Happy New Year!

Well we are ringing in the New Year on the mainland of Pacific Mexico.  It’s hot, humid, lush and dreamy.  Everything we were looking for when we left Baja California!

After a nice brisk overnight sail from Los Muertos on the Baja Peninsula, we stopped in at Isla Isabella.  This is an amazing island – the Galapagos of Mexico they call it.  As you come close to it, you see a dark cloud of circling birds overhead.  The photos don’t do it justice.   On shore there are hundreds of iguanas and lizards under food.  We snorkeled and relaxed in the cozy but still quite secure anchorage.

Those black things are not dirt on your screen, there were massive amounts of birds. Magnificent Frigate Birds and Blue Footed Boobies and more.
Those black things are not dirt on your screen, there were massive amounts of birds. Magnificent Frigate Birds and Blue Footed Boobies and more.

 

Adelaide taking copious scientific notes - love this girl
Adelaide taking copious scientific notes – love this girl
Magnificent Frigate Bird showing off his stuff
Magnificent Frigate Bird showing off his stuff

While we were snorkeling, one of our friends on another boat had a run-in with a Portuguese Man-o-War jelly fish.  It was our first encounter with the seriously poisonous kind (buy a sting suit / aka super sexy full body swim suit if you are going to cruise in MX).  It was not pleasant…  They ended up administering lots of Benadryl and even epinephrine…  It was a good wake up call to me to brush up on my medicine cabinet, make those drug Info cards I had been thinking of making and to organize our meds further.

Hiking on Isabella. We are pretty sure this is a Banyan tree, but not really , which is embarrassing since our boat is named Banyan...
Hiking on Isabella. We are pretty sure this is a Banyan tree, but not really , which is embarrassing since our boat is named Banyan…

After that adventure, we headed south hoping to hit Barra de Navidad.  But, we opted to pull into Chamela bay as the winds had died and we didn’t want to motor all the way to Barra.  We ended up spending a lovely, if very quiet Christmas in Chamela bay.  It was by far the sparest Christmas the girls have ever had, and each of them said that it was the best Christmas ever.  We opened presents, made our traditional dutch babies for breakfast, the girls played with their new gifts and then naturally, we all went for a swim in the clear warm water just off the boat.  We even got to attend the mass at the local Catholic Church where we were undoubtedly the only gringos as it is a small community and not visited by many from the U.S.

Christmas Eve in Chamela bay. The girls befriended a local girl and played in the waves speaking spanglish together.
Christmas Eve in Chamela bay. The girls befriended a local girl and played in the waves speaking spanglish together.
Cameron and Isa tackling her gift - the dreaded Dia de los Muertos 1000 piece puzzle. It's still in progress.
Cameron and Isa tackling her gift – the dreaded Dia de los Muertos 1000 piece puzzle. Its still in progress.
One of my masterpieces ... Dutch babies! My sister and mom were making them at the same time on Christmas Morning (*warm fuzzies*)
One of my masterpieces … Dutch babies! My sister and mom were making them at the same time on Christmas Morning (*warm fuzzies*)

After Christmas we decided to keep heading south and pulled into Tenacatita after a perfect little downwind sail.  We anchored in the outside anchorage which they call the “Aquarium” and had a good snorkel the next day.

Now.  Every morning, if you are near a fairly populated area (populated with cruisers that is), there is a morning net on Channel 22 of the VHF radio.  This is an all round way to connect with the cruising community.  There are boat check-ins, arrivals and departures, emergency needs, local help etc.  It’s a nice way to get information you need, connect with people you know in the area or just get some cheap entertainment.  When we checked in to the net that morning from the outside anchorage of Tenacatita, we had decided to continue on to Barra de Navidad the next day at least.  After the net we were contacted by a boat called Harmony, owned by Robert and Virginia Gleser.  Robert is the “mayor” of the anchorage in Tenacatia and he had his kids and grandkids aboard.  He basically told us to come into the inner anchorage for the activities and fun they had planned for the next few days.  After a morning of snorkeling we found ourselves doing exactly as we had been told, upping anchor to heading into the inner bay.

Adelaide trimming the sails
Adelaide trimming the sails on the way into the inner anchorage at Tenacatita

Like most places, we planned to be there for only a few nights and keep moving south, but the community there was so welcoming that we ended up staying through the New Year.  We had so much in common with Robert’s daughter and son-in-law that it was astounding.  Age of kids – almost exact, UC Davis – at the same time, Napa – lived there while we did, Walla Walla – they started a vineyard there (almost creepy right?).  To top all of this off, Robert and his wife Virginia lived with Ina May Gaskin, the author of Spiritual Midwifery, on the famous Hippy Commune, “The Farm”.  Spiritual Midwifery was a formative book for me while I was preparing to birth the girls and Virginia and I had lots to discuss.  We really enjoyed getting to know them to say the least.  If you are following us on Facebook you know that we helped to release sea turtles and there was plenty of jumping off the boat into warm water.  The cruisers there are well acquainted with each other and unusually well organized with bocci on the beach daily, biathlons, daily swim meets, and more.

