Mega Provision

 La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico

March 22-26, 2010

There is a big grocery store close by (a 20 minute bus ride away) called “MEGA”.  When I shopped there on Monday, the real start of my final provisioning push, my irrational mind kept saying, “this is truly a Mega provisioning run”.  My rational mind was countering with, “There are people in French Polynesia and they have to eat, so it follows that there must be food available!”  Hopefully, I am getting close to a balance between the stocking-up-when-I-know-I-can mentality and keeping the boat’s waterline above water.  My tactic has been to break the daunting task down into smaller chunks. I have had the good fortune to have some people in my corner providing major assistance that has made each task a little easier in one way or another.

For example, our neighbor here at the dock has rented a car for the month and offered it up for my use.  This meant that I did not have to load and unload my big old grocery purchase into a taxi (could not have really managed this one with a return bus trip unless I took my whole family with me and that in itself adds a whole other level of complexity that is just not necessary).  I also tried to share my good fortune with a couple of other cruisers   (I try to keep my balance as high as possible in the karma bank – you never know when you might need to make a withdrawal). 

I took a good portion of said groceries bought at Mega to Casa Champagne and was so lucky to be able to use the Anderson’s beautiful kitchen (the one with a fabulous view overlooking the infinity pool out to Banderas Bay!) to make several big quantities of meals for our crossing.  The meals are now being frozen solidly said kitchen’s conventional freezer and will be transferred to my freezer aboard CAPAZ the day we leave.  The advantage here being that while CAPAZ has a functioning, very adequate freezer, the reality is that when I freeze something, it has to be turned several times so the cold plate can do its job more effectively and actually freeze the item all the way through.  Once frozen, our little freeze keeps things in that state pretty darn well!!!  So, this was like getting a head start.

View from the kitchen where I “toiled” over a six burner stove

Casa Champagne from the road

COSTCO on Friday.  I won’t say anymore about this except that I have the use of a t-r-u-c-k!

The last run will be for fresh fruits and vegetables and any last minute items that our friend who is joining us as crew for the crossing might need . . . . . . . that’s what I am going to tell him anyway.  I really just want a hand carrying groceries!

BEFORE

AFTER

New Twist on Boat School

Well, it’s not a completely new twist on “boat school” as we tried a co-op boat school session in Barra de Navidad (see “Same Bat Time” entry).  On Friday, we got a group of about 12 boat kids together and ran a “kid seminar” on the upcoming trip that most of them will be making to the Marquesas. 

We went over the map and the kids drew in the equator (on the rare Pacific centered map – hard to find).  Our old dock neighbors from Seattle, Brian and Erin on Delos did some research and did a quick role playing demo of what a King Neptune Ceremony might be like as we all cross the equator and go from being pollywog sailors to mighty shellbacks.  I showed how volcanic islands form and then become atolls (Marquesas are newer volcanic islands and the Tuamotos are atolls).  Annie from Oso Blanco used the map to show the kids how the island groups were settled and she had a great time which used an additional 15 feet of dock line to illustrate just how long Polynesia has been populated.  She couldn’t fit the dinosaurs on her time line as they would have shown up somewhere twenty some odd miles from where we were!!!  Courtesy of Behan on Totem, we also learned a few words in Marquesan because even though French is the official language, we found out that it might not be some of the islanders favorite way to communicate – they are rumored to prefer their own languages to French. 

 

Brian as King Neptune  

All in all, no matter what form the kids’ boat school programs take, it seems like they enjoy getting together and doing some group learning.  Next Topic:  BOAT SAFETY

Expanding Artistic Endeavors

la Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico

March 17, 2010

Many of our friends and family have been following Bryce and Austin’s progress in the realm of writing through the Capaz Chronicle.  This life style has actually opened up the freedom to expand their horizons in other creative areas.  The areas in question might just surprise you.

