On Saturday, April 10th we spent the day playing Hand and Foot, had a great meal prepared by Dan. Keith and Kathy helped with stuffing cannelloni shells. While dinner was cooking was had unexpected guests drive around the boat a couple of times and then came on board. The Mexican Navy came to do a boat inspection and check all our papers. The officer in charge made a comment in Spanish, that the smell of our dinner cooking was making him hungry. All went well, it was interesting to have 3 Naval personnel on board, one had a camera with an extended arm to look in the holds. Many photos were taken, one of the guys was drenched in sweat from crawling on the floors and looking in the holds. After they left we set down to a fantastic dinner then a movie, An Unfinished Life with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez and Morgan Freeman, nice drama.
The following morning Keith was up early, Wayne woke to the sound of the anchor coming up. We all prepared to set sail across the Tehuanapec and Bahia Ventosa. While leaving Salina Cruz and looking back to the sky over the City, we could see pollution above the bay from trash burning. After getting around the point that protected us while we were anchored, we saw oil refineries and Bahia Ventosa but not the mouth of the Tehuanapec River. At 9:30 we were more then half way across and just below the beginning of Laguna Superior and along San Mateo del Mar (photo taken). We had fruit salad for lunch at noon, Keith was at the helm then Wayne sat at the helm for a couple of hours. We watched a naval vessel approaching in the distance, 1.54 miles away, then swung starboard across of bow and sail off ahead of us. It looked like a small frigate patrolling the waters of southern Mexico. We were traveling at 4.4 knots and cruising southeast to our next destination Puerto Modero and Marina Chiapas. At 14:55 we were passing the mouth of Laguna Superior and Laguna Inferior. At this time we were 1.3 miles off shore and traveling at 4.8 knots with Dan at the helm. We were listening to some great music from Dan’s play list, reflecting tastes of an abundance of artists from the Bee Gees, The Beatles, The Buffalo Springfield, Allman Brothers, Billy Joel and Alan Parsons Project. A song was playing and Dan said to Wayne you will not guess who this is, low and behold yup got it, Buffalo Springfield.
Set sail across the Tehuanapec and Bahia Ventosa
Heading away from the Tehuanapec River mouth
Sunset on the gulf
Wayne caught his first fish, a 5lb Spotted Bonito. Keith was bringing another fish, this one that out a lot of line, and just before we had the fish to the side of the boat he pulled off the hook getting away. An hour later another hit on the line, this time a Jack. We let this fish go.
On Tuesday, April 14th, Keith was at the helm at 2:00 while Kathy stayed with him until 4:00 due to erratic wind patterns. Wayne was up at 5:00 while Keith stayed up as the wind shifted to the bow then Kathy came up to assist. We ended up having to tack and lost the wind while facing land. Finally auto pilot corrected to turn us and we started to move when Dan got up at 7:40.
The current started to take us at about 1 knot with half a knot of wind. We could see a the Sierra Madre mountain range I the distance as we were passing El Majagual towards Solo Dios with Pijijipan (pronounced Pi hi hi pan) in the distance. We have 81 miles until we Chiapas and it looks like sometime on Wednesday at this moment.
Pleasant morning sail, rolling along slowly waiting for the wind in the distance to come on shore. We have the sails set for wind off the beam. The coastline has changed to denser foliage and less palms with grey sand beaches, reminiscent of volcanic soil beaches. Heavy wave breaks seen from 3/4's of a mile out. We are approaching some small coastal villages, Tolomita, El Boqueron, El Pasito and Masgual.
Photos taken 6 miles before Tolomita along the coast from Mar Muerto south. At 14:30 we were traveling at 7.3 knots passing Tolomita quickly with consistent wind speeds of 12 with gusts of 15 knots. We topped out at 7.5 knots.
We were only 51 miles from Chiapas when Wayne went to bed at 20:00. We clicked away a lot of miles today with strong winds pushing us south east.
