Log 16 - Southbound Again (quickly) for Christmas in Zihuatanejo, Mexico

This log covers November 30th to December 31, 2003 as we head south with Christmas in Zihuatanejo in mind.  We revisit some places and also discover new spots to explore.  That's the beauty of the cruising life...you never know what will happen next. 


Southbound route to Z-town In this log, we're back on the boat and ready to begin our second cruising season aboard TIOGA.  Our plan is to get our sea legs back after 4 months ashore with a short 120 nm crossing from San Carlos on the mainland to Isla Carmen on the Baja Peninsula side of the Sea of Cortez.  From there, we'll spend the next few days stopping in the various anchorages on our way south towards Los Frailes, where we'll jump offshore again for a 3-day passage back to the Mexican mainland, with Tenacatita as our destination.   From there, it's only a couple more days to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, where we plan to enjoy Christmas and New Years.  Simple as that ... but a healthy 875 nm away!

Monday, December 1st, 2003 - "Wing on Wing", San Carlos to Isla Carmen

With the boat ready to go and finally a reasonable weather report we set sail for the Baja Peninsula side of the Sea of Cortez on the tail end of a "norther".  Here we're sailing only with our two headsails, both poled out on either side of the boat, like two wings.   It's a very comfortable way to sail when the wind is directly behind you.  Gerrit has also found a comfortable place to read in the shade.

Sailing Wing on Wing

When our passage is done and the sails are down as we motor into a new anchorage, it has become a ritual for the boys to head to the bow of Tioga and be our look outs.

Motoring into the anchorage. 

Wednesday, December 3rd - San Evaristo to Los Frailes

With 250nm down and 625nm to go, passage making is going well and we're settled into a routine.  For the big 3-day jump coming up, we need to listen to the weather and time that passage carefully.  So we push on to our intermediate destination, Los Frailes, on the southern end of the Baja, ready to make the jump when the weather window presents itself.   It's not high winds were concerned about ... it's lack of wind!

Relaxing in the cockpit

Sheila watching the sails in the finicky winds.

Friday, December 5th - Los Frailes - Waiting for weather

Los Frailes is a nice spot and we end up staying here for a few days.  There is very little wind, except for the late afternoon land thermals.  Good for kite flying, but only a local phenomena.  Out on the "crossing", its dead flat calm.

Flying kite at Los Frailes

Monday, December 8th - Afternoon tea in the cockpit, enroute to Tenacatita

On Sunday, we finally head out on a forecast that contains some wind and with a good dose of wishful thinking.   This next leg is 350 nm and should take about 3 days.   Once again, we're back in the Pacific Ocean and are greeted by the long ocean swells originating from some big storm systems way far away in the Pacific Northwest.   The winds are fickle and we end up motoring on and off  for long stretches.  Joel and Gerrit busy themselves in the galley and prepare this awesome afternoon snack.

Joel & Gerrit make a great snack! ;-)

12:09 am Wednesday, December 10th - Now we're travelling fast

On our third day out and as we begin to approach the Mexican mainland, the winds finally pipe up to a good reef-your-sails blow in the order of 25kts.  It's hard to give you an impression of the ride, but with the wind right behind us and a single headsail, it's like a fast but smooth sleigh ride and in the moonlight, too!

Flying down wind

Thursday, December 11th - Beautiful Tenacatita Bay

Mid-morning Wednesday, we arrive at Tenacatita Bay and are quite rested.  Last season, we visited Tenacatita and spent 3 weeks here.  It is also the furthest south we have been in our boat, last year turning north again and heading to the Sea of Cortez.  This time it will only be a few days here before moving south into new cruising territory.

Tenacatita Bay - just as beautiful 2nd time around :)

In Tenacatita, we met up with 6 other cruising families.  Sailing vessels Peregrinata and Atalanta were friends from last year while Dagmar, Quetzal, Mariposa and m/v Williwa were new to us.  All had kids of varying ages.  In addition, a number are continuing south towards Panama, so it was great to spend time together and get (re)aquatinted.  A bunch of us went up the "jungle lagoon ride" through the mangroves for an excursion.

