Once again, I am baffled how so much time has slipped past.  I am now hoping to get this posted before the new year.  We have journeyed down to Bahia Manzanillo and are now back in the La Cruz anchorage.  We saw lots of sea turtles and rays, but no whales.   Much has happened and our move back to the US seems to be paved with angels.  John & Veronica on the 1943 Coast Guard Cutter, "Sea Quest" have given us their truck to drive back to the states and either park it in their driveway in Hemet ("behind Patty") or sell it for them.  What a blessing.  It reinforces our feeling that we are making the right decision.


So, back to where we left you at the last blog.  We were in Tenacatita and about to head south.  First the last of the Tenacatita pictures.  We were often visited by dolphins through out the day.  On our last morning two of them were scratching themselves on our anchor chain and we were able to get some good shots.  Can you believe people actually complain about the dolphins waking them up or keeping them up at night?


 

Sea Quest at Dawn

After Tenacatita, we moved on down to Bahia Navidad where we anchored in Melaque.  It's at the north (or rather west) end of the bay where most of the gringos are Canadian - There were 3 (maybe more?) RV parks around the beach and nearly every one had a Canadian license.  We are told Barra is the American side, also a bit more ostentatiousness with the Grand Hotel and the marina that is beyond our budget.  We are not ready to unload the dinghy for beach landings, so we paddle ashore in our kayak and enjoy happy hour and dinner at Jose's palapa.  There is a wonderful street market in Melaque once a week with great finds in food, clothing, art, weaving, etc.  I tagged along with Larry , Lena and Morgan (a very happy dog) from "Hobo".  Phileta didn't go, so sorry, no pictures.

Jelly fish

Remains of earthquake in the '90's

  

Panga fisherman at dawn

Melaque hotels

  

We decide to pass on taking the boat into Barra de Navidad. We did dinghy across the bay with "Sea Quest" & "Outta Here" to visit the town town of Barra and have lunch, even walked by the infamous French baker without even getting a chocolate croissant, but then Linda & Dennis had brought us treats from there when we were in Tenacatita and Sue & Rick from "Moonshine" brought us a loaf of bread from there. 

Grounds of the Grand Hotel in Barra Lagoon

Street market in Barra

Grounds at Grand Hotel

 

Where we ate lunch

Aqua de Coco

John & Dorothy looking out at Barra Lagoon

Fresh fish for lunch

We leave Melaque and Bahia Navidad to head to Ensenada Carrizal.  It's a lovely little undeveloped cove that is only about 1/2 mile wide.  We take full advantage of being in this isolated anchorage. Once the sun warms us, off come the clothes and we dive into the water whenever we need to cool off.  It's only taken me 62 years to get comfortable without clothes on.  It is delightful.  Only a few pangas come into the cove with a load of snorkelers.  Not to worry we are appropriately dressed at the time.  The snorkeling here is the best we have seen!  We paddle around the little cove in our inflatable kayak and once over the coral, Phileta dons her face mask and leans over for a look.  I have to jump in the water and am thrilled to see such an abundance of life. In the late afternoon off the point (Punta Carrizal), we are treated to Manta Rays flipping in the air one after the other as in some strange dance.  We have been told the do it to rid themselves of the lamprey eels that try to make themselves at home or that they just do it for the fun of it.  Take your pick.

One night as we are watching the lights off in the distance that are Bahia Manzanillo, Phileta notices a blinking white light which when on the top of the mast of a sailboat signifies distress.  She is ready to get on the VHF radio and ask the boat if they need help.  She is always ready to assist. I asked her to wait and see if it is actually a ship in distress.  "Yes" she answers.  "They were going north and now they are not moving".  I come out to take a look.  "Show me where it is" I ask.  Phileta points out the spot.  I look.  "I think that is the light on Punta Campos."  I say.  Yep, she agrees.  Phew no boats who need to be rescued.  Back to our game of Scrabble.

We spend three bliss filled days here in Carrizal before we head on south to Bahia Manzanillo.

