib down to storm size. Dinah reads a steady over 11 knots on the GPS.  We decide to bear off a little and pass a little wide of Escollos Alijos to make it easier on us and the autopilot.  At dawn we see the rocks in incredible majesty and lonelyness but for the endless company of the seabirds.

Thursday, 14^th

Rough seas, and getting rougher. Much rougher! Wind has gone from a heavy air run with 16 ft. seas from some north Pacific storm, to quickly going to the east with new giant square waves.  Now we are motor-beating into tropical storm sixteen E, but luckily for us only 4 1/2 hours from the lee of Socorro.  Of course, these things only happen at night and during heavy rains so near dawn, we here this loud slapping on the hull as if we are being beaten by something huge!  It turns out the very rough seas have freed our rubber rub-rail out of its track!  Since its still attached at the very ends aft on the boat, I just stretch it around a winch base!  You know its rough when.....  Arrive at Socorro Island rather beaten up having been awake all night. Amazingly find a perfect anchorage in a bay on the west coast. We are accompanied by large dolphins. The boat is wet inside and out, but start the big clean up and catch up on some sleep.

Friday 15^th 

More drying out and cleaning up, washing day as well. Something’s wrong. I THOUGHT CRUISING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!!!

We are having problems charging the batteries with the generator, in fact it won't charge them so we will have to use the main engine.  It will make water though!

It is warm and windy, the fish around the boat are rainbow colours and there are green sea turtles mating in the bay!!

Monday 18^th

Take a day off and go snorkeling off the beach, then for a hike up the hills overlooking our bay. We discover another magical bay not on the chart on the other side of the beach. It cannot be seen from our anchorage as the little sandy beach rises slowly, but it proves to be just a narrow stretch of sand and scrub, and opens onto a beautiful calm bay with a crescent shaped beach at the far end, with one palm tree!! We swam over coral in shallow water to reach the beach and take photos.  The reef fish were outstanding.

Wednesday, 20^th

Finally the storms have died down and we can leave. Dolphins make their appearance again to see us off, and we slowly make our way down the coast, gunkholing to see all the little bays. The water is remarkably clear, we can see the bottom in 80 feet!!

We put out to sea in light breeze, then suddenly hear the sound of an engine. It is the Mexican Coast Guard checking us out in their old WW2 reconnaissance prop plane, with a new paint job!

Leaving Socorro, Dave enjoying his beer (Mexican of course!)