April 2, 2008 -- Caleta San Sebastian -- N 26 degrees 37' 04.6"/ W 111 degrees 33' 58.2"
31 nm cruised today; 201 nm for trip overall; house battery condition at 6:30 am: 12.43 volts

Light land breeze and dry cockpit when I got up this morning. Partly cloudy skies and mild temperature. Several pangas ran out at high speed, kicking us around some with their wake. I tuned the Amigo net in on the SSB receiver while sipping my morning coffee. The forecast confirmed earlier projections of a change in weather. A 4 millibar gradient will move in late tonight, setting up 20 to 25 kt winds out of the NNW by early morning tomorrow. Hearing this, we decided to modify our plans for hanging out in Mulege today, and departing tomorrow. Instead, we opted to hurry through chores in town in the morning, and try to get underway by 1 pm. That would give us settled conditions for an afternoon 31 mile run down to Caleta San Sebastian, the first sheltered anchorage to our south. We could then decide in the morning whether to hang out at San Sebastian, or continue around Punta Pulpito, and possibly as far as San Juanico, another 20 miles beyond San Sebastian.

This has thus far turned out to be excellent strategy. The afternoon run was smooth and pleasant. No sailing wind, but a nice motor run. I averaged 6 knots at about 2900 rpm, and we got in by 6:15 pm. A pair of cruising sailboats passed us northbound, as did one large power cruiser. Every so often I could see a panga or two close in to shore. We encountered two groups of dolphins, the second being a fairly large group, traveling north at a good clip. As we neared San Sebastian, we passed by some large schools of fish which were being aggressively attacked by larger fish and numerous pelicans. If it hadn't been so late, I'd have loved to pause and try my luck fishing.

San Sebastian is a very cozy cove, which has apparently been totally appropriated by gringos. A half dozen very attractive, and costly adobe style beach homes line the cove. Dense palm groves enhance the scene. However, the atmosphere was disturbed by a rather loud, typically American patio party, complete with excessively loud conversation and overly loud carrying on. After the quiet, relaxed feel to Mulege, a town of 5000, this small group of Americans seemed boorishly out of place here. Of course, we are actually the visitors in their little community, the only boat anchored in their cove. I wonder if they feel we're intruders here.

We're getting bounced around a bit from swells, refracting into the cove. I'm debating whether to set out a stern anchor. Tomorrow will bring other decisions, such as whether to test ourselves in the predicted winds. Those decisions will await the dawn.