Isla Mujeres Anchorage

Just a few vantage points of our views around the anchorage.

Our view off the bow is of Marina El Milagro just behind the navy blue sailboat.

Below is a 360 view

South end of the island

The mangroves and rock formations where we go fishing

The mouth of the anchorage

The north end of the island where main town on Isla Mujeres is located, Centro.

A squall passing through

The community kitchen at Marina El Milagro. We had been out sailing with friends on their sailboat, along with another couple. We caught a wahoo, good eating fish, and came back to El Milagro to have a celebratory feast.

Having good times

Felix on staff here grilling the wahoo with his special sauce and below Charlie getting the recipe and grilling tips.

Shade time on Leap for cocktail hour

Moonrise

Assorted sunset pictures

The next two pictures below are grainy but the colors are that intense. So we will have to practice more with different settings on the camera.

Sunset the night of John and Nan's going away party. Visit their blog at: whisperingjesse.blogspot.mx

And you will see pictures of our sailing outing the day the wahoo was caught.

A Little bit of Caribbean Blue on our way to Cancun to finish our paperwork for entering Mexico.

Looking forward to seeing more water like this once we get all of our parts here and installed.

Leaving Fairhope Alabama

Our friends and boat neighbors in Fairhope, Ken and Karen Kruse, who live on a beautiful Panda sailboat named Watermark, took these pictures of us as we were setting sail.

Excitement in the Anchorage

Monday evening 8/12 a squall passed over the anchorage and Leap was struck by lightning. We had just come on board and were heading down below with our provisions. The storm was building and the thunder and lightning show was spectacular. I had just commented on how close the strikes were, and saying we made it below in the nick of time. It is quite the sound and feel to be struck. We were just fine as we do not touch rigging or metal during lightning storms. Also heard two other boats were struck.
We do have some damaged equipment:
Windex - wind indicator located on top of the mast
VHF antenna - do not know if it effected the VHFradio, cannot tell if it works without the antenna
Running and stern lights. Anchor and steaming lights survived
2 fans
Manual bilge pump switch
Regulator

The bits and pieces of the Windex we found on deck after the Lightning strike.

Assorted pictures of the storm passing over.

Isla Mujeres

We have arrived in  Isla Mujeres and will spend a few days exploring. Hope to have some pictures to share eventually. We are also watching the weather so as to chart our anchorages along the way south and watching for favorable sailing winds.

At our anchorage in Isla Mujeres.

Our windscoop in action. We have one for each hatch and they do a great job of directing breeze down below. We made them out of a salvaged tent we bought at a garage sale while still in Fairhope.

Below are pictures from in and around Isla Mujeres

Lobster shack established in 1683 (above)

Great music coming out of this restaurant/bar

This sculpture is on the beach.

One of the coffee house wifi stops. The coffee is from Chiapas and we had great iced coffees and enjoyed a bit of relaxing in their very comfortable surroundings.

Monday 8/12 we came in to El Milagro Marina in Isla Mujeres and met with Julio who helped us finish the rest of our paperwork. The check in, while in Progreso was incomplete and needed to be finished here. 

For 5 pesos per person, per day, we can come into the marina and enjoy the wifi, pool, bicycles, kitchen, showers and meet fellow cruisers. 

Wifi palapa with Charlie at the table.

Sunsets and Clouds on Gulf of Mexico Crossing and Isla Perez

Isla Perez where we spent the day replacing the steering cables.