January 2015 We are off again, first stop Manzanillo, Mexico

The 9th of January did not bring much of a shock then a surprise. Wayne was laid off from his job thus freeing us up to do our favorite thing, TRAVEL.  Keith immediately announced we should plan an earlier trip to Mexico. We already had plans to meet his sister Robin, her husband Jon and his cousin Beverly and Jimmy at Secrets in Puerto Vallarta, MX on January 25, 2015.

Wayne immediately started looking on couchsurfing.com for hosts in Puerto Vallarta and found Daniel Finkelstein on a sailboat. He and his wife, Kathy Mitchell had sailed down to Barra de Navidad south of Puerto Vallarta (PVR).  We exchanged emails and finally were able to change our flights for our trip to Mexico one week earlier than planned. With the excitement of two children we packed for our excursion south and get away for the winter, before it really hit New England.

We arrived with 2 filled pack backs and two other bags for our stay of two weeks. With the energy of two crazy bunnies otherwise nicknamed the 'energizer bunnies' we helped prepare to leave Barra de Navidad and head to Tentacatita Bay.

Sunrise in Barra de Navidad lagoon before we left to sail to Tentacatita

January 20, taken from the bow sprit of Dan, Kathy and Wayne on Lungta

Keith's selfie on the bow sprit

After arriving in Tentacatita Bay (Bahia de Tentacatita) we had dinner and taught our hosts a card game, we have played out home frequently. Dan and Kathy kicked us to the curb playing Hand & Foot.  We have never been so trounced before in this game.  At one point we had a score of -5, ouch!

We took the dinghy to the estuary for crocodile hunting. Saw some really gorgeous birds, crabs and just floated along for a bit. Wandered around an abandoned town and Dan grabbed a long stick and knocked down a coconut that we took back with us. This Mexican man said Buenos Dias to us as we passed and on our way back we saw his canoe but no man. Could not figure out where he went off too. Took photos of Dan getting the coconut and documented our travels.

Going by dinghy to the estuary off Tentacatita Bay

Got back to the boat, Dan and Keith broke open this fantastic coconut. Coconut water and meat were great, nothing like fresh coconut right off the tree. 

We had a quick lunch then put on our swimsuits and overboard we went tools in hand to scrape the hull, outfitted in fins, mask and snorkel.  We scraped the surface then Wayne took the respirator from Kathy and started the port side of the hull. Switched off with Keith and he went to finish the rutter. All done in a day's work. Keith had sea life come aboard in his right ear, one small shrimp and a crab.

Peter, Leslie and Vivian from Skybird came for an amazing lasagna and chocolate cake dinner.

We toured La Manzanilla, on Tentacatita Bay visited Crocodile estuary, Los Titos for dinner one night, local market and delicatessen (owned by a former New Yorker) for provisions.

Tower over the crocodile estuary in La Manzanilla

Lunch at a restaurant along the beach of Wayne, Keith, Kathy and Dan and Lungta in the background in La Manzanilla

We left Dan and Kathy from La Manzanilla to make our flight to Puerto Vallarta for a week at Secrets. Such a contrast in vacations.