Category Archives: Places

A Night at Naranjo

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We’ve been traveling from Costa Rica through North Western Panama.  This part of the coast is very remote.  We have had no cell signal for 6 days.  That means no internet…Are we starting to shake?  It’s very hot and sticky but at least the days are overcast as Panama heads into rainy season.  Each little bay, surrounded by dense jungle that overhangs the beaches, has squads of Parrots flying overhead in pairs squawking to each other noisily.  The bays often have a small boat with a couple of guys fishing who have braved the surf in their small boats.  In Mexico the fisherman’s Pangas had lots of freeboard and big Yamaha engines with at least 75 horsepower. Here the boats are Pirogues.. narrower than Pangas, sturdily built from fiberglass or wood plank construction, but a 20 horsepower is a big motor.  Sometimes you see these small boats motoring between the bays with five or six people on board.

Hills of Naranjo

After a pleasant day motor sailing we arrive at Ensenada Naranjo with about 150 miles remaining to reach our season’s resting place at the Vista Mar marina. As we pull into the protected bay, the Pacific swell subsides and we anchor in 30 feet of water. On a mooring ball a small pirogue is at rest, brightly painted in red.  We set up the bridle and back down to ensure that the anchor is set.  As we look out over the hills, we are reminded of Northern California with the coastal hills green turning gold as the hills wait for the drenching to come during Panama’s famous rainy season, just 30 degrees warmer than California with twice the humidity. It’s happy hour, and although we have stopped drinking alcohol for now, we lie down on the trampoline with a cool drink of fruit juice and soda water.  We watch as 20 or so white brahma cattle graze the steep hills.

Grazing Brahmas

Suddenly a single shot rings out. Yesterday, at Bahia Honda, we were boarded by a man in a small blue pirogue carrying an AR 15 and a pistol. He was very friendly, and wearing a national police uniform for Panama, although it looked like he might have stolen the shirt. He welcomed us to the anchorage, assuring us that we were safe, but guns do make us nervous. We get the binoculars and I see a man walking down the beach with a rifle. He seems to be looking towards us. Two women watch from the little house on the beach, one very obese and one in a bright red tee shirt that almost matches the boat.  As I nervously scan the beach I notice a tan colored head in the water swimming between the man with the rifle and our boat, possibly a dog, except the nose doesn’t look quite right.

Another man appears, dragging a smaller pirogue down the beach. He sets off with one paddle through the surf from the steep beach. The man on the beach is yelling instructions to the man in the boat. The creature turns to avoid the small boat and I see the ears that tell me it’s a deer swimming in a panic. Nervously I think don’t shoot.  Eventually the man in the small boat puts a line around the animal’s neck finishing it off. After a brief struggle with the deer in the water the man pulls the animal into the pirogue and paddles back to the shore, as the two women look on. The man carries the deer up the shore to the waiting women, and the anchorage is peaceful again. Unnerving to say the least.

We resume happy hour and eat an early dinner outside. The last few nights we have developed a new practice. To fight off the humidity and heat we have been running the generator for air conditioning for a few hours before bed. This cools off the cabin giving us a better chance at getting to sleep. We have noticed previously that insects are attracted to the lights on the boat so as the darkness sets in, we turn off the cockpit lights and head indoors.   Now, with the air conditioning and the cabin lights on we sit listening to an audible book.  In The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 the author is describing the difficulties of building the Panama canal, with malaria, yellow fever, insects, heat, and rain.  As we are listening to these harsh godforsaken conditions experienced by the French engineers and all of the workers who endured such adversity, Lisa suddenly lets out a shriek.  Our cabin door is built like a patio door.  With large, thick plastic panes and a tightly fitted aluminum frame.  Beyond the panes are thousands of insects, attracted by the lights in the cabin.

Bugs

Flying ants, crickets, beetles, moths a nightmare of entomology.  We are trapped in the cabin.  Some of the creatures have a golden thorax with what appears to be a white LED on the underside…easy to see, as they are walking on the window. Then we notice that the “LEDs” are in fact flashing a bright greenish gold.  Chapter four is about to start and we call it a night.  I figure that turning out the lights will cause the bugs to abandon the party on Footloose.  Our dreams interrupted by visions of creepy crawlies, we awaken to a cockpit filled with a snow bank of wings shed from the flying ants. Some partiers remain, snacking on the bodies of those who did not survive the bacchanal.  Using the wash down hose, we wash away the evidence and get underway for Bahia Benao, after which we will round Punta Mala named so for the huge tidal currents, winds, and swells which focus at this turn into the Bay of Panama.

A school of tuna are leaping out of the water glinting blue in the sunrise. Perhaps, I’ll catch a fish.

