Author Archives: Lisa Britt

Bogotá and Medellín

After months in the Ferroalquimar shipyard, at last, we broke away from Cartagena to explore some other cities and the beautiful countryside of Colombia. This trip far exceeded our expectations.

**A view of the city atop** ***Monserrate***

Bogotá, Colombia’s Capital City, is a short flight from Cartagena. At 8,661′ elevation, the climate is cool and refreshing. We stayed in La Candelaria, the cobblestoned center of the city, at Hotel de la Opera, within easy walking distance to many sights and colorful neighborhoods. The hotel is located next to the state department, so there were armed guards everywhere. We watched with interest from our balcony, a protest in support of Ukraine, against the issuance of visas to Russians.

We packed a lot of sight seeing into our 4 days in Bogotá. Enough so, that we learned once again that we needed more time!

Cerro de Monserrate

The Sanctuary of Monserrate sits high above the city. It’s a sacred place and religious pilgrimage for many. Up on this hilltop, there are also some excellent restaurants, beautiful walks, gardens, and even bird watching. You can walk up the Pedestrian path, approximately 2 miles uphill. Given it was Michael’s birthday, we opted to take the Funicular for a scenic ride, but we did get some steps in walking the Stations of the Cross.

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

We hired a driver to take us to the spectacular Salt Cathedral located in the town of Zipaquira. We were the last to board the packed van, so we were stuck in the back seats. The ride there was one hour long and rough. This van had no shocks and Michael’s back in particular felt every bump in the road. It took him a few minutes to straighten up once we crawled out of there! Luckily, the driver was merciful and promised us the front seat for the return trip. It was worth it to see this cathedral carved underground some 600 feet within a former salt mine. Mass is held here every Sunday. Imagine the queue for Easter or Christmas service! Michael had two stations of the cross for his Birthday…. A virtuous life..

Here’s a pretty amazing light show in the Salt Cathedral

The Botero Museum

A short walk from our hotel was the Botero Museum. Fernando Botero Angulo is a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor, born in Medellín. His signature style, also known as “Boterismo”, depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political criticism or humor, depending on the piece. (Wikipedia) The museum, which belongs to the Banco de la República de Colombia, was founded in 2000 when Botero donated more than 100 of his own works, along with 85 from his personal collection of other artists’ work – a haul that includes pieces by Picasso, Monet, Matisse and Klimt. At Botero’s instruction, Admission is free to all. It’s located in a beautiful colonial building with an interior courtyard for lunch or rest.

Museo del Oro

Not to be missed, the Gold Museum contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold and other materials from all of Colombia’s major pre-Hispanic cultures. It was a feast for the eyes. We couldn’t pass up the gift shop and brought home a book to study more about this incredible collection and history of the people. Here’s a small sample:

Next Stop: Medellín

**Beautiful Countryside with City Below** (formerly Pablo’s Prison view)

Another short flight from Bogotá to Medellín, the 2nd largest city In Colombia. Admittedly, prior to our visit, our knowledge of Colombia was limited to and somewhat tainted by the popular Netflix series, “Narcos”, about the infamous Pablo Escobar, narcoterrorist and leader of the Medellín Cartel. Of course, what we learned is that this city is so much more than what was once called the most violent city in the world. In fact, Medellín is known colloquially as “la Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera,” or “the City of Eternal Spring.” This alludes to the weather, where most days are sunny and mild. Flowers grow abundantly, and are a major export for the country. The people are warm and proud of their city. They welcome conversations about the history of violence, which includes a civil war, the drug cartel, gangs and a corrupt government. People were happy to talk of the transformation that began not long ago under then Mayor Sergio Fajardo, who believed that “aesthetics is a tool for social transformation”. Needless to say, we were inspired during this visit. While politics was a central thread of discussion and interest here, we especially enjoyed the beauty, the food, the weather, the ice cream and so much more!

We stayed in the neighborhood El Poblado, at Hotel Park 10. The hotel was lovely and included a wonderful breakfast buffet with an incredible spread of the freshest fruit including dragon fruit (a new one for us), omeletts to order, and unlimited dark rich coffee. We enjoyed daily walks around our neighborhood, with a park across the street and a large variety of restaurants and shopping to choose from. We grew quite fond of an afternoon treat at Amor-Acuyá Gelato. And we took a few tours.

Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour

We met our english-speaking guide, Arturo, at the Poblado Metro Station. Medellín’s metro is the only rail-based city transit system in Colombia with the first line opening in 1995. The Metro is a source of pride to all. It helped transform the community, giving people easy access to work, education, etc. It also brought people to their communities, which increased tourism and broke down the barriers of fear and isolation, especially for the Comuna 13 neighborhood.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, Comuna 13 was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world. It was run by violent drug trafficking organizations, who used the poor, sprawling hillside barrio as a transit route in and out of the city, and served as a stronghold for guerrillas, gangs, and paramilitaries. In the mid-90’s all this began to change, under the guidance of the Mayor Sergio Fegardo, who encouraged people to take back their communities. He invested in community projects (including parks) to bring people outside. In 2011, the government installed the escaleras electricas, a series of outdoor escalators that extend for 1,260 feet (384 m), connecting parts of the once chaotic and isolated hillside neighborhood to the city below. Now, tourists–like us–visit this vibrant community, which helps to sustain their economic progress.

Our tour began with a metro ride, then a bus, then a tram, then onto the outdoor escalators. We then hiked up the hillside barrio taking in the sites and hearing many stories of what has endured in this community.

Guatapé and Coffee Farm Tour

Our next tour took us out of the city for a drive around the countryside. Our tour guide, Daniel, picked us up at our hotel for a private car tour. Daniel was an engaging storyteller and provided insights into the history and culture of Colombia. Guatapé is a resort town east of Medellín. It’s known for its houses decorated with colorful Zocalos, painted panels on the houses that portrays the original occupants trade or history. It sits by the man-made Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir. Piedra del Peñol, a giant granite rock southwest of town, has hundreds of steps to the top, where there are sweeping views. We enjoyed the leisurely drive to Guatapé, stopping at a family-run coffee farm on our way.

Pablo

We had to do it. We took the Pablo Escobar tour. Thankfully, our tour did not celebrate Pablo as a hero, but rather showed the sights of his life story and detailed some history. Interesting facts: to serve his prison time, Pablo had his luxurious Prison site (La Catedral) built high in the Mountains, overlooking his City, Medellín. He did escape with the help of the guards. The prison site is now a serene setting for a senior housing site run my Jesuit Monks; The site of his home in Medellín was transformed into a Memorial park, honoring victims of the violence Pablo and his Cartel inflicted on the community.

The Casa de la Memoria Museum

On our last day in Medellín, we visited the House of Memory Museum. Created in 2006 —this museum serves as “an exercise of memory to the understanding and overcoming of the armed conflict and the various forms of violence in Medellín, Antioquia and the country”. It’s a place to remember, to reflect, to forgive, to heal. It was very moving to visit this space. The museum includes displays with artifacts of things lost or torn apart by violence. And a room which uses video clips of photographs of the many victims, many who disappeared, never to be found again, but all remembered here.

It was a fantastic trip and we look forward to exploring more!

Fair winds-

Lisa and Michael

What’s the Why?

