We’re waiting out the Papagayo winds that we’d been warned about. We’d hoped we could make it around the worst area, Cabo Santa Elena, yesterday afternoon and make for the relative calm of the Nicaraguan coast, but after seven hours of bashing into confused seas we took shelter behind the Cape at Key Point. We’re safely anchored but the wind is tearing down the slopes at us and stirring up the sea, so we’re going to stay put until we feel comfortable rounding the Cape.
We’ve been in sustained high winds before plenty of times, but this is completely different. It’ll be completely calm and then suddenly, within two seconds it’s blowing 35 kts. It only lasts for 5-10 seconds before it’s calm again, but for the past 15 hours we haven’t had more than a few minutes of calm at a time, certainly not long enough to get around this Cape. And of course with the wind comes steep, choppy seas.
This is a very remote area. We have no cellphone access, so I’m posting via sat phone. We’ve been setting off the Spot but I don’t know if the signal is getting out.
Hey guys…I read you load and clear. yea, be careful when dealing with the papagayo winds. I know exactly what your talking about with the gusts that come and go. As a surfer, the offshore winds are ideal, but they can get so strong at times up there that it is almost impossible to surf. You actually blow right out the back of the wave. I hate to say it, but as we get closer to December and the dry season the winds will increase..alot. And they extend well into Nicaragua as well. If I am correct, the winds are actually caused by Lake Nicaragua. I hope it backs down a bit to give you a window of opportunity to get north and to calmer sea’s. Take care , good luck and we will keep you in our thoughts.
Yikes scary. Be so careful