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
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

Passing the Papagayo

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Crossing the Bar

Portions of this entry are for the benefit Panama Posse members and our regular readers can just skip content with brackets and a PP….[PP:………]

The Papagayo winds are gap winds similar to the Tehuantepec winds where the Caribbean trade winds are accelerated and intensified as they pass through gaps in the mountains that form the back bone of Central America.  The goal is to avoid sailing in winds that can gust into the 40 knot range.  So it’s all about the weather window.

Entering Golfo de Fonseca

After an uneventful exit over the bar at Bahia Del Sol, we sailed overnight to enter the Gulf of Fonseca as the sun was coming up.   As we entered this huge gulf, the rising sun revealed many pangas, with various types of fishing gear and a skyline filled with volcanos.  Most pangas fished with nets having the Panga at one end and a black Flag at the other.   Our image stabilizing binoculars have never been more useful as we spotted each net and adjusted course to avoid obstructions.   Getting a net or a longline loaded with hooks wrapped around your propeller, is not good.  For the yacht it may mean diving in the open ocean to cut the propeller free while the boat bounces above your head in the waves. For the fisherman it represents a significant financial loss.   Yet these lines and nets are often poorly marked, with the floats being clear soda bottles.

Panga setting the obstacle course

Unscathed, we made our way to the small town of Amapala, in Honduras.

Amapala

[pp: We anchored in 20 feet of water at 13 deg 17.901 N 087 deg 39.099 W.  The holding is mixed sand and mud.  It took a couple of tries to set but by backing down gently and then letting the anchor settle it held firmly in winds to 20 knots  and a tidal current that was reaching 2 knots.]

We stayed anchored at Amapala while waiting for weather to move further to Puesta del Sol in Nicaragua where we would wait to cross the windiest portion of the Papagayo region off of Lake Nicaragua. Here winds blow fiercely from the Caribbean and can gust to 40 MPH.  Not fun for sailing.

Amapala is a town on the northern edge of Isla Tigre where about 12000 people live scattered around the shore of an island that sports a huge Volcano at its center.  The last eruption was 10,000 years ago.

We bought a few Honduran Lempira at the Casa de Pepsi.   A house at the corner of the main drag one block up from the customs dock.  They are the local Pepsi distributors and also change money out of an old wooden drawer. 23.5 lempira per dollar. The bank rate was 24.5.  With fresh Lempira burning a hole in our pockets we had beers and lunch at El Faro.  Daisy the proprietor, teaches in the school mornings and runs her restaurant in the afternoons.  She served an amazing bowl of seafood soup $10 and crispy filets of Corvina.  We tested all four local beers and the majority felt that Sal Vida was the best Honduran brew at the table. In this part of the world they serve fried plaintain (not as sweet as a banana) instead of french fries.

We  arranged a driver (Gustavo) to take us around the island the next day in the back of his pickup truck ($40), and on the way back to the customs office I met Roberto.  Roberto is in his mid-seventies, and he sauntered up and began telling me stories about the island, Its German heritage, and its history as a shipping port.  He told me he was the best English speaking guide on the island.  I wasn’t sure we would have room for one more passenger so we left it at that.   The next morning however one of our party had a little tourista and stayed off the tour, so we got Gustavo to pick up Roberto on the way.

This turned out to be a great move as Roberto came with his briefcase, a plastic shopping bag, containing a manila folder filled with maps and pictures about the island.  Roberto has a sixth grade education, and taught himself to speak English.   He is an amateur historian for his island but does not use the internet or type…  At 19, he entered the merchant marines, travelling to Hamburg Germany and other ports. Blushingly (if a 75 Year old Honduran can blush) he told us about visiting the red light district in Hamburg with the rest of the crew where the girls all sat in the windows.   He quit the ship because he was only being paid $25 per month. Back at Isla Tigre, he began to work at the port as a stevedore loading and unloading the ships.  He met a girl from El Salvador whom he lived with in common law.  During the 100 hour war with El Salvador they were separated and he has lived as a bachelor ever since.  In typical government fashion, the Honduran’s negotiated a new shipping port at San Lorenzo, and Roberto described a day when the ships just stopped coming.  They had no idea what had happened, and the once vibrant town filled with visiting sailors, bars and restaurants became a shadow of its former self.  Islander’s now live by fishing the productive Gulf of Fonseca.  We saw many fish on the fish finder as we came in.

Old Casino
Tuk Tuk
Commuters
4 million dollar beach for sale, includes small Hotel. Social unrest, volcanos.. What could go wrong?
Public Housing
Hi There
The Mermaid Cave
Pangas kept out of the high tide
Kapok Plant

At the end of the tour, we took Roberto to lunch, although he had his boxed up to share with his nieces and nephews at home.   During lunch, he continued to regal us with stories of his life and the island. Apparently Albert Einstein stayed there.  We gave him a tip of 30 dollars for his time which he seemed grateful for.

