December ‘97

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

December 1st, Monday
Mazatlan

Juan typed up all the papers for the FM3s and we had to take them down to Immigration. Jim and Kitty were wonderful and ran us down there. We waited in line for 1.5 hours while the poor girl took care of so many people at once. Everyone just cuts the line and goes straight to the desk – no order at all. Jim and Kitty got their fishing licenses and then we ate some lunch. From 10:30 am to 3 pm – a long day.
Hal on Angela is here now for 3 weeks to work on the boat – no family with him yet.
Called Barb and Richard, they got their flooring all done. It’s 30° and snowing – so glad we’re not there.

December 2, Tuesday
Mazatlan

John went to the bank to pay the taxes for the FM3s, then back to Immigration to drop off the paperwork. Well, now you can only drop it off on Monday and pick it up on Friday. Great, another week in Mazatlan – we should have been in La Cruz 2 weeks ago. Oh well!
Samie did good on all her tests, her only real problem was history, (-5), and math, where she worked everything out correctly, but on 5 of them, she was supposed to estimate and didn’t, so they were wrong.
It was cloudy all day and cooler with a north breeze. It rained a bit at 5 am and drizzled off and on until around noon.

December 3, Wednesday
Mazatlan

Bob and Cynthia, Miss Teak II, should be back from New Zealand today – back in Denver, anyway.
John had Clause climb the mast and change the bulbs.
John got the injectors back in after having them cleaned.
The north wind has been blow’en 10-15k the last couple of days, it’s still 85°, but kinda cool.

December 4, Thursday
Mazatlan – still!

John and Neal, Carousel, left this a.m. at 9:30 for Culiacan to drop off some anchor chain and pick up last week’s delivery, ours. Just before John left, I said here, take our phone # - good thing, ‘cause they called at 3:30 pm, 19 miles south of Culiacán with a blown out water pump. At least they are at a Pemex truck stop. Bob on Lady Ann drove up  to get them. They loaded 2 of the chains (one was ours) in Bob’s van – towed Neal’s truck another 10 miles to a restaurant that Neal knew the owner and left it there for the night.
They drove on home and made it at midnight.

*Dang! That drive is 2.75 hours one way, so a 5-7 hour trip turned into 14.5 hour event! Lucky there were other boaters with vehicles to help out - what a long day for everyone!, especially Dad and Neal!

December 5, Friday
Mazatlan

Samie, Chelsea, Rory and the boys from See World all have kayaks and had a whipped cream/water blaster fight. It was pretty cool!
John got the newly galvanized chain all marked and back on the boat. Jim took Kitty, Molly, Sandy, Judy and myself to the cambio and Sam’s Club – neat place, like Price Club. John helped Jim hook up his new VHF radio in the cockpit. Happy hour on the dock.

*I’m surprised I don’t remember the whipped/cream/ water fight! Did the whipped cream cans really have that much pressure to “shoot” at each other? Too funny. 🐞

December 6, Saturday
Mazatlan

Kitty and I go for a half hour walk every morning, feels good.
Oh, I forgot – last night on the dock, Sam (the dog), after John was scratching his belly and had him all worked up, went after Molly’s cat, Titters. Titters went off the dock for a swim. Once John got her out, she dug her claws into Mike’s shorts! Poor Titters – but it was a good, long laugh!
Samie did the net control for the first time in the “Big League.” She did a real good job!
A little of this and that today.
I get in the kayak every day now that it’s out.
We went to the big cruiser party for Oso (Dick’s dog) tonight. It was enjoyable. The Marina bought all the hot dogs, buns, onions and such. Oso even had his very own cake.
Goon called today, Dan and Melissa moved to Shumway and Ruby and Grandma Davis moved back in, Peg is staying there. Josh is getting married today – and Shine is in the wedding. I told her it’s 82° here – she said there is still snow on the ground from Monday and they are expecting it to snow for the next 4 days – a slow-moving storm that brought lots of rain to Southern California.

*The Mazatlan morning net was my favorite because you could walk all around the marina and not miss any of it because everyone was tuned in on their VHF radios in their cockpits, so it carried across the water to create a huge sort of surround sound effect. I remember doing the net this day and being a little nervous, but there was a printed template/guideline that helped keep track of everything that needed to be covered each morning, and of course, everyone was really nice and all went well!

December 7, Sunday
Mazatlan

Happy B-day Sandie.

