“The Rime of the Ancient Mariners” or “Boobie Go Home” – March 5 - 12, 2013

WARNING: This post may not be appropriate for small children and bird lovers.

About dusk, on March 5, we were sailing briskly along on our way from La Cruz to Bahia Tenacatita.  Bryce was on watch.  We had successfully rounded Cabo Corrientes, and had just put a reef in each sail for the night, as the winds had risen steadily over the previous hour to between 17 and 20 knots.  Molly was below heating up dinner.  All was well in our little watery world.
A brown boobie approached Abracadabra.  Birds often fly near as we are sailing, and Bryce didn’t think much of this bird’s approach until it swooped down and clipped the backstay with its wing!  The bird staggered through the air, and almost ran into Bryce, who yelled “Holy crap, that bird almost hit me!” (or something to that effect).

The bird circled around, and approached again.  Bryce waved his arms in an attempt to create a visual reference, hoping to keep the bird from again running into the boat.  Molly came out of the cabin to find the Captain hopping up and down, flapping his arms and yelling something eloquent, such as “Shoo Bird!”  The bird did fly away from Abracadabra, but then returned, approaching from the port side.  This time it flew into Abracadabra’s rigging – lodging its head between the shrouds at the lower port spreader. 

To explain this bird’s location to non-sailors:  Shrouds and spreaders are part of the “rigging” that, in very simple terms, acts to stabilize the tall, otherwise wobbly, mast which rises about 48 feet above the deck.  Shrouds are metal cables that run from the top of the mast to the deck of the boat – one on the port side, and one on the starboard.  On Abracadabra these shrouds are connected to the mast in two places by metal braces called spreaders which extend perpendicular from the mast.  The first set of spreaders is about 15 feet above Abracadabra’s deck.  As the shrouds rise from the first spreader to the second, they create a little metal “v” – and that’s where the bird’s head was stuck.

At first we laughed, thinking this looked a lot like a curious little boy getting his head stuck between stair rails.  And then we realized that the stupid bird was well and truly stuck.  It was hanging -- and slowly strangling itself on the spreader!  We watched for a moment, horrified, hoping that the bird could save itself.  It spread its wings, and was able to remain aloft which released some of the pressure on its neck, but it couldn’t get enough lift to rise up and free its head from the “v” of the shrouds.  Its yellow feet (this was not a blue-footed boobie) flapped through the air, trying to get onto the shroud to leverage its head out of the vice it was in.  But it’s legs were too short.  It became rather gruesome to watch.

Struggling Boobie

Bryce grabbed the boat hook, and duct-taped a rod onto it.  He couldn’t reach the bird.  He sat on the boom, and still couldn’t reach the bird.  Finally, he stood on the boom and could reach the bird, but to no avail.  The bird was too heavy to lift with this jury-rigged contraption.  All the stick was doing was causing the poor, trapped bird additional aggravation.  Remember that this is happening on a moving platform in the middle of a lot of water.  Molly began to think it was time to give up on the bird.  Better a dead boobie than an overboard Captain.    

On more than one occasion the bird sagged, and seemed to hang by its neck until dead.  Each time, just as we would decide that all was lost it would revive, spread its wings, and struggle.  But as our recue attempts failed, we began to think the bird was doomed, and we were doomed to have it strangling away all night, and rotting away over our heads during the next several days . . . gruesome on both accounts. 

We each wondered whether a dead boobie in the rigging was like shooting an albatross.  Would we be forever cursed to motor without wind?  Would our water maker break leaving us with “nary a drop to drink”?  Would we be doomed to stop people on their way to weddings to tell them with our boring brown boobie story? 

We broke through this horrible flash-back to middle-school English class and realized that we needed some sort of platform to put under the boobie’s feet.  But what?  “We need a bucket!” the Captain cried.  “Bring me a bucket!”

In an act of selfless sacrifice Abracadabra’s laundress (that would be Molly) donated the largest bucket on board – the laundry bucket – to the cause.  An aside - the laundress unswervingly keeps this bucket separate and apart from the other buckets aboard because they are often filled with yucky boat stuff.
 
The Captain swiftly attached the bucket to the topping lift (for non-sailors this is a rope that runs up through the mast and out the top, back to the back of the boom, where it is attached to lift the boom) and raised the bucket up to the boobie.  The bird flapped a lot, not understanding our good intentions, but its big yellow feet were finally captured inside the bucket and, as the bucket was lifted tight to the spreader, the bird was able to stand in it.  The bucket was shallow enough to permit the bird to raise its head out of the metal “v” in which it was stuck – and, mercifully, it flew away.

Tah-dah!  The happy crew of Abracadabra began the “we just saved the boobie” dance!!!

