Livin the Dream!!

16 February 2025
07 February 2025
05 February 2025 | Zihuatanejo
31 January 2025
20 January 2025
19 January 2025
03 January 2025
23 December 2024 | tied to the dock in La Cruz
13 December 2024 | Marina La Cruz
25 March 2024
19 March 2024 | Tenacatita
13 March 2024
13 March 2024
03 March 2024
28 February 2024
28 February 2024
28 February 2024

We left our mark….

16 February 2025
Brian Wade
The soothing picture you see is where we started our recovery from pickling our livers for a week in Zihua. Our "Sea-Hab" began at Ixtapa Island, an incredible white sandy beach rimmed hidden gem just outside of the resort area of Ixtapa...more on that in a bit.

So, the Cliff Notes version of our stay in Z-Town is as follows: Neither of us worried about getting up early, all days start with robust local coffee, some breakfast and review of previous days happenings. Then a loose plan of what we are thinking and after slathering on some sunscreen, grabbing some cash and launching the dingy. typically a long walk including beach & road, lots of steep hills, vistas to die for and always meeting new people.

One day we humped it up the biggest hill in the bay to the tune of 8 miles & two big beers at the OXXO (like 7-11) trying not to get worked by these mexican dudes wanting to buy us another round on the front sidewalk of said store...then aggressively pushing drugs to our repeated NO's! Finally we booked it out of there looking over our shoulders the whole way back. On said way back, walk down huge staircase to a cliff front restaurant that literally was like an infinity edge pool, suspended over the bay, my yar ship anchored in the distance. Food was fantastic and so was the view. An epic end to our day.

On Super bowl Sunday (no we won't talk about the halftime performance) we had a VIP table in our new friend "Revee's" place where we had dinner a day before. Also the previous day had ordered 3 bottles of his famous Mezcal Tequila to replenish the ships stores, one can never be too prepared! He also had poured us a few shots the previous night of his famous "Mothers Milk" which we went back and bought a bottle or two of. It's kind of a Mexican Baileys...but with coffee, Mezcal, milk, cream & condensed milk....oh baby!

Add a few more days of wandering town, bars & food places, there's our time in Z-Town. Oh, Sailfest was getting going so there were beach festivities we may or may not have checked out :)

The check out process with the Port Captain was a real learning experience, proving to me one can't know enough spanish or carry enough copies of documents they already had from the check IN process just mere days prior....and patience, well, I thought I had a lot of that which was an understatement.

Escape to the fuel dock in Ixptapa we did, topped up tank and a couple jerry cans on deck and headed out to the island. Snorkeling was unbelievable, anchorage was calm and people friendly, just what the doctor ordered.

Here we are, bashing into the wind enroute to Manzanillo. Day 1 Night 1 done, repeat once more and we are having an anchor down beer at a new venue, can't wait!!

Las Hadas Resort...be warned....

Los Dos Caballeros!!

07 February 2025
Brian Wade
Well, it’s official, the Brothers Wade have landed!
I waited at the corner of excited & bring it on avenue for the first glimpse of a white Citio (taxi) that would be transporting Mr. Personality from the airport.

As I watch countless taxi’s roar by I’m thinking maybe he misread my directions? Stopped by a cantina on the way? met some senorita? All plausible realities! But then, from a distance of about a block…I hear….

BROOOOOOSKI!…ARRIBA ARRIBA. EEYA EEYA…oh, who could THAT BE?

Out steps my Broski with an empty magnum bottle of Victoria beer, a back pack & duffle bag….dear lord….here we go sports fans!!

Well, we shuttle all his stuff out to the boat, have an adult beverage or 3…then surf land the dingy back on the beach & look for a place to have dinner. Ended up being us, with a resin table & chairs that the guy from the palapa put right out in the sand for us….table for 2, yes please, view of sun setting on a gorgeous harbor, Hellz yeah, toes in the sand & NO BUGS! This place is really growing on me.

After Dinny we strolled around town getting our bearings. Of course in true Wade fashion we are chatting up tons of people along the way to nowhere special and trip on a big curb, landing perfectly in a chair at the tiny bar that served us some of the smoothest tequila I have ever tasted! Just the owner, his wife and a gal that was chatting us up about where to go and what to do…her name was Regina. Perfect timing as we were just wandering about town listening for the next band!

Regina became our tour guide to the next venue, a small bar that had live music, a band she knew…and everyone knew her, she’s been coming here for 17 years.
Faster than you could say Cat in a Hat she was up on stage and playing Harmonica….she didn’t just play that thing, she OWNED it!!! It was fun to watch. And more tequila followed with some cold beer to chase it with, and on the night went; wash, rinse, repeat. Welcome to Zihua Broski for the mostki!

