Goodbye Nicaragua

The military that does local check-ins showed up at our anchored boat yesterday just as we were getting ready to go ashore to check-in at San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua). He handled it very quickly and there was no charge. Then we had to go ashore to visit the Port Captain to hand over our national Zarpe. And before we left today for Costa Rica, we had to visit the Port Captain once more to get our international Zarpe (permit to exit to another country).

Hello San Juan del Sur

We spent yesterday catching up on the internet and wandering around this cute town. There is no garbage evident on the streets and bright colours were everywhere. For the first time cruising down the coast, Jordan noticed a hint of Caribbean architecture with features like large verandas, the main floor stilted off the ground, big shuttered windows, wood siding, and tin roofs.

We hired a very amiable taxi driver to take us to Rivas, about 20 km away, as we needed to refill our propane tank. Here, they don't call it propane - they call it gas. And we also wanted to see the huge mercado and buy some more fruits and veggies (I know, we go through a lot - but they are so fresh and so good!) The mercado was indeed huge and very colourful and busy...

Take your pick, whatever you want

and the heterogeneous tiles inlaid in the sidewalks were very striking...

Horse-drawn carts were everywhere to move around the products and people. And cars and buses were always honking their horns to warn pedestrians that they were behind them. The currency in Nicaragua is Córdobas (today, approximately 22 Córdobas equals 1 US dollar). On our way back to San Juan del Sur, Jordan asked our taxi driver if he would take us up the steep hill to see the statue of Jesus (and great view from the top of the hill). It's a fairly new statue, only a couple of years old, and VERY tall at 250 meters. Quite impressive.

Can you see a very tiny Jordan between the upper & lower levels?

At San Juan del Sur, the beach sand is so very fine, almost like dust! And it is very windy, making it cooler but also a rolly anchorage and wet dinghy rides. The wind also carries the fine beach sand into the boat.

We picked up our international Zarpe at 17:00 today and are off to Costa Rica!

San Juan del Sur

After starting out with a good sail from Puesta del Sol yesterday, we continued to motor till 06:30 the next morning when once again we raised the sails - mainsail, headsail, and the Genoa.

For breakfast, we had crepes stuffed with mangoes, of course, after collecting so many, and with Jordan's coconut rum sauce they were delicious!

Around midday, Jordan simply announced "Sea Turtle, Sea Turtle" over the hailing channel #16 on the VHF radio and responding was Pam on SV Precious Metal out of Victoria BC. We had met her in ports north. She had just been down to Costa Rica and was heading back to Bahia del Sol, El Salvador. She was somewhere out there out of sight but we had a friendly chat.

We had an excellent sail until our destination when suddenly Jordan landed a Mahi Mahi. As soon as he landed it, he had a strike on the other trailing line! But this one managed to get away.

As I drew alongside an anchored cruise ship to veil the wind, Jordan lowered the still-standing mainsail. We dropped our anchor at San Juan del Sur (N11°15.386' W085°52.625') at 15:30, still in Nicaragua. This port is 22 miles north of Costa Rica and we had sailed more than half way from our last port of Puesta del Sol which was a great feeling.

After the sun set, we had a candlelit dinner in the cockpit with a bit of cool breeze blowing. The cabin temperature was 30°C (86°F). We reflected on a splendid day as we admired the surrounding lights.

To market...to market

This morning, we were once again up bright and early to catch the 07:30 bus to the Chinandega market for more fresh fruits and veggies. And we thought the chicken buses in El Salvador and Guatemala were full. This one was even fuller. And a woman embarked with...yes...a chicken! Each seat was over capacity - I had 3 adults and 2 children on my seat. Jordan stood and watched as the fee collector instructed people to squish together even tighter so even more people could fit. And then he squirmed his way through the masses to collect all the fares. Unbelievable!

Watching the bus load before it was real full

We got everything we needed at the market and small supermarket after. A taxi ride back to the Marina was only $15 for a 45-minute ride, so we did that instead of the $1 and 2-hour over-crowded bus ride.

With groceries put away, we collected bags of more mangoes that had fallen from the trees on the Marina property and then had a quick swim to cool off in the pool. Then at 14:30, we untied our lines and sailed with SE winds ranging between 5 to 15 knots for the next 2 hours, then motored when they died.

Sleepy check-in

With a 06:30 knock on the boat, Nicaraguan customs and immigration officials visited for the officialdom paperwork. And they had travelled 2 hours by bus from Corinto to get to Marina Puesta del Sol! After making coffee for everyone, the paperwork was completed in short order. They were kind enough to give us an "in-country" (national) Zarpe for Nicaragua to include our next stopover tomorrow at 1 more Nicaraguan port called San Juan del Sur, making our next check-out easier.

That done, and after a quick breakfast, out came the Hooka gear (compressor dive equipment) for the bottom cleaning of Sea Turtle. As suspected, it needed it. Actually the bottom wasn't really bad but the prop was covered in barnacles. This was because the boat sat at anchor in the estuary of Bahia del Sol for almost a month. A prop has to be completely smooth and any buildup drastically affects the aqua dynamic efficiency of it. This will make a noticeable difference in speed. Wow another 2 knots! Don't laugh, 2 extra knots means 48 extra nautical miles in a full day. The zincs also needed to be changed which Jordan did.