And then we realized that the bucket was . . . swinging . . . and swooping . . . wrapping the topping lift around . . . and around . . . the mast and the top of the main sail.  High above us our rescue bucket had become a wildly swinging projectile.  In our excitement to create a rescue vehicle we had forgotten to attach a control line to the bucket!  We realized that, unless it came down on its own, we had no way of bringing the bucket down.  And of course, because this is when this sort of thing always happens, it was getting dark.          

We stood watching the bucket swirl around us in the darkening sky like an inanimate circus performer.  Our hearts sunk.  We were worried and we felt very, very stupid.  Finally, we took the only course of action available to us – we raised the bucket to the top of the mast, to prevent it from fouling up the sails, and sailed on.  The next afternoon we proudly rode into Bahia Tenacatita with our bucket proudly aloft!

Ignominious Bucket

On Friday night we join in the Bahia Tenacatita Mayor’s Raft-up.  The raft-up is a twenty-something year long tradition in Bahia Tenacatita where the “mayor” (we’re not sure how someone becomes “mayor” – but it probably has something to do with agreeing to organize the weekly raft-up) anchors his or her dinghy near the shore, and the crews of the other boats in the bay tie their dinghies to the mayor’s anchor rope.  Food is passed from dinghy to dinghy, and adult beverages are consumed.  Used books are traded.  Stories and swapped.  It’s a floating cocktail party. 

As the various dinghies were gathering Bob from Viva turned to Bryce and asked “So, what’s with the bucket?”  Bryce suggested that because more than one yatista might wonder about the bucket that we save the story for later, when all were gathered.  [Frankly, the story wasn’t yet funny to us – we were pretty humiliated by unsailorly-like bucket stuck to the top of the mast.] 

When it came time to share a story with the group, we told the story of the bucket and the boobie.  It was well received.  Everyone had a very good laugh – and mostly at the boobie’s expense!  Bryce explained that he was waiting for the stability of being at a dock before going up the mast to retrieve the bucket.  And then our friend Dick from Full and By explained that he had climbed boats at anchor on more than one occasion and had no qualms about rising 50 feet off the water tied to a rocking mast to retrieve a laundry bucket.  So, apparently, he’s a little crazy – but all to our advantage! 

On Sunday morning at around 08.30, while the water was relatively calm – Dick arrived with his climbing gear, climbed the mast, and rescued the bucket!  And more importantly for his wife Anne, Dick returned to the deck in one un-squashed piece. 

Great Bucket Rescue

Spiderman on Abracadabra

Laudry Can Now Be Done

And thus the story ends happily.  No boobies, buckets or sailors were harmed.  And we are saved from a lifetime of reliving the fate of the ancient mariner! 

We are departing Bahia Tenacatita this morning for destinations (not much) further south, and will post about (hopefully) less exciting adventures soon.    

La Cruz / Day Trippin’ Banderas Bay – February 2013

Well, we spent almost a month in La Cruz before we began travelling southward. And though we have often said that this village at the northern end of Banderas Bay is one of The Best Places, we don’t see that we’ve ever explained in this blog why we think that is so. So, here is our list of the top ten reasons we love the village of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (pronounced something like: Juan-a-costeley), in no particular order:

1.     It's A Good Place For Locovores: The residents of La Cruz were locovores long before it became "the thing to do" where we come from. There is an open air Mercado del Mar at the marina where the local fishermen sell their catches. We had pompano the other night that had been swimming around on a reef 70 kms away less than 24 hours before we grilled it. At Carniceria Kenny, early in the morning, you can find the day’s carne (beef) hanging in half-cow form from a hook to the left of the counter. The borego (lamb) is in the freezer, but as with the cows - Kenny not only butchers it, but grows it. And if you happen to order more than you have cash for, the signora will give you your purchase and let you bring the remainder of the purchase price later (yes, even if you are a gringa yatista!).

2.     There Are All Manner of Restaurants: Frescati’s for fresh pasta. Falconni’s for crispy pizza (bring your own beer or wine). Masala when you’re feeling like really fine dining and wonderful service. Tacos de Sillas Rojas (Red Chair Tacos) or Gorda’s for fabulous street tacos (and Tacos en Calle – Tacos in the Street – for street tacos that have been discovered by the tour books). YaYa’s or Octopus’ Garden for breakfast and lunch. Or one of the various economicas (cheap eats) locations around town where one can purchase one of the day’s two home-cooked style meals and a drink for less than $3.50.

3.      It's An Easy Place To Practice Yoga: Six mornings a week, Lee of Affroesa opens her personal yoga practice to anyone that wants to drop in and join her. It’s a wonderfully gentle way to great the day. 

4.    And Take Spanish Lessons: Two mornings a week Professora Anna gives a beginner’s class (for Molly) and a more advanced conversation group (for Bryce). 
 