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When we set off on this cruising adventure in 2016, we were full of anticipation of how it would all unfold. Everything was brand new. New boat, new places, new people, new way of life. Well, now that we are a bit more seasoned—the novelty of some things, like haul outs, hurricane prep, talking cell phone plans and ordering parts in foreign countries, have lost some of their once innocent luster. Some days (well most), it’s too hot. Some days, it’s too frustrating, like when cleaning green moss off of — everything. Some days our why question sounds more like “tell me again just WHY we are doing this? Most of our friends and family wish us well and listen to our stories with some wonderment. And others honestly look at us with a not so subtle air of bewilderment ( “so this is fun to you?”). We laugh and explain away why it all works out and why we like it so much. (Are we convincing them or us?) Sometimes it seems that words fail to truly express our Why for cruising. We tell some exciting story, perhaps with a little storm peppered into the tale. Or of the time we had to wait 3 months for an inverter delivery in Costa Rica before moving on, what a hoot that was we say, laughing now. In response, there’s the look. Like the one your sweet grandmother might nod with, while you explain the intricate symbolism behind your tattoo. How nice. Truth is we all have a why for the things we choose to do. While some may prefer a Princess cruise to our adventure, there’s a why for that too. For us, our why has evolved, and with it a deeper appreciation for all we get to do and see on our strong boat—even if it is too darn hot! And with that spirit, Season 5 is underway!

Island Time: Bocas Del Toro

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After the excitement of the Panama Canal transit, we needed a break. What better place to chill out than Bocas del Toro? That was our thinking in mid-December. Little did we know of what was to come. With the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we got much more of a break than we ever imagined. Before the virus hit, we had some good times here in Bocas, even had guests visit in February. Then, just as we were preparing to pick up anchor and travel on to the San Blas Islands and Cartagena, Colombia, BAM – the Coronavirus was here and spreading. We quickly decided it was safer to stay put than to risk the unknowns of other ports. As I write this, it has been 50 days since we docked at Red Frog Marina to quarantine and shelter in place. We are quite literally stranded on an island (always wanted to say that). We are not alone talking with the coconuts (Wilson?) though. We are here alongside many other cruisers waiting this out. We are all shaken in vastly different ways. The local community is rallying to help out the indigenous families throughout the islands here. The local Soroptimist group and others are working together to raise funds, collect donations, and deliver food and supplies as needed. Michael and I are healthy, safe, and admittedly our concerns are minimal compared to so many. We do worry about family back in the states and are waiting for air travel to open back up in Panama to plan that. Meanwhile, here we sit with time on our hands and time to think. I’m reminded of how life as you know it can turn on a dime. I’m also reminded to savor the good times. In that spirit, I’m sharing this blog about our adventures in Bocas, a very good place to chill and re-calibrate indeed.

But first we had to get there…

Our trip from Shelter Bay Marina to Bocas del Toro may best be described as “Current Beware”. Uncharacteristically, we departed without topping off our fuel. On the morning of our departure, the fuel barge was gone from the marina and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon. Problem was, we wanted to leave in the morning to allow us the best time table to arrive Bocas in the daylight. The weather was benign and we calculated that we had two and a half times the amount of fuel required for this passage (150nm). Our thinking was flawed, having not seriously considered the current. Whoops. What should have been a snoozer of a trip was agitated with anxiety as our boat speed dropped below 4 knots (expected 7+). Michael began measuring fuel levels by dipstick (not completely trusting the gauges), and “estimating” how much longer we could muster, before running out of fuel. I know, I know, we are a sailboat. But, there was zilch wind and 2 knots of current. We considered options, few as they were in this stretch. Anchorages are limited and we decided we didn’t want to spend the fuel it would take to find them. We nervously stayed our course. 35 hours or so later… and countless prayers, we arrived with just enough fuel to spare. Drama averted, we arrived at twilight on a warm Sunday afternoon, and tied up safely at Red Frog Marina with a fuel dock winking at us 50 feet from our bow.

Red Frog Beach Island Marina

Home Sweet Home

Red Frog Marina is located on Isla Bastimentos or “Basti” for short. And while swimming dock side is not recommended (did you see those jelly fish?) – there are many other reasons to love it here at Red Frog.

It’s Pretty for One

This marina features a spectacular backyard (island) with tropical landscapes, hiking trails, wild beaches, mysterious creatures, and several good restaurants.

And Friendly

Red Frog (and Bocas in general) has a velcro reputation. Many people arrive and stay for a season or two or three… Some return seasonally, a few become permanent liveaboards and others transform into dirt people, moving to mountain homes above the mangroves. We’ve met all kinds here. There is a daily VHF net to connect with fellow cruisers and the broader Bocas community. We’ve also met many who, like us, are traveling on. (I think). We met a delightful family from Germany aboard Bear Baloo. They were a part of this year’s ARC, and bound for the Marquesas/South Pacific. I just love the boat name, inspired by the beloved sleepy bear character in Kipling’s (and Disney’s) Jungle Book. Such an apt name for a cruising boat I think, in no hurry, patient, and with the theme song “Bare Necessities“.

Bocas Del Toro

From the sound of it, you might think that we never left the marina. Not true. Before the lockdown, we did get off the dock to explore and I have pictures to prove it! Before we get to the pictures…. Where are we? Perhaps I should have started with this (thanks Wikipedia): The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea in the northwest of Panama. The archipelago separates Almirante Bay and Chiriquí Lagoon from the open Caribbean Sea. The archipelago is part of the Bocas del Toro District which is part of Bocas del Toro Province. The major city is Bocas del Toro, also called Bocas Town (or simply Bocas), on Isla Colón. The islands are accessible by water taxis and private boats.

Bocas Town

I don’t have many pictures of Bocas, but the ones I do have tell a story. Bocas is a funky, hippyish town with many surf and gift shops. It is a popular tourist hub flocked by backpackers and other travelers each year. Before the lockdown, we visited Bocas weekly, primarily to provision. Our shopping days often would start with a good cup of coffee and sometimes breakfast at Amaranto. Then – time permitting – ended with lunch at Om Cafe. Love the Buddha Bowls! Red Frog provides a free water taxi service Monday-Friday, 10-1. So, your objective is to get all shopping & errands complete before the return trip taxi departs at 1:00. (Yes, there are other water taxies available after 1 for a small fee; but, where’s the fun in that?) We Red Frogger cruisers typically relish the challenge of wrapping up the shopping trip within the 3-hour slot. Mind you this is not a one-stop-shop kind of shopping. Oh no, we shop around, with multiple stops: Isla Colon grocery for frozen fruit, Tutty N Fish for pork chops & fresh tuna, Super Gourmet for heirloom tomatoes, and coffee-flavored Häagen–Dazs, the vegetable stand for pineapples and romaine, the Ferretería for propane, Bocas Island Express for boat part shipments…you get the idea. We lug our stuff across town, store to store, with our provision sturdy bags, in the sweaty humid heat or rain and often both — with time to spare! Oh, how I miss those days. We are not permitted to leave Red Frog/Basti during this lockdown. 49 days and counting. I do long for our next provision run to Bocas!

Now for some pictures. I wouldn’t normally describe Michael & I as daring per se, yet for New Year’s Eve, Michael threw all caution to the wind and organized a water taxi to take eight brave (foolhardy) cruisers from Red Frog Marina to town for the quintessential Bocas fireworks competition. It did not disappoint. If you missed the video, check this out.

