Captain's Log 3: Mexico's Gold Coast January - March 2007 January 7-9: Leaving Puerto Vallarta and Bahia de Banderas Hard to believe we'd been in "PV" since late November, but it was necessary to book a month at the marina to assure Casteele had a slip during our Christmas visits back home. Once sister Carol and her wild crew flew home, it was time at for us to leave. Stocked up with food, filled the fuel tanks, and scooted across the bay in 20+ knots with all sails flying. Tucked behind Punta Mita at the opening of the bay and at dawn on the 9th pointed Casteele's bow to the south and headed  into open ocean. We had to round a cape called Corrientes, which is known for high winds and messy seas. We got around Corrientes just fine, but a few miles farther south the winds started kicking up. Jan was reefing the main with Joan shouting at her, "It's gusting up to 32!" So we put in a 2nd reef and had a wild ride through very steep, choppy seas. Rounded Punta Ipala into a very small bay with aqua-culture buoys and nets taking up the best anchoring spots. Spent the first night rolling in exposed waters, but early the next morning grabbed a better spot just as a boat left. Rowed ashore and thus began the saga of our stay in the tiny community of Tehuamixtle. January 9-25: A festival in El Tuito and teaching English in Tehuaumixtle At 6:30 the next morning, we left our boat and climbed aboard a beat-up, broken-down  vehicle slightly resembling a bus (as Jan says, "rent a wreck" is a better description). The only good thing about this bus is that it couldn't go fast. The front windshield on the passenger side was totally shattered, the seat cushions ripped and torn, and after 3 hours on dirt roads with the windows open, everything and everyone was covered with a fine layer of dust..We wove through tiny communities of half a dozen homes and past solitary ranch settlements with outdoor kitchens and pigs, chickens, and donkeys in the front yard, picking up the locals all decked out for the fiesta (men in cowboy hats and shiny boots, women in their best shawls, children scrubbed clean). We arrived in El Tuito and checked into the only hotel, which thankfully was quaint and clean. The next day, we were told that a bus would leave at 2pm and return us to Tehuamixtle. Everyone we talked to had a different idea as to where we could catch this bus and even the time it came. We finally found a consensus spot located at a little store on the edge of town. After several cervezas (beers) and a 2 hour wait, we gave up and started looking for a taxi. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we found one. It cost a fortune in pesos and nerves. The bus ride took 3 hours--the cab ride took 1 hour. We were on gravel, curvy roads  that seemed to have a Mexican cow on every corner. Jan kept trying to bribe the driver---"I will tip you big if you go slow." However, his idea of slow and our idea of slow were worlds apart. (there was definitely a language and machismo barrier). Since we are writing this account, you can assume we made it. WHEW!!!! .   Working with the kids connected us to the adults, and very quickly we felt at home. Everyone knew we were the two "maestras." (Don't you love it? "Maestra Jan.") Most of the men fish for a living, others raise oysters, which are sold to restaurants in PV and have made quite a name for this tiny outpost. (People drive 2 hours from PV just to eat the oysters here. They are tiny, sweet, succulent.) The houses are simple affairs, with glassless windows and a dirt yard or small porch in front. Three tiny "tiendas" (stores), each basically in the front room of the owner's home, stock locally grown veggies and eggs. Dogs, chickens, and kids everywhere. No bank, one telephone (in one of the stores) that costs a fortune to use and has a lousy connection, and a cluster of pangas bobbing at anchor right off the beach. We would both agree the two weeks we spent at Tehuamixtle have been the best and most meaningful of the trip. We would have stayed longer, but a family matter necessitated that we go south and get in an area where the cell phone works and we have internet access. So with sadness and promises to return, we hauled up anchor and waved goodbye to our Mexican friends. We are spending a couple days in the marina, where we have cell phone and internet access (for a price). It's crowded and very posh--not exactly our style--but  we are connected to the outside world, have joined up again with some of our favorite cruising friends, and can  lounge around the gorgeous, multi-level, tiled pools or wander the lushly landscaped property. There is much beauty in this place even if it doesn't feel quite like Jan and Joan. At anchor with us are cruising friends we met in San Diego--Tony and Peg aboard their pristine Alden, Comanche, and Richard and Margaret aboard Mirawki. We alternate boats for chicken or camarone (shrimp) feasts, games of Mexican train, and other silliness. In Richard Jan has found a playmate almost as goofy as she is. Many Americans are building homes down here and what a surprise to discover that Alice Flanagan, the daughter of Jan's very dear friend, Lucille Flanagan, is in Barra with her husband, building a house. We just missed Lucille herself when she was visiting her daughter, but we had a nice lunch with Alice and she showed us around her very striking, and soon to be complete, Mexican home. February 9-17: Tenacatita: Getting into the Mexican cruising culture After more than a week enjoying our spot at Melaque, we hoisted anchor and had a sweet 2- hour sail around the point into the bay just to the north. Tenacatita is probably the most popular cruiser spot on the coast, and justifiably so. A large protected anchorage surrounded by green hillsides, miles of undeveloped beach, and even a mangrove-lined river to explore. As many as 50 boats will settle into this place, and it has its own cruiser social life (not unlike that of a retirement community!): every morning a swim to shore and walk on the beach, followed by Mexican Train in the local palapa or boche ball on the beach. Every Friday night, "Mayor's Night Out," when people raft their dinghies together and share appetizers, information, books, and gossip. A whole cruising culture down here that we never knew existed. Cruisers--mostly retired, mostly from California--come to the Gold Coast year after year, hanging out together in various marinas and anchorages, socializing, relaxing, and enjoying these beautiful  waters in much the same way that people from Seattle go north into BC and Alaska