Following day was, uh….well lets just say we slept in a bit. Then checked out the beach on the other side of the bay, unbelievable homes, hotels & palapas for your dining pleasure. We walked up & down the beach, found a cold beer for rehydrating, then of course we HAD to take advantage of the 2 x 1 margaritas on the way back to the dingy. Launching through the building surf was free entertainment for the onlookers, of which we got no applauds :(. We are not amateurs.

Well, all for now, coffee’s on & Mr. Sleepy Head just rustled up forward….let’s just see what kind of shenanigans we can come up with today folks!!!

Keep the comments coming!
Capt. I need to hydrate more -

COUNTDOWN TO BROSKI’S ARRIVAL!!!!

05 February 2025 | Zihuatanejo
Capt. Lawnboy! | HOT!!
Kinda weird to think, it’s like christmas morning…the anticipation of something exciting! My Brother is on flight #2 to Zihuatanejo! I got here yesterday. It was a long 50 hr motor against the weather to get here, sometimes you just gotta man up and get through it!!

I left Carrizal after a glorious 4 days in one of the most pristine anchorages in all of Mexico. The water was gin clear and breathtaking for snorkeling and all the other water activities done off the boat. Did lots of chillin’ (I know, I know…quit rubbing it in Lawnboy!) Scrubbed the bottom, waterline & fresh water soapy bath for the topsides and all the stainless. She sparkles again!

My sights were set to put in about 28 hrs down the road but ducked in to check out the only tenable stop along this barren coastline and was greeted buy HUGE swells coming straight in and breaking on the beach just adjacent to the small anchor spot. Tired (zero sleep for first leg), hungry & frustrated, I pushed on. In hindsight it was a good move as it gave me an entire day to prepare for my brothers arrival here in Zihua. It still boggles my mind how much crap one can pack on to a small 37’ sailboat! The entire forward cabin was chock full of things “I needed” when leaving Seattle.

A couple of hours later I had carved out a nice cubby for my new crew member, all the while finding some really cool shit that I forgot was even on board!! It’s the little things:)

As I sit here under cover in the cockpit typing this next entry, it is 88 degrees headed to 90+, nice breeze, beautiful skies & a cold electrolyte in my hands…must prepare for the pickling of my liver that will surely accompany the two Broski’s plans. Just sayin. I promise not to drink & blog…but it may be more interesting content!

Stay well my friends and please keep reading & commenting, it’s my fuel to write!

P.S. Photo is of this beautiful town and the walk down the malecon. The entire bay is walkable which excites my inner steps counting..Bring it Zihua!

Signed,
A Happy Sailor.

Rested….and ready!

31 January 2025
Brian Wade
Ok, so where did we leave each other?
Oh, yeah, I was enjoying a free salt water spa day while you all were reading in some sort of other comfort trying to wrap your head around why I do this thing? Well I can't attest to the other ocean sailors out there but for me, it's a means of getting from A to B with some adventure along the way. So there. Now you get me.
Let's continue, I promise, no more drama but you gotta admit it makes for good content!

After chilling in Chamela (a nice anchorage with decent protection) I watched a few days slip by doing literally nothing but reading books, cooking, swimming, paddle boarding...shit man, I didn't even launch the dingy! Never went to town...just what the doctor ordered. I could feel Wades Aweigh doing the same, appreciating me letting her just swing in the breeze, serving shade protection to tons of little fishies from the big fishies, alas there were some of the smaller tribe that never lived to bite another day but so goes the cycle of life. Even with my diligence with spin fishing, changing lures, times to fish, throwing chum in the water (read: moldy bread) I could not get even one of the bigger fishies interested in my expensive lures. Oh, you just wait, your day is coming!

It's always fun waving & shouting spanish to the Panga fishermen as they zoom by me late afternoon, headed out for the evening bite, some of whom don't return until the following morning. What a tough way to make a living, respect! On the 3rd day Manuel came by and stopped long enough to hold up a HUGE snapper. "Hey Penon! you want in Pescado Grande?". (a big fish). I'm like, "Sorry bro, just me, not enough freezer space!" I gave him a cold bottle of water and fist bumped him anyway, not to see him again as I left the following morning.

0800 coffee is on. I review my charts and decide the 15 mile passage to Melaque is nothing to get my undies in a bunch about so have a lazy morning. Up anchor at 11:00 and motor sail my way south as the wind is not at the right angle and my batteries need charging, solar & wind turbines not keeping up with my refrigeration and freezer needs. Trip is just as pleasant as can be, the nasty mean ocean of late is just nice and welcoming, just as I planned. Warm sea breeze holds my perspiration at bay as I use a wet washcloth on my face and head for climate control. It's 85 and clear, sea is a cottony cobalt blue that defies any color scheme you would see in a paint store, a custom blanket of deep blue ocean complemented by an equally intense blue sky laced with whispers of cotton candy clouds. I am humbled to be here, right now, right this moment; I deep breathe it all in...not wanting to let it go, it's magical.