Roberto and Daisy

One last point about Amapala is the check in check out process.  At immigration you get fingerprinted using equipment provided by the United States.  The officials here speak no English.  The port captain on the other hand is a friendly man who loves to practice his English on the visitors and flirt with the ladies.  Since he has all of this going on, he is a little loose on the details.  Make sure you have all of your documents, and that the exit Zarpe is correctly filled out.   He printed our Zarpe three times trying to get it right but nevertheless the third copy still has a speck of white out changing an 8 to the 6 in our Coast Guard documentation number.  The officials are all at the end of the big concrete pier.

Fingerprints
The Gang

[pp:Helpers will assist you in tying up to the steps which is not a “sketchy“ as  it looks.   Bring a long painter 20 feet plus.  They will shift your boat as the tides change.  Having a fender on board may also be helpful.   3-5 dollars seems to bring a smile depending on how long they have been “watching”.  Paying in Lempira is best.]

The conditions between the Gulf of Fonseca and Puesta del Sol in Nicaragua are pretty benign. So we made a day’s run entering through the narrow mouth.

[PP:Enter in the middle with 15 feet of depth go to the first red mark and turn 100 to 200 feet shy in 20-30 feet.  Keep the red buoys on your right and follow into the marina.  I saw 6 feet briefly before the last red buoy one hour after low tide]

First mark at Puesta del Sol

We checked into the country with the help of lovely Juanita, who translated for us and helped each boat get through the three Spanish only officials.

[PP:Total fees on entry were $79 Bring exact change, ones and 5’s, no one has change and your change just seems to find a home somewhere else not on your official Recibo.]

The Navy guy boarded our boat, and asked for a $5.00 donation.  I told him loudly that he could have my change from the immigration guy.  He shushed me and told me no problem.   His behavior left the impression that bribes are a strictly prohibited here and he wanted no trouble.   After he left I felt bad knowing with certainty that he is probably seriously underpaid.

The Marina is attached to a nice hotel with a good restaurant and swimming pool.   Because of the social unrest in Nicaragua, there are few tourists and the hotel is clearly in survival mode.  They run the generator 10 hours a day with a gap from 2 to 5 in the afternoon.   That’s when the cruisers meet at the pool to cool off.   Service in the Restaurant is slow due to the minimal staff.  Juanita, who runs the place even helps in the kitchen.   We waited 2 hours for our meal, and were amazed when they delivered food for twelve with different dishes all at once and hot.   A work around for this is to order an hour or so ahead of your show up time.   We really can’t say enough to praise the helpful pleasant hotel staff.

Pool Time
Movie Night

[PP: Our exit had another $54 in fees]

The next step was to plan our crossing of the most severe region of the Papagayo, south eastern Nicauragua.  We planned to cross the gulf in two steps. Puesta del Sol to an open anchorage at Matsachapa.  The following day we would plan to cross the windiest portion that lies off shore of Lake Nicaragua.

One recommended strategy for this region is to look at the gust strength rather than the wind strength.  Forecasts showed winds in the mid-teens which is very comfortable sailing but gusts into the thirties..not so much.

The first day we sailed with the first reef and motor sailed through variable conditions.   Our little fleet of 5 boats anchored for the night at Matsachapa as planned.

[PP: The waypoint from the Sarana guide was pretty inshore and the Pacific swell coming into the bay felt like it was piling up and getting ready to break.   So we anchored outside the Sarana guide waypoint at 11 deg 47.884 min N  086 deg 32.014min W in 19 feet of water just after low tide.  We use our fish finder when anchoring and the bottom looked irregular but like a sand bottom.  Our set was very abrupt. Like hitting a concrete block.  One of our buddy boats anchored just south and east of us and they felt their chain moving over what felt like rocks.   When they tried to recover the anchor it was stuck in the bottom and they wound up losing their anchor when the swivel failed.  Boats that were 100 yards or more astern and west of us seemed to have no problems.  One of our group felt that we were anchored on a lava flow.]

Anchored at Matsachapa

Motor sailing in high winds on a beam reach may seem like a lame strategy, but we expected winds varying from the teens to the thirties, so we organized our sail plan to handle 40 knots…third reef and adjusted our Genoa when winds were lighter for a prolonged period.   Having the motor on allowed us to have good speed in lighter air while protecting the boat in stronger gusts.  For the second leg our winds were constant low to mid 20’s with sustained gusting to 34.  One of buddy boats had their head board car system fail while beam reaching in high winds on this leg.  Their sail bag was damaged in the process.

Apparent wind speed
Third Reef

Our first stop in Costa Rica was at Bahia Santa Elena, a beautiful and protected bay.  After anchoring, I had the customary celebratory anchoring beer and listened to the strange bird sounds coming from the mangroves.   As I watched in the binoculars, three birds were loudly chasing each other and as they turned in the setting sun their wings flashed bright green….wild Parrots.  This bay feels remote like some anchorages in the Sea of Cortez, we could have stayed there a week,  but big winds were coming, and we needed to check in to Costa Rica, so we took the opportunity of a light air day to move to Playa del Coco.

