Isla Coronado Loreto Bay Marine Park
Isla Contoy Biosphere Reserve
San Carlos Sonora
Reaching to Isla Mujeres Cancun Quintan Roo
Isla Carmen Loreto Bay Marine Park
The Aquarium San Carlos

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Author Archives: Vince

Windsplitter departs Cabo San Lucas today for Vallarta via isla’s San Benedicto & Soccorro

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Vince • 3 Comments

: My Kids and I jump at Lovers beach Cabo Preparing to sail to Revillagigedos

So we are finally leaving Cabo San Lucas. It would appear that the first of the tropical storms of the season have dissipated and it is time for us to take off for the remote Revillagigedos Islands and then on to Vallarta and destinations south.

I have to admit I love the scenic beauty of the Cabo Area but it is tough to hang here with all the crazy tourists around. Just yesterday we were informed by API, the federal port authority that it costs 200 pesos a night just to anchor here in the bay at Cabo. We promptly left the and anchored at the popular Bahia Santa Maria about 5 miles north of Cabo. API had us on record for being anchored for two night in the bay and demanded we pay them right there and then when we had actually been here almost a week. We essentially refused to pay the fee since we were never informed of the fact that there were any anchoring fees in Cabo. So let that be a warning for any other cruisers on their way south. In Cabo San Lucas they will try to extract money out of you just for the service of allowing your anchor to dig into the Sand.

That means it is time to go to the real Mexico. Old Mexico so we are out of here so, SO LONG AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH SEA OF CORTES, we will be coming back next year some time!!!!!

Should be in Vallarta sometime around the first 10 days of June if all goes well and with any luck we will have some fantastic stories and images to share.

Windsplitter is anchored in Cabo San Lucas

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

We are preparing the boat to make the push to San Benedicto and Socorro islands in the Revillagigedos. Will upload more info and pictures before we leave.

Just dropped the Hook at Isla Coronado, in Baja Sur

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Had a nice crossing from San Carlos to Coronado and I am exhausted so I will send the pictures of the incredible Sunsett and the largest pod of Bottle Nose dolphins I have ever seen.

Matt & The Boys from Flagstaff Finished off the 8 day course with light winds

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

All in all the we had a good 8 days. Wind was a little lighter than normal this time of year but that made for some very nice relaxing days. The first day of our live aboard started out with a fairly stiff northwesterly wind so we only made it up to Algodones beach for our first night but that yellowtail we bagged in front of the Teta Kawi was so tasty!!!

: Navy Interceptor

: @San Pedro Island

: Jeff Giant Strides

: Paddling with Sea Lions, San Pedro Island

: Jeff up close hides from gnats

: Punta San Pedro

: Leaving San Pedro to sail back to coast

: Up go the sails

: Sailing back to coast

: Motoring home

The second day we left early in the morning and motored up to San Pedro point anchored for lunch and then sailed all the way out to San Pedro Island and about one third of the way back before the wind died on us. Our last day we motored some then sailed and then motored back to San Carlos. Every body did pretty good on this trip and Matt, Jeff, Jeff, George, Dan and Karl our well on their way to being competent sailors. Now all they have to do is to just keep on sailing!!!

Day 6 Start Live Aboard

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Today we started the live aboard portion of the trip and finished off the day anchored in front of the Soggy Peso Bar at the Paradiso Hotel. And to top off the day we caught a nice 20ish pound yellow tail right in front of the teta kawi!!

: Regatta in San Carlos

: Yellow Tail spear fishing session

: Lunch dinner and lunch again

Day 2 of the 8 day Course, Light Wind, Light vomiting

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Well everybody did well today but poor Dan was a bit under the weather. The wind was very light yet that did not stop us from practicing the following, docking, mooring ball pick ups, heaving too and reefing of the main as well as a few figure 8 man over boards. So even though it was light wind we still accomplished a lot. And as true to form since it was very light wind we had a lot of sail boats out on the water. Now as soon as the wind starts to blow we, as usual, will most likely be the only boat on the water. So many fair weather sailors in San Carlos!!!

