July 12-14, 2013 Manzanillo to Banderas Bay
We had intended to only stop in Manzanillo long enough to get gas, but of course we stayed longer. There was still a lot of storm out there and since we did not get in until dawn, we needed to sleep most of the day. We did not try to go ashore since there is a $20/day fee to tie up the dingy, just hung out on the boat and stored up our energy for what will hopefully be the last push. The bay is full of enormous cargo ships waiting for their turn to go into the harbor to unload. At one point Alan counted 10 of them.
Next morning the weather was looking better so we weighed anchor and headed for the gas dock. As we got there and tried to tie up we realized that there were large swells coming around the corner of the breakwater. Poor Rhapsody was banging against the dock and being pulled back and forth wildly. Just then the attendant can running down and through sign language, got us to understand that we should tie the bow to a buoy in the middle of the channel and back in and tie the stern to the dock. This looks impossible but there did not seem to be any other way and we need fuel.
We managed to grab the buoy line but it is really short. We tie a dock line onto it but it still is not long enough. Another dock line is added to the first and we start to back up to the dock. Still not long enough. Another line is added. And then a sport fishing boat moves into the dock to take on fuel. Through all this, we are crosswise in the middle of a narrow channel. It is 9:30 in the morning and other boats are coming in and out, including the tour boats. The swells are tossing us around. Rhapsody does not back straight, even in calm water. Eventually, the other boat leaves and we manage to back close enough for the dock attendant to grab a stern line and tie us on. I am completely stressed out. Just as we start fueling up, the harbor master shows up and wants to know what the heck is going on. Apparently the other boats have complained that we are blocking the channel and they are having trouble getting past us. Eventually we have our fuel. Now we need to pay. Luckily we have enough cash. Otherwise Alan was going to have to leap a 3 foot gap and walk over to the office to pay by credit card. The money is wrapped around a fork, secured with a rubber band, put into a bucket and swung ashore. The fork and change are returned and we are finally done. Stern lines cast off. Bow lines pulled in and untied and we are off to Banderas Bay.
After what we have been through, this last sail was fairly uneventful. We had the usual light winds, large puffy clouds over land, lightning at night but nothing too dramatic. With a combination of sails and engine we made fairly good time and rounded Cabo Corrientes about 3:00 the next afternoon. We are officially in Banderas Bay! Of course it is still 20 miles across the bay to La Cruz where we plan to anchor for the night. but it stays light until 9pm so we should be fine.
I throw the fishing line out and actually catch a fish, a mackerel and not too big. Sometime during our trip south, I had forgotten to pull the line in overnight. It had gotten wrapped around the prop during one of the storms. The hook came off and the middle of the line melted into a blob of nylon. however, both ends were OK, so I added some more line in the middle and attached a new cedar plug and hook. This is the first time I have used it. This hook is smaller so the fish was smaller, a much better size for the two of us. That other hook was catching fish that were much too big.
The anchorage at La Cruz is almost empty. There are only 5 other boats anchored out and 3 of them look like they are here indefinitely. You would think there would be plenty of room to anchor, but somehow Alan still puts us right between 2 other boats. Oh well. It is lovely and cool. We cook the fish and then sit on deck and watch the clouds roll and the lightning dance on the other side of the bay. Tomorrow or the next day we will move into the marina for the rest of the year.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
July 9-11, 2013 Lazaro Cardenas to Manzanillo, Stormy
Fingers crossed, we cranked over the engine. After a few odd hiccups and squeals, it started. We intend to keep it on until we get to the next port, Manzanillo, 175 miles up the coast. As we are packing up and getting ready to leave, the port control officer comes out on the little Boston Whaler. He wants to be sure we are OK. Everything working? Where are we headed? Alan is concerned about getting under the bridge. After some discussion, he calls bridge control. We think we need 16 meters to clear. Bridge control says they have 15 meters but we made it under on the way up. So the plan is to go very slowly and if it looks like we will not clear, bridge control will give the work to throw it into reverse and wait while they raise the bridge. I am not sure they realize that it is not that easy to stop our forward motion, especially with the river current. Let’s hope we clear. Once again we squeak under, although we don’t get the all clear until we are literally under the bridge. Not sure what would have happened if it wasn’t clear.
Now we are in the main channel, heading for the breakwater and the open ocean again. Big waves from the bridge crew and all of the fishermen heading out in their pongas. Out of the harbor, there are 5 large ships at anchor, waiting for their turn for a dock to load. Apparently the harbor is full and we hear them on the radio complaining about having to wait is such a rolly sea. There are big swells but the sky is clear. Not much wind but it doesn’t matter since we intend to motor all the way anyway. At this point we just want to be back.
Of course the wind is right on the nose. During my watch I tack and tack and tack again, trying to get wind in the sails to help the engine. There is lots of chop, apparent wind is 15-18 knots and it feels like we are fighting a current. There is lightning in the distance but stars overhead. Despite all, we are making 3+ knots of speed. Not too bad. When the weather is calm, I usually read on my watch but the auto pilots won’t hold in this kind of weather, so I need to hang on to the tiller and steer the whole time. Not possible to read. The sound system is messed up so we can’t use the cd player but my wonderful son has loaded my iPhone with my favorite music and podcasts. The speaker is not very loud and hard to hear over the noise of the engine, wind and waves but I figure out that I can tuck it under the strap of my life vest right by my ear and hear just fine. Makes a big difference to have something to listen to.
Next day looks clear although there is more wind than usual in the morning. The big swells have finally gone and the sea is much calmer. Our speed is up to 4.5 knots and we are on track to be in Manzanillo early tomorrow morning. We have gotten quite accustomed to clouds building over the land in the late afternoon and turning into thunderstorms overnight, so we are not too worried when it starts to cloud up about 3 in the afternoon. But this does not seem to be just little storms, the clouds are huge and dark and swirly. We can see lightning along the shore and hear the thunder but it is clear out to sea, so I abandon the planned route and head away from the storm, hoping that it will go the other way. No such luck. About 4:30 it hits with a vengeance, thunder, lightning, wind and rain. Luckily we had reefed the mail sail earlier and did not have the jib up. It is supposed to be my watch but I can’t handle it. I am sorry but the lightning freaks me out. We have our battery cables over the side and there is not anything else we can do, but I hate it. I promise Alan that I will take over again as soon as the lightning goes away. Except that it does not let up. This is not some brief afternoon storm but a raging gale that lasts for 6 hours. At one point the wind speed is almost 30 knots. Diid we leave port too early? Is this a leftover piece of Hurricane Erick? With no internet we cannot tell.