[PP:The best anchoring at Santa Elena is probably on the north west side of the bay but these spots were already taken.  The head of the bay is reported as mud on our Navionics SD card, so I anchored in the east portion of the bay on a lee shore at 10 deg 54.810 min N 085 deg 47.952 W in 29 feet over sand mud shells.  We had a solid full RPM set, but with the chain out we were a little close to shore still in 30 feet.  Doing it again I would drop in Mid 30’s].

At Playa del Coco we dropped the hook, and jumped into the delicious clear water of the bay wahoo.   We could see the anchor chain arching down towards the bottom.

The following day we began the check in cha cha.   First the port captain then the immigration office down the street,  then return to the port captain, then $60 cab ride to the airport for customs and an import certificate for the boat. Then back to the port captain for a National Zarpe, allowing us to move to our next official port Quepos.  We have to check in with the port captain every place there is one.

In the town we enjoyed a couple of meals out, and had amazing gelato at HELADERIA ITALIANA.  The Auto Mercado was also excellent with great breads.  Try the dark brown loaf.

These were great…

[PP: at Playa del Coco, we anchored at 10 deg 33.718 min N  085 deg 41.651 min W.  We had great holding in sand but our spot seemed to be in the blast zone as the now raging papagayos threw gusts up to 42 knots at us.  Doing it again, I would anchor 500 yards further north, closer to the hills which seemed to be more protected. ]

Smoke on the water

Exhausted from the constant wind we headed to Marina Papagayo.  Where early mornings are very calm.  We went around the corner, motoring up Bahia Culebra “snake bay” in high winds with the water blowing off the tops of the waves making a golden mist in the early morning sunlight. The marina is beautiful but isolated.  I find that I am exhausted and take naps every afternoon, with a few boat projects in the morning.  I took an early morning walk with Allan Niles a visitor on Sonomara and an excellent photographer.  We took pictures of a troupe of howler monkeys and birds in the area.

Howler
Iguana
Parrot

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!

First Sundown in T pec
Sunrise
Sunrise Sail
Morning, Glassy Seas
Mom and Baby
Taking in the View
Sunday Sunrise with Pelicans in Flight
Bright rocks left of the radio tower are the northern breakwater.
Contento at the Dock
Blue Heron visits every morning

Season Three: Panama!

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Panama Posse

Class of 2018-2019 at Barra de Navidad

Each season begins with a plan. This season Michael and I shook hands on taking the Central American route to Panama. We thought we would have made it there last season, but plans changed. This year we seem determined, albeit somewhat scared to leave what has become our familiar and friendly cruising grounds around Mexico. Not scared exactly, just a bit uncertain. Uncertainty is one aspect of the cruising life that you have to get used to. What lies ahead? To bolster our knowledge and bravado, we have joined the Panama Posse, a support group of sorts for like-minded cruisers on the less traveled Central-American route.

Now in its second season, the Panama Posse is not a race or an organized rally whereby we all depart and travel together until we cross the finish line. Rather this group was created to provide information and a supportive community for people traveling this route. Some boats may buddy boat together, others may travel to a different schedule. Either way, the Panama Posse will be there to check in with along the way.

Posse kick-off in Barra de Navidad

November marks the start of many cruising seasons. The Marina Puerto de Navidad (a Panama Posse sponsor), hosted this season’s Posse kick-off shortly after Thanksgiving. The week featured daily seminars to learn more about the route, weather and safety, provisioning and finally the kick-off party. Dietmar of Sailing Vessel (S/V) Carinthia is the organizer/presenter for this week’s event. He with his wife Suzanne traveled with last year’s Posse to Panama, so he has first-hand knowledge and lots of stories to share.

A little rain does not spoil the party!
Dietmar, Panama Posse founder
Monica, SeaGlub, gotcha!
Dietmar, who me?
Fun was had by all

Community

The Panama Posse is created with community in mind. Not to be repetitive or cliché, but believe me when I tell you that cruisers are the most generous of people. They gravitate to helping out and building community. Perhaps it’s because we are a minority, when you consider there are really only about 25,000 small boats cruising worldwide. While cruisers tend to be self-reliant types, they also seek out others. Whether to troubleshoot an engine problem on someone’s boat or to wait out a weather system or commiserate over a rough passage or to share a snorkel or a taxi to Mega to provision, cruisers join together. So far, there are about 58 vessels signed up for this season’s Posse, with 19 attending the kick off. Others will join the route later in the year. Some will travel the distance to Panama and others may stop over in El Salvador or elsewhere for the season. Like always, plans and routes are unique to each boat and crew.

