Recently in Mexico Category

Many boats leave Huatulco, and don't stop until arriving in El Salvador, about 500 miles- or 4 days' travel- away.  There are ports in which to stop, but for one reason or another, they are not very appealing or popular.

The crew of Calpurnia is not able to go for terribly long stretches.  If a boat has only two adults on board, they have the luxury of sleeping whenever they are not on watch.  On our boat, if you are not at the helm, you are on "Robert duty."  Our rule of thumb has been that we can go about 36 hours, or 225 miles, without stopping. 

On the Pacific Coast of Mexico, at the southern end of Mexico, there is a large body of water called the Gulf of Tehuantepec (teh-WAHN-teh-pec).  North of the Gulf of Tehuantepec there is a skinny strip of land, an  isthmus, which separates the Gulf of Tehuantepec from the Gulf of Mexico on the other coast.  This piece of geography has a weather system all its own.

On January 17th, we departed from our overnight stay in Papanoa, and headed for Acapulco with our traveling buddy boat, motor vessel Michelle. 

On November 27th, 2007 we sailed into Zihuatanejo Bay, Mexico with no autopilot.  We thought we would only be there a few days until our troubles of a broken autopilot were solved.  50 days later, on January 16th, 2008, we left Zihuatanejo for Papanoa, and ultimately Acapulco still with no autopilot.

This has come to define how we travel.  Going all the way back to our first "incident" in Galveston Bay, Texas, we have found that we surge between repairs.  Calpurnia and her crew will travel until a repair is demanded and then end up spending great amounts of time at that spot, not quite able to explain how all that time was spent, but greatly enjoying most of it.  What is different this time is that in the past we have left town with the repair made.

Recipe from familyfun.com  Comments, in italics, from life on Calpurnia.

The best part of this colorful, tasty, broth-based dish? Everyone at the table can customize their serving with add-ins of their choice. And it's quick and simple to pull together, especially if you use precooked chicken.

Soup

• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tablespoons salsa

There is absolutely nothing easy about what we are doing.  Absolutely nothing.  As Amy describes it, "This is your dream, not mine".  Probably so, and thus I am not allowed to complain at all.  On the other hand, this is not Amy's dream, but she complains very little and very infrequently.

As testament to the amount of physical, mental and emotional effort required for our "adventure," since July I have lost a confirmed 7 inches off of my waist line and 45 pounds.  I'm down to a size 34, not sure what dress size that is.  Last night we found a scale and I weighed 90 kilos, or 198 pounds.  I have not weighed in at that level since college.  And it keeps on coming off.

When I was growing up, my parents always opted to buy the least automatic cars possible:  manual transmission, manual windows, manual locks.  Their reasoning:  fewer things to break down.

While we were in Ketchikan, Alaska, Mark and I met  a couple who lived aboard their sailboat in Seattle, Washington.  They had no refrigerator and no water heater.  Their reasoning;  fewer things to break down.

  Throughout the summer, when we would talk to other cruisers, we would always ask what their plans were.  Some had plans to venture far, like to the Marquesas Islands and on through the South Pacific, but others had more modest goals.  We met several boaters who planned to spend the season (November through May) sailing the short stretch from Puerto Vallarta to Barra de Navidad and back. 

In the privacy of our own boat, Mark and I would wonder, why aren't these people going farther?  How could you possibly spend a whole season traveling only 150 miles?  Wouldn't you want to get out and explore more?  We met one couple who was planning to leave Puerto Vallarta and spend a month in Tenacatita Bay and Barra de Navidad.  A month in Tenacatita??  What would you do for a whole month in Tenacatita ?!?!

November 20th at 15:30 CST is the time Calpurnia finally pulled away from the marina in Paradise Village.  We have traveled some 334 miles south-east to Zihuatanejo, Mexico. 

From that day until this morning we have been rushing at the brisk pace of 7 knots to get my mother to Z-town for her flight yesterday.  Calpurnia and its crew are finally tucked away today in a relatively calm anchorage with the much appreciated "free" WiFi internet.