I finally discovered that I had a video editing program on my computer all along. It is Windows Movie Maker, and it works out pretty well. I made this video today with it.
I'm in San Blas, which is a pretty little town I've been to before, and I am not sure yet, but I may put the boat here for the summertime. Tomorrow I will go to the office and check and see what their prices are. If that is the case, then we (Abe, Katrina, and I) will go out to Isla Isabella for a few days and then return to here.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
With Abe and Katrina
I'm sorry that it has been a while since I last posted. I haven't been taking many pictures, and am still recovering from a nasty sickness. I got it from Danny, I think, about two weeks ago, and I am still fighting it off.
So Abe and Katrina came aboard in Manzanillo, and we have traveled north together about 200 miles now, with another 100 to go to Mazatlan. We've seen a lot of whales, and some dolphins and caught a few fish, but I haven't been feeling super well, so I didn't really get my camera out for much. But this is one shot from last night, at Jaltemba, where we anchored next to a little island. This morning I shot a triggerfish and we're going to eat it now.
So presently we are at Chacala, a great little town about 50 miles north of Puerto Vallerta (I think) and we will go to San Blas tomorrow. In San Blas, I hope to talk to the manager of the marina and see if I can get my boat stored there for a nice reasonable fare. San Blas is a nice town, without a large influence of US and Canadian tourism. It is mostly mexican tourists, I guess who go there. Same with Chacala. All the Canadians and US persons go to Puerto Vallerta.
I did some more surfing while I was at Punta Mita again, and it was really good to get on the board again, but it was small surf, so I don't have any spectacular pictures to show of myself trundling through a whale-sized barrel.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Nice day for a Tsunami
If you have seen on the news about the Japanese Earthquake, you will know that there was a Tsunami warning out for most of the pacific. It is still ongoing, I believe, for some places in central and south america. I found out about it this morning while trying to get internet, and (failing to learn much about it, since the connection was slow) promptly panicked.
Since I didn't know how much time I had before a towering wall of water was supposed to arrive, I assumed that I didn't have much time at all, and got my anchor up as quick as I could. Then another cruiser showed his head, and he told me the waves would arrive (if they arrived) At about 1:00, and I had plenty of time. So I took off and sat around on the pacified ocean for most of the day, avoiding the container ships that were all leaving the Port of Manzanillo for deeper water. I had never seen a Tsunami before, and I still have not seen one yet.
Anyways, I am alive, everything is ok on the boat, and as far as I know, there wasn't even a wave here at all.
So an exciting day for me. I'm almost feeling better. Not good, yet. Its like the first step on the stairway to heaven. The trouble is, I am in Hell right now, so I have a long way to go before I get better.
Since I didn't know how much time I had before a towering wall of water was supposed to arrive, I assumed that I didn't have much time at all, and got my anchor up as quick as I could. Then another cruiser showed his head, and he told me the waves would arrive (if they arrived) At about 1:00, and I had plenty of time. So I took off and sat around on the pacified ocean for most of the day, avoiding the container ships that were all leaving the Port of Manzanillo for deeper water. I had never seen a Tsunami before, and I still have not seen one yet.
Anyways, I am alive, everything is ok on the boat, and as far as I know, there wasn't even a wave here at all.
So an exciting day for me. I'm almost feeling better. Not good, yet. Its like the first step on the stairway to heaven. The trouble is, I am in Hell right now, so I have a long way to go before I get better.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Changing Directions
Danny arrived, we promptly set of for an adventure, and then he started feeling sick. I managed to hold out for a week against the virus, but now it has crept into my body and torn me apart from the inside. I haven't been sick in a long time, and I really don't like it. I feel impatient to do something, but unable to. Walking around the boat isn't easy, and its hot and cold all the time. Hopefully I will get over it before Abe comes along and catches it and then it spoils his trip too.
Danny and I have been sitting in Manzanillo for the last few days, and I'll stay here a few more, I think. In the mean time, I have been working on the boat a little bit (though probably not more until I feel better). I added a double bed to the starboard side, and a back porch. The bed is an elegant addition, I think. There used to be a table that sat down below (in the cabin) and was along the centerline of the boat and to starboard. I moved this table down to match with the bench seat that was on that side, and suddenly I have a nice double bed that I won't fall out of when the boat rocks. Now this may seem like a not-significant event, but it really is great, because I can now use that bed as my sea-berth, my normal underway berth, and as a guest bed (for Abe and Katrina), and then I could use the quarter berth (where I normally have been sleeping on this trip) as a storage space. And, I don't have to set it up every night and take it down in the morning. I lose the table, so I'll have to make a little mini bed-table. But I have these cushions that I don't know what to do with.
I also added a seat on the back of the boat, in the center. I used to sit on that spot before, but now its a real seat, so its better.
I can't post pictures right now because the internet is slow, but I will add them soon.
