We left Huatulco as our last port in Mexico and went to sea for five days to reach El Saovador. We followed the coast line all the way along the Bay/Gulf of Tehuatepec which is really notorios for sudden gales out of the North. If you don't stay close to shore, you can be caught out and thrown miles out to sea. We were lucky and did not get a 'T-Pecker', as it's called. We had mainly calm conditions and used the iron horse for long spells of calm. When passing Guatemala and entering El Savadorian waters we had long spells of force 4-6 (15- 26 knots), which lasted two nights, and the last day.
Our first view of El Salvador in the early morning light. This volcano in called San Migual and is 7000 feet high. We sailed 'on' this mountain all day and arrived at the entrance to the bay in the afternoon.
We had reefed both main sail and genoa, as the wind was farce 4-6 from N- NE.
At the entrance to the bay we had to negosiate a two Miles long reef and slip through at a gap at the end of the reef and a sand bar. The Marina Barillos had a pilot to guide in the yachts. We arrived at 16.00 hours.........too late to get the pilot that day, so we had to anchor up for the night 1/2 Mile outside the reef in 10 feet of water. Not nice, but the wind was blowing out of NE and the Pacific swell was SW so we had a very rolly - poly night, but glad to have the hook down and celebrated with a well deserved Anchor -Dram!
Next morning at 7.00 this small pange arrived and guided us ten miles around the reef across a bay and up the river to the marina.
The reef.
GPS picture of reef to the left and sand-bar to the right. The reef runs from the end of the peninsula to the left towards the small green island with a gap less than a mile. You need local knowledge!
Volcano San Migual with the sand-bar/island in front.
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