Acapulco

As the temperature & humidity (did I mention how fun compression nylons are to put on when the humidity exceeds 85%?) climbed, my favorite place to hang out became the bottom step of the swimstep where I've become adept at reading, eating and drinking while dangling my legs behind the boat.  Finally on New Year's Day, we cut the engine and I finally got to go swimming...albeit tethered to the boat.  I took my little Pentax and entertained myself while taking advantage of its waterproof aspect while the soundtrack from Jaws played away in the back of my mind.

We approached the outskirts of Acapulco just before dawn on January 3 and slowly wound our way into the harbor.  As we approached the bulkhead, a man named Nacho (honest) beckoned us toward a spot where we could tie up.  He asked us if he could help us and when he indicated that he knew where the Yamaha dealer was, he was hired.  He has since become our new best friend here in port. 

We took off for town...let me tell you just how fun our Tijana taxicab ride was with 4 of us stuffed into a circa 1965 Volkswagen.  When we left the main boulevard which rims the Bay of Acapulco and headed into the side street labyrinth, the real fun started:  diesel buses belching exhaust 6" from your face as upwards of 5 lanes of traffic scrambled for the 2 lanes which were actually available.  I was tempted to bolt and follow the taxi on foot.

The next stop was the saving grace...an air-conditioned grocery store which had everything from Washington State apples to whole pigs heads next to the sandwich meat.  Nacho accompanied us up and down the aisles helping where we needed it.

Fortunately for us, Michael's membership at the Seattle Yacht Club has allowed us to moor for the past 4 days here at the Club de Yates while we have waited for the 75 mph winds to abate in the Gulf of Thuantepec.  Every morning we go ashore for a lovely outdoor breakfast buffet, shower, swim, and Margaritas.  

Last night we had a wonderful dinner at Los Cabanos located on a picturesque cove.

The stay here in Acapulco has not been all grins however.  Suzan got pick-pocketed while we were shopping and Michael's brand new Mac got fried (we think) by a power surge while recharging at the club.  But the scariest event occurred last night when we returned from dinner in the dinghy to find that someone had released our mooring line from our buoy.  OMG...luckily there was nary a breeze and we were able to reconnect to another buoy.  Boat had moved about 150 only...could have been a real nightmare.

We head south today and will be checking with our weather router before heading across the gulf which is known for its hideous winds...and just when I thought the woost was behind me!  The winds supposedly have abated but it will take a couple of ays for the seas to become comfortably navigable.

So hasta la vista until Costa Rica.  

PS:  I'm having Internet/Mac/Blog (Blogspot.com takes on the language of the country you are blogging from) challenges so IF this gets out to my blog, the pictures will not be arranged as I wished.

Cabo to Acapulco

Blogging from Cabo

We departed Cabo late afternoon on December 29 with our next destination being Acapulco. After some pupu's in the cockpit, I descended to the galley to prepare dinner. Soon after the winds and waves picked up and Michael yelled down to me to close closed my hatch and portholes. Just as I entered my stateroom, a wall of water came POURING in through my port porthole and created a small lake on my bed. Now, if it had just been my pillow and comforter that got drenched, all would still be fine in my world. However, I had placed my camera, laptop and portable harddrive on my bed as I'd done many times before. So the digital diva fried her camera, lens, laptop and harddrive. I shan't share my ensuing comments other than to say it was not a pretty sight. My sister Mary once again commented that Webster's probably did not have a word to describe my mental state!

I do have my little Pentax waterproof camera which at least has kept my tremors under control but is akin to going back to my first Brownie Box Camera. Michael graciously has given me access to their new Nikon to use any time I wish.

Michael caught a second bonita which made for a wonderful New Year's Eve dinner.The winds and seas were kind to us the 5 days we spent crossing the Gulf of California. Motoring and sailing were pretty equally divided. The sunsets and sunrises were only exceeded in grandeur by the star-studded night skies and the stunning bioluminescence...some nights we were treated to the blazing trails left by the bow-diving porpoise/dolphins.

Ensenada to Cabo...or how to trust your life to a lee cloth!

Goodbye shoreline…now Linda was going to be initiated into some real blue water sailing…80 miles offshore with wind speeds approaching 30 knots for almost 4 straight days. Heehaw…only what I was saying was far from heehaw. Serious considerations were more than creeping into my mind about jumping ship in Cabo San Lucas and flying home.

One morning two pots of coffee flew off the stove before we finally succeeding in brewing the third one to completion. When I signed on as the cook, it never occurred to me to plan meals with a minimum of preparation. The wind and water conditions saw menus thrown overboard…whatever could be put together with a minimum amount of stove time became the dish du jour. Canned soup…you betcha…coming right up.

Michael managed to snag a small bonita early one morning which provided a fabulous dinner that night and fish tacos the next day. We got two 50' hand-held lines and lures in San Diego and simply tied them to the rear of the boat while sailing.

