May 15, 2026
After a low key recovery/boat project day yesterday, I was ready for some real exercise. Hiking around Isla Mejía is a must every time I’m here. Once I finished my coffee and after watching the sunrise from the top of the boat, I headed out. I dinghied over and explored more of the island than I ever had before, including…
May 14, 2026
The interior fan on my fridge had been making a surging noise for a few weeks. Spin fast, then almost stop, repeat endlessly at about a two second cycle. I could find nothing online, so I carefully probed around to figure out how to disassemble the interior mechanics. Turns out it is super simple… After cleaning, my fan was running…
May 13, 2026
I had everything squared away for the passage and was waiting for Kevin to paddle out for a quick tour. Around quarter to eight I pinged him on WhatsApp, good thing I did, because he was actually waiting on me. We spent some time aboard Strikhedonia, doing some show‑and‑tell and letting him reminisce about his old 1160. But with the…
May 12, 2026
Materials needed: Eneacro Polisher, Rotary Car Buffer Polisher Waxer, 1600W 7-inch/6-inch Variable Speed 1500-3500RPM 3M 05752 Perfect It Quick Connect Adaptor, 5/8 inch 3M Perfect-It Wool Compounding Pad, 05753 – 8″, Double Sided, Quick Connect 3M Perfect-It Wool Polishing Pad, 05713 – 9″ 3M Machine Polish, 05996 – 32 oz 3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound, 05954 – 32 oz Step…
May 12, 2026
The night was windy, really windy. There wasn’t much fetch, but the gusts brought plenty of noise. Just before bed, a small cruise ship slipped in to seek shelter and with it came bright lights blazing 24/7. Fortunately, it anchored behind me, so the glow stayed out of my cabin. The forecast called for the wind to ease overnight and…
May 11, 2026
The morning felt perfect for fishing. I’ve always had good luck here, but with brand-new, untested lures, it was anyone’s guess. I motored to my favorite spot and began trolling, back and forth, adjusting depths, swapping lures, waiting for a strike. Finally, I got a hit and landed a cabrilla. Relief washed over me. A few more passes brought in…
May 10, 2026
The only metal penetrating the hulls on an 1160 are the saildrives, the rudders, and the thru hulls. Points of concern: 1. The thru hulls immediately transition to a plastic hose, so I am not very concerned about the thru hulls 2. The rudders are of slight concern as there is metal on the rudder stock which is exposed to…
May 8, 2026
I made the mistake years ago of attempting a night passage to San Francisquito. Almost every evening, a strong west wind funnels out of Bahía San Carlos, and that crossing turned into a miserable passage. These days, I wait for a calm daytime weather window, and this time, I got exactly that. If I’m being particular, there was some uncomfortable…
May 6, 2026
The plan was to stay three or four nights, but it turned into a quick two‑night stop with a 6:45 a.m. departure on the second morning. I wanted to be on the dock before the wind picked up, so at 4:25 a.m. I pulled anchor and was tied up by 8:20 a.m. Calm conditions on my arrival made getting on the dock a…
May 4, 2026
The wind patterns had been steady all week, so I aimed to secure a slip in Santa Rosalia before 10 a.m., if one was available. From Punta Chivato, the 35‑mile run would be tough, so I chose Isla San Marcos instead, leaving a shorter 21‑mile leg for tomorrow. The passage north was manageable, though the first half was a slog…
May 3, 2026
As the sun rose and the morning offshore breeze picked up, I thought, “Hot damn, let’s sail!” So off to Punta Chivato I went. The wind was light, but with only ten miles ahead, I was content with anything over two knots. For about an hour I was making 4.1 knots and feeling good…until the wind died and I had…
May 2, 2026
Back in El Burro, I’d heard that the beachside restaurant in Mulegé, the one that always looks like it could be blown down in the next storm but still serves excellent food, had been taken over by a new family. Checking into it, I lucked out, tonight they were hosting live music. With calm overnight winds forecast, it would be…