Another Side to Bocas

The more time you spend somewhere, the more likely you are to discover that there’s more to it than first meets the eye. Take Bocas for example– Main Street may not be a thing of beauty, but did you know there is a Botanic Garden here called Finca Los Monos? We enjoyed a guided tour around this 25 acre tropical garden. Listen to the Oropendola!

Adventures with Guests

*The Floating Bar, near Bocas Anchorage*

After the holidays, we settled into a bit of a rut doing boat projects and watching the rain. Wait a minute, I thought this was the dry season? Oh, this is the dry season in Panama! Mind you, it’s still quite hot and humid. The dark, dank days began to weigh on us. The boat project list lost its allure. We were – bored? We needed to shake things up. We invited some dear friends from California to join us and lo and behold they said yes! Turns out Bocas is not the easiest place to get to by air, so we were grateful for their effort. We all enjoyed an adventure by van to beautiful Boquete.

Boquete is a small town on the Caldera River, in western Panama. The surrounding Chiriquí Highlands are home to coffee plantations and the Barú Volcano National Park, to the west. To get there from Bocas, we took a water taxi to Almirante and then boarded a van for an eight-hour bumpy ride, winding our way on a rough, narrow road to our sweet destination. Why Boquete? First, it’s nestled high in the mountains–some 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level, making its climate much cooler. So much so, that I wore pants and shoes and socks, and even a jacket while there. I can’t tell you how good that mountain air felt to me. Next, I adore birds, might even consider myself a novice-birder. I can watch them for hours, but have a long way to go with identification! With that in mind, I booked us a cottage at Tinamou, a deluxe jungle and birding lodge. From our balcony, we could watch birds or simply stare off into the tranquil forest. Hans and Terry, the wonderful hosts, have lived here on Finca Habbus de Kwie, a 22 Acre private forest reserve for many years. They still grow coffee on the land, though are no longer in the coffee business. They offer cultural, hiking and birding tours in addition to hosting the cottages. Each morning a basket with fresh bread, pastries and rich Boquete coffee was waiting outside our door. Terry led us on a birding tour along the Quetzal trail, where we saw or heard forty-two different species, including the Resplendent Quetzel. I am not ashamed to say that I screamed when I saw it in flight. The Three-Wattled Bell Birds are fascinating! Boquete’s town is sweet too with many excellent restaurants and divine coffee. We toured Finca Dos Jefes, a coffee farm that bases its farming schedule around the lunar calendar. Thus, their coffee brand, Cafés de la Luna (Coffee of the Moon), which all begins as a cherry on a tree. A fantastic guide walked us around the farm discussing the intricacies of coffee farming and production, as well as the complicated politics tied to the coffee bean. The tour ended with a tasting, which included the coveted “Geisha” brew. Wow, we hiked, we birded, we feasted, we caffeinated we cooled off and loved our five days (too short ) in Boquete.

Exploring on Footloose

Back from Boquete, we quickly provisioned and cast off the dock to go explore some anchorages. Felicia and Paul were such good sports. We enjoyed cooking and swimming and even a morning paddle boarding with dolphins off of Starfish Beach. As Serendipity would have it, we cruised over to a nearby anchorage off of Punta Characol and met some friends on Shearwater, who had their son visiting. We all got together for some captain hour sunsets and even a seafood feast at the resort. Felicia, Paul, and Michael went snorkeling one morning, while I enjoyed some quiet time cleaning up on the boat. It was fun to share a taste of cruising life with our friends. Although, I’m sure they could have done without the bug bites! Grateful to have shared this time with them.

What’s Next?

Felicia and Paul departed on March 4th at what turned out to be just in time. It wouldn’t be long before Panama would impose strict restrictions and close down airports. After they left, we continued to cruise around, making our way to lovely Dolphin Bay and Rana Azul. Unfortunately, our cruise came to an abrupt end. As the ports were reportedly closing soon, we canceled all plans and retreated to Red Frog where we are still waiting. We are sad to see what so many are going through. This time will pass, but what comes next? Before we left for cruising (nearly 4 years ago), my Mother-in-law gave me a gift, a necklace with a ring charm inscribed with “All Shall Be Well.” I wear it always and it reminds me to remain calm during the storms. I’m working on it.

Be Safe, Stay Well Everyone!

Lisa (& Michael)

Panama Canal Transit

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Happy New Year! 2020? Before we get too engrossed in new resolutions, boat projects, and other adventures, we must pause to reflect on (and share) a milestone we passed in 2019, transiting the Panama Canal. Enjoy the video and thanks for following our journey! More photos & recommendations below.

Recommended:

Book: The Path Between the Seas

Canal Agent: Rogelio De Hoyos, Panama Cruiser Connection

Recipe: Sancocho

Place: Miraflores Visitor Center

New Season, New Blog

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Hello Friends,

After another busy off season/summer visiting with family and friends, we are getting excited to return to Footloose and kick off our next season from Panama. Many people wonder what we do with our downtime in between anchorages and boat work:) Well funny you should ask… After many many hours of video editing and site preparation, Michael and I are counting down to the launch of our new blog about the people we meet while cruising. September 1st we will launch Cruisinglives.com with four video posts to get things started. To learn more, please watch our introductory video at https://cruisinglives.com/. We’d appreciate you sharing this blog with your friends and don’t forget to subscribe! 🍾🥳

Never fear, we will continue writing this sailfootloose blog too– sharing our adventures on Footloose, including our highly anticipated transit of the Panama Canal in January. Stay tuned and thank you all for your support!

Fair Winds Everyone,

Lisa and Michael

Costa Rica to Panama, It’s a Wrap!

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Last Sunset Age 64

My last blog left off at Marina Papagayo, with Michael having installed our new inverter. Many miles have traversed since then. What a trip this season has been with 2000 nm, 6 countries, some trials, great adventures, many laughs, a few lessons, and above all breathtaking vistas. Best told with pictures, so here goes:

Gulfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Underway again!

Frustrations from boat repair delays fell away as we left Playa del Coco to the Gulfo de Nicoya in Costa Rica. As promised, the Papagayo winds did finally ease. First stop was Bahia Samera to rest then Ballena for Michael’s birthday. Making short trips daily, we anchored and enjoyed many new places, briefly sublime.

Isla Samera

Happy 65th Michael!

Costa Rica Clouds, underway to Bahia Ballena

Ballena Anchorage

Birthday Dinner

Approaching Isla Cedros

Fishing camp at Isla Cedros anchorage

Sunset Isla Cedros

Beautiful Skies

Marina Suenos, Sport Fishers Haven

Sunset at Suenos

Bahia Drake

Footloose at Bahia Drake

We usually travel in daylight, but seriously overdone by the sun (85-90 average temp with humidity to match), we decided to travel over night to Bahia Drake. It was a calm and cool night, arriving at dawn to a quiet anchorage. Bahia Drake is situated in the lush Oso Peninsula. We reunited with our buddy boats Paradisea and Sonamara and lingered a couple weeks there, enjoying walks around the small town, and taking a couple tours to Corcovado Park and Isla Cano, ominous for being the place where more lightening strikes occur annually than anywhere in the world. We hired a panga to take us there. We were able to tie our dinghy to the Oso lodge dock to walk about and explore. The staff at Oso were helpful in setting up the tours. All in all, Bahia Drake was a favorite stop in Costa Rica.

