Magical Isla Isabella

Last Sunday Sue arrived for a visit and we left La Cruz for a fast trip to Mazatlan to get her back here to catch her plane home today. We had some great wind and were able to sail much of the time. Sue was thrilled when the boat was surfing at over 7 knots while she was at the helm. We made overnight stops in Punta De Mita, Chacala, Mantanchen Bay and Isla Isabella so we were able to show her a few different anchorages and introduce her to some of the wonderful people we have met through cruising. Isla Isabella was the showpiece of the trip. I was a little nervous about going there because of the reputation the island has as an "anchor-eater" but everyone has raved about the place and Tom (from "Hooligan") gave us a tip on where the best place to anchor was. Turned out to be perfect and easy. When we first arrived we were the only boat there but by the next morning two more had come in and before we left there were 4 more making the small anchorage a little on the crowded side. Still, what a gorgeous place this island is! It is a bird sanctuary and a nesting site for many different breeds of sea birds - most notably Blue Footed Boobies. There are birds everywhere and when the fishermen come into the anchorage to clean their catch they have quite an audience. The Babel of bird languages as they squabble over scraps is pretty amusing. The fishermen don't appear to be the least bit put out by the company they attract and, obviously, are not averse to the inevitable guano deposits they must receive. There were whales frolicking all around the island and the crystal clear turquoise water close in is home to beautiful tropical fish. The photo of fish was taken from the deck of the boat looking down. We were in 30' of water and could clearly see all the different patches of rock, sand and coral as well as all sorts of fish AND our anchor (very handy!). We only had one day so gave Sue the choice between snorkeling and going ashore to see birds. Since her career is as a shore bird specialist and she had just spent a week at a convention centered around birds she said she could forgo that for some warm water time and that is what we did. We were a bit short on gear so Sue and Patty went first and when they returned to the boat they were bubbling over with enthusiasm and descriptions of all the fish they'd seen. The topper was two Spotted Eagle Rays they'd seen on the way back to the boat. Chris and I were next. I have always loved snorkeling because it is like being part of an aquarium but, honestly, the thing that was the most fun for me this time was being able to see the underside of the boat! Is that strange or what? It was so cool being able to see what shape the bottom was in and to be able to follow the anchor chain out and see how well the hook was set. It is always such a mystery from the top and I'm never quite sure we are as secure as it seems. After our swims and a leisurely lunch it was time to weigh anchor for the final overnight leg to Mazatlan. We knew it would take about 18 hours to complete the trip and wanted to time it so we would arrive during daylight hours. Our plan worked perfectly and we pulled into a slip at Marina Mazatlan at 8:30 the next morning. Now we are in another beautiful Mexican city that is just waiting to be explored. Again we are short on time but we'll do our best. In the meantime, we have put Isla Isabella at the top of next year's destination list. It is a beautiful, magical place and there is so much we have yet to see there that we need to return for a longer visit.