Unexpectedly Delightful

That's what we have found Acapulco to be! Prior to our arrival, both cruisers and Mexican locals warned us away from Acapulco saying it was too dirty, too much crime, too many people, run down, etc. But since we need to stock up on provisions prior to heading to the no mans land south of here, we decided to check out the city via taxi and walking in the tourist areas along the bay. To our delight we found more civilization here than we've encountered since leaving the USA. Starbucks Coffee shops dot many corners and restaurants ranging in quality from a Denny's to fine dining line the beach. We even happened upon a real US style mall where I was able to replace my well worn boat shoes with a new pair of Vans. Yes, there is crime here, but according to the locals it's limited to drug warfare between cartels and they tend to stay away from the tourists because tourism is the main source of income for the entire city. Marines, Army, Federal Police and local Police roam the streets and stand guard around popular gathering areas. The city near the tourist zones are safe and clean for Mexican standards, more so than most of the smaller towns. The poor areas and places off the beaten trail are simply off limits to tourists and anyone with a desire for self preservation. The taxi drivers won't even enter certain areas they told us. So we kept to the main road and enjoyed the fine dining.

Perched high upon the hill overlooking Bahia de PuertoMarques is a Mex-Thai restaurant named Zibu which we found to be one of the finest we'e ever encountered. The open air, thatched roof bar is surrounded by a glowing blue pool of water which flows down to the encircling dining patio. We strolled down the softly lit circular stairs to our table overlooking the bay hundreds of feet below. The lights of the city circled the bay off to our right, and below us the anchorage spread out, protected from the Pacific swell by the bulk of Punta Diamante. The anchorage was large and mostly empty and we discussed spending a few days there, but feel an urgency to keep moving south towards Costa Rica so as not to arrive too late into the rainy season there.

Since we arrived at Zibu a little later than expected due to the traffic we missed sunset, but as the sky turned from red to indigo we were enveloped in the mood of the place with the blue glow of the pool, gently lit greenery, and classic music from the USA playing in the background. Hotel California rocked softly around us as we sipped cool Chardonnay and enjoyed the tempura shrimp salad and freshly baked bread. The Thai cuisine was exemplary featuring seafood melded perfectly with noodles or rice and needing not even a drop of soy sauce to make it perfect. We lingered over coffee and cigars and watched as the restaurant continued to fill up even as the hour approached 9:30pm. The locals here share the typically Mediterranian habit of eating late, likely due to the hot, humid weather which makes coming out during daylight hours only enjoyable if you're dressed for the beach. All in all it was probably one of the finest dining experiences we've shared anywhere in our world of traveling...unexpectedly delightful!

Photos don't due this place justice, but I did not have my good camera with me and the light was fading fast.

On to Acapulco

Last night we arrived in Acapulco. The trip down from Zihuatanejo, where we stayed at anchor for about a week was uneventful with light winds and lots of sun. Dolphins escorted us part of the way and as always that was a joyous event.

We also had spinner dolphins leaping out of the water at times, and quite a few olive green colored sea turtles floating like giant mounds of moss covered log as we sped along. Many times a white sea bird could be seen perched atop these giants, taking a rest miles from land. Several miles out to sea we had another visitor join us. A small sandpiper like bird landed on our dinghy and rode there for over an hour as we approached the harbor. Unfortunately I did not purchase a Birds of Mexico book prior to leaving the states so I'm not certain of the bird's identity.

Approaching Acapulco LoWang is relaxing on deck...

Our original plan was to stay the night in an anchorage on nearby Isla la Roqueta (island of rocks - very descriptive) but upon arrival we found both anchorages crowded with congas on mooring boys, so we decided to sail around Punta Grifo and check out the marina just inside Bahia de Acapulco. We passed through a narrow channel between the island and the verdant hillside on the western end of Acapulco where luxury homes crowd for a view of the Pacific sunset.

A phone call to Santa Lucia Marina and we were greeted with the assistance of no less than four deck hands, which was a good thing since the wind had just started to pick up when we arrived and it was blowing us away from the dock. Unlike most places where the dock floats with the boats as the tide rises and falls, here the docks are concrete and they do not change height as the boats rise and fall next to them. This creates an interesting challenge to the sailor as we often must cope with tidal changes of seven to eight feet or more. Arriving at high tide we had to quickly adjust all of our fenders to accommodate the concrete dock almost at the toe rail. But by nightfall we were dealing with a falling tide and had to lower some of the fenders, leaving others high for the eventual morning rise. Today we figured out that we needed to dress our fenders in extra T-shirts to protect the newly waxed fiberglass on the boat from being abraded by the residue of the concrete that had rubbed off on the fenders. Fortunately we each had a few extra T-shirts to use for this purpose, but we're thinking that some plain white T-shirts with our boat logo and name on the might look pretty spiffy.

