Manzanillo to Tenacatita    

2-26-07

Tenacatita Bay, Mexico

HiYa, everyone, especially Miriam and my play pals!!!

Matey here, Mom and Dad are out relaxing in the cockpit as they always do this time of

day. Usually I don't mind because I'm usually snoozing after a beach play session. But

today I had a hard day and didn't start my nap till around 3pm, so I'm raring to go

now...

It's getting harder to type lately since my darn nails are so long. Mom and dad try to

cut them, but I jerk my paws away - I still remember that time 3 years ago when mom cut

my quick and boy, did that hurt. She still tries though and every once and a while I

forget and she gets lucky on a nail or two.

Anyway, you probably didn't tune in to hear about my nails -- you want to know about

ADVENTURES!!!!!

I had an okay time in Las Hadas, the fancy resort thing is not my style, lucky for me

it's not my parents' either so we only stayed there a day so mom and dad could go hunting

at the grocery, then we headed to Santiago Bay.

We wanted to socialize with StarDancer and Synchrony and have our BYC event - we even

flew our club burgee to get in the spirit. Unfortunately Dave on StarDancer had some

killer margaritas at the local restaurant there to celebrate his birthday. They put in

some 'special' liquor' that is a derivative of a narcotic and some people react badly to

it. Dave gave Mary Ann and a lot of others a real scare, he's recovered now, but the

socializing didn't happen. Here on Pacifica, we were just really glad to hear him up and

about - that was enough reason for celebration on our boat.

   Mom and Dad went out to a Valentines Dinner with a bunch of other cruisers at a Santiago Bay hotel.  I liked this bridge - it was tons of fun, mom and dad let me play on it in the morning.  It's basically one board wide the whole way.  After dinner the water was almost to the top of the bridge and it was really rushing out.

   Just so you don't forget what my parents look like - here they are!!!!

We did hear that Synchrony and StarDancer had there 'event' without us - and they had a

great time. My parents got itchy feet though and had to move on after a couple of days.

Maybe they should be taking some of my Frontline for those itchies....naw - I don't think

so, I need it to protect me from the buggies - so I'm not sharing. But maybe they can

get some of their own.

After Santiago, we had a beautiful sail to Barra de Navidad. So here we were cruising up

the Mexican Rivera Coast wing on wing in a Southerly -- pretty great. But no fishies on

the fishy line.... that part wan't so good, I REALLY want a fish. Anyway, we're cruising

along, passed a Junneau which was bigger than us and we hear a call on the radio from the

other boat (I won't mention names for fear of mortal embarrassment) asking how we got the

wind we had. We played it cool and suggested they put up their main and go wing and

wing. They didn't want to be bothered but eventually the embarrassment was too much and

they put up their main and went wing and wing and of course passed us as they should -

though just barely.

They were also going into to Barra de Navidad so we followed them through the channel

into the Bay. They are really nice people and regularly laugh at me romping around here

at Tenacatita - I always like people laughing at me.

   We entered the lagoon at totally the wrong "by the book" time, on a falling tide during a full moon at that so it was especially low.  Fortunately this guy got stuck early in the day so he acted as a good starboard 'no go' mark.  And also luckily because the ebb was running so strong, there were very distincy tide lines marking the channel.  Though before we entered it we did have a little scare as we watched our depth drop to 6.2 feet (Pacifica has 6 feet under the water - so that's a big deal).  Luckily dad chose the right way to turn to get in the channel.

   Sunset in Barra de Navidad

   Fisherman fishing in the morning near our boat.  Notice the net he is throwing...

  Animal friends - not mine, but each other.

  Dad making friends with a doggie that was left tied up out front of a store.  He was a cute little shy dog like me so dad knew exactly what to say to him.

  Internet Cafe in Barra

   Marked part of the channel to the lagoon where we anchored.

Barra was great - except there was no beach to play on. The Sands hotel where we docked

our dinghy let me roam around and hang at the pool. But I'm not really a lounger -- give

me action. I mostly did walks around town - the heat also helps to tire me out - but

it's nothing here like it was at Zihautanejo. Oh, there was one beach another doggie's

mom and dad told me about. It was okay, but mom and dad found it pebbly. But I did get

LOTS of swimming here. It may be too murky for people, but I don't much care about that

stuff...

