We're back! After spending 4 months and 18 days (not that I was counting) holed up in Paradise Village Marina just outside of Puerta Vallarta we finally are on the move again and boy does it feel great. Our time spent at Paradise Village was wonderful. We met so many nice people and were welcomed into the boating community there. From weekly potlucks, a weekly woman's coffee klatch and a whatsapp group that helped with info and spare parts, local services and just anything one would need, the community was outstanding. We felt very fortunate to be with such a helpful attentive group of boaters. Right before we left towards the end of October we had our one and only encounter with a hurricane. Hurricane Lidia at one point was headed right for us until the very last second when it turned to the south and hit Cabo Corienties but not without giving us a very windy (60-85mph gusts) and raining evening that kept us on our toes. When in Rome right? That experience made us even more thankful to be in a hurricane hole marina with experienced boaters who gave hourly weather updates for us novices. All in all we left Puerta Vallarta feeling positive, grateful and more then ready to keep moving.
Costco Provisions
Inventorying the Provisions
Our D Dock at Paradise Village
Tidings of Joy on D Dock
Last Sunrise in PV
Unplugging Power
Adios D25
Our Stern View
Plans and boating are two words that don't go together. Inevitably weather and circumstance are the main factors that contribute to your departure dates. Always lessons to be learned. Whenever anyone asked we said we would be leaving P.V. (Puerta Vallarta or Paradise Village) on November 1st weather dependant of course. And somehow the weather cooperated, there were no hurricanes presents or forecasted and at 0800 we threw lines and backed our of our slip. After making sure Jeff had plenty of room to swing I began cleaning up the lines and fenders when all of a sudden I head this high pitched loud noise and Jeff tells me over the headset that we've lost power and have to go back to the slip. What?! So I replaced the lines and fenders I had brought in and readied for the approach. While the engines were still working the thrusters were not so getting to the dock entailed me leaping and pulling the line as hard as I could to get the boat onto the dock. Quickly we worked together and we were tied up and safe. Jeff had an electrician come and he combed through the entire boat not finding a single thing wrong which sounds like a relief but really was upsetting and nerve wracking for us not having anything to fix or address and wondering would this happen again. The marina was kind enough to let us stay an extra night and we would try again in the morning.
November 2nd (a day after our spoken departure date). Once again at 0730 we threw lines and made our way out of the marina both of us with breath held and not wanting to speak or do anything that could detract from our moving/working boat. I don't think we spoke for an hour into the the trip both nervous and wondering if we were ok. At some point we both let out a sigh of relief and started enjoying our first cruise in over 4 months. It was sunny (of course) with light to no winds and really warm 86-90 degrees. We stared at the water and drove from the flybridge for the first time in years hoping to get any kind of breeze of which there was none but we didn't care we were happy to be cruising again. The 6.5 hour journey took us to our first anchorage at Punta Ipala where we dropped the hook behind 11 moored pangas and as fast as we could threw ourselves into the ocean for a heat relieving dip. Boy did it feel good. The rest of the afternoon we would swim and enjoy our new surroundings and were super appreciative to be cruising once again.
Leaving Bandaras Bay
Anchored in Punta Ipala
Punta Ipala
Unfortunately Ipala was only a one nighter for us due to the swell and better anchorages ahead. I can't say I was thrilled about this but understood better anchorages lied ahead where we could relax and settle in for several days. At 0730 once again we were off for our 60 mile cruise to Bahia Chamela. While absolutley loving cruising again the shift between being plugged in at the marina with all three air conditionings running 24/7 to no air conditioning at all except when we ran the generator a few hours in the morning and evenings was quite an adjustment. Jeff and I both tend to run hot and I loath humidity so this was defiantly a shock. Today would be a test of that heat once again. The winds were only 5-8mph from the stern which while cruise 8mph ourselves afforded us with little to no breeze at all. Imagine every once and awhile someone blowing on your neck and that's the amount of air we were feeling. The entire day was spent on the fly bridge and after we settled in we tried to forget about the heat and just enjoy the rolling of the ocean and the peace and quiet of cruising. The cruise itself was uneventful with the exception of seeing dolphins a sea turtle and some boobies and at one point a large express cruiser pass us but other then that it was just calm and quiet. As soon as we dropped the hook in Chamela we launched ourselves into the water to cool down from a hot cruise. We would spend the duration of the afternoon in the water until it was time to fire up the generator and blast the a.c. We were looking forward to settling in a bit and exploring the anchorage and town.