: Several Boats on Water today

: Man Overboard Drill (MOB)

: Retrieving Kenny our Man Over Board

: Dan Vomits as we pick up MOB

: Kenny Back on board safe & sound

: Dan not looking so hot

: No wind several sail boats

: On light wind days we see more sail boats

Matt, Dan, Carl, George and Jeff Squared start 8 day course

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Today the boys from Flagstaff started a new 8 day sailing course. The day started out with light southerly wind with an obvious Advection Fog bank on the horizon. As the fog moved in we had a great opportunity to sail in restricted visibility and also shoot some superb images of the fog as it rolled in around the Teta Kawi mountain. After the fog blew out we had a very nice south west breeze in the bay which allowed for excellent close quarter sailing in the bay. All in all an excellent start to the 8 day course.

: Matt takes a moment alone to reflect on what sailing means to him

: Sailing in the thick of it!

: Isla San Nicolas in the fog

: Fog all around us

: My favorite shot of the day fog rolling into bay

: Mat holding her steady

: Karls turn to hold a course in foggy conditions

Dave & Christine finish up 8 day course

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Here are some pictures from the last three days of Dave and Christine’s 8 day ASA sailing course. They finished the first three levels of ASA, 101 Basic Keel Boat, 103 Basic Coastal , and 104 BareBoat Charter. So they are ready to go home and just keep sailing!!! Here are some pictures from the last three days. On Wednesday we departed San Carlos with the intention of sailing to Bahia San Pedro. A 25 to 30 knot head wind kind of got in our way to we only made it as far as Los Algodones beach where we anchored out in front of the Paradiso Hotel and I got some dynamite shots of the local Kite Boarders tearing it up on a very windy day. The next day we sailed perhaps half way to bahia San Pedro before the light south wind died on us and today we had a light south wind to beat back to San Carlos on.

: Kiting San Carlos

: Kiting in front of Paradiso Hotel

: The Local Kite Rigging Area

: Dave works on 100% for his ASA exam

: Christine hold er steady on course

: Cacaooooooooooooooo

: Artisanal Fisherman camped out at Bahia San Pedro

: Paddling back to boat after some beach combing

: These are Murex shells

: Here the locals boil the Murex shells in salt water

: The local fisherman invited me for a nice bond fire

It was nuking today

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Vince • 0 Comments

Dave and Christina finally got to see what a nukin place the Sea of Cortes can be like. The forecast was pretty much on the money. The wind was gusting to 30 knots today with out a doubt, I will post the video from today later this week when I get a copy from Christina, in the mean time here are a few pictures from today’s sail. We started out beating on the outside and then after getting soaked tacked and sailed back towards the delphinarium and the condominiums Pilar, Once we got back in the bay we then we tacked up wind on the inside of the bay to reduce getting soaked, right at the end Christina get some nice video of a wave getting Dave and I.

These pictures are mixed in from yesterday and today!

: Checking the Checklist!

: Double Reefed Main & Staysail

: Window Rock Ahead

: Rounding Window Rock for beat back up wind

: Wave breaks behind Christina

: Research Vessel Zephyr from Monterey Bay

David & Christine for 8 day sailing course

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Vince • 1 Comment

Dave from the U.K. and his lovely companion Christine from Canada showed up for an 8 day course a couple of days ago. I have been under the weather so am just now getting the energy to blog. Dave got in a bit late on the first day but did get some light wind sailing in on their first day and day 2 was a no wind day. Now day three which was today was cloudy over cast and we actually had a short squall so we got a chance to reef our main and by the time we got it reefed, including the extra time it took with the topping lift fiasco, the squall was over and we had to take out the reef point. Unfortunately Christina got a bit sea sick as well today so tomorrow she is going to eat a lighter breakfast, fruit plate & yogurt, and hopefully there will be no more of that. Wind Prediction for tomorrow is 18 to 24 knots so lets see if it holds.