07/13/2012, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Hello to all. We have been busy since my last post. As previously mentioned, we were visited by Bob's sister Mary Beth and her husband Keith Krueger from Lakeland, Florida. They wanted to experience the sailing life and we did what we could to accommodate them. After a day looking around La Paz and a day in Todos Santos, we went to sea. Weather was not as mild as it had been for the previous trip I last blogged about. Some of the anchorages we had planned were now not possible. In fact, it was really too rough to go to shore in the dinghy. But they were good sports and enjoyed seeing dolphins and rays jumping as if they were there just to give us a show. We had times where we were sailing downwind, and at other times we were beating into the wind. Their favorite part of the vacation was the afternoons at the beach club here at Coasta Baja. They made friends with "Manuel" and he really showed them a good time. They enjoyed themselves.
After they left, we reprovisioned and went back to sea for a few days before getting Realtime ready to be left in Costa Baja Marina until late in September. We had a wonderful trip circumnavigating Isla Espiritu Santo. We checked out the anchorages, hiked, swam in clear water and really enjoyed ourselves.
It is very hot here now, even at anchorage. We are getting up early to get the hard labor chores done before we get "barbecued". Today we scraped the barnacles off the dinghy and got it put away. Tomorrow we wash the sails and put the genoa away in the V-Berth, which was Mary Beth and Keith's bedroom just a few days ago :-) Food has to be emptied out. Refrig/Freezer emptied out. Clothes and bedding cleaned and packed. Lots of chores to prepare it to ride out a possible hurricane in this marina. Many other boats have done the same thing. Now, there are lots of boats here, not many people. Most leave for these hottest months of the summer.
We are going to the states and to Canada to see family and fellow cruisers we have met along the way. I will resume the blog when we return in late September. Thanks for following us on our journey. Karyn
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06/15/2012, La Paz, Mexico
WOW - we have just had the best couple of weeks. We were able to get repairs completed and leave the marina to really cruise and explore. We had almost 2 weeks until Bob's sister Mary Beth and her husband Keith would arrive. We decided to head north into the Sea of Cortez. We wanted to be familiar with the area before we introduced it to them. We were able to go a lot further than we had expected. For me, it was the best experience yet. It is late in the season now, and most of the cruisers have closed their boats up and gone home because of the heat. It was very isolated. Often we had the anchorages to ourselves. Jacque Cousteau was fascinated with this place, and called it the world's aquarium. He was right. We saw so much sea life. I'm guessing 10 whales, hundreds of dolphins and manta rays. All were jumping, playing, fighting.....We just got to observe. Sometimes we would quietly move into their midst. Other times we would just sit and watch. We had our own "Sea World". We hiked, swam, snorkled and explored. The scenery here is like the red rock of the Grand Canyon or Sedona meeting the ocean. The colors are off the charts. We took so many pictures, it took me a while to sift through them to make the gallery, but that task is now complete. I want all of you to have a chance to see this largely untraveled part of the world. We honed our boating skills. Sometimes we anchored three times in a day. I got much more attentive of the weather as we worked out safe places to stay the night. We were a good team! I did not want to go back to the Marina so soon. I'd be ready to take off again tomorrow. To me, this was what I had imagined cruising to be. Of course, if you don't take care of the boat, you can't do it at all, can you? Must have a little sour with the sweet. I'm going to list the places we saw so that you might see them on the map.
Isla San Francisco - 3 different anchorages - shell beach, agate beach, swimming beach, hike First experience of Coromuel Winds at 25 knots
Isla San Jose - dinghy ride through the mangrove estuary, very shallow anchorage - hundreds of jumping manta rays
Puerto Los Gatos (after bypassing San Evaristo) - red rock, picnic, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, lobster dinner on the BBQ from fisherman Manuel in exchange for gifts and a few pesos. Yum!
Agua Verde - woman who came in a panga to get the garbage asked for Bob's watch (regalo/gift)
Candalero Chico - fished, swam, snorkled, hiked, visited by two tour groups (one in a cat and one in kayaks). They came and left. We met Efraim, their tour guide, who invited us to Candalero
Candalero - palapa on the beach. Efraim swam out and brought back "chocolate" clams which he then cooked in garlic butter for us and some other couples from Arkansas and Oklahoma. Outstanding!
