Month: February 2018

Besides having our boat in the boatyard, La Cruz was a small enjoyable place to stay. We found a nice Airbnb and soon started to great people here and there, it felt homie. The Marina was nice, had a small pool and a good stocked little store.

The Marina also had a Kids Club, where Mats joined a project one Tuesday afternoon and was shy at first but than had a lot of fun.

Our Airbnb was right on the Plaza, with a little church and a Market on Sundays, where we were able to watch lots of people get together. Really a fun little place, we will be back!

But now after a trial in the Marina for a couple days to see if our boat stays dry, off again for a small trip to Punta Mita (visit Nr. 2), to meet up with friends, surf a little and to enjoy a bit of our cruising lifestyle again. It has been a busy week in La Cruz and also a bit stressful, never know what the next day brings, when your boat is in the yard.

THIS ALL HAPPENED IN A WEEK!!! Welding, top and bottom coats and heat exchanger on engine, with a special fitting needing to be done.

The work in progress. Looking different from day to day.

We are now Green and blue. And back in the water! Our journey can continue.

The Captain managed to get a haulout already scheduled the next day in La Cruz. Since he had found the leak, he was able to temporarily stop it with the help of the diver. Since all stayed dry overnight, we felt safe to motor to La Cruz from Paradise Village. The Shipyard was on time and gave a good first impression.

 

 

The workers went straight ahead and started to prepare the boat for welding, bottom and top sides. The top sides had so many air bubbles under the black paint from a shitty job at the previous haulout, that they all needed to be smoothed out.

Oil coming out of the keel? Another problem!

That was the leak after some serious hammering to clearify the weak spot.

Here you can see the temporary fix with the patty.

Marking how big the welding plate has to be. Being WAY more generous than the shipyard in the US last time.

So, what happened? We left Punta Mita as our water supply was getting low. Paradise Village is known to be a safe and good Marina with drinking water, so we decided to make our way over there, after the Surf swell had almost passed. We enjoyed seeing lots of whales along the way, didn’t have much wind at the start, but than it filled in nicely.

We arrived in Paradise Village just passed 3 and realized that the office was closed and also no slips available. We found a spot close to the Yacht Club and Paradise Village was able to accommodate us for a few days. We got lucky this time.

The Captain started right away to get to work, cleaning the deck and filling up the water tanks, as we weren’t sure at that time, if we would be able to stay yet. Mats and myself checked out the surroundings, the Zoo and the Pools and we finished off the day with a fantastic dinner at Il Pescatore, celebrating our arrival in Puerte Vallarta with a bottle of wine and great food. PV was our planned destination and we made it! Crazy to see, how fast we could have done that in a plane, LOL.

While I was keeping Mats busy and catching up on our website the next day, the Captain had asked a diver to come by to clean the bottom for our ongoing trip. We had decided to go a little further south to Barra de Navididad, as we had heard great things about it. When I came back to the boat with Mats, I found CHAOS:

We did not know much of Punta Mita, but we knew, that surf wise the time was good for the Captain to possibly catch some waves. Chacala sounded promising as well and we stayed longer, but the break wasn’t good whenever the captain checked.

We did not have any wind to sail, but still decided to make our way over there motoring, before the swell would pass. And we were pretty surprised to find a quite developed place, our friends from the Sailboat SUR call it little Palo Alto.

Pretty nice having the line up right behind your boat!

On most days we were able to get to shore without a problem, and the Captain was able to pick from 3 or 4 different breaks, he was happier from day to day. And we also got to hang out with like wise cruising folks, who love surfing. French Canadians and also Americans, which we ran into several times now along the way. It’s fun when the kids can play together!

On two days Mats and myself were stuck on the boat. The swell was just too big and we did not want to risk anything. Learned the lesson!

On the picture below you see the entrance where we usually took the dinghy to get to shore. Not so sure what the Kayak there was having in plan…

A Sailboat ended up on the reef at night on those days. You can read some of it

HERE, very sad, but luckily nobody got seriously hurt.

After our friend and crew Kruiser left, we were a little bit in idle to what we wanted to do and could do from here on. We were just standing still for a while. We had been lucky with weather and conditions, except that time in the Cabo anchorage, but sailing has not been intimidating. Maybe it is also a little calmer in Mexico during the winter months. Looking at other couples with kids, they manage to cruise too. I look up to them, especially having more than one kid. It is not easy on the relationship, being together 24h every day and when following “orders” from the Captain, who is also your husband, should not be questioned. Tough sometimes, not taking things personal. Staying on eye level and making sure, everyone stays happy.

