This morning the phone rang and Tania said, Vivien, the baby turtle has hatched and if you go now, you might see it. Wow, we raced our bikes down to the beach and got to see Tully, make her way to the sea. Enjoy, if you have time. We had tears in our eyes watching her. It’s quite special.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOhu_td4LkE&feature=youtube_gdata

Yesterday we enjoyed the traditional Oaxaca celebration of Guelaguetza. This state has 16 different indigenous cultures, each with unique traditions, language, food, music, dress and dance. So the party was a feast of costumes, different styles of dancing and great food. We were treated to Tamales wrapped in banana skin, mole on chicken, which is basically chocolate. I have to admit I had to push my comfort zone to each chocolate covered chicken, but it was delicious. Folkloric dance in an open palapa with the beach as our backdrop created a gentle, relaxing mood. Our faces turned red when the dance troupe dragged Joel and I out for a little two step. As usual, the evening was welcoming, friendly and a lot of fun. Oh, and they kept refilling Joel's Mezcal glass!! I think this helped his dance step.

Hurricane Carlotta started off Costa Rica as a low pressure system. I check eebmike.com and passageweather.com every day. There isn't that much distance between Huatulco and Costa Rica. And the system went from a low to a tropical cyclone, to a named storm, to a category 2 hurricane in just a few days.

I came to the marina a day before the pangas. I was getting Lady Ann ready when everyone else was coming in. Sails, solar panels, BBQ, ... Everything that would increase windage went below. Chaos below decks but there was still a place to sleep. Carlotta was due to make landfall the next evening. We checked into a hotel the next day. My last job involved spreading out at the dock with 4 lines off the bow and stern and putting chafing gear on all lines. I went back for a meal, and to check on Juliette.

Turns out I was at the boat during the height of the storm. Heavy wind driven rain, and after a while swells started rolling into the marina. I remember thinking after all the work I did that if Huatulco didn't get creamed that I was going to be pissed. But I sure felt lucky that it didn't get any worse, or last any longer than it did. I was fatigued. By the time I left the marina the concrete docks had stopped buckling when the swell rolled under them. I went back to town, soaking wet, weaving my way through the fallen trees, with water at mid shin at times, and found my hotel room. I was able to Skype a few people, and the power went out before midnight.

It was partly sunny the next day, and I took my time getting back to the boat. The wind didn't seem to be that bad at the hotel the evening before so I was feeling pretty confident that everything was OK. Lady Ann looked pretty much how I left her, only cleaner and drier. There was a celebratory mood at the dock. I guess the main fiesta was right after the peak of the storm. One boat told me about their tequila and mescal party. I'm pretty sure I smelled pot being smoked during the height of the storm. Women and family were around the next day too, obviously happy that their men were safe, and impressed with their skill and bravery. The city cleaned up all the downed trees. In a day or so you couldn't tell there was any problem. It took a day to prep Lady Ann for the hurricane and a week to put her back together.

On our trip down to Huatulco we anchored at Puerto Escondido and Puerto Angel. Even I could throw a baseball across the harbor at Puerto Angel. It was full of fishing pangas when we were there. Including those on the very steep beach their numbers were 100 or so. I'm told that is where Carlotta came ashore. Vivien and I wanted to visit there again. With the storm hitting them the way it did, my desire to visit is even stronger. Not that I'm too worried for them. It would appear the people down here are as tough as their pangas.

We met a lovely Canadian couple who graciously drove us all around in their car to show us the sites of this beautiful slice of paradise. Huatulco is full of beautiful bays one as unique as the next but each has clean water and gorgeous beaches.

We were sailing down the Huatulco coast and saw this blow hole.

We were enjoying our quiet anchorage until two enormous cruise ships pulled in. One was carrying over 3,000 people. You can see how small Lady Ann is compared to them, she's on their stern. The prices went up immediately for EVERYTHING!!! One of the ships had to wait for clearance to leave as there was a gale blowing outside the anchorage.