Wandering around the hotel tropical grounds, we saw a mango tree with thousands of ripe mangoes lying all over. So we will be getting our fill for the next week! We were competing with a 5-foot iguana while collecting them.

We walked the short distance to the beach area where the Marina/Hotel has another infinity pool to watch the sun set. This great pool had only 1 person in the water (taking shots of the setting sun) and not a soul anywhere else except 1 staff member.

Setting sun with a bit of cloud cover

Unplanned stop - NICARAGUA

As we continued towards Costa Rica, our visiting sparrow flew off around 05:00 after a 10-hour rest on our lifeline. We motored for another 7 hours under the hot sun. Incidentally, this day Sea Turtle passed under the sun which will now be to the north of us for the next few years.

With the frustratingly slow progress, we decided to make an unscheduled stop to clean the bottom so we turned left into Puesta del Sol, the first port of entry for Nicaragua. It was another bar crossing but, hey, we are pros now and it was straight forward. Just before coming in, Jordan stopped the boat and turned on the GPS to see if there was movement "over ground" and sure enough, there was a 1 knot counter-current that we had been fighting. But that was only part of the problem.

Around 13:00, we docked at the nice but mostly vacant Marina Puesta del Sol Resort (N12°37.506' W87°20.521'), which is Spanish for "setting of the sun". We then had an easy marina check-in with English-speaking Dorian, and then went to the quiet infinity swimming pool where there were only 2 other people and relaxed in our water chairs!

Cool pool - cool dude

This marina is more expensive than Bahia del Sol's and is smaller. But they have different amenities and are very tropical with friendly staff. There were only 3 other boats registered here!

We spent the evening with SV Destiny to give them waypoints and share our favourite stops in Mexico for their quick trip up the northern coast when they leave tomorrow.

Now that we have checked into Nicaragua, we will stop next at Nicaragua's San Juan del Sur, a clearance port that is 105 miles south and only 22 miles from the Costa Rican border.

Overdue departure

With Zarpe (exit permit) in hand, we were ready to cross the bar this morning. As the 3rd of 3 boats, we watched from about 800 m back as 57' SV Perfect Wave was going up and over the crashing breaking waves of the surf with instructions from the pilot boat (a sea-doo) over the VHF radio.

The sea-doo was next going to take out the 2nd larger boat, SV Lisa Kay, and hailed us saying that the waves were too big for little Sea Turtle and asked us to go back to the Marina. Jordan responded saying it looked like a gap in the breakers more to the east that he had been watching and suggested we take that exit. The pilot sea-doo agreed and diverted SV Lisa Kay to the east exit and then ushered us there as well.

It was a significantly more benign crossing than Perfect Wave had. The pilot boat expressed thanks for visiting El Salvador and we raised the sails under a stiff breeze and were off with mixed feelings of sadness to leave and happiness to be on our way. Check out the El Salvador Rally link on the right and be sure not to bypass this great port!!

Exciting bar ride

We were able to sail for a bit, but as the winds grew to over 20 knots building confused seas and the clouds got darker, we lowered the sails. The wind was "on the nose" and it then rained a bit and after awhile, everything calmed down - too calm - no wind and smooth seas. Motoring again. But it was a great day to be out as with the cloud cover it wasn't stifling hot and we did not have to hide from burning rays of the sun.

Measuring the strength of the wind

With 2 fishing lines trailing, Jordan caught a nice sized spotted Sierra that will give us 3 good meals.

Once again at sunset, we got a visitor, a tiny beautiful sparrow. After circling the boat and several indecisive landings, he finally took up roost on our thin metal lifeline just below a sheet (a rope to a sail) once it became dark. Throughout our night-watch checks, we would take a non-disturbing peek at him.

During the night, again the winds really picked up and again, right "on the nose". We were, at times, only making 1.5 knots headway. Jordan suspected dirty bottom and prop, a counter current, and of course with each bash into a deep wave the boat comes to almost a halt. Frustrating! At least the clouds cleared during the evening as we could later see all the dazzling stars.

Two weeks of fun

It was nice to return to Bahia del Sol in El Salvador on April 8th after our 6-day land exploration of Guatemala and Honduras. We of course headed straight to the pool after a long hot ride back!

The next morning, we joined several other cruisers for a panga ride to Isla Montecristo. This place is inhabited by the panga operator's family members and is quite remote. As everyone else took a tour and walked around the island, Jordan (what a sweetie!) stayed behind with me as I suddenly wasn't feeling well. We had both picked up a "bug" during our land travels and Jordan had already been sick during our bus ride back to El Salvador! (A day later, we were both back to normal.)

Jordan looking at freshly carved dugouts

Back in the panga, we pulled over to a small open-air restaurant on stilts where everyone ordered freshly caught, whole, barbecued fish (except sickly me). Jordan said it was the best fish he has ever tasted. After thanking our gracious hosts, we continued back to Bahia del Sol.

