Danny came down and we went out on a trip together with Aquila. We started in La Cruz, in the marina, and it was VERY HOT and so we quickly tried to get the boat ready to go and depart, which involved running all the lines and cleaning the bottom (which danny hired a local diver to do) and then we got moving. Once clear of the breakwater, it became a lot cooler (with the wind able to blow through the boat) and we had to test the boat out to see what she could do. There was a few thunderstorms and also a Tropical Storm (dolores) which passed nearby, so we stayed in Bandaras Bay for the first week to get familiar with the boat. So we went to Punta Mita, to Yelapa, and back to La Cruz to hide from Dolores. As the storm passed us by, we pulled up the anchor and took off using the remaining winds to help us go north to Isla Isabel.
It was a pretty quick trip, about 13 hours, which is the fastest I've ever done that trip by a long shot. I think in Altair I did it in 24 hours a few times and in 20 was the best, maybe. The water was blue and clear and warm, we fished (but didn't catch) and dropped the skiff to do some filming and picture time while sailing along. All very nice.
When we arrived, the water was really warm and fairly clear, but not the best I've ever had it, and we settled down for the night. The next day we got up super early to look around before the heat of the day and went looking for birds.
One species we found that I didn't know nested there was the Brown Noddy. These look a lot like a tern or a gull, but longer tails, and brown. They are cute and were nesting on the rocks off the main island. I'd seen them a few times before out in deep water but they don't appear in the bird books for the west coast, only for the Caribbean. So Pretty neat birds.
We also saw some Sooty Terns, and I'd seen these before once 6 years ago, so that was pretty cool. There were a few nesting.
This is what the chick looks like:
The babies are just sitting on open rocks and some sand, no grass or softening is added. Pretty rough life to start with. I also found another baby that I think is a different kind, but I'm not sure. There were some baby Heerman's gulls around but they were older than this one, but I think this is a gull chick.
Also, there was a wave! The south swell wrapped around the corner and made a dumpy reef break that broke on super shallow rocks and I tried it out. The biggest set waves were about head high and pretty powerful, but I didn't tempt them too much. It was fun!
Then we headed over to Maria Cleofas, which is an island in the Tres Marias chain. I'd never been there before, so I was excited about it. On the way we found a bunch of spinner dolphins (and I jumped in with them for a bit) and also some Orcas!
Here's an ID shot of the orcas. I've heard that there is one group that lives in the sea of cortez and mainland mexico, just pacing back and forth here. This must be the pod. They were busy, so we left them in peace to cruise onward.
When we got in I found another boat already anchored, and I had heard about a wave there that is a big great wave, called Hammerheads. We navigated the outer reefs and found our way into the spot where the other boat was anchored and saw this:
I went and surfed it, and there were a few HUGE outside sets, and I caught one or two of them, and they are the scariest waves I've ever been on, I think. My fins were singing and I was going very very fast. When I got in the water I talked to the guys on the other boat and they were taking a break, so I had it to myself for a while, but once I got tired and came back to my boat, they went for a few waves and this picture is probably about the size of the bigger ones I caught:
The next day it was shaping to be awesome, with smaller waves and I was eager to surf the waves with less terror, but after catching two waves the Mexican Navy came around the corner and kicked us out of there.
Its a reserve, so we aren't allowed to be there, so we headed back to Bandaras Bay and surfed the last few days of Danny's time in the bay. Now I have a week more before I have to go back to Alaska, so I'll surf some more and dodge the Hurricane that is forming out and south of here.