Bryce has always loved to draw.  Writing and drawing comics for the newspaper seems like a natural step for him, but what he really loves is to create new animals for a mythical planet that his friend Niall started populating before we arrived in Mexico.  Most of the creatures are sea animals so far, but a new notebook of graph paper at Christmas really got the creative juices flowing for Bryce.  He has transferred all of his previous drawings to his notebook and added some text about their habits and habitat, as well as adding new creatures to the ever growing menagerie.  The notebook and “pink box” (which is kept as full as possible of colored pencils) often come ashore or out to dinner with us, so that when he gets “bored” with adult chatter, he can pull out his book and work on the next creation.  This sounds like anti-social behavior, but actually all the kids will participate and they chat as they draw giving each other additional ideas for the newest animal at the table.  Bryce is very proud of his work and really wanted some of it posted here on the website, so he came up with a plan of posting the four most popular pages.  He has been surveying our cruising friends over the last few weeks and we got the top five animals scanned for your viewing pleasure.

Green Tip Sailfin Tuna

Forest Drakemen

Mako Thresher

 

Patricia’s ClownfishSailfin Marlin

Austin, on the other hand, has been sewing.  He must take after me . . . . . and his dad, too (Brad was a sailmaker for 12 years so he knows what a sewing machine is and isn’t afraid to use it).  At first, Austin tried his hand at embroidering his name.  We really didn’t have the right supplies and the end product was not exactly what he wanted.  Things changed when I decided to pursue a quilt on which I have dreamed of working during our crossing for almost as long as I have dreamed of going cruising.  I brought most of what I would need, but for the first 6 months of our cruise didn’t even give it a second thought.  Between reading a book about a crazy knitter and realizing how incredibly inexpensive fabric and notions are here in Mexico,I got the bug and started prepping the quilt project for our crossing.  Austin may also have been influenced by Brad taking a couple of days to help another boat with some sail repair when we were in Tenacatita.  Whatever the reason, Austin has been making forms out of pipe cleaners and then when he covers the forms with fleece and stuffs them, they magically transform into the cutest little stuffed animals.  So far, he has created a rabbit, a golden eagle and a snake.  The golden eagle was sent back to the states for his almost four year old twin friends, Duncan and Cedrick to share (it should be interesting to see how that scenario plays out, but there just wasn’t enough time to make two creatures!).  There is a fish that is en process and on our last trip into the city, we stocked up so that there is a distinct possibility that we may have a small zoo of his animals in the aft cabin by the time we reach the Marquesas.   At least I don’t have to worry about provisioning for them!

The Artiste

Bunny Rabbit 

 

Golden Eagle

Snake

The Boat Show

Marina Nayarit Riviera, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico

March 11, 2010

 

Things have been very busy around and aboard CAPAZ.  We have been seeing friends from Seattle, one of whom actually stayed on the boat with us and not only survived, but she seemed to have a pretty good time.  We have shared two birthday dinners with other Northwest friends in the last week and played Academy Awards Bingo at one of the Gringo bars here in La Cruz.  The kids have been very busy re-connecting with many of the other kid boats as families head north into the Sea of Cortez or prepare for the Puddle Jump.

Brad has been busily marking items off his list and getting the work that he is not going to do himself going and then keeping it on track.  We are in Mexico after all.   We had a quick little test run out into Banderas Bay yesterday in which both the rebuilt high output alternator and auto motor ran successfully!!!!!

Around us, there was the Mex-ORC regatta in which Brad got to pinch hit on the winning boat Alchemy.  They lost their main trimmer/spinnaker trimmer on the last day and Brad was able to jump aboard and be a part of their sail to victory.  As that regatta wrapped up, a J-24 regatta got started and has enjoyed nice winds on the bay all week.  During all this the marina has been in high gear getting ready for the big Boat Show of Latin America that started today.  Since I ran out to the airport today, I have yet to check it out, but will do so tomorrow.

