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Places To Go Things To See

Monthly Archives: February 2016

Passage to Huatulco

25 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by Cindy in Uncategorized

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Huatulco, Marina Chahue, sailing to El Salvadore, Sailing to Panama, sailing west coast Mexico, Tehuantepec

The Gulf of Tehuantepec can have winds at gale force due to cold fronts coming from the Gulf of Mexico. In a typical year it will blow over 50 knots for 3-4 days then be calm for 3-4 days. This is not a typical year since it is blowing constantly for days at a time. We need to cross this bay of 200+ miles to get out of Mexico. However, first we needed to enter the north part of the bay to get to Marina Chahué where we will wait for a window to cross. We held up in Acapulco and finally got a window to make the two night trip. The first day we had one of our most enjoyable sails yet. With the current and wind in our favor we were moving along at over 7 knots for eleven hours and making such good time we were looking at an anchorage to spend our second night in. All that came to a screeching halt the second day when the current and wind turned against us. The worst was on our approach to the bay where we had a 3 knot current against us and we were doing 4 knots. So our hopes of getting a good nights sleep went out with the current.   

  
On our passage we were discussing that we hadn’t seen many whales this season. About 1:30 am on our second night I was looking for lights along the shore when about 100 yards away a whale breached not once but twice. Luckily he was moving in the opposite direction and not towards us. I went over to the rail to see if there were any more coming and a fish taller than me jumped out of the water right in front of me. He continued jumping as he moved along. I always wonder if they are being chased or that is their idea of a fun time. Who needs coffee when you have all this to keep you awake!  

We arrived at Marina Chahué at 3:00 am and anchored outside the marina until it opened the next morning. Trying to navigate an unknown marina in the dark is never a good idea. As it was, we had submerged rocks to navigate around just to get into the tiny bay where the marina is. We had a hazy full moon, but it wasn’t helping much. Gary stayed up in the cockpit until sunrise to make sure we didn’t drift off in the surge. He didn’t want to put out much chain since we had rocks all around us. Our reward was a nice sunrise with this view of where home will be for at least a week. 

  
Fair winds,

Cindy

 

La Quebrada Cliff Divers, Acapulco, Mexico

19 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by Cindy in Uncategorized

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Acapulco, cliff divers, cruising Acapulco, El Mirador, La Quebrada Cliff Divers, Sailing Sereno

If you watched Wide World of Sports during the 70’s, then you know what I’m talking about. The La Quebrada Cliff Divers were formed in 1934 and became famous through Wide World of Sports as one of the first extreme sports. They jump from the 115 foot La Quebrada cliff in to the gultch where the depth varies from 6 to 16 feet depending on the waves. The average depth is 12 feet.

We decided to grab a table at the El Mirador to watch. It is really hot here so why stand in the hot sun when you can sit in the shade with a few drinks and have an awesome view. I’m not suggesting anyone come to Acapulco because of all the violence they are experiencing especially in the last few days. But if things change, you got to check this out. Hopefully the divers will still be around when Acapulco pulls themselves together.

Other fun facts. Johnny Weissmuller’s character Tarzan jumped off these cliffs in the 1948 movie Tarzan and the Mermaids. Elvis Presley’s character did the same in the movie Fun in Acapulco. Both using stunt doubles. Raul Garcia, the stunt double for Weissmuller, died at the age of 76 in 2004 after injuring himself while taking one last dive from the cliffs.

The divers first jump from the left side of the gulch and then swim across to the other side for the high dive.  This first jump is the lowest of the dive positions.

The divers first jump from the left side of the gulch and then swim across to the other side for the high dive. This first jump is the lowest of the dive positions.

The divers then climb up the La Quebrada cliff for the high dive.  No ropes, no harness.  Bare feet and bare hands!

The divers then climb up the La Quebrada cliff for the high dive. No ropes, no harness. Bare feet and bare hands!

Double dive!

Double dive!