Communication

Chris and Monica on S/V SeaGlub have volunteered to be the lead vessel, which means they will be coordinating the communication. In the past, Single Side Band (SSB) Nets were the primary means of checking in with boats underway.This year we will use an online application,“Line”, to do weekly check-ins, plus there is a 24-hour chat room to pose questions, etc. Knowing there are people who are listening and watching our boat’s progress is a comfort. Should we have a medical or other emergency out there, we feel better assured of some assistance. More than likely we will hear mostly about the best restaurants, calm anchorages, and interesting inland trips not to be missed. In addition to Line, Dietmar will send out regular Posse updates by email with information that members of the Posse share. We are asked to provide detailed information (e.g. latitude and longitude of a good or bad anchorage, phone number for a mechanic in El Salvador, how to check in to Costa Rica, etc.) All of this is being recorded for the next guy. We learn by doing, but also from shared information. Fortunately, we hear that wifi and satellite coverage is strong along this route — most of the time.

Sponsors

Dietmar and others have cultivated relationships with marinas and other services along the route to Panama. Thanks to their efforts, there are now many sponsors offering significant discounts to Panama Posse members. One notable sponsor is Vista Mar Marina in Panama where we plan to park Footloose at season end. These sponsors and discounts are another welcome benefit of joining this group as we prepare ourselves for some sticker shock when we leave Mexico!

Plan, Work, then Go

That’s the plan for now. Our departure date is unfortunately delayed a few days while waiting for our DHL mail delivery. Patience. Oh well, another dip in the pool, read a book, a couple more boat items checked off the list, a delicious dinner out at Bésame Mucho. A tropical storm system passed through last week, likely the last one of the year. The weather and seas look calm for departure tomorrow. I’ve enjoyed our time in Barra and meeting new friends with the Panama Posse. Our next stop is only 20 nm south to a small, serene anchorage at Ensenada Carrizal. Slowly we make our way south!  

Barra De Navidad, Thanks for the Memories…

Here comes Footloose, channel approach to Marina
Sunrise from Footloose
Sundown
Marina Puerto De Navidad
Thanksgiving with friends
Fun times
Forever Young
Beautiful grounds to walk around
Sand Volleyball too
Morning walk
Looking out to the lagoon/anchorage
AHHHH
A tropical storm dropped 5 inches of rain
Water Taxi from Marina to Barra for dinner
Water Taxi stop
Umbrella ceiling, Señor Froy’s
Lou & Michael, Señor Froy’s
Maureen & Patrice, Señor Froy’s
Happy Hour Sunset
View from Hotel La Alondra
Never gets old…
Dulce Vida!

A Moment in Paradise Village

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Bengal Tiger

Duke

We are moored in the Paradise Village Marina which is part of the Paradise Village Resort in Neuvo Vallarta.  We take a walk every morning before hiding out in the Air Conditioning for the hottest part of the day.  As you leave the Paradise Village Complex, You pass a sort of mini zoo.  Two Bengal tigers Daisy and Duke live in large cages that include his and hers water features where they often lie to cool off.  You might not care for the idea of caged tigers, but if you can get past that, it is a rare opportunity to stand next to a mature tiger.  In the morning Duke takes a walk along the front wall of the cage.  Say his name and he will often respond with a kind of deep purring sound.  He seems very interested in our metal dock cart which we often roll by on our way to the market. I don’t know much else about the tigers although there is a book available here.  They seem to be in great health, lean and sleek with clean teeth, and paws the size of salad plates.  Did you know that male tigers have a white spot on the back of their black ears?  Sometimes they sleep on their backs inviting you to rub their belly.

Paradise village

Carolina – Parrot Caretaker

There are also several cages full of parrots. I would guess at least 15.   Today I met their primary care taker, Carolina.   Carolina gets the birds out of their cages to sit on perches, creating a great opportunity for some parrot portraiture. In my broken Spanish she answered a few of my questions.  She was hand feeding them pieces of whole wheat bread.  I asked about fruit and she said they get fruit every evening.  She also gave each bird some water out of a hose, she thought the birds might drink as much as a quarter liter of water every day.  I asked her where the birds come from and she told me that many are rescues.  A parrot can live for as much as 60 years, and if an owner dies they sometimes come to the resort where they are carefully cared for.  Some of the Parrots are hatched there. Currently there are several youngsters in the population.

Thirsty

 

We like Paradise village, but we are ready to return to the “real” Mexico.

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Summer 18: What to do in the Off-Season?

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Michael, “In Search of Reason”, by artist Sergio Bustamante

Before going cruising there are of course many questions ranging from boat parts to the weather to navigation to safety to the inevitable Why are we doing this? Once you answer the majority of the top 100, you set a date and go. Along the way you find answers to some deferred questions or ponder new ones regarding challenges you didn’t even know existed.  One thing I gave little a care to was what we would do during the hurricane season. I knew for insurance purposes where we needed to be, which was basically parked somewhere in a safe designated hurricane hole and wait it out May to November. Wait a minute, that’s half the year, not trivial.

