Graphic of the Day

May 30 - Eastern Pacific Ocean

The official hurricane season in Mexico doesn't start until tomorrow, but Adolph couldn't wait. He started to develop on May 25, and quickly built into a Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 125 knots. Fortunately, like most Eastern Pacific hurricanes, he started way down by 15° and then headed well offshore. Adolph is currently weakening in the cooler waters to the north.

Getting a Serious Bruising while Cruising

May 30 - Bahia de las Tortugas, Baja California

"We - the Pordes Family aboard the Vallejo-based La Coste 42 Favonius - arrived in Turtle Bay, Baja, on May 27 along with Tom on the DownEaster 32 Havru," reports Michael Pordes. "Both Tom and we were visited by Ernesto, the fuel panga driver. After taking our garbage in return for a cold Pacifico, Ernesto agreed to deliver fuel to us the next day. Ernesto is part of the same family as the late Gordo, whose children run the fuel concession in Turtle Bay as well as the Restaurant Maria on the beach.

"Most Baja cruisers are familiar with the Turtle Bay fuel drill. You give Ernesto the cash for the amount of fuel you want at the rate of about 50 U.S. cents a liter; he goes to the fuel pier and pumps it into 55 gallon drums; then he comes alongside your boat (fully fendered); and using a fuel transfer pump and a hose, fills your tanks or jerry cans pretty quickly. The other option is to set a bow anchor and try to connect a stern line to the fuel pier. If you can accomplish this, the hose is lowered down and you take on fuel. It is a few cents cheaper per gallon that way, and if you are a 50-foot Hatteras sportfisher taking on 1,000 gallons of diesel, it is the only way to go.

"When the Shannon 50 Heartstrings from Newport Beach arrived on Monday morning, they declined Ernesto's services and decided they'd try to take on fuel directly from the pier. It was blowing about 15 knots from the northwest, and Mike the skipper had a difficult time getting his stern around. A crewmember named Ian tossed a line to the pier, but it rose up and got caught in the rapidly spinning Fourwinds wind generator, causing a blade to fly off and hit the crewmember in the face, slicing him longways, necessitating that he be med-evac'ed out to Santa Ana. This morning Mike told us that Ian is doing fine and will undergo surgery this afternoon to repair a long laceration to his face.

"After the medical ordeal was handled, Heartstrings once again tried to come to the fuel pier. This time they needed an assist from Ernesto's powerful panga to get the stern around and a line to the pier. Anyway, Ian survived, and hopefully a plastic surgeon will be able to sew him so the scar doesn't show up too badly. The moral is, I suppose, don't be cheap about a few cents per gallon - take on fuel the easiest way possible. And if you're going to be heaving a line, turn off the wind generator!"