Second trip up the mangroves for us - so fun.

 I don't think the Mexican's at the other end have seen so many gringo kids.  Here a grandmother prepares coconuts for some of our thirsty kids.

Coconut Lady Fresh coconut milk, anyone?

Friday, December 12th - Dinghy Raft Up

Often in Tenacatita Bay the cruisers get together and raft up with their dingy's for an evening social.  Everyone brings an appetizer and we hang out for some good food, conversation and sometimes music,  Glad we are around to experience this wonderful event.

The crew from s/v Peregrinata enjoy the raft up.

Saturday, December 13th - En route to Zihuatanejo

We leave Tenacatita with a light wind forecast so we ready our gennaker. The winds materialize and we have a beautiful sail with 10-15kts of wind over our starboard quarter.   But as the wind dies late at night we realize that we have forgotten to refuel and don't have enough diesel to motor the entire remaining trip if  wind doesn't materialize again ... oops.  The wind returns at 5am, but its right on the nose. We try to tack but progress is so limited that by 10am Sunday the motor is back on and we are powering into the wind at low RPM.  We motor through the day and evening and make plans to stop in a place where we can get fuel by jerry-can. But to our extreme delight, around 9 pm, the wind returns from the NE at 10kts and gives as a beautiful close-reach into Zihuatanejo for Monday morning.

Cruising fast with our "gennaker"

Monday, December 22nd - Hangin' out in Zihua

It's quite hard to give you a photographic impression of Zihuatanejo; it's a large bay with plenty of room to anchor, including room for large cruise ships.  Since Christmas is near and all sorts of activities are happening in town, we anchor off the municipal pier and beach.  The water is quite murky, so we don't swim here, but rather a short dinghy ride away at Ropa Beach.  Here the boys are goofing around on our flopper-stopper, a device to dampen any rolling motion of the boat while at anchor.

Hanging from the "flopper-stopper" in Zihua

Wednesday, December 24th - Christmas Eve in Zihuatanejo

On Christmas Eve, we attend an English caroling service in nearby Ixtapa.  (Ixtapa is where all the hotels are:  Zihuatanejo is where all the locals live and is more of a typical Mexican town.)  The singing is fun and on the bus ride home, our group continues to sing in beautiful harmonies much to the surprise of the locals getting on and off the bus.   We even took requests!

Christmas Service in Ixtapa

Thursday, December 25th - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The kids are happy to find that Santa has found us again.  Apparently, some kind sole told Santa to check our latest position report to track us down.  See our little tree tucked up against the mast?

Christmas gift opening

On Christmas Day, all sorts of things were going on in the bay and Zihuatanejo.   We were invited to join a number of other families for a potluck meal on two boats that rafted together.  It was a great time.  Everyone made their own Christmas specialties

Christmas Day dinner raft-up on Atalanta and Western Grace

8:45 am Wednesday, December 31st - Kids' Net

Every morning in "destination" anchorages, like Zihuatanejo, there is usually a morning "net" on the 2-way VHF radio.  New boats introduce themselves, departing vessels say good-bye, and those staying put check-in.  Also, there is an opportunity to exchange all sorts of information and get your questions answered.  With so many kids in the anchorage area, every morning they too had their own net, for kids only.   Here, Gerrit is net controller for the last day in 2003.

Gerrit does the kids' net

12:01 am Thursday, January 1st, 2004 - HAPPY NEW YEAR from Zihuatanejo!

Here's the view from our boat anchored off the town. Later today, we and the crew of s/v Atalanta head for Mexico City for a week's worth of discovery and adventure.  Stay tuned.

Happy New Year fireworks

Log 17 finds us in Mexico City - what a treat.

