El Salvador, The Bar That Sinks Ships

 With Guatamala in the rear view mirror it was time to look ahead to our next destination- El Salvador and her illustrious sand bar entrance. Having cruised up and down the west coast and crossing many bars in Oregon and Washington we didn't give this one much thought other then timing the weather and swells for a smooth crossing. Our final couple of days in Chiapas was spent having dinner with friends, doing laundry and finally Jeff checking out with boater friends at the port captains office. Then on February 22nd, 2024 the 1:30a.m. alarm went off and customs agents and their dogs were on the boat to give us our exit papers and we were on our way for our 275 mile run to Bahia Del Sol, El Salvador. 

Final Night at Marina Chiapas Potluck with Splinters, Muirgen & Summer Breeze 

Marina Chiapas 

Checkout at Port Captains Office with Splinters, Summer Breeze and Muirgen 

The 2am departure was a blur and we were the last of the four boats (Splinters, Muirgen & Summer Breeze) to leave the marina. We were fine holding up the rear and glad to be on our way. The cruise itself was uneventful and we were so far behind the pack that we were out of radio communication and only had the occasional WhatsApp service when close enough to shore. 

High slack was at 3pm the following day and we arrived at 2pm with plenty of time to spare. The three other boats were already there circling waiting to cross. At about 2:45 Bill (a local ex-pat who helps boaters cross the bar) arrived in a panga with the pilot who would be leading us all across the bar. Muirgen went first and we watched as they got slightly sideways to the waves and sat holding our breath. Splinters was next and they too did well. Summer Breeze can go so fast that he was actually told to slow down while crossing. He is the fastest of us trollers.  And finally it was our turn. Having watched the other three I didn't think much of it and I maned the radio answering Bill's requests as Jeff drove us in. For some reason we didn't think to center our stabilisers before crossing the bar and at one point Jeff was fighting them and the boat got sideways and broached. Things went flying and I watched as Jeff wrestled with the wheel, finally turning off the stabilisers and regaining control and we were across the bar. Slightly scary being out of control and sideways to a wave but Jeff got it handled and next thing we knew we were across and high fiving. Being the last one to the dock everyone swarmed- Bill, line handlers, friends and it just felt really overwhelming. I was told by Jean (Bills wife) that Jeff needed to leave immediately to check in with the port captain and he could finish shutting down the boat afterwards. Welcome to El Salvador. 

Sunrise Underway 

Boobie 

Getting a Free Ride 

From Sunrise to Sundown 

Stowaway 

Moonlight 

Sunrise Over the Ocean

Approaching El Salvador 

Friends on Ever After Leaving El Salvador 

Pilot Boat 

Crossing the Bar 

Approaching Marina 

Docked Safely 

Jean Helping with Check In 

Cheers to Successful Bar Crossing 

Celebrating wit Summer Breeze, Splinters & Muirgen 

The next morning we slept in late and moved slowly. It was nice to get a good nights sleep after a long overnight passage. The proceeding days would be spent putting the boat back together, doing little projects and spending time in the pool. We started a little ritual of everyday at happy hour walking up to the bar for dollar beers and a refreshing dip in the pool. This seemed to be the new routine for the four boats. We meandered over to the beach and took a little stroll and Murigen had us over for delicious homemade pina coladas and a boat tour. A few days after that we rode with Kim and Eric on Splinter in their dingy to town and walked around and went to the market and had lunch. During our time in town we met another couple named Anna and Doug who had been living in El Salvador for the past year and knew all the ins and outs and they invited our entire group to go out for papusas- the national dish of El Salvador. We of course said yes and took another dingy trip up the bay and then walked down an alley into a ladies back yard where she had a full kitchen set up and we sat around an outdoor table while she made us all papusas. We drank beers and had a blast and they were the best papusas we've ever had. It was an incredible local experience we never would have had if it wasn't for Anna and Doug. 

Marina Pool

Beach Walk 

Pina Coladas on Muirgen 

Engine Room Tour on Muirgen 

Dingy Ride to Town with Splinter and Muirgen 

Dingy Dock 

Town 

Market 

Lunch in Town With Summer Breeze, Muirgen, Splinters & Doug

Dingy Ride to Papusas 

Walking to Papusas 

Papusa Chef in Her Kitchen

Haning out Waiting for Papusas 

Chef Making Papusas 

Dinner Table at Papusas 

As unreal as the papusa experience was it wouldn't get more real then what happened the next day. The next group of boater were due to cross the bar and come into the marina. Two of the three we knew- Long Windid and Fin along with Rum Truffle. Fin would go first with no problem and entered the marina. Long Windid was next and they did't have such an easy time of it. A big 6 foot wave from behind thrust them forward lifting their stern driving the bow underwater stopping the boats moments and causing them to broach. Suddenly they were laying on their side and a second wave lifted them up this time grounding them. Somehow our friend Dan managed to get them loose and they made their way into the marina. What would follow will be something that none of us in the Panama Posse will ever forget. Mark on Rum Truffle would be the final boat to cross the bar and unfortunately he wouldn't be as lucky as the first two. As Rum Truffle followed the pilot boat across the bar he hit a shoal causing the keel and rudder to separate from the boat leaving huge holes in the bottom. Water rushed into the boat swamping it and later fully capsizing it. Mark fortunately was rescued from the water with only the clothes on his back losing his boat and everything else on it he owned. Tears well up in my eyes just typing this and reliving that horrific day and my heart still breaks for Mark. A day a boater never ever wants to live or think about. 

