There are these Islands

It doesn't get nicer then this .
as we landed on San Jose Island we felt we arrived . we anchored 100 ft off shore and toured the old salt factory. picked up some free sea salt. still working even if no one maintains the ponds.
A couple of rusting pickups and a pieced out D4 cat. Other then the escort off the island from the bees it was a great way to stretch the legs. next the dingy ride through the mangroves Noah on the tiller of the dingy we navigated through the shoals, with everyone having an opinion on which way  to turn .
It was spectacular ride Shane could not help himself and took some side routes, many fish.
We spent some time beach combing in the lagoon
We left refreshed, and later after a 2hr channel crossing we were treated with Kim's favourite anchorage the "Hook" on Isla San Francico. other than the 10 or 12 bother boats it is nice and safe anchorage. In the morning 6 of the boats leave, we beach comb and hike to the other side of the Island. We Fish (with no luck) though Kim landed a small Bonitto up by Los Gottos, I think. we pull into Isla Isolates and take a swim with the Sea lines. With great reservation and only after seeing Noah get in, Shane gets in and swims around. The pups pull our dingy ,play tag and have fun with Shane and Noah.
what a beautiful day. We anchor in My favourite anchorage, Ensanata Grande where our Freindship with Mishak, Whatcha gonna do, and Tina mara was solidified 4 years earlier.
We anchored under the cross in the small bay, close to the cliff and small beach. I was uncomfortable with how close we were to the cliff. Nikita looks up at the cross and says no worrys Pop, we are being looked after.
I just love these Islands
Gypsywind at anchor

Wind... Wind and more Wind

Well I guess it was not ment to be. the car rental and trip to Loretto

it was a rough night, with winds gusting . we all slept with one eye open.

We had a mooring ball, which is normally safe but two days before the net had a warning 

about them not to be trussed. This was obvious because half the ball were missing from our stop over 2 years ago.

 We took one that we may have been on before, it was oversized for large boats, bigger ball, bigger chain and larger concrete block we assume???.

as we finished breakfast,the wind picked up blowing 30 Kts, maybe we should stay with the boat

10 oclock it,s gusting to 38kts. Looking back on shore, one of the other boats on a small ball was on the rocks

people running around trying to get some lines on it, it missed the empty side of the dock by about a 60 ft.

Crap the boat next to us is dragging, into the catamaran just behind it. Oh Oh I think our friends Sunshine is having trouble they are pulling up anchor. 11Am boats have there engines running, we turn our on, just to be sure it starts if we need it, we let it run

Blowing a solid 28 Kts with gusts into the 40s. What is going on here, 20 to 28Kts was predicted, that is why we all came in, but we got 2ft seas in an anchorage, everyone is having trouble, we ourselves are wandering back and forth, straining the mooring, is one of our two lines chaffing? Crap this is not fun. Shane is steering the boat trying to keep it into the wind.Nikita runs a line over our

sail cover so it doesn’t flap so much.

Ok enough is enough, its blowing 36Kts gusts over 50, we seen a 54 on the kt meter, are we goint to hold?

A boat is having trouble with its dingy, oh my God ,it flips over with the moter under water, they are towing it upside down.

Some one anounces the other dingy dock on the other side has parted and the ladder on the wall is now missing. another boat in the waiting room anchorage has broken free and is being rescued from the mangroves.

Its a full on gail we have seen 57 kts twice. our friends Wiz lay out a second anchor, they are just in front of us and were walking back and forth like us. We see a dingy floating towards us upside down, Nikita walks to the bow wanting to snag it . Darral jumps into his dingy and motors out 100 ft and snags it, towing back to his boat Wiz. Man that is gutsy. he flips it over on his thrid try and secures it to the back of Wiz.

The seas are rolling 3ft, everyone is bobbing, and every rope, mast and line are making noise.Everyone is tired from the stress.

4pm it starts to ease back 27kts of wind feels like its calm, all are releaved. we ease back into our normal selves. kims starts on supper, by evening its 16kts, the seas have flatened. The VHF is abuz with other boats reporting missing life jackets, paddles,

etc. 3 dingys have been resqued in the eclipse, one pretty mangled, on the dock.