A Day in Ixtapa, Mexico

While we hang loose in Ixtapa, Mexico, Chris has been getting some dental work done. This downtime is nice for planning the future stops between here and Costa Rica, where we have decided to spend the hurricane season this year. The South Pacific will still be there next year, so we've decided to skip the "puddle jump" and instead take a leisurely journey down the Mexico and Central American coast in the next few months, exploring along the way.

Here I thought I'd share some photos from a typical day here in Ixtapa.

Mornings start with some coffee and play time with Ninja. the cats have not been allowed to stay out on the boat deck at night since we have been in the marina because of the crocodiles. Not taking any chances! In the morning, LoWang enjoys sunning himself up on deck while Ninja prefers to play with his mouse and catnip ball on the bed with me.

Ninja and Shawna during morning play time.

Next we head out for morning exercise. Crossing the bridge between the marina and the golf course we follow some abandoned roads originally built for a subdivision that failed years ago. Mexico is dotted with developments that were never completed due to the downturn in the US real estate market  years ago. Some of them have elaborate front gates, paved roads and sidewalks leading to nowhere. 

Ixtapa Marina

Elaborate roadway leading to nowhere.

Nature trail and bike path through wooded area near marina and leading out to Playa Linda.

Golf course adjacent to marina. We have yet to see anyone actually using it!

We hike along the very nice bike trail for up to 6 kilometers each morning. The path loops through Playa Linda where there is a crocodile preserve with a fenced viewing platform. Across the street we saw a wild crocodile lurking just under the bridge, so we did not linger. Unfortunately, I did not have the camera with me that day, but we hope to stop back again for photos soon.

After showers and breakfast we headed out to a nearby town to pick up a few groceries. Taking a 10 minute taxi ride we zipped down the coast to Zihuatanejo through a mountainous coastline dotted with resorts along the beach. Dropping us downtown we walked along shady sidewalks fronting the local merchant shops selling clothing, wine, tequila, cigars, baskets, silver, rugs, and the ubiquitous "tourist trash" souvenirs. I stopped to chat with a merchant with an orange cat outside his shop. He was fostering the cat for the Sociedad Protectora de Animales and I purchased a nice linen shopping bag to support their efforts in rescuing the abandoned and neglected cats and dogs here. It was nice to see that the American influence here has done some good for the local pets. The shop owner directed us to the "central market" several blocks away for fresh fruits and vegetables where the "locals" shop.

Mercantile Central in Zihuatanejo

Chris shoulders the fresh produce and yogurt from our shopping spree.

Fresh eggs are safely kept at room temperature for prolonged periods if rotated and sealed.

Just outside the market more vendors sell fresh meat. Sides of beef and pork hang in their shops.

This crowded, enclosed marketplace looks like something unchanged over the centuries. The aisles are barely large enough to pass single file and they wind around in a seemingly endless maze. Vegetable and fruit vendors seem to congregate in the central portion with meat and fish dealers just behind them. Eggs, yogurt, milk and other dairy products are found in several niches nearby. Venturing out from the central area, one is overwhelmed by the onslaught of products hanging from every vertical surface, stacked on shelves and piled along the floor. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to the arrangement of the products so dishes and glasses sit next to padlocks and buckets. Assuming a shopper needed something specific, I would venture the best plan of action would be to ask various vendors for the desired product and let them find it for you!

More to follow soon!

Get Well Soon, Dad!

Sending get well wishes to you, Dad!

Thanks for always being there for me and urging me to spread my wings and fly (or sail)!

I love you both very much.

New Table for Sirena

One of the wonderful products fond in Mexico is finely crafted woodwork. We had an old wood laminate cockpit table on Sirena that was in need of replacement, so while in Puerto Vallarta we located a woodshop filled with gorgeous tropical wood. We asked were assured that the wood used there was all ecologically sustainable and taken by permit only from approved areas. The craftsmen work with hand tools and they created this table for us based on our measurements and design in only two days and at a fraction of the cost for such a fine creation in the USA. We lengthened the table by a few inches and had them drill the table for the stainless cup holder inserts. The grain of the wood is fabulous and the satin marine vanish finish just glows. We're quite happy with the improvement!

New Cockpit Table...

Old Cockpit Table

Humancaxtle Tree Cross Section

The table was made from the wood of the Huanacaxtle tree, or Enterolobium cyclocarpum, a member of the pea family which grows to gigantic proportions as a shade tree of Mexico and Central America where it is the national tree of Costa Rica. Because of the high rate of seed production and attractive nature of the seeds, they are often used in jewelry. Highly prolific, the trees are a popular choice for reforestation projects. Since the wood is very water resistant naturally, it is a popular choice for furniture, doors and aboard ships. We were able to select our slab, so the grain of the wood really stands out on the new table.