To Socorro Island

End of October 1990 to early January 1991.  Again, no pictures!!  We left the east coast of mainland Mexico in the middle of October 1990 and crossed the Sea of Cortez to the west coast of the Baja Penisula.  We cruised the west coast from mid-October to the beginning of January 1991, when we left Cabo San Lucas for Socorro Island.  We hopped from one small anchorage to another in between our major stops at Bahia Conception, Loreto, Puerto Escondido, La Paz, and finally Cabo San Lucas.  We met incredible people, feasted on clams, scallops, lobster, and an abundance of fish, all caught or gathered by us.  We waited out hurricane Trudi while anchored in Bahia Conception.  The visuals in that part of the Sea were vivid and breathtaking; we never tired of the "view."  If we weren't working on Bijou, we were free-diving for dinner, sharing pot lucks with friends, or visiting other boats on the move, doing the same thing we were.  The community was small, and we kept bumping into the same people as we continued to move toward Cabo San Lucas.  This situation nurtured friendship. The pictures would have been beautiful, but alas, there are none!  We have only our journals and our memory to bring us back to those treasured days in the southern part of the Sea of Cortez.    

January 1991.  Socorro Island is located 250 miles south of Cabo San Lucas and 325 miles west of Puerto Vallarta.  It took us two days, a little over 48 hours, to make the passage.  We had a brisk, fast sail with NE winds 12-15 knots, arriving in Henslow cove on Socorro Island.  The island was billiard table green which made us itchy to explore.  The rocky beach challenged us in getting Clover ashore, but we prevailed!  

Jan. 1991. It was rough trying to get Clover to the beach

Finally hauled Clover on to the rocks to keep her safe from getting banged up.

Jan. 1991. Socorro Island Lagoon, no access by boat.

​After a few days at Henslow, we moved to the military base anchorage.  Mexico had a military installation there.  On January 17th, 1991 at 3 AM, Desert Storm began with bombing Baghdad to liberate Kuwait.  The men were on heightened alert  because this probably meant they would be a part of the conflict.   

Jan 1991. Anchorage near Socorro Island military base. Those there with us, Genesis and Makaira. We are the cluster of three boats in the middle.

Jan 1991. Frequent visitors in the anchorages on the island. Got a chance to hop in the water and snap a couple of pictures.

Close enough to see the remoras that cling to the Manta Ray's skin. They help to keep the Manta's skin clean.

Jan 1991.  We had a pin break while anchored on Socorro.  This "C" clamp held everything together while we were anchored and then during the 325-mile, five day passage to Puerto Vallarta.  We owe a lot to that "C" clamp! ​Very rusty, and that got all over everything, but it worked!!