My deep thoughts of this majesty I'm in the middle of were broken my a HUGE tail...SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH! 3 whales a mere 100' off my bow are playing. I never tire of seeing the ocean mammals at play, truly breathtaking. Then, a turtle, then dolphins...my bunk mates have returned. Eagerly I try to keep in step with both, but they are too fast and uninterested in me this day. I bid them farewell and go on my merry way.

We pulled into Melaque mid afternoon, to my surprise only one other boat! And what a boat! An aluminum 80' expedition style sailboat, grand, commanding vessel...oh yes sir...you watch...I will get on that bad boy one way or another!

Next day I see an inflatable heading right for me, nice fellow says, "Hi neighbor! I'm Gary.". We chat for a bit and he invites me over for a tour of their boat....what did I just say about "you watch?" Yup....show and tell time!!
Later that day I was headed ashore (yes, needed supplies) and stopped by. Gary & Linda are full time cruisers and very welcoming. I got the full tour including engine room while Linda puttered around. It was a magnificent ship, everything supersized and well thought out. The boat was built for high lattitudes and did the arctic many years ago. Kewl!

On my last day ashore I met Lou Lou from Quebec who was staying for 6 months in a condo. After a massive happy hour Margarita (see pic!!) she invited Dave & I to stop by her lake cabin on our way to Nova Scotia (oops, spoiler alert) this summer on a big moto adventure. People are so nice...all you gotta do is say hello!

The following day I departed for Carrizal, my current pit stop. It's my Dads favorite anchorage in Mexico and one of my top 3. More later on this 3 day stay. Super stoked to get to Zihuatenejo and pick up my Broski! Let the games begin!!!

Washed the boat from stem to stern today to remove the 20# of dried salt from the storm. Tomorrow is organized down below and then i'm off...just shy of 200nm ahead.

departure day…lots of surprises!!!

24 January 2025
Brian Wade
**pic is of me…oblivious to next 17 hours!!**
I slipped the lines Saturday morning at 0630 hrs, silently ghosted out the breakwater…waving goodbye for now to the town of La Cruz, a crimson orange wallpaper against an otherwise normal morning…random silhouettes of early morning dog walkers and stoic palm trees…listless in the morning calm before the storm….ignorance is bliss, I was all jacked up to get underway…motoring with the main up for stability.

Now, please understand, I am diligent about everything weather. Watching patterns, downloading the absolute most current predictions (what a croc that is…please read on) and making sure my yar little ship is in fine tune. I decide to motor sail to the cape in order to get clean air before trimming the sails and engaging my Monitor self steering vane (thanks Howard for tuning it in) (see aforementioned pic) I was just plugging along expecting to see maybe 20-25 knots of wind MAX according to my weather sites which are not free…no sir, you pay for their theoretical top notch algorithm….it was only blowing 12-15 NW…fine by me!

Before reaching the cape (outermost point of Banderos Bay) the thought occurred to me, hmmm, can’t believe I haven’t seen any whales or dolphins…so strange, then like someone waved a magic wand, yup, you guessed it, POOF! massive whales 3 of them! 5 minutes later a huge pod of my favorite mammals were jumping in my bow wake…squeaking and clicking like they do, my world is right.

Round said cape, reel out the headsail, dial it in, douse the main, engage the Monitor who I named “Marcus” after my Broski…and we were off to the races!!! Wades Aweigh was in her element…as was her captain…probably wasn’t a good idea to put out to the universe I was expecting more wind….OOPS!….

Readings were nearing low 20’s, no biggie….then I could just see it; conditions changing rapidly. Though I had no basis relative to clouds and their changing demeanor because it was clear! It started getting gusty. My inner alarm went off when my knot meter went from 22-35 knots in an instant…then back down, waves still nominal, a freak thing? Don’t overthink it dude, it’s the ocean, she’s an unpredictable task master…chill man, go with da flow! Ok right said Fred, pull your head out…things are building. So, did first reef (bring in some sail area for better handling) and things quieted down at my helm, but not the water under and around me….within 45 minutes wind readings were nudging 40 mph….that ain’t nothin! Ok Neptune, you have my attention. On went my harness and line, clipped in I did, yes Mommy as I promised (insert smiley face here)

Now about 2 hours later sustained winds were over 42 mph…this is serious sailing! Fun? you bet! Am I alert and aware? Bet ur ass! Totally calm and in control, we just hunkered down and enjoyed the ride….until -

Waves are building, 10-12’ at 5 second intervals. Boat is yawing back and forth so much autopilot wont recover, I go to task hand steering, winds now gusting to 50! Oh, sorry predictwind.com…YOU LIE! 20-25 knots max my ass! I digress.

