drinks down the beach at "The Club" (Terri was taking the picture)
the wedding in front of our boat
the woman with the pig and other animals - one of her parrots (note the apron)
her husband had to lift this guy up onto his feet, he's 2 days oldmama is in the background a bit worried about me
Isla Meanguera with Traveller in the background
net fishing on the beach with Chesapeake and Traveller in the background
one of the wooden dugout canoes
fisherman's camp on the beach - drying his nets
chart plotter tracking us at anchor in El Astillero
flock of pelicans flying by in El Astillero
Salvadorian Navy coming to visit at Isla Meanguera
during the papagayos knot meter not at 42.6 yet, but still too much wind
everything was coated in salt, including our bodies
yes indeed we took a bath during the papagayos
we were flying at 9knWifi at last. We arrived yesterday morning first thing (are we anxious or what?) so we could get as much wifi, water, showers, pool, laundry, and electricity as we could. 15 days away from these luxuries in a hot and humid environment isn't much fun. now we and the boat are clean and ready to continue south through Costa Rica on into Panama.
So where are we? We're currently at Marina Papagayo (very expensive new marina with US prices - ouch!) in the Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica, Bahia Culebra, the Gulf of Papagayo. Culebra, by the way, means snake and the locals are trying to change the name to Papagayo to increase more interest in the area. Here's the quick version of where we've been since leaving Bahia del Sol, El Salvador:
March 3 left on the high tide at 5pm and had an easy crossing over the bar. we left with our friends Brian and Terri on their diesel duck Traveller (yes that's a power boat).
March 4 arrived at Isla Meanguera 9am. Salvadoran Navy stopped by to check us out - very friendly. Brian took us ashore in his dinghy (ours is packed up on deck)where we chatted with some locals and while I was photographing a pig his owners invited me to come take pictures of their other animals.
March 5 sails up at 7am, by 10:30am we'd done 25 miles - great sailing in 25kn winds and we flew, 8-9 kn. By noon motoring. night sailing we were dodging mysterious lights and the winds were in the 30s. 2 reefs in the main and rolled up the jib. We were in the middle of papagayos and no place to go.
March 6 dawn and we were both exhausted from a stressful night. Still doing 8-9kn, winds in the high 30s and waves 4-5 ft. we found a place to anchor at Masachapa to try and relax and rest. It was a good spot and in hindsight we wish we'd stayed.
March 7 we went back out thinking the winds had abated. but nooooo. Winds started building and topping 42.6, white water everywhere. Boat was continually awash with high waves. We were in Nicaragua and we took the first good anchorage we could find which was El Astillero (no name). We decided to stay put until the forecast improved. The Nicaraguan Navy stopped by for a visit while we were making breakfast. He came down below and drank some weak barely warm coffee, took a few documents and left. He was very nice and polite. We spent the next 3 days listening to the wind howl outside (in the 30s) and hoping the anchor would hold. Needless to say we got very little sleep but we did get a lot of boat projects done.
March 10 winds had subsided considerably and we left to join Traveller in Santa Elena, Costa Rica. Did a brief stop on the way into Bahia del Sur San Jose to visit s/v Mandan and share morning coffee with Jack. Arrived in Santa Elena and were treated to dinner on Traveller. It's a beautiful soft-sided mangrove-lined bay and we had it all to our selves. parrots flew overhead at dusk and bait balls (bunches of fish) glittered in the water.
March 11 Jim changed the water maker filter and we went to shore for a very brief walk as I was concerned about snakes. That night we discovered we'd anchored in a snake pit. Really. Way too many yellow bellied sea snakes milling around after dark. Yuk. Jim says there were millions of 'em.
March 12 we left at 4am heading to Playa del Coco to officially check into Costa Rica and provision. It was a mad scramble to get to the Pt. Captain, Migracion and Aduana (customs) before everyone closed for the weekend. Very confusing and Pt. Captain closed before we could return as she instructed. To make matters worse, waves were too strong for us to dinghy ashore so had to hire a panga to fetch us back and forth, with about 10 bags of groceries (eggs included). Spent the night in a very rolly and uncomfortable spot and couldn't wait to leave the next morning.
