Bahia de Santiago - Zihuatanejo

Buddy boats:  Shindig, Agave Azul, Pangaea and Trinity Rose

Happy Birthday, Robin!

We pushed the snooze button a time or two before we pulled ourselves out of bed.  I started the coffee, Mike checked the oil and started the engine.  It was 6:30 by the time the anchor was up.

I loved Santiago, and we plan on stopping there again on our trip north. The only thing I didn't appeciate was how many mosquito bites I received.  Despite putting loads of skin-so-soft and/or deet on my exposed skin.  My mosquito bites are all in places that were covered by clothing; I have bites on my back, every square inch of my butt, my inner thighs and my ankles.  Now I am scratching myself like a sailor.  Ha!  Better work on my profanity for the full sailor affect.

Early on we had a few dolphins swim at our bow for quite a while.  I was able to get some nice footage.  Enjoy!

We had to motor/motor sail all day.  Even though we had a little head start, the other boats caught up with us and passed us. They are all 47+ feet and motor a whole knot faster than we can. We all checked in at noon via VHF, and we still had a visual on everyone. We were able to catch up a bit by the afternoon, and we all checked in at 6 pm.

Right before our last check in,  i was walking back from the bow of the boat and noticed something on the end of one of the fishing lines.  It was a fish! A nearly drowned fish, but a fish!  We reeled her in and looked at the fish book, and we caught a Bullet Tuna or mini tuna. It was a little one, but since it was pretty much dead, we figured a little sushi might be nice as an appetizer.  And that is exactly what we had.  Really. Good. Fresh-out-of-the-sea. Sushi!  Yes!  I am so glad I listened to that little voice that said, "get sushi condiments" while at Walmart in PV.  Check her out!

We had a beautiful sunset tonight.  Everyone was looking for a green flash as the sun meets the sea.  No one saw one, but Mike and I swear we saw a green color, not really a flash.  We have always looked but this time was different and definitely green.

Shortly after dinner, none of the other boats was in our AIS range. By the midnight net check-in, Mike could not make radio contact, even on the pre-determined SSB channels.

We always wear our harness and clip in to a jack-line.  It almost feels like an umbilical cord.  I guess that makes Pangaea truly our mother ship!

All is well,

First Mate Kate

3-4-15

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

It's 3:00 am and I have one more hour of my watch.  I tried contacting Shindig but heard nothing. I had been writing for the last hour, catching up on the blog, so I was in deep concentration/focus.  All if a sudden I was grabbed; Mike was up and grabbed my hand and scared the crap out of me. I flung my hand in my shock response and ended up whacking Mike in the nose.  He was supposed to be sleeping and not scaring the pants off of me.  I kissed his nose a dosen times, trying to make it all better.  Hopefully no black eyes in the morning.  Sorry, Mike!

We had a nice sail for several hours and then the wind died. So we motor-sailed for the rest of the trip.  We checked in with the Skipjack Net at noon and found that we were only an hour behind the rest of the fleet. That is, until our engine died. We were 20 miles from our anchorage.

I got the head sail up and started flying it like a kite to eek out a little forward motion with zero wind. I was happy with 2 knots!  Meanwhile, Mike was busy bleeding the fuel lines, changing filters and relays and figuring out what the heck happened to our said engine.

As we went along, the wind picked up and we started to actually move and track toward our destination.  At one point we were making 4-5 knots.  It was beautiful! Then the wind died.  At this point we were in visible distance of Isla Grande, where we were heading. We were able to contact Rob and Nancy on Shindig and they said they would come out with their dinghy and tow us in. It was late in the afternoon at this point and we all wanted to be safely back before sunset.

In the midst of all the chaos, we were given grace. Our wonderful friends, a full moon rising and a gorgeous sunset while we were gently towed by a hip-tied Shin Dinghy with Rob as Captain.

We are really grateful for and indebted to Rob and Nancy.  Muchos, muchos gracias!!!

Isla Grande, we are here!  Another point south, now Ixtapa.

