Saturday 4th June
After anchoring in the Bay early Friday afternoon, I relaxed and had a lovely swim before moving over, just before sunset, to Ixtapa marina from where I hoped to clear out of Mexico Saturday morning... No such luck... After a 25 min/10 pesos bus ride into Zihuatanejo town, found the Capitania was closed for International checkouts until Monday... I was almost tempted just to sail away... but will make use of the time to sort out a few things on board. A big bird landed on the masthead as we got close, after which the wind instrument was showing 0.0 knots, even though the cups were turning on the anemometer... Grrr! Means a trip up the mast to see if the problem can be fixed. Had a big rainstorm again early this morning, so will make sure I avoid any such weather if I do decide to climb up...
Took a photo of the dinghy beach by the town jetty... No dinghies (I seem to be the only active cruiser here - out of season) but the local fishing boats (pangas) are seen in the distance... Fishermen near their boats on the beach in the morning hope to sell their varied catch...
Went on to spend a relaxing day in Zihuatanejo ... Took some more photos but the battery was flat :-( . Had a good, late, chilequiles breakfast after wandering around a bit and getting some cash. Spent late afternoon on shady beachfront overlooking Bay with slow, cool cerveza, watching kiddies playing in the waves and then fishermen preparing their pangas for that evening's fishing.
Later, found same guy near busy Plaza making same great hamburguesas (just 40 pesos) as used to in 2005 & 2007! (Remember... Steph, Warren & Goh?) On to Barracuda's to chat as I munched ... and watched ice hockey game in Canadian company... Finally caught last bus back to Ixtapa ... at 8:30 p.m....! Put up mosquito netting - this place used to be a swamp... (and used to have frequent crocodiles lurking in the water....)
Sunday ..... catching up with boat stuff (and Internet while it's available - in cool, air-conditioned marina office with friendly, helpful staff). No trip up mast needed ... Wind instrument seems to have recovered ...wind info is being displayed again. Great! Weather not looking threatening but neither is it looking particularly helpful for heading off tomorrow after bus trip in to Capitania and then refuelling as I leave... C'est la vie... Que sera, sera... Would be really nice to have good sailing weather...
See RNLI magazine item: http://magazine.rnli.org/Article/How-to-start-your-sailing-adventure-105