Isla Mujeres to Punta Allen
After a final few days completing jobs, testing systems and joining in with the Dia de Muertos celebrations, the day to set sail again had finally arrived.
It was a busy one. Leaving the anchorage we had moved to earlier in the week, we secured permission to come alongside the dock again to stock up on provisions for the next passage south.
Tropical Cyclone 18. Soon to become Storm Rafael.
In true Argonaut form, a tropical cyclone was forming further south near our destination. This undoubtedly would form into another hurricane, Rafael. Rafael was forecast to track north Easterly towards Jamaica, and build in intensity towards Cuba. We were on the outside of the cone of probability in forecast models, but with the Milton experience fresh in the rest of the crews minds, we were keen to give this as a wide a berth as possible.
Charles dashed off on a mission to Cancun to acquired a reinforced pipe for the watermaker which had decided to burst during testing just days prior. Also on the job list, and the main reason we had remain on Isla Mujeres as long as we had was collecting the recovered leather saloon cushions. They had only just been completed by a local in his quiky garage space shared with two VW beach buggies. The upholsterer was around of his work, and we were too, so we traded hands with a thick wad of over 20,000 Mexican pesos.
Sailing at last
After one last pool meeting to cool of and take stock, we slipped lines and called at the fuel dock to replenish the petrol and diesel tanks. Ben deployed the drone as we departed at 1800. There was fresh breeze of 20knots from the east and with the Alsatian bite now largely healed, I drew some fresh blood in the drone recovery. I'd wear a glove next time.
With 1 reef in the main, and full jib we powered up to 8 knots and blast reached south. I took the first 3 hour watch, with a course skirting the Mexican coast to avoid the worst of the Gulf Stream counter current of up to 4 knots. We had hoped to call into Cozumel for a dive, but on approaching the mooring buoys we had scouted online it was found the chart discrepancies gave us very little tolerance for depth under the keel. A nature reserve patrol vessel also came to check us out as we negotiated an increasing number of dive boats. They stressed that we must not anchor. With the sheer business of the dive sites and incompatibility of moorings, we considered options. Head straight on to the Biosphere Reserve Banco Chinchorro atoll to the south or check out bays on the Mexican mainland enroute.
Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
Our research had indicated the bays which form the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve were wildlife hotspots and largely un spoilt by other visitors so we quickly set course SSW and rigged the large symmetrical spinnaker. As the day progressed I was awoken from off watch to help drop the spinnaker and fire the donkey up as the wind had diminished.
Soon after were joined by a vast pod of bottlenose dolphins who performed a show for us and seemed to enjoy our presence as much as we did theirs. Passing close by the bow I could hear their various clicks as we shared eye contact in the crystal blue Caribbean waters.
During the passage I took time to read up on any pilotage notes available for our destination of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and Punta Allen. Based on B&G charts alone, we would have skipped the area entirely owing to a complete lack of detail and a general indication of being too shallow.
Navionics however featured much more comprehensive resolution, supposedly with data provided by the Mexican Navy. Other accounts of private vessels visiting also provided us with the reassurance we could find a suitable spot to safely drop the hook.
We approached the entrance to the vast bay as the sun set and the fishing line began to spall. Ben hauled the skipjack tuna in and we set about lighting the braai.
Anchorage
Carefully monitoring the forward scan sonar, Navionics chart and depth under the keel, Charles warned Ben who was tending to the fire at the time to brace himself against something as sea bed suddenly rose up to less than a metre clearance.
Thankfully we glided on, and setting the anchor in the dark I could hear dolphins breathing rapidly as they chased shoals of fish around us and caught brief glimpses of them in the torch light as they surfaced. We were excited to see our surroundings at sunrise.
Diving with hammerheads, white tips and an otherworldly underwater experience at Kicker Rock.