Bahia Drake, Old Banyon along the tropical trail

Very Tall Bamboo

Our friend Drake at Oso Lodge

Birds thinking to nest in the bbq

Macaw of Bahia Drake

Tropical Plants delight

name that bird, pretty

Time to cool off!

Sunset, Bahia Drake

Bahia Drake

Bahia Drake Sundown

Rainforest Tour in Corcovado Park

Bittern, Corcovado Park

Getting to this tour was perhaps the most thrilling part. The panga picked us up from our boats and then traveled around the point to the beach where our park tour would begin. They drove through the rocks and crashing waves and backed us in to shore. It was hair raising. On shore, we took a great hike through the forest with our guide, trying not to think about the perilous return trip. The panga crew and boat were both strong and brave and we were back aboard our boats before sundown with more stories to tell.

Ride to Corcovado Park

Beach at Corcovado Park

Lou and Patrice, watching the crazy beach landing.

Creatures on Corcovado Tour

Wild Orchids

Dragonfly

sleeping?

Bittern’s prey, caught by tour guide.

Rainforest floor

Ants on a mission

interesting Palm variety

Unique Spider, the web is incredibly strong. Glad we didn’t walk into it.

Snorkeling at Isla del Caño

We didn’t swim as much as I’d hoped for this year. The water was either too rough with strong current or too muddy or too something else to encourage diving in. At last, we had it almost just right snorkeling at Caño. Alas, I did get stung by jellies, but still worth it.

Clouds above Isla Cano

Snorkeling, Isla Cano

our guide, Isla Cano

Gulfo Dulce

We departed April 14 for Puerto Jiminez. A large delightful group of dolphins escorted us along the way. It was hot, humid, calm, no wind for sailing. We anchored at 1430. I was somewhat distracted on this trip, thinking about the Masters. I am a huge golf fan and that’s something I miss out here. We had wi-fi at anchor and I quickly logged in to check on the tournament. Tiger won his 5th green jacket, a momentous comeback in the sport. We spent a few days in Gulfo Dulce, with Bahia Rincon being a favorite, though it did have its anchoring challenges with very uneven bottom (depths quickly vary from 15 to 50 feet). After a few days at anchor, we checked in at Golfito Marina and appreciated the air condition after a few weeks of none. Golfito would be our final stop in Costa Rica.

Dolphins, underway to Gulfo Dulce

Footloose, Bahia Rincon

Lisa and Maureen exploring Bahia Rincon

Roseta Spoonbill spotted at Bahia Rincon

Suset, Bahia Rincon

Fishing couple

Amazing Clouds, Gulfo Dulce

Yacht Transport, Golfito

Underway, flat seas and clouds to ponder

Panama

Isla Parida Anchorage

We began the season thinking and planning for the end destination of Panama. It’s hard to explain the emotion behind accomplishing this goal. We set off from Golfito eager to see some of the anchorages in western Panama on the way to Vista Mar Marina. 300 nm, let’s do this!

Homestead anchorage, last stop in Costa Rica

Mark and Sima, Wind Dragon at Pavones

Fishing Underway

Dolphin escort, underway to Panama

Michael and his catch, a Big Eyed-Tuna

We are so glad we allowed time to stop at these anchorages on the way to Vista Mar. Secluded, Tranquil, and Gorgeous!

Isla Parida

Isla Parida, Panama

Not quite a desert island; fishermen live here

Birds on a log, watch out underway

Isla Seca

Isla Seca anchorage

Our Private Beach

Many Crabs!

pretty water, except for the jelly fish!

Moonlight, Isla Seca

Bahia Honda and Ensenada Naranjo

Bahia Honda is a large bay with many anchorages, which we could have explored for days. We stayed only one night and still had several visitors including the National Park Police and the well-known Domingo and his son Kennedy who both visited with their pangas bringing fruit and welcoming smiles. Ensenada Naranjo brought visitors of the insect kind!

Bahia Honda

Ensenada Naranjo

Invasion at Naranjo

Chilling

Punto Malo

We had our weather window to face the final navigation test of the season – Punto Malo, known for extreme currents and winds. Looking good, we departed Ensenada Benao at 0530 to round the Point. All calm, Vista Mar here we come.

Punto Malo

We made it! Grateful for all we’ve seen, the people we’ve met, the countries explored. Grateful for the Panama Posse, a rich resource and community for making this passage. Grateful for our fabulous boat Footloose, which continues to be a strong and beautiful home for us at sea. Grateful for our buddy boats and friends on Paradisea and Sonamara, who made the challenges easier and the celebrations sweeter. We are back in the United States for the summer. Looking forward to Season Four and more footloose adventures in Panama…

Fair Winds everyone-

Lisa and Michael

Costa Rica is for the Birds!

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Marina Papagayo (look for the green Footloose)

After a few days of hanging out in Playa del Coco Anchorage with the Papagayo winds blowing like snot, we were relieved to dock at Marina Papagayo. This was to be a quick stop, a week no more, eager to get moving to the Gulf of Nicoya. When we arrived there was a Panama Posse fleet here, which made it fun to catch up with boats on our route, including Michelle & Juan on Ay Caramba, who also own a Catana. We’ve met only a few Catana people out here, so we were happy to exchange some stories and tour their 431. Other than socializing, we made the most of our week taking care of some boat projects. Michael was able to repair our main sail bag, which was huge, since the zipper had broke, leaving our main sail vulnerable to the elements. We also sewed the unraveling bits on our gennaker and once again re-furled it, tighter this time, fingers crossed it will unfurl and furl with ease as we anticipate using this sail quite a bit going south. AHHH. Footloose is all cleaned up and ready to go. Our last night at Marina Papagayo, we splurged and went out for dinner at a neighboring resort restaurant with our buddy boat partners, Paradisea and Sonamara. Over Manhattans, we chatted about our sail plan for the following morning, expecting to depart at 0600. Returning to the boat, I noticed that the air condition was off — did we trip a breaker? Also- the AC panel was all lit up red. Uh, Michael, I think there’s a problem. Long story short, our Mastervolt inverter/charger was down. Michael was up until one am troubleshooting, but to no avail. Plans aborted, we watched our friends leave the harbor at dawn. We’ll catch up, but now it’s time for us to order parts in foreign places. Concerned because we’ve heard how expensive Costa Rica can be. How would this work? Dan who manages the Marina, walked us through our options, including flying to Florida to pick it up and carrying it through customs. Imagining our new inverter being tossed about in luggage, we opted to have it shipped with a freight forwarder. 2 weeks approximately. Costly setback for sure.

While we sorted things out, many sights to see around the marina. Many of the posse fleet had departed, but a new one rolled in, Interlude, with Captain Mike, making his way back from Panama to Mexico. We first met on the HAHA 16, so it was especially nice to reconnect and reflect on where we’ve been.

Sailbag Repair

Aquila and Adix (schooner). Aquila owned by “Walmart” Family

Aquila and Adix (schooner)

Aquila

Beach Walk at Dawn, Near Marina

Infinity Edge Pool at nearby resort

Nesting in the Neighbors Rain Gauge

Neighbor’s Bird, flew over for a visit

This bird was born in the neighbor’s rain gauge

Who’s that?

Passerini’s Tanager (F) maybe?

