1215: 02-Dec2015 the first shake down cruise of the season. We will be buddy boating with Tim and Constance on Lady Midnight.
1210: salvage barge and tug anchored in Bahia Patricia.
The crew from The Resolve have been in the area since hurricane Patricia arrived and left Los Llanistras, a 750 foot bulk carrier (Panamax) stranded on the rocks just around the point from the Grand Hotel and Marina.
We took a short detour to see it wedged in among the rocks with its back broken. It was a sad site. They have been able to remove over 90% of the crude from its holding tanks and have not made a decision yet as to what they will do with the ship. They may break it apart and try to float sections and then take them out and sink them in the deep blue sea. Negotiations are still taking place.
Look close to see the ship in between the two rocks.
1310: sails are up and motor is off. Course is 305*. Speed for the day ranged from 3.1 to 7.2 knots. It was a perfect sailing day!
1615: Anchor down at Tenacatita. Rum and cokes on Lady Midnight!
We stayed anchored at Tenacatita for two nights. The swimming was wonderful. We even found a little bit of Christmas on Lady Midnight. I brought the turkey shepherds pie and T&C provided the salad, Christmas music and Egg Nog.
It was nice to be back at an anchorage and be able to jump off the boat to swim. And Mother Nature did not disappoint providing a beautiful display of cumulus clouds painted with the colors of a setting sun and a few bolts of lightening for effect.
04-Dec-1215 We raised the anchor and headed over to La Manzanilla. This is the bay where the sunset picture was taken for the back of our boat card. The anchor was down in 16 feet of water.
The next 5 days were spent hanging out with Tim and Constance and Al and Sandy. If you remember A & S have a home in La Manzanilla. We all went over there for dinner and then out for an evening of Blues at Palapa Joes. The evening was capped off with a not too successful dinghy launch, in the dark, with a pretty good surf. And I have the bruises to prove it. I guess we are out of practice. So we got a little bit wet!
I got a lot of exercise swimming to and from the boat. David spent the time trying to perfect his beach landings. There was quite a heavy surge all week so it was challenging. I even managed to get dumped by a large wave as I was wading into shore. Lost my mask and snorkel. Guess I will ask Santa for a new one. There wasn't a time when he or I did not get wet though we did manage to keep the dinghy upright and the outboard out of the water.
On the 9 th we motored over to the Aquarium - a place across the bay that has a reputation for good snorkeling. It wasn't spectacular but we did manage to see a few fish. Nothing like Belize or Fiji! But we had fun with friends of T&C from Victoria. Then we went back to Tenacatita for one final night on the hook.
0900: 10-Dec-2015 Got an email from Armon letting us know that our windless and paint and varnish has finally made it to Barra. Yeh! Preparations were made to get underway. Dinghy was put back on the forward deck. It was a bit of a slog to bring the anchor up by hand. David will be very happy once the windless has been installed as hauling a 45 pound anchor along with chain and rope is playing havoc on his back.
We have two anchors - one with 260 feet of chain and one with 10 feet of chain and the rest rope. We are using the lighter system right now until we get the windless installed. This involves attaching a Keller or weight (think of a weight that you put on your fishing line) to keep the light anchor rope partially on the ocean floor and keep any added strain off the point where the chain/rope is attached to the boat. Bad news is when we raised the anchor the Kellet had detached. Another thing for Santa's list!
1100: Anchor is up and we are underway. A very pleasant sail back to Barra averaging about 5.5 SOG - remember that means speed over ground which takes in the boat speed and any current.
1600: secured at the dock at our old berth. We went ashore and had dinner at Magleto's. This was one of the restaurants that completely lost its' palapa roof during the hurricane. In less than three weeks the roof had been replaced, the restaurant spruced up and open for business! Of course I had Prawn Molcajete - type of fish stew cooked in a lava bowl. One of my favorite things to eat in Mexico.
11-Dec-2015 The marina was kind enough to continue giving us the mid-season rate for the next couple of days. We picked up the windless from Armon. He is very excited about joining us on the crossing to the Marquessas. I guess it was one of those things on his bucket list that he had given up on.
Arrangements were made with Beryl Lenero in California to have our new radar shipped to the boatyard in Puerto Vallarta. We received her name from another boater and have been impressed.
Contact information for anyone needing to get things shipped to Mexico from the US.
beryl2910@hotmail.com
482 W. San Ysidro Blvd
Suite 511
Ysidro, California 92173
Radar is being sent to her, she will drive it across the border, pay any duty and then use a Mexican shipping company to get it to PV. Payment is done by way on a money transfer through OXXO - like our 7-Eleven.
One last walk around Barra as it gets ready for the Christmas season. Tree is decorated in the square - made from palm fronds.
And the nativity scene has a manger made from an old wooden panga.
And now we are all ready for departure on the 14 th.
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