The prize at the end this 4-day sail was the Bahia Magdalena where we dropped anchor for two days. We were hoping to see some of the magnificant gray whales which stop in this bay for giving birth to their young. However, we had to settle for glorious moon rises, goofy pelicans, some swimming and exploring an abandoned whaling "village."

Long, low , late light and look at those skinny legs!

Christmas eve saw the seas calm enough for us to set a lovely table replete with long-stemmed wine glasses, fine china and the special flatware. Christmas dinner, however, Michael had to lash the Le Creuset pot to the stove and we ate in what we endearingly refer to as “dog bowl style”…plastic bowls with wine in the plastic coffee mugs.

After dinner, the seas calmed, the temperature was perfect and the moonbeams glistened off our port side. I retired thinking all was well with the world. Which it was until the winds picked up and eventually my “lee cloth” (a little device which I’d hoped I’d never have to use…keeps your butt from being flung out of your bunk) became inadequate.

Suzan had become lulled into a bit of complacency with the clear skies, full moon and past conditions and had she checked the weather forecast, we would not have left Bahia Magdalena Christmas night. Winds were pretty unrelenting with gusts up to 45 mph. I don’t mind saying I was scared shitless and did not get one wink of sleep that night. And was wondering why I thought I needed an Outward Bound Experience at my age! Think we watched 4 movies that night.

I'm quite sure all the past "Captains" in my life, Tom, Craig, Pat and Karl, and cruising buddies, Sarah, Heidi, Erik and Keri, are most amused at my latest adventures. I'll be ready for the Straits of Juan de Fuca any day! And, NO, I've not been seasick yet.

The approach to Cabo San Lucas is quite dramatic from the water. We arrived late afternoon on the day after Christmas. The harbor here is just crazy....mega yachts, fishing charters, jet skis, water taxis, glass bottom boats, sailboats, and penguins everywhere. The moorage fees are also quite dramatic...$243 US/night...but it included wi-fi.

We've moved off the docks to the bay in front of Cabo and will probably depart for Puerto Vallarta this afternoon. I just received word that they have room for us at the River Cafe for New Years Eve and an evening of Willie & Lobo! Can't believe our luck.

PS: The margaritas are great.

San Diego to Ensenada

After arriving in San Diego on December 7, my theme song became “Sittin’ on the dock of the bay, just watching the ships sail away”…. as one day melded into another as Michael and I ran literally hundreds of errands procuring items on a list without an end…while the master packer/organizer, Suzan, found homes for everything. Our accommodations were glorious…the best Michael and Suzan have ever experienced…Loew’s Crown Isle Marina located in front of Loew’s Coronado Bay Resort & Spa. We had full access to the hotel, the three swimming pools, Jacuzzi, spa and fabulous locker rooms replete with a dry sauna, a steam room, showers with endless hot water and freshly cut cucumbers to strategically place on your eyes to reduce any slight aberrations. The resort was on its own little island and was close to a wonderful walking trail alongside the ocean which I took advantage of a number of mornings...and there were plenty of mariner dogs to take care of my requisite need for dog fixes.

We finally cast off the lines at 10:30 PM on the evening of December 16th and headed south to Ensenada. Our departure along the San Diego’s waterfront was dramatic as we motored under the Coronado Bridge and in front of all the Navy ships…many of whom were decked out with Christmas lights.

We had fairly benign seas which allowed us the next morning to initiate the MaaMalni’s new spinnaker…all 2,000 square feet. And what a stunner…Michael and Suzan had a very special graphic screen printed on it: Youquat, God of the Four Winds, the inspiration derived from the actual yellow cedar hand-carved mask of the same name they procured in Ucuelet, BC last summer.

We sailed into Ensenada mid-afternoon on the 17th where we had nice dock space in Punta Morro, just a bit north of town. Suzan took care of getting us all officially checked into Mexico while Michael and I headed off to town to get some fresh fish, Mexican wine and tequila and a few veggies. Our epicurean treat was the fish tacos we inhaled at a little street-side stand…loved the goblets of salsa! We had two sun-filled days and left late afternoon on the 19th.

Job Search or Sailing to Costa Rica....ummmmmm?

As some of you know, yet another diversion has appeared in my life to keep me away from the dreaded job search. My friends, Suzan and Michael, asked me to join them aboard their sailboat, the s/v MaaMalni, as they sail from San Diego to Costa Rica. After a nanosecond or two of consideration, I gratefully accepted their invitation.

Michael is with the boat tending to the last details and Suzan and I fly out this Thursday with an anticipate departure date of Saturday, December 8.

Since my last trip with them this summer up the Inside Passage, I decided that I'd try my hand at blogging since sending posts from marinas through Comcast was a stressor I can live without.