About a week ago, I BREIFLY entertained the idea that maybe we should see about what it would take to have booth in the show.  I am so glad that I quickly banished that idea as it would have made our lives unbearably crazy.  Much better to watch a spectator for this one rather than as a participant.  Besides, those back at the home office would have relished the opportunity to tease us about doing a boat show after we sent them daily weather reports from the Gold Coast while they worked Seattle’s infinitely long Boat Show early last month.

The Banderas Bay Regatta starts next week and there are more people flying in from Seattle.  Major provisioning has started but will really pick up speed as the end of the month and our departure date approach at the end of the month.  After a couple more weeks of the hustle and bustle, I am thinking that three weeks of sailing is going to be a welcome change!

Culture Shock

La Cruz de Huancaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico

February 28, 2010

Tsunamis, big regattas, El Presidente de Mexico, US/Canada Hockey excitement and we haven’t even back in Banderas Bay for 24 hours.

First off the tsunami wave went under us as we were crossing Banderas Bay.  We wouldn’t have even know anything about it, but we had called our good friends on shore in La Cruz to let them know we were just about to hit town.  The marina actually did have some excitement as they saw the water level quickly raise a couple of feet and then all drain out of the boat basin.  This coupled with the full moon low tide caused some havoc for boats trying to get in and out of the channel (for more on this:Totem's take on the tsunami here).

When we stayed in the marina for a few days in December space was not a problem.  We were told that would still be the case.  However, with a big Mex-ORC regatta starting today and the President of Mexico visiting the site this morning things were really jumping.  For instance, the marina has very few open slips.   We also had three of our very own personal Mexican Marines posted on our dock all day today.  You also would not believe the changes that have taken place since we left La Cruz.  The Mexicans can really put on a show when they know that they are going to be in the spotlight!!!! No wonder the trucks were working on finishing the addition to the breakwater 24-7 when we were here a couple of months ago!

I had a boat full of boys all afternoon so that some of the adults could go into town and watch the big Canadian-American hockey game.  When it is this warm out, it is a little weird to think about watching hockey, but we are truly happy that the Canadian men took the gold.  Our Canadian cruising friends commented that they were not sure what horrors would have been unleashed if it had turned out otherwise.

Meanwhile, we are busy making lists, ordering things and having them sent to whoever is the next person to be coming to the greater Banderas Bay Area, and planning errands around here.  We will also being a bit of general organizing of the boat before we take off the first of April.

Just Another Day at the Beach

Tenacatita, Jalisco, Mexico

February 24, 2010

I can’t say that it is a tough life, just different.  We have been staying in this very protected bay near Tenacatita. (The resort here is called Blue Bay, but everyone just calls this place Tenacatita or the inside anchorage – the town is around the corner or up the river on the other side of the mangroves.)  Since, this place is ideal, there are quite a few boats here and a loose community.  The beach is almost always accessible by dinghy and there is a palapa restaurant with cheap drinks and food right here.  With all those factors going for it, it is only natural that pretty much every afternoon, a large percentage of the fleet ends up on the beach.

There is a little bit of organization.  At 1:30, there is a woman who swims to shore and invites anyone and everyone to join her for the swim and then a quick walk to the resort at the other end of the beach.  At 2:00, the Bocce ball gets going.  Bryce has played a couple of times with the fellows who are easily 40 years his senior, but welcome him to play nonetheless.   When the group returns from their walk, there is a game of Mexican train (dominoes) in the palapa.  This is my event!  Around 3:00, Brad and our friend, Brian have been partaking of the volleyball game.  Meanwhile, there is playing in the water and on the beach for kids who have finished their schoolwork in the morning.  As you can see, Tenacatita has been keeping us busy.

Yesterday was a little different.  A boat called “Third Day”, who spent time with our friends, “Totem” in the Sea of Cortez, arrived here with a torn main sail.  The good news was that they have their own sewing machine aboard.  Even better news for them was that Brad hasn’t had to do any sail repair in awhile and helping them out was kinda fun for him.  They were able to set up their sewing machine to run off of their portable generator in the shade of one corner of the palapa.  After two days of sewing, they pretty much have a “new” 30 year old sail. 