Talked to Brent in Alpine, they had 1.5 inches of new snow with lots still coming and it’s a real wet, heavy snow.
John broke his toe again, same one he got in Lakeside. He helped Steve on Star Song change out his propeller, they used the hookah. Then he cleaned 4 of Summer Wind’s winch drums.
It was cloudy and muggy most of the day.

*Oh no! I wonder how Dad broke his toe this time! Funny that Mom doesn’t say. He was such a trooper, not much ever slowed that man down out there. Gotta keep on movin’! 🐞

December 8, Monday
Mazatlan

John dropped off the FM3 papers – should be ready to pick up Friday. Samie went to the pool with all the kids.

*There were two pools in the area - Marina El Cid was the closest and most popular, right by the jetty entrance into the marina. The other was somewhere along one of the canals - but I really don’t know where. I think it was in some place that was still being developed because I don’t remember any major hotels or buildings around it and I remember it being kind of plain and simple, and usually not a lot of other people there, if any. We always had to get there by dinghy up the waterways, where as we took a bus or car to get to the El Cid pool. Does anyone reading this who was there remember where the other “Mystery Pool” was?
What I actually remember most about dinghying out to that pool was hearing small aircraft overhead, like Cessnas or Beechcrafts. I’d never paid much attention before, but that year I had seen the movie Fly Away Home, about a father and daughter who help lead a flock of orphaned geese south for the winter. So when I heard these small planes overhead, I’d start to daydream about the whole scenario and maybe wonder what these pilots were up to and flying for. Still to this day, when I hear one of those small planes (especially on a calm, sunny day) there’s a small part of me who is instantly transported to these waterways again. It’s crazy sometimes how random memories transport us.

December 9, Tuesday
Mazatlan

Samie has been watching Titters for Molly and Steve while they went on a land trip. They brought her back a little set of carvings of houses and a building from Copala, where they went.
John dove on our boat today, not bad, but the zinc needed changed.
The wind picked up today as a high-pressure system will be going through for the next few days, it blew 15-22k NW, but as usual, calmed down to 5-10k at night.
I sent Bill and Trisha a fax today – asking them to bring deodorant down – it’s so hot. That should make ‘em feel good up there in the snow!

*What do you want to bet I still have the little carvings!? I have one, at least - I’m not sure why I can’t find the second - I always kept them together, so maybe one got broken, (I’m sure I would have fixed it? ) I’m uncertain and a little bummed, but I know where this one is, at least! See below!
Dang, Bill and Trish sure kept trying to come visit us farther south than San Carlos! Mom was cute, teasing them about deodorant and us being so hot.
Another Dear Diary entry from little me here, and a full run-down of all the kid boats in the “neighborhood”. Bits and pieces of my commentary really crack me up. Like - “[they] left back to the states, don’t ask me why.” lol.

December 10, Wednesday
Mazatlan

Samie and I went into town with Wendy, Chelsea, and Rory from Morning Star and 2 other boys to the aquarium, then to Dairy Queen for lunch.
John cleaned Summer Wind’s prop and bottom.
The wind blew again – 4 boats came in – 1, the husband had fallen and broken some ribs. Dick and Barry went out to help them in. Another had two very sea-sick people. They said it was rougher than shit out there.

*I do find an Aquarium in Mazatlan, but we don’t have any photos from it and I don’t remember going to one, specifically. I do remember this Sea Lion Show, which is apparently it's own thing altogether. Looks like it’s still up and running! I remember enjoying it and having fun. I think there was also a bird, maybe a parrot, as part of the act, too.
As for the rough seas out beyond the coast - sounds like a helluva day at sea! I’m glad everyone got in safe - but a busted rib on a boat sounds like hell!
My diary entry about the whole day is quite amusing, from the people at the parrot show trying to make us “go deaf” by apparently yelling into the mike, to the parrot show itself, which sounds like something out of a Dr. Suess book. Finally, my detailed account of the lost hair tie is a charming peek into the innocent challenges of childhood. I think it is so sweet that Kalen gave me money for the hair tie - I don’t know if I said something or if he offered to because I was worried about losing it. And of course Mom couldn’t accept that, so I love that we returned the money to him. I wouldn’t have remembered this, but after recounting, I can recall the (pink, I think) scrunchie floating, then slowly sinking beneath the surface, just out of reach. Ah, the small life lessons of a 10-year-old.