And the finish.  I'm assuming the guy on the right tucked his head before hitting the water.  He did surface afterwards whew!

And the finish. I’m assuming the guy on the right tucked his head before hitting the water. He did surface afterwards whew!

The last diver jumped from the highest spot.

The last diver jumped from the highest spot.

This old projector was near our table at the El Mirador.

This old projector was near our table at the El Mirador.

One of the walls with the autographs of celebrities who have come to watch the show.

One of the walls with the autographs of celebrities who have come to watch the show.

Fair winds,
Cindy

Isla Grande, Zihuatanejo, Mexico

18 Thursday Feb 2016

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The water is yuck in Ixtapa Marina and at sunset the crocodiles start swimming around looking for their dinner. Isla Grande is a little island right outside the bay where the people in the hotels come out to play. Think jet skis, para-gliders, big yachts and beach bars. So we left the marina for the last time and anchored at the island for a day to swim off the boat in the clean water. The ocean swells were shifting around in the evening and coming right in the bay so by nightfall we were anchored back in Bahia Zihuatanejo. The clean, warm water was a nice treat since it has been so hot and humid.

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Speaking of para-gliders, here there are no spotters on the boat. One got tangled up in the antennas of a power boat at anchor in Bahia Zihuatanejo while we were there. Luckily the woman had only minor injuries but all the antennas were ripped off the power boat. Something to think about if you get the urge to para-glide on your next Mexican vacation.

Fair winds,
Cindy

Oaxaca, Mexico

12 Friday Feb 2016

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Mezcalogia, Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Parador San Miguel, street carts

We spent three nights here but needed a few weeks to totally explore and understand this city. And I mean CITY. We first learned about Oaxaca in the 90’s through the travel channel and the food network. We put it on our bucket list and when the opportunity came up to leave Sereno in the Ixtapa Marina and fly to Oaxaca, we jumped on it. We were not prepared for how big Oaxaca is and not having any winter clothes, we weren’t prepared for the cold. We left a hot and humid Mexican coast and arrived in the chilly foothills. Apparently they are having weird weather like the rest of the world and are experiencing colder than normal temperatures. The afternoons were in the 70’s but as soon as the sun went down the temperature plunged. At night we layered up what clothes we brought since all the restaurants are open air.

The bar and restaurant scene in Oaxaca was pretty close to how we thought it would be. We found bars that actually had ‘a bar’. We stumbled upon one called Mezcalogia, where the owner/bartender is an ex-pat from Chicago by way of San Francisco. He specialized in cocktails and there was a row of little jars on the bar that he used to mix his concoctions. We tried several and they were all very unique. The ingredient in one uses the whey from milk and takes all day to prepare. Now that is dedication to your craft. He then turned us on to a local brew pub just around the corner. With the promise of craft beer we headed there and spent over an hour talking with the bartender who was raised in Oaxaca. That’s where you really learn about an area. He has actually been to New Jersey and stayed in Dover with his friends family. Gary and I were both born at Dover General Hospital and grew up not far from there. If we had talked more, I’m sure we would have discovered a mutual acquaintance since we still have family in that area.

I know you are thinking all they do is eat and drink. Not so though it is high on our list. We walked El Centro taking in the market and the colonial buildings.

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On our last full day we took a tour to the civic-ceremonial ruins of Monte Albán. The ruins sit 1,300 ft above the valley floor so the view of the city of Oaxaca was awesome.

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They had a ritual where the object was to keep the ‘rubber’ ball off the ground by bouncing the ball off the sides of the court and all parts of your body.  The ball was made from a rubber tree but it was very hard.  The winner was willingly sacrificed but in many cases the loser also died from injuries sustained from getting hit with the ball.

They had a ritual where the object was to keep the ‘rubber’ ball off the ground by bouncing the ball off the sides of the court and all parts of your body. The ball was made from a rubber tree but it was very hard. The winner was willingly sacrificed but in many cases the loser also died from injuries sustained from getting hit with the ball.