As we settled in and took in the day, our experiences and the beauty of what had just happened, fireworks were being shot off from the beach off of our stern. We sat in our cockpit and enjoyed the show, grateful again, for our dia milagro.

Feeling very blessed,

First Mate Kate

Bahia de Santiago

2-28-15

Saturday is Market Day in Santiago.  So, Nancy, Rob, Mike and I took their dinghy to shore and walked there. Upon arrival, we sought out a taco place for some breakfast.  We found one right in the center of the first isle of the marketplace. Silly Katie, no menu. Solomente tacos de carnitas. A.k.a. Pork tacos.  Each of us ordered....dos, dos, dos, and Rob ordered trés. It's amazing how much trés and seis sound alike!  Yep, we each got the two tacos as requested....Rob got seis or six tacos. It actually worked out great.  Mike, Nancy and I all ate one more taco and Rob ate three, as planned.  They were served with amazingly fresh Mexican salsas.  We were fueled and ready to go!

The market was pretty neat.  There was everything under the sun for you to buy, including handmade pottery and table runners, woven rugs, produce galore, including fresh berries!, pirated dvds, clothing, housewares, old tools, new pottery, hand-made jewelry, and even green chicks.  I bought a necklace made from fossilized coral found in the jungle of Mexico and a little table runner for the boat.

We took the bus back to the playa for 7 pesos and then walked to the Oasis Club for a cold adult beverage.  Margarita, to be exact.  Well, make that 2 margartias.  They were small.  We checked email and had an excellent dose of people watching; all the families were together playing in the sand and sea.

 We arrived safely back to the boat and decided to take the SUPs out for a spin.  I love tye core workout I get from paddling, and trying to keep up with Mike gives me an extra push.

When we got back to the boat, my nose told me there was trouble in paradise.  Our sweet boat/home was a bit ripe. Torn between wanting to know the cause of the odor and being afraid of finding it, I bravely walked back to the head, or bathroom.  After what Mike had been through with fixing the last head issue, I decided to take it on myself.  I opened the access door to all the plumbing and immediately found the issue. Something was leaking and there was a big mess.  Armed with latex gloves and baby wipes i began cleaning.  After everything was wiped clean I noticed the source of the leak.  This was not something I felt equipped to tackle, so I brought in the expert.  I showed Mike my discovery and he got to work tightening  a hose clamp.  A good cleaning followed the repair job.  All I can say is thank God for bleach.  Ah!  This boat is clean. And smells good again.  Let's hope we are good for a while in the head.

We made dinner and went to bed early.  It was a full day!

First Mate Kate

3-1-15

Wow!  It's March!  How did that happen? It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating New Year's Day.  I guess it has been 10 weeks since I arrived in Mexico.

Today began with a paddle with Nancy and Kathryn ( in her kayak).  The anchorage was as smooth as glass and the water was really clear.  

It was such perfect conditions for paddling that I asked Mike to go for another paddle with me. We toured the estuary at the north end of the anchorage.  It was a bit tricky getting across the breakwater to the entrance, but we made it.  There is another set of palapas on the shores hidden behind the bridge.  On the opposite side, a beautiful, white palatial hotel tucked behind lush greenery. The water depth varied quite a bit and we had to pay attention or run aground with our boards. On the way out we went out near the front of the main beach, as the surf had come up a bit. I mis-read the depth of the water and crashed but recovered.

Mike and I decided to be adventurous and take the bus to town.  So, we went back to the boat, got the dinghy and we were off.

We made our way down to Walmart to grab a few things for our trip down to Zihuatanejo.  We also found a Starbucks and popped in for good wifi and an iced latte.

Somehow between Walmart and the boat, one bag of groceries was lost.  Bummer.  At least I had everything I needed for tonight; we were invited to Agave Azul for a birthday dinner for Robin.

The evening was lovely. Rob and Nancy (Shindig), Bob and Sherry (Nirvana) and Mike and I joined Kathryn and Robin.  We all brought steaks to grill and a nice bottle of red wine to share and I brought dessert.  I made chocolate chocolate-chip brownies and brought chocolate chips and mini peanut butter cups to add to a whipped cream topping.  Robin seemed happy.  We love our new friends!