Puerto Escondido - a hurricane hole, more industrial and fairly quiet, met Phyllis and Gary on Apolima with their dog Sophie. They drove us to one of our favorite towns, Loreto. We walked, ate, got Internet access and a few groceries. Also ran into Reg and Phoebe from Three Sheets.
Candeleros - this time we went to the big hotel and swam in the pool. Had salad lunch and saw Julie and Jeff from Buena Vida. We shared a slip in Cabo San Lucas many months ago. Coromuel 25knots in the night. Boats with anchors dragging. Man overboard from a power boat; picked up in a dinghy at 2am; he was drunk! I slept in the cockpit...
San Evaristo - looked but didn't stay
Ague Verde East - channel full of rays, whales, dolphins - miraculous. Bob caught a "bull's eye" puffer fish and threw him back
Napolo - stopped for lunch
Isla San Francisco - tried the third (east) anchorage, swam, hiked, looked for agates on the beach, stung by tiny jellyfish
Espirito Santo - surveyed the west side of the island, no safe anchorages in this weather, anchored and ate at Gallena in San Gabriel and moved to the east side to
Playa Bonanza - anchored in the dark and fog
Balandra - Beautiful bay just out of La Paz - took the dinghy through the clear water around the area. Birds, rocks, kayakers.
Back to the Marina :-(
On this trip, Realtime was mostly a motorboat as the wind was seldom going in the direction we needed or was not blowing at all. She did a good job. We had simple meals as all of our veggies/salad stuff/fruit froze in the refrigerator. Still work to do there. We used our new grill because it was too hot to cook in the cabin and we worked as a team. It was a really great experience. Now we have some interesting places to take Mary Beth and Keith. It was a delight. When we got into the marina, we fueled up. Guess what? Our friends Carol and Bill on La Sirena were at the dock too. Great surprise! Nice dinner with them last night. This is a great life. I heartily recommend it. Aloha, Karyn
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05/24/2012, Costa Baja Marina, La Paz
The re-insulation project on our refrigeration, that we were afraid would never end, finally did. But it was a narrow victory, as the carpenter who had been "guiding" us throughout the project suffered two broken fingers and almost lost his thumb in a bloody table saw accident the evening before the delicate final installation of the teak bulkhead, Formica, hatches and lids. We thought for sure that we would suffer another lengthy delay that might even jeopardize exiting hurricane country before our insurance company's deadline. But good fortune smiled upon us and we found Javier and Victor just down the dock, and they agreed to interrupt their current work to get us finished up. Their work was superb and timely, and we were finally able to rid the companionway of Styrofoam coolers, which had been our "refrigerators" for two months and permanently make up our berth. We made our COSTCO visits and loaded up - then untied the docklines and ventured forth.
We were heading for La Paz, and winds looked accommodating, so we wasted no time, departing Banderas Bay and motoring to Isla Isabel (of blue-footed booby fame) to anchor for the night. After catching up on our sleep, we sailed northwest for La Paz early the next morning. To make things interesting as we motored at 5 knots, we put out a hand line and trolled all day. Alas no luck! The next day we tried again with a different lure - this time we set out two hand lines. We were trying to do things just like Bill Craig had recently taught us and were using his personal lure creations. Just as we were beginning to lose hope, Karyn's line was hit by a monstrous 24-inch mahi mahi. It was a difficult fight, but eventually I was able to bring him alongside. Karyn handed me the gaff, and I landed him on the side deck, where she really showed the fisherman spirit by cleaning and filleting the little critter and placing the beautiful tender, juicy meat in the freezer to keep it fresh. About two hours later, Karyn prepared a sumptuous fish dinner, which we ate at the cockpit table. What a life!
