Category: 2022-11 (November)

(posted 12/17/22)

Up at 7, breakfast and bible reading then get the dinghy down and into the marina to meet up with the other cruisers.

8 of us ran across the bay in MV Tits Pierre a 47 foot motor cruiser. Once there we got a mooring ball and took a ride ashore. We hiked to the nearby waterfall, one that I had not been to before then back to the beach/town where we hung out for lunch and drinks for a couple of hours then a ride back to the boat. The way it works, you get a mooring ball, and a ride to and from the beach for a single price. In this case it was 600 pesos, at 20 pesos to the dollar that was $30 for the day. Lunch was great and the company was great as well.

Dave from S/V Ohana a 43’ catamaran suggested a solution to our mutual problems. He and his wife Michele have another couple coming to join them for extended cruising aboard their catamaran, and they have a dinghy (Highfield CL310) that has a 15 Hp two stroke engine on it. Relatively new (2020). While we have a dinghy (Highfield CL290) with a 20 Hp four stroke engine. In their dinghy they have found that with two people their dinghy will get up on a plane and run fairly fast, but not with four people, and since they will have four people most of the time, that is a problem. We will most often have only the two of us, and our outboard is a bit heavier than theirs. Ours is 97 lbs, (lightest 20 hp motor when we got it in 2019) theirs is 83 lbs. So, Dave suggested we swap, neither motor is “brand new” but both are relatively new and both have low hours on them. Both are Suzuki outboards, so the brand is not an issue. We are considering the swap. Negative, the two stroke uses a carb, whereas the 20 uses EFI, and the new two stroke now uses EFI, which means the carb may be difficult to get as a replacement part.

In any case, we got back to the marina and made our ways back to our respective boats, We ran the generator for an hour or so to finish charging the battery, and I got a shower, after a light dinner just a salad and veggies, then we read and will probably get to bed at a reasonable time tonight.

A note to the reader, this was written on about the day that is shown in the title, but it has been a very busy month, so not posted until the date soon on “date posted” line. I have notes and pictures that I need to process for all the posts to finish the season. Please be patient.

Up at 6:30, breakfast and off to the Bible study, pool party a hair cut for me and grocery shopping. Of course we forgot the propane tank! On the way back we stopped by MV Tits Pierre to see Tina about the painting of our outlet covers. The covers are not ready yet, and they invited us to go to Yelapa with them tomorrow on their boat. So, we now have plans for tomorrow. Back to the boat and the groceries got put away followed by a quick dip. I started the generator as we were only at 78% battery state of charge. I think the dust on the panels is what is keeping the output low. It could also be the cloud cover (not very much).

Up at 7, breakfast, the net and bible reading. Then a whole bunch of nothing much. At noon we had lunch then in to dock 2 to pick up Bill and Jean, and Barb and Rob from church for a day of sailing. A pretty mellow day, out and back uneventful docking in both directions then back to anchor. We had some great fellowship on the water two days in a row!

Once back at anchor a beer and then in to the water to cool off then Reneé started to work on dinner and discovered we had an empty propane tank so swapped the tanks and good to go. Tomorrow is propane Wednesday at the marina so we will tank the empty one in and get it filled tomorrow, when we head to the Bible study.

Up at 7, breakfast, the net and bible reading. We plan to head out and dump the holding tank this morning then in to the marina to tie up and pick up 4 guests and go sailing. We did some odds and ends around the boat, then went in and picked up Val, Bob and Iris, Larry wasn’t feeling up to it today. Then out and sailed, we saw some whales and lots of birds. Then back in and dropped them off at the dock and went out and dumped the holding tank, final back at anchor by about 6 pm. Tomorrow will be a repeat with different people and no dumping of the holding tank.

Now it is beer 30 and time for a dip in the bay. After dinner we got showers and then off to bed.

Up at 7, breakfast and off to church. We rode the bus, and walked (it only takes one bus from here). The bus stop here is at least twice as far from the boat dock, not counting the dinghy ride to get there. It took us almost an hour to get to church. We met a new couple and introduced them to some of the others. Then we scooted out to get to the market at the marina, Reneé is looking for someone to paint some outlet covers. When we got to the market, we found several couples from church. Then the cruisers that we have been hanging out with. Afterwards, we went back to the boat and invited any who wanted to join us for cocktails aboard were welcome, unknown to us, one of the other boats had already put it out there, so we had one couple and then we too went to the other boat and swam off their stern for an hour or so. Finally back to our boat, and finished the movie we started the other night.

Our schedule for the rest of our time here in Banderas Bay is pretty full:

Monday (tomorrow) we are taking 4 people sailing from church

Tuesday we are taking 4 other people sailing from church

Wednesday – Bible study at church and then the pool party

Thursday – Saturday nothing on the schedule

Monday taking my cousin Mark and family (?) sailing

Tuesday headed to Marina Vallarta to prepare for a week with guests

Wednesday 11/16 – Wednesday 11/23 John and Laura Fowler will be here on board

Wednesday 11/23 as soon as John and Laura leave, Bob Griffith (both of these guys are high school friends) will be here to help us move the boat to Puerto Peñasco

Thursday, Friday or Saturday begin our trek north to put the boat on the hard for a year while we go back to work.