Another great day in paradise,

First Mate Kate

3-2-15

Today was our last full day in Bahia de Santiago.  Thus, today is all about preparing for our passage to Z-town.  We anticipate a 30-40 hour sail.

I got up and made banana chocolate-chip muffins and breakfast frittata.  Nancy wanted to head to Walmart and I said I'd go with her to re-buy the lost groceries.

Rob and Nancy picked me up in their dinghy and we were delivered to shore. We took the bus into town and did our shopping.  I had arranged to Skype with my parents, so back to Starbucks we went.  While I was talking with my parents, a parade of flat-bed trucks went by carrying stuffed animals.  What initially caught my eye was a big camel going by.  I think we saw a rhino, a black bear, a tiger, a buffalo, a jaguar, and a few others. Random and weird. And fun!

Nancy and I decided to walk back a ways and stop at the music store and a wine shop.  Both were worth the trip.

We bussed back and met Rob and Mike at the Oasis Club for lunch.  We had the best  fish and shrimp tacos!

I made a small lasagna for dinner with the plan of heating up the rest for our passage dinner. Mike grilled up an eggplant while I prepped everything else.  I threw in fresh basil and spinach and some prosciutto. It was tasty.

We went to bed early, all ready for our Zero Dark 30 departure.

First Mate Kate

Ensenada Carrizal- Bahia de Santiago

Rob, Kathryn and I did our final paddle around the anchorage this am and then we all pulled up the anchor and headed south to Bahia de Santiago.  

It only took about an hour to motor over to our spot.  On the way, humpbacks slapped the water with fin and tail, welcoming us to the bay. (So we heard).

Nancy and I walked the beach for a couple of hours.  It was low tide and we were able to walk right next to the surf.  

For dinner, the six of us took the dinghies to shore.  Mike and I were in ours, the others on ShinDinghy.  We ate a beautiful dinner of grilled Sarandeado with Mexican salsa and guacamole.  It was really fresh and just what we all had hoped for.

On the way home, Mike and I had another adventure.  It had been a surf landing coming in, so leaving meant timing the breakers right so we could get out before the wave crashes on top of us.  Well, we were positioned right, I jumped in, but Mike forgot the key to the motor in his pocket which wasn't pulling out quickly.  The next thing we knew, a big wave crashed over the boat knocking it backwards and me out of the dinghy.  In an instant, I was in the surf, soaked and sand in every orrafice.  Attempt #2 went off without a hitch.

I took a hot shower with my clothes on to get rid of the sand and salt water.  Ah!

All's well that ends well,

First Mate Kate

Barra de Navidad- Ensenada Carrizal

We awoke a little later than had planned because I accidentally set the alarm for 7:30 pm.  So, no walk today.  We did snag the French Baker one last time for a couple of days of quiche and croissants.  I went back to the pool and asked the front desk if my glasses showed up in lost and found.  Nope.  I guess I will be getting a new pair of Maui Jim's this summer.  

We pulled off the lines and headed out, followed shortly by Agave Azul and Shindig, our buddy boats for the trip south to Zihuatanejo.  

We were able to sail all the way, which was great.  We even got a chance to pull out the Spinnaker and play a little with her.  We still need more practice to get her out front a little more and be able to sail more down wind.  We definitely need to get a spinnaker pole before we cross the Pacific.

We all anchored down and then hunkered down, as the wind really came up.  We were going to host a happy hour on Pangaea, but with the wind gusts, it had to be postponed.

Another point south!

First Mate Kate

2-26-15

Nancy and I met to paddle in the am and ended up bringing Kathryn on Agave Azul Mike's board so she could join us.  We had fun paddling around the anchorage.  

Shortly afterwards, Rob picked us all up in their dinghy and took us snorkeling around the coral reefs.  At first we were a bit hesitant because there were tons of jellyfish in the water.  Rob bravely picked up a few and they didn't have tentacles with which to sting, so we all hopped in.  Thanks, Rob, for calming the ninny-wuss (a.k.a. Me) enough to swim with those little amoebas.

