Que Tenga Buen Día -
I know that’s how I should end this not start it but it’s the phrase I picked to learn today so it gets to be front and center. I decided I better start learning more Spanish than just hola and buenos días (hello and good day) since I will be in Mexico for a bit. Our plan was to take a class when we got to our desired ‘hurricane hole’ hangout, Paradise Village, but that plan has changed. Yes, the plan to go South for the summer has changed. After much deliberation the decision to stay here in San Jose del Cabo has been made.

We’ve been here in Puerto Los Cabos Marina now almost two months following the “quédate en casa” (stay at home) directive. We like it here. It has some limitations for us but then again, most places do. As I mentioned in my last blog we feel safe here. At the time I was referring to its safety from COVID-19 exposure but it does go beyond that. It’s a safe neighborhood and the marina employs many people that act as security guards. They patrol the marina 24/7 and are very friendly. Additionally, it’s not unusual to see several police vehicles drive through the area daily.

Ok, safe from crime and relatively safe from COVID-19 but how about safe from a hurricane? That is an important question and the one we have been deliberating over for a month now. We know there will probably be more storms here than down South in the Banderas Bay area where Paradise Village is located. It’s a risk but we feel that this harbor is well designed to mitigate storm surge. The slips are for single boats so we have two sides to secure Gypsy to instead of just one and therefore less of a chance for a neighbor boat to crash into us. There are a couple of well built small hotels within walking distance that I could get to if I do not feel safe on the boat. Bob says he’ll probably stay on the boat no matter what. He’s busy ordering extra dock line and making checklists for storm weather preparedness.

Hurricane season lasts six months. That’s a chunk of time to hang out, especially if the pandemic keeps things closed up for a few more months. Reports are still conflicting about what will happen here in Mexico. I believe it will just depend on what State you are in, just like in the USA. Paradise Village is a tourist resort just north of Puerto Vallarta. What appealed to us about staying there for six months, besides it being a reported very good hurricane hole, was the easier access to essentials. Well, because of COVID-19, the area has pretty much shut down. Their marina is still open but daily life might be more challenging and when they do open back up tourists will start coming in. Will that bring with it an increase in virus cases? A big unknown.

What we see here in this neighborhood is people starting to come out and about more - more local fishing, more dog walking, more biking and a few restaurants starting to open for take-out. The reported numbers for the virus have leveled off in this area so I suppose that people are feeling more relaxed. Some wear masks but not all. The only place we found it to be required so far is in Walmart. This is also a tourist area but we are not in the hub of it. We feel that staying here we will have less exposure to summer crowds and we will still have our quiet along with our view.

We have our osprey contingent who talk continually and catch their daily meal right in front of us. We have our elusive land crabs who keep us alert for a glimpse of them as we walkabout. We have schools of fish that entertain us with their occasional pop out of the water or in mass rustling at the surface trying to get away from predators. Midday we find the iguanas sunning themselves or fighting for territory on the marina rocks as we kayak or walk past them. Today I counted 20 iguanas during a 1/2 mile walk. Cactus flowers continue to amaze me, especially the Mexican Fencepost Cactus who blooms last for just a few hours. The sunsets, well, I believe I have posted enough pictures of them in the Gallery for you to know the peace and awe we find in them.

We are settled in here. We have our routines. We’re excited to walk down to the estuary and see more wildlife once the beach restrictions have been lifted. Hopefully my Spanish will improve a little as I practice with the marina employees. I will work on a little writing project and Bob will continue to tinker around Gypsy making sure everything stays in good shape. The summer will bring weather that we hope will be mild and maybe we’ll rent a car and see a bit of the southern Baja peninsula.

We will stay here in Puerto Los Cabos and make the best of whatever is yet to come. That’s all any of us can do. Make a decision and let fear go.

Que tenga buen día! (That’s “have a nice day!”)