Wild Fungi

Iggy in a Tree

Tapir

Young at heart

Wasp Nest

Coati

Social Flycatcher

Capuchin

Waiting for Inverter Delivery… Flexible sailors, we try not to cry, but we do find ways to mend disappointment. In this case, we got out of Dodge, away from the dock, in search of birds and monkeys, and Costa Rican Pura Vida! The wildlife and bird watching in particular at Palo Verde National Park and La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) did the trick.

Palo Verde

Birds of Palo Verde

Palo Verde National Park is home to spectacular wetlands and one of the best examples of a tropical dry forest. It was quite dry and windy during our visit. The water level in the surrounding marshes was also low, so some species had already departed for temperate summer nesting grounds. Probably better to visit December – February for full-spectrum of birds that migrate here every year. The Roseate Spoonbills, for example, had pretty much cleared out (we saw one or two, but two weeks earlier they were plentiful when our friend visited). Still, we saw plenty of other species. Thanks to a friend’s recommendation, we booked two nights at the OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) Lodge, located right in the heart of the park. This is not a tourist place by any stretch. Most visitors are scientists, researchers, academics. They do welcome mere novice bird aficionados, so we were in. The lodging is basic with no air conditioning and mosquito nets hung over the twin beds. We did have our own bathroom with warm water. No matter, as we were not here for 600 thread count sheets. It was comfortable and cheap with three meals included with the lodging (bonus, given the aforementioned inverter order). Plus there were interesting people, and wondrous birds. We rose with the sun and hiked to marshlands with cameras and binoculars. Jose, the young man working in reception, also serves as a guide. He introduced us to the nearby marshland and pointed out the birds in his scope. We also befriended a couple visiting from Holland, Marc and Pauline (pronounced Pauline EH). Marc is a serious and knowledgeable bird watcher. Outside the dining hall was our favorite spot for dining and talking about birds, travel, and even some politics. We also met Gernot and Richard Kunz, a father and son team of biologists visiting from Austria. Gernot is an entomologist, so he had light traps set up and collected insect species (leaf cutters) for examination. Apparently, the dry air and full moon were not ideal conditions. He was passionate about teaching and mentoring future biology teachers to learn more about the morphology of organisms. He also was an advocate for the spider family, who undeservedly are the most feared in the insect kingdom. Go ahead hold the tarantula in your hand! Gernod and Richard have created an application “Animals of Costa Rica”, and continue to update it with every new animal identified (over 7000 photos so far). He explained how people name new species (never after yourself!). He showed us a picture of this brightly colored leaf-cutter, which reminded Marc of a Picasso painting, and so it was that he named it thus – “Picasso”. On the funny side- Gernot noted that someone even named a Caterpillar “Trump.” Laughing I asked, does it have orange hair? -Yes, as a matter of fact! We all cracked up. It is also the most venomous in the genus, go figure. Gernot and Richard went off the beaten path around the park as you might expect. Gernot directed us to a nest, “turn right on Catalina, continue on the road till you reach the lone banana tree, behind that in the Guanacaste tree, third branch up, you can’t miss the large nest with baby Jabirus We found it!

Road Trip to Palo Verde

Sugar Cane Operation

Windmills (reminds us of Northern Calif)

Brahma Bull

Palo Verde

Trees galore

Dining Hall, Outdoor Seating

Dry and Windy, Serene

Marc and Pauline

Gernot and Richard

Trump Caterpillar!

Turtle of Palo Verde

Pauline and Marc admiring the turtle

Capuchins

Sweet

Wild Palo Verde

Costa Rican Squirrel

Palo Verde Marshland

Sneaky, liked to hangout near garbage cans

Iguanas are tagged for study

Friendly Iguana, loves watermelon!

Iggy’s Tail

Jabiru Nest

Jabiru Chicks

Birdwatching at Palo Verde: It’s harder than you think. First to spot them or hear them, and then to identify them. Throw in a camera to focus and it is quite challenging. We are still learning, but having fun doing it.

Quite a Sight

Michael Focusing on Flight

Bird Watcher

Path to the Marshland Birds

Wood Storks, Egrets, Ibises, oh my

Herons and Sandpipers too

Whistling Ducks too

Crocodiles!

Wood Stork

Jose and Marc, Morning Bird Watch

Cracked Earth with prints

Cattle Egret

Jabiru

Great Curassow

Roadside Hawk

Parakeet, unidentified

La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano

Toucan with Arenal Backdrop

Leaving Palo Verde, we drove 2 1/2 hours NE to La Fortuna, from the hot and arid climate to the lush rainforest. Along the way, we picked up hitchhikers, a mother and young daughter escaping Nicaragua to be with family in Liberia, Costa Rica. We let them off at a bus stop near La Fortuna with a few colones. Wishing them safe travel and reunion. Onward we went, through the curvy mountainous region around Arenal. We stayed at the Arenal Bungalows, again nothing fancy, but nice garden and view of the Arenal Volcano. There is lots to do in this area— ziplines, thermal hot springs, hiking, horseback riding, and of course bird watching. Obviously, a tourist hot spot, a far cry from the solitude of Palo Verde. We went to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, where we did a self-guided hike through the park and then returned the following morning for a guided bird watching tour. Our first day, we sat drinking coffee, waiting for our hiking reservation. Sitting next to the gift shop, I turned my head and “WOA is that real?” I spotted my first Yellow-Throated Toucan just perched on a tree smiling at me. There’s something about your first in most things, including spotting tropical birds. Thrilling!

Arenal from Mistico Park

Arenal under Clouds (often)

Arenal

Rainy Morning

Spotting Birds in a Rainforest is challenging, but delightful

Olive Warbler

Gustavo, Bird Tour Guide

White Hawk

Rare

Yellow-Throated Toucan takes Flight

Bats

Snake Verde

Wild Boars

Spider Monkeys, Mistico Park

Michael crossing hanging bridge at Mistico

A Waterfall in the Rainforest

water below

Ants at work

Lush & Colorful Plants

I see you

Bird of Paradise

Beautiful Tropical Gardens, Mistico Park

Birdwatching at La Fortuna: Many new birds here, varied colors and songs. I walked around with my head tilted back, eyes to the sky, waiting for a glimpse!

Humming Bird, Rufus Garden

Yellow-Throated Toucan

Blue-Black Grosbeak (M)

Crested Guan

Great Kiskadee

very rare and pretty

Garden Birds Eating Papaya

warbler

No Place Like Home

Marina Sunset

After our four-day tour, we were excited to get back on Footloose. Before giving up the rental car, we stopped at Auto Mercado for one more provision run and of course lunch at Coconuts at Playa del Coco. Marina Papagayo is really nice, but isolated without a car. There are restaurants and one small market around the marina, but very expensive. We did get a reasonable marina rate with a Panama Posse discount, and the staff and amenities are A+, with great walking and biking paths, a pool to cool off in the afternoon, do-it-yourself lavandaria and a quiet cool conference room with strong wifi. Back on Footloose, we began tracking our inverter shipment. It may be delivered as soon as Friday. Michael should have it installed quickly and we’ll be back in business – ready to catch up with our friends along the Costa Rica passage.