December 11, Thursday
Mazatlan

It blew all night, probably up in the 30s for a while. At 2:30 am, the neighbor, Richard on Bravo knocked on the hull. Our bumpers had popped out and the boat was up against the dock – so we fixed that.
Kitty and I skipped our walk – too cold, 60°! The Summer Wind van took us into Leys for a big shopping trip.
It took forever to get everything stowed and all those veggies washed.
The sea looks like lumpy-bumpy hell out there. They even shut down the ferries because of the high, rough seas.
Ourselves, Steve and Molly and Hal had a wonderful steak dinner at Jim and Kitty’s. Except Samie, she ate pizza at Morning Star with all the kids.
We got a message from the Marina that Miss Teak II will arrive on the 25th – Christmas Day!.

*That’s a real rough night in the marina for it to have wedged the bumpers up onto the dock! Yikes! Glad our neighbor saw that and helped us out.
Leys is sort of like the WalMart of Mexico.
Mazatlan was always a gold mine for the kids ‘cause there was always at least a handful of us there, and being in the marina gave us all the freedom to come and go as we pleased. We didn’t have to rely on our parents for a dinghy ride or their preferred timing to go places, it was great!
It’s a bit hard to tell in the photo below, but there is a crew member hanging upside-down from the rigging just in front of the forward mast of this ship - can you see him? Looks like he was maybe enjoying some spinal decompression?

*Awe, I love what I wrote about Carrie and how much I appreciated our conversations. I wish I remembered them, but I can’t say that I do. Relationships like ours are why it has always been important to me to relate to kids when I can - I know what a wonderful impact it had on me to have adults I could talk to who weren’t just family and who were engaging and often taught me new skills.
The computer game is called Rodent’s Revenge, this is what it looked like. I even found a site where you can play it - I gave it a go! Always fun to revisit these old games.
I haven’t watched The Nutty Professor in forever! Eddie Murphy is always great - I’ll have to give that a re-watch.

December 12, Friday
Mazatlan

Oh the joys of paperwork!
Jim took us down to Immigration to hopefully pick up our FM3s – not – after an hour or so, they said come back at 2 pm.
Bill and Sandy from Sirius had also gone in the morning, only Sandy got hers, so Bill drove us back down. Well, he got his, but we have to go back again on Monday! Conchetta promised they would be ready then. Hope so, ‘cause the office will be closed for two weeks!
The wind wasn’t so bad today – but all ports are closed. La Paz had 45-55 k and it’s supposed to be headed this way. It did blow 15-25k from the NE during the night, and was a chilly 58°. While we secured the dock lines and put out extra fenders, I had the feeling like we were waiting for a big snow storm to hit.

*It’s easy to take for granted our big, safe houses and sturdy vehicles here on land when it comes to weather! Cruising life requires patience and timing - working in accordance with the varying conditions. It is a great teacher.

December 13, Saturday
Mazatlan

Samie did the local net again and did a good job. Listening to the Chubasco net, we heard that Roxanne’s (from Palio at one time) daughter was killed in a car accident on icy roads. So sad.
John painted in the engine room, then we helped Summer Wind attach his dinghy motor mount and clean the bottom of the dink.
Samie spent the afternoon on II Carried Away with Carrie making Mexican flags. She painted the symbol in the center.
It's a full moon, so there is a bonfire and howling at the moon tonight.

*Poor Roxanne - I don’t remember that. 🥺
I don’t remember the bonfire, but I vaguely remember painting the flags! I’m sure I had so much fun helping and getting crafty!

December 14, Sunday
Mazatlan

The sun came up this morning and NO wind – but my gosh, it was only 45°! It turned out to be a beautiful day at 84°, but cold tonight for the Posada, a traditional Mexican Christmas celebration. Everyone gathered at the office with foods and sweets and Christmas carols.
Mom called today, they got a lot of rain from the front and the mountain got snow.

December 15, Monday
Mazatlan

Oh what a day! Jim took us down to Immigration at 8 am – where again we hear “mañana” – no way! We sent Jim on home and parked our butts and waited.
Finally, at 2:30 pm - 6.5 hours later – we have our FM3s in hand and take a taxi home!
Jim left his van at a parking area, so they are ready to go, too.
Chelsea had pizza with us – we had Domino’s delivered, really good, too.
Samie opened the Christmas gift from Star Song, a cute little mooing, jiggling cow.

*I think I remember this day in Mazatlan - or one very much like it, lugging around downtown, waiting for hours in the Immigration office to get our paperwork sorted out. During one of these trips, I remember practicing some card tricks that some guy in the marina was teaching me - I can’t remember his name. I spent most of the afternoon practicing to help pass the time. I remember being exhausted when we got home!
I think I remember this cow - but that’s one I don’t have anymore, lol.