Rum Truffle Capsized 

Rum Truffle on the Beach 

Sunset 

Guatamala, It's A Good Choice

 I never once thought we would ever skip a country while traveling south and while being in Chiapas, the final stop in Mexico I had my sites set on Guatamala. It wasn't until after attending our Panama Posse seminars in December did I learn that pleasure craft don't go to Guatamala. The port is for commercial boats, has lots of soot that rains down on the boat and they just aren't equipped to handle our needs. If you want to go to Guatamala you go by land. Fortunately Marina Chiapas is only 30 minutes from the Guatamala boarder. Some friends we had met previously in Zihuatenaho had given us the number of what would turn out to be our best guide ever- Selvyn. So on February 13th once again Tony picked us up at the marina and drove us to the boarder where we walked across and Selvyn was waiting for us. As soon as we met him it was like reconnecting with an old friend. He was very familiar and happy and positive and we liked him instantly. As we started our trek our first stop was to pick up some local bananas to have  for a snack. I don't know what type they were but they were excellent and we all ate several. Our first destination was the town of Quetzaltenango. When we arrived we walked to a nice vegan restaurant Selvyn had planned and the food was excellent and we met some Brits who were touring there as well. After lunch we walked around the town square visiting a church and the municipal building. Now being midday it was time for an afternoon beverage. Selvyn knew a local chocolatier who served hot chocolate beverages. These were similar to the ones we tried in Chiapas but a thousand times better and Jeff even proclaimed it was the best hot chocolate he'd ever had. A full day under our belts it was time to retire to the hotel for the evening. 

Guatemalan Boarder 

Men At The Boarder 

Getting Bananas with Selvyn 

Heading into Quetzaltenanago 

Quetzaltenanago 

Quetzaltenanago 

Municipal Building 

Buying A Local Drink on the Street 

Church 

Town Square 

Chocolate Shop 

Hot Chocolate 

Bread Shop Near Hotel 

Hotel Atrium 

The next morning after our hotel breakfast Selvyn came and picked us up and we visited a couple of Mayan villages. We walked through the local markets and saw all the women dressed in their traditional clothing. We also visited several old Mayan churches. After a nice lunch we drove to Lake Atitlan where we would be staying for a couple nights. The grounds were gorgeous with beautiful lush gardens and our room overlooked the lake. It was the perfect place to celebrate Valentines day and we had a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant. 

Fields of Mayan Village 

Local Market 

Mayan Church 

Checking out the Fields in Mayan Village 

Watering By Hand 

Mayan Church

Mayans Outside Church 

Indoor Market 

Man Carrying Wood On His Back 

Walking To Hot Springs 

Hot Springs 

Mayan Church 

Statue To the Migrants Heading North 

Lake Atitlan 

Chicken Bus 

Lake Atitlan 

Hotel Lake Atitlan Gardens 

Valentines Day Dinner 

The next morning we woke up and had a wonderful hotel breakfast and then met Selvyn at the hotel's dock where we took a private boat tour to San Jose where we had a coffee tour and tasting. This coffee was excellent. The shop/operation was small and we walked through their gardens as they explained the process and showed us the equipment but the best part was the coffee after the tour. We even bought some beans to have on the boat. From their we walked the cute streets of San Jose then went to a chocolate maker and learned about the process of chocolate making and bought several bags of chocolate. The next shop we visited was a herbalist who taught us all about the power of medicinal herbs. She explained to us how a lot of Guatemalans can't afford to pay for medicine so they use herbs to heal instead. We walked all through her garden as she explained each plant and it's medicinal benefits. Further down the road we went to an all women's weaving CoOp where they are several shops all owned and supplied by women and once again we watched as one of the ladies gave us a demonstration of dying fabrics then then weaving them into clothing. It was very interesting. Just before lunch we hopped into a Tuk-Tuk and rode to the neighbouring village of San Pedro and ended up at an Israeli restaurant for lunch and then visited the cathedral. It was a full day of learning and exploring. The boat took us back to the hotel dock where we said goodbye to Selvyn for the night then hit the pool. Later we took another Tuk-Tuk into town for dinner. 