As we were leaving restaurant

For a change, we dinghied a short distance on Tuesday to Restaurant Acajulta which has a swimming pool. This is where everyone met for the 16:00 Cruisers Net and happy hour with dinner ordered afterward. Of course everything was outdoors and convivial.

Thursday kept us entertained with a blind wine tasting at Bahia del Sol Marina. Several cruisers brought a bottle of wine, its label was covered then designated with a number, and then we would all sample and grade each of the 15 bottles. The owner of the bottle with the highest score received a free bottle of wine. By the end of the evening, I don't think there was any leftover wine and a few were feeling headaches the next morning.

15 bottles is a lot of sampling...

On Saturday the 16th, we caught the chicken bus to go to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, so we could do some provisioning. We stayed overnight at a great inexpensive hotel, Villa Serena, for $30 which included a $10 discount as part of the El Salvador Rally group. The room provided purified water and apple juice in the refrigerator, cable TV, and also included a continental breakfast the next morning of eggs, French toast, cereal, or pupusas with coffee or tea.

We had an interesting cab ride around the city to see the huge mercado, the central cathedral, etc., and then walked to the Centro Mall where we were able to find everything we needed. Supper ordered in later back at the hotel was only $6 total for 4 pupusas and a Coca Cola.

The week of April 17th through the 24th, hundreds of locals and vacationers were celebrating "Semana Santa" (Easter) at the Hotel/Marina Bahia del Sol, so needless to say, it was very busy there and most cruisers stayed away from the swimming pool. They aren't used to not having the pool all to themselves. But 1 night, we partook of the buffet which was delicious, as usual. And on another night, we attended Italian night which was served indoors and consisted of delicious Italian appies and main meal accompanied by canned Italian songs and/or singers.

To keep occupied during this busy Semana Santa time, we've both been busy sewing. Jordan created a pattern for dinghy chaps which he then sewed by the pool...

What an excellent job - and a novice too!!!

I made our next flag - Costa Rica - and then I copied a pattern and made each of us a "water noodle chair" - a mesh chair that floats in the water with the aid of the noodle so we can comfortably relax in the ocean (or pool) and cool off. Haven't yet had the opportunity to try them out.

We decided we would leave tomorrow for Costa Rica. This meant we would miss the last upcoming events sponsored by the El Salvador Rally group (i.e. blind dinghy race, beach bonfire, dinghy raft-up with free beer, and the final windup party and prize giveaways which include $750, a free night's stay at the hotel, plus many others that I can't remember right now). But we've been here 28 days now and we are both feeling the desire to be at sea where we are at one with nature again and see new and different surroundings...

Guatemala & Honduras

On April 3rd on a bright early 08:00 Sunday morning, we left El Salvador to explore the surrounding countryside via land travel. After riding on the traditional crowded chicken bus, a short taxi ride, a fancier comfortable "Tica" bus, and a longer 1-hour taxi ride, we finally arrived at our destination of Antigua in the northern neighbouring country of Guatemala.

Antigua is a beautiful 1500s colonial town of all cobblestone streets and a population of 40,000 where all new additions or development must conform to the colonial atmosphere.  (The large international Tica buses travel to/from Tapachula Mexico and throughout Central America.)

We stayed at Posada San Pedro, a former hacienda that had been converted to a fabulous boutique hotel with a tranquil inner courtyard and a kitchen that we could use if we wished.

Impressive courtyard of Posada San Pedro

After checking in, we went outside to see a procession of people dressed in vibrant purple robes coming down the cobblestone road. Easter is a highly important celebration in Mexico and Central America and the Sunday evening processions are part of the celebration events. This cobblestone road had been lined with "alfombras", very large decorative rectangles of hand-laid reeds, grains, flower petals, coloured sawdust, etc. to create religious pictures. I wanted to take a photo or two of them as they were so beautifully made but the procession was almost upon us. Then we watched as the entire procession trampled over top of the street carpets (carrying their heavy floats with statues of Jesus and the Holy Virgin of Sorrow) and totally destroying them all!

The next morning we strolled around Antigua and visited the Museo (museum) which housed fabulous weavings from all around Guatemala, including several types that were hand-stitched.

Weavings that are so very intricate

The indigenous dress of the locals was very evident in Antigua. If you are familiar with the types of weaving and patterns from the surrounding areas, you can tell by observing the women's colourful and exotic skirts which area of country they are from.

Taking a break from selling the wares in their woven bags and on their heads!

Next we wandered through the artisan mercado where we saw more outstanding weavings, jade and volcanic rock jewellery, traditional Mayan blouses and handbags, and so much more. Through one of the many travel agencies that dot the streets we booked a tour to the famous Copán ruins, just over the border in Honduras. The ruins in Tikal are more well-known but farther away so we will visit them when we are sailing the eastern coast of Honduras in the later years of our travels. As it is, it's a 6-hour ride from Antigua in Guatemala to Copán in Honduras.