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The girls with their new buddies releasing baby sea turtles at sunset
The girls with their new buddies releasing baby sea turtles at sunset.

We had a fun New Years, attending an all anchorage dingy raft-up complete with potluck dinner, speeches and then later, fireworks from the resort a little ways up the shore.

But!  Work calls and there was no good WiFi or internet Cafe in Tenacatita – just a palapa selling tacos and beer – so we headed south to Barra de Navidad, our southern most destination.  We decided to splurge a bit and stay in the marina for a few nights which affords us access to a wonderful resort pool with no less than three sections connected by massive slides, easy laundry facilities, WiFi and the feeling that we are on vacation.  We have been “on the hook” for the last 7 months and the luxury of stepping off the boat onto a dock is quite lovely.

My "office" the last few days... can't really beat it.
My “office” the last few days… can’t really beat it.

Banyan is getting some well deserved TLC as well.  She got a complete top decks and hull wax yesterday and she is looking very pretty with her new sheen.  The girls are in heaven at the pool

when they are not in school – not much of a winter break on Banyan (shhhh, don’t tell them).  Don’t worry, they will get some time off when the grandparents come soon.

We wish you all a wonderful New Year and know that there will be many fun adventures in 2016!

Much Love,

The Vawter Family

 

 

12 comments

  1. Dennis Sullivan...(Roan and Oliver's dad) says:

    Happy New Year!

    Loving the posts. I read them to the boys and have been getting them excited about our own adventure… Not sure what that is yet, but you guys are providing all the inspiration. Happy to hear you made to the warm climes… Rainy and cold in Calistoga.

    Viva 2016

    The Sullivans

    PS… Too bad we can’t post photos here. A lot of good backpacking pics from recent trips.

    • Anne Vawter says:

      Hi Dennis!
      Well you better start a blog so we can read about your backpacking and see some pics:). I’m so glad the blog is fun for you guys. I enjoy writing it and keeping in touch with friends at home. I look forward to hearing about your next adventure!
      Cheers, Anne

  2. Barbara Vawter says:

    Amazing, your adventures are so interesting, I love the connection with the latest family you met and all the similarities. I think your meeting was meant to be, you are great sailors, well done….. love and hugs always, Mom

  3. Dennis Randall (Second Wind) says:

    Hi Guys, and Happy New Year!
    I am so jealous! Our few days together at Frailes was the only taste of the cruising community I got on my trip. While I got lots of other benefits from my time, I never really felt I fit in. I am so envious! Savor every moment you can; I know your family will be forever changed by this adventure. I am really enjoying living vicariously through you. Fair Winds!

  4. Bruce Mckendry says:

    Ahoy!
    Quick question: why do you so often sail over night to new destinations? Being a landlubber, I would think there would be added safety in having daytime visibility, especially around costal areas.
    Great Stuff…love your blogging efforts.
    Poppi

    • Anne Vawter says:

      Hey Pops,

      What’s most important is a daytime arrival. When you plan to be pulling into the anchorage you have never been to, and you may be anchoring next to other boats, daytime is best. So, when we left for Muertos we knew we would have around a 45 hour cruise. We left in the evening so that we would arrive during the morning/day on the second day. It’s sometimes a guess as you don’t know what winds are going to do, but you do your best with the info you have to hit land when the sun is out. So you are right! Best to navigate land during the day, which is why we have to leave at night sometimes.
      Mucho Amor mi Padre!

  5. Gary Souza says:

    Hey Annie…Great to hear how the adventure continues!! Sounds like an awesome experience… Hugs for the family. Fair winds, sail safe…Aloha

  6. Tom Rinaldi says:

    You guys are awesome….keep up the good publications of the journey….I am enthralled, feeling so locally bound…love the 2015 journeys and can only imagine 2016 as awesome squared! Happy Trails! Tom Rinaldi

  7. Al Erickson says:

    Love your posts. Pictures are great and you write so well.
    Two questions:
    1) How did you keep the 1000 puzzle pieces on the table while sailing or did you have to pack the puzzle away? I have given up on 1000 piece puzzles and stick to 500.
    2) You waxed the boat including the hull. Did you do below the water line and if yes, how?

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