Monday March 9
The dinghy repair job seemed to hold for at least toady. We walked around Zihua, had lunch with Dan and Nancy Berkey from Tempe, Arizona, fellow Island Packet 420 owners. We anchored next to them when we arrived. It’s like a cult, Island Packet owners. Where ever you are with your boat, we always connect.
This week is an International Guitar Festival here. There is a stage on the beach with pay per seats in the sand. The music can be heard on our boat and across the bay.
Sunday March 8
Passage Day 6- Spring forward! We arrived around 10:30 am, very picturesque looking cove! Haven’t gone to shore yet, tomorrow. Did some needed interior boat cleaning.
Zihuatanejo is a resort city known for its beaches. It was a sleepy fishing town until the 70’s when the marina in Ixtapa, about 8 miles away, was built. You may also remember in the movie Shawshank Redemption where Andy and Red meet on the beach in Zihuatanejo. The scene however was actually shot at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on the southwest point of St. Croix.
Saturday March 7
Passage Day 5 – there was conversation about a day trip into Acapulco. After further review of the gas dock we opted to just do a drive by, kind of like a “Sunday Drive”. We paraded close to the semi circular beach. Acapulco is a beach resort town, lots of hotels, resorts, water activities and expensive homes.
The moon is 94% waxing, cloudy, still have the bioluminescence in the water. Spring forward!
Friday March 6
Passage Day 4- Back at Puerto Angel, De Novo and Secret Water we were traveling with opted not to stop. So it’s us and Saltair3, hours after we pulled up anchor, Dan spoke with them on the radio, they are only 10 miles ahead of us. The other two boats, are sailing on to Zihuatanejo. That will be a destination for us also and maybe Acapulco too.
The water is very choppy today, waves with swells, wind on the nose maxed at 15 knots true. Once we round Punta Maldonoto, the wind will be at a favorable angle, predicted to lighten after dark.
We caught three small tuna today!
The moon is 88% waxing and won’t set till 4:17am, not a good star gazing night. Jupiter is bright in the night sky. More twinkles in the water from Bioluminescence.
Thursday March 5
We arrived at Puerto Angel just before sunrise. Waited till the sun was up for better visibility before entering the bay. The area was very small, full of fishing boats and mooring balls. Fishing is the economic base of this town, with tourism second. Papaya trees are abundant on the hillside with palm trees near the beach. It’s also not uncommon to see farm animals wandering around.
We walked around town a bit, bought roasted chicken that came with rice and salsa from a little store front for dinner, then had lunch at a place on the beach. Pulled up anchor early afternoon, continued north.
As we sail through the night, Bioluminescence can be seen in our wake, it is light emitted by living things through chemical reactions in their bodies. “Glittering water” can only be seen in oceans.
Wednesday March 3
Day 2, still running across the Tehunantepec Bay to escape the “dragon fire wind”. Expect to be at Puerto Angle by 7am, just in front of the gale.
Fishing poles were out, one bite but it took the lure.
We are traveling with Saltair3, Krista and Brad from Vancouver, De Novo, Naomi and Andre from Edmonton and Secret Water, Anne and Chris from California. The 5th boat turned around and went back to Marina Chiapas, they were having an issue with their engine prop. The three boats with us all have children on board, ages around 8-14.
For dinner I made deep dish Beer Pizza Crust pizza, baked it in a cast iron pan. Transferred it to a baking sheet to serve because it wasn’t so hot.
Tuesday March 2
5:15am the military and their dog showed up at our boat. They had Zarpe for the other 5 boats leaving today but not us! A call was made to the marina manager.
A second military inspection at 9:30am, finally received our Zarpe, we’re off!!!
There are 6 boats leaving this morning heading north, we’re traveling with 5 of them. We have a weather window to cross the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Tehuantepecers or Tehuanos are extreme winds produced in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, blowing south through Chivela Pass, the mountain gap across the isthmus, from the Gulf of Mexico into the Pacific Ocean.
Monday March 2
Dan spent most of the day trying to check out of the marina. It’s amazing all the papers as “red tape”. Tomorrow morning we have to wait for the military and their dog to inspect our boat again before we get our Zarpe.
I’ve been using this APP called Paprika 3. It’s a recipe APP, while browsing for recipes you can upload them from websites directly without copy/pasting. I spent the morning searching for boat friendly meals.
I have tried making breads, the heat here is not good for yeast, been storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to help. Last time I went through 5 packets to find one that was alive. I proofed them first. So using beer sounds intriguing, the yeast in the beer does the work.
The afternoon I went shopping with boats Ankyrios, and De Novo, Brandi, Dennis and Naomi, It was a long day! We went to Walmart, Home Depot, Sams Club back to Walmart.
After returning to the marina, several boats gathered for happy hour on Saltair3. It was a fun evening.
Sunday March 1
8:30 am, we are on our way back to Ciudad Hidalgo at the Guatemala border. The Banjercito or office of the army is where you pay the import tax (TIP) on boats and cars coming into Mexico. Lesson learned, if going to Mexico by boat or car, get a TIP ahead of time, this document is good for 10 years, can be done via mail.
This are, most of the land in Chiapas is owned by Chiquita, banana groves cover the land.
The blue bags are placed over the bananas to help them ripen. Every 3-4 months a new bunches are produced. Banana, Mangos and coffee are the main exports.
Dan and I along with Brad and Krista took the bus late afternoon to Walmart to buy food. We saw Brandi and Dennis (Ankyrios), with their kids, there too. The four of us got a taxi to take back to the marina, the others had a rented car, but first we stopped for tacos, with our taxi driver. We each had 6 mini tacos and a coke, it was a little over $3.00 per person.
Saturday February 29
I had a dental issue that flared up 4 weeks ago. I self treated, then visited a dentist in Costa Rica. She took an X-ray but offered no treatment that fit our time frame. Needless to say what I felt, it flared up again.
Another cruiser here, Terry, from Washington State, was in the marina office when I inquired about getting a taxi. He offered to share it as he wanted to go to Tapachula anyway. (The dentist was recommended by Dan Boater travel insurance, that we have.) They dropped me off, the dentist office had barred windows and door which is always locked. He did his errands with the taxi, Terry offered to come back and wait for me, which he did. All is good.
Dan went to immigration to receive our receipt, the port captain and finalized customs. Still need to get our TIP, temporary import permit, we’ll leave soon to the Guatemala border by car to get that.
6 hours later and our driver never showed up. After several phone calls with the marina manager, who arranged transportation, now at 6:20pm with John, we are off to Ciudad, at the border to get our TIP.
We were misinformed regarding the hours of the government office at the border, the first guy said they are open till. 11pm. He was wrong. Will need to go back tomorrow, can’t leave the marina or Mexico without it.
Sailing Trance 