Chamela Bay

January 17

Yesterday we left La Cruz at about 4 pm but had to get fuel first. Leaving the marina went without incident. I caught the lines and secured them for use at the fuel dock. Of course when we arrived at the fuel dock, there was a large motorboat, and I mean large, getting fuel. That meant we had to pull into a side dock, and the wind was going to blow us away from the dock. After a few minutes we managed to get tied up, got our fuel and we were off. Bob is getting good at driving the boat into tight places and out, even when the wind is blowing us around a bit.

Can you believe that I stood on the front of the boat, caught lines and untied them when we were bumping over the waves? Yes I did and today my whole body is aching. I suppose that I used muscles that have not been used in all my life. They are a complaining lot I must say.

The seas were rocky in Banderas Bay. Apparently there are local weather systems in the bay, and that is why the marine weather forecast was so different than what we experienced. Bob said that the winds and swell were the worst that we have had on the trip. I was fine with all of us. Bob didn’t need my help so I went below with the dog and more or less stayed there all night. I was up to feed Bob, but slept well. The Dramamine really knocks me out.

This morning while Bob was sleeping I saw a few whales in the distance, and lots of dolphins right beside the boat. Patches was very interested in them. Just after Bob got up, we saw at least 1000 dolphins…they must have formed a line a mile long. What fun they were to watch! Some of them would jump right out of the water and belly flop back into the water. So far that is the highlight of this trip. I took no photos, as they were too far away to get any good shots.

So all was going very well until Bob switched off the autopilot and started to steer manually. . and nothing happened. The boat just went wherever. He raced below, checked the hydraulics and found no fluid present. That meant the end of our hydraulic system and the end of using our autopilot. As I speak Bob is in this hellhole, working. He said that everything was leaking fluid, which accounts for the system quitting. He will be using the tiller until we can find parts. That is not too bad for the trip from here to Manzanillo because we can do it in short hops of 6 hours each. If we can’t get this working I can’t see us doing an overnight as far as Caleta, as it would mean that Bob would be on the tiller for at least 16 hr…that is unless I can spell him off once in while. I don’t even know if I can handle the tiller.

And the bilge pump came on again and stayed on. Bob thinks that it is the hydraulic fluid in the bilge that caused the problem.

Patches was in a panic when we arrived here, as he hadn’t gone potty for 22 hr. He who hates the water was trying to leap into the dinghy. There were some waves breaking near the shore, so for once I just jumped. Who cares how deep the water is? Our landing was good. Patches proceeded to pee longer than I have ever seen dog or person pee.

Lunch was at a local ramada, and it was wonderful. Bob had octopus and stuck with red snapper. Lunch was so long in coming as they had to go somewhere to get the red snapper. so very Mexico.

Bob has been working nonstop on the pumps and steering. He hasnt slept since Saturday night. This concerns me but he feels he has no choice. Without the bilge pump working, there is always the danger of water coming. Not good.

On a happier note, Patches jumped into the dinghy on his own when we were coming back to the boat for the second time. When we are anchored he is taken to shore twice a day. We were all in the dinghy and a wave got us. Yes we all returned to the boat pretty wet.