Local Brews

Rare Pollos indeed

Aztec Parakeet

Fair winds everyone,

Lisa and Michael

El Salvador

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Footloose surfing into Bahia del Sol

Departing Chiapas for El Salvador, one thing weighed heavily on our minds— the bar crossing into Bahia Del Sol. We had seen the videos of those who’d gone before and survived, but still the waves at this bar are intimidating. We arrived in the middle of the night and anchored out near the bar entrance. As the sun came up, we began our wait for high slack tide, the best time to cross the bar. At 1230, Footloose, Paradisea, and Sonamara made our way to the entrance to meet the pilot boat. Boats do not cross this bar without pilot boat escort. Paradisea was the first to go. We waited and watched as they took a wave and got sideways a bit, then pulled her to starboard, and in she went, whew. Our turn and Sonamara to follow. Bill directed us on Channel 16 and we followed “Full Speed Ahead”. Michael pushed on the throttle and we powered through, seeing 11mph, surfing one wave on the stern, sporty, and just like that we were through and made our way to the marina. (Unfortunately, the conditions quickly worsened and Sonamara was turned away and had to wait at anchor for another night.) At the dock, we were greeted by many smiling faces, including immigration folks and the celebrated hosts of Bahia del Sol, Bill & Jean (El Salvador Rally). They took our dock lines and presented us with Rum drinks. Welcome to El Salvador!

Today’s the Day!

Go Paradisea!

Sonomara over the bar- at last!

Bahia Del Sol

Bahia Del Sol

From our stern porch, we looked out onto the long estuary, with volcanoes prominently in the backdrop. The marina is rough around the edges, with the docks needing work (watch out for nails), boards loose… But, the restaurant and the 4 pm happy hours at the pool with the friendly cruiser community, make it a sweet spot. Bill and Jean have made their home here, having arrived 5 years ago. They host the annual El Salvador Rally and contribute greatly to the local community. They have a lovely Island home and have made Bahia del Sol a welcome retreat for cruisers. We even celebrated Chinese New Years with Debra from Avant teaching us how to make pot stickers and Pork Buns for a delicious feast. Bill rides with the pilot boat to escort boats in and out of the bar and provides clear instructions in English. They host Saturday “Pupusa” nights and are readily available to answer any questions about the area. Many cruisers have come to Bahia and lingered for a season or more, as it’s a sheltered place to leave your boat, with affordable mooring balls, and a very good place to take inland tours around El Salvador and throughout Central America.

Our hostess, Jean and Michael, Year of the Pig

Debra showed us how to make pork buns & potstickers!

Pork Buns and Pot Stickers

Cruising Kid, Toby, helping to wash down the deck

Nearby Herredura, a dinghy ride down the estuary

Tranquil Bahia

First Impression, Politics

You can’t talk about El Salvador without talking some politics. The effects of the civil war (1980-92 ) are still felt and the people are still longing for a strong government without corruption. We arrived on the weekend of the presidential election. Alcohol was banned for the weekend of our arrival through Monday, Election Day. Voting is a big deal with much higher turnout than the US. Voters are given the day off to vote and there is a celebratory mood as everyone participates in this important civic responsibility. From our boat, we watched pangas bringing people from surrounding islands to the polling place along the estuary. We learned some about the different parties, including the once prominent FMLN and ARENA. Ultimately, Nayib Bukele (GANA party) won. Previously, as mayor of San Salvador, he made notable improvements , with successful projects to clean up the center of town, eradicating some of the gang element, and making it safer and more enjoyable for people to congregate. Some are hopeful, others skeptical that he can make good on his presidential campaign ideas. I hope so.

Election Day, Party Flags on display, Bahia del Sol Estuary

Touring El Salvador

We couldn’t leave Bahia without a tour of the country. In a week, we could not see it all, but our tour with Maureen and Bob (Paradisea) gave us a great taste of El Salvador. We hired Ernesto to be our driver/tour guide. Our tour first wound thru the recommended Ruta de las Flores, which was reported to be a pretty drive with stops at coffee plantations, colorful towns and festivals. Well, it wasn’t that pretty, with this being the dry season, it was – dry. Meandering through the countryside and towns we did see Coffee and Sugar Cane crops (the two largest exports of the country) and lots of color– with bright murals on the walls, painted houses and even the buses. The city buses are old time school buses from the USA. Industrious Salvadorians’s own them, drive them, and paint them. We stopped our first night in Santa Ana, the 2nd largest city, next to San Salvador.

Country Roads

Painted Buses of El Salvador

Cheerful buses

Passing By

Sugar Cane

Colorful!

Juayua, A Colorful Town along Ruta de las Flores

Church of Juayua

Valentine’s Day Spirt

Lago de Coatepeque

Tasting Pastelitos, road side snack and friendly visit with family here

Howdy!

National Theater, Santa Ana

Cathedral, Center of Santa Ana

Blind Curve

In El Salvador it’s said There’s always room for one more!

Day Two: Parque Nacional Los Volcanes

We did It!

There are three major Volcanoes at this park. Active Vulcan Izalco is the youngest with its cone taking form starting in 1770, and now stands 1910m high. It erupted throughout the 20th century, earning its reputation as the “Lighthouse of the Pacific”. Next to it and 400m higher, stands Volcan Santa Ana. At 2,381 metres (7,812 ft) above sea level, it is the highest volcano in the country and last erupted in 2008. True Confession: I like to hike, especially on long, flat, smooth trails. I heard stories about the Santa Ana Volcano, (“arduous, kicked my butt, not for the weak…). I told myself, I’m not doing that. I’ll take the forty-five minute nature hike instead and call it good. But then, there I was walking up this huge volcano, climbing, panting, cursing, wondering if I would make it to the top. We got a late start (waiting for required park police escort) , but we did make it to the top before closing time. And it was quite spectacular looking down into the deep green caldera below. So Worth It!

Lisa, Michael, Maureen & Bob, waiting to hike Santa Ana Volcano

Volcán Izalco

Watch your step, especially when the wind blows!

Breathtaking View

“Summiting” Volcano Santa Ana

A word about Coffee

Cafe Expresion Cultural, Santa Ana

On the way out of Santa Ana, we just had to find a good cup of coffee. Surprisingly, Salvadorans are not as java crazy as we are. Coffee is the prominent export, but that doesn’t mean they drink it or love it. So far on our tour, we had tasted mostly watered down nescafe or its equivalent. Strangely disappointing. My Central America guide book made a solid recommendation to go to Expresion Cultural, which did have good coffee, art, and vibe. Refreshed and properly caffeinated – we traveled on to our next stop, Suchitoto.

Relaxing at Villa Napoli, Santa Ana

Expresion Cultural Cafe

We arrived Suchitoto on Valentine’s Day and our guys did the right and romantic thing by splurging on our lodging at Los Almendros de San Lorenzo. It is a Spanish style Inn, with beautiful art, courtyard, lounge, pool, and gracious hosts Joaquin and Pascal. Joaquin and Pascal are want to be cruisers, so perhaps we’ll meet them again at some remote anchorage! We later learned that the El Salvador Rally has in the past rented out the whole Inn for cruisers on this rally. How fun would that be! We enjoyed our two nights there and also soaked in the charming town of Suchitoto along the Indigo Trail.

Our Charming Hotel in Suchitoto

Bob, Maureen, Joaquin, Pascal, Michael, Lisa

Suchitoto Cathedral

Casa de la Abuela, hotel, shop and coffee

Colorful Streets of Suchitoto

Perro waiting to be let in, early morn in Suchitoto

Suchitoto Spirit

Sundown at Los Almendros

Indigo

Before coffee, indigo once reigned in El Salvador. There are still artisans who carry on the tradition. We met Jenny and her husband and spent a few hours in their shop in Suchitoto. Lovely people and art. They were happy that we did more than just look and treated us to a demonstration.

