Mag Bay

12-17-12

Today Is Monday, the 17^th, of December. We decided that with the bad weather coming we had to stop in Mag Bay after all. We figured that if we needed to charge up the batteries, we would just have to run the engine. We have enough fuel to do that and make it to Cabo. The night before getting into Mag Bay when Jordan and Jamin were on watch, they could see more dolphins in the phosphorous waters. Jordan has a sharp eye and again saw a giant glow in the water and saw a huge whale stretched under our boat. He looked over the side, it was right there. He thought it would hit our prop, so hollered to Jamin to slow the boat down fast! Darrell and I had been asleep, and during that same time, I'd heard a loud thud and thought we'd snagged a crab pot, or a huge piece of kelp. About a min., later we heard another thud and the boat engine being pulled way back. Darrell jumped up and went on deck. Sure enough he saw the whale come up from under the boat, as it went into the dark, by the boat, he saw the big puff of air from the whale.......WHEW

We motored into Mag Bay and found a place to anchor. Our friends on Blackjack wanted us to take them into the little village so we could all throw our trash away. We thought we could find a little market or something. First let me say, it was definitely a VILLAGE, and it was Sunday and what might have been open was now closed.

The winds were picking up and when we got into the dingy to go to their boat, the choppy water was drenching me. You'd think I'd get it by now!!! I had put on some fresh clothes and now they were getting soaked with salt water....boooooo

We picked up Hilly and Johnathan, and made it to the island. The little houses that were speckled here and there looked like no one was home. We walked over to the church and right next to the chapel was a big make shift wire container that holds trash. It was odd seeing the trash being stacked so close to the church. We walked around a little bit when a young couple came around the side of the church. They were American's, Michael and Claire, from Kitty Hawk, N.C. They were looking for food and water. They had been sailing for several days, on their 28ft. Sailboat, the Splendid Isolation! They both spoke Spanish and told us about a little hut selling some food. They walked with us to the little store. Inside was shocking to me. There were the oddest things. Jars of pickled things, (because there's no way to refrigerate things). Odds and ends, hostess Twinkies, tortillas, onions and tomatoes and cabbage. Then a refrigerator with a few bottles of barely chilled pop. We took pictures of the little town and the church and with our friends, then headed back to the boat. We were originally going to go onto Blackjack and see if we could get on Johnathan's wifi, but by the time we hauled the dingy off the shelly sand, one of the wheels broke off and Darrell couldn't get the outboard started. We've had nothing but trouble with that outboard, so when we get to Cabo, we're going to see if our backup outboard, our friend Kraig gave us will work. We need something reliable. After the incident with Jake and the dingy paddle getting broken we need something to rely on. The water was getting choppy on the way back, Hilly and I once again got soaked! By the time we got to Blackjack, it took everything we had to maneuver me and Johnathan so he could get on his boat. The water was chopping, we were bouncing hard against their boat, while we were switching places. I laughed right out loud, because the bobbing of the boat, threw me right onto Johnathan lap and I'm so much bigger than him that I knew he was frustrated I couldn't move. But with the fact that the gravity was against me, we were all soaking/slippery wet, and I have no ability to push up with my right arm, (titanium parts/elbow), it was a task. But I've chuckled ever since thinking about Johnathan's reaction......

We got back to GabbyWray, got everything settled and made the decision that we would leave in the morning instead of leaving in a few hours. Jordan had put out a line behind the boat earlier, and while Jake and Darrell were on watch, they caught two small Tuna, Darnell cleaned and fileted them and Jake made dinner. It was great! Our fridge isn't holding cold, so all the milk I bought for the trip went rotten. We've got to find a refrigeration guy in Cabo. Ugh!!!

Darrell and the kids played rook, while I cleaned the dishes and Galley. Don't feel bad, I HATE playing cards.....wish I knew why, but just DON'T like it. I do love watching them all play and the banter that goes back and forth.

We had the engine idling for 3 hrs., building up our batteries again, (good thing we don't use much fuel). We all went to bed around 8:30, and the water was so calm and nice, I thought this would be the “sleep like a baby night.” But at about 2:30 the wind picked up and the boat started bobbing and the mast was banging so loud that Darrell had to go on deck and hunker things down several times. By 3:30 we were both back in bed and able to sleep until 5:30 this morning. Jordan and Jake pulled up anchor and we took off. I climbed back in bed, but for only a min., when the boat came to a stop and I heard a light thud against the side of the boat. Jordan and Darrell came down into the salon and started looking for clothes and batteries. A Ponga with two fisherman had come up to the boat and wanted to trade for a bag of shrimp. They didn't want the batteries but wanted the 2 shirts Darrell offered them. The one man was excited about the long sleeved red tee shirt. They asked if we had chocolate, (when would I NOT have chocolate). I gave up some of my stash......(I can replenish in Cabo at Costco....LOL) They gave us a big bag of huge shrimp! Our friends were watching on Blackjack and wanted them to come to their boat. So we sent them over, but another Ponga had beat them. We don't know if Blackjack wasn't watching, or the Ponga was duping them, but Blackjack hit the Ponga, doing (the fisherman claimed) about $100.00 American dollars worth of damage. So our friends ended up not trading anything and paying them 980 pesos!!! We felt bad. We'll have to get together with them in Cabo and hear the whole story.......

So it's beautiful and clear outside, the water is a bit washing machine, (rocking like crazy down in my cabin).....but in 5 min., I'm going to stuff pillows all around me and go back to sleep......Zzz

(I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M DOING THIS)