Gypsywind has faired well, nothing lost,nothing damaged.

We have a good boat that handles herself in big seas, we feel lucky.

Next day it is calm 4kts of wind. we treat ourselves to town and that rental car, yes you guessed it 3 grocery shops and another $400 of provisions. we prepare for our next leg of our journey down to lapaz.

Gypsywind and crew is safe and sound, heading south. 

Rough Night ..

Rough

 Night And All day....

Well let me see....

 First of all we had a rough time gathering the day. We went to the shore to do our  laundry  but of course a huge Mexican family with a truck full of laundry... no joke the pick up was loaded. They  took up the whole area so we had to wait in line and it took so long. The family wasn't even apart of  the marina but other then that we had to also wait for the office to open which took forever so the man came to open the bathrooms with showers but it was taking to long for that 

so us Ladies  had to sneak into the MENS  washrooms and quickly have a shower but the other down fall was that the water for the showers  where COLD  and  Shane had to keep an eye on the door so nobody came in  and the laundry so he can move are big bag up in the line. After that whole episode we came back to the boat and had dinner and watched a lovely movie and had to hang our half dried clothes around the boat.

during the night  the winds were gusting and were so crazy they seemed  out of  control not even funny.... so big gusts of wind were we were  all badly sleeping and the boat kept on rocking back and forth and healing  over, we were tied to a bouy ball and the word was  they may not be so reliable 

 { NOT FUN ONE BIT } 

we woke up to 38 knots  this morning... thank god dad did not rent a car for the market we where going to go at 10: 00 this morning dad had his name on a car but holy man alive thank god he didn't go get it its out control things where  in the water and dinghies floating away gas tanks bobbing around boats one boat broke loose and ended up on the rocks a bit smashed up but okay others were loosing there anchors hold and  going all over the  place not fun  the wind was going crazy and the waves where like a huge roller coasters. I at one point heard someone shout  57 knots on the wind  speed indicator 

we have never had it that rough in a Anchorage like that  it was no fun for the whole boat and it didn't stop all day at all..... even into the evening and then it died down slowly by morning. 

WHew 

Kiya  

Islands, Volcanos and Ports

We raised anchor late 8:00 am. Wiz is a 1/2 hr ahead of us, winds were calm and the seas flat.

We headed for the far shore of Bahia Consepcion to avoid the shoal on the main land side, we read 15ft anyway

we steer to starboard. It’s lovley to leave early with the day ahead of you. The peninsula is so large in Bahia Conseption

it took us 2 1/2 hrs to round, with hundreds of Manta rays jumping ,baby ones, we finally get some wind, but with it comes a 2ft swell

at our back quarter. we steer south east and ease the irritating jolt from behind.We are slowly gaining on Wiz while we motor sail.

We are flying only the Genoa for the main would only blanket the foresail.

We take over Wiz as they try to only sail. then they take lead as we enter San Janico 

9 boats at anchor and 2 coming up from the south, and us that makes 13. we try anchor at the south but it doesn’t feel right. we join everyone else in the North west corner, where their are 2 nice beaches . We anchor at the quite beach no campers, and the crew goes ashore for exploring. I stay with the boat, and get some quite time. The crew returns with gealogical treasures and more Hermit crabs for the aquarium which has grown to a full sized tub with starfish and sea snails, a 1/2 doz. crabs and shells and rocks for crawling on. We get a bit of rolly action after diner and Shane and I find ourselves more comfortable in the cockpit.

Wiz leaves at 10:30  as the wind picks up we Loose Nikita and Noah on the busy beach, gone to dump our garbage.

we are 1 1/2 hrs behind Wiz we don’t see them as we enter our next anchorage Isla Corinado 9 km north of Loretto. 

we head to the white beach, we are anchored with only 2 other boats , one Canadian “Sunshine” Nikita climbs the Volacno 1 1/2 hr hike, the rest of us chill on the beach. Kiya, Shane and Noah snorkel. We feel relaxed for the first time on the trip. the sun set catches us exploring the north beach. Shane gets the scoop on fishing, we hear of the first 2 Dorado being caught, shane gets exicted for tomorrows trip to Isla Carmen. We pick up Nikita off the beach after talking to Sunshine, from Victoria BC.they have family in Nelson. Nikita feels acomplished., it was a 1000ft above sea level.