Camping, Heron Lake State Park, NM

Some cruisers stay with the boat for the long haul (perhaps simpler & cheaper). Others, with brick & mortar houses, spend their off-season back home on land. But we don’t have that place any more. Last year, we did a lot of road trips and “couch-surfed” at the homes of willing friends & family. Living out of a suitcase is tough for that length of time (5 months). This year we decided to shrink the time away from the boat down to 10 weeks. We stayed in Airbnbs in California and New Mexico and took our first camping trip with our new (1985) Winnebago, we named “Winston”. It was all pleasant enough – still, there were the suitcases. And then there was the expense, which turned out to be way more than anticipated. The Airbnbs were reasonable enough compared to hotels, plus we saved some money by cooking in. There were, however, some unexpected vehicle repairs leading to additional flights and hotels, plus the fact that everything really does cost more in the states, from haircuts to groceries to dining out.  Turns out 10-weeks was not quite enough time back home for everything and everyone we wanted to squeeze in, but it was a tad too much time for our credit cards.  c’est la vie!

Coffee at Dawn on Footloose

It has been a good summer and continues to be back on Footloose. Feels good to be home on our boat with all our stuff and our suitcases stored away. It is hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms usually after dark. We enjoy walks in the early mornings and swims in the late afternoons. We are puttering about on the boat and getting ready for the season which officially starts Nov 1. We’ve started to plan our itinerary, Mexico to Central America. If all goes according to plan, we should be in Panama by May. No hurricane risk there, but man does it pour in the wet season. Can’t even begin to think about what to do next summer. No rush.

At last, here are some photos from our spring-summer! It’s been awhile since we shared. (Remember to click on photo in gallery to open up slideshow for better viewing, hit esc to exit and resume with post.)

May-June 2018: Before departing for the states, we had some fun in between working at putting the boat to bed for the off-season.

Cowboys & their horses along the beach near La Cruz

La Cruz de Huanacastle: We attended an amazing festival in May. This annual festival celebrates the Patron Saint of La Cruz and features a sight to behold, the run of the horses from Bucerías into La Cruz!

Over 100 horses run along the beach from Bucerías into La Cruz for this festival.
Here they come…
Deena & James (Nellie Jo) watching the show from their Dinghy.
Modern Cowboy
Family Tradition
Multi-tasking
Princess of the Festival
Festival of the Patron Saint
Flamenco
Festival continued into the wee hours of the morning, so we’re told.

Fun around Puerto Vallarta

View from our Dock, Muelle B
Iguana con limon?
Duke Chillin
Optimist Dinghies lined up, ready for Optimist North American Championships
El Tigre Brunch, so many choices!
Better choice?
Delicious Dinner with friends, Red Cabbage Cafe
Red Cabbage Cafe
Maureen with our Valet
Bartenders? Donna & Cindy
Happy Birthday Dinner
Special Guests, Tod & Donna
Beach time near downtown
Art Along the Malecón
Great Sculptures!
What happens in PV, stays in PV

New Mexico and California

We flew to New Mexico on June 22 and had a great time seeing our family and friends in the states. Although-  we did get an overdose of politics!  LOL- Wish more of you could visit us aboard Footloose sometime, hint, hint.

Visiting family in Farmington, NM – Michael, Mason, & Christopher
Maegan, chef & hostess extraordinaire, with her delicious & pretty fruit trifle
Michael working on the orchard project
Turtle spotted along our walk at Mom & Dad’s Ranch, escaped from the pond?
Celebrating our 4th Anniversary at Ken & Sue’s, Durango- love this town.
First Campsite with “Winston”, Heron Lake State Park, NM
A Buoy Out of Water, evidence of the draught in NM
Beautiful Morning Hike
Visit with Tod & Donna in Grass Valley, CA (note the smoke from the wildfires)
California Rich with Gold
We are standing in a cube, which represents the total volume of all gold mined here during its operation (100 years worth!)
Mining Relics
Amazing Full Scale Model of the Mine
The Bourn Cottage, looks serene, until you consider that the mine operated 364 days of the year, closed only on Christmas. Imagine the noise!
The Bourn Estate, Beautiful home & gardens right next to the mine.
Pool Party with Tod & Donna’s Family!
Tod’s Toy and Their Joy!
Laura, our friend & tour guide, sharing the hotspots in her hometown:) True Junk Treasures!
Quite a place to treasure hunt, no room on the boat!
Laura having fun at the Rosie the Riveter Museum, great tribute.
Michael is back on Park Street! A reunion with true friends
Gourmet Alley in the Ferry Building
Ferry Ride, San Francisco City Front, never gets old

September, Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta

This is how it starts… Kids learning to sail Optimist Dinghies in our backyard.

