Run For Cover! | Small Boat Realities In Baja - Ep. 98
October 8, 2025 · 17 min · 2K views · Loreto
What this video covers
A Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33, Sea Dream of Clyde, navigates the Gulf of California near Loreto, Baja, during the winter season. While attempting a 25-mile passage from Bahia Balandria on Isla Carmen toward San Juanico, the crew encounters rapidly deteriorating conditions.5:43 Winds shift from light and variable to a strong northerly, creating steep, short-interval seas that significantly impede progress.8:34 Faced with a forecast for gale-force winds and the risk of entering the reef-strewn San Juanico anchorage in darkness, the crew decides to turn back 7 miles from their destination.9:17 They return to Isla Coronados to wait out the weather.9:14 The crew utilizes a Hydrovane for self-steering during the transit and successfully anchors at Isla Coronados without using the engine.10:48 During the subsequent multi-day wait for the norte to subside, they hike the island’s volcanic trails.14:19 The experience highlights the necessity of monitoring weather windows in the Gulf of California, where nortes frequently generate high winds and uncomfortable sea states that can force a change in plans.
Boats in this video
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