Keeping busy

Bahia del Sol, El Salvador

Since our arrival here at the Bahia del Sol resort, we have been very active.  It seems as if there is always something going on or someplace to go. This is part of the reason why my posts have been so infrequent of late.

The hotel has been very busy this last week, largely due to Semana Santa.  El Salvador takes "Holy Week" seriously.  There are solemn masses, village-wide feasts, and days of flower-filled parades and masses culminating in the Easter Sunday service.  At the resort, this mostly translates to lots of partying into the night.  In the marina it has made for a very uncomfortable rock and roll session each day as the local pangas and sport-fishing boats go blasting up and down the estuary, throwing up huge wakes as they pass the docks.  Everything is quite quiet in the mornings though.  After this coming Monday, it will no doubt be a lot more subdued around here.

For the cruisers, the hotel offers a special deal.  For $14 a week, you get 30% off of all purchases at the restaurants, a somewhat reduced slip rate, beers for $1 each, 1/2 price happy hours from 4 till 6 PM at the bar, and the use of the showers and pools, etc.  All in all, it is pretty sweet.

So far, in addition to hanging around at the bar or in the pool, we have gone on a few local excursions.

Last Monday, a bunch of us cruisers rented a van and driver to take us to the nearby town of Zacatecoluca, mostly as an opportunity to visit the main grocery stores - some of the people needed to do some re-provisioning, although we were still pretty well stocked from Chiapas.  The town is about a 1-1/2 hour drive from the resort and is the site of the nearest ATM machine in the area.

With the resort being out on the end of a long peninsula, it is pretty isolated except for some small local businesses along the road.  Walking down the road is interesting but very hot.  We did walk down to a small roadside restaurant for lunch one day, in search of some of the local Pupusas, a thick hand-made tortilla stuffed with cheese, beans, or pork (the national dish of El Salvador).  We did not actually find any Pupusas, but had an enjoyable lunch anyway. Fresh fish is, of course, the main fare.

 

Last Wednesday we launched our dinghy and took a 3 or 4 mile cruise up the estuary, winding around some islands till we found the small town of La Herradura.  When you get to the "wall" at the town, you hand your dinghy to a local attendant who looks after it until you return, for a $1 fee.  This is a dose of authentic rural El Salvador, walking along the long, windy main road, lined with small stores and glimpses of rural life, and an interesting market, where we did buy some fresh fruit.  We were accompanied by a couple of other cruisers, who assured us that the prices for fish were 1/2 what they were at shops near the hotel (around $2.50 a pound at the market here).

After the long walk along the busy street, we hopped into one of the 3-wheeled Tuc-Tucs back to the wharf, for a price of 25 cents each.  We had not thought to see these vehicles outside of Asia, but they seem very popular here.  Back at the wharf, we scarfed down some cold drinks before making the trip back to the marina.  This was the first real trip of any length for us in the new dinghy and we were very happy with its performance - easily getting up on a plane with the two of us, with only our little 5HP motor for propulsion.

Later in the day, we dinghied over to a local ex-pat lady's home on the island across from the marina, where she put on a delicious chicken dinner for a group of cruisers - a fund-raising effort to support a local school.  A good time was had by all.


Our third excursion was just yesterday (Friday).  We again hired a van and driver and journeyed to a mountain peak on the outskirts of San Salvador, by the name of Puerta Del Diablo "The Devil's Door".  This was a sacred site used for sacrifice rituals by the Mayan Pipil people.

Along the way, we had to stop to let one of the many holy week processions go by.  A bit of bonus for us.

We hiked to the top to take in the view, where I am sure you could see all of El Salvador, from the Pacific Ocean to the borders with neighboring countries.  It was very windy at the top.  There was a small zip-line across a gap, but Sue and I chickened out.

Around the parking lot, there were some of the usual souvenir shops and restaurants.  Our group ate at a little Pupuseria, located in some volcanic caves at the bottom of the mountain.  We finally got to try some Pupusas and were very impressed - very tasty fare indeed.  As you can see from the picture below, we were a pretty somber crowd, in honor of Samana Santa.

On Thursday last, we also participated in an event very unique to cruisers - a dinghy raft-up.  We motored a short distance over at slack tide to where some boats were anchored, tied all the dinghies together and let the ebbing tide float us all down the estuary, while much drinking and lively conversation ensued.  As darkness fell and we were in jeopardy of being flushed out over the entrance bar, we all motored back to the marina.