Jenny, Indigo Artist, shop owner

Batik style wax Before

After

Indigo Demonstration, Jenny’s Husband offers the ritual blessing

Creating tie dye style

It washes off, but the dye is peramanent after exposure to air.

A Word about the Tour

Perhaps it was due to the off season or just plain bad luck. Whatever the cause, we had a bit of the Cerrado curse. Ernesto attempted to thrill us with sites, but unfortunately, many places were closed upon arrival. We were turned away from waterfalls, coffee plantations, the puerto del diablo…. We took it mostly in stride and teased Ernesto plenty. And he did his best to fill in the time with more sites, like the tour of Suchitlan Lake in Suchitoto.

Lake Suchitlan, Suchitoto

Kids learning about boats and fishing

ferry boat

Michael photographing birds on Lake Suchitlan

Days Five-Six, San Salvador, the Capital City

Sunday Night, Downtown San Salvador

San Salvador is a modern city, with crazy traffic, homeless people, some beautiful buildings, museums, art, and very good food. Thanks to Pascal’s recommendations, we enjoyed the best meal of our season at Punto, the restaurant at the Museum of Art (MARTE). Shopping at Kreef (German) Deli and the Super Selecto Mercado across from the US Embassy brought provisioning to a new height. Plus, there is a volcano! A gentle hike to the top of this one.

Volcano San Salvador

El Boqueron Parque

Maureen, Bob, and Ernesto making the short climb to the lookout of Volcano San Salvador

El Boqueron (small crater) did massive damage in 1917

Mango and other treats atop the volcano hike

Ernesto, our tour guide

A Day at the Museums

Michael gives bartender a lesson on making a “dry” martini, Punto Restaurant, Museum of Art

We spent a few hours and could have spent more walking through the Military and Anthropology Museums. They were excellent, better than our group anticipated. They helped us to understand more about the history of El Salvador, its past and current struggles and opportunities. Migration was featured a lot in exhibits with a large percentage of Salvadorans considered transnationalists, working and living in other countries. Very interesting to get this perspective. We didn’t have the time or brain power left to tour the Art Museum, but the restaurant was an amazing treat!

Mayan Corn people, Aztecs, Spaniards, Conversion, Father Romero

Burial Urn

Fertilitiy Figure

Jaguar Metate

Exhibition about Migration

Enough with the Paparazzi, Michael!

Maureen and Bob enjoying the tour in a crowded car

Paintings capture the conquest of the El Salvadorian indigenous people

US Weapons

Russian Weapons

Top three -Exiled, imprisoned, dead, all after stealing millions from the government.

Pope Mobile from his visit to El Salvador

Michael thanks our tour guides at the Military Museum

Final Day of the Tour, San Salvador

San Salvador

Our last day we did a walking tour around the center of town. The National Palace is mostly empty since the earthquake of 1984; nonetheless, we enjoyed walking through the empty hallways, imagining the past splendor of this European-design statehouse. We saw that the National Theater had a Dance Performance at 5 pm, so we returned and took in the performance. We didn’t completely understand the “plot” but the dancing was terrific, reminded Bob and Maureen of Capoeira, the Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance and music. Very powerful. After the show, we found Lero Lero Cafe (another Pascal recommendation), and enjoyed a casual tasty meal while looking down on San Salvador all lit up.

El Centro, San Salvador

National Palace, San Salvador

The Red Room

Courtyard at the Palace

Escher-esque floor

Music Room

Legislature once convened here.

San Salvador Cathedral

Cathedral

Painting of Monsignor Romero, A martyr of El Salvador, interred at this Cathedral

Iglesia El Rosario, looks bleak from the outside, but…

The interior features a striking light show through stained glass windows

Santisma Trinidad, Bronze Sculpture

El Centro, San Salvador

Central Mercado

National Theater, Ceiling

Pascal’s Dining Recommendations, San Salvador

Restaurant with a view & good food!

We so enjoyed our stop in El Salvador. Only three weeks there, but with many more miles to go this season, it’s time to go. Next stop, Isla Tigre, Gulfo de Fonseca, Honduras…

Fair Winds Everyone-

Lisa & Michael

Entering the Bar at Bahia del Sol

Our Tour of Chiapas

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Birdwatching from our Porch

After the Tehuantepec, as tame as it was, I was content to rest a bit at Marina Chiapas. It’s a peaceful setting surrounded by mangroves, with few boats going in and out, no obnoxious jet skis or early fishing pangas rocking our boat with their wake. I woke up naturally with the sun here and enjoyed many cups of coffee, watching the birds take flight. Left to my own lazy devices I may have whiled away all my time hibernating on the boat in this fashion before departing for El Salvador. But alas, our energetic traveling friends shook Michael & I out of our stupor reminding us that we would likely never travel this way again. So, we set aside our best-laid budget and packed a suitcase. Touring around the state of Chiapas was indeed– to quote our friend Bob on Paradisea– an OLTE (a Once in a LifeTime Experience).

Breakfast; He bit off more than he could chew!

Meet Our Tour Guides

Miguel and our driver Manuel

To see the sites in this mountainous state, we hired a tour guide who quickly became our friend. Miguel Angel Alvarez Davila operates Tours Discover Chiapas. He and his knowledgable crew took our group (Footloose, Paradisea and Sonamara) on some safe and gorgeous adventures.

Quick Tour to Nearby Chocolate Town and Izapa

We first did a day tour to nearby Chocolate Town and the Izapa Ruins. Chocolate Town is aptly named as it’s the home to generations of chocolate makers. We met Josefina who famously won an international chocolate competition in Italy or France. Quite an honor. She demonstrated her techniques, which she learned from her grandmother and mother. Sadly, her children have other ambitions, but her granddaughter sat watching nearby, so perhaps the tradition will not be lost!

Most Delicious Lunch, by Senora Petra

Dona Josefina

Grinding Cocoa Beans

Roasting Cocoa Beans

Izapa Ruins are only an hour drive. Miguel and our other guide, Favio, are amateur historians with a great interest in Maya Culture, so their insights were invaluable.

Izapa Archeological Site

Tree of Life

Beautiful Plants at the Izapa Park

Five-Day Tour to Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas

Palenque, Maya Archeological Site

Next, we took a 5-day tour to visit Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas. The drive itself was spectacular — winding around the majestic Sierra Madres, mango tree orchards, hillside towns, and more. It was a long drive, about 12 hours to Palenque from the Marina on our first day. We did stop for lunch in Villa Hermosa for fantastic Grilled Chicken at a roadside stop. A feast for 80 pesos. And the rewards for enduring the long drive in a van with 9 people are evident in these photos. We were all taken in by this historic place.

The city of Palenque is home to this major Mayan Archeological Site and National Park. This Maya city state flourished in the 7th Century. Archeologists continue with excavations at this site with only a small percentage of buildings yet uncovered from the surrounding rain forest. goose bumps.

Beautiful Drive

The Caravan making their way from Guatemala and Honduras

Palenque Site, 80 % remains unexcavated!

Steep steps.. imagine building it!

Our guides explaining this Mayan Mythology

Treasures restored, Museum

Binding created the sloped forehead, a sign of Royalty

After climbing all those steps we enjoyed dinner and a night’s rest in town. But not before a stop at the Aluxes Wildlife Park.