Gypsywind relaxing and on the side

Kiya on Satispac Bay collecting sea creatures for her aquarium on board 

Noah and copper from the Boat Wiz goofing off in the bay

Shane at the Helm during the crossing from San Carlos to bay of conception (doing 7.4 Knots)
11 hour sail /motor

Nikita up the mast of Good News Sailboat doing some work










Nikita at Carnaval harmonizing with the mexican

No Wind.. No Seas... No Jam

With a bit more prepration we have the boat ready to go for the crossing on thursday Nikita picked up some work on Good News rigging a triaid { a cable joining the 2 masts at the top } it was strong wind but he loved it. Mom did guess what ?? more groceries.

4:00 AM the alarm rings and the phone, yes the nieghbours phone, Josie is at the gate with our cushons new, chocolate colour, we square up, three cups of coffee

check all systems all running, stern,and mast head lights on. warm up engine and we are off 5:30.Crear the point at 6am. a light beeze  not enough to raise sail and 1 ft seas we are doing 6 1/2 Kts. the sunrise is gorgeous over Guyimas a pinkish tone

Shane looks like he is enjoying himself we all take turns napping except kim and shane, who now is steering the boat. Mid way we are in 10kts of wind with our foresail out motersailing at 7.5 kts . Our GPS says we will just make it before dark. as we round Punta Conseption its 5:20 8 miles to go. Up the chanel we are greated by 2 doz. dolphins

who swim with us we have 15kts of wind and are sailing 8 kts .As we weave through the inner islands we mistake one bay for our destination and steer off into El Burro where we have been once before. we swing in between two anchored boats and lay our chain. Reversing hard we set the anchor, and its done, we ve made it, and Shane did not have to use his special stash of Jam ,the one for, just in case. The anchorage is quite except for the odd semi using his Jake brake on shore. Looks like Berthas restaurant is closed, so we cook a nice dinner on board. The boys sneek some fishing in off the boat and land a few. we all head to bed early. 

Gypsywind has carried us across the sea safely for the 4th time.

Gypsywind and crew at anchor at El Burro cove.

Gypsywind Down the road to the water So Thirsty.......San Carlos after 2 long years in the dry

