Saturday 25th March 2017
Another lovely, warm, mainly relaxed, day.
Being anchored off the beach with no dinghy means there's no way of getting ashore unless I blow up the inflatable double kayak friend Geoff lent me in San Diego - which I'm feeling too lazy to do - maybe tomorrow!!
There are four boats anchored close by but, surprisingly, not one has come by to say 'Hallo'. Very unusual - maybe they're new to cruising?
The sky has been mainly clear blue overhead, although some cumulus cloud built up for a short time over the backdrop of mountains.
Lovely white tropic birds, with bright red bill and long white tail streamers, have been diving for fish, as have graceful white terns, all day - one came very close this afternoon, diving on the large shoal of silver fish under and around 'Nereida'. Large black, fork-tailed frigate birds regularly harass the smaller birds in the hope that they will drop their catch and give the predators an easy meal.
Being Saturday, the beach has been busy and the boats anchored out here have been regularly used as 'marks' for the fast-driven skiboats to round to and from the beach. The long sandy beach is lined with small houses and 'palapas' (outdoor restaurants shaded by a roof of palm fronds on a flimsy, open-sided framework). The land behind rises to high rugged mountains and is mainly jungle-covered or barren.
The view out to sea is of the wide entrance with rocky hillsides and occasional large vessels heading in or out of the major port of Manzanillo well off in the distance.
It's a well-protected bay so very little swell has reached here. Happily, with the sun getting very hot by midday, a refreshing land-breeze comes up and stays up until just before sunset.
I decided to finish the job I'd started yesterday - so I'm feeling very satisfied with the end-result - a lovely clean inside to the white hard top with no rust or dirt marks anywhere! Tomorrow, I'll get to the generator, to remove the seawater pump so I can check that *!!**#^ impellor..yet again...!
With good sun and wind power, and solar lighting used when it's dark, only the fridge and HF radio are using much battery power, so the lack of generator is not of major importance just now.
Just had an omelette - many of the eggs are still good, despite over a fortnight in December when they weren't turned daily - amazing!
The sun is sinking over the distant hill - nearly 7pm. (Photo being posted separately)
Everything calms down by evening - all to be heard then is the sound of the waves breaking gently on the sandy shore not far away.. and overhead, so many bright stars in a clear sky. Think I'll stay here a few more days!