Category Archives: Critters

Costa Rica is for the Birds!

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

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

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

A Moment in Paradise Village

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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.

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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Policía, Pastries, Pelicans, and Pus?

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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

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!

Traveling North, Tracking our Nautical Miles

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A watercolor-esque landscape, Isla Grande

525,600 minutes, how do you measure, measure a year? So go the lyrics to a song I like from the musical Rent. As cruisers, we measure our time in nautical miles (NM), as in how long will it take us to travel x number of nautical miles, from point a to point b? We log these miles and track our lat/long, speed, wind, and fuel. What happens in between these miles is what we’ll likely remember the most.

Zihuatanejo to Isla Grande, 10 NM

Mabula Rays!

I am a patient watcher of the sea. I can stare at the water so intently, as if anticipating a mermaid or loch ness monster to suddenly emerge and startle me from my perch. My steadfast gaze comes with rewards. Without it, I may have missed the mysterious dance of the rays while underway to Isla Grande. Off the port hull, I saw them leap from the water. I’ve seen lots of rays jump, but this was a different. It was a group of them, leaping 6 feet out of the water and then bellyflopping -Slap/Splash! and repeat over and over. I marveled- what is this? next- – they seemed to follow us into the anchorage with a repeat performance! And then they were gone and all was quiet. I have not seen them before or since like this, but I’ll keep watching.

Mysterious sight off the port hull

A repeat performance at the anchorage

We stayed a few days at Isla Grande reviewing the weather for the best time to leave. While waiting, we cleaned the bottom of the boat-again. Frustrated with our recent anti-fouling bottom paint! At least it is a good workout, cleaning the bottom. I go around the waterline with snorkel and Michael dives with the hookah to get the bottom and sail drives, together it takes us about 3 hours. Then rest, read, review the weather, cook, watch a movie, plan, depart, 0430 Thursday.

Life’s a Beach!

Sundown on the bow

Zillions of fish under Footloose

prop fish

Yellowtail Surgeonfish

A fisherman came out daily to fish alongside us.

Georgie?

Yellowtail Surgeonfish

Giant Damselfish

We planned to stopover at Caleta de Campos to break up the passage, but the swell was big and our anchor dragged. Onward to Manzanillo, 114 NM. Unfortunately the weather was not as predicted, again. We were safe alright, but damn uncomfortable, with wind on the nose, and waves crashing, our hulls taking the wave and bashing down the other side. WAAP (that’s the sound of the wave banging over the front cross bar) AHHH (that’s Me screaming). I wish I could share the noise the water makes crashing over the ledge under our hulls in these conditions, quite close to our bunk. Try sleeping off watch with that! It’s rare we have breakage while underway, but this trip took out one of the last red wine glasses. It really is the noise that stirs up the anxiety, terse language and shrills.

Sunrise underway

AIS keeps us informed of what we see

Gaslog Houston in our sight

Sea Turtle!

On approach to destination

In reality, the boat is fine, just pushing onward & resolute to our destination. On watch, 0230 am, the seas calmed and I did too. Dolphins even visited, playing in the bow wake, offering encouragement. Anchored at lovely Bahia Santiago, 191 NM, 36 hours later, 1654 pm Friday.

Bahia Santiago

Bahia Santiago

There is a beautiful long beach here, which we admired from the boat, but never stepped ashore. The breaking waves were just enough to dampen our bravery. Our dinghy is great to drive and haul freight, but it’s heavy to land and bring ashore. It has us considering other options for our tender. At any rate, it was a relaxing view and we enjoyed a few days there. Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day, all alone at anchor, had us feeling nostalgic, a wee homesick, and hungry for corned beef. Michael made delicious clam sauce & pasta and we soothed our melancholy with a rendering of Danny Boy and chilled Reservado.

Dinghy ride through the lagoon

Favorite Shirt

shallows in the lagoon

Back under the bridge, lagoon tour end

Fisherman’s boat awaits along the shore, beside resort

Quiet time in Bahia Santiago

Bahia Manzanillo/Las Hadas Resort (4 NM)

Footloose, Las Hadas Anchorage

It was crowded on arrival and we anchored in close, a bit too close to the rip-rap come morning. We re-anchored in a safer zone when a boat departed. Wow – it’s as pretty as the pictures and the anchorage is calm except for the occasional speed boat and jet ski! Here we did go ashore, paying 250 pesos per day to park at the dinghy dock, but easy access to the marina walk with restaurants and the resort pools. (no swimming without another fee). We visited el centro of Manzanillo, by the fisherman’s wharf, stopping at the mercado on Cinco de Mayo. We spent a restful week, dining out some, watching the action around the bay, boats coming and going. The beach was closed for a couple of days due to sea urchins! Hopefully, they cleared out in time for semana santa, a busy time for all resorts and beaches in Mexico. We departed 2 days before the vacationers all descended on Las Hadas. By the time we left, we were the only boat at anchor, most anticipating what was to come during holy week.

