April 3

We left Punta de Mita at approximately 9:30am. The weather was partly cloudy but clearing and the wind was about 10k from the North. We motored out of the bay and raised sail when we got to the Islas Tres Marietas in about 7k wind True from the North. We are making app. 4.1k on a course of about 251M.

By 10:30am the wind has dropped to about 4k and we are ghosting along just under 3k over ground. At 11am we were sailing under 2.5k and started the motor. We are now motor sailing at about 7k turning only 1500rpm with all sails raised. The wind remains about 4-5k variable from the NNW.

Just before Noon at 18:50UT the wind has picked up to about 10k and we are sailing again at about 5k.

After 1pm the wind began to build. By 3pm we had 12k and were making good 7-7.5k over ground on a course of about 245M - having altered course a bit to the North on the advice of another skipper who says not to get too far South till past the Islas Revillo Gigedo, about 300nm WSW of Bahia Banderas. I have set a waypoint just South of Isla Sorocco at 18 35N 110 53.5 W and we are making for that point, roughly, before we turn more to the South.