The van picked us up at our hotel at 04:00 (yes, that's 4:00 in the morning) so we would arrive at Copán by 10:00 and not waste away half the day travelling. After a 15-minute walk from our hotel, we spent the day wandering around the vast ruins with a guide well-versed in English and all of the archaeological history of the ruins which was fascinating.

Detailed original statue that's still standing

More original features

The next morning, we walked back to the ruins and toured the museum where on display were several original intact sculptures and partial reconstructions using excavated facades. One displayed structure was a replica of an intact yet buried structure that was not accessible to the public (but will be in the future).

Réplica de "Rosalila"

Our 2 days in Copan and the ride back to Antigua was in the enjoyable company of a young couple we met from France. We then took in more sights around Antigua for another couple of days before the long journey back to El Salvador.

Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are obviously not yet environmentally conscious where garbage litters many streets and highways. Perhaps an effort is starting to be made as we noticed garbage cans in Antigua that have a statement on them about protecting the environment, so hopefully in the future, clean-ups will be evident.

The large cities of San Salvador and especially Guatemala City are foreboding places. While travelling through, scenes of barbed wire topped walls, barred windows and entrances everywhere, and the ever present armed security guards speak clearly that you wouldn't venture out alone especially at night in most areas.

Tuk tuks (3-wheeled motorized rickshaws) are everywhere in Guatemala and Honduras but we were close enough to everything to walk. So far, we've only used them once when in Herradura, El Salvador.

So much to do

On Wednesday, March 30th, we dinghied with Bill of SV Mita Kuuluu (Bill is one of the El Salvador Rally organizers) up the estuary to a very tiny village, San Luis la Herradura (N13°20.660' W88°56.795') where the women also wear fancy aprons...

Very proud fish vendor showing off her apron at the market

We wanted to buy a bit more fresh produce from the market. Unfortunately, what we purchased wasn't very fresh but it was well worth the dinghy ride to experience the village and the dockside restaurant where we had their "pupusas", a delicious treat similar to a tortilla but thicker and stickier and sometimes stuffed with cheese, beans, and/or meat. They served ours with a pickled cabbage topping and it was yummy.

Tuk tuks and other vehicles outside of bustling market 

The same evening, we dinghied across the bay to Jan's home, a volunteer school teacher, who was having a BBQ where all the proceeds raised would go towards the school where she teaches English. While there, we saw her newborn puppies that were just opening their eyes and were sooo cute and giant lemons from her garden!

Jan with 1 of her home-grown lemons

The next morning, we walked across to the open ocean beach with its crashing waves, then along the beach towards another tiny village called La Puntilla. From the hotel grounds to the ocean, the sand was SO hot you couldn't walk in bare feet and we even felt it with flip-flops on. The sand would find its way under your toes and burn. We walked very fast to get closer to the water where the wet sand was not hot. We eventually reached La Puntilla and the restaurant on stilts where we had a succulent meal of huge garlic prawns, rice, and veggies for $5.

1 of many ocean restaurants...

Later in the evening, there were appies by the pool for all of us for a pittance of a price. There is something happening, it seems, almost every day and/or evening. No chance of getting bored around here!

On April 1st, we left the docks and anchored a very short distance away. Unlike some of our previous anchorages, here there are no rough dinghy rides from Sea Turtle to the dock as the water is always so calm. Once again, later in the evening, there was a special meal provided called "paella", a rice dish originating in Spain that has become very popular. There are so many variations but this was loaded with seafood and was very delicious.

Bahia del Sol Marina

Ready at the dock was a whole helpful entourage of not only other sailors, but friendly marina/hotel staff and Customs & Immigration persons, all to facilitate an easy check-in and clearance. At the Marina office, we signed up for our discounts as part of the El Salvador Rally Group, meaning we would get 50% off of dock rates, plus beer for $1, 30% off meals, and 10% off drinks at the Marina. We were also told that whether we stayed at the docks or anchored out, we would have full access to all the facilities (showers, 2 swimming pools, internet, etc.) and discounts above. What a deal! (El Salvador currency is the US dollar.)

Next, it was off to the pool for a cool dip with cruising friends, Lue and Claes. Apparently cruisers seem to be the only ones that use this fabulous, perfect temperature pool all week long, but then on the weekend, a few hotel visitors also enjoy it. So every day, cruisers get together around 16:00 for a "cruisers' net" in and around the pool, with the net being conversation and sharing of tips and adventures. This is so much better than the traditional cruisers' net where cruisers listen to a controlled VHF radio net each weekday morning on their boat.

Pool coolin'

Monday was spent lazing around but Tuesday morning we went to Zacatecoluca - Zacate for short (N13°30' W88°52') with Cheryl of SV Stolen Kiss. This town is not too far away, depending on your chosen mode of transportation. We had been offered a car ride so the trip took about 45 minutes. Our reason for going was to stock up on fresh produce at the street market and perhaps also at the supermarket store. The market was massive, stretching on forever and up and down narrow covered alleyways. It was the largest we have seen to date. But apparently it is not always this big. Cheryl suggested that perhaps it was market day.

