Puerto Ballandra Part II

4-29-14

Day 2

We awoke to a very rolly anchorage this am.  So much so that before I could eat breakfast we had to move.  The wind had come up even more over night and the seas ran from the west causing our swell.

By the time we pulled up the anchor it was already blowing 20 knots; high winds are not ideal conditions for anchoring.  The area where the most protection existed was in the NE part of the  anchorage, and there were three boats there already.  We found a good spot and got ourselves situated. We paddled over to our neighboring boats to make sure they were comfortable with our anchoring position.  We went over to Destiny where we met Gilly and John.  They seemed happy we asked but were cool with our spot. 

Our friends on Quetzal, Jon and Amy came over in kayaks and also were ok with us in front of them, and together we witnessed an Osprey with a fresh fish catch in its mouth flying overhead.  

Carol and Wayne on Cap Cat were far enough away from us to be a problem for them.

We have a navigation program on our iPad that allows us to monitor our position at anchor and set an alarm if we drag outside our comfort zone parameters.  Just after lunch, that zone was breached.  Because we were right ahead of Quetzal, we had to move.

Three attempts later, in 22 knots of wind, we found a spot with which we were comfortable. We were away from other boats and far enough away from hazards in the anchorage.  We were pretty close to a sand bar, but that seemed like a reasonable risk.

While I was in the middle of anchoring where my anchor was obviously dragging and my frustration level was high, I looked over my shoulder and saw two gulls copulating.  That sight, along with their love cries, got me laughing again.

Carol and Wayne invited us and Destiny over for a lobster dinner but we were watching our boat slowly creep toward the drag zone on our navigation chart.  Again. We weren't super comfortable with leaving our boat, as the winds were now gusting to 30 knots.  Right when we were about to radio Carol and Wayne to share our dilemma we heard a knock on the hull.  It was Wayne, our ride to dinner.

Capricorn Cat

Destiny

We all were a little anxious about our boats, it turns out, so we decided to have a vodka tonic and let rocking boats rock.  Dinner was lovely as was the company.  We had salad, quinoa, lobster with garlic/butter to dip and yummy chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Total indulgence!  

We returned to Pangaea to find her in the same place we left her.  Close, but still inside the narrow drag parameters we set.

We went to bed with peace of mind and acknowledging that lessons were learned today about perseverance, patience and letting go.

Blowing in the wind,

First Mate Kate

4-30-14

Day 3

The forecast for today is more of the same wind...and then some.  We may get gusts in the mid-30's today.  The good news is that after yesterday's blow, we are pretty confident about our anchor holding.  That being said, we awoke to the sound of waves breaking on the nearby sandbar that made it sound like we had beached!

We went for a paddle around the anchorage before the wind picked up and then decided to polish the stainless steel around the boat.  Did I mention we have a lot of stainless?

Pangaea now shines with pride.  I, on the other hand, am a dingy shade of grey.  Not a very sexy one, either.  Ha!

First Mate Kate