We’re anchored in Melaque which is across the bay from Barra De Navidad. It has a beach break that I will try this afternoon after we move the boat into the lagoon. Sand bars everywhere with detailed directions of how to not get stuck. Wish us luck.

Colin flew home yesterday to visit Ali and will catch up with us probably down around Acapulco. I sent home with him a bunch of warm clothes that I will never need from this lat south. It´s Miami hot by noon. Thank the heavens that the mozzies are nowhere around in this town.

I took a bus yesterday to a neighboring beach town and was so enthralled with the view out the window that I missed my stop and ended up going to the next inland village which was 45 minutes away. That was the end of the line for that bus, and the driver and I laughed our asses off when our eyes met. He knew exactly what happened. So I was stuck in this quaint little pueblo called Cichautlan (pronounced zee what lan) and I strolled around as the only gringo. Rich experience.

As an expert in mimicking accents (I actually have my masters degree in this very subject thank you very much Terry Allen) I have finally perfected the Mexican one. It consists of a long string of Ps, Bs, and Rs, with no gaps in between and if done correctly sounds much like a sputtering minibike with a clogged fuel filter. Give it a try. It’s much easier than the thesis I wrote on how to speak Cuban via the use of puppet mouth.

Back in Tenacatita I met an Aussie with the Danish name Soren and we took his van in search of surf. We found a great beach with large pounders. It was essentially a shore break but we were desperate. After substantial physical abuse we timed our exit and barely made the beach with boards intact. That was harrowing but not nearly as scary as the military road block search we went through earlier. Everyone knows I don’t smoke dope but nearly every Aussie does. I had just met the guy and had no idea if he was holding any or not. I can live in a confined small space. That’s exactly
what the boat is but what the hell was I going to use for a pillow while in prison? I’ll bet the Mexican issue pillow is probably pretty thin or lumpy, if you even get one at all.

They obviously didn’t find anything or this email would be a plea for cigarettes.

Ready for some random stats?

1. I’ve had 1 fresh water shower in 50 days
2. There is an inverse correlation between expectations of hygiene and
happiness
3. I spend less than $500 a month (when nothing breaks)
4. When there are no gringos around, I’m in the 80 percentile of height

After one final surf session at Caleta we hit the trail again and 130 miles later we dropped the hook in Chamela bay right at sunset. The surfboards hanging on our lifelines always attract attention from other boats. Somehow sailboats with boards seem to be highly appreciated even by non surfers. We were invited over to "Blue Sky" (they are in the recent issue of Lats and Ats) and fed and watered but when the kids went to bed we were promptly ushered off. We anchored the next day between two islands and spent hours snorkeling in 75 degree water with 45 foot visibility. We aren't very good with the spear guns yet. Some fish stand in line for death but they're the pretty ones that don't have good meat and it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. My digital camera is waterproof. You gotta see some of these videos. I'll try to upload if I ever find a fast connection. Ryan taught us some yoga on the beach and I wandered all around the island. It's a bird sanctuary. Think: all access pass to the SD Wild Animal Park. Really cool. Saw lots of big beautiful boobies. That's blue footed boobies (my aunts are surely smiling right now). The next day we anchored in the southern section of the same bay and while snorkeling this reef we saw a Mexican kid with a stringer of about 30 octopi on it. We befriended him and had him and his boss and friend back to Barraveigh for wine, beer, pistachios and loads of fresh pulpo. Then it was off to another anchorage called Paraiso (paradise, and it was) Amazing underwater adventures. Jorge, Luiz, and Fernando taught us how to spot and pull oysters off the rocks and we did! Also - shooting the swell in the kayaks as it surges through the rock gauntlets is almost as good as running a rapid on the river. This is a glorious part of the coast. They call it the Mexican Rivera. All the huge houses on the cliffs look like the best of La Jolla with the paint scheme chosen by papa smurf. The anchorages are within 3 - 12 miles of each other which is nice since we can leave whenever we want and not have to plan so earnestly when we arrive since we can always get there in daylight (kinda hairy coming into a new anchorage in the dark). Right now we are anchored in front of a Club Med that shut down in 2001. They've already been kind enough to give us a case of wine and some other things we needed for the boat. It's as if we have found a deserted civilization. Right now Ryan and I are headed back over there to climb their rock wall that overlooks the bay. This place is beyond words.

Haven't had any bugs since San Blas.

I could have sworn I saw a monkey today.

2 new maxims:

1.) Never pass up a bird sanctuary (Free eggs! Just kidding Mom)
2.) Never pass up a beach with a Club Med (they only pick the most beautiful spots)