Market on one of the main streets

Almost every woman vendor wore an apron. The fancier the apron, the more elite the woman is considered to be. I even saw one man wearing a fancy blue apron and several of the women customers were also wearing them. Aprons were everywhere! And some were indeed much fancier than others with bright colours, plenty of lace, and heaps of pockets.

We bought bags and bags of produce, I got a new pair of shorts for $1, and Jordan even found a small nozzle piece to fix our broken solar shower spout with. After a cold ice cream and a quick stop at the supermarket, it was time to find the right bus to return to the Marina. Cheryl knew it was No. 193 and we boarded it at the bustling bus station.

We soon discovered that we were not on the direct route bus but on one of the "chicken buses", a bus that makes several stops. It took 2 hours! (You are supposed to catch the direct route bus on the street, not at the bus station.) But it was quite the adventure. With the music booming, they pack you in like sardines and then at town stops the vendors squeeze on selling their wares. The ice cold water/juices/sodas were very popular as it was extremely hot on the bus.

4 vendors selling their wares as 1 interested passenger looks on

It has become very evident that you can get almost anything in El Salvador with even larger and more stocked stores than Mexico. When we got back to the Marina, we unloaded all our groceries, put on our bathing suits, and dashed to the pool. How so very refreshing after a hot, hot morning at the market and a crowded 2-hour bus ride.

The Marina/Hotel then put on a BBQ for the sailors where they provided rice, delicious vegetable medley, and teeny tiny baked potatoes. All they requested was that you bring your own choice of meat which the chef would then prepare and BBQ for you. All for $3! Everything was done to perfection and we retired with full stomachs and weary bones after a busy day and relaxing evening.

EL SALVADOR!

How exciting - we're finally on our way! We have thoroughly enjoyed our visits to Mexico with an incredibly diverse country and super friendly people. We have learned that you can't judge Mexico and its people by the sensationalist media reporting. We never felt threatened or insecure personally or for our property. But now, after spending 1.5 years, not to mention other trips in the past through various parts of Mexico, we were feeling it was time to move on.

We left under an almost full moon on the 22nd as we motored down the coast with no wind. We had planned on crossing the feared Gulf of Tehuantepec with "one foot on the beach". This means staying very close to the shore, where the possibility of the often treacherous winds that funnel out of the northern Gulf of Mexico won't affect you. If a sailor is hit with winds, you don't want to be out in the middle where seas can build to humongous heights. But shortly after starting out from Huatulco (our staging area for the crossing) and upon getting close to Salina Cruz where normally you would start feeling any effects of strong wind, it became evident that the forecasts were correct and the air was idle so we decided to veer right, away from the shore, for the more direct and shorter route straight across.

Now the downside of waiting for no winds is it's likely you will be doing a lot of motoring, something that a "sailor" would rather not do. We started out motor-sailing a bit with 6 knots out of the SE. There was a definite current pushing southward and we crabbed 10 degrees to port. But all in all, it was virtually a windless passage, as predicted by weather-guru Don Anderson.

The treacherous Tehunatepec??

We made short order of the succulent Dorado fish that Jordan finally caught after his lengthy drought with a line trailing off the stern of the boat.

Striking blue and yellow colours change to dull grey when out of salt water

We had a very safe and benign crossing of the Tehuantepec and reached the Guatemala border of Central America around 02:00 after 2 full days at sea. We didn't stop anywhere along the Guatemalan coast as it is not very "cruiser friendly" in the sense that it lacks protected stops with facilities (but we will visit via a land trip from El Salvador). 

Now paralleling the coast about 25 km off shore, we passed into El Salvador waters shortly after midnight March 26th. It dawned on us that we are now becoming serious sailors when we think nothing of starting out from one county, sailing past another without stopping, and sailing over half the way down the coast of the next country before turning in.

And that we did, arriving at the "meeting room", a waypoint outside of Bahia del Sol, at 17:45, a day earlier than expected. To pass from the open ocean to the inner waters of the bay, you have to cross a shallow sandy buildup shoal that has, particularly at low tide, breaking surf. So it is a must to time the crossing with as much water under our keel as possible, i.e. high tide.  Next high tide: the following morning, so we set anchor (N13°16.223' W088°53.840') with a depth of 15 m under us, in fairly calm waters and toasted ourselves of a job well done and arriving at a new country! We were one of 4 boats waiting there.

Throughout our passage from Huatulco to El Salvador, we saw so many lackadaisical sea turtles, leaping rays, and even spotted a shark that came right up to our stern with its intimidating dorsal fin and swishing tail visible! We were also treated to a visit by hundreds of dolphins coming at us from all angles.

So graceful, one of many dolphins leaping

The next morning, the organizers of the El Salvador Rally contacted us and said a sea-doo would come out to meet us and guide us in over the surf. They arrived and signalled us to follow at full throttle. We only had a couple of not real steep waves that picked us up from the stern and gave us a boosting ride

Here we come!

