Lowell and I started our day at 5:00am filling up the gas tanks and were underway by 5:23am. Oddly, specific. Calm winds and just a small following swell made for a good start to our last long passage to Santa Rosalia (78 miles). Lowell called it as we approached the Punta San Juan Batista we could see whitecaps. Out came the sails and shortly after we were speeding along, Actually maybe a bit too much which resulted in the need to reef the sails. I made the mistake of not following what I thought was the reef line its entire length and the result was a very, very lucky light bonk on the head when I released the topping lift (it was on the winch so it only dropped a few inches). Stupid of me but I was very lucky. We got the reef in and the winds built to 27.3 knots and we had a peak speed of 11.1 knots. There is a channel that funnels wind from the pacific when the sea is calm. This venturi effect gave us a few hours of great sailing and a bunch of miles under the keel. Sadly, the engines had to return for the last third of the passage.
Once on the dock we straightened things up and then it was time for a much needed shower. Rick and Lowell are good friends with the owners of a great rib and steak place in town (Tonka’s) so that was the game plan for dinner. Famished we hit the pavement and enjoyed exercise. They guys weren’t working but a call brought them in to catch up on the last three years since Gato Loco was here (thanks Covid). Nicest, friendliest guys you could meet. We hung out drinking margaritas and sipping tequila way past cruisers midnight.
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