There was always a chance, that we end up with just the Family aboard. I know, that I will have to step up my sailing game to help the Captain. Most times it was me at the steering wheel, when there were tasks to do which meant, leaving the safe cockpit. Given the fact I could “hide” as there WAS strong Kruiser to help, I did not learn as much as I could have. I was also the one to attend to Mats needs, so he will have to be more patient too.

But I think it can work, taking our time to make sure we will have a good weather window, not rushing anywhere and being more understanding and patient with another. Using the halyard uplift for heavier tasks, as Kruiser’s strong arm is not around anymore. It was insane, how he just lifted the dinghy motor on and of without a blink! 🙂

We will probably have to work more with the Autopilot. In swell, this can be tricky.

I am a person who lives in positive (or blue eyed, how we like to say it in Germany) outlook ,that nothing bad can happen to us. It might be because my Dad would always send a guardian angel our way and made me strongly believe in it. And I also see the Captain have similar little souvenirs laying around the boat. 🙂

The town which started out with a nightmare, turned out to be very charming. Not a single house overlapped the highest trees, in tune with nature, except the tower.

In the morning after our dinghy accident, you can read about it HERE, and before bringing Kruiser to shore with all his belongings, or whatever he was able to carry, the Captain went to check out the shore again and talked to a few people in the anchorage. This way he found out, that there was a cute little cove, right next to the beach, with basically NO SWELL! Oh my gosh, silly us.

A short dinghy ride away, we also found this amazing little beach, with way less stingrays than we had seen at the beach in Chacala, so better place for the little guy to play. For the first time we got out that drone for some fun, the Captain jumped like Tarzan from the boat and I got a dreamy Chill out Hammock Chair, maybe I get a chance to find some time to read in it. If not much on this trip, than for sure on our Power boat back home! 🙂

We enjoyed Chacala and having some Family time!

But, where do we go from here? Can we manage on our own?

Three months ago we started fresh and curious to head out together into this adventure! Sailing to Mexico and possibly further -> from Sausalito, California.

I (the woman) would not have started it, if we hadn’t found cool Kruiser, who did not mind joining this crazy Family. Kruiser is that tall 6’8 guy on the far right!

He is open minded and he loves new challenges and adventures, Kruiser is not worried about anything. He is also not very fond of people who express there worries. 😉

Kruiser is an exceptional Fisherman, Cook, Surfer, Spearfisher, Adventurer and open to try pretty much anything.

He was really great with our son Mats!

Buddies for life! Here they enjoy there last trip on the Sailboat for now.

Thank you, Kruiser, for joining us up to Chacala. We wish you all the best for your life and upcoming adventures. A little recap below:

The start, Halfmoon Bay

Passing Point Conception

Close to Santa Barbara

San Diego, last stop in the USA

Great fishing from than onwards.

Scorpion Bay, he was so happy to go surfing.

Cabo San Lucas, being stuck with a broken motor, did not sit well.

Merry Christmas, at Muertos

La Ventana, taking some Kite Surfing lessons.

Los Barrilles, visiting our cool friends.

Isla Isabel, pure awesomeness!

Will he be back?

It’s been over a week ago and I did need some time to process before being able to write about it. I am not sure, if you remember my fear and nightmare, which I had already described in a previous post you can read under ‘The Surf in San Juanico/Scorpion Bay’ or CLICK HERE

I think that it helped telling the rest of the crew about this nightmare and worrying about something like that could happen, as we were always especially careful landing and departing with our dinghy in shore break.

We arrived in Chacala after a long aprox 60 NM sail day. We left Isla Isabel at 2 am, pulled up the anchors and motored out. Someone in the anchorage had mentioned Chacala as a cute little town with good anchorage and we decided to check it out, as it would also break up the distance.

The sail was great and when we arrived in Chacala, we set up the dinghy and cleaned up a bit. By the time we headed to shore, we were all very hungry. Approaching the shore, I found that the waves looked smaller on the far left, but the Captain did not think anything looked harmful and we had a good landing. We found a local restaurant and enjoyed some cold beers.