Apparently we picked a good safe day to cross. Once clear of the bar, waiting dinghies escorted us about a kilometre or so up the bay to the marina and hotel facilities. It had been a week since any boats were ushered in, so when we arrived at the docks of Bahia del Sol Marina (N13°18.060' W088°53.533'), not only were we met by the Rally organizers but there were a whole bunch of other sailors there to welcome us in including two great friends, Lue and Claes of SV Whiteshell II, who all made us feel so welcomed.

Time for Tehuantepec

We've been spending our time getting caught up on last minute boat preparations and exploring the different areas of Huatulco as we wait for a weather window to cross the Tehuantepec. The Tehuantepec can be a very treacherous area of water to cross IF the weather is not good as the area can get gale or even storm force winds. That is why we listen to many different weather forecasts to be sure that the weather is good before crossing this area.

We have moved Sea Turtle from Bahia Santa Cruz to the marina in the next bay, Chahué (N15°45.838' W096°07.315'), as we needed to be at the docks to do boat jobs. The Huatulco area has several beautiful bays to choose from to explore.

As we left Santa Cruz, we stopped at the bay entrance to see if we could spot the blowhole that is written up in the guidebooks. After waiting for several minutes, we were amazed at the height of its geyser and were so busy watching it that we almost didn't see the 3 whales that came right past our boat!

Blasting blowhole

Jordan installed 2 metal plates on the boat stern for the attachment of our drogue in case we are ever in bad enough weather and need to slow down the boat (just attach the drogue chute with about 75 m of line and throw it out the back where it will open up like a parachute and obviously slow down the boat). He also removed the fittings on the stern that held our old weathervane (auto pilot). Then of course the holes had to be filled and painted. Looking much better now!

In preparation for this next jaunt, Jordan did an engine oil change and inspection and found that the raw water pump bearing was failing, so fortunately we had a rebuilt spare and he did the change.

We walked to lovely little La Crucecita, the original town a couple of kilometres inland. Here you will find the normal and traditional Mexican scene rather than the gringo-oriented newer developments along the coast. On our way, we passed a Zocalo/park with mini waterfalls which didn't seem to be used too much. What a shame as it is so very beautiful.

Waterfalls spout from all 4 corners

We also walked back to Santa Cruz where we saw a young Mexican woman, Elizabeth, working on an old hand loom making rugs, placemats, wall hangings, etc. We asked her if she could do a specific design if Jordan drew it for her, and here she is working on it...

And here is the end result which we will be mounting on the front of our window screen holder made of green fabric...

There are an amazing number of birds around, all having their own melodies. We saw 2 kinds of egrets, a yellow kingfisher type, cute little swallows looking to nest on the boat, a variety of heron, cormorants and pelicans, a noisy black bird with piercing little yellow eyes and a long tail (they are everywhere, like crows at home), and while walking around, we saw fleetingly, a black and brilliant yellow guy. When we heard an unusual chirping above our heads, we looked up to see another new sighting, this one was grey and yellow, long tail and a large curled head feather similar to our quails, and others that I'm sure I am leaving out.

We went to town one day and had to dinghy under a large catamaran to find a place to dock our dinghy as the bay was full of pangas and party boats for tourists. As we were leaving, I took a picture of us beneath it!

This party catamaran was really big!

Customs showed up unexpectedly early to inspect our boat (we thought they would be arriving at 17:00). Unfortunately we were not in proper attire for officials to be arriving, but they were very pleasant and friendly. They were quite amazed that our solar panels could supply the required power for our boat. Then, as a panga had dropped the two of them off at our boat and left, they needed a ride back to shore. One of them thought for sure that they would sink in our "little" dinghy but bravely accepted Jordan's offer of a ride back to shore, sitting as low as he could in the dinghy!

Next, was a trip to the Port Captain's office to get our zarpe (exit permit), then to the Immigrations office to get the papers stamped, then back to the Captain's office for his signature, then back to Immigration to leave copies. Then later in the day, we had to pick up 2 Immigration officials to take to our boat at anchor to inspect it and pick up copies of papers that we had to make as they wouldn't do it! So we asked the Port Captain's office for copies which they very gladly did.

Now after waiting several days for a weather window, and with everything signed, stamped, copied, and inspected, we are off to cross the Tehuantepec to enter El Salvador in Central America. We finally left at 20:15 local time today - 2 days before our Mexican VISAS expire!

Our ETA is 4 days 9 hours with a distance 485 nautical miles, so we should arrive at Bahia del Sol around 09:00 Sunday, March 27th.

Huatulco

We were getting everything ready and shipshape to leave Puerto Angel for Huatulco (with all of its bays) when another boater dinghied over and asked if we had heard of the tsunami that was expected to arrive at 13:00. We had not, so we tuned in the Ham radio to 14.300, the marine frequency, and it was a constant chatter, the Hams were abuzz with latest breaking news of the 8.9 earthquake in Japan - wow, what a big one! Up and down the coast, marinas were asking, and sometimes demanding, that boats head out to sea for safety.

Fortunately, we were far enough south that not too much was expected at Puerto Angel. But all the panga owners were moving their boats as far up on shore as possible. The beaches were deserted and all the chairs and tables had been removed. It really seemed eerie, as locals were expecting the worst.