December 16, Tuesday
Underway from Mazatlan to La Cruz

Finally – at 8:15 we cut ourselves away from the dock and scooted on out along with 5 or 6 other boats from our dock, so everyone was out to say goodbye.
Weather looks promising and seas are flat with only a slight roll of the boat – feels good.
Just as a whale was gliding on by us, Goon and Shine called. All is well. John has caught two bonitas and tossed ‘em back. The wind has died and the seas have smoothed out some, too. We’ve almost caught up to Summer Wind, they left about an hour before us.
I’m running 100° fever, hope I don’t get sick on this passage.

-- I never did get sick, just really tired and achey.
The passage went well and was real warm at 78° with all the cloud cover. I had put up the back “curtains” earlier in anticipation of a cold night, but took ‘em down around midnight when I was playing chicken with a shrimp boat. We were running along fine until he turned to pass in front of us. Then there was the mystery boat. A big, funny-shaped boat with only one bright, white light. He tried to run me down just after the shrimper had gone on by.

*’I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I love the group goodbyes and everyone coming to bid each other farewell. I miss the cruising community - it’s truly the best! ❤
When Mom says “curtains”, she means the canvas covers for the cockpit which helped keep us nice and warm. I’ll have to ask Mom if she remembers the mystery boat, it’s too bad she didn’t add more detail in her entry! — Reporting back! Mom doesn’t remember it super clearly, and there were actually a couple weird incidences she remembers - the other actually being something in the sky. For this occasion she recalls the big, bright ship light seemingly coming out of nowhere and possibly not showing up on the radar, which is super weird and would have been a quite scary, I imagine. Out on the water like that, even at night, it’s pretty hard to creep up on someone when there are miles and miles of nothing all around you. I even checked the moon phases for that day and it was a near full moon, so it would be all the more unsettling for something to suddenly be right there near us. She said it maybe disappeared just as quickly, but it was long ago and it’s more the sense of there and gone that she remembers. Part of her swore it was some kind of “UFO ship” (Unidentified Floating Object, lol) because she couldn’t make sense of it. She doesn’t remember being able to make out a shape or size, although her entry mentions a funny shape. She said it seemed like it was coming at us pretty quickly before it disappeared - it gave her the creeps and she could only make sense of a “UFO” or Fedarales, maybe, trying to psych us out? I guess we will never know. 🐞

December 17, Wednesday

At 2 am, I woke up to a cool breeze, John was putting the cockpit curtains back on as we watched a huge squall approaching. We all tried (4 boats) to out-run it, but all got it! Hard downpour of rain for 5 minutes or so, which leaked through the worn canvas.
The wind hit 30k for a couple minutes – not bad. Once it all passed, John had to go aft and re-tie the mizzen sail down, we weren’t using it, but it came unwrapped in the center and was hanging down.
That was it for the excitement.
Samie must have been really worn out from all the kid activities in Mazatlan – she slept from 2 pm Tuesday until 9 am Wednesday, except for an hour or so when we were in the squall. So of course she’s ready to go today and I’m beat.
Just as the sun was coming up, another squall was building and approaching, but fizzled at the last minute.
We were anchored in La Cruz (home) at 11 am – 27 hours coming straight down and skipping the in-between stop is much better.
John and Samie went in to shore while I slept, then we all went in to Cruise Quarters along with Jim and Kitty for a wonderful rib dinner. It was so nice to see Rosa and Blair.

*Below, the sunrise nearing La Cruz and Dad pelican-proofing the bow of the boat - lol. We got more and more creative every year! Last, another beautiful sunset in La Cruz.

December 18, Thursday
La Cruz

Happy B-day Amber.

John tightened the fan belt on the alternator, it was making an awful noise yesterday once we were anchored.
We skipped school, I did a good cleaning on the inside of the boat.
Samie and John went into town for a while. Samie stayed with Jena, then they got with Tarn, Samara One, they just bought a house here.

*It was so cool to have two friends living on land in La Cruz! It was a really small town, so we could just walk to-and-fro and check out whatever in between. What I remember of the house Tarn lived in was beautiful! I think there was some sort of open courtyard in the center? I remember lots of greenery and beautiful trees, it was amazing.
Fun fact: Our sweet Jena just got married last week! We’ve seen a few photos posted and she was the MOST beautiful bride! 😍Sadly, Blair passed away a few years ago, but I know without a doubt he was there with her, walking her down the aisle and beaming brighter than the sun was shining that day. We love you, Jena! Congrats! 🥰 🐞

December 19, Friday
La Cruz

John and Jim went into Nuevo Vallarta to check in, but the Port Captain took the day off! John checked out Jim’s raw water pump on the intake for the main engine. The brand new one ($400, U.S.) has a broken part, so he put the old one on for now.
We went into Cruise Quarters for a while. We are leaving Samie’s bike at Jena’s for now.