Now headsail is nothing but the size of a handkerchief and we are still raging downwind at 7-8.5 knots with bursts to 10 knots while surfing down the face of now 14-15’ seas with ugly white frothing breaking tops…sometimes directly into the cockpit: FUN? be real! Experience? Hellz yeah, all that came to mind was,
‘this will make great content on my blog!!”
too bad my action cameras weren’t charged up.
I can’t believe my eyes….60! yes, 60 freaking mph gust!

Howard was following my tracking and pinged me just as I was thinking about dousing what sail I had left up…all text says is this, “bare poles?”. meaning…did I douse all sails and running under bare mast…answer was,
“doing it now” Started up the engine for stability for autopilot but still had to hand steer. Talk about exhausting! Waves are now breaking all around me but boat is fine. There is a major garage sale going on down below, deal with that mess later. Kinda busy.

At about sunset as the land mass cooled down a bit, so did the wind and seas, autopilot finally engaged again, cold beer in hand, I just collapse in the cockpit, everything engulfed in caked salt water including self….now winds are sustained at 30-35 mph…and I laugh at myself thinking…wow! winds really lightened up! Normally that would be big winds for sailing south.

Oh, almost forgot! During the mayhem, I hooked a MARLIN!!! thankfully he lived to bite another day, caught & released a Jack Cravalle & killed a nice Bonito and made fresh ceviche…my GOD! so delicious.

Due to my unexpected speed, my arrival estimate to next anchorage went from next morning to 11:30 that night. Arriving at night is not my favorite for safety concerns but no way to slow this ship down that much…so with all nav aids glowing including my new LED flood lights on the bow, in I came, one wore out mariner, dropped the hook, stowed the boat, downed a shot of tequila and literally passed out.

10 hours later I woke up to the same view I enjoyed for 2 days, hello Chamela!

Hope you enjoyed my story, and no, I wouldn’t recommend those last 17 hours to anyone!

A fond farewell!!

20 January 2025
Brian Wade
ok, second times a charm…last entry is still floating around out there on the inter webs somewhere!

My last days in La Cruz are a blur! Dinners out, last minute provisioning runs (thanks Howard) getting boat cleaned up and bottom done (thanks Armando), drinks in the cockpit with friends…stowing stuff (didn’t do a good job of that…story to come) and, a final performance with Tracey the amazing guitarist and vocalist who so graciously give up the mic to me….more on that in a minute.

The night before the morning before the last day before my morning departure….follow me?…I was blown away at how many friends showed up to the La Cruz Inn for my last singing gig. Brigette & Fritz went to work putting the word out that I was leaving and the entire circle of friends I have been welcomed in to the inner circle all showed up! Howard & Pam, Fritz & Brigette, Loren & Suzanne, kids & grand kids, my friends Tim & Gretchen,
and others…3 long tables put together…I had my cheering section!

It wasn’t long before Tracey called me up, my fans all cheering me on…and many strangers…it was packed to the gills…tables even being brought up from downstairs! GULP! First we sang a couple that we had been practicing before….then he just said, “I got wifi dude…knock yourself out! Have fun…”
HUH? what the…..???? ok, searched his tablet for some Buble & Sinatra, ok, I got this….
a few songs later…the requests starting coming in, all kamikaze runs for me!…nobody cared, especially after I had everyone join in on my stock toast….everyone raised their glasses and I told them it was only 2 words…but we had to say it so loud it would wake the dead….it went like this….”CHEERS BITCHES!!!”. we brought the house down!

Many tequila shots later and lots of hugs and well wishes,..I made my way back to my mighty ship….slept it off and had a recovery day on Friday (sailors never leave on a friday). One last dinner with H & P and I was off to bed early.

Of course heading to bed and actually sleeping before a departure are to entirely different things!!!

I departed the next day at 0630 still dark out…little did I know what layed ahead of me….the ocean can be a cruel and unforgiving master….wait till you hear about that!
Stay with me!
Vessel Name: wades aweigh
Vessel Make/Model: 1974 Irwin 37
Hailing Port: anacortes, wa
Crew: Captain Lawnboy!
About: Me? well, retired pseudo landscaper turned worldsailor and adventure junkie….chasing new horizons one ocean at a time
Extra: I bought the boat from mom & dad in 1999 and have been restoring her to current glory ever since. It's a work in progress. This blog is an accounting of my travels raw and uncut.
wades aweigh's Photos - Mexico 2024!!!
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