5.     One Can (Relatively) Easily Find Boat Bits and Services:   La Cruz is home to a number of reputable marine services businesses, including the following, which we have used:

• Todo Vela Mexico operated by Jess and Janet Coburn (located behind the Mercado del Mar fish market) which stocks all kinds of rigging parts, Marlow ropes, and yachting gear. See www.todovelamexico.com.
• Sea Tek, a rigging shop located in the La Cruz boat yard run by Peter Vargas, a well-known rigger formerly of Long Beach, California – he does excellent work.
• Marine Vallarta, a marine electronics sale and repair shop run by Pieter Karsten and his wife. See www.marinevallarta.com. 
• Luis Santoyo of SeaMar Canvas made our dingy chaps and various other small canvas projects.

Friends have had work one at the La Cruz Shipyard with good results. See www.lacruzshipyard.com.  And the PV area, with its three marinas, has several chandleries including Zaragoza – a large West Marine sized operation in the Zona Hotelera.

As an aside: marine items are a lot cheaper from the US mail order outfits: free domestic shipping, no sales tax, that special spring sale….. very tempting. And yatistas do spend an inordinate amount of time going off to the border to pick things up; trying to get a visiting friend to bring parts in his or her suitcase; or even trying to import boating supplies directly. But Bryce has come to believe that Mexican retail pricing is the equivalent of a full price purchase from a West Marine plus 16% Mexican goods tax – and research suggests this theoretical price is usually not more than 5% off.  We generally comfort ourselves with paying this price by reminding ourselves that the stuff is right here - available today or at least sooner - and doesn’t cut into beer drinking time. On the other hand, Frank?, Bob?, Jim?... next time you come down, would you mind bringing a few spare parts we might order from Defender?

6.     There's Great Live Music: There’s country and western and classic rock -- Philo’s Bar and Anna Banana’s are rocking six nights a week - loud enough that you don’t even have to go inside to enjoy the music! And for those of us that don’t need to hear Stairway to Heaven or C’est la Vie (You Never Can Tell) every week, there’s flamenco music on Friday nights at the Black Forest (and good schnitzel, too) and on occasion at YaYa’s.

7.      We Have Boat Friends There: If they’re not there when Abracadabra arrives, they’ll show up sooner or later. Everyone loves La Cruz. Thanks to friends on Dodger Too, Full and By, Kayalami and Can 2 for the hospitality on this visit!

8.     There’s Good Transportation: The bus system that runs between Punta de Mita and Puerto Vallarta - up and down Carratera 200 (Highway 200) -- is inexpensive, fairly efficient and fairly safe. A one hour trip from La Cruz to Puerto Vallarta will only cost 17 pesos (about $1.50). The equipment is inconsistent and never plush, and each bus will be as crowded as the ridership is willing to bear (if you want on, and think you can get on, they’ll let you on), but the buses run frequently, the pick-up stops are marked and the driver will drop you off anywhere along the route. And a ride will often include musical entertainment, though that can be somewhat inconsistent and will cost a bit extra if you decide it’s worth a tip.

9.     It’s Not Too Touristy or Cute: Even with all the tourist and yatista-related services in town, there’s something about La Cruz that says the villagers have not sold out to the tourist / cruiser trade. Maybe it’s the family that, every evening, sits on plastic chairs in the street watching a television they have set on the sidewalk outside of their store. Maybe it’s the Capitain Garfio (Captain Hook) bar and pool hall that blares banda and mariachi music from its upstairs location – “nice” women not invited. Maybe it’s the fishermen’s wives that bring food down to the launching area in the evening to provision their husbands as they set off for work. Or maybe it’s the way the people greet each other in the street – small town anywhere with a musical Mexican accent. They were here before the tourists discovered them, the condos were built or the marina had slips. They’ll be here if we leave.

10.     And It’s A Good Place For Day Trips:   When we’re in the mood for a “soft adventure” there’s always some place new to see in the Bahia Banderas area. Most recently, we've visited:

Sayulita, a town known as a surfer hangout. It is indeed a hangout for those taking surfing lessons:

Mariachis Serenading Pirate Surfers

Come On Baby, Surfin' Safari

In addition to surfers, the town was full of tourists, including those of the backpacker variety – we are sure we saw our former selves walking toward us on more than one occasion!

Our more adult selves took a trip to the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens, which is home to a number of lovely gardens:



Cactus Garden

Agave / Cactus Garden

Viva la Bouganvilla!

 

Water Lillies

The Botanical Gardens also offers several short jungle hikes:  

A Walk To The River

The Great Explorer!

 We highly recommend a trip to the Botanical Gardens if you're visiting Puerto Vallarta. 

* * * * *

But, of course, no matter how much we enjoyed La Cruz it finally came time to leave. Why? Well, because we’re not just living on Abracadabra, we're travelling on Abracadabra. So we’re now 100 miles to the south of La Cruz in Bahia Tenacatita – we'll report in on THAT journey in our next posting.