each season. It's just a lot warmer down here! None of these boaters plan on going farther south--certainly not across the ocean. These are their seasonal cruising grounds, and they've built a whole social life around it. Anyone who knows Jan also knows her propensity for roping people into crazy (el stupido) games and stunts. Well, some things never change. Jan (aided by her evil twin, Richard) dreamed up a "blind-folded dinghy race," and conned several other boaters into participating. Rules (ever changing) were that one person rowed--while blindfolded--and the other person tried to tell them which way to go. The course wove around a couple boats and included a mandatory switching of positions and downing of a Coke (too early for beer) halfway through. The competition was intense--hysterically so. Even Joan, who sighs a lot about Jan's crazy ideas, had to admit it was  fun. Life's pretty easy at Tenacatita--rowing along the shoreline in the morning to watch the pelicans, frigates, and yellow-footed boobies diving for fish; swimming to shore and walking miles down the beach (one time we walked to the resort at the far end of the beach and Jan and Richard joined in with the morning water aerobics class!); doing projects like scrubbing the barnacles off the hull; having lunch at the palapa and chatting with other cruisers. Sharing an anchorage with 30-50 boats became a bit much for us, but t was a lovely time. February 17-19: Chamela: Dodging sea turtles, exploring another Mexican town Left Tenacatita and headed over glassy seas to Chamela, a short day sail north. We were dodging sea turtles the whole way--small brown objects that look like logs but that suddenly sprout a head and legs when you get close. They'll dive and swim away only if contact is certain and imminent. We had been to Chamela before, but only for a brief overnight. This time we were able to go ashore and explore the town, with its large plaza and friendly stores. Another stretch of seemingly endless sandy, undeveloped beach, to walk and walk and walk. Heaven. February 19-March 4: Return to Tehuamixtle: Teaching English, kids on the boat, a turtle sanctuary Hoisted anchor while it was still dark for the long trip to Punta Ipala and our favorite town of Tehuamixtle. Cruising over gentle swells, as the morning sun lights up the ocean and mountainous shoreline. Rugged coastline interspersed with miles of empty beach. In some places scattered homes of the very wealthy--mansion-type dwellings perched on remote hilltops. Who owns those things? Hollywood millionaires or oil sheiks or wealthy Mexicans from the big city? Hard to know. Sailed into the Ipala Bay, dodging a couple shrimp boats and dropped bow and stern anchor in our old spot. Went ashore and were immediately invited to the 14th birthday celebration of Allieda, one of our students. Attending the party was a special treat, a real community affair. Nearly 50 people were there, from infants to grandparents. We shared a table with other adults (only one of whom spoke any English), and we were all served bowls of delicious pozole (chicken and corn dish). The jukebox played festive music, the little kids danced, and everyone had a great time.      Students and volunteers live in tents at the sanctuary. They gather eggs from along the beach, put them into protected enclosures, and when the eggs hatch, carry the tiny turtles at night to the ocean, so predators won't get them during that vulnerable stage. Apparently many people in Tehuamixtle used to hunt and sell turtle eggs. When the Mexican government entered into an international agreement to protect the endangered turtles, the government helped the community of Tehuamixtle establish the oyster-growing industry as an alternative to gathering turtle eggs. A successful story, as the oyster farming is thriving in Ipala Bay--so much so, that we were getting crowded out of our anchorage spot. On one of our last days there, a fisherman set out another line of oyster bins right next to our boat. Jan, with the help of our English-speaking friend, Gabby, tried to talk the guy into moving his line, but to no avail. Gabby said the men are basically mavericks. It's like a frontier town in Alaska. It was finally time to leave Tehuamixtle for the last time. We met a fellow from Canada who is going to live there for a year (Michael Pope), and he will try to continue the English instruction. March 4-5: Around Corrientes under full moon; lush, tropical Yelapa We pulled up anchor at 5AM under a full moon & tearfully left our beloved Tehuamixtle. We motor sailed in 8 to 10 foot swells and easily went around Cabo Corrientes.  Once around the cape we found some gentle winds and began sailing. The winds carried us into the bay of Yelapa. We decided to let fate be our guide and let the winds carry us in the bay where a Humpback was swimming. Once in the bay we were greeted by a panga who told us to follow him to a mooring buoy that he would rent to us for the night. We were so excited about this opportunity that we forgot to take the main sail down. It was quite exciting to be navigating in tight quarters with the main sail up---picture Jan trying to steer and yelling to Joan---"Drop the sail".  Once we were settled, we went into town searching for Casa Paloma. In January, we had met a very interesting lady by the name of Paloma. She has a home in Yelapa. Thru the village and up several winding paths, we finally found Paloma. What a magical place---take a look at the pictures (album #6). We had a very special time with Paloma, dinner that evening and the next morning we took her for a sail. Paloma walks with two canes and it took all her energy and courage to get on and off our boat. She is truly a gutsy lady with a big heart. Soon after the sail, we headed for Puerto Vallarta. March 5-12: Puerto Vallarta: Boat projects at lovely Isla Iguana There was no room in the Inn (Marina Vallarta) so our friends Joanie and Joe, whom we met in Ipala,  came to the rescue. They were able to get us a slip in the private docks of  Isla Iguana. Sometimes I think the gods our smiling on us. This is a community of small villas, private docks, tropical gardens, and a gorgeous swimming pool. We spent five days here working on the boat, re-stocking, swimming in one of the most tranquil and unique settings that we have experienced. It has the look and feel of southern Italy with its beautiful plants and flowers, curved archways, colorful stucco buildings with wood doors, and brick and stone walkways. Regretfully we are leaving today--beginning our trip north.