Eventually Alan needs a break , although I actually think he is having a ball. Now it is my turn to battle wind and waves. The engine is still chugging along just fine. The throttle was slipping so Alan has tied it so it can’t move. Let’s hope I don’t want to slow down. With this much wind, I can barely hold the tiller. I brace my feet against the side of the cockpit and prop the tiller against my hip and hold on. I call this my “yoga twist” autopilot. At one point it seems like I should let out the sails to take the strain off but I can’t get to the main sheet without letting go of the tiller so I just hang on and ride it out. I know that we should be getting close to Manzanillo but the storm is so thick that I cannot see any lights yet. One interesting problem is that when it rains too hard, the raindrops hitting the screen of the iPad act like finger touches and change the settings so you need to go down below to check the course and see if there are other ships. One more thing to work out. It needs it’s own little awning.
Little by little the storm finally starts to blow out, but not without a few parting shots. The wind drops down to 4-5 knots, making the sails flap and jibe and then hits again with gusts of 20 knots. As a final good-bye, the boat is suddenly surrounded by 15-20 lightning strikes, straight down into the ocean and horizontal between clouds and almost simultaneous thunder loud enough to leave your ears ringing. Beautiful, but much too much and much too close.
The clouds finally lift and I can see the shore lights and the flashing light from the lighthouse at the harbor. Also lots of other ships around. Most of them are at anchor but a couple go steaming past on their way out. Lightning has moved off to the distance but not stopped. There are still bright flashes to the west and now they are bright pink for some reason. Now that it looks like we are almost there, it seems to take forever to go the last 10 miles. Another rain cloud moves over and the lightning looks closer. Storms are not allowed to turn around and come back once they have passed, right? Eventually we round the point and enter the harbor. Lights everywhere. Huge ships blazing with lights anchored all over the bay. We find our way to the anchorage at Las Hades and drop anchor. Whew!
Fingers crossed, we cranked over the engine. After a few odd hiccups and squeals, it started. We intend to keep it on until we get to the next port, Manzanillo, 175 miles up the coast. As we are packing up and getting ready to leave, the port control officer comes out on the little Boston Whaler. He wants to be sure we are OK. Everything working? Where are we headed? Alan is concerned about getting under the bridge. After some discussion, he calls bridge control. We think we need 16 meters to clear. Bridge control says they have 15 meters but we made it under on the way up. So the plan is to go very slowly and if it looks like we will not clear, bridge control will give the work to throw it into reverse and wait while they raise the bridge. I am not sure they realize that it is not that easy to stop our forward motion, especially with the river current. Let’s hope we clear. Once again we squeak under, although we don’t get the all clear until we are literally under the bridge. Not sure what would have happened if it wasn’t clear.
Now we are in the main channel, heading for the breakwater and the open ocean again. Big waves from the bridge crew and all of the fishermen heading out in their pongas. Out of the harbor, there are 5 large ships at anchor, waiting for their turn for a dock to load. Apparently the harbor is full and we hear them on the radio complaining about having to wait is such a rolly sea. There are big swells but the sky is clear. Not much wind but it doesn’t matter since we intend to motor all the way anyway. At this point we just want to be back.
Of course the wind is right on the nose. During my watch I tack and tack and tack again, trying to get wind in the sails to help the engine. There is lots of chop, apparent wind is 15-18 knots and it feels like we are fighting a current. There is lightning in the distance but stars overhead. Despite all, we are making 3+ knots of speed. Not too bad. When the weather is calm, I usually read on my watch but the auto pilots won’t hold in this kind of weather, so I need to hang on to the tiller and steer the whole time. Not possible to read. The sound system is messed up so we can’t use the cd player but my wonderful son has loaded my iPhone with my favorite music and podcasts. The speaker is not very loud and hard to hear over the noise of the engine, wind and waves but I figure out that I can tuck it under the strap of my life vest right by my ear and hear just fine. Makes a big difference to have something to listen to.
Next day looks clear although there is more wind than usual in the morning. The big swells have finally gone and the sea is much calmer. Our speed is up to 4.5 knots and we are on track to be in Manzanillo early tomorrow morning. We have gotten quite accustomed to clouds building over the land in the late afternoon and turning into thunderstorms overnight, so we are not too worried when it starts to cloud up about 3 in the afternoon. But this does not seem to be just little storms, the clouds are huge and dark and swirly. We can see lightning along the shore and hear the thunder but it is clear out to sea, so I abandon the planned route and head away from the storm, hoping that it will go the other way. No such luck. About 4:30 it hits with a vengeance, thunder, lightning, wind and rain. Luckily we had reefed the mail sail earlier and did not have the jib up. It is supposed to be my watch but I can’t handle it. I am sorry but the lightning freaks me out. We have our battery cables over the side and there is not anything else we can do, but I hate it. I promise Alan that I will take over again as soon as the lightning goes away. Except that it does not let up. This is not some brief afternoon storm but a raging gale that lasts for 6 hours. At one point the wind speed is almost 30 knots. Diid we leave port too early? Is this a leftover piece of Hurricane Erick? With no internet we cannot tell.
Eventually Alan needs a break , although I actually think he is having a ball. Now it is my turn to battle wind and waves. The engine is still chugging along just fine. The throttle was slipping so Alan has tied it so it can’t move. Let’s hope I don’t want to slow down. With this much wind, I can barely hold the tiller. I brace my feet against the side of the cockpit and prop the tiller against my hip and hold on. I call this my “yoga twist” autopilot. At one point it seems like I should let out the sails to take the strain off but I can’t get to the main sheet without letting go of the tiller so I just hang on and ride it out. I know that we should be getting close to Manzanillo but the storm is so thick that I cannot see any lights yet. One interesting problem is that when it rains too hard, the raindrops hitting the screen of the iPad act like finger touches and change the settings so you need to go down below to check the course and see if there are other ships. One more thing to work out. It needs it’s own little awning.
Little by little the storm finally starts to blow out, but not without a few parting shots. The wind drops down to 4-5 knots, making the sails flap and jibe and then hits again with gusts of 20 knots. As a final good-bye, the boat is suddenly surrounded by 15-20 lightning strikes, straight down into the ocean and horizontal between clouds and almost simultaneous thunder loud enough to leave your ears ringing. Beautiful, but much too much and much too close.