The wind picked up again in the afternoon, but I decided to be optimistic and prepped all the appetizers I had planned for our Happy Hour party.  Luckily, Mother Nature is a fan of good food, imbibing and socializing.  We had a fun time getting to know Robin and Kathryn on Agave Azul and we always enjoy our time with Rob and Nancy on Shindig.  Happy Hour turned into a five hour drinking and eating fest!  Nothing like drinking your dinner.  It was a good thing that we all shared hearty appetizers. 

Buzzed at bedtime,

First Mate Kate's 

Barra de Navidad

2-18-15

Mike brought me into the marina to walk with Nancy on Shindig this morning.  She took me all around the golf course to a secret beach with a gorgeous view and a rugged, rocky shoreline.  We explored a little and then looped back. 12,000 steps...done!

Nancy and I got together with Bob on Nirvana at her boat to play some music.  We had fun asinging through a whole variety of songs from Sondheim to Elton John.  It was great to siand make music with the two of them; Nancy was on keys and Bob on mandolin.  I am really out of shape vocally.  I must find a way to sing more whilst sailing.

Mike and I went to town and explored a little courtesy of Taxi Aquatico.  We decided to eat at Loco Loco after watching the sunset atop Hotel La Alondra.  The pizza was almost as good as the sunset was beautiful.

We got a little turned around after dinner and couldn't find the water taxi.  A nice cruising couple from S/V Georgia took us to the water taxi dock.

It was a great day in Barra.  We really like it here.

Hasta Pronto!

First Mate Kate

2-19-15

Mike and I took our dinghy to the marina and went for a walk.  I tried to re-create the walk Nancy took.  Well, I missed one turn and we ended up walking a lot farther.  We did end up finding the rocky point and secret beach.  We got s late start so it was pretty hot.  Luckily, Nancy and Rob invited us to be their guests at the pool this afternoon.  Yay!

The pool turned out to be a really great idea.  There is full service (food and drink), a water slide which Mike, Rob and I all played on and a swim-up bar, where we all drank margaritas and toasted to being in Barra together.  What it also did was convince Mike that we needed to be in the marina for good wi-fi and pool time.  He also agreed to a night or two in the hotel.

We saw a little party on Alcyone so the four of us headed over.  Mike and I had so much fun getting to know Betsy and Kenny and Bob. They served really yummy tequilla.  Very special tequilla.  It was a lovely evening.

First Mate Kate

2-20-15

Around 8:30, Rob and Nancy (Shindig) helped us dock safely in the marina.  Then we took the dinghy to town and had brunch at the French Bakery.  It was so lovely, we decided we needed to support this fantastic restaurant regularly while we are in Barra. 

Our brunch consisted of quiche that came with a little salad and a "multivitamin" green juice and I enjoyed a wonderful latte.

Then it was back to Shindig so Nancy, Bob and I could practice a few pieces we would play together later this evening.

After a little pool time, we showered and got ready for a little appetizer party at the marina.  It was a nice opportunity to get to know our fellow cruisers.

After the crowd died down, a few of us went to Shindig for a little after-party party and a mini concert. I sang a few pieces with Bob and Nancy, and they did a few pieces...just the two of them.

The music and company were great and we all had an excellent evening.

Still a soprano,

First Mate Kate

2-21-15

Rob, Nancy, Mike and I got up early and walked together.  It is a great start to the day to get all your steps in (yes, moderately obsessed with my misfit exercise tracker).

We had worked up a big appetite, so Mike and I took the dinghy into town and ate brunch at the French Bakery again,  I had quiche again and Mike ordered a panini sandwich.  We both had iced mochas,  Talk about yum!  

After another great day at the pool, Shindig took us to the best street tacos place.  The tacos were made from this great marinated meat...tacos al pastor they were called, and served like gyros from a spit.  We ended the night at Thrifty for ice cream cones.

