Onwards to Barra de Navidad

It's been a great week for the good ship Bravo.  After Paraiso, we continued to work our way approx 20 miles south east to Bahia Tenacatita.  This beautiful bay surrounded by white sandy beach is one of the key destinations for cruising yachts in these parts, and it's easy to see why.  In the NW corner is a protected anchorage, with a palapa restaurant on the beach to take care of liquid refreshments as needed.  The beach is a local gathering place for this "cruiser's summer camp".  Every day at 1:30 is a swim to shore.  For those who prefer to dinghy ashore, we meet at 2pm (mas o menos, obviously!!!) for the day's activities.  These typically include bocce ball, beach walks, watching dinghies attempt landings and launchings in the surf (a good spectator sport, once you've executed successfully, or even if you weren't quite so lucky!!!), and of course cerveza and ceviche at La Vena palapa beach bar and campground.

We even had Aussie Don w/ partner Deborah from s/v Buena Vista teach us the basics of cricket, where we proceeded to make a horror show of this noble sport of the Commonwealth!!!

Don and Deborah demonstrating exemplary cricket stance.

...and explaining the rules (yeah, right....!!!)

Adam gives it a mighty swing to "defend the wicket" (upside down trash bucket)

Cindi not having any fun at all, with buddies Mark and Vicki aboard Godzilla

Surf landings and launchings are always good sport!

 

The daily bocce tournament

Cindi w/ a good hair day!!

One day we hired a local panga to take 3 loads of cruisers to La Manzanilla across the bay, for a day of sightseeing and provisioning in the pretty little town.  Nice way to travel!!!

Mexican navy showed up one day in Tenacatita anchorage, and boarded every boat (+/- 20).  They were just checking our papers, very polite, no worries, but having 6 guys with automatic weapons walking around the deck does get one's attention!!!

Adam kayaks to the beach...surf's up!!!

After several great days of playing with new friends in Tenacatita, we worked our way south 11 miles to what's known as the "Secret Anchorage", the tiny village of Cuastecomate.

Looking back at Cuastecomate at Bravo at anchor.

A very pretty anchorage, with some of the best snorkeling we've had so far in Mexico. 

A couple of small rays doing their ray thing!!!

Though a bit open to the westerly swell, the payback was that we had unobstructed views of magnificant sunsets.
 

Nearly a green flash moment!!!

So what can we say.....suckers for sunset photos!!!

And the 2 mile hike to the larger town of Malaque didn't hurt us either!!!

Cindi enjoying two of the basic food groups!!

Tortilla machine in Melaque.  Very neat gizmo to nicely take care of another food group!!!

After spending a couple of lovely days hiking, snorkeling (including a much needed barnacle scraping of Bravo...things grow fast in this warm water!), we headed south again, just around the corner to the cruiser's mecca of Barra de Navidad.

This small beach town is host to a very protected lagoon, with no ocean swell.  Though only around 10 feet deep, the bottom is just thick mud, so running aground isn't a very traumatic event.  Most boats do so at least once (we're now a card carrying member of the club!!!).  For many boats this anchorage marks the southern end of their cruising season, as many spend several weeks here before starting the migration back north up to the Sea of Cortez for spring.

Turtle hatchery on the beach...the ones w/ deep holes have already headed out to sea (hopefully!)

It's easy to see why the place is so popular.  With over 40 boats now anchored here, it's a great place to meet friends both old and new, to hike on the beach, hang out at the Sands hotel (they generously make their funky pool and bar available to cruisers who can tie their dinghies up to their sea wall), or eat at the great taco stands and restaurants all over town.  There is even a French baker who delivers fresh baked baguettes, croissants and pastries to the boats every morning!!!

Pretty hard to beat.  Next up on our social calendar:  Superbowl in town...it seems to be a religious holiday around these parts, w/ every pub trying to out do one another....one started a pig roasting last night at 2am.....should be a good "Fear and Loathing in Barra" story to come out of all of it!!!