Entrance to Las Hadas Anchorage, Marina & Resort (Rock Alert)

Breakwater Wall, around marina Entrance

Anchored with a view of Las Hadas Condos

Too close for comfort as anchor swung around by morning

Many ships in Manzanillo

Footloose at Las Hadas

“Swimmers”

“Cleaners”

waiting for a taxi to el centro

Las Hadas Resort

Tourists having fun

Us too!

Downtown street, lunch at Hotel Colonial

Mercado, on Cinco de Mayo Street, El Centro

SailFish is quite a landmark, along Fisherman’s Wharf

Delicious rye bread from La Comer

Fish love Footloose

Quiet Evening

Good Bye Las Hadas

Ensenada Carrizal (6NM)

Desert landscape meeting the Sea

So happy to stop here, an anchorage reminiscent of the ones we found most in the Sea of Cortez last year with rugged rocks and desert landscape. Going ashore is not an option, too rocky and steep for any tender. Quiet & desolate it seems; yet, there are frequent container ships going by in the distance, passing through the busy Manzanillo harbor or perhaps all the way from the Panama Canal. We wonder as we watch them go.

Pelicans!

Sunrise paddleboard

A group drove to this beach for “clean up” good job

Container ships seen from quiet anchorage

We were happy here, swimming, paddle boarding, bird watching and Michael thinks the best snorkeling he’s seen in Mexico with clear water, beautiful coral & interesting fish. I admit I am a relative newbie to snorkeling. One day everything was perfect. My mask didn’t leak or fog, my toes didn’t cramp in the fins, the water was clear, and I was calm, swimming in the underwater wonderland. I was almost in a meditative state. That is until Michael pointed out the moray and I almost choked on a cup of water in retreat. I calmly cleared my mask and went below again for another glimpse of him.

Beautiful snorkeling

Cute Damselfish

Pufferfish

Angelfish

Bumphead Damselfish, beautiful blue eyes

Rainbow Sherbet fish?

Panamic Sergeant Major

Juvenile Giant Damselfish with Sapphires!

Angel

Needlefish

Jelly Fish

Sea Urchin

Moorish Idol

Puffers come in a variety of colors

Who is that hiding out at the bottom?

Look Out: Green Moray

Don’t get close to that face

Lurking

Swimming to a hideaway

Serafina at Ensenada Carrizal

Boat work continues. We cleaned the bottom- again – after 2 weeks it was looking swampy. Michael has been checking off the maintenance list. One day while servicing all winches, he was surprised by a visitor rowing over from a boat that had come in the night before at sunset, didn’t catch the name of the vessel. Turns out it was Serafina! Serafina was anchored next to Footloose at the police dock in San Diego where we left from on the Baja Ha Ha, 17 months and so many nautical miles ago. They joined us later for happy hour. While exchanging stories and plans, we spotted whales diving in the near distance right before sundown. A delight to catch up with Eliza & Ted and their crew “C”!

Eliza & Ted going to snorkel

Eliza, Ted, & “C” rowing back to their boat

Whales spotted from our porch, Ensenada Carrizal

Magnificent

Much to do and see along the way. Some things are routine (a few annoyingly so); Other things surprise, startle, and even scare you. And somewhere in between, there’s this quiet peace and pleasure of cruising along, logging your miles. Next stop, Barra de Navidad, 20 NM.

Tovara River Tour

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After a few days at Isla de la Piedra we left for San Blas and anchored at Ensenada Matanchen. On the way we anchored for a few hours at Isla Isabel but felt that the conditions were too unreliable to stay overnight.

Here are a few pictures from Isla Isabel famous for its birds including thousands of Frigate birds and the famous Blue Footed Boobie.

Frigate birds

You put your right foot up….. Mating Dance

South Anchorage

After a few more hours of boat time we anchored at Ensenada De Matanchen just three miles south of San Blas. We spent one day taking the Jungle Tour on the Tovara River….. Ever seen a wild crocodile? In the middle of the trip there is an optional stop at the crocodile farm. Here huge American crocodiles enjoy snacks while basking in concrete ponds. Also at the crocodile hatchery are 5 jaguars. Both the Jaguars and the alligators are a little sad in their captivity, Your entry fee to this small zoo contributes to help save these endangered species.

Why does everyone think I’m a Dentist

We put a lot of work into our blog and as a result we have discussions with other cruisers about blogging. The consensus seems to be that the most popular sailing Blogs feature Bikinis, Videos, and How to articles. I’m not about to put on a Bikini, but here is a first attempt at creating a video to showcase the Tovara river tour. Let me know what you think. We are also planning some how-to articles on fascinating topics like rebuilding your steering ram, and designing a lithium Ion Battery system. Stay tuned.