   My swimming Beach and my "ride" at the dock.  I love my dinghy sooo much!!!!!  But I'll also happily jump into someone else's if they take me somewhere fun.

   Getting a bite to eat.

   Colorful waterfront restaurant

   Water taxi pangas

   The Sands hotel where they let cruisers tie up to the wall and hang out at their pool.

There was a couple of afternoons of pretty serious wind - like pushing 30 kts. Not

really a big deal, but in a lagoon known for questionable holding, it's kinda worrisome.

So we hung out on the boat as a family and watched movies those days. Dad did go out to

be a hero and call to arms the anchorage to get a dragging boat contained and off of the

other boat it was dragging into. That boat later brought over yummy banana bread for us

as a thank you. This was the only place we've ever seen that you could be anchored in

less than 8 feet of water with 120 feet of chain out and still be worried about dragging.

I know sounds wacky, but it's true!!!!

   In preparation for leaving Barra we (sans me) took a bus to Melaque for some shopping

   Mom and Dad are suckers for the grilled chicken.  And I love when they bring it back to the boat for me.

After about 5 days here (and sadly only 1 French baker delivery) we left for Tenacatita.

I wasn't too sad for long, Tenacatita is the bestest doggie beach we've been to.

especially at the mouth of the lagoon - I love to ride the waves into shore then run out

for more... And if the waves aren't enough, every day at 11am, they have horses on the

beach. I'm a maniac here!!!!! I got beach plays twice a day. Mom and Dad love it here

because it's beautiful, good swimming and NOTHING to spend money on.

   The dinghy raft up at Tenacatita.  It was A LOT of fun.  Everyone passed around food and then everyone had to stand up to say something they learned about visiting a foreign country by boat and a food tidbit.

Synchrony also came in here. Today we took a hike from the main anchorage to the

aquarium anchorage (Juliette of Synchrony came with us). It was a great woodsy hike on a trail then a questionable road. Then a walk the length of the beach to a palapa for lunch. Herb (Juliette's husband) of Synchrony met us at the palapa, then after we visited the little store for more limes and garlic, we headed back through the dinghy jungle trip in Synchrony's dinghy. I must've tried to jump out after fish at least 5 times -- it was so GREAT!!!!!

  On our hike...  What a perfect day.  Mom, Dad Juliett and I hiked to "the aquarium" (outer anchorage of Tenacatita) and had a good dose of woodsy trails, then Herb met us at a palapa on the beach for lunch then gave us all a dinghy ride back to the boat via the jungle river cruise.  

  Mom and dad felt so sorry for this dog.  He came running out of his house wanting to play with me but I totally ignored him and continues to look for fish and body surf the waves.  One thing about Mexican dogs is they always look at me like I'm nuts when I swim.  But every once in a while I find one who likes to play chase, then if I have YAYA's, I get into a game with them.

   Pangas in the river

  That dark break in the trees is the river back to the anchorage.  I tried to keep my head out of the pictures, but it was so exciting and I love sitting on the bow.

  Enclosed in the trees

   Herb and Juliett of s/v Synchrony

  Greg and I

   During the celebration for Carnival in Barra we were able to see a group of Polynesian Dancers.

Tomorrow we plan to leave for Careyes if there is room for us, there are ALOT of boats

all going the same direction---NORTH. Synchrony might come with us - well, they are

definately leaving tomorrow - they put their jib on the boat :-) But they might go

straight past Cabo Correnties to La Cruz. Something about a rumor of a good weather

window about to close. Mom and Dad want to play more at the anchorages on the way, so

we're not going to rush it. There's bound to be another window - sure hope we aren't

cursing ourselves beating around Correnties in 35 knots of wind... Don't worry, we won't

- that's the good thing about cruising, we don't have a time schedule, we we'll wait for

a good rounding....

Big Wags at YA....Matey