And I've decided to head north with my brother, then when I drop him off, continue north to Mazatlan or maybe into the Sea of Cortez, and put the boat up on the hard (set it in a yard sitting on the ground with stands holding it up), and leave it for the summer. That means not making it to Costa Rica, at least for a while. Then I'll come back to the USA for a little while and work on getting a visa for China, and fly to Beijing for the summer.
If anyone knows someone who will take care of my boat down here for the summer, I would be glad to work out a deal with them, rather than put it in a marina and pay for it. I need to be out of Mexico by April 17.
Danny and I have been sitting in Manzanillo for the last few days, and I'll stay here a few more, I think. In the mean time, I have been working on the boat a little bit (though probably not more until I feel better). I added a double bed to the starboard side, and a back porch. The bed is an elegant addition, I think. There used to be a table that sat down below (in the cabin) and was along the centerline of the boat and to starboard. I moved this table down to match with the bench seat that was on that side, and suddenly I have a nice double bed that I won't fall out of when the boat rocks. Now this may seem like a not-significant event, but it really is great, because I can now use that bed as my sea-berth, my normal underway berth, and as a guest bed (for Abe and Katrina), and then I could use the quarter berth (where I normally have been sleeping on this trip) as a storage space. And, I don't have to set it up every night and take it down in the morning. I lose the table, so I'll have to make a little mini bed-table. But I have these cushions that I don't know what to do with.
I also added a seat on the back of the boat, in the center. I used to sit on that spot before, but now its a real seat, so its better.
I can't post pictures right now because the internet is slow, but I will add them soon.
And I've decided to head north with my brother, then when I drop him off, continue north to Mazatlan or maybe into the Sea of Cortez, and put the boat up on the hard (set it in a yard sitting on the ground with stands holding it up), and leave it for the summer. That means not making it to Costa Rica, at least for a while. Then I'll come back to the USA for a little while and work on getting a visa for China, and fly to Beijing for the summer.
If anyone knows someone who will take care of my boat down here for the summer, I would be glad to work out a deal with them, rather than put it in a marina and pay for it. I need to be out of Mexico by April 17.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Manzanillo
Danny and I arrived in Manzanillo today, and we may not make it much further south. I had been
planning on heading to Acapulco, but Danny isn't feeling very well, and there isn't much to see down there anyways. We've been looking for clear water (without success) and fish (without much success) and haven't been diving much because of whatever flu or something that Danny has. So when you fly next, cover your face with a wet towl or something and don't get sick!
We did find some Pelicans, and some turtles.
Hopefully we'll have a bunch of pictures to post later on.
This Mexico trip for me is now turning all sorts of corners. Danny is here now, and my big brother Abe is flying in in a week, and I am going to be trying to figure out how to make the trip down here fantastic, but I am struggling with the coldest water that anyone here has ever seen, and the clarity is not good at all. There is this green murk everywhere. Some places the visibility is 5 ft or less, and the best I have seen in the last two months is about 25 ft. I am really saddened by this. I'm also trying to figure out what to do next. I need to leave Mexico by April 17th, because that is when my visa runs out. I'm not quite done with Mexico, and I could easily spend another few months cruising around, and if I want to cross the Pacific, I should leave now, or a few weeks ago. So while I linger on this coastline, I am burning the time that I could be using in the South Pacific.
So why be in a hurry? I can find a place to haul the boat out and then leave it until the fall, then return to finish this trip and cross the Pacific.
That means that I have to get the storage worked out soon, and I can go visit somewhere else for the summer! And I just got an invitation to go to China...
planning on heading to Acapulco, but Danny isn't feeling very well, and there isn't much to see down there anyways. We've been looking for clear water (without success) and fish (without much success) and haven't been diving much because of whatever flu or something that Danny has. So when you fly next, cover your face with a wet towl or something and don't get sick!We did find some Pelicans, and some turtles.
Hopefully we'll have a bunch of pictures to post later on.
This Mexico trip for me is now turning all sorts of corners. Danny is here now, and my big brother Abe is flying in in a week, and I am going to be trying to figure out how to make the trip down here fantastic, but I am struggling with the coldest water that anyone here has ever seen, and the clarity is not good at all. There is this green murk everywhere. Some places the visibility is 5 ft or less, and the best I have seen in the last two months is about 25 ft. I am really saddened by this. I'm also trying to figure out what to do next. I need to leave Mexico by April 17th, because that is when my visa runs out. I'm not quite done with Mexico, and I could easily spend another few months cruising around, and if I want to cross the Pacific, I should leave now, or a few weeks ago. So while I linger on this coastline, I am burning the time that I could be using in the South Pacific.
So why be in a hurry? I can find a place to haul the boat out and then leave it until the fall, then return to finish this trip and cross the Pacific.
That means that I have to get the storage worked out soon, and I can go visit somewhere else for the summer! And I just got an invitation to go to China...
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