SEA OF CORTEZ-BUENA VISTA TO LORETO AND BEYOND

[vseasport]

Buena Vista to Loreto and beyond

Believe it or not February and September are our two slowest months of the year. February because it is cold and windy, September because of fear of a hurricane and hot humid weather. September is my favorite time. Yes, there is a chance of the big storm but most of the time the seas are flat, water warm and fishing, diving and snorkeling spectacular.

Every year the slow down in business affords Jennifer and myself to escape for a few days on a boat camping trip to enjoy the beauty of the Sea of Cortez. We departed Buena Vista and headed north on Jen Wren III. There was no particular plan other than to explore new sights while fishing and diving along the way. We enjoyed 6 days and 5 nights of heaven and just got back yesterday. It wouldn't have taken much to persuade me to keep going north but San Juanico 26 miles north of Loreto is where we decided it was time to turn around and head her south.

Our weather the entire trip was gorgeous and we saw many breathtaking sights. The view of the Milky Way every night was beyond description.

It was on our first dive at the southern end of Cerralvo Island that I discovered my size "el gordo" BCD was not packed so I had to use a size small. That was an interesting proposition for me but I made the best of it. We also dove La Reina (the northern end of the Island), Isla de Partida, The famous El Bajo, Las Animas, Isla Coronado, Agua Verde, San Juanico and Telmo and fished our way from place to place. Diving and snorkeling in the 85 degree Tidy Bowl Blue water was outstanding at every location while the fishing was a bit off. We did mange a shot or two at billfish every day until arriving at Agua Verde but never hit that bonanza. North of there we had good luck catching dorado at the North end of Carmen Island. We also had outstanding luck fishing for cabrilla while on anchor in the mornings and evenings.

I haven't worn a size small since grade school. Look at the smirk on Jen's face. I did the packing and had nobody to blame.

Didn't take "Jen Wren Jeni" long to get in the action.

We had to put up with sunrises like this every morning

Still on anchor at Isla Partida I hung a dorado using a Halco popper

Come on! This is before morning coffee.

On the way to Puerto Escondido where we fueled up.

Anchorage at San Juanico

Every place we went the sea was loaded with skipjack. I've never seen anything like this in years past.

Chocolate chip star fish are not common around the East Cape and it is a treat when we find one. We have discovered up around the islands near Loreto they are littered everywhere and can be seen diving and snorkeling.

We had so much sea food we released most of what we caught including this cabrilla.

Part of the board walk in Loreto with the church in the background. I was unable to capture in my photos the beauty of the mountain range that serves as a back drop.

Mark Rayor

www.thejenwren.com

www.vistaseasport.com

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