The clouds finally lift and I can see the shore lights and the flashing light from the lighthouse at the harbor. Also lots of other ships around. Most of them are at anchor but a couple go steaming past on their way out. Lightning has moved off to the distance but not stopped. There are still bright flashes to the west and now they are bright pink for some reason. Now that it looks like we are almost there, it seems to take forever to go the last 10 miles. Another rain cloud moves over and the lightning looks closer. Storms are not allowed to turn around and come back once they have passed, right? Eventually we round the point and enter the harbor. Lights everywhere. Huge ships blazing with lights anchored all over the bay. We find our way to the anchorage at Las Hades and drop anchor. Whew!
Lazaro Cardenas
July 4- 9, 2013 Lazaro Cardenas
First job this morning is to check in with the port captain. Bright and early, our caretakers are here to remind us and see if they can help. I beg for an hour to finish breakfast and get the paperwork together. 10am, they are back so we set off. There is space to tie up at the dock with all the pilot boats. Our guides are there to be sure we are OK. The guard lets us through the locked gate and into a lovely compound. there are long low buildings spread out on green grass. Sidewalks are lined with flowering hedges. Everything is clean and neat and wonder of wonders, not a sign of crumbling concrete. The Port Captain building is air conditioned and we are escorted to his private office upstairs where we hand over our paperwork. He goes through every one of our entry and exit papers, trying to make sense of our travels and makes copies of everything. While it is obvious he would rather we were not here, he is really very nice and speaks some English. The main question is what is wrong and how long will it take to fix it? Alan has not had time yet to take the starter apart to see so we really don’t know the answer to this but obviously we will be here at least one day, probably two.
Once our paperwork was done, we were informed that there would be an inspection of the boat. Almost as soon as we got back to the boat, the Port Captain pulled along side with another officer for the inspection. Turns out it was a safety check. They wanted to know if we had everything from a bell to GPS to charts to life jackets. We passed with flying colors and were handed an official certificate of safety, along with a copy of the check list. I had the feeling that they wanted to be sure we would not end up back here again. Through all this, there was never any mention of any fee for service. I guess the navy must have chalked it up to training.
Back on the boat, Alan tackles the starter while I write up our adventures with the Mexican navy and sort photos. Eventually he decided that it is not a simple problem that he can fix himself. We need an electrician. Back to report to the Port Captain who makes a phone call and gives us directions to shop called Flame, where they should be able to help us. On the boat, we are anchored in a river lined with green trees. As we step through the gate of the Port Captain complex, we are in a bustling port city. The shop we are looking for is just up the street. Turns out to be an auto repair shop. After a certain amount of confusion we manage to explain what we need. Luckily there is a broken started sitting on the counter and once Alan points to it, things proceed. Someone can come out to the boat to check it out if we come back in an hour. We head off up the street and end up having lunch at the Pollo Feliz, much like our Pollo Loco, and very good. After lunch, it’s back to the shop to pick up our electrician. One young man who looks like he is not even 21 years old and his helper who can’t be more than 13. There is great curiosity about the boat and even about the fact that we have permission to pass through the Port Captain complex. There is official signing in at the gate and then back to the boat where the guys get to work, while surreptitiously checking it all out. Turns out the starter has burned out. That was the source of the burning smell that I was worried about. It was not the engine, luckily, it was the starter motor. So back to the shop and reschedule for tomorrow. The rest of the afternoon we walked around town, found the market and stocked up on food, then back to the boat again.
Next day, back to the shop to collect the electrician, his bag of tools and his helper. Actually this is a different helper. Apparently everyone is dying for a chance to come aboard. Each time they go back to the shop for parts a new helper comes along. They get to work quickly and in a few hours we have a new starter installed. Now we need a bigger fuse. Since the dingy will only carry 3 large guys, I stay on board and Alan goes off with them. Good thin I still have a few books left to read. Hours later, they are back, after driving to every electrical shop in town looking for the right fuse. And, voila, the engine starts. We are good to go.
That evening it poured! Buckets of rain and wind Hurricane Erick is finally passing by. Aside from a couple of drips around the hatches, Rhapsody is really dry inside. The problem is that with the hatches closed to keep out the rain, it is really hot. At least there are no bugs here, or very few. The next day is still overcast but no rain. We are waiting one more day to be sure the weather is clear before we take off again. This is a lazy day on the boat, reading, sewing, sleeping. In the evening we take the dingy upriver to explore. It is fascinating to see the river front lined with chicken coops, pig pins, run down tin roofed shacks and hulls of rotting boats and know that just on the other side is a vibrant port city. Egrets and pelicans swoop over the water and land on the trees. Blackbirds perch on clumps of water hyacinths drifting along. Eventually we pull in and tie up at a riverside bar. This is apparently the “local” for the fishermen that we see going out in their pongas. We order a couple of beer and are asked if we want food. Although we decline the food, we are nonetheless presented with 2 bowls of wonderful ceviche. Apparently it is included, or else they just think we should try it, being Americans and all. Obviously everyone knows who we are since we are the only sailboat on the river.
Later, we explore downriver. The waterfront between the Port Captain and the docks has been landscaped and developed into a lovely riverfront park and is filled with families enjoying the evening. There are exercise stations, children’s play equipment, bicycles for rent, kiosks, a soccer field and even a theater with free movies. Apparently the port is making money and the money is being spent on “quality of life” for the city. I am really starting to like this city. There are no tree lined plazas or historic cathedrals but people seem happy and eager to help.
Next morning, ready to head out, the engine won’t start! Back to Flame for the electrician again. Since we will be here another day, I would love to get the laundry done so I take it along. The laundromat is right up the street and they assure me it will be done by 4:00. Since I have another day to kill I head off to Walmart and the shopping plaza while Alan deals with the motor. Several hours later, loaded with groceries and having resisted a fabulous pair of pants, I head back. The engine is done but the laundry is not, first they say it won’t be done until tomorrow, then 8pm. We finally settle on 6pm. We pick up some cold beer and head back to the boat to put the groceries away. then since we have time to kill, we head upriver to the bar again. 2 hours later, the laundry is still not done. This time the manager is there and is very apologetic. 20 minutes more she promises, so we go across the street for ice cream. Finally it is done and we head back to the boat one last time. Tomorrow we leave.
