Viking II: San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico (Sea of Cortez)

I set out from Puerto Escondido at dawn this morning with the idea of spending a day in Loreto. Puerto Escondido is twelve miles from Loreto; why take a bus when you can drive a boat ... answer ... there is no where to park a boat. I read Captain Rains description of the panga breakwater “only for pangas” and thought, well, I don't have to follow those rules. As I approached Loreto, the depth kept decreasing. At the panga breakwater, the depth was eleven feet (we know that Viking II grounds at 5.6; who says old dogs can't learn new tricks). Then I looked into the breakwater; there were over fifty pangas and only enough room to turn one of them around. I backed out and set Lowrance for a run up the coast to the north. As we approached Isla ............. I was concerned about the water depth. Approaching, I could see the wind driven breakers on the other side. I decided to follow the deep water to the east of the island.

I arrived at San Juanico early afternoon. Good thing, since my GPS trail showed me running right through one of the several islands. I picked a spot near the guide books rock and set an anchor in 17.4 feet of water; the rest of the afternoon, I watched the wind blow and the tide drop to ~15.
1530 is dinner time. Start the generator so that the microwave does not pull down the inverter too much. Mmmmmm red kidney beans, white wine, and Bonnie Raite on the stereo. I am a little cautious still about what I am eating since Montezuma took his revenge a few days ago.

Sunset is my favorite time (maybe it is the wine); the view is spectacular; the colors are muted; the birds are diving for their last meal of the day. The fish behind me are coming up to look at the bright computer screen. So it occurs to me that with the wind howling and a lot of tension on the anchor chain, who is going to drive the boat while I lift the anchor? I could be permanently anchored here forever.... At about midnight the wind stopped; I pulled up anchor and headed north.

Erik, Viking II