Stone carvings.  If the eyes are closed, the person is deceased.

Stone carvings. If the eyes are closed, the person is deceased.

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The little stones indicate that the area has been reconstructed a practice archeologist use around the world.

The little stones indicate that the area has been reconstructed a practice archeologists use around the world.

A door I actually had to duck for.  Inside was the stone carvings.

A door I actually had to duck for. Inside was the stone carvings.

A lot of cruisers visit Oaxaca, typically from further south in Huatulco. There were only five of us on the tour so we were surprised a couple other cruisers were among us. Since they are heading north after coming through the Panama Canal, we got a lot of tips and information. We will either meet them in a port or pass them at sea.

We stayed in the middle of the historic district at the Parador San Miguel. Great place for 86 USD per night.

All rooms faced out to this terrace.

All rooms faced out to this terrace.

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There were bird cages all around the inside terrace

There were bird cages all around the inside terrace

The sights at night.

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These corn carts are popular here.

These corn carts are popular here.

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A family watching over their street cart.

A family watching over their street cart.

Every night is a party at the Zocalo.

Every night is a party at the Zocalo.

On our way to the airport we saw what perhaps may have been the start of a demonstration at the Zocalo. Hopefully it was going to be peaceful. Oaxaca depends heavily on tourists so they really don’t need a repeat of the uprisings in 2006!

Anyway, we enjoyed our time off the boat and our ‘hollywood’ showers!

Fair winds,
Cindy

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, Mexico

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by Cindy in Uncategorized

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Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo

Do you remember where Andy in the movie Shawshank Redemption wanted to go when he was released from prison? That is where we are now, Zihuatanejo or most often referred to as Zihua. A beautiful bay surrounded by the Sierra Madre.

When we arrived in the area we started out in a marina in Ixtapa, which is just one bay over. Ixtapa was built in the mid 70’s along the same lines as Cancun. Build condo’s and hotels and they will come. While Cancun is wild and crazy, Ixtapa is more laid back and attracts an older crowd. It had some good restaurants and we were able to celebrate Gary’s birthday at a nice Mediterranean place. But that was pretty much all Ixtapa had to offer. So after 4 days we motored over to Bahia Zihuatanejo and dropped the anchor off the beach.

Zihua was a sleepy fishing village until Ixtapa was developed. It is now a major tourist attraction though walking through the streets it doesn’t seem all that crowded. We have a dinghy ‘valet’ who for 10 pesos each way helps us land and launch our dinghy in the surf. Could really have used him in Tenacatita instead. The surf is much larger there and we have been tossed out of the dinghy twice!

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Bahia Zihuatanejo

Bahia Zihuatanejo

Bahia Zihuatanejo

Bahia Zihuatanejo

The Zocalo (town square) was really hopping with Mexican’s and gringos on Sunday and Saturday nights with concerts and food.

Cooking on the Zocalo

Cooking on the Zocalo

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Basketball game on the Zocalo

Basketball game on the Zocalo

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The chef is across the street where the BBQ is

The chef is across the street where the BBQ is

We are making our rounds of the local restaurants. Here is our chef from last night. He made us grilled shrimp, grilled tuna, along with grilled vegetables right on this barbecue. The meal also came with beans and french fries. All that with four beers and ice cream for 450 pesos or $24.00 US including the tip.

Our chef on the barbecue

Our chef on the BBQ

Great acoustic guitar player

Great acoustic guitar player

We did find one place serving craft beer and Mezcal is big here. It comes with oranges slices and three different types of sea salts. We ordered guacamole, and it came with a float of Mezcal!

We found 'Artisanal' beer along with a shot of mezcal

We found ‘Artisanal’ beer along with a shot of mezcal

Here are some other sights from around town.

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo

A note to the town of Zihuatanejo. Clean up your bay!! More cruisers will come and spend money in town if your water is clean so we can swim off our boats and use our water makers. It will probably be a lot easier to fill up your hotels and condos as well.

Fair winds,
Cindy

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