My eldest brother Jeremy came down for a week, and we sailed around on Aquila. We had previously thought about going out to a remote island 350 miles west, but the timing would have been tight and the weather was not cooperating. Yesterday I spoke with a sailor who was further west and he said he had lots of lightning storms with multiple bolts per second intensity, which I would not have wanted to be out in. Since there was forecast for a lot of rain and thunderstorms, the wind would have been lighter, and we may not have been able to make it to the island and back in time. So instead we went to a couple other islands. The first one is a really cool island and we found a surf wave at it. A different wave than I have found in the past there, but a beautiful sandy beach with a break that is kind of a beach break and reef as well. I got some surfing in and Jeremy filmed a bit, so here's a video of one of the waves.
Then we set off for Isla Isabel, and when we first pulled up the anchor, the winds were 30 kts, so I got to fly my new staysail and two reefs, before slowly easing everything out to full sails as the wind came down.
Isla Isabel is always great, and I saw a few friends from long ago there. A tour operator, Damien, who is from San Blas, has been taking people out there for at least 10 years, and I met him long ago, so it was good to see him again. Then one of his guests recognized me as well, from maybe 6 years ago. That was nice too. We snorkeled around and found some neat birds. Here is a frigate bird with the inflated pouch (its a male).
And a Red-Billed Tropic Bird sitting on a nest in a cave.
Jeremy getting close views of a frigate
And of course the Blue-Footed Boobies, dancing their mating dance. I like to go up to this spot for sunset.
The thunderstorms were to the west, making for a beautiful sunset.