March 13-14 we were outta there by 7am and went around the corner to Playa Panama. What a clean and comfortable anchorage in front of a resort. Jim and I went swimming and cleaned the boat bottom (trying out our hooka). Took a couple walks on the beach and were the backdrop to a beachside wedding.
March 15 took a taxi back to Coco to make sure our check in was fully completed. Pt. Captain office never opened (some kind of medical emergency we later discovered). But we got more food, really yummy great food, at a very upscale market. Winds died and it turned hot and humid. We couldn't wait for next morning to get to the marina.
So where are we? We're currently at Marina Papagayo (very expensive new marina with US prices - ouch!) in the Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica, Bahia Culebra, the Gulf of Papagayo. Culebra, by the way, means snake and the locals are trying to change the name to Papagayo to increase more interest in the area. Here's the quick version of where we've been since leaving Bahia del Sol, El Salvador:
March 3 left on the high tide at 5pm and had an easy crossing over the bar. we left with our friends Brian and Terri on their diesel duck Traveller (yes that's a power boat).
March 4 arrived at Isla Meanguera 9am. Salvadoran Navy stopped by to check us out - very friendly. Brian took us ashore in his dinghy (ours is packed up on deck)where we chatted with some locals and while I was photographing a pig his owners invited me to come take pictures of their other animals.
March 5 sails up at 7am, by 10:30am we'd done 25 miles - great sailing in 25kn winds and we flew, 8-9 kn. By noon motoring. night sailing we were dodging mysterious lights and the winds were in the 30s. 2 reefs in the main and rolled up the jib. We were in the middle of papagayos and no place to go.
March 6 dawn and we were both exhausted from a stressful night. Still doing 8-9kn, winds in the high 30s and waves 4-5 ft. we found a place to anchor at Masachapa to try and relax and rest. It was a good spot and in hindsight we wish we'd stayed.
March 7 we went back out thinking the winds had abated. but nooooo. Winds started building and topping 42.6, white water everywhere. Boat was continually awash with high waves. We were in Nicaragua and we took the first good anchorage we could find which was El Astillero (no name). We decided to stay put until the forecast improved. The Nicaraguan Navy stopped by for a visit while we were making breakfast. He came down below and drank some weak barely warm coffee, took a few documents and left. He was very nice and polite. We spent the next 3 days listening to the wind howl outside (in the 30s) and hoping the anchor would hold. Needless to say we got very little sleep but we did get a lot of boat projects done.
March 10 winds had subsided considerably and we left to join Traveller in Santa Elena, Costa Rica. Did a brief stop on the way into Bahia del Sur San Jose to visit s/v Mandan and share morning coffee with Jack. Arrived in Santa Elena and were treated to dinner on Traveller. It's a beautiful soft-sided mangrove-lined bay and we had it all to our selves. parrots flew overhead at dusk and bait balls (bunches of fish) glittered in the water.
March 11 Jim changed the water maker filter and we went to shore for a very brief walk as I was concerned about snakes. That night we discovered we'd anchored in a snake pit. Really. Way too many yellow bellied sea snakes milling around after dark. Yuk. Jim says there were millions of 'em.
March 12 we left at 4am heading to Playa del Coco to officially check into Costa Rica and provision. It was a mad scramble to get to the Pt. Captain, Migracion and Aduana (customs) before everyone closed for the weekend. Very confusing and Pt. Captain closed before we could return as she instructed. To make matters worse, waves were too strong for us to dinghy ashore so had to hire a panga to fetch us back and forth, with about 10 bags of groceries (eggs included). Spent the night in a very rolly and uncomfortable spot and couldn't wait to leave the next morning.
March 13-14 we were outta there by 7am and went around the corner to Playa Panama. What a clean and comfortable anchorage in front of a resort. Jim and I went swimming and cleaned the boat bottom (trying out our hooka). Took a couple walks on the beach and were the backdrop to a beachside wedding.
March 15 took a taxi back to Coco to make sure our check in was fully completed. Pt. Captain office never opened (some kind of medical emergency we later discovered). But we got more food, really yummy great food, at a very upscale market. Winds died and it turned hot and humid. We couldn't wait for next morning to get to the marina.
and that's what we've been up to. For those of you who had birthdays I hope you understand why you didn't hear from us.
No comments:
Post a Comment