We plan to haul out in mid October for new bottom paint and sail drive seals….(they keep the water out of the boat.)  In the meantime, we are waiting for the weather to cool off and doing indoor projects, programming the Single Side Band Radio, fixing some small bits and pieces that while not critical, make life better…We have lists.  A biggy is our recent install of a new anchor, a stainless steel Rocna “Vulcan”, which fits perfectly in our bow roller, and will help Michael sleep at night while anchored.  We have no idea why it comes with such a high polish since every anchor spends its life getting dragged through sand and rocks.. Must be for the Marina Queens!

Anchor project, our chain on deck for marking & installing new anchor
Michael cutting webbing for marking the anchor.
Fitted protective cover
Keeping the anchor polished 😉
Shiny Vulcan Anchor!

Wishing you all peace & some adventures of your own-

Lisa (& Michael)
S/V Footloose
Paradise Village Marina (aka lovely hurricane hole)
Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Policía, Pastries, Pelicans, and Pus? 

8 Replies
Playa Paraiso, Jalisco

Peaceful  Jalisco

We are in the state of Jalisco, which according to the news reports, should have me cautious or even in retreat from this place of crime–danger. Yet, all we experience are peaceful friendly people living their lives.  When I hear reports of the homicides (which is rare, since I’m somewhat tuned out to the news) – I’m perplexed. Jalisco, I read to Michael, is at the center of the drug-gang warfare. Most recently four film students were reported missing, most likely they were kidnapped and slaughtered!   Hmmm? I think I’m living in a parallel-universe or something. The place I see is beautiful. The people warm, joyous, open, and helpful beyond belief.  Hmmm? I do wonder “why are there so many policía on this desolate beach?” – as we found at the Aquarium/Tenacatita.  Is this a hideout for the cartel or is it something else?  Are the policía there to protect these people living on the beach, running beach palapas and fishing? Hmmm?  not sure.  We come in peace and find it here, but we are careful.  Politics & crime watch aside – the Costalegre (happy coast) region is a cruisers’ delight. 

Barra de Navidad

Typical breakfast in Barra
Our friend, the French Baker making his morning rounds in the marina
Footloose, Marina Puerto de la Navidad

We arrived in Barra with high expectations as it tops many boaters favorite stops along the pacific coast. It did not disappoint. Granted, we stayed in the marina, not in the lagoon anchorage where many a boat have gone aground or drifted.  We were there in April, notoriously the windiest month (who knew?).  It did blow hard in the afternoons, but we were tied up to the dock safe and sound.  Our friend George (Circadian) served as our excellent tour guide and we quickly settled into the Barra lifestyle with french pastries delivered daily to the boat by the french baker, water taxis to town, beautiful walks in lush landscaping, and delicious food and fun with friends.   

Beautiful walks & views around the Marina Puerto de la Navidad

Another sunrise in paradise
Father and son, fishing
Watertaxi to Barra from marina and the Grand Bay Hotel
Grand Bay Hotel
A lovely walk
Springtime in Barra

Poolside:  You get full use of the pool at the Grand Bay Hotel when staying at the Marina.  nice perk.

Waterslide & waterfalls
Fun at the pool
Pina Coladas poolside

Great Restaurants in Barra (Simonas, El Manglitos, Barra Galeria de Arte…)

Great dinner at Barra Galeria de Arte
Robert, owner showing us the tequila bar! 100 bottles wow.
After dinner at the firepit
Delicous Molcajetes at Manglitos
View of the Grand Bay Hotel, from Manglitos
Music night at Lucy’s; cruiser friend Kurt (Magic) on trumpet
Friends: James & Deena (Nellie Jo); Mary & Steve (Summer Rose)
Lucy of Lucy’s!

Michael’s Birthday, April 5: his day began with a sunrise dinghy ride with George of Circadian through the lagoon for bird watching & photo shoot. We had a few friends over for a toast before dinner at the hotel restaurant, Antonios.  He even wore long pants for the occasion.

Sunrise in Barra lagoon
Early rise, dinghy ride & photo shoot
Great Egret
Little Blue Heron
Long pants?
Happy Birthday Michael!

Bahía Tenacatita

Underway to Tenacatita
A dolphin greeting!
Footloose at Tenacatita

If Barra hails as the favorite town, Tenacatita is the favorite anchorage. Some friends lovingly refer to it as “summer camp for adults.”  Depending on your childhood experience, that could be  good or bad.  We were late getting here (winter months are the busy season), so the camp activities were scarce. We did just fine making up our own with the help of some friends we met at anchor: Dinghy ride thru the mangroves/lagoon; snorkeling at the “aquarium” beach; game night on Nellie Jo until midnight; a day at La Manzanilla and the crocodile preserve; a kayak sail in the bay; and fun on the boat watching the critters and doing boat projects.