Another gastronomical day,

First Mate Kate

2-22-15

We are definitely enjoying being in the marina.  The French Baker actually comes into the marina and stops at your dock with a variety of breads, quiche, croissants, and mini tarts/pies.  We are walking 6-7 miles a day on average, factoring in, of course, a little Frenchie start to our day.  Not to lose weight, but to maintain.  Ha!  Well, that's what I keep telling myself.

I went to the pool to work on my taxes and Skype my parents.  It was nice to see mom and dad.  It has been freezing cold in the midwest, and I reminded them that they have an open invitation to come join us in Mexico.  I am not holding my breath.

Tonight was the OSCARS party at the Grand Isla Navidad Hotel.  A few women in the marina asked about viewing it at the hotel and it became an official event.  We, of course, dressed in our fancy dresses, drank champagne and enjoyed hors d'ouvres.  Meanwhile, Mike and Rob enjoyed a taco tour in town.

Great fun!

Yay Birdman!

First Mate Kate

2-23-15

This morning we went on a quick walk with Nancy. We took a different route today, up a big hill by the marina.  On our way up, we saw at least 10 cudamundes, little raccoon-like creatures that also resemble a lemur.  Of course, no camera.

We got back to the boat in time for Rob to host the local net.  He did an excellent job.

After breakfast, Rob took Mike to the Port Captain to check out and then we all took a bus to Melaque, a nearby town, for provisioning.  We ate lunch at a great little place called Estrella.   Mike, Nancy and I had chile rellenos and Rob had ribs.  

Shindig did a great job showing us all the hot spots; we got almost everything we needed at Hawaii, a cruisers dream store. My only challenge was Mike, who seemed to take things out of the basket as quickly as I put them in.

We had a nice finish to the day by the pool.

We ended our day watching a cool movie with Val Kilmer... something Vengance.  Our dinner...popcorn.  Kind of funny that we chose popcorn with a fully stocked galley.

Life is good,

First Mate Kate

2-24-15

Our last day in Barra (for a while).  We got new neighbors...Rocket Girl.  Dan and DeeAnna. They sailed straight to Barra from PV.  

We spent the morning getting the boat ready.  In the afternoon,,Nancy and I went shopping a bit.  She bought a couple of dresses...I got two little bowls for nuts or sauces and a pewter tray ($15!).  

We spent our last afternoon by the pool and even did a slide.  Rob was there and we celebrated with a margarita.  It seemed like a good idea. At the time.  Until I realized that I had left my prescription Maui Jim's at the pool.

We went to dinner at Bananas with our new neighbors, Rocket Girl.  We had filet mignon and they had chicken parmesan.  It was a great evening.

First Mate Kate

Paraiso to Barra de Navidad

Caleta Pariso- Barra de Navidad

We left Paraiso on course to Barra.  The wind was blowing and at our back, and we were in for one heck of a day of sailing.

On the way we passed Casa Cuxmal, the infamous castle where people come to stay for an "Eco-tourism" experience.  We are not sure how $500-$2000 a night stay is "eco".  They do grow and serve their own organic food.  However, for that price, I'm thinking there's more "ego" than "eco."

We had two little porpoises swim along side of us and at our bow.  They looked like they were enjoying the surf; they were swimming back and forth and riding the waves.

We made such good time that before we knew it we were in Tenacatita, and it seemed silly not to keep going.  So, off we were to Barra de Navidad where our friends Nancy and Rob on Shindig were awaiting our arrival.

The trip was really fun because we had about 22 knots off our stern the whole day.  It became a little bit more interesting, though, when we found ourselves nose first into the swell as we took our main down.

We rocked and rolled our way into the lagoon; there was no way we were going to attempt docking in 20 knots of wind.

That night we joined a group of friends of Shindig's and took a water taxi to town for a group dinner.  We met Ken and Carrie (Bula), Kenny and Betsy (Alsayenne), Bob (Nirvana) and Pascal and Bruce (Ceclot).  Our first stop was an historic hotel rooftop for drinks, as the restaurant didn't have room for us.  We had a gorgeous view of the sunset.  The restaurant ran out of pizza so we had street tacos and took in the last of the Carnival festivities, including bright colored baby chicks.

This is officially the most southern city we have been to on the Pacific side of Mexico.