All of our cruising guides said that this is not a good port for cruisers, that they are not really welcome here. Probably that is right. There is no real anchorage or marina. No dingy dock. And yet we had a wonderful time. Maybe it was partly because cruisers don’t come here, so we were a novelty. Everyone we met, from the Mexican navy to the guys at the bar were warm, friendly and eager to help us. I almost hate to leave, but the weather looks good so off we go.
First job this morning is to check in with the port captain. Bright and early, our caretakers are here to remind us and see if they can help. I beg for an hour to finish breakfast and get the paperwork together. 10am, they are back so we set off. There is space to tie up at the dock with all the pilot boats. Our guides are there to be sure we are OK. The guard lets us through the locked gate and into a lovely compound. there are long low buildings spread out on green grass. Sidewalks are lined with flowering hedges. Everything is clean and neat and wonder of wonders, not a sign of crumbling concrete. The Port Captain building is air conditioned and we are escorted to his private office upstairs where we hand over our paperwork. He goes through every one of our entry and exit papers, trying to make sense of our travels and makes copies of everything. While it is obvious he would rather we were not here, he is really very nice and speaks some English. The main question is what is wrong and how long will it take to fix it? Alan has not had time yet to take the starter apart to see so we really don’t know the answer to this but obviously we will be here at least one day, probably two.
Once our paperwork was done, we were informed that there would be an inspection of the boat. Almost as soon as we got back to the boat, the Port Captain pulled along side with another officer for the inspection. Turns out it was a safety check. They wanted to know if we had everything from a bell to GPS to charts to life jackets. We passed with flying colors and were handed an official certificate of safety, along with a copy of the check list. I had the feeling that they wanted to be sure we would not end up back here again. Through all this, there was never any mention of any fee for service. I guess the navy must have chalked it up to training.
Back on the boat, Alan tackles the starter while I write up our adventures with the Mexican navy and sort photos. Eventually he decided that it is not a simple problem that he can fix himself. We need an electrician. Back to report to the Port Captain who makes a phone call and gives us directions to shop called Flame, where they should be able to help us. On the boat, we are anchored in a river lined with green trees. As we step through the gate of the Port Captain complex, we are in a bustling port city. The shop we are looking for is just up the street. Turns out to be an auto repair shop. After a certain amount of confusion we manage to explain what we need. Luckily there is a broken started sitting on the counter and once Alan points to it, things proceed. Someone can come out to the boat to check it out if we come back in an hour. We head off up the street and end up having lunch at the Pollo Feliz, much like our Pollo Loco, and very good. After lunch, it’s back to the shop to pick up our electrician. One young man who looks like he is not even 21 years old and his helper who can’t be more than 13. There is great curiosity about the boat and even about the fact that we have permission to pass through the Port Captain complex. There is official signing in at the gate and then back to the boat where the guys get to work, while surreptitiously checking it all out. Turns out the starter has burned out. That was the source of the burning smell that I was worried about. It was not the engine, luckily, it was the starter motor. So back to the shop and reschedule for tomorrow. The rest of the afternoon we walked around town, found the market and stocked up on food, then back to the boat again.
Next day, back to the shop to collect the electrician, his bag of tools and his helper. Actually this is a different helper. Apparently everyone is dying for a chance to come aboard. Each time they go back to the shop for parts a new helper comes along. They get to work quickly and in a few hours we have a new starter installed. Now we need a bigger fuse. Since the dingy will only carry 3 large guys, I stay on board and Alan goes off with them. Good thin I still have a few books left to read. Hours later, they are back, after driving to every electrical shop in town looking for the right fuse. And, voila, the engine starts. We are good to go.
That evening it poured! Buckets of rain and wind Hurricane Erick is finally passing by. Aside from a couple of drips around the hatches, Rhapsody is really dry inside. The problem is that with the hatches closed to keep out the rain, it is really hot. At least there are no bugs here, or very few. The next day is still overcast but no rain. We are waiting one more day to be sure the weather is clear before we take off again. This is a lazy day on the boat, reading, sewing, sleeping. In the evening we take the dingy upriver to explore. It is fascinating to see the river front lined with chicken coops, pig pins, run down tin roofed shacks and hulls of rotting boats and know that just on the other side is a vibrant port city. Egrets and pelicans swoop over the water and land on the trees. Blackbirds perch on clumps of water hyacinths drifting along. Eventually we pull in and tie up at a riverside bar. This is apparently the “local” for the fishermen that we see going out in their pongas. We order a couple of beer and are asked if we want food. Although we decline the food, we are nonetheless presented with 2 bowls of wonderful ceviche. Apparently it is included, or else they just think we should try it, being Americans and all. Obviously everyone knows who we are since we are the only sailboat on the river.
Later, we explore downriver. The waterfront between the Port Captain and the docks has been landscaped and developed into a lovely riverfront park and is filled with families enjoying the evening. There are exercise stations, children’s play equipment, bicycles for rent, kiosks, a soccer field and even a theater with free movies. Apparently the port is making money and the money is being spent on “quality of life” for the city. I am really starting to like this city. There are no tree lined plazas or historic cathedrals but people seem happy and eager to help.
Next morning, ready to head out, the engine won’t start! Back to Flame for the electrician again. Since we will be here another day, I would love to get the laundry done so I take it along. The laundromat is right up the street and they assure me it will be done by 4:00. Since I have another day to kill I head off to Walmart and the shopping plaza while Alan deals with the motor. Several hours later, loaded with groceries and having resisted a fabulous pair of pants, I head back. The engine is done but the laundry is not, first they say it won’t be done until tomorrow, then 8pm. We finally settle on 6pm. We pick up some cold beer and head back to the boat to put the groceries away. then since we have time to kill, we head upriver to the bar again. 2 hours later, the laundry is still not done. This time the manager is there and is very apologetic. 20 minutes more she promises, so we go across the street for ice cream. Finally it is done and we head back to the boat one last time. Tomorrow we leave.