*Sheesh, what a year for check-ins and Immagration! It would have taken at least an hour or so just to get into Nuevo Vallarta - dinghy in to shore, then hike up to the main road and wait for either a cab or bus to catch over to the Port Captain’s office - only to find it was closed for the day! Lots of opportunities to practice patience and going with the flow. 🐞

December 20, Saturday
La Cruz

We went into P.V. via the bus. We took $4,000 pesos out of our Mexican bank account. Jim and Kitty were with us, we all stopped at Time Changers for breakfast and shopped for Christmas – what a chore. It was 3pm when we got back.
We finally got to talk to Miguel – he should be able to start our canvas work by January 2nd, maybe sooner. So we’re here in rolly-rolly La Cruz for a while.
This a.m. on Sonrisa net, Steve, on I Did It called in an emergency, he is taking on water because of a broken cutlass bearing. He’s 35 miles east of Los Muertos, headed for Mazatlan. He turned back, but it’s slow going with the sea conditions. Several “hams” monitored the situation all day. As of 7 pm, there are 2 Navy boats headed for him, but are about 4 hours away. Now they say his rigging has something wrong, so he can’t sail to help the progress.
It's amazing at the help the cruisers give and receive – it gives me goosebumps!
I stayed up listening to the progress until 11 pm, when he had the Navy in sight.

*Ditto what Momma said about the help of fellow cruisers! Learning this behavior at a young age is one of the best things that ever happened to me and instilled in me a lasting inclination to offer assistance when and I where I am capable of doing so. 🐞

December 21, Sunday
La Cruz

This morning’s reports are wonderful news, I Did It was rescued by the Mexican Navy ship, P30, at 11:30 pm. They fixed part of the problem and were under tow at 4 am – should be in La Paz this afternoon. While we were in town, John and Jim rebuilt the steps that washed out in one of this summer’s storms. They layed out 3 new steps in rock and will pour cement over them. In the process, John got his big toe again – 3rd time now.

*What great news to hear that I Did It made it safely to La Paz, thanks to the Navy crew and everyone else involved. It was always a relief to hear someone made it out of trouble and of course it never mattered if you knew them or not.
I think these steps were coming up from the beach, I seem to vaguely recall them doing this.
OMG DAD! Watch your toes! lol, I suppose that’s one hazard of only ever wearing sandals! I don’t remember any of these breaks, but I’m sure I heard the evidential string of curses that was inevitable with these types of incidences. That being said, I don’t ever remember him complaining after the fact. He’s a tough cookie.
 

December 22, Monday
La Cruz

Samie went with Jena, Rosa and her Mom, Dell and friend Elise, who are visiting from Canada – into P.V. while John and I went to the dentist in El _____. (*Mom left this spot blank in her journal, so we have no idea where the dentist was located. I seem to remember it being somewhere north of La Cruz.) I was amazed at the fact that all the work was actually done today – none of these 2 or 3 appointments. She, Gina, did all the prep-work for 2 crowns and put the temps on in 2 hours. Very good. She speaks no English, so her husband came over to translate. Pretty amazing. Both crowns and all the work will be $3,800 pesos or $475 U.S. – and to think they wanted $600 U.S. for one crown in Lakeside!
It was cloudy again all day with a little rain off and on in the morning.
Chelle called - her, Schyler and Rick are going to California for Christmas. Schyler sound so grown up on the phone! Miss him.

*I love how realistic healthcare can be outside of the US. Luke Hartley from @sailing_songbird recently made a post about his super simple and cheap visit to the dentist in New Zealand. He was a bit flabbergasted at how cheap it was compared to the States. Western medicine can be so damned greedy and nonsensical.

December 23, Tuesday
La Cruz

Once school was over, Samie went in to ride bikes with Jena while I stayed home and baked two batches of cookies. Then we all went in for a bit.
Rane and Sam called – they got 12” of snow yesterday and it’s 42° - yuck, it was 82° here.
John called Barb and Richard – Navopache is still busy, the crews are working 5 to 10-hour days.
Jim and Kitty took the bus to P.V., they said it was bumper-to-bumper all the way in and took 2 hours to make the 20 minute ride just to the edge of P.V. – unreal!

