An able bodied friend, Kari Burr, joined us in Chiapas. Great that she really wanted to and could get the time for the month's sail to Costa Rica. As I was still recovering from abdominal surgery, the 2nd of the (epic) year, it was a huge help to Dave to have crew who could lift and pull and fish! Kari is a fish biologist and as much an angler as Dave. She caught her first Dorado during the trip - it was a magnificent fish!
We started snorkeling once we got to Cost Rica. The three of us did a lot of underwater exploring. Costa Rica is such a jewel because of its clear and warm coastal waters. This is why I had to return to CR after leaving abruptly last year. It's hot here! Sweat pours off one just sitting still in the shade, though, with no breeze. So, jump in the water. Instant cool off! In fact, most folks think the waters a bit too warm. I love jumping in without being startled. I love it!
When I signed on to this venture, for one thing, I thought once we got to Mexico - you could jump in the water and go snorkeling, like every day. Well, so far, only a few places in Costa Rica can you find good snorkeling close to the boat. And, north of here the water is either too cold or a bit dirty. Sorry, I well know that while I am loved by many, no one wants to hear me complain about My Rough Life out here sailing. One funny conversation Dave and I had recently, talking about our teak swim ladder that now has metal parts rusting away. Would we get it and numerous other boat parts repaired if we next took the boat back to Alaska? Oh, yea...we never put the swim ladder out in Alaska. Believe me! Water temp 52F, about the same as San Francisco Bay.
We had some pretty good sailing on the trip down the coast from El Salvador. We anticipated two overnights, planning to just pass the coast of Nicaragua and then anchor in Bahia Elena which we knew to be a wildlife bonanza we wanted to show Kari.
However, just before dawn after the second night, there was a 'mild' explosion in the engine. Immediately it was shut down. Sails were up, with little wind. Dave tried to find the cause of the explosion. In the daylight, still examining the engine, Kari saw the little white button that flew off the fire extinguisher. Then it was realized that the noise was the extinguisher and accounted for the puff of smoke also seen. The engine cranked back up, since we were not making any time on our hoped for anchorage. Everything running smoothly. An hour or so, Dave thought a good idea to check to see that all was well in the engine compartment. When he lifted the covering floor board a looong sharp hissss... steamed out. Engine off! When it had cooled enough to take a look the exhaust pipe was in two pieces, having broken at the joint. Kievit's engine works so well. But, she has to stay cool, that is the way of diesel engines.
Fortunately, we were just an hour or so off the entrance to Puesto del Sol, Nicaragua. Sails were trimmed in that direction and we made radio contact with port captain, who gave permission to enter. It is a narrow and shallow channel through the mangroves, and very strong tidal flow, and a little dicey under sail. Since we had also been there last year, we knew what to expect. My one feat of navigation was driving the course while Dave and Kari managed the sails, and we tied up to dock without incident.
The management at Puesta del Sol, treated us well and was very helpful. The marina/resort is on the coast in the mangroves. The nearest town is about an hour away. Several of the mechanic workmen there tried to come up with a solution to replacing the broken exhaust pipe. Their workshop in the woods was very humble, where they also lived. We so appreciated their intention to help us out.
Fortunately, the port captain spoke good English and also knew exactly what we needed and where to get it. We got in just before dark, Friday evening. Saturday morning it became clear that the exhaust couldn't be fixed at the marina and the port captain called a taxi to take Dave to town and explained exactly where to go and what was needed to the taxi driver.
In town, our second stop was at a machine shop that could duplicate the old pipe. It would take them about 2 hours to get it done. So, it was lunch time and Dave treated the cab driver and Kari to lunch, then we did some grocery shopping at an upscale supermarket. When we got back to the machine shop the job was done. One last stop at a hardware store to buy a machete (everyone in Central America needs a machete) and back to the marina. Dave reassembled the exhaust system and it worked perfectly. We spent one more night at the marina and were off the next morning to fight the papagayos.
We sailed Sunday down the Nicaragua coast and anchored at a small bay called Transito. It's not much of an anchorage, but one can get the boat close into shore and the papagayo winds blow over without causing much wind waves. As we anchored, Dave at the bow and Kari and me on the back transom, a fishing panga with several men in it, came dashing through the waves. We were a bit alarmed as the anchorage is pretty isolated. These guys were yelling greetings, waving hands and circling around the back of Kievit. We all shouted HOLA! To each other as we saw they were taking pictures with cell phones of the boat from San Francisco. They happily sped off and, glad to report they didn't return in the night to hassle us! A nice twist when the locals find the gringo visitors of interest!
We sailed the next day with the same strategy, ducking into the anchorage at A'''' when the winds got heavy in the afternoon. It was another reasonably good night's sleep. We left before dawn the next morning, planning to make it to Bahia Elena, Costa Rica before the papagayos became too strong the next day. The strategy worked and we were in Elena before noon that day. There were two other sail boats there, including French Curve, who we had met in El Salvador.