A speck of Dorothy on the rocks

Possible future development in Carrizal

           

Art shot on shore Carrizal

On shore at Carrizal

Sunset at Carrizal

In Bahia Manzanillo we anchor off Las Hadas Resort.  The resort is immense, a bit overwhelming for me, but the Paradise Restaurant does have blackberry margaritas and good food which we enjoy with Rick and Sue (and Boog A Loo) from Moonshine (another Cal 35 like ours). There is a dinghy dock and catching a taxi to town is inexpensive and easy.  There are many American stores to choose from , i.e. Walmart, Office Depot, Colonel Sanders, etc.  We stay in the Las Hadas anchorage for three days before we head north to the quiet Bahia Santiago.

Rays on the way to Las Hadas

Rounding the point into Las Hadas

Las Hadas Resort

Rick & Las Hadas Resort

   

Anchorage from Resort

Artistic Palms

Rick, Sue, & Dorothy Cheers

Las Hadas Marina

"Outta Here" at sunrise 

Bahia Santiago feels more like "home".  The anchorage at Playa la Boquita is quiet, less people, only palapas on the shore, no huge hotels, no pretense.  The town of Manzanillo (a huge shipping port - we see several container ships coming in daily) is easily accessible from here.  There is a lagoon that we dinghy into where we can easily beach the dinghy and leave it for the day.  One need not worry about theft here.  A taxi ride to downtown is 70 pesos(less than six dollars) then for 10 pesos one can ride the bus into downtown Manzanillo.  We enjoy the mercados and the feel of a busy working Mexican town.  Not a lot of tourists here.  Below are views of the bay, from the boat of course.

One day after shopping we loaded the groceries (including eggs and a few jars) into our dinghy.  We remember to bring the wheels up before we start motoring out of the lagoon into the bay.  We sit patiently waiting for the waves to calm down, see the flat of the sea and start putting on out.  Well, past the point of no return a 4 foot wave looms up ahead of us.  I'm in the bow and crouch down yelling to Phileta "Punch it" which she is in the process of doing as she crouches down.  We fly up the front of the wave just before it begins to break and go airborne, land on the other side all in one piece, laughing hysterically as we do a high 5.  Defied death once again and didn't even break the eggs or glass jar.  Aww, life on the edge.  Thank you God and all our angels.  Alas, no witnesses, no pictures.

While in Bahia Santiago, we decide to head on back north rather than go south to Ziuatanejo.  We are not used to rushing and figure a 360 mile round trip would not leave very much time to play in Z-town and maybe we should be back in Banderas Bay where the "Eagle" has been listed with Vallarta Yachts.  So, a few days shy of the full moon we sadly say goodbye to our guardians on "Sea Quest" and "Outta Here" as they head south and we head north with the rising sun. 

Veronica & Liz during Happy Hour on "Sea Quest"

John and friend Sam on "Sea Quest"

Liz & John on "Outta Here"

 We have a pleasant motor (no wind - well, not until Cabo Corrientes) on back to La Cruz, covering the 155 km in 29 hours.  Not too shabby by sailboat standards.  Along the way a little bird comes to join us as we are eating lunch.  He lands walks around the boat, the flies off and comes back again, keeping us entertained for half an hour.

Leaving Bahia Santiago before dawn

Sunrise over the Bay

Red Tide

Sunset on route back north

  

We arrive on December 20th and are shocked by how many more boats there are here.  Things have picked up.  There are now two yoga classes, Thursday night movies, happy hour in the restaurant, and a kind of social director!!!

Christmas day we decide to avoid all the decisions of where to eat and go sailing. Phileta made her favorite pumpkin pudding while I did yoga and we cooked a turkey breast with stuffing while we sailed.  We had a nice 8 to 14 knot breeze blowing and were treated to sightings of whales in the distance leaping into the air.  The funny thing was having to change the direction we were sailing to be able to open the oven door without things falling out.

Christmas Breakfast in the La Cruz Anchorage

Christmas dinner in the bay while sailing

  

So, this is New Years Eve and we will be partying here at the marina restaurant (a first for us) where they are having a buffet and then live music at the amphi-theater until 1 or 3 AM, depends on who you talk with.  On the first I'm going to be attending a 4 day "YogaFest" that is happening here.  What a blessed life I lead, starting the New Year with yoga, meditation, and music.  Life is very good.

We will keep you up to date on our last days here.  Tentative plans are to head north around the 25th of January.  We are very hopeful "Eagle" will have found new owners by then and will be able to continue the journey she was set up to do.

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Sunset in the anchorage

    

Sunrise over Banderas Bay

Much love to all and best wishes for a New Year  filled with love, joy, and peace.

D  P