Breakfast at Hotel 

Boat Ride 

Volcanons 

Approaching San Jose 

Dock at San Jose 

Marimba Band on Shore 

Selvyn Giving us Coffee Tour 

Coffee Plants 

Coffee Processing 

San Jose 

Local Painter 

Her Mural 

Herbalist Giving us Herb Lecture 

Old Cathedral 

San Jose

San Jose 

Local San Jose Woman 

Murals in Recreational Area 

Local Women's CoOp Weaver 

Riding the Tuk Tuk with Selvyn 

Tuk Tuk Driver & Son 

San Pedro From Tuk Tuk 

Walking around San Pedro 

Lunch in San Pedro 

Back in the Tuk Tuk 

Local Mayan Woman 

San Pedro Church 

Alter for Holy Week 

Local Mayans 

Mural 

Local Woman

Back at Hotel 

Helicopters on Hotel Lawn

Hotel Gardens 

Hotel Pool 

Relaxing in Pool at Hotel 

Sadly the next morning it was time to check out of the hotel and say goodbye to Lake Atitlan. Selvyn picked us up and took us to an old Mayan ruins but unlike the others we have previously scene this one still did sacrificial offerings. Within the site there is a designated area where the leader sets up shop so to speak and people who have needs can make an appointment to meet with him and bring some sort of offering such as a live chicken to be killed or booze or anything of value to the leader and then they ask for their need and they stand there saying prayers, drinking booze and lighting things on fire and this goes on for over an hour and different people come and go throughout the day. It was unbelievable and at first we didn't think it was real. Like something out of a movie but fascinating to watch. From here Selvyn drove us to Guatamala City where we caught a plane to Flores. It would be the first time leaving Selvyn and being on our own. The flight was simple only an hour or so and when we landed in Flores a driver was there to take us to our hotel. 

Leaving Lake Atitlan 

Erupting Volcano 

Mayan Calendar 

Ruins 

Sacrificial Site on Ruins 

Ruins 

Walking Through Ruins 

Another Erupting Volcano 

Our Plane to Flores 

After a good nights sleep in our new hotel at 8a.m. the next morning a local guide named Oliver picked us up to take us to the famous Mayan ruins in Tikal National Park. The drive was about an hour and when we arrived Oliver expertly lead us around pointing out birds and monkeys and explaining all of the various Mayan sites and telling us what and by whom they were used for. The park is vast and the day was spent doing a lot of walking and climbing up the various sites. After about 4 hours and 17,000 steps we got back into the car and stopped at a restaurant on the way back for lunch. We said our goodbyes to Oliver and thanked him when he dropped us off  at the hotel. We were pooped and decided some pool time was in order before walking to dinner. 

Spider Monkeys in Tikal 

Entering Tikal 

Ruins in Tikal 

View from Top of One Ruin to Another 

Touring with Oliver 

Really Big Tree

Stairs to the Ruin 

Ruins through the Trees 

With Oliver 

Croc in Water at Tikal 

Chillin at the Pool 

Sunset in Flores 

And just like that it was time to catch our flight back to Guatamala City where Selvyn was waiting for us. From the airport he took us both on a walking and driving tour of the capital city ending with lunch and then onto Antigua. Selvyn explained to us since it was Easter season every weekend there is a procession around Antigua where men and then women walk very slowly to music played by a marching band carrying an alter. We felt so lucky to be able to witness such a spectacular event. We wedged onto the sidewalk while the men's procession walked by and then the woman's and then we got dropped off at our hotel. 

Guatamala City 

Guatamala City 

Downtown Guatamala City 

Touring with Selvyn 

Town Square 

Really Good Bananas in Guatamala 

Antigua 

Cathedral in Antigua 

Inside Cathedral 

Easter Offering 

Buying Local Fruit Drink With Selvyn 

Locals Going to Procession 

Carpets For Procession 

Men's Procession 

Alter in Men's Procession 

Women's Procession 

Women's Procession 

Street Sweepers 

Antigua 

Town Square Antigua 

Touring Church with Selvyn 

Easter Offering 

Antigua 

The next morning promptly at 8am Selvyn was at the hotel to pick us up to drive us to a volcano hike. We would meet up with a local guide who with Selvyn would hike with us and explain the history of the volcano and even give us some volcanic rock to take with us. When we reach the top, or as far as we were allowed to go because the volcano is still active our local guide had marshmallows for us to roast in the hot volcanic oven. It was really amazing. After the hike Selvyn took us to a place called Aqua for lunch where we sat by the pool and unwound from the hike. After we returned to the hotel we hit the pool and rested and relaxed the rest of the evening. 

Breakfast at Hotel 

Antigua 

Downtown Antigua 

Volcano 

Chicken Bus

Starting Volcano Hike 

View From Volcano Hike 

Erupting Volcano

With Selvyn on Volcano Hike 

With Local Guide 

View Near the Top 

The Volcano 

Volcanic Rock 

Hiking Volcanic Rock 

Guide Showing us Video of Volcano Erupting 

With the Guides 

Preparing the Marshmallow Oven 

The Oven 

Lunch at Aqua 

Sadly our time with Selvyn and Guatamala was coming to an end and when we got picked up from our hotel in Antigua we made the long four hour drive back to the boarder where Tony from Chiapas Marina would be waiting for us to drive us back to the boat at the marina. Touring Guatamala was incredible and both of us really loved it so much and in a large part all due to our wonderful guide Selvyn. 

Erupting Volcano From Hotel 

Antigua 

Monument to the Migrants 

Vegan Lunch on Way to Boarder 

The Boarder