Log 15 - Inland Mexico by RV and Train. Final Boat Preparations for Cruising

This log covers October 15th to November 30th, 2003 where we head inland to take in Mexico's Copper Canyon at Creel.  Then it's back to s/v Tioga for final preparations for our next cruising season.  

Saturday, October 18th, 2003 - Virgin de Guadalupe

After dropping off an RV full of boat supplies at Tioga, we headed south and inland with the RV for a couple of weeks.  We passed this shrine along the way, which we found out to be one of many shrines in Mexico of the Virgin of Guadalupe.  In 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant just north of Mexico City.   Subsequently, devotion to the Virgin among the indigenous spread rapidly, and within six years 9 million Indians had been baptized as Catholics in central Mexico.  As the patron saint of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe is revered by millions of Mexicans.

Massive shrine while driving. 

Saturday, October 18th - Alamos Centro and Taco Stands

Our first destination inland was the beautiful colonial town of Alamos.  In the late 1700s, it was the supply and cultural center of this once rich silver mining area.  Today, many of the impressive colonial homes and other buildings have been restored.  The town square or Zocalo is always the center of activity and we're in search of yet another great taco!

Alamos taco stand

Monday, October 20th - Tortilla Machine

Poking around Alamos's narrow cobblestone streets, we stuck our heads in this business' door and watched as they made wheat tortillas.

One of many ways to make tortillas

Monday, October 20th - Casa de Maria Felix, Alamos

Many homes in Alamos with traditional interior courtyards have been beautifully restored and are available for viewing.  We stumbled across this one, now owned by a Canadian women from Vancouver.   Now operated as an Inn, it turns out to be the birthplace of Maria Felix, Mexico's most famous and fibrant actress.  Our host told us how late one night last April the shutters banged for 3 hours with no explanation.  The next morning, she learnt that Maria had died that previous night.  Try Casa de Maria Felix for an unique getaway!

Casa de Maria Felix

Just Pretty Pictures

Colonial colors

Simply a beautiful place to explore. 

Tuesday, October 21st - Estudientes Musica (Students)

Mexicans take music very seriously and it is a most noble profession.  These students performed at a nearby hotel and were so good we bought their CD.  The age range in the group is from 12 to 27 and it is, in a sense, an apprenticeship of learning.  Though they were all very talented, the young man playing the tambourine did amazing things with such a simple instrument, it was literally flying with his fingers!

Music students perform in a hotel courtyard

Friday, October 24th - Ferromex to Creel

After Alamos, the next stop for us was the town of El Fuerte, where we left the RV and caught the Chihuahua-Pacific train, which runs deep through some of the most rugged and scenic terrain in the country, connecting Los Mochis on the Gulf of California to the state of Chihuahua. Also known as the Copper Canyon railway, the line has 39 bridges and 86 tunnels along its 655 km (407 mi) route.  Our destination was the old mining town of Creel, a popular base from which to explore the Copper Canyon.  On the train, we were able to walk between cars and stop to view the sights while standing outdoors.  Talk about your 'Old Western' movie feeling!

Catching the Copper Canyon Express!

Friday, October 24th - The Copper Canyon

Covering an area four times the size of Arizona's Grand Canyon, the Barrancas del Cobre region is spectacular.   While the Grand Canyon is the result of downcutting by a single river through a region of massive uplift, the Copper Canyon is the work of many rivers cutting through the craggy, forested mountains creating a series of five interlocking canyons, covered in snow during winter and exploding with color during the rainy summers.

Barrancas del Cobre

Saturday, October 25th - Town of Creel

High amid the stunning peaks and gorges of the Sierra Madres, lies our destination, the small village of Creel.  For the two nights we spent here, we stayed at Margarita's Casa, somewhat of a convergence zone for international backpackers.  It was a neat experience mingling with the many young travelers.  It reminded us of our trip to Europe in 1984/85.