Wednesday, April 15th, Wayne took the helm from Dan at 2:00 stay 1 mile off shore, if winds get to 10 knots call him. Stayed on course for 40 minutes then the wind started to push 1.25 miles away even with corrections. Woke Keith for help and we maintained until 4:45 when we tried to tack and Dan woke. We tacked and just started to turn toward shore when the winds picked up. We were near our course but stayed off shore with a 10 knot push which increased to over 12 while Dan and Wayne pulled in the main sail. The Lightning show we were watching and the storm forming ahead of us on radar turn quick in 18.6 knots of wind. We then took in the jib.
After that storm and wind event we had cloudy skies and clear sailing while closing in on our destination Puerto Modero (Chiapas).
We entered the Marina Chaipas at 11:00 after a comfortable cruise after the storm. Greeted by the Marina and Enrique. Judy from Moontide, then Phil and Danielle from Ohana greeted us. The Port Captain came to inspect our papers. After checking in we take the dinghy for a ride back to the Cruise Ship dock and up and estuary to see the local area.
Men fishing in the lagoon along the Cruise Ship docking area
Entering the estuary, to the left bank people live along here
Many fishing boats at dock
Hundreds of rays around the dinghy, an amazing sight
We were able to watch the Travel Lift in operation on Friday while we were at the Marina. Enrique the Marina manager told us about the sail boat, Algo coming out on this date. We went over to watch the Italian boat come out of the water for dry dock.
Owner operating the boat to the travel lift.
Boat has been lifted and getting ready to move onto land.
Power washing the underside before moving to dry dock area.
Saturday came quickly and we spent the day getting the boat ship shape for Enrique’s son’s 6th grade graduating class, they would be entering High School at 7th grade. On the way back from the shower, Brenda (Enrique’s wife) stopped us to confirm we were with Lungta and the time she would come over with the graduates only. Each of the graduates were having individual photos taken by a photographer. 21 students came over to the boat for photos, Ohana gave the photographer permission to go on their boat to taken photos from the bow sprit. Keith ran on board to show them how the graduates could sit and stand on the bow sprit. What a great time, smiles all around from the students. At 15:30 the students and some parents came on board for a ride into the lagoon and back. We were sailing out for about an hour before returning to parents standing on the hill of the restaurant waving and taking photos. Other owners of cruise boats came over to the dock to add to the charm and share in the event.
6th Grade Graduating Class
Keith's idea to have the group photo on the bow sprit, brilliant. It looks great!
On Sunday, April 19th on our walk out from Marina Chiapas. A woman with her three children who picked us up in her car and dropped us off at the airport. We rented a car rental Europacar from the Airport, we traveled to Izapa Mayan ruins first then off to Tuxtla Chico. We grabbed lunch at Chinese restaurant and walked through the Sunday market. Back into the car, traveling in elevation and explored Cacohoatan, Santo Domingo and Union Juarez. The road had tight turns which turned amongst themselves further up as we continued to climb elevation to the volcano. Once we were through Union Juarez town we got to a part of the road we decided not to climb further since the asphalt was splitting to the left then a complete section to the right collapsed and a 2,000 foot drop. We turned around back into Union Juarez and stopped for coffee at Rustico in the clouds near the square. We then stopped for ice cream at Walmart. We dropped off the provisions and put all the freezer and refrigerator items away then off to Playa Linda to see Dave and Joan. We had dinner with them at a palapa on the beach.
Izapa Mayan ruins
Mirimba players at local market in Tuxtla Chico
Local market in Tuxtla Chico
Woman begging approaches Keith
Union Juarez
Park in Union Juarez
On Monday, April 20th check out time, we went to immigration in Enrique’s pick-up truck with Sam and Dave from Isleña, Ken from Irie and all of us from Lungta, back to Lungta and breakfast which turned into brunch then lunch with David, Joan, Kathy, Dan, Keith and Wayne. Keith and Wayne were on the internet by the office earlier in the morning when they met Mason Willaims from Terrapin. Keith and Wayne went over to Terrapin after lunch to visit with Mason and Catherine. The boat is registered in Morehead City, NC. Cleaned up a little and waited for the Navy to do the inspection of the boat to allow us to leave for El Salvador.
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