Isla Carmen

We had quite an adventure making our way from Isla Coronados to Isla Carmen.

We left the anchorage and had all the gear set up to fly our spinnaker; yup it looked like a nice down wind run to Puerto Ballandra (about 10 miles due east of Loreto).  We came through the slot, got the island into view.

FIRST note:  we figured out we had been teased by wind wrapping around Coronados and our anchorage was UP WIND.  We don't do UP WIND for fun.

SECOND note:  there was a huge fog bank sitting on the north side of Isla Carmen.  Fog?  In the Sea of Cortez?

Well, we put the chute away and got ourselves sailing east.  But the fog kept moving south; soon completely covering the island.  Not good.  We were still several miles off the coast and had no idea if the fog was a thin ribbon; a thick band.  Was the anchorage socked in?  It is not our practice to close to land at night or in the fog...same problem of no visibility.  Suddenly fog was all around us!  Thick wet cold fog.  We decided the prudent (er, only) thing was to turn around--and we did.  Much to my dismay as I really wanted to be in Balandra for my birthday.  Tough girl.

About 20 minutes later I peeked out of the cabin and there was Carmen on our stern, now in bright sun; no sign of fog.  Turn this boat around again!  So, I am in Balandra for my birthday.

We hiked the arroyo this morning.  Tucked way up a side gully we found an abandoned stone building and water trough with a 1921 engraved marker.  We assume it was somehow related to the salt evaporation pond operation on the other side of the island; maybe they were cattle ranching for the workers?

Lots of flowers, birds, plants, and lizards.  No sign of the big horned sheep.

Tomorrow -- we are actually going to wet the line and try and catch some fish, trolling from the dinghy.