Loreto to Puerto Ballandra, Dec. 15
Despite our concerns about a noisy night in the Loreto Harbor, it was really quite peaceful. We woke at sunrise (not so early now) needing to get an early start. Chris had researched the winds and we only had a short window to get across to Ballandra before the winds were going to whip up for the next couple of days. He went off to get as much ice as the ice box could hold, and I secured the boat for passage.
Despite our concerns about a noisy night in the Loreto Harbor, it was really quite peaceful. We woke at sunrise (not so early now) needing to get an early start. Chris had researched the winds and we only had a short window to get across to Ballandra before the winds were going to whip up for the next couple of days. He went off to get as much ice as the ice box could hold, and I secured the boat for passage.
Ballandra is a safe anchorage from all the wind directions that we were anticipating and it is 9 NM basically due east from Loreto. Seas and winds combined to make motoring across the best option. The winds were light but the seas lumpy as we began our crossing. They both kicked up the closer we got to Ballandra. Our timing was perfect. We arrived in late morning just as the waves and winds were really building. The anchorage is bordered by sand flats, mangroves, and little lagoons and surrounded by steep hills.
We were the only pleasure boat in the anchorage. There was a fisherman’s Panga beached on shore. The crew of 4 men were preparing their catch for market. We could see one guy was cutting the fish while others were carefully flaking the net for re-use. Every so often you could see the fisherman toss something to the congregation of birds around him. There were literally hundreds of sea gulls squawking, over a hundred buzzards on the shore and in the sky and some pelicans hanging around the fisherman. The blue-footed Boobies were flying around in the sky also.
We were the only pleasure boat in the anchorage. There was a fisherman’s Panga beached on shore. The crew of 4 men were preparing their catch for market. We could see one guy was cutting the fish while others were carefully flaking the net for re-use. Every so often you could see the fisherman toss something to the congregation of birds around him. There were literally hundreds of sea gulls squawking, over a hundred buzzards on the shore and in the sky and some pelicans hanging around the fisherman. The blue-footed Boobies were flying around in the sky also.
Chris finally got his fish. He didn’t catch them, but went ashore to try to buy some for the fisherman. While ashore, he was able to determine that the catch was mainly small immature sharks and the fisherman was taking the fins off to send to Japan, and the filets were to be sold in the Mexican market. Later on we were to learn that this catch was illegal. The fisherman told Chris the shark meat was good for fish tacos. They had some Trigger fish they could give us, but not for money. They wanted some sandwiches and some beer. Chris said we only had one cold beer, but that was fine with them. One of the fisherman did an awesome job of filetting the trigger fish. There wasn’t a bone in them, and boy were they delicious. The fisherman gave us enough filets for two generous dinners.
Meanwhile the fisherman were gutting the sharks, taking off the heads and tossing these pieces to the birds. It was surprising the vultures didn’t partake in this ceremony, but waited quietly in the wings. (pun?) Right before leaving the fisherman tossed a ray that had been caught in their nets onto the beach. The gulls tried to move it closer to the water, but the vultures descended on the ray and they were no match for the vultures. We were concerned about the smell of rotting fish on the beach, but there was nothing left of the ray or shark pieces within a few hours. Surmising from the observed behavior, can I determine vultures must not eat out of the sea and the gulls knew it? Were they trying to get some of the ray into the water to protect it from the vultures?
Later on in the afternoon we were treated to a show of the Blue-Footed Boobies dive bombing from 20-30 feet in the air into the water to catch their meal. They would dive in groups, one in the lead and two or three others following close besides within seconds. They sounded just like a softball size rock being dropped into deep water from a considerable height.
The rest of the day was spent puttering. Chris finally got out his fishing gear and set it up. He thought maybe he’d have better luck fishing if we already had fish on board. He planned to go out to practice catch and release. Not any catching, so no releasing. Meanwhile I was working on organizing pictures and the website.
We played Shanghai that evening and I finally won. When we went to bed, Chris was disappointed because it was cloudy. Being one of the last nights of the Geminids meteor shower, he would miss them. Luckily when he woke in the middle of the night, the clouds had clearing. He moved his sleeping bag outside and fell asleep watching the occasional shooting star. (Booby picture complements of Google images.)
The rest of the day was spent puttering. Chris finally got out his fishing gear and set it up. He thought maybe he’d have better luck fishing if we already had fish on board. He planned to go out to practice catch and release. Not any catching, so no releasing. Meanwhile I was working on organizing pictures and the website.
We played Shanghai that evening and I finally won. When we went to bed, Chris was disappointed because it was cloudy. Being one of the last nights of the Geminids meteor shower, he would miss them. Luckily when he woke in the middle of the night, the clouds had clearing. He moved his sleeping bag outside and fell asleep watching the occasional shooting star. (Booby picture complements of Google images.)