Town of Creel

Lack of infrastructure makes the area difficult to explore without a vehicle.  Through Margarita's, we arranged a tour into the countryside, winding down some of the countless dirt roads that connect the remote corners of the vast canyons and catching some great views.  Fifty thousand Tarahumara Indians still live in the mountains surrounding Creel, living the old way as they have done for thousands of years.  We see their huts and corn fields often.  Theirs' was never a big civilization like the Aztecs or Mayans but they managed to ward off all the Spanish incursions until well into the 20th century.

Winding road with views.

Copper Canyon vista

It's a long way down.

Sunday, October 26th - Return to Tioga II

Well the trip to Creel and the Copper Canyon was quick, but we have a long 8-hour train ride back to El Fuerte and the RV.  All in all, we're glad we made the excursion.  Thankfully, we made a taxi reservation before we left and our driver, Alahondra, is waiting at the station for us when we return late in the evening, tired and cold after a long journey.   The next day, we leave El Fuerte and head back to San Carlos and the boat.

Chihuahua Pacific Railway

Friday, October 31st - Boo!

Not knowing if we'd find pumpkins in Mexico, we bought a couple before leaving Tucson.

On the big day, we carve them to the sounds of  spooky music CDs before we trick or treat with three other cruising families in a local neighborhood.  In Mexico, this day is El Dia de Los Muertos; The Day of the Dead.  It's followed by All Souls' Day to commemorate the deceased so they might "rest in peace."  Popular belief states that on the Day of the Dead, the spirits of the dead return to commune with the living.  Families leave offerings for these spirits, attend fiestas dressed in costumes, and clean or decorate the graves of deceased family members.  It's a very important Mexican holiday.

Our second Halloween abroad

November - getting the boat ready for another season

Well, enough for play. The month of November was an incredible amount of work for us.  In addition to unloading the RV and getting it ready to sell, we had to haul Tioga out for new bottom paint and to raise her waterline.  Then we had a number of storage projects to complete, provisions to put away, repairs to make, drop the RV in Tucson, etc. We don't know where the time went, but when it's all done, we're feeling good about Tioga, our home.

Taking care of business below the (new higher) waterline

Tioga goes back in the water. 

6:48am Saturday, November 15th - Yellowtail Jack

Sometimes, when you're working so hard on getting the boat back together, you forget where you are.  Here, Joel & Chris take time to do some early morning fishing, trolling off a nearby rocky point.

Early mornin' fishin'

Joel and a fellow cruise

Joel went out fishing pretty much every morning with a local cruiser on the dock.  Here he and Gerrit display his latest catch.  Our freezer is now full with these great tasting yellowtail jacks that Joel managed to catch every time!

Our freezer is officially full!

Friday, November 28th - Leaving Tomorrow

Well, that's the end of this log.   Chris made it safely back from Tucson, after dropping the RV at a consignment lot.   From a hill overlooking the marina where Tioga sat for the last four months, we ponder the upcoming cruising season and are excited to get going.  We've got 4000 miles to do this season, through Central America including a transit of the Panama Canal, then up to Florida.  Perhaps another year from now we'll be in Europe.  Time will tell.

Marina Real, San Carlos, Mexico

 Stay-tuned for Log 16 and Christmas in Zihuatanejo.

Log 11–Mid-Sea of Cortez - Loreto to San Carlos

This blog covers May and June, 2003 where we enjoy the Sea of Cortez with great friends. We explore a  salt mine, visit an old prison and see some cave paintings, make a boat shrine and get ready for RV Tioga mobile.

Tuesday, May 6, 2003 - Loreto

After a bit of a push to make Loreto Fest  in the first few days of May, we were finally able to slow the cruising pace back down and explore Mexico's Baja treasures in the company of the many great friends we have made cruising.  One of our first stops was the historic town of Loreto, the longest continually occupied town in Baja, having survived almost three centuries.  It is the site of the first mission church established by Father Junipero Serra in ~1743.  This beautiful hotel graced the town square.

Stunning old hotel.

A great pizza lunch in Loreto made carefully by a husband and wife team.  A far cry from Pizza Hut or Dominoes!