Pangas are NEVER placed this far up onto the thin strip of shore

At 10:15, we headed out to sea towards Huatulco as originally planned, and had an unexpected great spinnaker run!

It was a little difficult to find a spot to anchor, as Bahia Santa Cruz (N15°45.015' W096°07.552') was full of pangas. The guidebook says that there is very little usable anchorage here as it is a tight cruise ship venue. And we later found out that as a result of the tsunami, the pangas and other boats had moved out of the wee inner harbour to deeper water as the harbour was having continual tsunami surges of 1 to 2 metres at intervals of about 5 minutes.

(Even the next day, the water was still surging. Within a few minutes, it would rise and fall about a metre as we watched it rushing in and then rushing out.)

Taxi to Zipolite

We took a taxi into Zipolite, a couple of km away from Puerto Angel. We visited Zipolite 3 times as our favourite beach during our 2009 motorcycle trip! Things haven't changed too much except for the very pitted road has now been paved - no need to dodge all the potholes anymore. There seems to be fewer visitors and businesses are hurting.

We walked the beautiful sandy beach from one end to the other and then had veggie pizza and lasagna that was so yummy.

At 1 end you watch sunrise, at other end you watch sunset!

We finished the day back at Puerto Angel where we were corralled into having an enjoyable beach nightcap overlooking the bay and Sea Turtle.

Sitting on rock wall of beautiful Puerto Angel with Sea Turtle in background

Crepes & fins

After checking in on the Ham radio net in the morning, Jordan being the breakfast maker, asked what I wanted for breakfast. I gave him my usual answer "Whatever you want to make." In reply he said "How about bananas and mangoes topped with my own pineapple/coconut cream cheese syrup." I said "You're joking, right?" With that, he jumped up and 20 minutes later, all I could say was "Mmmm mmmm!"

The rest of the morning was spent snorkelling the nearby rocky reefs. Jordan said he saw a school of about 100 bright yellow angel fish swimming all around him while I was closer to the beach finding tiny bright blue guys skirting in and out of the coral and striped sergeant fish, as well as many others. The water was a bit cooler here than we expected though, so the warm shower on deck was a great feeling.

OK, not the best photo, but it's my 1st attempt with underwater camera!

Again we were asked to check in with the Port Captain which we did as well as pick up some fresh fruits and veggies in the little market in town.

Another lazy day in paradise at Puerto Angel (Mexico)!

Puerto Angel

After 1.5 nights at Puerto Escondido, we pulled the anchor for a short 7-hour hop down to Puerto Angel. At first, there were only fluky breezes that we tried various sail plans to capture, but after a couple of hours, we relented to motoring again. However, about 3 hours into our trip, the wind filled in nicely so we raised the spinnaker that sent Sea Turtle into a good jaunt.

We passed by our favourite beach, Zipolite, just before our destination, and at about this time not only was the wind getting too much for the large light-weight spinnaker, but the seas were growing and had become very choppy. The auto pilot at this point couldn't manage these confused waves, so we struggled at the wheel. The Captain gave me the helm and I wrangled it with all my might so he could go to the bow and muscle down the spinnaker.

It was an intense few minutes, but as soon as the dousing sock made its way down the spinnaker, things became much more manageable. Good timing as we were then making a left turn into the small bay of Puerto Angel, just before sundown. The bay was filled with many pangas and another couple of cruising boats, but we found a good spot (N15°39.888' W096°29.620').

The day had been smokin' hot, so we sprayed ourselves with water and sat under the fans to call it a day with a well deserved rum.

Puerto Escondido

Leaving Acapulco, we motored again most of the time. This part of the coast is known for light to no winds. We passed a beach where 2 years ago on our motorcycle trip we visited a turtle sanctuary where we released newly hatched baby turtles (hatchlings). Perhaps some of them are among the numerous ones we have been seeing!

We did manage to get a good sail for only about 2 hours. The current was with us so we made much better time than we had planned. We therefore arrived at Puerto Escondido at 02:15 instead of closer to noon as originally planned. The bay is very deep in most places, but in front of some roaring surf, Jordan found a shelf of about 17 m where he set the anchor (N15°51.375' W097°03.727') with lots of chain and then made sure it wasn't dragging.

We settled in for the night and slept in later than usual. Upon rising, we re-anchored to a more secured and protected spot that was amongst 70 pangas - still in very deep water. We then checked in and out at the same time with the Port Captain as requested and then went for a walkabout, reminiscing about being here in 2009. When we looked back at Sea Turtle, she was really bobbing in the very rolly waters! We stopped at a cute beach bar and had margaritas lying in the shade for protection from the blistering sun (the man who took this picture was on his honeymoon from Israel - that's his new wife in the background).

Hiding in the shade, as was everyone else!

There were even manned lifeguard chairs along the beach which is something that you don't see very often, probably because of ferocious surf with undertows.

Puerto Escondido beach with hand sculpture

Puerto Escondido is a great little town. It even closes off the main beach street each evening to all traffic so the pedestrians can wander freely. On our way back to the boat, we watched some young men having a riot skim boarding into the ocean. Looked like a lot of fun...