All of our cruising guides said that this is not a good port for cruisers, that they are not really welcome here. Probably that is right. There is no real anchorage or marina. No dingy dock. And yet we had a wonderful time. Maybe it was partly because cruisers don’t come here, so we were a novelty. Everyone we met, from the Mexican navy to the guys at the bar were warm, friendly and eager to help us. I almost hate to leave, but the weather looks good so off we go.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
July 2, 2013. Zihuatanejo to Lazaro Cardenas. Saved by the Mexican Navy
July 2, 2013. Zihuatanejo to Lazaro Cardenas. Saved by the Mexican Navy
How can it be July already? We are supposed to be tucked up safe for hurricane season by the end of May and here we are, still dodging storms, trying to gat back to Puerto Vallarta. This did not turn out right. One of the issues that we need to solve before we take off across the Pacific is how to get weather info when we are out of cell phone range. We have access to all sorts of lovely apps and maps and reports when we can get onto the internet but that is only possible within a few miles of shore. Beyond that we have only the clouds to go by.
The weather is clear this morning so off we go, one more try to make it. The weather maps show another potential storm to the south but Hurricane Delila has weakened and turned out to sea. It should only take us a couple of days to go the 200 miles to Manzanillo where we will stop briefly for fuel and to check the weather again. Then another 150 miles to Banderas Bay. If all goes well we should be there in another week, finally. I am very much looking forward to a hot shower and a long soak in the spa.
Since the goal is to get back as quickly as possible, we keep the engine on much of the time. As usual there is almost no wind in the morning and it is against us in the afternoon. Alan does get in several hours of sailing in the afternoon but we have the engine back on about sunset. By this time there is a strong head wind and very choppy seas with big swells, left over from Delila. The engine seems to be working harder than usual and yet we are only going about 2.5 knots and I notice an odd smell. However, Alan checks everything and decides that it is OK. At least the weather is cooperating. The sky is mostly clear. Stars are out. Winds are warm. We can see the lights of Lazaro Cardenas in the distance. This is said to be a large, dirty industrial port with no facilities for cruisers so the plan is to keep our distance to avoid traffic and keep going.
When next I come on deck for my watch, the same city lights are still there. We do not seem to have made any headway. The wind has dropped but the engine is not on. Turns out the engine will not start! If it were not for the threat of more storms, we would probably just drift gradually along but given the weather, that is not an option. We have only covered 25 miles since we left yesterday morning. Even with decent wind, it will take a week to get to the next port without an engine to help. Although not a cruiser friendly port, Lazaro Cardenas is a safe port in a storm. Now the problem is how to get there. Since there is still a little wind, we turn toward shore, right toward all the large boats that we had been trying to avoid. Alan gets a quick nap then crawls into the engine room to see if he can figure out what is wrong. No luck. As the sun rises, the wind drops to almost nothing. We obviously need a tow. Besides everything else, this is not a wide bay like Manzanillo. The port is up a river where marshlands have been dredged to create the terminals. There is no way we will be able to sail in, even with decent wind.
The first thing to do is get on the radio and let others know what our situation is and see what kind of help is available. We have not been on the morning net for several weeks since we have been too far south to pick them up. Although the reception is weak, I am able to get through. There is no one else in the area but at least they know our situation and where we are. Next call is to the Port Captain to see if he can help. Radio conversations in Spanish are always a challenge, however eventually we get through, give him our location and tell him what the problem is. He does not seem too helpful but eventually we get a call back , not from the Port Captain but from the Mexican Navy! They are going to send a boat with a mechanic to see if they can fix the problem Once they have our latitude and longitude and a description of the boat the inform us that they will be on the scene in 40 minutes. They also want to be sure that we have a “small boat” because theirs does not work and they will need to use ours to transfer people to our boat. Of course our dingy is folded flat and tied onto the deck ,so we use the time until they arrive to put it together and swing it over the side. We also take the sails down.
From time to time we get calls from them asking for additional information. About 1/2 hour later, we spot their boat steaming towards us. It is not huge but still a good sized cruiser, about 150 feet. The rail is lined with sailors holding cameras. They stop several hundred yards away and tell us that they don’t want to get closer for fear of damaging our boat. How thoughtful. But then nothing happens. We wait. Should we row over to get them? Why don’t they call and tell us what to do? Eventually they call again to tell us that there is a smaller boat on the way which will be here in 8 minutes. There is is in the distance, racing towards us. It pulls along side of the navy ship. Lots of people get into it and it heads our way. They still need our dingy to get from the launch to us. Ropes are passed back and forth. Our dingy is pulled over to the launch. People get in and paddle back to us. This process is repeated several times until we have 6 sailors on board, along with buckets of tools and supplies. For the next hour they poke and test and try to find the problem. This being the government, there is also a lot of paperwork. One of the sailors and I spend the entire time filling out forms. Another takes pictures of everything. It is hot, especially in the engine room. There is no wind and everyone is sweating buckets. The boat is rocking from side to side. Suddenly one of the sailors comes racing out of the engine room onto the deck, seasick. His buddies tease him, so apparently this is not a first. Eventually they give up. They cannot fix the problem.
Phase two. Now what? There is no wind. We need to get into the harbor to find and mechanic. We cannot stay here, there is another storm on the way. We need a tow. This causes much radio discussion. The guys with us want to help but are having trouble getting permission. Apparently this is outside standard procedures. The port captain says that they do not offer tow service but he can get a private company to come tow us for a fee. We don’t understand much of the discussions but eventually something is decided and everyone packs up and goes back to the launch which takes them back to the bigger ship. As they leave they tell us hat they are going to help but we are not sure what they have in mind.
Then we see ropes being prepared. Apparently, although the launch is not allowed to tow us, the big boat has gotten permission. One end of an extremely large tow rope is loaded onto the launch and ferried over to us. Alan uses the anchor bridle to attach it to Rhapsody. It looks like an awfully big ship to be towing us. Will it work or will they just tear us apart? Little by little the cruiser picks up speed. Soon we are moving along at a brisk 7 knots. It is working! Rhapsody seems to be just fine. We are told that it will take over an hour to get to the harbor so I make some sandwiches and we settle down for the ride.
An hour later we enter the channel of what is indeed a large industrial port. As we enter the radio squawks again and we are told that a small boat will take over. We should cast off the tow line. There is also a final bit of paperwork. We need to sign a waver of responsibility saying we will not sue for damages to our boat and also stipulate that we asked for the tow. the launch shows up again. There is a sailor standing on the bow with a clipboard. They move right along side without touching. He hands me the clipboard. I sign, Alan signs, the clipboard is handed back and the launch speeds off again. The driver of that launch is amazing the way he can put it right where he wants it without ever bumping.
