We set off at dawn yesterday for our sail to Isla Jicaron. We found the wind to be blowing around 12 knots from the north east so to arrive before sunset we broke out the code zero and were soon making good progress. We strung 4 trolling lines off the back of the boat not suspecting the activity we would see. Before reeling them in to curtail any further action we caught 9 fish, 4 bonitos (I think), 1 spanish mackerel (I think) plus four mahi mahi, two of which escaped the hook before being landed. At one point we had three fish on the lures at once. The two mahi mahi we caught were on the smaller side, one being 6 pounds and the second around 7.5 pounds. John did a good job of fileting them both. We also saw plenty of dolphins along the way.
Throughout the trip we were subject to changing currents. At times we had to point up to 25 degrees off our course to keep moving in the right direction. Sometime, when distracted by a fish for just a short while, we’d find the current had shifted and we were now half a mile off course. Eventually the wind died down, shifted round to the west (ahead of us) and the current settled into a 2 knot disadvantage which we had to motor through. We adjusted our final destination to the cut between Isla Jicaron and Isla Jicarita to the south as the diving here is supposed to be good and we can visit the originally intended anchorage on our way out of here.
We arrived just over an hour before sunset at a beautiful and secluded location, not another soul in sight. There was a half a knot current coming through the cut but the reef on the far side protected us from the swell and chop. We quickly settled in and tucked into one of the mahi mahi filets which we grilled for dinner.
Our plan was to stay here a couple of nights so we have a full days R&R in this spot before shifting round to the north of Isla Jicaron. Sadly we may have to review this plan. Overnight the wave direction seems to have shifted round to the NE while the current is still pushing us from the west. The combination made for an uncomfortable night and I don’t think anyone got a full nights sleep. Unless things calm down here we may not even be able to take the dinghy ashore but we’ll wait and see. Chances are we’ll shift north sometime today. The anchorage on the north side of Isla Jicaron should receive better protection.
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