If you want to see more of Oaxaca than just the town itself, there are plenty of day trips to take. For the archaeology buff like GB, no trip to southern Mexico would be complete without a look-see at some prehispanic ruins. The Oaxaca area has some good ones. It's easy for yatistas to take…
You can spend a fulfilling vacation in the state of Oaxaca and never actually leave the city of Oaxaca itself. There is that much to see and do. And buy. Ahem. The ex-convent of Santo Domingo is in the centro district, and like many other ex-convents around Mexico, this one has been restored and turned…
[I love Mexico. I think about it often, even as I travel elsewhere. Also, because I've been remiss in posting contemporaneously, you get these illustrated musings completely out of context to where I am right now. Such is the cruiser's mind.] When we spent a full month in Marina Chahue in Huatulco (Feb.-Mar. 2010), it…
Underway – halfway to Ecuador The 1st 2 days from Costa Rica to Ecuador were fine – 6/5 was glorious all day & nite – max. 15 kt., broad reach; partly cloudy day, starry night. Then a low pressure system nobody forecast, arose on 6/6. Life got breezy & very bouncy – max.25kt. from S/SSW,…
Underway – Costa Rica to Ecuador 5.June, 1500Z position (0900, Central time): 06deg.44'N/082deg.50'W – about 110 mi. south of Costa Rica/Panama border. Entering the InterTropical Convergence Zone. West wind 5-9 kt., seas 5'-7' w/ 1'-2' chop, skies overcast w/ intermittent squalls, cabin temp=85F. Meaning, hot, muggy, rolly. But all's well & the sailing's easy. Dodging…
Golfito. Spent only 3 days, not much done except provision/fuel/check-out, E-Z check-out, only took 1.5 hrs. w/ all officials. Golfito reminds me of La Paz's El Mogote – except flatter water, fewer boats, nicer view. Golfo Dulce anchorages are all pretty & nice at least in late May/early June. Wish we'd had more time but…
Slowed The Fox down to less than 5 kt. so as to stay well offshore Golfo Dulce entrance until sunrise. Still 20 mi. offshore when we encountered a couple of local fishing boats: wood, ~45', unlit or with non-regulation lights, not picked up by radar. No mishaps. Sunrise: entered Golfo Dulce, anchored off Puerto Jimenez…
28.May2010. Left Marina Papagayo, northern Costa Rica, 0615. Wet & squally to 1500. Winds SE to SW 7-17 kt. w/ gusts to 22 kt., & visibility 1/2 mi. to 2 mi., depending on location of squalls. Seas SW 7' at 7 sec., rolly & choppy. Late pm, winds steadied to SW 7-12 kt as low…
GB has now successfully replaced all the boat parts that the April 28 lightning strike' had damaged. We did a short spin around the bay outside of Marina Papagayo to re-swing the compass and get the autopilot talking to the wind instruments and whatnot. All went well and it looks like there will only be…
Quite a while ago I mentioned some problems we'd been having in the Sea of Cortez, with boobies landing on our boat and…causing problems. Well. Boobies have continued to cause us distress. Allow me to elaborate. We were doing a long-ish crossing of the southern portion of the Sea of Cortez late last December 2009.…