Our new tow boat is a Boston Whaler, not much bigger than our dingy with 2 large Mercury outboards. He tows us along to a small lagoon just inside the harbor entrance and we drop anchor, safe from the storm. We are the only boat here and are surrounded by jungle. We seem to be miles from everything but we will deal with that in the morning. Once we are clear, the driver tells us that they are at our beck and call. If we need anything, just call on the radio and they will come. He also says that we are expected to call the Port CAptain every 3 hours to let them know that we are OK. This means we will not get much sleep but if that is the price for being in a safe harbor, so be it We hoist the dingy on board and make sure everything is secure for the night. Then we open a beer, get out some chips and sit down to relax. It has been a wild day.
About an hour later our friends in the small boat are back. We will not be staying here after all. they have decided to move us further up the channel, closer to town and close to the port captain. They think we will be much happier there. Sounds fine and we really have no say in the matter anyway. First they need to know how tall our mast is. Apparently there is a bridge to pass under, although it is not on any of our charts. Once that is settled, Alan hoists the anchor, ties on the tow line and we are off again. We pass container ships and tankers and move slowly up the river. It is actually a lot like our home port of Wilmington. When we get to the bridge we stop. Once again, there are people all around with cameras. We can hear the tow boat on the radio talking to the drawbridge operator. We move very slowly towards the bridge. Slowly, slowly we move closer. It is going to be a tight fit. We squeak under with a foot or two to spare. Another mile further up river and we have arrived. Our tow boat stops and we drop the anchor again.
Once we are anchored, our tow guys come back to tell us that they are there for us any time. If we need anything we are just to let them know. And yes, we do still need to check in every 3 hours. So once again we are anchored, settled. The port captain’s office is on one side of the river and the navy on the other. The river is lined with trees on both sides and clumps of water hyacinth drift by. We can see a fleet of pongas moored around the bend and the corner of a palapa. It is quiet and lovely. Not at all what we had been expecting from the cruising guide descriptions of a large, dirty industrial port. Time for dinner and the last beer.
Dinner is finished. We have settled down to relax and check the weather when we hear the beep, beep of a horn outside. It is a different small boat, checking to see if we need anything. Apparently this is the night shift. I say that what we really need is a good night’s sleep and do we really need to call in every 3 hours? We finally agree that we will make a last call when we are ready for bed and will not need to call again until the morning. We are just drifting off to sleep when we hear the horn again. It is our friends back to be sure we are OK. This time they have checked with the office and we are to be allowed to sleep through the night but we must check in in the morning. They will be back then.
Through all this there has been no discussion of payment, except for one brief mention early in the day. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I guess we will deal with that when we present ourselves to the port captain in the morning.
How can it be July already? We are supposed to be tucked up safe for hurricane season by the end of May and here we are, still dodging storms, trying to gat back to Puerto Vallarta. This did not turn out right. One of the issues that we need to solve before we take off across the Pacific is how to get weather info when we are out of cell phone range. We have access to all sorts of lovely apps and maps and reports when we can get onto the internet but that is only possible within a few miles of shore. Beyond that we have only the clouds to go by.
The weather is clear this morning so off we go, one more try to make it. The weather maps show another potential storm to the south but Hurricane Delila has weakened and turned out to sea. It should only take us a couple of days to go the 200 miles to Manzanillo where we will stop briefly for fuel and to check the weather again. Then another 150 miles to Banderas Bay. If all goes well we should be there in another week, finally. I am very much looking forward to a hot shower and a long soak in the spa.
Since the goal is to get back as quickly as possible, we keep the engine on much of the time. As usual there is almost no wind in the morning and it is against us in the afternoon. Alan does get in several hours of sailing in the afternoon but we have the engine back on about sunset. By this time there is a strong head wind and very choppy seas with big swells, left over from Delila. The engine seems to be working harder than usual and yet we are only going about 2.5 knots and I notice an odd smell. However, Alan checks everything and decides that it is OK. At least the weather is cooperating. The sky is mostly clear. Stars are out. Winds are warm. We can see the lights of Lazaro Cardenas in the distance. This is said to be a large, dirty industrial port with no facilities for cruisers so the plan is to keep our distance to avoid traffic and keep going.
When next I come on deck for my watch, the same city lights are still there. We do not seem to have made any headway. The wind has dropped but the engine is not on. Turns out the engine will not start! If it were not for the threat of more storms, we would probably just drift gradually along but given the weather, that is not an option. We have only covered 25 miles since we left yesterday morning. Even with decent wind, it will take a week to get to the next port without an engine to help. Although not a cruiser friendly port, Lazaro Cardenas is a safe port in a storm. Now the problem is how to get there. Since there is still a little wind, we turn toward shore, right toward all the large boats that we had been trying to avoid. Alan gets a quick nap then crawls into the engine room to see if he can figure out what is wrong. No luck. As the sun rises, the wind drops to almost nothing. We obviously need a tow. Besides everything else, this is not a wide bay like Manzanillo. The port is up a river where marshlands have been dredged to create the terminals. There is no way we will be able to sail in, even with decent wind.
The first thing to do is get on the radio and let others know what our situation is and see what kind of help is available. We have not been on the morning net for several weeks since we have been too far south to pick them up. Although the reception is weak, I am able to get through. There is no one else in the area but at least they know our situation and where we are. Next call is to the Port Captain to see if he can help. Radio conversations in Spanish are always a challenge, however eventually we get through, give him our location and tell him what the problem is. He does not seem too helpful but eventually we get a call back , not from the Port Captain but from the Mexican Navy! They are going to send a boat with a mechanic to see if they can fix the problem Once they have our latitude and longitude and a description of the boat the inform us that they will be on the scene in 40 minutes. They also want to be sure that we have a “small boat” because theirs does not work and they will need to use ours to transfer people to our boat. Of course our dingy is folded flat and tied onto the deck ,so we use the time until they arrive to put it together and swing it over the side. We also take the sails down.