We enjoyed varying mild conditions the rest of the way (all told, about 350 miles), often motoring to keep moving, but sailing a lot of the way, too. Winds from the SW and West were often enough to push us up to 7 knots or better. We had a bit of a problem Friday evening: I came off watch and was looking forward to 3 solid hours of sleep, but Karyn reported that the jib would not completely furl. I wanted to show her the advantages of superior strength, but found that I could do no better than she. So I grabbed my tools, determined to show her the effectiveness of more adroit methods. Interestingly, there was a bird perched just ahead of the furling drum, a beautiful yellow-footed booby. I was careful not to disturb him as I went to my knees at the foot of the furler, a mere three feet aft of the cute little guy. But I was wearing my headlight, and the booby noticed me right away, turning his head and neck around 180 degrees to see what I was up to. He was totally unfazed by my presence - perhaps he was impressed with my considerable skills. At any rate, I became convinced that we were enjoying a brief inter-species communion - a wonderful opportunity. Just about then, I heard a loud "SPLOUSHHHHH!" and felt a very warm wetness all over my left leg and a splattering of brown and white bird xxxx that left Realtime's bow very much altered. Unable to see what had transpired, Karyn became alarmed at my agitation, loud yelling, and boorish anti-bird gesticulations. But soon I was able to finish the task at hand, and when I returned to the cockpit she saw what I was yelling about and helped me clean up. So much for communing with nature!
One more day, and we were heading into La Paz again - a little warmer than we left it last November. We pulled into the Costa Baja Marina and tied up. We knew that we were going to be comfortable. It is a beautiful place. Check out the gallery to see it. There is no humidity here to mention, and the heat is tolerable, using awnings and lots of beautiful desert scenery. There is an infinity pool for the hottest part of the day. A base for the summer, as we explore the islands and coves of the Sea of Cortez!
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05/06/2012
Hola everyone - last time I wrote, we were still in the midst of many projects. As the stumbling blocks came, we reevaluated . . . If we were going to have to stay longer in Puerto Vallarta, we should make the best of it. We decided to take some inexpensive day trips. We love traveling on the Mexican buses - always an adventure. We started by going to Sayulita a bit north on the shore. It is known for it's surfing; Matthew had told us about it. The difference in the inhabitants was remarkable. It is a throw-back to hippies of the 60's and surfing. We took an old bus and felt every bump. The town itself was pretty. There were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and friendly people. We talked to a young couple from the Czech Republic. They did not have children yet and decided to buy a van and drive to the Chile, learning about the countries on the way. They allowed two years for their adventure. It was interesting for 2 retired folks to be in much the same situation on their own adventure. It was a nice meeting. We roamed the town, drank Cappuccino and rested on the beach. It was crowded with both tourists and local families. You can see it all in the gallery. Quite a place.
The we went into Puerto Vallarta to see some local dancers perform on the Malecon. It was very low key and a place where family and friends go to see their children and grandchildren perform. A very touching dance troupe was comprised of mentally compromised adults and their teachers. It was heartening to watch. There are pictures of them as well.
Lastly we took the bus to San Sebastian. This is a 400 year old silver mining town of the Spanish. It has gone from a thriving town of 20,000; providing ore to Spain and, subsequently for Mexico, to a very small population of 600 mostly elderly people, as the mines have now all closed. The young people cannot find jobs. San Sebastian is in the running to be a World Heritage Site, but is really not yet geared up for tourists. We met a 54 year-old man who agreed to show us the various sights in town. He only spoke Spanish. It was the first time that I had to use my Spanish all day for every conversation. It excites me to continue to learn. Guape (his name) had worked in the mines his entire adult life. A year ago he was electrocuted at work, was in a coma for much of 2 months, and has lost the use of his left hand. He had to learn to walk, talk, etc. again. We talked about his hospitalization, recuperation, fears, etc. Right up my alley. He drove us around in his taxi. Miraculous. He told us his story and took us to the old mine shafts up the mountain. There is only one working mine now, but at one time there were 130. It was amazing. He took us to the house of a family member, who gave us her homemade tequila and dried mango. We went through her beautiful flower garden and swapped names of plants that we grow here as well. It was a great experience. Little Hannah, her daughter was our photo op. Lots of San Sebastian pictures in the gallery.
