Category: 2022-01 (January)

Up at 6 am, breakfast, bible reading then get the dinghy down to go ashore. Getting the dinghy down and ashore was pretty uneventful. Very calm water. Then Reneé watched the dinghy while I went into town, I tried for an Uber and an InDriver, but failed. Then noticed I forgot my mask, and had to come back and borrow hers. Then back up to the bus stop and while waiting for the bus, with two propane tanks, I tried for an InDriver again. This time I got one, but I had to wait about 10 minutes. She was one of the fastest drivers I have had in Mexico, cruising at 100-105 km (about 60-65 mph).  We stopped at two banks, the propane station, and finally back to the La Cruz Marina office to get a deposit back (we forgot). Then back to the beach where Reneé and I had to get the dinghy back out to the boat.

While we were waiting, the tide had come in a bit, so the dinghy was almost in the water. We were fairly successful, it would have been better if I had remembered to put the emergency stop key back in before we were trying to get the boat in the water. In any case, we got out and only a little wet.

Then underway, and headed out, wind speed was low, 5-8 knots, so no sails at first. Then as we continued out and Reneé was below working on lunch, a whale jumped within 100 feet of our boat. I missed the jump but saw the tail flip afterwards. We saw a bunch of whales today, Reneé saw a tail flip behind the boat about 100 yards, and later we missed a jump at about 100 feet (again) but saw the tail flip afterwards.

As we continued across the bay, winds hung around the high teens, and we had the sails out, but we were still running the engine, we would rather not anchor in the dark. As we neared Cabo Corrientes (this is the south West Point of the bay, and wind around it is pretty intense. It gets discussed on the morning net in Banderas Bay, and on the Panama Posse, which covers the weather from San Diego to Panama and up to Miami. As we approached the point about 5 miles off, we saw wind speeds of 20-25 knots, gradually rising to 35-40 knots. We eventually got the Jib down and then we brought the main into the center position. About this time we noticed the buckling at the bottom of the main, so I had to go out on deck and tighten the halyard to haul the mainsail up a bit.

We arrived in range of Ipala, and there was a fishing boat with a net right in the way, so we had to wait until he stopped and go around him. Then we figured out where to anchor and dropped anchor, and then Reneé saw something that might be rocks and up the anchor came and we moved. (Once bitten, twice shy). This is where we found the rocks last time. Finally anchored in about 34 feet of water with about 175 feet of chain out. Then inside for dinner, showers and bed. Tomorrow an early start (no really!) and we will head to Chamela about 55 miles south.

Well, we were up on time, (7am) had breakfast, listened to the net. Then got organized and Reneé walked over and checked us out of the marina. About 9:37, I contacted Mike about the paperwork (he had said yesterday, that he would have it back to me within an hour of when we was on the boat (should have had it before noon on Tuesday). Then we waited, some more, all checked out and dressed and can’t leave. About an hour later, we contacted Mike again, and then again and finally we had them about 11 am. So much for an early start. We pulled out and stopped and got fuel and then finally we were underway.

We got out of the marina and I started to put up the mainsail, and … pulled the end off the Boom Vang, back to the service dock and Mike and the guys to fix it. Then back underway about 2 pm. So, instead of trying to get south to Ipala or Chamela today, we decided to go to Punta de Mita instead and get an early start on Thursday. We listened to a sermon from NorthCoast church, and had a quiet motor as the wind was on the nose the whole way around.

Reneé was making bread, and that is when she found out she had emptied the propane tank, and then we found out that two out of three tanks are empty, and probably low in the third one! OOPS!!! So, another wrench in the works. Oh well.

Up slow, breakfast and the net, then  Beto the engine electronics guy showed up, found and fixed a broken connection (now the stop button works!). Then found a ground problem with the tachometer speed probe, and now it works as well! The Julio showed up to clean the bottom of the boat, and it’s only 10:30. Just waiting on Mike to get here and work with me on the sails. Reneé went to the VIP lounge to update her iPad, on the WiFi there.

Oil change on the motor, and the generator. I really don’t like this job. Boats are not like cars, the engine oil pan is too low to get under it, so you suck the oil out via the dip stick, and the filter (like in a car) is always in a place that results in pouring oil out of the filter onto something or at the very least the bilge under the engine, where you can’t reach, unless you have really long arms with a second or third elbow. What a pain. Rarely do I think I have gotten all the old oil out. Finally, we ran the wthe water maker and topped off the tank.

We stopped in the middle to go get dinner at the German restaurant in town, very good meal.

We are still waiting on the paperwork associated with our new sails, Mike says tomorrow at about 9 am we should have them. Then we check out and head south.

Up at 7 and a busy day scheduled. Breakfast, the Net, bible reading, the Panama Posse call, getting the laundry in, getting the Boom Vang reinstalled, getting the spinnaker halyard with the extension put back on the boat, coordinate with Beto about the engine stuff (the tachometer sensor and stop button) then a trip to town to get oil and finally back to the boat and dinner and bed. Another day is done, and we are a step closer to getting underway to head south.

 

Up at 7, breakfast, our bible reading and net. Then Reneé walked over to check us out and I worked on removing shore power.

We got underway and of course there was no wind. We headed south with a plan to get to Carrizal. Another boat left the marina moments after we did and passed us about half way down. We followed them to Carrizal, and watched them turn in. The bay at Carrizal is pretty small, and when they went in that made 4 boats in that little cove. So, we continued on and anchored in Santiago bay. A much larger open bay slightly north of Manzanillo. Of course the wind came up as we approached our anchorage.

We got in the water, Reneé floated in her chair and I snorkeled around the boat. Visibility is not very good here, but we at least had cooled off. Afterwards, dinner (BBQ) and a movie.