From time to time we get calls from them asking for additional information. About 1/2 hour later, we spot their boat steaming towards us. It is not huge but still a good sized cruiser, about 150 feet. The rail is lined with sailors holding cameras. They stop several hundred yards away and tell us that they don’t want to get closer for fear of damaging our boat. How thoughtful. But then nothing happens. We wait. Should we row over to get them? Why don’t they call and tell us what to do? Eventually they call again to tell us that there is a smaller boat on the way which will be here in 8 minutes. There is is in the distance, racing towards us. It pulls along side of the navy ship. Lots of people get into it and it heads our way. They still need our dingy to get from the launch to us. Ropes are passed back and forth. Our dingy is pulled over to the launch. People get in and paddle back to us. This process is repeated several times until we have 6 sailors on board, along with buckets of tools and supplies. For the next hour they poke and test and try to find the problem. This being the government, there is also a lot of paperwork. One of the sailors and I spend the entire time filling out forms. Another takes pictures of everything. It is hot, especially in the engine room. There is no wind and everyone is sweating buckets. The boat is rocking from side to side. Suddenly one of the sailors comes racing out of the engine room onto the deck, seasick. His buddies tease him, so apparently this is not a first. Eventually they give up. They cannot fix the problem.
Phase two. Now what? There is no wind. We need to get into the harbor to find and mechanic. We cannot stay here, there is another storm on the way. We need a tow. This causes much radio discussion. The guys with us want to help but are having trouble getting permission. Apparently this is outside standard procedures. The port captain says that they do not offer tow service but he can get a private company to come tow us for a fee. We don’t understand much of the discussions but eventually something is decided and everyone packs up and goes back to the launch which takes them back to the bigger ship. As they leave they tell us hat they are going to help but we are not sure what they have in mind.
Then we see ropes being prepared. Apparently, although the launch is not allowed to tow us, the big boat has gotten permission. One end of an extremely large tow rope is loaded onto the launch and ferried over to us. Alan uses the anchor bridle to attach it to Rhapsody. It looks like an awfully big ship to be towing us. Will it work or will they just tear us apart? Little by little the cruiser picks up speed. Soon we are moving along at a brisk 7 knots. It is working! Rhapsody seems to be just fine. We are told that it will take over an hour to get to the harbor so I make some sandwiches and we settle down for the ride.
An hour later we enter the channel of what is indeed a large industrial port. As we enter the radio squawks again and we are told that a small boat will take over. We should cast off the tow line. There is also a final bit of paperwork. We need to sign a waver of responsibility saying we will not sue for damages to our boat and also stipulate that we asked for the tow. the launch shows up again. There is a sailor standing on the bow with a clipboard. They move right along side without touching. He hands me the clipboard. I sign, Alan signs, the clipboard is handed back and the launch speeds off again. The driver of that launch is amazing the way he can put it right where he wants it without ever bumping.
Our new tow boat is a Boston Whaler, not much bigger than our dingy with 2 large Mercury outboards. He tows us along to a small lagoon just inside the harbor entrance and we drop anchor, safe from the storm. We are the only boat here and are surrounded by jungle. We seem to be miles from everything but we will deal with that in the morning. Once we are clear, the driver tells us that they are at our beck and call. If we need anything, just call on the radio and they will come. He also says that we are expected to call the Port CAptain every 3 hours to let them know that we are OK. This means we will not get much sleep but if that is the price for being in a safe harbor, so be it We hoist the dingy on board and make sure everything is secure for the night. Then we open a beer, get out some chips and sit down to relax. It has been a wild day.
About an hour later our friends in the small boat are back. We will not be staying here after all. they have decided to move us further up the channel, closer to town and close to the port captain. They think we will be much happier there. Sounds fine and we really have no say in the matter anyway. First they need to know how tall our mast is. Apparently there is a bridge to pass under, although it is not on any of our charts. Once that is settled, Alan hoists the anchor, ties on the tow line and we are off again. We pass container ships and tankers and move slowly up the river. It is actually a lot like our home port of Wilmington. When we get to the bridge we stop. Once again, there are people all around with cameras. We can hear the tow boat on the radio talking to the drawbridge operator. We move very slowly towards the bridge. Slowly, slowly we move closer. It is going to be a tight fit. We squeak under with a foot or two to spare. Another mile further up river and we have arrived. Our tow boat stops and we drop the anchor again.
Once we are anchored, our tow guys come back to tell us that they are there for us any time. If we need anything we are just to let them know. And yes, we do still need to check in every 3 hours. So once again we are anchored, settled. The port captain’s office is on one side of the river and the navy on the other. The river is lined with trees on both sides and clumps of water hyacinth drift by. We can see a fleet of pongas moored around the bend and the corner of a palapa. It is quiet and lovely. Not at all what we had been expecting from the cruising guide descriptions of a large, dirty industrial port. Time for dinner and the last beer.
Dinner is finished. We have settled down to relax and check the weather when we hear the beep, beep of a horn outside. It is a different small boat, checking to see if we need anything. Apparently this is the night shift. I say that what we really need is a good night’s sleep and do we really need to call in every 3 hours? We finally agree that we will make a last call when we are ready for bed and will not need to call again until the morning. We are just drifting off to sleep when we hear the horn again. It is our friends back to be sure we are OK. This time they have checked with the office and we are to be allowed to sleep through the night but we must check in in the morning. They will be back then.
Through all this there has been no discussion of payment, except for one brief mention early in the day. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I guess we will deal with that when we present ourselves to the port captain in the morning.
6/27/2013 Puerto Marquez(Acapulco) to Zihuatanejo
6/27/2013 Puerto Marquez(Acapulco) to Zihuatanejo
Leaving today. It looks like a great day; clear, scattered clouds, light wind. I was up bright and early. Since Alan was still asleep, I decided to wash down the decks and get everything ready to go. Unbelievable! There are still live bugs left from the swarm that invaded us 2 days ago. It looks like their wings fall off and the little worm bodies are free to crawl. Buckets of water later, I think I have gotten them all this time. Most of them smashed, the rest washed overboard.
The storm has passed. There is a light wind, fairly large swells but nothing too bad. We are out of the bay by 11 and there is finally enough wind to turn the engine off by 2:00. We settle easily into our watch routine of 4 hours on and four hours off. Typically the wind is not cooperating and we need to tack up the coast. I have now gained enough skill and confidence to successfully make a couple of tacks by myself. There are a lot of lines which all have to be handled at once and if it is not done exactly right the jib gets wrapped around the forestay. If this happens, I need to secure all of the lines and crawl forward and try to unwrap it without getting flung overboard when the flapping sail is finally released. (yes, we ALWAYS wear safety harness).