Sunrise in Ipala as we headed out
Heading into Chamela
Anchored in front of Chamela
Chamela
The next morning we enjoyed sleeping in and going slowly and not having to leave. We stayed in jams late and drank coffee and talked about our day. At some point we lowered the dink and set out to explore the islands. Jeff enjoyed going fast and the bay was calm enough where I didn't mind too much. There are three islands off the town of Chamela - one is an anchorage big enough for one or two boats, the other empty and the third was where the pangas took guests for the day to swim. We happened to see an uninhabited beach with nobody around that we decided would be perfect for a picnic beach day in the next couple of days. After some lunch back at the boat we headed into town to walk around. Chamela is lined with palapa restaurants on the beach one after the other and filled with local families swimming at the beach. The day was hot but it was really fun to see a new place. After our beach walk we strolled down the single road of the town which included a hotel, coffee shop and a couple of restaurants. The town itself was full of flowers and well maintained and very nice. We zipped back to the boat in the dink and quickly got in the water for the remainder of the afternoon. It was a really fun day.
The Islands - Panga Beach
Chamela
Dingy Ride to Town
Chamela Malecon
Beach Walk
Families at the Beach
Walking Main Street
View Towards Beach From Main Street
Back to the Mother Ship
Sunset in Chamela
Our 3rd day in Chamela happened to be a Sunday and on the Tidings of Joy that used to mean p.j. football day but with no power and the boat being an oven all day until the generator goes on at night it now means bathing suit football day outside. So we got in our suits, took the iPad outside and watched football all afternoon while taking dips in the water to cool off. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.
Football Sunday
Today was the day I had been waiting for since we arrived - our private beach picnic day. After our very first Panama Posse weekly call we packed up the dink and set out for the private beach we scouted out a couple days prior. I just kept hoping nobody else had discovered it and were sitting there when we arrived. Luckily it was empty. On the day we did our scouting mission the beach itself was calm and clear and ideal. Today the swells were wrapping around the anchorage and flowing right into the beach. Originally we thought we would anchor the dink on shore but after the rollers came in and tipped us sideways we quickly aborted that plan and anchored her out a bit dropping both a bow and stern anchor so she would stay pointed into the waves. Jeff did not find this relaxing. As I set up the beach chairs and got everything situated he was laser focused on the dink. We took turns swimming and eating our picnic lunch as we watched the waves and looked all the way through the crystal clear blue water. It was amazing to have an entire beach to ourselves and made me think of the fancies on Below Deck with their beach picnics and here we were doing it ourselves. Pretty cool. Because of the waves we only stayed a couple hours before Jeff pulled the plug and said it was time to go while we still could so we packed up, headed back to the boat and continued swimming there. It was a wonderful day.
Dink Anchored at Private Beach
Private Beach Day
After having exhausted everything we felt Chamela had to offer we decided to move along. Since our next anchorage - Isla Peresio was a short 10 mile cruise we got to sleep in and not up-anchor until 11:40a.m. As we approached the anchorage I could tell this was my kinda place a nicely tucked anchorage nestled between a giant rock, high cliffs and a beautiful white sandy beach. And we were the only boat here. After the hook was settled we hit the back deck and watched as panga brought people back and forth to and from one of the two beaches. At one point a mega yacht tried to anchor but decided it was to tight for him. Thank god. By 5pm the pangas and the people all were gone and we had the place all to ourselves.
Approaching Paraiso
Entering Paraiso Anchorage
Mega Trying to Anchor Next to Us
Paraiso
Beach at Paraiso
Stern View
Sunset
Our second day at Paraiso we decided to drop the dink and go explore. We had heard there were sea caves you could see and one you could pass through. There were also several private beaches with resorts that we wanted to check out as well. We managed to find several sea caves and the one the guidebooks said you could pass through had breaking waves and rocks at the entrance so we decided to pass. The beaches and the resorts looked remote and tranquil and I wondered how people found these places. After our ride we set up camp on the back deck and swam the rest of the day.
