On route to Acapulco, Mexico

Posted 5 January 2011

We left Barra de Navidad around 9:00 am on Tuesday 4 January 2011 for Acapulco which is 320 nm south east. We had a beautiful downwind sailing day until 1:00 am on Wednesday morning when the wind dropped. From this time until we dropped anchor at Puerto Lazaro Cardenas, we had just about everything against us. Dinis says that a bad day sailing is still better than a good day in the office, but I can debate that. We had no wind, too much wind, wind on the nose, wind against the current which create steep swells and variable winds. For example, with the wind on the nose we tacked back and forth in good winds (15 to 17 knots) but could not make headway. Did 18 nm only in 6 hours. We decided to motor as then we can point higher into the wind, but still we only made about 4.5 nm per hour. We were tired from hoisting and dropping the sails and also from the not so comfortable motion of the boat, so we decided to change course to be more comfortable and head towards Puerto Lazaro Cardenas. We can rest and fill up with diesel and continue tomorrow morning for the second half of the trip if there is favourable winds.

Not all was bad though, dolphins gave us a spectacular florescent light show at night riding the bow waves. This was the first time I saw this and it was very special, wish I had a night video recorder. We also feel the weather changing, much warmer, 32 degrees Celsius in the boat. Had to put the fans running to move the air around.

Hopefully the second part of our trip will be more enjoyable.