We have had the usual puffy clouds over the mountains but it is fairly clear out to sea. There is one large dark cloud ahead and to the right. If it just stays there we should be OK, especially if we head offshore a little more. By the time I get up for my midnight to 4am watch, that cloud has moved behind us but is also drifting out to sea. There is lightning all around again. I make sure our new battery cables are attached with the ends in the water. There is an almost full moon, stars, clouds and lightning, all at once. What crazy weather. Lightning continues to build until it is all around us. At least there is no rain yet. I am really glad to turn over the watch to Alan when he shows up. When I go back up on deck in the morning, he says that he turned on the engine and radar and managed to dodge all the storms. I’m impressed. The clouds gradually clear up during the day and we are joined by flocks of birds diving for fish.
We had expected to pass the harbor at Zihuatanejo in the morning and continue up the coast another 2 days to Manzanillo where we would make a quick stop for gas. However, because of the contrary winds, we had made almost no headway last night. Now it looked like we would be getting to Zihuatanejo in the late afternoon. We decided stop here for the night, get a good night’s sleep instead of dodging lightning storms all night and head out first thing in the morning. We could also check the weather. The bay is full of moorings, very shallow and open to south swells but we managed to find a spot that looked good and dropped the anchor just before sunset. There were enormous dark clouds everywhere. Lightning flashed, seemingly right over us and the rain came down in buckets. I am really glad we stopped.
Next morning the skies had cleared but a check of the NOAA weather site showed that there was yet another tropical storm heading right up the coast. Looks like we will be here a few more days. Since we have time to kill, I decide on a walk along the waterfront. There is a charming even if crumbling walkway around the cliffs. It eventually ends at several beachside restaurants and we turn inland and head up the steep hills lined with colorful hotels and condos. From the boat we had spotted what looked like the ruins of a greek temple on the hillside so we decide to see if we can investigate. We pass several barred gates which look like they are going in the right direction. Eventually we come to an overgrown drive climbing almost straight up the side of the hill through the lush vegetation. Up we go. Around a final curve we are face to face with enormous black wrought iron gates topped with gold spikes. No rust here. Behind is an overgrown drive lined with broken statues leading to a lovely building with a greek portico in the front. Reminds us a lot of the Gerry Villa in Malibu. Suddenly we realize that there is a dog behind the fence and an old man. He first tells us that it is private property and then offers to give us a guided tour for 100 pesos. Eventually we decide against the tour. as far as we can tell the building is empty and we barely understand his Spanish. We wander around outside, peering over walls and through walls, taking pictures for a while and then head back down to the beach for a cold drink. The waiter in the restaurant tells us that is is a museum called the Parthenon and it is free admission. Back at the boat, a google search reveals that it was built by a drug lord/government official in the 70s and fell into ruin when he was thrown into jail.
Leaving today. It looks like a great day; clear, scattered clouds, light wind. I was up bright and early. Since Alan was still asleep, I decided to wash down the decks and get everything ready to go. Unbelievable! There are still live bugs left from the swarm that invaded us 2 days ago. It looks like their wings fall off and the little worm bodies are free to crawl. Buckets of water later, I think I have gotten them all this time. Most of them smashed, the rest washed overboard.
The storm has passed. There is a light wind, fairly large swells but nothing too bad. We are out of the bay by 11 and there is finally enough wind to turn the engine off by 2:00. We settle easily into our watch routine of 4 hours on and four hours off. Typically the wind is not cooperating and we need to tack up the coast. I have now gained enough skill and confidence to successfully make a couple of tacks by myself. There are a lot of lines which all have to be handled at once and if it is not done exactly right the jib gets wrapped around the forestay. If this happens, I need to secure all of the lines and crawl forward and try to unwrap it without getting flung overboard when the flapping sail is finally released. (yes, we ALWAYS wear safety harness).
We have had the usual puffy clouds over the mountains but it is fairly clear out to sea. There is one large dark cloud ahead and to the right. If it just stays there we should be OK, especially if we head offshore a little more. By the time I get up for my midnight to 4am watch, that cloud has moved behind us but is also drifting out to sea. There is lightning all around again. I make sure our new battery cables are attached with the ends in the water. There is an almost full moon, stars, clouds and lightning, all at once. What crazy weather. Lightning continues to build until it is all around us. At least there is no rain yet. I am really glad to turn over the watch to Alan when he shows up. When I go back up on deck in the morning, he says that he turned on the engine and radar and managed to dodge all the storms. I’m impressed. The clouds gradually clear up during the day and we are joined by flocks of birds diving for fish.
We had expected to pass the harbor at Zihuatanejo in the morning and continue up the coast another 2 days to Manzanillo where we would make a quick stop for gas. However, because of the contrary winds, we had made almost no headway last night. Now it looked like we would be getting to Zihuatanejo in the late afternoon. We decided stop here for the night, get a good night’s sleep instead of dodging lightning storms all night and head out first thing in the morning. We could also check the weather. The bay is full of moorings, very shallow and open to south swells but we managed to find a spot that looked good and dropped the anchor just before sunset. There were enormous dark clouds everywhere. Lightning flashed, seemingly right over us and the rain came down in buckets. I am really glad we stopped.
Next morning the skies had cleared but a check of the NOAA weather site showed that there was yet another tropical storm heading right up the coast. Looks like we will be here a few more days. Since we have time to kill, I decide on a walk along the waterfront. There is a charming even if crumbling walkway around the cliffs. It eventually ends at several beachside restaurants and we turn inland and head up the steep hills lined with colorful hotels and condos. From the boat we had spotted what looked like the ruins of a greek temple on the hillside so we decide to see if we can investigate. We pass several barred gates which look like they are going in the right direction. Eventually we come to an overgrown drive climbing almost straight up the side of the hill through the lush vegetation. Up we go. Around a final curve we are face to face with enormous black wrought iron gates topped with gold spikes. No rust here. Behind is an overgrown drive lined with broken statues leading to a lovely building with a greek portico in the front. Reminds us a lot of the Gerry Villa in Malibu. Suddenly we realize that there is a dog behind the fence and an old man. He first tells us that it is private property and then offers to give us a guided tour for 100 pesos. Eventually we decide against the tour. as far as we can tell the building is empty and we barely understand his Spanish. We wander around outside, peering over walls and through walls, taking pictures for a while and then head back down to the beach for a cold drink. The waiter in the restaurant tells us that is is a museum called the Parthenon and it is free admission. Back at the boat, a google search reveals that it was built by a drug lord/government official in the 70s and fell into ruin when he was thrown into jail.
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