the Crew of Gypsy Wind 2014  (El Burro Bay Bahia Conception )
Complements of WiZ

Sea legs and jellyfish

If you ever boated before you will know things take longer then usual on boats. projects seem to take days.Thought we had the heads running ,well the were both leaking. not good in a boat or anywhere for that matter.The forward selinoid vent thing started acting up. this is the supply of salt water to the head inside the cabinet, not exactly where you want salt water. Nikita had worked on it the day before no susses. The back head (thats why they call me the head mechanic)leaks at the back, where you can't see, so I pulled the thing onto the dock and replaced the seals, oh and one of the four bolts (stales steel) had rusted off.after the install it still leaked.One of my lower moments. I think it took 3 Cervazas to cure.After buying a new O ring the forward head was back in duty, the aft took a full rebuild of the electrical moter, actually just a seal on the shaft but took the whole thing apart just cause I enjoy this kind of work. Everyone went shopping for provisions it was the last day for the rental car. With all this fun we had a small weather window on Saterday that we could not make. so we are fixing the last of the little things, including flushing the water maker. Today we went out for our first sail (sunday) after pancakes of coarse. What a lovely time everything worked even though we got out around the point and the wind blew and the seas got to over 4ft, so we turned around and anchored in an small cove. the kids swam, fed the gulls and snorkeled. It was truly beautiful until the discovery of jellyfish. Nikita got stung on the chest and Shane on the leg. I was in my glory for I was making fresh water down below. we needed to make it back in time to meet the upholstery guy, and besides the wind was gusty. Shane steered us in to the Marina where the gusts were over 25kts. I took over to get us onto the dock. I eased off on the throttle but we were doing 5kts so I put it into neutral, still too fast, reverse to act as a brake, now the steering is unpredictable. Crap Our neighbours Good News are on the dock to receive us. we are coming in just a tad off but OK the wind is on the stern pushing us, I need to throw it in reverse again. Dock lines off ,crew off all looks good, we didn't hit. I put it into neutral, just about to shut the key off ,something stops me. I jump off, notice no spring line yet. I ask Nikita for the spring line, he does reluctantly, he was holding the boat, I realize the cleat is not in a great place to retie. the boat travels forward, its now blowing 25kts steady, boat is picking up speed. the boys got trouble with the stern line its tangled. someone yells reverse, we are going to hit. I jump on board but Kiya has put it in reverse already, like a saving angel, I throttle up, we didn't hit but our bow sprint is over the dock and it looks like it. all the lines get fixed, another spring gets put out from the bow. what a scare. everyone is hyped up. Nikita puts a second stern line on. Shane a second bow line. All is good, we thank everyone for being there, as our neighbours walk away I realize Gypsywinds' engine is still running; I reluctantly shut it off. Tied to A17 in San Carlos Marina Gypsywind and crew

Mexico, sun and a dirty boat

After two nights in Mazatlan (a treat before the work) we have arrived in San Carlos where Gypsywind has been brought to the work yard for us.We are staying down the road in a nice hotel with a pool and a view of the sunsets over the ocean. we were warned that the boat will be in rough shape, so we braced ourselves,only to be surprised she was not all that bad. the canopy was in tact. No roaches living on board, though we found two tiny dead ones, no food I guess. The bad news was the tiny gravel all over the decks and the green stains on the fiberglass both on deck and on the upper haul. We washed and scrubbed all 6 of us but the stains were not coming out. Our neighbours had the same problem but theirs was slowly coming out. Their boat was left only for 4 months , Gypsywind 22 months. We hired the yard to polish out, the guy gave up after an hour.Our last day in the yard we installed all new batteries actually 6, 2 were delivered next day to the dock. We also fired up the Volvo Penta 10 sec. of cranking, stop, three more and she started,what a relief. Nikita had the hose in the intake for cooling.Shane took charge of the top side. In the mean time, Kim had stripped all the bedding,and sail covers, and rewashed them in the hotel(free laundry) and put the place into beautiful order. Kiya and her wiped down the entire inside. the boys had the top side decks booms and ropes clean as well. all done with a 12ft ladder as access to the boat We lost the day for cleaning the stains and next morning we had an 8am splash time. After paying our invoice for the dry storage, the loader/ trailer hauled Gypsywind down the road a 1/2 KM, we eased Gypsywind into her more natural state (floating), going below checking all the trough hauls, no leaks, this is good, this was exiting. Engine turned over, like she can and we backed off the dock, watching the prop walk that pulls to starboard we put her in forward. The girls ran to our slip to receive us. We eased into the slip like we had done it before, no boats damaged and the dock in tact. Gypsywind has got her dignity back.After moving the stored equipment to the deck, we cleaned some more. The crew celebrated, as we settled in for our first night on board. An adventure begins. Gypsywind and Crew reunited.

We're Back 2014

Hey all you gypsy wind followers brace yourself for our new adventure. after 2 years of land lobbering we return to gypsywind who her self has been on the hard. not to sure who has been living on board but are bags are packed and here we come just past the the avalanche snow removile aquipment we have made our way though the kootneay pass this time we come with a new crew member Shane kiya’s partner. it has been a test to live with 5 family members in a large home lets see how we do in tight quarters .Shanes' last boating exsperince didint go so well . Calgrey here we come, Mazatlan well be a 2 day stop over and then on to San Carlos where Gypsy Wind awaits our splash date is feb 25th ,we expect a bit of work for we have not been back for 22 months. Crew of GypsyWind { Boatless}