March 6, 2007, Still in Huatulco, Mexico
The days slowly tick by as we wait for the crossing to open. Right now wind is 45 knots and the waves are over 7 meters. hmm... Not going anywhere today again! Right now there is a slight chance of an opening on Thursday. But, since we´re buddy boating with a slower boat we may not be able to take advantage of it. The next opening could be as much as another eight days from now! I´m told that this is worse than usual.
But, we have to pass the time someway. Lucky for me the boats I am wish pass the time by cooking fantastic meals.
A couple of nights ago John on Maestra barbecued some amazing steaks. Yes, Jeff, even you would have been pleased. My steak, or should I call it a roast, was amazing. Of course all the fixings were included. Keep in mind that this was a dinner for seven!
Last night we were on the Lagoon 41 At Last where Mike and Nelia were barbecueing a pork loin. It was, of course, accompanied by five or six delicious courses.
This is definitely NOT the way we cooked when we were cruising. Just one look in our respective freezers will tell you why. We didn´t have a freezer and they each have HUGE freezers stuffed to the rim with top quality meat. It really is something to behold! I definitely won´t go hungry down here.
I may be eating well but I´m definitely itching to get going! Huatulco is a great vacation spot but I want to get moving to Central America. I am still hoping to travel around Guatemala a bit but if we are here too long then I may not have enough time. I´ve got Canucks tickets for Mar 31 so that is an ultimate deadline for me!
Well, enough typing and sweating for now. It´s going to be close to 100f today so I had better make my way back to the beach club with the pool and get me some of those cheap beers...
March 4, 2007, Huatulco, Mexico
It's hot, very hot but not to humid! I snooze a lot and have at least 2 naps a day. Hey, it's not that we're doing nothing. Like all cruisers we try to get one thing done a day. Two days ago my mission was to head to the Farmacia and get the necessary medicines to protect me from horrible jungle diseases, including Malaria. Today, we fuelled up the boat. Other than that it has been napping and eating.
What we're waiting for is for the wind to drop down in the notorious Tehuantepec. It's windy there right now and should increase to 60 knots by tomorrow. That's a totally no-go situation. The long range forecast is for the wind to drop down by Saturday. We need 24 hours to cross the bay so as soon as we get a solid forecast we're off!
It'll be a mass exodus from the marina. We're in the company of about 4-5 other boats who are all going to leave as soon as they can.
February 28, 2007, Huatulco, Mexico
I'm feeling pretty lucky right now! Last week I sent a few emails to cruising friends asking if any of them need crew for upcoming passages to Hawaii, the Marquesas, or really any warm place. Well, John and Gaye from Maestra got back to me and invited me to join them. So, I'm on my way to Huatulco on the West coast of Southern Mexico to be their crew as they head South into Central America.
Our first mission is to cross the 250 miles of the gulf of Tehuantepec, also known at the t-pecker, which can be an extremely windy area. When high pressure builds up in the Gulf of Mexico it gets funneled through this very low lying area of Southern Mexico and blows offshore from the West coast like beer out of a beer funnel! These winds come up very quickly and blow incredibly hard. Last year we regularly heard of almost continuous gales. Combined with the shallow water these winds are a killer. So, everyone hangs out in Huatulco until a favourable forecast is received and then they boogie as fast as they can across the danger area. The winds don't stay light or even moderate for long so you can't waste time. I know of at least one Canadian boat last year that didn't time it right and lost their boat!
After the crossing we'll make landfall in Guatemala or El Salvador. I haven't been to Central America so I'm very excited, and a bit nervous, about exploring the area. I expect to be down South for only a couple of weeks and then on my way back home - A short trip but it should be full of adventure. I don't know exactly when I'll return because I only booked a one way flight...
Last year when we were South on our own boat we weren't forced to rough it too bad. But, traveling on Maestra will make my boat look like camping! Maestra is a ocean going trawler of about 50'. From what I remember she is very comfortable both at anchor and at sea with her active stabilizers. Who knows, I may never go back to sail after this one!
January 15, 2007
While we were away last year we captured quite a few small video clips. They are now available for viewing on Youtube by clicking on the "Videos" link on the right hand side under favourites.
I've got a few more coming online in the next few days.
September 28, 2006, Victoria, BC
Clean feet, green trees and an ocean view that stays horizontal. I appreciate these things as I look out of my office window. Mark and I are thrilled to be back in our comfortable home, enjoying friendships and the beauty of Willis Point. However, we miss Salacia and we're sad that our adventure is over.
Looking back on the summer, our time in Desolation Sound was an excellent finale to our year. The familiar waters and anchorages quickly reminded us that few places rival the cruising grounds of BC. The anchorages are lovely, safe places to enjoy the lush natural surroundings and tuck in for shelter from the weather. It was great to sleep soundly, without wave motion and without threat of a dragging anchor. No waves over the bow and no overnight passages, it was good to be in home waters!
I savored the summer on Salacia, knowing that my unstructured time was coming to an end. I appreciated having the time and energy (thanks to cooler weather) that allowed us to be active nearly every day - hiking, kayaking, rowing and swimming. Prawning became a favorite activity as well. There's nothing like hauling up the trap and finding 52 jumbo prawns, all ready for a peel-and-eat feast! Certainly, the best part of the summer involved spending time with our friends onboard Salacia. Dave and Deb Tolman were great guests and awesome seafood providers. Finally, the summer and our sailing year ended on a high note when Ken and Trish Smith met up with us in the Gulf Islands.
Now, our boxes are unpacked and our home looks much the same as before we left. I'm back to work at the College and Mark is busy with fire department duties and projects at home and on the boat. In some ways, we've slid back into our old lives with ease. In other ways, everything has changed. Having experienced a different lifestyle over the past year, my perspective and priorities have changed - I appreciate people and simple things that I had previously taken for granted. I'm finding it's easier to discern what's important in life and what's not. Also, after seeing how the Mexican people live, I question the pace of life that I see around me. Mark and I certainly haven't transformed into a laidback, slow moving couple, but we're trying to retain the simple lifestyle and balanced perspective we gained living on our boat.
Looking back at a year of new experiences and 8000 miles of sailing and traveling through the US and Mexican Pacific Coasts and the Hawaiian Islands, I am certain of a few things. I love where I live; I have no question that I have made my home in one of the very best places in the world. On the other hand, I can't wait to travel again, even if it means crossing another ocean on a sailboat. There is something very alluring about the sea and sailboat living. I know that I want to travel and live this lifestyle again.
For now, arriving in Mexico in just a few short hours via plane appeals to us as well. We've booked flights for just after Christmas, and we look forward to revisiting some of our favorite places - Melaque, Barra de Navidad and Tenacatita - by land. Undoubtedly, we'll looking longingly at boats sailing by the shoreline. Who knows, maybe we'll run into some cruiser friends who will take us out for a sail!
Finally, thanks for following and participating in our website. We enjoyed reading all your comments, even those anonymous ones! The connection with family, friends and the cruiser community, through the website, was important to us during our year away from home. Thank you for sharing in our adventures, and we look forward to hearing about yours! Smooth sailing to you all!