*Wow! I wonder why the roads were so busy that day?

December 24, Wednesday
La Cruz

John and Jim spent about 5 hours hand-mixing and shoveling the cement on to the new steps going up from the beach. Samie and I spent the day at Cruise Quarters; it was dead in there, so we just visited. Rosa’s mom, Dell and friend Elise are so funny.
Jim and Kitty came over for snacks and we exchanged gifts.

*Ah-ha, I was right about the steps!

December 25, Thursday
La Cruz

Feliz Navidad!

Samie was happy with all her gifts. We all went in to Cruise Quarters for a couple hours. Kitty and I wrapped all the silverware in the napkins. They are serving 85 turkey dinners tonight, which was wonderful! Jim was sick with a head cold, so Kitty went in with us. I didn’t feel good at all with stomach cramps.
It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day - 88°. Talked to Mom and Daddy, Shine and Goon. We already talked to Chelle and Danielle the other day.
Samie and Jena were Santa’s elves after the dinner, they handed out t-shirts and I won one.
Samie spent the night with Jena.

*Bummer for Mom and Jim, being icky on Christmas Day!
I remember being Santa’s Elves, but I can’t remember who dressed up! Looks like one of the female boaters, maybe? Love it. I can see she borrowed my new sunglasses, either to help her remain in “disguise” or to enhance her role as “Tropical Santa”.😎

December 26, Friday
La Cruz

I still didn’t feel too good all day. John ran the motor for 3 hours and equalized the batteries – but he thinks one has a bad cell. Samie stayed in on shore all day – then as soon as she got home at 4 pm, went off to Morning Star with Chelsea until 6:30 pm.

December 27, Saturday
La Cruz

Girls did school while John painted the outside of the dodger.
In to Cruise Quarters for a couple hours.

December 28, Sunday
La Cruz

Bob and Cynthia, Miss Teak II called this a.m., they’ll be leaving Mazatlan in a couple of weeks.
Jena came out to the boat for a couple of hours, but Blair won’t let her spend the night.
Of course, our afternoon was spent at Cruise Quarters.
Richard Flores and Jody called today - 52° and 8” of snow - 80° and sunny here.

*At some point, Blair did let Jena stay the night - I wonder if he was initially hesitant about boat safety? I know one time Jena’s nanny, whose name I can’t recall, came out with her. Maricella? That name just jumped out at me, but I’m not sure.

December 29, Monday
La Cruz

Talked to Steve and Molly, they were planning to leave Mazatlan today – but then the weather was calling for 25-30k down here, so who knows.
John patched a couple of small holes in the dink.
Afternooned at “Rosa’s.”

December 30, Tuesday
La Cruz

After school, Jena and Maricella came out to the boat for a couple of hours. They all had a good time.
John is sanding so he can varnish.
There are now about 14 boats in the anchorage – compared to last week – only 3.
It’s been real calm.

*Woohoo! Another accurate memory recall! Sometimes I can’t remember what I did last week, but boat life sure made it’s mark!
I spy Summer Wind in the background of the photo below.

December 31, Wednesday
La Cruz

At 8 am, with Jim and Kitty aboard, we headed out to the islands for the day. Motor-boat ride out. Everyone, except me, snorkeled or was on the hookah – John cleaned a very dirty boat bottom. He says we’ll have to paint her next year. After lunch, at 1:45 pm, we sailed back into La Cruz – 10-15k, beautiful! Only saw one whale way off in the distance.
We were back here at 3:45, got settled back in, then went into Dos Felipes for a great Mexican feast. John had talked him into a New Year’s Eve dinner and it was very busy.

*You could always find us either at Crew’s Quarters or Felipes! Felipes was immediately off the beach where we would bring the dinghies in to land. Just up from those steps Dad and Jim fixed. Damn, I miss La Cruz!! 😭I wish there was a way to go back in time to revisit it just as it was!
I couldn’t find any more detailed maps online of La Cruz in the 90s, but this is from our trusty Charlie’s Charts, compared to a current map of La Cruz. It upsets me to see how much the coastline has changed and where some of the villages were replaced with golf courses and resorts for tourists. Hopefully most of the rest of La Cruz was left relatively untouched. Felipes and Crew’s Quarters are entirely gone and replaced with Marina office buildings and what looks like some large, private villa. 🐞