2017-23 Turtle Bay to Magdelena Bay

Sunday, November 12, 2017:

Last evening the fleet enjoyed beers, margaritas and enchiladas at a Tortuga Bay restaurant.  The event started early so that the "CUBARistas" could find their boats at anchor in the dark, and then sober-up for today's early morning departure to Magdalena Bay.  Apparently this has been a problem in prior CUBARs.

The Wild Blue crew decided upon an early start, so they arose at 4:40 AM this morning, lifted the anchor in the dark, thanks to head lamps, and scooted out at 5AM well before the bulk of the fleet, for the 258 mile and 31 hour run.  By 7:30, we were 20 miles down the course when the CUBAR boat Corky Row blasted by doing 25 knots!  Wow!

It was a nice day on the ocean with most boats doing 8 to 8.5 knots with following seas and 5-10 knot winds.  The 5:45PM sunset was spectacular, although we didn't catch the green flash.

Sunset at Sea on the way to Mag Bay on Wednesday, November 12.

Soon after sunset, we once again lite up the forward facing LED floods.  In the dark, only light colors display: breaking seas, wind topped waves, lobster floats, birds, and flying fish.  The wind was up to 14 knots so the fish were flying.  Finally Bob and Alex flinched as a noisy thud sounded on the wall of the pilot house.  Investigating we found a rather well-fed flying fish which continued to flap its wings.  So Bob returned him to the sea, and watched him fly on.

The night continued with a 1/4 moon showing up around 3AM. The wind lightened to 8 - 10 knots from the northwest.  Seas were 3 - 5 feet from the northwest as well at times pushing the fleet into double digit speed down the course. Around 11:30AM, the bulk of the fleet arrived at the entrance to Bahia Magdelena in thick fog.  There were reports of  lobster floats and several pangas anchored just inside the entrance, and the AIS position from the boat reporting these served to pinpoint the obstacles for those following.  By 2PM most of the fleet was anchored inside Mag Bay at Man O War Cove.

The Outer Reef 65 Human Holiday emerges from thick fog on the
way into Mag Bay.

CUBAR Fleet anchored at Man O War Cove

Sunset at Man O War Cover, Bahia Magdelena, Baja Sur, Mexico

25-knot boats like Corky Row burn fuel.  Here they load diesel from
pangas loaded with fuel drums.  The CUBAR organizers pre-ordered fuel
for those boats with small tanks or large appetites.

The CUBAR Fleet will rest up until Wednesday when they move down the coast rounding Cabo San Lucas to San Jose del Cabo.