Beyond description

After a lazy day, we untied the dock lines at 18:15 and started towards Puerto Escondido on the south coast of mainland Mexico in Oaxaca. (Yes, there is another Puerto Escondido on the Baja.) The sky was very cloudy over Acapulco but cleared as we continued to head SE. This will be a 2-night passage.

Around 22:30, we once again were treated to the spectacular 45-minute show of dozens of dolphins all around us lit up with the phosphorescence of the water - approaching Sea Turtle with lightning speed, zigzagging, shooting away, and then rocketing back trailing 15-metre long brilliant luminous streaks. We could hear as they were rising for deep breaths of air.

This is one part of our journeying that we wish everyone could experience - seeing this sight in the dark of night is beyond the mere description of words and the ability of our cameras.

Acapulco

On our way to Acapulco, we saw several sea turtles, with one so close he bumped right into our boat! We arrived at Acapulco (N16°50.876' W099°54.347') around 13:30 but when Jordan tried to set the anchor in 21 m, it appeared to be dragging. This bay is very deep and is written up in the guides as having a poor holding bottom so we enquired about a mooring ball and were told a higher price than staying at the Performance Marina so we fuelled up and then Med-moored to the dock.

Med-mooring is when the stern of a boat is tied directly to a dock and the bow is attached to a mooring ball. This way, a dock can hold more boats than when boats are tied side-on.

The marine staff seemed to have issues with tying up Sea Turtle! First, they would tighten the ropes, then they would loosen them, then someone else would tighten a rope, then they would swap cleats and on and on it would go until they were finally satisfied. I think even I could have done it quicker! But they were very happy when Jordan offered them an ice cold beer or pop for all their efforts!

We walked through the city's Zocalo (city square or meeting place) up to the old fort. This fort, Fuerte de San Diego, was built in 1616 and is very unusual in that it's in the shape of a pentagon.

Atop Fuerte de San Diego with Acapulco in the background

We then caught a taxi to the restaurant of the hotel that John Wayne and Johnny Weissmuller (former Tarzan star) once owned to watch the nightly show of the famous cliff divers. On 2 walls of the restaurant behind a large old movie camera were signatures of numerous Hollywood stars that we recognized.

Clint Eastwood, Eddie Arnold, even Roy Calhoun...

People have been diving from the cliffs here from as far back as the 1930s. With the spotlights on, we watched as several men climbed up the face of the cliff and then dove, individually and/or in a group from different heights of 25 to 35 m into the surging waters of the narrow basin below. Unfortunately, we couldn't get any photos of their spectacular dives as our camera takes poor shots in the evening.

It's been super hot with virtually no wind lately. So with all the windows open (and no screens on as we hadn't yet seen any bugs anywhere), we were pestered by mosquitoes throughout the night. (In the morning, I was covered with bites.) We finally put our mosquito net over the bed and were able to sleep. Sure glad we had one to put up!

Las Gatas treat

We dinghied into Zihuatanejo on the last day of February without having to fight any surf and wandered around. It was suggested that we walk in behind the market where we would find great fruits and vegetables. The open air vendors were selling their produce everywhere right next to the streets. We bought all sorts - large, fresh, delicious, and so cheap.

Zihuatanejo has done a great job of beautifying its streets and buildings in the last couple of years and we were very impressed. It is a great place, especially as it's not filled with tourists everywhere.

I hoisted Jordan up the mast so he could fix some rigging problem at the top as well as replace the steaming light with an LED. The other light not only used up too many amps, but got so hot in the little light enclosure, it was continually burning out.

At the suggestion of SV Precious Metal (a boat from Victoria BC), a group of us were boat-taxied over to a nearby beach, Playa Las Gatas, that you can only access by walking a long distance or by boat (no road access). At the restaurant, Chez Arnoldo, we had a fabulous meal, great hosts, and great company.

At the end of the meal our hosts and panga drivers, Noillo and Memo, said there was no charge - just payment of drinks and a tip for the chef! They have been accommodating boaters that come here, particularly during the annual Sailfest, a destination fund raising event by cruising sailors. The proceeds build classrooms in the poor areas around Zihuatanejo. We will miss it by a couple of weeks, as we need to continue south.

Bunch of boaters

Front row: Linda and Doug of SV Aquadesiac. Back row: Leo - crew of SV Aquadesiac, Pamela of SV Precious Metal, Lynn of SV Lucky Lexi, and Jordan and me. Be sure to look up this place when you are in Zihuatanejo!

After checking in and out with the Port Captain the next day, we motored the very short distance back across the bay (to Las Gatas where we had our great meal yesterday) where the water was much cleaner than at Zihuatanejo. Jordan wanted to do a quick clean on the bottom of the boat using the Hooka gear.

We were underway by 15:15 for an over-nighter to Acapulco. Once again, we saw a whale sounding and so many dolphins southbound (you must be tired of hearing this!) Soon after, we passed quite a few small manta rays, some jumping and jumping.