I had a wonderful 6 hour ride down from Santiago/Manzanillo with a few sprinkles and very little wind. After dodging a hundred-plus pelicans I dropped the hook in my favorite spot at the Isla. Lot's of pelicans have migrated to the area because of dying fish after days of rain. The lagoon is the recipient of farmland runoff with whatever that will translate into bad stuff for the fish. So a lot of them can't breath and they start choking off slowly and the birds are having full meals....nice description, eh? I've changed my mind as to coming home early this year because of the visa/car import permit thing. I will drive to the border and turn in my import permit and make a uturn and stop and get another visa and then continue on to Guaymas and store my car with my good friend Horacio. Then jump the bus northward to Barra while trying to enjoy an overnite bus ride with a thousand stops. Nothing exciting is happening around the Barra/Melaque area except 'Carnaval'. It's not exactly Rio or New Orleans but is quite a bit of fun for everyone. They have a parade from Melaque to Barra and trust me when I say 'these parades in Mexico would never be able to happen in the USA. I'm going to town this afternoon and try to stay late for the festivities as I don't like to be off my boat after dark. The pic above is of the sea mines..oops..pelicans as I was entering the lagoon.

Comments [6]

After a few days in Zihuatanejo and the day after the Super Bowl I weighed anchor and set out for points north. I did a 35 mile run over to Lazaro Cardenas, which is a stinky commercial port but has a nice flat anchorage in a cul de sac right off the ocean. After a very flat and calm night I pulled out of there for the next anchorage (Caleta De Campos) about 40 miles up the coast. I pulled into the anchorage that afternoon and was not happy with the huge ocean swells making their way into the anchorage. So, instead of rockin'n'rolling all night, I decided to keep on trucking up the coast and do an overnighter into Santiago. About 6 in the morning, the wind picked up offshore and I had a glorious sailing trip the rest of the way into Santiago. Dropped the hook in a nice peaceful spot and did my bus trip into Salagua, which is a suburb of Manzanillo. Did some banking , shopping, and of course the obligatory Burger King stop. The next day my friends on Hooligan, Barbara and Tom made it into the anchorage from Barra. THEN THE RAIN STARTED. It has rained for the last 2 days and will continue today and end tomorrow night. I got the soap out and scrubbed down the decks so now I have very clean decks for the first time since I left Guaymas. This afternoon I will dive on Hooligan to clean the bottom in the rain.....I hope I don't get wet. Tomorrow in the rain I think I will sail to Barra. I'm running low on gasoline and water. It's wierd being stuck on the boat at anchor. Still enjoying this fabulous retirement....Thank You God! The photo is Mannasea getting fuel in Acapulco.

Comments [2]

My friends on Hooligan...Tom and Barbara joined me on the car trip to Guadalajara. The roads to and from Guadalajara were very nice and quite scenic. Once in the big city it all changed. The traffic was horrendous and was at a complete standstill. So we just stayed on the outskirts of the city because that is where Costco is located....thank God. That is one trip I don't think I will be taking again. I left Barra/Colimilla for Santiago where I spent a few nights. Then off to Zihuatanejo where I spent about a week enjoying all my old haunts. They (the city of Zihua) really spruced up the town where all the tourists visit. I decided to run down the coast to Acapulco for a few days so I can visit Costco to restock my Jelly-Bellys. I pulled into the bay at night and dropped anchor by the Mexican Navy Tallship Cuatamoc at 10:30pm. About an hour later as I was getting ready to crash a mexican Navy patrol boat came along side and wanted my papers. After awhile they gave me back my papers and told me I was anchored in a restricted area and that I would have to leave immediately. So I raised the anchor and motored over to hotel row and put my anchor down in front of tourist central. It turns out that right past the beach about two blocks up to the main thoroughfare there is a Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Office Depot, and a Walmart. Just took the bus over to Costco today and that was a bust...NO JELLY BELLYS! I'll motor around the bay tomorrow and get diesel over by the cruiseship terminal then come back to my fine real estate and spend one last peaceful night in Acapulco.This is as far south as I will go this year and now the hard part starts.....heading uphill/north for the rest of the cruising season.

Comments [2]