When we wanted to head back to Alsager, we pulled the dinghy into the water. It was dark, no moon and we could not see the water movement. The waves which hit the shore during the time we got ready, did not look bad at all. That’s how everyone approached the whole departure. Mats our 3yr old sat next to the Captain, as he likes to help steer the boat. I went up to the bow to start paddling us out until the Captain gets the motor started. I had no clue what was going on behind me, we were already a bit away from shore when the whole boat all of a sudden went sideways. A powerful wave grabbed the boat and the sudden side/upward motion threw me right out into the water. When I was able to look up again, I saw that the boat did not capsize, which I was almost sure it must have. Mats and Noah were still in the boat. ARGHHHH! The Captain was trying to stabilize the boat for the next wave and assisting it back to shore but the boat was so swamped with water, that it got too heavy. The next wave went right over Mats (and Noah) , who was holding on tightly. I saw the scared/surprised “HELP ME” look on Mats face (he looked right at me) and it was heartbreaking, as I was too far away to grab him to bring him to shore and I just did not understand, why he was still in the boat and not brought to shore yet.

Later I found out that the Captain did not see any harm in that moment and acted with right reason. I just wanted to hold our little guy and spare him as much as possible. And honestly, I would do it again and again and again! I don’t remember all of it as I was acting in a bit of a shock and panic, but I remember being pushed (and was told that I pushed also to get to the little man – can’t remember though). Blame me for it, but hey, he is my heartbeat! I am still getting emotional just thinking back at this. Awful.

The Captain sat Mats on the beach and I made sure Noah got out of the boat ok. Nothing was dry. All of us than tried to shuffle the water out of the boat to be able to pull it further to shore, as some of the waves were big enough to swamp the boat more. We were worried, that that was the end of our motor too. I saw something moving in the water washing to shore and saved my belongings like Digital Camera, phone, wallet inside the dry bag. One good thing!

When we managed to pull it to shore, I went to Mats, held him in my arms to try to warm him up. He was such a trooper. He was just asking, what had happened and that he was cold.

When the boat was without water and even the motor started on a first try, we did a second attempt, this time like we usually had done up till that day in water with shore break. Kruiser walked the bow out until the captain was able to start the motor. Unfortunately the motor did not start that time, so the Captain and myself just started using the paddles like mad. I hit the Captain in the head by accident, as he was standing right behind me. Ouch!

When we were passed the break, we realized, that we left Kruiser behind, he was swimming after the boat and was calling, if we forgot about him. OOPS…  😉

After he got in we paddled back, as the Captain could not get the motor started. Ones back, I took care of Mats. We were all wet from top to toe and very very sandy. There was no way we would wash this off with cold water, freezing for the passed hour already. I just dried him off, put him in warm PJ’s and tucked him into bed. He fell asleep right away.

The Captain managed to get the motor running again. Lucky, but what a mess. We all went to bed silently and in our own thoughts.

The next day while cleaning up for half a day, I found out what happened. The Captain was in the boat and before the motor was running, Kruiser climbed into the boat from the back, which made the boat go sideways. I tried to straighten it out with paddling, but the wave got us sooner.

BETTER NEVER AGAIN! Yupp, I was certainly thinking about a flight back home.

We learned a lot that night the hard way.

Here a few specs about our dinghy:

They became popular in the 1980s and 1990s when many boating and fishing enthusiasts started downsizing to condominiums and apartments without storage room for an ordinary boat. The Porta–Bote is lightweight, flexible and extremely strong. The Porta–Boteis made of copolymer polypropylene

This is what I wrote in my diary that day:

What a magical place – Bird Island. Whales all around, Manta Rays jumping out of the water, flapping there wings before slapping back down with a loud sound into the water. Fish on mass. Never came that close to nesting or other free birds before.They showed no fear! Watched the birds (blue footed boobies, Frigates) from a short distance, as they were really right at beach close to water or in the trees close to it. Hermit crabs everywhere, so funny to watch them, also geckos. Went snorkeling, awesome to snorkel as there are volcanic rock formations under water.

See for yourselve!

And some pics not to be missed. I truely felt like being in a documentary. I found a well written webpage with facts about this gorgeous island under this link where it’s called the Mexico’s Galapagos! Thank you for watching and hopefully smiling seeing it, even through it is just through my camera lense! 🙂