We took our dinghy twice for the lagoon ride, once with our friends to the beach notably called the “Aquarium”.  We hoped for better snorkeling there, but the visibility and conditions were poor. Oh well, we enjoyed the dinghy ride and a nice lunch after the swim.

Lagoon Brigade: Dinghies from Boat, Nellie Jo, and Angelique of Vancouver
Narrow passages thru mangroves
Under a fishing net canopy
The “Aquarium” at the end of the lagoon tour.
Lunch

The second dinghy tour was all about the critters & photos.

Mangrove Mama
Iguana
So many crabs if you know where to look!
Woodpecker
Fishing boats along the estuary

One day we took a panga ride to La Manzanilla and visited the Crocodiles!

Panga taxi to La Manzanilla
Courtney and Jay (S/V Boat), La Manzanilla
Deena, crocodile wrangler
They open their jaws to cool off.
Holding the baby crocodile
Pancho: He could live another 50 years!
Jay braving the fragile bridge with crocs below.
He made it so we followed!

Lots to do while at anchor and we made the best of it.

Sewing a new cover for Hobie kayak sail.
It fits!
Laundry day…Flying the colors.
Deena looking out for the rays.
Rays swimming beside Footloose at anchor
James & Freddy
Taking the kayak for a sail
It’s fun with the sail and pedals!
Peaceful anchorage

Paraíso

peaceful place

Peaceful place

Paraíso is a small, quiet anchorage, a road less traveled. Only one of our friends had ventured here and reported it pristine, though rolly with large swell, bow & stern anchors are recommended.  Only 22 miles from Tenacatita, we decided to have a look. We were the only boat there and for four days it was our private oasis.  The water was clear & cool for swimming and the pelicans & seagulls our sole companions. We did paddleboard to shore to check out the colorful house, thinking we could enjoy a cerveza and walk the beach. Turns out it is private property and no cervezas were for sale. You can rent the house called La Casa del Abuelo for $400 per night all meals included, including the infinity pool, a private beach and many toys.  The proprietor gladly gave us a tour. http://www.paraisocareyes.com/

Goodbye Tenacatita, off to Paraiso
La Casa del Abuelo – beautiful vacation home for rent.
Friends…sort of.
Pelicans fishing
Seagulls too

Chamela

A popular stop off for boaters waiting for good weather window to round Cabo Corrientes. It’s a friendly spot with Palapas and many families enjoying the beach.  We stopped for a bit, but not for long. Hunh,whaat, what did you say? Hunh….Michael’s ear was pounding, his canal opening blocked, hearing muffled, and one morning pus was found on his pillow. Enough!  The poor guy has been to three doctors since November for varying ear ailments. In Mazatlan, the clinic rinsed the eardrums & gave antibiotics. In la Cruz in January, the doctor prescribed drops and another antibiotic. Michael has tried his own alcohol and vinegar remedy. He wears earplugs when swimming. The condition switches from one ear to the other, the discomfort fades then returns. This time it was the worse. We tried to find a clinic in the small town of Chamela, but ran out of patience looking for it while walking in the dusty heat and getting puzzled looks from the locals. clinica?  No sé’. us either. We reviewed the weather and decided to depart earlier than planned. Back to La Cruz, Nayarit (96 miles) and known medical help. The weather, with winds from the north (on the nose) instead of the predicted south. As we approached the cape we excitedly prepared to sail the last few hours into Banderas Bay. As we turned 50 degrees away from the wind and rounded the point we began to sail towards La Cruz.. 15 minutes later, wind on the nose AGAIN. They call it geographic effect, the wind bending around the mountains that line the bay; I call it annoying.  We anchored out in La Cruz by 10 am, Michael went to the clinic first thing the following morning and after a round of antibiotics and steroids, I’m happy to report he can now hear me! — And he feels a whole lot better.

La Cruz—Nuevo Vallarta

We are now back in Marina Riviera Nayarit, in La Cruz figuring out various plans and projects.  We will soon check Footloose into Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta for the summer hurricane season. Before we launched this cruising plan – we agreed to give it a try for two years and then see how we both feel after the steep portion of the learning curve.   As with life anywhere there are good days and bad. Sometimes you feel strong and energetic, others you hurt or feel lethargic. Some days you are grateful and brave, others cranky or fearful. Same goes for the places we visit. As one long-time restauranteur in La Cruz commented- “it’s not paradise here, but it’s close.”  Amen to that. The two-year mark is upon us and we both concur- bring on season three!  And so the adventure continues. We will surely face new challenges with the Tehuanapec, the Papagayos, bar crossings, and the Panama Canal; we will also share fresh experiences with the new cultures, colorful wildlife, explored miles, and friendship. Today we say yes to all of it and therein lies the true gift. 

Still having fun!

Still having fun!