Husband and wife pizza team.

Sunday May 11, 2003 - Isla Carmen 

Across from Loreto is Isla Carmen, an island we circumnavigated and enjoyed thoroughly for a number of  days.  This day is Mother's Day and Sheila enjoys a cuddle with Gerrit.  

On it was an old abandoned salt mining town and dried-out salt ponds, which we explored.   

Abandoned salt mine.

Gerrit stands beside an abandoned salt water evaporation pond at Bahia Salinas, Isla Carmen.

Salt ponds

Learning to dive for and harvest "chocolatie" clams and the subsequent beach-side clam bakes are extremely memorable.

Chris helps to bake the clams.

Here Chris is proudly presenting the fish he just speared. 

Pole spear fishing offers a nice supper. 

Tuesday May 20, 2003 - Cruisers' Shrine at San Juanico

The "cruisers' shrine" is a tree and surrounding area on a beach in an anchorage called San Juanico.   For years cruisers have visited and left artistic momentous of their existences and trips, the earliest we could find dating back to 1988.  We brought along various craft items, paints, string, and pieces of wood and made our own creation.  Our sign is about 12"x16" displaying 'TIOGA” and all our names, “5-03' (May 2003). Our Canadian Flag and Calgary in the top right corner.  Joel added a miniature Tioga in the bottom corner complete with Canadian flag and Gerrit colored a shell to leave for Boomerang, our dinghy.

Our shrine to Tioga.

We chose to hang our creation deep in the tree for maximum protection from the elements.

Our Tioga shrine in the back of the tree.

Joel brought the sailboat he made along for the day and had fun while the shrines were being created.

San Juanico was also a great spot to snorkel and marvel at the abundant sea life, as well as the opportunity to practice spear fishing techniques.  A lot of time was spent with John and Nia from s/v Jovita, a great young couple who's overall knowledge of sea life far surpassed ours.  They both turned out to be great role models for Joel and Gerrit on numerous occasions.  Here, John displays his 'trigger fish' and Nia shows off her 'hog fish'.  Both tasted excellent later that day roasted by fire on the beach.

John and Nia from s/v Jovita

9:07pm - Saturday, May 24, 2003 - It's dark out!

This is a neat picture, if only to show you how we have to get around down here from time to time.  A group of us - three boats' worth in two dinghies - went out for supper at a restaurante in a nearby bay.  After supper, we all zoom home to our anchorage a bay or two south in the pitch dark. It was a nice evening out, with both water and air temperature around 85F.  And the conversation was hilarious!

Monday, May 26, 2003 - A Big Bug  on an outing to the Town of Mulege

How about this Mexican bug?  We were exploring the town of Mulege's sites when our friends' daughter, Rhianon, spotted this doozy.  It's not a cockroach, but we didn't quite get the name when we asked a local.

Now that's a bug!

Monday, May 26, 2003 - Mulege Prison

In the town of Mulege we visited a unique prison, now decommissioned, where many of the prisoners were allowed to leave the confines of their cells and go to work everyday in the town below.  At 6pm every evening a conch shell was blown to signal the inmates to return to the prison for the night.  When the prisoners were done their prison terms, many of them choose to settle in Mulege having already established lengthy roots!  This picture is of the inner section of the prison, where the hard-cases were kept.  Two solitary confinement cells are on the left.

Some beautiful color in this dismal place.

These "hard-case" prisoners managed to escape and two of them succeeded in stowing away on TIOGA.  They are now holding us hostage and are threatening to keep it that way for at least another 10 to 15 years!!

Do these look like hardened criminals? 

Tuesday May 27, 2003 - Cave painting tour

The crews of s/v's Jovita, Atalanta and Tioga jump in Salvador the guide's van for a day tour to the site of cave paintings by the Cochimi Indians dated 3500 BC.  Along the way into the desert along washboard roads bound for the Trinidad Ranch, Salvador stops and shows us various plants, trees, and cacti of the desert, including how to identify them and their various purposes.  Some cacti hold the key to life - water -  while a single drip of sap from another tree could kill you in the refuge of its shade!  As is with all things in life, be careful of your choices!!

