Swimming with these guys at La Manzanilla–interesting but never relaxing.

Our time in Barra Navidad ended up lasting longer than we’d planned. Possibly one of the best places we’ve been, it was very hard to leave. After leaving the resort, we anchored in the lagoon (where they filmed the remake of McHale’s Navy) for 3 weeks. Our routine consisted of:

–Paddling around the lagoon in the morning before the sun is fully up and it’s still cool.
–Oatmeal with goslings on the boat while listening to the morning radio net.
–Boat projects while it’s still kind of cool–usually involving at least one trip to town.
–A trip out through the break water in the dinghy to swim in the clean open water.
–Visit our buddies poolside who are still at the marina.
–Sun downers back at the anchorage.
–head to town for dinner–our favorite dinners usually involve tacos with carne asada (bbq beef) cooked on a mesquite fire. The smell is unbelievable. The barbecues are usually old tire rims with rebar welded on for legs–I want one.
–Finally back to the boat for a movie if nothing’s going on it town.

Three weeks can go by pretty fast this way.

We decided to save Zihuatanejo for next winter. It was originally going to be our turn around point but we were just having too much fun in Tenacatida and Barra and got behind schedule. Oh well. We’re now back in La Cruz waiting for my new tooth to be installed and for our niece Ruby to fly in for a visit. On the way back up the coast, we hit all the same anchorages a second time from our trip south. There was more wave action because of far off storms and I started trying to ride them in my kayak at Tenacatita and Chamela. What a blast. The quick acceleration of the little yak allowed me to catch waves readily even though I’m not very experienced. I’m now in the market for one of those surf skis specially made for paddle surfing.

One great thing about anchoring in the more out of the way bays on our way north is swimming and snorkeling from the boat–the water in so clear that it’s a real treat.

Rounding Cabo Corrientes was much less eventful than our trip south, beam reach in 12 knots of wind. Doesn’t get better. We were accompanied by several different pods of dolphins and a random sea turtle. Agamere who was directly behind us had a large shark follow them part way. Lucy does her best to scare off the Dolphins by barking at them mercilessly. I wonder if that works on sharks?

The water temperature is about 5-6 degrees above normal here and up in the Sea of Cortez which is a little unnerving if it carries through into summer and hurricane season. The water is still 81 here. Not that I’m complaining. Just wondering about the future implications.

La Manzanilla has the usual restaurants on the sand.  Watching dingies land in the surf is always fun sport.

Caught right out in the bay, this bass tasted great prepared whole

Bus system on the coast is fantastic, they even let Lucy “sneak” on.

The “Secret Beach” is accessed via this incredible path over the rocky headland

Lucy telling me it’s time to quit napping and get to work.

Off to Barra for the Fat Tuesday festivities with Peter from Bella Coola, BC.

Mardi Gras parade was very “local”.

One of our weakness’–deep fried doough rolled in sugar and cinnamon–Churros, mmm

The Crocodile Walk in La Manzanilla included a lot of “faith-based” engineering like this suspension bridge. Yikes there were a bunch of them just hoping one of those ropes would sag a little more.

One of the bands at the Mardi Gras celebration in the town plaza