I left Turtle Bay this morning after stopping for some rest.  It was wonderful to drop the hook after two pretty lumpy nights.  I sorted out some issues, straightened a few things up, did some engine work, and re-fueled.  After giving Enrique, Jr. twice as many pesos for fuel than he quoted someone else in Turtle.  Rat bastad…Who cares?  I’m flying on down the coast in stellar conditions with the jib and reefed main up, and loving life.  After the last two nights from Ensenada, I’ve learned I’m a five knot kinda gal.  Pushing the boat harder than that makes the ride reeeeely uncomfortable.  Especially when it’s gonna be a long ride.  At least on this boat.  So we’ll see what this leg is like.  If tonight remains the same as it is now, I may shake out the reef in the morning.

     I’m about 200 nm from Bahia Santa Maria, and another 160 on top of that from Cabo.  As much as I love Bahia Santa Maria, there’s supposed to be a big wind system coming down the coast by the weekend.  If I keep going the way I am, I’ll make Cabo by Thursday evening easily, and if it’s still on the forecast, I’ll pick up a slip until it passes.  That’s the good thing about having a small boat!  I’m not competing with any Haha-ers for a slip!  They should be arriving that day, also.  I’ve talked with John and Cyn on the radio a few times, and they’re having a blast.  Note to self:  this trip would be SO MUCH BETTER with a colored sail.  Oh, well.  I’m learning patience…

     As I was approaching Turtle Bay, I noted a powerboat coming up on me from astern.  The entrance there can be tough, especially at night, so when the boat was 1 nm aft, I hailed it on 16.  They just said, “Wendy, go to 68.”  What the?  It was the Full Circle, owned by the guy who owns the repair barge in Avalon.  There were a coupla Harbor guys on board with ’em.  Pretty dang small world out here, huh?  Well, I needed that crew this morning.  After I left, I put out the rod Mark had brought down, with the ugliest black and purple feather jig I’d ever seen.  I headed off the coast for a couple miles and let the line out.  Sailing along, I soon found myself in the middle of about 8 sportfishers, real gold-platers, trolling along.  I decided to stay out of their way, and gybed away.  Not 5 minutes later, I hooked something.  And it was BIG!  It was leaping and jumping, twisting and turning, just like you see on ESPN!  Holy crap!  What am I gonna do with (to) that?!?  Lucky for it (me), it broke free about 15 minutes later, after spooling the reel, and me trying to reel it in.  It was very long, thin, and active.  I’m thinkin’ striped marlin.  So, I got back my empty line, no jig, and put another feather on.  This one was pink.  Within 5 minutes, I’d hooked a marlin!  Needless to say, the radio got a bit busy, and the waters surrounding Willow got a bit crowded.  Luck was with me again, and after about 5 minutes, it broke the line.  Can I just say that a lil’ yellowtail or somethin’ like that was all I was lookin’ for?  What the heck am I gonna do with a fish that’s bigger’n my cockpit?  Hit it over the head with my plastic boat hook?  Sheesh!  I have to admit, it WAS pretty exciting. 

     Right now, it’s 1515, the air temp is 75 outside, in the wind, and the breeze is WNW about 12 knots.  Broad reaching along with following seas; can you imagine anything better?  It’s lovely out here.  The sea life is a-jumpin’, and I’ve been followed by dolphin, porpoise, and whales the entire time.  Here, little yellowtail, here little yellowtail!  Wouldn’t sashimi be the bomb right now?