Yesterday, we took two buses into Puerto Vallarta to get the regrigeration insulation material from the shipping office. Guess what . . . it wasn't there yet. Maybe Monday, but "call first". So we are cooling our heels. There is still a chance that work will resume Monday afternoon. (Sunday is just a lazy day of reading, Bob coloring my hair, and working on the blog). We are eating tonight with friends with homes in Corona del Mar and Utah. He owned a plumbing company for many years, and Bob has appreciated his support in finding and repairing our water system. No more fresh water leaking into the bilge and no more cycling of water pressure and bilge pumps.
Our friends the Reads are one day from the Marquesas after 28 days at sea - a bit longer than they expected. Quite an accomplishment. We've heard from them daily through blog updates and emails they've sent using their satellite phone, and have heard just how much a trip like that demands of the husband/wife crew. Congratulations to them for their skill, courage, and tenacity.
That's about all for now. Please take a look at the gallery. This really is a great country, epecially when we head inland to the less populated areas. We even shook hands with a political candidate in his white cowboy hat. Buen Dias a todos.
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04/27/2012, Puerto Vallarta
Hello, to all who follow our progress. Well...you may be disappointed. We haven't made much progress! We came back from our stateside trip expecting the refrigerator/freezer to be reinsulated and the counter and lids replaced. Nothing was done. We are 6 weeks into this project and really, there is no end in sight. Well, that's kind of exaggerating! Everybody knows I exaggerate all the time. After a three week wait for the insulating foam, we tried to use it yesterday and it wouldn't expand. It must be replaced (from the US), it can't be flown here, because it is flamable . When we get it, the rest of the job can progress. Probably another 2 weeks. It has already cost 3 times what we had planned for. That is kind of how it goes in this boating life. That's a part that I don't like. We have been waiting aboard the boat everyday for the work to be done. Now we are just going to finish our other projects and do a little sight seeing. We need to have something to look forward to rather than focusing on the disappointments and delays. That is how we want this experience to be.
I will include some of the before/during project pictures this time. We are, (mostly Bob) working on the windlass, the refrigerator/freezer, finding a fresh water leak, replacing the hot water heater, mounting a barbeque, polishing oxidized metals, working on the blog, there is always plenty to do, .
The weather here in PV is lovely. The Marina is very nice. Those of our friends that were leaving for various places have long gone. I have been spending my time on the computer planning and reserving for our stateside travels late summer. We look forward to visiting some of you as we "land travel" during the hottest part of the summer in the Sea of Cortez. We hope to get up there in the next couple of weeks, before hurricane season starts and will settle in La Paz. There are many islands and coves to explore.
Talking about exploration. We now have an inflatable kayak. Her name is "Spirit". She is wonderful. We meander along the waterways early or late looking for birds, fish, turtles, crocodiles and iguanas and seeing the backs of beautiful villas. It is really fun. Sometimes Bob and I go and sometimes I go with my friends. It is the perfect trip for a good conversation and quiet contemplation. We also brought home a small barbeque to mount on the rail. That will be useful in the Sea as well. We hope to fish and to cook our catches. Stay tuned for pictures of that :-) Without a refrigrator, we are using two little ice chests and buying food and ice daily. I talked with someone today who did this for 8 months. I shouldn't be complaining should I? We still love each other, laugh everyday and get some things accomplished. Sometimes we just throw up our hands and go to the beach or go to the shopping center and have a cappuccino. That's probably the best idea of all. I think I'll check and see if Bob is ready to stop yet. He's pretty handy around here, and cute too!
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04/11/2012, Pacific Ocean - about 670 nautical miles off the coast of Mexico
Well, the last few days have been challenging. High winds and seas and lots of problems. However today is a better day. Happy to report the main is functioning well, we are making water again, the max prop is working again. Only the kitchen faucet to fix and I've worked out something serviceable. Aren't we all industrious. We went through the northern part of the ITCZ with lots of squalls. They were fascinating. We learned to spot them on the radar. All of us got fresh water showers, including Realtime. Very refreshing. Today it is calm and bright. It is warmer, you can feel a difference in the air. We now approach the equator and are talking about what we will lo. Open to suggestions. Only a week to go. I think we are getting into our stride. Love your messages.
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