While these two are perched, macaws fly freely through this park.

Coatimundi

Howlers

I see you

White Collared Peccary

San Cristóbal de las Casas

Santo Domingo Cathedral, San Cristobal de las Casas

Day three, off to San Cristóbal de las Casas, considered the cultural capital of Chiapas. We arrived just in time for dinner and sleep. The next day was full of walks, museums (including Casa Na Bolom) and exploring this magical hillside city. Many people from around the world have found their home here. It’s got a good blend of folk with exiled hippies mingling with indigenous people, some hipsters, artists and tourists.

Santo Domingo

Amber Museum

Casa Na Bolom (House of the Jaguar)

Artifacts from Gertrude Blom’s collection

A large tianguis or open air market at Santo Domingo

And now for the long drive back to our boats on day five, with a stop for a hike and spectacular view of El Chiflon Waterfalls.

Cascadas El Chiflon

El Chiflon features five waterfalls at different levels. Great hike and even a zip line for those so inclined.

Maureen hiking to the top

Patrice and Bob, brave the zipline

Bob enjoying the ride down

Some Takeaways from the Tour

Tour guides are worth it: Before arriving in Chiapas we were warned about robberies along the tourist route. Miguel explained that along the road from San Cristóbal to Palenque, there are some indigenous people that are angry and misguided. On occasion they have thrown up road blocks and robbed some tour buses. With Miguel’s local knowledge he knew to take us on a different route, though longer, Safe.

Best New Road Snack: Plantain Chips with Valentina’s Hot Sauce

Best posed question and sure way to make a tour guide blush: What are “Auto Hotels‘?- A place to pull in for a secret romantic afternoon. Basically a garage with a bed and bathroom you can pull in to and no one sees the lady in question…

A popular & plentiful business in these parts: Vulcanizadora – a tire fixing place. Luckily we didn’t blow a tire.

Timely: Seeing segments of the “caravan” underway. Miguel explained that Mexico too, does not want them to enter Illegally; however, once here, the towns (and country) do what they can to help them. We saw medical teams set up at check points. Trucks picking up families with children to drive them for a distance. Food and supplies, shelter, good will. Federales are on the look out for MS13 members.

Most Astounding Mystery: Why did the Mayan people abandon this flourishing empire? Since it was re-discovered in 1567, a huge number of inscriptions and sculptures have been the key to unlocking historical secrets, although opinion is still divided on why Palenque was abandoned. Was it famine? Invasion from a neighboring state? A calendar mix-up?

and lastly, thanks again to our friend, Captain Bob on Paradisea, for a new defining motto, “OLTE” — never pass one up!

Fair winds everyone-

Lisa and Michael

Waiting in Huatulco, Tehuantepec Looming

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Cruise ship barely fits in the Santa Cruz harbor!

We departed Barra De Navidad over a month ago with stops along the way to Huatulco, where we now sit and wait for the elusive weather window to cross the ominous Gulf of Tehuantepec. The Gulf of Tehuantepec is infamous for Force 8 gales of N wind called Tehuantepeckers, or T-peckers for short. We’ve been thinking about this moment for a couple years, so the waiting is killing us. We did arrive here in January, notably the time of year when the wind strengths peak, so waiting should not be a surprise! Unfortunately, the marina is closed due to a winter storm and silting, so we wait hot and sweaty at anchor. We do take day trips, but mostly are tied down to staying near or on the boat. Still, there must be lessons in this wait time. I am on a 23-day streak of Duo Lingo, learning Spanish. Somehow the “emotions” lesson is so apropo: Enojado (angry), Aburrido (bored), Cansado (tired), Preocupado (worried), Triste (sad), and the highly anticipated – Contento (happy). Haven’t learned the word for grateful yet, but I will and do have many reasons to use it. Starting with the buddy boats we are traveling with, Paradisea and Sonamara. Turns out even reviewing weather maps is better shared with others.

Chicken wings, potato chips, olives and Fried Grasshoppers a specialty of Oaxaca

Today is Day 10 of the wait and the T-pecker effect is making its presence known. Waves are rolling in to Bahia Chahue, rocking our boats at anchor and I feel un poco enfermo (sick). Michael checks Predictwind and assures me that the waves should subside in another 24 hours more or less. Espero (I wait).

When you need an attitude adjustment, it’s time to take a breath and reflect on the special moments along the journey. Here’s a snapshot of our travels Barra to Huatulco.

*Recommended: click on photo to start slide show, hit escape to return to post.

Sights from Underway

Calm Day at the Helm

Cautionary Reminder? Off we go!

Magnificent start to our trip south

Dolphins, how sweet it is!

Turtle Porn

0-Dark-Thirty Departure

Sunrise Watch is the best!

Stunning

Great Sail, Happy Captain

Zihuatanejo Passage

Beautiful Sail through the Night

Night Watch with Moonlight is nice too!

Underway Again

Gorgeous Clouds

Sunset Passage

Many Dolphins!

and Fisherman

and Turtles

And Peace

People

Kirk & Charlene of Freedom Kirkland, snorkeling

Counter Posse, on their return from Panama… met at Las Hadas

Counter Posse Friends aboard Charly and Tappan Zee

Lou and Patrice, Sonamara

Lou joins the fun, waiter preparing flambe

Vicente and his crew are a big help to cruisers in Acapulco harbor.

Maureen, Bob, Lisa at the Fort Museum

Centro Mercado, Abuela & Niño

Photo Shoot

Christmas day in Acapulco

Market Garlic Vendor

Maureen, Paradisea

Christmas Dinner on Footloose

New Year’s Eve on Footloose, Organo Anchorage, Huatulco

Anchorages

Sonamara, Buddy Boat

Morning Paddle

Peaceful Anchorage

Sonamara, Las Hadas

Moonlight over Las Hadas

Last Evening at Las Hadas

Stopover at Bahia de Maruata

Fixing the Gennaker

Sundown

Acapulco City Lights

Footloose & Vicente’s boat

Floatilla at Paradisea, Manhattans anyone?

Touring Around

The Divers of Acapulco: Quite a history. Generations of divers have been diving here since 1934. Book to be published later this year telling their story,”Divers of the Pacific”.

Posing

Brave

Fort Museum, Acapulco: Great historical museum at the old fort.

Fertility goddess

Imagine wearing this on sunny tropical day

Spanish leather chest

Chinese trade goods

The Garrison Kitchen

Acapulco, Around Town

Diego Rivera’s Mural, at “Casa del los Vientos”

Central Market

Queso

Pollo

Piñatas In Waiting

Herbs and Spices

Acapulco City Centro

Huatulco Area

Santa Cruz, Port Captain…

Church with a View!

Feathered Parishioner

Church in La Crucecita

Visit to Pochutla, Market Day (every Monday)

Bob and Maureen with Grasshopper Vendor

The Wait is Over

First Sundown in T Pec, Paradisea

On Day 13 of our wait, a short weather window came to light. Our friends encouraged us to take the plunge. We departed on Friday, January 11 at 1700 to cross the Gulf of Tehuantepec. It was a calm and beautiful passage. We sailed for only a few hours with sunrise on Saturday, then motored on through Saturday night, arriving Marina Chiapas on Sunday morning. I have such awe and reverence for this great ocean we travel on our small boat. Agradecido (grateful)!

What was all the fuss? Smooth sailing (& motoring) to cross the Tehuantepec!