This is our last big passage to get us to the Mexican cruising grounds Eric and I visited with Teak on our Old Makai 17 years ago. Here we go, 500nm+ and 5 nights.
Mexico is serious about their homeland security. Now that we’re officially checked into the country and have a temporary import permit for Makai we only have to check in and out with the Port Captain in each town. The day we were to leave, the Navy and Port Captain arrived with armed guards and a search dog. Topaz wasn’t so happy about the working dog sniffing around on her boat, so we went for a walk.
In the Atlantic the wind came out of the north in the fall and winter, propelling us into warmer cruising grounds, and out of the South in the spring and summer pushing us back to the Chesapeake Bay. When it wasn’t blowing out of the north or south, we could get good wind out of the east. This wind was predictable, steady and would switch often enough we could wait for the next wind shift to take us where we want to go.
In the Pacific our wind choices are too much out of the north, not enough out of the north or too much around a cape or in the gulf of Papagayo or Tehuantepec. We’ve been very lucky that our timing has been coinciding with the weather nicely. Today we’re ready to leave and the Gulf Of Tehuantepec has calmed down from a nasty 30+kts of wind to zero. The safe path across this bay is to hug the beach in case the wind comes up, but the marina manager said with the long windless weather window we should have no problem motoring straight across the bay. All that motoring requires diesel and lots of it. With no fuel dock, the marina loaned Eric oil jugs and gave him a ride to the gas station.
Finally, by evening we set off. All morning long the land heats up and the air above it rises sucking in a breeze from the ocean in the evening, so we get to start the passage with a little sail. We noticed that as soon as the big orange ball in the sky dips below the water, the wind stops and we have to motor until the next afternoon.
We saw plenty of life crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The water was glassy smooth with occasional disturbances from flocks of birds, schools of bait fish and scattered turtle shells. At first we were nervous about floating obstacles but then realized that the sleeping turtles would wake up when Makai is right upon them so they can swim out of the way.
After crossing the gulf there was the added complication of fishermen. They would string long floating nets on the water and spend the day tending them. It’s hard to avoid running over the net because is snakes around on the surface for quite a distance and we’ve been unable to figure out where it begins and where it ends. These fishermen called us over so they could push the net down for us to go over it. Unfortunately, we still grabbed a piece with our outside rudder. Eric had the engine in neutral the whole time so the fishermen just needed to push the line down to free it. Another ponga we met on the trip waved and asked for water. We filled their jug with cold water but declined the little tuna they offered in return.
We had more dolphins visit us in one day than the whole time in the Atlantic. Several times a day 5-10 dolphins would come jumping, splashing and speeding up to Makai’s bow. One night I saw them come with glowing trails of phosphorescence.
Topaz always alerts us when her friends come to visit. She goes from her Topaz dream land to full on alert mode. Woof Woof Woof, in a high pitched alarm voice. Scrambling and skidding as she races them to the bow. How does she know they’re here if she’s sleeping? You can smell them. We’re used to sailing around deserted islands, but here on the mainland of Central America, you can really pick out smells. The dolphins smell like fish, reminds me of the smell when Roy is cleaning his catch out back. On land they also burn trash and brush. One day Roy and I noticed that it smelled like vanilla. This is crazy because we’re usually several miles off shore but can still enjoy the smell of burning refuse.
Eric thinks the dolphins hang out extra long because they’re interested in Topaz. When she’s tied off in the cockpit and can’t go all the way up front, dolphins often swim along the back of the boat while she barks her furry little head off.
Serotonin and norepinephrine are the neurotransmitters that get things revved up cheapest levitra for a guy. Prostatitis is a common male viagra without prescription http://www.devensec.com/sustain/eidis-updates/IndustrialSymbiosisupdateAug_Nov2011.pdf disease. So, include vitamin E, folic acid and zinc in levitra online the regular diet to get rid of ED. As men age, energy level decreases, this is devensec.com purchase viagra online an early sign of reduced sexual desire. This passage has been quite uneventful. In the evening after 18 hours of motoring we would often change course a bit and sail for a few hours. This always resulted in tacking up wind. The current was against us the whole way and if the evening wind blew hard enough we could barely make 4kts with the engines.
The days were spent cooking and eating, sleeping and reading, and of course searching through our extensive movie library. In the morning we would all compare notes on what movies were watched looking for recommendations. It’s hard to select a good movie when all you have is a title and possibly a recommendation from the crew. I watched the first 10 minutes of dozens of movies. Many had too much violence, too much sex, were too boring, or I had already seen before. I was surprised at how many movies I watched that starred famous actors and I had never heard of.
You have to feel sorry for Topaz. Of all those fun activities we all enjoyed, she only had eating, sleeping, barking and getting schmoogled on ( that is pets, hugs, scratches, cuddles, & sweet talk). Passages like this are very relaxing and give us a chance to relax.