Land your dingy on the beach and it’s a short walk to the River tour, but along the way there are many vendors selling of all things banana bread and fruit empanadas. The huge volume of baked goods present didn’t seem to match the number of customers. At any rate, warm banana bread with chocolate chips on top. Empanadas with a fruit filling but not too sweet. Warm with Vanilla Ice Cream OMG.
The next day we ride the bus to downtown San Blas, 14 people in a packed minivan, 60 pesos for 4 people. I ride backwards sitting on a hump in the floor behind the front seat. Seat belts…whatever. We tour the Mercado. The church in San Blas is right next door to its predecessor which is almost falling down. I wonder to myself about how the transfer of “churchdom” would have occurred. Was one building consecrated then the other deconsecrated…. In what order. On the same day? It must have been a big deal.

Benito Juarez ????

Climbing to the Fort

Inside the counting room

Great view from the fort

Sunday Mercado

Visit to Marina

We hike up the hill to visit the fort from 1790, the “Contaduria”, a fort but also a counting house for the Spanish. Leave it to the occupiers, to make their conquered laborers haul all their loot up a steep hill for counting.
At the fort, having walked 13000 steps and feeling a little sweaty we call a cab. 80 pesos (less than 5 dollars) for 4 people back to the beach, where we launch the dingy for a ride to our floating home.

Postcard from Mazatlán

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Catedral Basilica de la Immaculada Concepcion

We spent 3 weeks or so in Mazatlán both anchored at Isla de la Piedra (Stone Island) and docked at El Cid Marina. It was a relaxing time reconnecting with cruising friends from last year and meeting some new ones. The photos tell the best story.

Footloose at El Cid Resort & Marina

Footloose Lights Up Marina

Party Boat at El Cid

El Cid Marina is very “resorty” and we took advantage of all the amenities. What’s not to like about a drop off laundry service and afternoon swims at your choice of pools? We especially liked the pool with the caves and slide! There was always a happy hour going on somewhere. Footloose was on an end tie in the fairway right between the fuel dock and the Aries fishing boat fleet & catamaran adventure boats. We got to know the water taxi driver as he shuttled folks back and forth to the beach across from us all day long. We witnessed quite a few brides being escorted over to the popular wedding site. It was entertaining to watch the action from our back porch.

Footloose Bow in the Moonlight

Super Moon

First Boat Work, then swim…

Pool Time

Friends

There were many familiar faces & boats on our dock. Cruising friends reunited! We hosted a couple of shindigs on Footloose, including the Thanksgiving potluck (see holiday post coming soon). We also met some new people like Mark & Cindy on Delta Swizzler also from Northern California and another couple on C’est La Vie who pulled in for one night and tied up in front of us. We had one short conversation walking back to the boat after a swim. I don’t remember their names because we didn’t exchange boat cards, but something he said stuck with me. This couple has been cruising for 17 years and are still excited about it. Now in his 70’s, the man of the boat swears – “Cruising keeps you young.” I hope he’s right!

Patrice (on Sonamara) out to Italian dinner

Donna (on Single D) having fun with a bartender, “make us a mexican coffee!”

Delta Swizzler departing Marina

Critters

Iguanas rule at El Cid

Marveling at critters is one of my favorite pastimes. At El Cid, I had my first encounter with Iguanas! Wow, they were everywhere. They especially liked the cave pool area. One day I saw one on a lounge chair and a lady was petting him/her like a cat. Tame and used to resort life and its inhabitants I’m sure.

El Gato in Old Town

Night Heron visits Footloose

Every morning they land & sing for us

Iguana at El Cid

Another Iguana

Old Town

Our best adventure off the Marina was a visit to Old Town Mazatlán. I love the colorful streets & celebration.

Town Centro, restaurants & market stalls galore

Christmas Season is here

Dinner at Hector’s, a gem

Michael finds coffee roaster!

Art Walk Tour

Welcome to Art Walk, Dec 2017

The first Friday of each month there is an Art Walk tour in Old Town. Creative artisans display their work in galleries and shops throughout town. Masks & Sculptures delight! No room on the boat for art collecting, but we were happy to look.

Isla de la Piedra

Many cruisers like this spot as a place to prepare for an early morning departure. Much easier to leave in the dark from this anchorage then the marina, which has tricky tides, currents, and dredging to contend with. We left El Cid Marina after sunrise and motored around the corner to anchor. I immediately jumped in the water and cleaned the spluge from our waterline. Spluge: the oily grimy crud that we collect when at a dock a little too long. We stayed two days at anchor and then left for Isla Isabel at 0430.

It’s peaceful here. Wish you all the same.

Lisa & Michael

Now at La Cruz, Marina Riviera Nayarit

Footloose Adventure

Wandering the world under sail