So you can see that we have not been completely idle here, so you can stop feeling sorry for us.
Life is good.

{GMST}13|37.523|N|89|11.385|W|Puerta Del Diablo, El Salvador|Puerta Del Diablo, El Salvador{GEND}
{GMST}13|20.708|N|88|56.825|W|La Herradura, El Salvador|La Herradura, El Salvador{GEND}
{GMST}13|30.000|N|88|52.000|W|Zacatecoluca, El Salvador|Zacatecoluca, El Salvador{GEND}

Surfs up!

Bahia del Sol, El Salvador

Sometime you find yourself in situations that make you ask "What are we doing here?"

We have crossed many river bars along the way on our trip down the west coast of the US and Mexico, but nothing is quite like the thrill of surfing through the entrance to this estuary.  Suffice it to say that this might not appeal to everyone, and we would certainly not try this without the benefit of a pilot boat assuring us that this is perfectly normal - nothing to worry about!  I think the pictures tell the story better than I could possibly manage.  Note: We are motoring at full speed (a bit over 7 knots) during this whole sequence.

Yes, we did get wet!

Here we are, safe and sound in the marina at the Bahia del Sol resort.  The port captain and immigration officers greet you on the dock and hustle you through the formalities in their air-conditioned office, right here at the hotel - pretty cool.  The shell-shocked looks on our faces are not faked.

It is interesting to note that the conditions can vary quite a bit on the bar.  Boats that had come in a couple of weeks ago, and a few that arrived in the last couple of days, complained that there was no surf at all and they were a little disappointed with the benign nature of the entrance.  All I can say is beware of what you wish for, and remember we still have to get out of here at some point in the future.

{GMST}13|18.05|N|88|53.54|W|Bahia del Sol, El Salvador|Bahia del Sol, El Salvador{GEND}

Access Denied

Almost Bahia del Sol, El Salvador

El Salvador does not want us.

After a mostly uneventful passage from Marina Chiapas, we arrived at the entrance to the estuary at Bahia del Sol around 8:30AM, well ahead of schedule.  We were told to wait for 2 hours until high tide, so we idled around in a holding pattern to pass the time.

At just after 10AM, we were told via VHF that the sea was too treacherous to allow entry today. Indeed, the 3 to 6 foot swell appeared to kick up some serious surf around the entrance. So now we find ourselves in a roadstead anchorage in 40+ feet of water just west of the estuary entrance, about 1/2 mile offshore, safely out of the surf zone. A bit bouncy but we have anchored in worse conditions by far.

We will just have to wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

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En Route de El Salvador

Somewhere off the coast of Guatemala

After a late start from Marina Chiapas yesterday, we have had a very smooth ride.
The Navy guys, scheduled to arrive at 7AM, did not get there until 10:30. As soon as they were done with us, we motored as fast as we could to make up some time. Fortunately we have had a favorable current with us and have even been able to sail for a few hours. Winds have been very light and the seas are pretty calm. Lots of local fishing boats and pangas along the way, so we have taken a longer, offshore route to avoid them - we are currently about 20 miles off the coast and starting to edge in towards our destination at Bahia del Sol in El Salvador. Should be there on schedule tomorrow morning.

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The best laid plans...

Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, Mexico

We were unable to complete our paperwork for leaving Mexico on Monday.  Apparently some sort of pseudo-holiday that had our Port Captain taking most of the day off.
Today (Tuesday) we were able to visit the Port Authority (pay the API fee), Immigration at the airport where we checked out of the country (pay for the visas we had already paid for), the Port Captain to get our exit permission (pay the port import fee) and finally the marina office to pay for our slip for the last 40 days.  We now have a lot less cash and an the armload of paperwork that will let us leave the country tomorrow morning, as soon as the Navy has a chance to re-inspect the boat - they are supposed to arrive at the boat at 7AM.

Current plan is to be at the entrance to Bahia del Sol in El Salvador by early Friday morning (high tide is at 10:25AM).  The weather looks good, with a strong possibility of some actual wind to blow us down the coast.

Almost ready

Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, Mexico

Final preparation are underway for leaving Mexico behind.

