–from Caitlin + Jason
We’re writing and posting this one from a cell phone, and we can’t figure out how to move the pictures to place them where they make the most sense. So they’re mostly clustered at the end. Please forgive/enjoy the randomness.
The 150 miles of coastline south from La Cruz in the Puerto Vallarta area to Bahia Manzanillo, where we will anchor in a few days, has more harbors than the entire 850 mile coast of Baja, and we’ve slowed down to enjoy them. Another reason we’re moving slowly is that there hasn’t been much wind. The forecast, predictable for this time of year here, is so often for light and variable winds.
All these days at anchor have been busy.
In addition to working on the boat—this is endless and there’s a long list of jobs to check off before we jump across the Pacific—we’ve been in the water, both intentionally (snorkeling) and unintentionally (flipping the dinghy in a botched surf landing), doing school work, kayaking, exploring a mangrove estuary (we rowed by a small crocodile!), eating at beachside palapa restaurants, fishing, cooking, visiting with other cruising boats, and swimming some more.
Tonight we are anchored in the shallow lagoon at Barra de Navidad. This is a domestic tourist destination, and the beaches and streets are packed with families from all over Mexico enjoying the santa semana. We joined the crowd ashore today. Tomorrow we’ll stay on the boat to celebrate Easter by painting the mizzen mast and sailing the dinghy.
We had a bit of a change of plans earlier this month, shortly after we last wrote. The three or four days we meant to spend reprovisioning and working on the boat dockside in La Cruz turned into ten days when Jason landed in a hospital for surgery
to repair a hernia. Tuesday night he became aware of the issue, Wednesday morning he popped into a little farmacia to speak with a doctor, and by Wednesday afternoon, we had taken the bus to a hospital in Puerto Vallarta, where Jason was admitted
for surgery the following morning. There was no emergency, and we could only imagine how long the series of appointments and office visits would have taken to get the same surgery in the United States.
Jason’s surgeon seemed to run the hospital, and with his jeans, and shirt open under his blazer, he looked more like a Hollywood producer than a gastroenterologist. But Jason fared well under his care and is, just over two weeks later, all but back to full strength. It turns out Mexican hospitals do not, unfortunately, serve carne asada tacos.
To pass the time while Jason recovered, we rented a car and spent a couple of days in the mountains above Bahia Banderas. It was good to leave the heat of the coast and we loved the beautiful town of San Sebastian, where we stayed in a 300-year old adobe home and walked along ancient sunken stone paths through the pine forest. Getting to the top of the mountain above San Sebastian was more than our little sedan could take—the steep cobbled roads wound up and down improbably—and we gave up, likely just before the top.
Though we enjoyed the mountain excursion, the town of La Cruz, and new friends on other boats at the marina, we were relieved, finally, to take in our dock lines and to be on our way again. The sailing has been gentle, though sometimes through water stained a shocking deep red by plankton. We had read about a red tide but none of us had seen one. The ocean truly looks like its bleeding, and it leaves us feeling uneasy. But then the water is suddenly blue again. Or the light turquoise of water over sand
Over the next few weeks, we’ll see friends and—mostly—work to prepare the boat for the 3,000 mile passage to the Marquesas. During the passage and during the six months we are in French Polynesia, we’ll be less frequently connected to the internet. Our friend Mark has kindly agreed to post messages to the blog as we are able to send them to him, though there will have to be fewer pictures. Whenever we do get internet we’ll look forward to hearing from you—in messages on the blog or by email.
Tomorrow we’ll find out if the Easter Bunny can find us on Debonair.
Hernia?!?! Listen, old man, you’ve got a long way to go…take it easy!
Looks beautiful…I’m still jealous!
Glad Alma is learning a trade…put a full half lime in the rum and tonic!
Yes healthcare in US is a misnomer!
Glad this situation occurred sooner rather than later.
Go easy recovering Jason.
You all look so relaxed and chipper,warms the cockles of my heart.
Hmmm bar tending ? Now you can check that off your list Alma and move on!
Fun job but best to not get stuck in it.
Now seamstress skills that’s a fine string to your bow as they say.
Take care each and everyone of you .
Just keep
On having fun,I like the slow pace -why not?
Jocelyn
Wow! What a story! Glad the surgery went well and you are all back on track.
I’ve enjoyed following the adventure!
Hope you post some of the sketches at some point too. Stay safe and be well.
Good idea on posting sketches–they are really doing fun stuff. Will try to twist the kids arms for permission.
Enjoying your adventures! Glad Jason is okay. Happy Easter!
Yours is the only family I know where surgery is a footnote. Glad it worked out!
Not a footnote in our lives, just makes for boring blog reading, right? 🙂
Wonderful to see all your smiling faces! And very good to hear Jason is recovering well. CJ and I are enjoying reading about the family adventures and seeing the beautiful pictures. Keep having fun!
Lots of love,
Ali and CJ
Ali & CJ,
THank you both for writing! We love thinking of you living in Sac — we look forward to visiting when we return.
XO
So glad that all went well with the unexpected surgery. I hope you more surprise side trips on your journey, but I also hope this is the only one prompted by medical issues. Sail on, brave Debonauts, over the wine dark (and sometimes blood red) sea. Liam and I are off to Boston for an East Coast college tour.
Best,
Kira
Thanks, Kira! Homer’s line came to me too as we sailed though the red tide, and I wonder about algae blooms in the Mediterranean. ..but maybe the wine just looked different then?
So thankful that the surgery went so well and that Jason got such great care and you and the kids got a chance to go and explore. So awesome. Loving keeping track of all your adventures on the blog.
Love,
Lou Anne
That’s why a trip like yours is for the young! I would have absolutely freaked out needing surgery in your situation.glad everything worked out in the end. Here’s wishing that any surprises coming your way will be good. We look forward to all of your communications and wish you well. Ah, youth!!!
Don’t push it with the hernia recovery. It could recur! And do not swim in the Red Tide! I did that once, the results were not good. I got very sick.
Nancy and I are really enjoying the blog. Loved the wrap up of Mexican food by Arlo. Fair winds.
Thanks for the advice, Cap’n. We’re definitely not swimming int he red tide. It’s a little harder to keep Jason resting, but he’s doing great!
Hope you all had a great Easter and I wonder if the bunny found it’s way to Debonair! Hope Jason is recovering well. Where will you be stopping before you get to Marquesas? Hope there’s some cute little islands you can explore and rest along the way! Safe sailing my dear friends!
I so enjoy hearing about your adventures and especially from Arlo and Alma. How articulate and perceptive they are! Caitlin, did you keep a journal of the year you spent sailing with your family?
How wonderful it must be to experience it again through their eyes and to know how life changing
and character building one year and a day will be. Good luck crossing to the South Pacific. Hoping you get a chance to speak French and soak up that culture. Keep the posts coming! Kaye
Just landed on your blog post for the very first time. So wonderful to hear about your brave adventures as we stick to school, work, the dishes, and the laundry….
Sending wishes for a safe crossing.
Lots of love,
Carrie
Thanks, Carrie! (We do dishes & laundry too 🙂 )