Pacifico's Water Car
20 November 2013 | Pta. de Mita
Dave, clear, summy, warm
Sorry, have not posted for a few days, this one is back dated. It is now 11/27, gosh, it's been a week! Time flies.
OK, so how do I get to shore? Simple, the dinghy or "water car" as some call them. This is "Pacifico's" "Clara" (but of course!). It's a simple inflatable 8'8" boat with inflatable floor and keel, and a 6 hp Tohatsu outboard. Bill, do you recognize the motor cover? This inflatable boat is not as efficient as a "RIB" or Ridged Inflatable Boat, but it works well enough and stores better. You will notice the nice "chaps" that Marisa made for "Clara" our last trip down, she did a great job and they are holding up well!
I've been to Pta. Mita several times before and am currently anchored just a hundred yards or so from where we were in December 2010 when Marisa and I came down, but I've not gone to shore here before. I guess I thought it was all condo property, but have been pleasantly surprised to find that it is not. I took "Clara" to shore and found a good spot to beach just inside a small break water. I forgot my sandals, that happens sometimes, so I didn't walk far. Fortunately there is a nice little beach cantina about 50 feet from where I landed the dinghy. After a simple lunch and a cold Pacifico or two I putted around the shore line here and found a couple of spots that are used by paddle boarders to learn how to catch swell, at least when it's small like it was today. Good place to explore, glad I came ashore.
After my excursion it was back to work. The bottom looked ugly along the water line from the red tide in La Cruz. I got in the water and started scrubbing with a soft cloth and found that it is stained and does not come off very well. I will have to try it again with a scrubby tomorrow. I did as much of the bottom as I could get without a huka or tank and found that overall it was pretty clean, but devoid of bottom paint on all the leading edges and rudder. I had "Pacifico" hauled last spring and did a two coat overall with three along the water line, using ablative paint. I don't know if it's today's new anti-fouling paints or not, but there is little of the most recent coats left, disappointing to say the least. I have been using ablative bottom paints for some years now and they've always lasted two to four years, this one isn't a year old and it is in very poor condition. I'll have to research my records for the brand and type to be sure I get it right before I identify it here.
That's about it, water is clear, 80-ish, air is 85-ish, very pleasant in the anchorage.