Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Barra de Navidad - February 24, 2009


We are 1400 miles from home in a direct line. While it has taken 5 months to travel this far it is strange to know we could be home by plane in 3 hours. We have gone as far south as we will travel this season. We will begin to make our way north at the end of this week. Many other cruisers are also beginning to make the trip north. Most cruisers are leaving Mexico by June to avoid the heat and the hurricane season. Many are going home and others are going back to work during the summer months and then returning in November for another season of cruising. The area we are in is called the "Gold Coast" which stretches about 115 miles from Cabo Corrientes (south end of Banderas Bay) to Manzanillo Bay. The weather continues to be warm and stable. Monitoring weather is a normal part of our days. While we do not experience rain or storms we experience winds. Leaving on a passage is always determined by wind. One of the other items we always have to monitor is tides. Many of the anchorages and harbors are affected by the tide. Our daily temperature continues to be in the high 80's. Our nightly temperatures are in the 70's. Water temperature is in the high 70's.
Angel has become a hero. This story was told to us by our neighbors. We had left Angel on the boat by herself. While we were gone she stated barking loudly and continuously. Our neighbors came to check on all the commotion and in the water was a dashhound who had fallen off the dock and could not get back on the dock. The neighbors rescued the dog out of the water. The dog would have drowned if Angel had not done her barking. Needless to say the dog's owner is grateful to Angel.
























We have continued to enjoy our surroundings. Isla de Navidad Resort is on over 1200 acres. The gardens and walks are beautiful. Angel and I enjoy daily walks throughout the grounds and surrounding areas. We have spent many afternoons poolside swimming and playing board games with our friends. It still feels decadent to do what ever one wants to do without attention to time.



We celebrated with friends my completion of continuing education credits. I left home needing 55 units of credit completed by this spring. I do not recommend doing this. Thank goodness for the internet.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Manzanillo Bay - February 16, 2009











Lat 19 06 058, Long 104 20 693, 33 miles south of Barra de Navidad. We left Friday with 3 of our friends EagerDreamer, Suebee, and Kat den rei for a short trip to Las Hadas in Manzanillo Bay. Manzanillo Bay is one of the largest commercial ports on the Mexican coastline.














We anchored outside of the Las Hadas Marina and Resort. The hillside resort and homes were mostly white and reminded one of pictures of Greece. Las Hadas Hotel is known for the movie "10" filmed in the 70's on the grounds. The anchorage was calm with cool winds in the evening. Two of our other friends Lovely Rita and Eyes of the World were also in the anchorage. We had not seen them since Mazatlan.





They men came through with a wonderful Valentine's Day for the women. We were first treated to happy hour on Kat den rei's boat, and then dinner at Paradise Restaurant, which had a beautiful view of the bay. We were serenaded throughout the evening by mariachis.
During our stay we snorkeled and kayaked. Angel also had a chance to have some fun with our friend Kinsey.



Manzanillo has 2 different sections, the old town and the new town. We visited old town. The homes on the hillside were brightly painted. The mercado had local vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry and fish. We were the only gringos in the mercado.


Manzanillo Bay is the furthest south we will go this season. We have arrived back in Barra and will stay here a couple more weeks.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Barra de Navidad - February 12, 2009


Barra de Navidad has a population of about 5,000 people whose name literally means Bar of Christmas. The name comes from that the town is built on a sandbar. In addition it was named Navidad as by history Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza disembarked on December 25, 1540 to put down a rebellion in the area. Barra currently has cobbled stone roads, and shady streets with 2 main streets in the town. The town people are quite friendly.


One of the things that is required when entering and leaving new towns or villages by boat, is we must sign in and out with the Port Captain of the area. We always have to show our boat documentation, our crew list, our passports, where our last port of entry was, how long we are going to be in the area and where we will be heading next. The Port Captains have all been friendly and accomodating.






Music jams are quite popular with cruisers. Sunday we joined with many cruisers at the Sands Hotel (a local cruisers hangout). There were all kinds of instruments represented including drums and amplifiers. I don't know where they keep these large instruments on their boats.




We have explored Laguna de Navidad by dingy which actually forms the border between the state of Jalisco and the state of Colima. It is surrounded by mangroves with mountains in the background. The lagoon is actually an estuary. It is a very shallow anchorage and the water is dirty. Our friends on Meerkat and Ahea Kali have been anchored in the lagoon.









Yesterday we went to San Patricio Melaque (locally known as Melaque) with our friends Jim and Heather on Meerkat. Melaque's patron saint is San Patricio. St Patrick's Day celebration is told to be quite large. The town is a few miles west of Barra. We use the local buses. It has a population of approximately 10,000 people. Melaque has many more services to be offered than Barra and also has a beautiful beach. We did our grocery shopping at the local tiendas and had lunch at Jim and Heather's favorite restaurant.



We are enjoying the marina, especially the pool. We spend most afternoons at the pool, swimming, basking in the sun and playing cards. We have also enjoyed potluck dinners with our friends.

Tomorrow we are heading south for a few days to Las Hadas. We will be going with EagerDreamer, Suebee, and Kat den rie. It's been rumored that the men are planning a big party for the women on Valentine's Day! We will return to Barra next week. Life continues to be good!!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Barra de Navidad - February 5, 2009





















Lat 19 11 738N, Long 104 40 930W. We are 133 miles south of La Cruz. We are at Marina Pto. de La Navidad. It is one of the plushest marinas in Mexico. The marina is in front of the Grand Bay Hotel and Resort. The marina has full access to all of the amenities of the resort. The grounds are beautiful with palm trees and flowers. There are 3 pools to use, tennis courts, and golfing.

We left Monday from La Cruz. We had 18 to 22 knots of wind for about 18 hours of our 24 hour trip. The seas were quite rolly. While we do not like overnights we are finding what works best for us. Once it gets dark we take 1 hour shifts until light. The only sea life we saw were sea turtles.

Bahia Navidad contains Melaque village, the town of Barra de Navidad and Lagoon Navidad. We have just begun to do some exploring of the town of Barra. The town is on the opposite side of the bay from the marina. We take pangas to cross the channel. While there are many places to anchor in the bay we will stay in the marina and continue to let Wally recover from his surgery.

We have caught up with many of our friends. We are currently on the same dock with our friends, Scott and Sue from Suebee and John and Rosie from EagerDreamer, whom we met at the beginning of our cruising adventure in Catalina Island. We did the Baja Ha-Ha together and then followed each other to Mazatlan where they went south. We have been looking forward to catching up with them for the past 2 months. We are all having a great time together.

There are also many other friends here in the bay whom we look forward to spending time with. Also, we have friends, Scott and Linda from Samantha who are following shortly from La Cruz. There will be much to explore in the area. We plan to stay in this area for about a month.