After two years of enjoying Mexico's west coast, it is time to move on.  It may sound strange but we have started to think of Mexico as home now - we are finding it hard to imagine leaving.  As with any place you spend a large amount of time, you do start to get "dug in".  It is not hard to understand the large number of cruisers and non-cruisers that we have met who have settled down here for good.

This last week has been filled with boat projects and provisioning.

I have installed the new Balmar alternator along with its new temperature sensor.  Running the engine for about an hour as a test, showed that it does not put out quite as much current as the old alternator, likely due to the slightly larger pulley on the new unit, and a tendency for the ARS-4 regulator to regularly shut the current down to a trickle, most likely due to the installation of the new temperature sensor - I assume this is an effort to keep the alternator from overheating and should prevent another meltdown like we had with the old one.  The final test will come when we make the next passage and see how it all works on a long haul.

My big project was tackling the ailing watermaker.  I used a tried and true troubleshooting technique that I learned years ago as an amateur computer technician - I took the whole thing apart and put it back together again.  Along the way, I did replace all of the O-rings and cleaned and greased everything up with the recommended silicone grease.  When I was done, and the unit was re-installed, it actually appears to be working, although it will again take a longer prolonged test at sea to prove it one way or the other.  Note:  At no time during this process did I spot anything that looked suspicious - no obvious broken or damaged O-rings or leaks which means I am not really sure that I fixed anything at all.

I installed a new manual galley pump in the bathroom - a 10-minute job.  Works great now.

I topped up our diesel, with help from Enrique with a pick-up truck and a lot of jerry cans.  Cost of diesel here was about 94 cents Canadian a liter.  The gas station was a short 10-minute drive away.

Sue and I gave the boat a complete wash down outside, finally getting most of the salt residue and dirt off of the decks and fittings - should last until our next passage.  We also took about 150 feet of chain out of the locker and laid it out on the dock so we could give it a good wash, in an attempt to get rid of the smelly muck that we had acquired in Zihuatanejo.  While we had the chain on the dock, I used the opportunity to again touch up our painted marks.

We have made two separate trips into Tapachula to buy provisions.  Each time we took a collectivo van to the store (Chedraui on the first trip and Walmart on the second), then paid a taxi to take us back to the marina with our purchases.  This 30 km trip costs 16 pesos each via the collectivo and 300 pesos for a taxi.  Before putting more stuff in the freezer, I defrosted it - this takes about 10 minutes with the Engel freezer, by just taking everything out and then hauling the unit out into the noonday sun.  Temperatures are running around the mid-30s during the day right now.

Now that we have our own supplies again, Sue is back to creating her wonderful gourmet meals, although we have eaten out at the marina restaurant a couple more times.  It is still not officially open but they make a great club sandwich.  We have had an opportunity to give them some input as to what we think they should have on their menu and how it should be presented.  Overall, we think the restaurant should do well - it is a great location.  The only real problem we saw was that the bugs come out at night.  If there is no wind, as soon as the sun goes down, the no-see-ums come out in force.  You literally cannot see them and they are merciless.  They especially like the ankles.  As usual with such biting insects, I seem to be particularly vulnerable.  I rarely feel them biting and I always get quite a reaction from the bites.  And bites they are too - these are not insects that sting - they actually take a chunk out of you.  Although many people call them no-see-ums, one cruiser we heard call them "flying teeth" which is much closer to the mark.  Oh well, in a few days this too shall pass.

Our current plan is to check out of Mexico tomorrow (requires a trip to the airport to do some paperwork and get our exit stamps from immigration), then leave as early as possible on Tuesday morning.  Apparently we have to wait for an inspection by the Navy before we can leave and I am not sure what time they are available in the mornings.  If all goes well, we will be at, or near, Bahia del Sol in El Salvador by Thursday morning, hopefully in time for the high tide at 9:20AM.  If we miss this high tide, we will most likely have to wait till Friday morning to cross the bar into the lagoon.

Inspected, detected and lost

Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, Mexico

There is nothing so relaxing as a trip by air.

We left Edmonton, on a sunny, relatively warm, day.  Our flight left at 11:50PM, just before midnight, minutes before daylight savings time kicked in in Canada and the US.  For reasons unknown, the US customs and immigration at the Edmonton airport was not open, so we actually flew into Houston as an international flight for a change.