Sea Cave Exploration
Sea Cave
Trying To Decide If We Can Make It
Private Resorts
Tidings of Joy Anchored in Peresio
I was loving Peresio so much I could have stayed another day or even two but Jeff was ready to move along. The gamble is always are you leaving a great place for something better or worse. Other then the guide books and active captain there is no way to really know except to see if for yourself. At 11:10a.m we pulled anchor and set out for Tenacatita and anchorage we had heard a lot about from friends as a place where people really settle in and find a community among the boats at anchor. We were anxious to see what that looked like. En route we did a drive by and took a look at Bahia Carayas a place we learned from Jeff's highschool friend Steve who had recently got remarried on the beach there. When we entered a mega was taking up the majority of the anchorage along with several other moored boats and loud music was blasting from shore. Not our kinda place but fun to see nonetheless.
Around 3pm we made our way into the anchorage to find two other sailboats already anchored here - Te Veo Double & Chico Peludo. Right as we were about to lower the hook I noticed three dolphins swimming by the bow. As the hook hit the bottom and we let the chain out they proceeded to swim around the chain and jump up and just play as we put out more and more scope. At one point one of dolphins was swimming around the chain so much that we think it pulled the anchor loose and we had to up-anchor and start again. I couldn't stop laughing it was such a sight to see. Of course the second we were settled in we plunged into the water and I said to Jeff, " we are literally swimming with dolphins."
Approaching Carayas - Large Houses on the Cliff
Bahia Carayas
Bowl on the Cliff
Entering Tenacatita
Tenacatita
Charter Boat Anchored Behind Us
Dolphins in Tenacatita
Sunset
Friday November 10th our second day at Tenacatita we had a zoom call with a Panama Canal agent who talked about the delays and the drought and the timing of our passage through the canal. It was really interesting and informative and gave us a lot to think about. I can't say we did much after the call except plant ourselves on the back deck and swam the entire afternoon.
Tenacatita
Sunset
Sunset
Our third day at Tenacatita was dramatic. We set an alarm for 7a.m. in order to time high tide to take the dink into the river to check out the estuary. We had read that it's shallow but with at high tide you can get in and make your way through all the way to the town of Tenacatita. So we loaded up and eased our way in riding rollers across the entrance bar. We felt relieved that we were able to get in but as we looked around and saw the silted bottom and didn't feel very confident anymore. We went along the left side where it looked like there was a little depth until there wasn't and we bottomed out. It took both of us paddling to pull ourselves off the bottom and at that point Jeff was done. We made our way out of the estuary and decided to go for a high speed run across the bay to see the town on the other side and little anchorage. The water was glassy due to low wind and swell in the early morning and it wasn't sweltering yet either. It was a nice ride and interesting way to start the day. When we returned to the boat we immediately went to work on hoisting the dingy onboard. We went about our routine and all was going well until the dink was almost over the rail on the top deck and the block broke snapping a line, jamming my finger and sending me running towards to pilothouse door. I wasn't sure what had happened but it was loud and I felt pain and ran. As we looked at the dingy we could tell it was barely hanging on and we started tugging on it trying to get it onboard. It was no use the heavy dingy combined with the small keel on the bottom wasn't it allowing it lift high enough to get over the rail. Jeff decided we had to lower it, bush fix it and re-lift it. With my finger throbbing and not knowing if Jeff could rig it good enough I was skeptical. But he did manage to bypass the broken block, rig the line and get it in and out of the water and onboard. We were both so very relieved once she cleared the rail. Phew! Too much drama. Back to swimming the rest of the day.
Heading into the River
Heron in the Estuary
River Estuary
Dingy Cruise
Town of La Manzanilla Across the Bay
La Manzanilla
Pelican Stowaways
Boats Anchored at Tenacatita
Sunset
Sunday November 12 was our forth day at Tenacatita and we settled in for a day of football and swimming. First we started in the salon until it got too hot then we moved outdoors. Later that day our friends on S/V Serenity arrived and Mark paddled over to say hello. It was great having friends here and we made a plan to get together for some sundowners the next day.
Watching the Brown on Football Sunday
Serenity Has Arrived
Mark Paddling Over to Say Hi
Our final day at Tenacatita was a Monday which meant weekly Panama Posse call. We did a little exercise then spent the rest of the day swimming per the usual. Around 5ish we came in fired up the generator, got the a.c. going and Mark and Kathryn from Serenity came over for some sundowners. It was great to be together and catch up and spend our final night in Tenacactita together.
Mark & Kathryn Paddeling Over
Sundowners with Mark & Kathryn