Happy Birthday, Kathy Albert!

First Mate Kate

Paraiso

We decided to stay in paradise a day or two more before heading south to Tenacatita.  The weather promised more of the same wind/waves as we had yesterday and we have more than twice the distance to go. So, more time to explore this beautiful place!

We paddled around the group of islands this am and found it to have pretty surging seas. Thus, we headed back and around to a little playa lined with chaise loungers and palm trees.  It seemed like a beach out of a Four Seasons Resort without the hotel.  We met a few guests there and they were all staying at Casa Cuxmata, a fancy boutique hotel offering eco-tourism and organic farming.  We met the organic farming consultant, Elliot Coleman, from Maine, near Bar Harbor.  He has written books on organic farming. We will have to check them out!  He came to say hello and see our boat.  A very nice gentleman.  It was a pleasure to meet him.

We also met the owner of a little bed and breakfast called Playas Paraiso.  He owns the house at the beach near our boat and manages the B&B that was his grandfather's house.

We met our neighbors from Sedalia as they paddled by.  Paul and Saula with their twins Hal and Zoe.  They sail five months a year and have for 15 years.  The twins probably don't know how good they have it!

Mike tried out our dive tank with a regulator and 45-foot hose by giving Pangaea a bottom job. I helped scrape off barnacles on the areas of the boat I could reach or safely dive while making sure Mike was safe.   I thought maybe I would get a bottom job, too, as a late Valentine's gift.  I guess I will be happy with my new, used paddleboard.  :-). Hehe

The water was really clear today and we could see fish as we paddled.  We had planned to go snorkeling, but after diving the boat we were both pretty cold and the sun found a pretty sound hiding place behind the clouds.   A hot shower sounded like a better idea.

 Siempre,

First Mate Kate

2-16-15

We had a little extra adventure this am. I was missing walking, so we decided to go back to the nice playa and walk the road to town.  I have been working to get my 10.000 steps a day, and walking really is the most straight-forward way to do it.  So we paddled upwind and on confused seas to get there.  Yesterday we had spoken to Pedro, guest services manager at the playa, and he didn't have any problem with us walking around, so we figured that walking the road would be ok, too.  I was a little concerned that the road was private.  It wasn't clear from the beach.  Mike thought it would be ok. 

It was a nice dirt road lined thickly with a.variety of trees and cactus on both sides, with an occasional view of the ocean.  There were flowering trees, birds and butterflies to distract us from the steep climbs and heat and humidity.  The goal, walk to the half-way point on my misfit (fit-bit) and turn around.  Before we reached that goal, we saw a locked gate with a guard. On the way there I had just asked Mike "What should we do if we run into a locked gate with a guard?" He laughed and said, "RUN!" kind of suggesting I was being silly. Note:   This gate answers the question posed in the cruising guide...the road leading to the highway IS privado.  The guard was kind of hiding so I decided it best to turn around. Mike gave him a wave and we headed back to the playa.  

Minutes later we heard a car coming, so we walked on the other side of the road.  I asked, "What happens if it is the  Policia?" He laughed and said, "RUN!" and then said, "if it is we will just explain that we are just walking and it should be ok."  Well, sure enough, it was the Policia! They stopped, rolled down the window and asked us something like "Clientes?"

So I explained that we were only walking on the road, that we had a boat in Paraiso and we were heading back to the playa, all in my best Español.  I finished with "¿Todo Bien?" The Policia said, "Si" so we continued walking.  

We had a good mile and a half to go to the playa, and I was a little concerned that we didn't see the Policia heading back to the main road.  We saw the guests leave.  The last thing I wanted was another encounter with the Policia.  All of a sudden we heard a car on the road next to ours.  I don't know why, but I just had this urge to run.  So I did, as did Mike, all the way to the playa and onto our SUPs.  I didn't look back until we were well on our way back to the boat.  We were probably fine, but not having to talk my way out of trespassing en Español seemed like a better option than waiting around to see if they were coming back.

Oh,,,and I did get my 10,000 steps in!

First Mate Kate