 

This morning, after getting the sewing well on its way toward completion, Brad and I were able to squeeze in a snorkel with Brian and Erin before the afternoon activities got going.  I had scoped out a spot in the kayak yesterday morning and it turned out to be a great place.  Brian and Erin had tried it out on the way south in December, but the visibility had not been as good as it was today.  We saw lots of fish, a couple of different eels and a bunch of string rays.

 

We only have one more day here before the weather turns favorable on the outside for our final push back to Banderas Bay.  Tomorrow, we are planning on a trip to the town of La Manzinilla across the bay.  On Friday, we will head north, stopping at Chamela again and practicing sunken panga avoidance.  Then, we should be into La Cruz late Saturday.  The last two months of exploring Mexico’s Gold Coast have really been a great experience, full of variety!

Bashing Back to Banderas Bay

Tenacatita, Jalisco, Mexico

February 19, 2010

Bashing is the technical sailing term for going up wind.  Generally, this time of year, the winds should be against us for heading from Zihuatanejo to Banderas Bay.   I say this now because it may be my only chance: luckily, we seem to be experiencing an El Nino weather pattern year.  We have actually had winds with us or very light head winds.

Waves crashing on the beach at Caleta de Campos behind us 

The first leg for Capaz took us from Zihuatanejo to Caleta de Campos (the bay off a town called Buffadero).   We motored sailed most of the way and were the third boat in a very small bay.  Our buddy boat, Totem, took a pass on squeezing into the tight anchorage and they continued on doing an overnight passage to Las Hadas.  Something about the sea floor topography amplified the swell that was entering Caleta de Campos anchorage so that we were lifted what seemed like 10 feet and  by each one and then it broke about 5 boat lengths behind CRASHING on the beach.  We actually slept OK and had a leisurely day, but the swell continued to increase and we ended up leaving about an hour earlier in the afternoon than we had originally planned for our over night passage.

Sunrise over the coal power plant at Manzanillo

The second stretch between Caleta de Campos and Las Hadas (Manzanillo) was just a little too long to do during the daylight hours of one day.  That leaves a couple options, one can get up really early (pre-dawn) and proceed at a set rate to make sure that arrival happens before sunset.  Then, there is the option of leaving during the late afternoon, planning for an arrival around dawn or just after unless sailing conditions are favorable.  Since pace is not an issue for this option, sailing works out great since you don’t worry about going a little slower now and then.  We chose the second option and tried out a different watch system.  We did much longer watches so that the off-watch time for sleeping was in longer stretches.  Brad seems to be OK (or so he says) with just about any system, but this seems to work out alot better for me.  We arrived in Las Hadas in the morning.  Our two days there were spent provisioning and swimming.  We lucked out and hit the bay on laundry and got fresh sheets while we were there.

The French Baker visits Totem in the  Barra de Navidad Lagoon bringing breakfast

The next stretch is shorter, from Manzanillo up a short stretch of coast and around the headland at Barra de Navidad.   We got in early enough in the afternoon to drop off the rest of the laundry.  The town was VERY sleepy and we finally realized that was Ash Wednesday, which conversely means that the night before had been the last night of  Carnival  (Fat Tuesday).  The next day things were back to normal and it was Market Day to boot.  We picked up our laundry, spent an hour at the fuel dock and then continued on the very short leg to Tenacatita.

Sunset coming into Tenacatita (gray clouds ended up being a squall)

No sooner did get ourselves anchored and a squall passed pretty much directly over us.  The hard driving rain gave CAPAZ a good fresh water rinse to complete the salt water wash that I had given on the way up here.  We almost got all the hatches closed before the worst of the rain hit us.  Our first day here has been very busy: snorkeling (the water is finally clear!!!); trolling (one of the other kid boats took the boys dinghy trolling); Brad dove almost the entire bottom and we attended a dinghy “raft-up”.  Whew! 

 

We plan to stay here for a few days and then we will continue on north around Cabo Corrientes and back into Banderas Bay.