Great time on this van guided tour. 

Upon arrival, we hike a short distance though the arroyos and canyons to the cave paintings site. Three different Indian groups painted on the walls over time, some on top of the existing paintings. Pictured were fish, deer, hunters, frogs and even hand prints. The Indians showed the missionaries the whereabouts of the cave paintings, who documented their existence and location. Tragically, the majority of the Indians where wiped out by disease introduced by the Europeans.

Cave paintings.

Sunday, June 1, 2003 - A relaxed day on the move ... 11:10am - whales!

Today we planned to make it to the town of Santa Rosalia, not far away but with plenty to see and do along the way.  We had heard via VHF radio that morning that whales were in the area and as we traveled north paralleling Isla San Marcos, we found ourselves surrounded.  We are told that this one is probably a blue whale due to the amount of its body that shows out of the water when it surfaces.   We stop the boat and shut everything down and just drift in order to watch these amazing animals and listen to them blow when they surface.  At one point, this whale surfaces right next to Tioga (within 10m)!

There she blows....whales about.

1:33pm ... Swimming at the Rock Arch with crew from S/V Atlanta

We had heard of a neat spot to swim, and the day's plan was to stop and find it.  The spot  is unique as it is surrounded by cliffs except for a small entrance - a rock arch - that we have to take the dinghy through and under, ducking our heads to pass clearly!  Once inside, there is a nice rock beach to relax on plus small rocks for the kids to jump off of and swim.  Excellent spot.

Private secluded beach all to ourselves.

Just outside the entrance, we see some locals jumping into the water from about 30 feet up! Chris and Michael (from s/v Atlanta) decide to attempt it….brave or what?

This was higher than it looks..

6:23pm - Santa Rosalia 

Finally, we arrive at the little marina in Santa Rosalia.

Such a quaint little marina.

And no sooner do we get our lines tied when we are boarded by the Mexican Navy doing a random inspection.  They were very friendly despite the size of the guns they were packing!  Apparently, only the sergeant gets ammunition as the Navy can't afford to give it out to the juniors (the kids).  Well, it was a busy day, but it's not over yet. Off we go into town to find out about Santa Rosalia's famous hot dogs!

Santa Rosalia welcoming party.

Monday, June 9, 2003 - Graduation and Book Burning Ceremony at Bahia San Pedro

Gerrit and Joel have a ball burning their school books from the past year.  'The best day of my life!' Gerrit jokingly proclaims.

Ritual of burning school books at year end.

The evening came complete with graduation certificates for our guys and the girls from s/v Atlanta to officially end our school year.

Another school year done!  

Saturday, June 28, 2003 - Marina Real, San Carlos

The last two weeks has been a ton of work getting Tioga ready to sit out the hurricane season, She has been thoroughly cleaned inside and out and striped of everything from flag and sails to running rigging for protection against the sun's harsh rays and summer's strong winds.

Joel helps take the Canadian flag down for the season.

Tioga floats peacefully in her resting spot for the next four months.

We hope she sits peacefully till our return. 

Chris has also been to and returned from Tucson, Arizona with a motor home for our next excellent adventure.  Here we host some fellow cruisers in Tioga II...how many kids can fit in the top bunk?

Last night with some fellow cruising kids

3:37 pm - Saturday, June 28, 2003 - TIOGA II is mobile!

With everything loaded, we are ready to roll.  It has been a while since we have traveled via wheels.  We start out at 5 m.p.h. and joke about that being the speed we came down the coast at.   Once underway on the highway, we find 55 m.p.h. real fast!!   We are all very excited for this next leg of our adventure.  Stay tuned...

Tioga II ready to roll. 

Join us in Log 12 as we make our way home to Canada. Yeah!