No problem with the ridiculous requirement to check into the USA and back out again on a connecting flight as we had lots of time and the lineups were not too bad - nice to know that the USA is looking out for us.  We even had time for breakfast in the airport.

The problems started with the flight out of Houston, destined for Mexico city.  There was a nasty thunderstorm raging in Texas and they shut down one of the takeoff runways, forcing the large volume of traffic to use a single runway.  This kept us waiting for over an hour on the ground before our turn came up.  This was a bit of a concern for us as we only had a scheduled hour and a half in Mexico city to clear customs and immigration and get from the international terminal to the Aeromexico terminal for our flight to Tapachula.  Indeed, in spite of making up some of the time on the flight from Houston, we still arrived very late.  The approach to Mexico city is always spectacular, as you descend beside the volcanoes into the haze, to find yourself over this immense city.

As usual, the Mexican formalities ran very fast and smooth and we were whisked through immigration.  We only had a short wait for our bags which we had to pick up and take through customs (green light - thank goodness) and we plopped the bags onto the conveyor belt that supposedly takes then through to the connecting flight.  With only a 1/2 hour until that flight took off, we had little hope that the bags would make it in time.

For ourselves, we had to take a bus (the train was not working) to terminal 2.  As were sitting on the bus, we saw the boarding time listed on our boarding pass, pass by.  Once we were at the terminal, we were directed into two incorrect lineups before finally finding the security gate.  Fortunately there was no lineup there and we were able to clear security very quickly.  We literally ran the length of the terminal to get to our gate about 10 minutes before takeoff.  There was no-one at the gate and it was closed.  As we stood there in shock, someone came up from the plane and opened the door and asked if we wanted to get on the plane.  Yes, we shouted!  She advised us to run down the ramp and so we did just that, and as they closed the door to the aircraft behind us, we congratulated ourselves on accomplishing the seemingly impossible task.  We had made it!

The bags however, were another story.  When we arrived in Tapachula, just before 2PM, as feared, the bags did not.  After filling in some lengthy forms for lost luggage, we almost left the airport when it occurred to us that the next flight would probably have our bags, and that was scheduled for about 3 hours later.  So, we just hung around the airport until the next flight arrived around 5:30PM.  The Aeromexico baggage guy had already confirmed that our bags were indeed on that flight, and sure enough, there they were.  For some reason they were all wrapped up in plastic bags and were a little worse for wear, but they were there.

We grabbed a taxi to take us to the marina, about 20 minutes from the airport, and opened the bags to find that everything was OK, although mine had a nice note from US Home Security letting me know that they had felt it necessary to search my bag and break the lock in the process.  Oh well, this is the fun of travelling through the USA these days.  At least nothing else was broken and nothing appeared to be missing.

Back at the marina, the boat seemed to have weathered the last two weeks OK.  It is a little dirty.  This morning, four sailboats arrived into the marina, so there are actually more boats here now than when we left, although most of the ones that were here then have now gone.  Great news was that the restaurant at the marina was open.  A somewhat limited selection but we were able to grab a quick supper before we both collapsed for the night.

This morning, we unpacked all our booty.  It looks like quite a haul, considering we had very little on our list of must-haves when we left here two weeks ago.  Thank goodness we got the green light at customs, as I would hate to have to explain it all to them.  The accompanying picture shows just about everything except some clothing.  Now our job is to cross a few key items of boat maintenance off our list before we can get out of here.  I already have a guy scrubbing the accumulated weeds and barnacles off the bottom of the boat and I hope to arrange for some diesel this afternoon.  With any luck, I should be able to get the new alternator installed today or tomorrow.  Susanne wants to get some laundry done, and that will just about be everything that absolutely has to be done.

BTW, it is hot!

{GMST}14|41.92|N|92|23.51|W|Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, Mexico|Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, Mexico{GEND}

Winter revisited

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Two weeks in Edmonton, gone by in a flash.

Cold, snow, winter remembered.

Lots of shopping, visiting with friends and family, shivering in the sub-zero temperatures.  Nuff said!



Back to sunny Mexico tonight.  With any luck Sine Timore is still there, safe and sound.

{GMST}53|33.07|N|113|29.76|W|Edmonton, AB, Canada|Edmonton, AB, Canada{GEND}