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Chacala…

Back in the days when we began to entertain the notion of heading off in our Ontario 32 SV Shannon (and by "heading off" I mean taking on the challenges of sailing in 'blue water' which is found far from shore while taking on the challenge of a lifetime….all stories for another time) we were deeply involved in the preparation of selves and ship. We joined the Bluewater Sailing Association, we took dozens of courses and we renewed almost every important part of our little ship. We also joined a group of members who were training specifically for leaving and 'heading off' within the next year…and, as a result, we took even more courses. The sad truth for us was that we became overwhelmed with information and backed somewhat away from our plans and did not leave. To shorten a long story, suffice to say we joined the next year's 'Fleet in Training' and carried on with our preparations; all the while wondering if we were doing the right thing.

And then… we took a vacation and flew to Mexico for a couple weeks of R 'n R. On a day that became one of the most important days of our life, we had occasion to visit a small village on the shore of a beautiful bay called Chacala. There, as if provided as a message to us, rested at anchor, two sailboats about the same size as ours. Well, our fate was sealed and, when we returned home, we doubled our efforts in preparation, sucked it up as they say, and headed off in September of 2011. The stories about the rest of that adventure are under development now so I will move on today and tell you of our experience in the here and now.

We had the marvellous opportunity to visit two friends who were vacationing in, of all places, Chacala; the bay of our dreams and the source of our courage to leave in 2011.
As you can imagine, the village has changed and grown significantly but the beauty remains. We took a day (and a taxi) and enjoyed walking the beach, having a long overdue visit and a lovely lunch. To sit and think back and reminisce about all that trip meant was truly a gift and we are so grateful for that experience. The photos herein will give you a glimpse of the beach and bay today and, yes, there are two sailboats anchored and awaiting the next leg of their adventure.

May your own memories of adventures past stay with you as long as you wish.
Adios for now… CJ

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On the one hand…

Hola from afar.

Like everyone else, I expect, I shall be glued to the television today as we watch an event that will likely make significant changes across our world as we know it and, sadly, not for the best. 'Nuff said.

Moving back to real time, the here and now, it's been a few days since I've checked in… we've been busy getting familiar with the lay of the land and, yes, catching up on sleep and unfinished planning for next winter. Sounds crazy doesn't it but, if you're an RVer, you understand what I mean. For those who aren't … 'tis true; if one wants a nice site in a State Park, one must do the homework with respect to selection and booking…One year in advance. It's kind of like a game of chance… actually it's very much like a game of chance; sometimes you win and lots of times you lose out and get to start again.

But enough of that. Back to 'here in Mexico' we go 😃. We are well and have spent these last few days learning about where we are; the place, the people, the restaurants and the beach bars. like any small town, there is lots to see and lots to learn.

For instance, we've learned that after a few nights of listening to the local dogs barking at each other all night, your brain can actually block the noise out and allow you to get some sleep. The same can be said about the very loud roosters (who run wild on the streets along with their harems) and who think dawn is somewhere around 0400 hrs.
I'm not complaining mind, it's a small price to pay for the good fortune to be welcome in a small(er) town, close to larger venues if desired.

So far we've nailed down the locations that provide, the best BBQ ribs, the coldest cervesas, the loudest music, the strongest margueritas, the best beach for lounging, the best fish market, the best laundry, the easiest roads to walk on (many are hard to walk on cobblestone) and for me, an easy route for my morning walk (I just walk straight down our road to the very end, turn around and walk straight back). The route
I ve adopted takes about 40 minutes…a great way to start the day.

I'm including a few pics. They show, one of those roosters I mentioned, the reason we don't swim at our beach, a couple of the streets (the quiet one is the morning street at Sophia's; a lovely sidewalk cafe, and the view from our wee balcony.

Well, it's time for me to go and get ready for our day. Hope your days go well and your dogs and roosters are sleeping through the night. Adios amigos. CJ
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Tequila Sunset… oh yeah

'Tis true, there is nothing better than waking up on a gently rocking sailing vessel, securely anchored and nestled into an aquamarine anchorage bathed by warm, brilliantly coloured sunshine… not much anyway :-). That being said, as we no longer have a floating home south of the 49th, we are blessed to still be able to visit such places although it takes long days and uncomfortable airline flights. We have arrived at our temporary digs safely and are enjoying getting acclimatized and exploring nearby eateries and beaches. Tomorrow we're off to visit friends and explore other places… and, mostly, we are going to relax and catch up on our sleep. Wishing you all warm sun and comfortable visits. Adios amigos for now. CJ

Memories; please walk with me...

Malecon mornings...

It's the colder, wetter days that find me reminiscing about our wanderings of foreign docks, wrapped in warm sunshine and gentle ocean breezes.  It's the windy days with unannounced gusts tearing at the trees that transport me back to a wild and dark night, clutching the boom with one arm while I struggled with a reefing line trapped between a spreader and the mast; and it's the cold, bitter driving rain on my face that instantly places me behind the wheel of Shannon's Spirit, on our first real crossing from San Carlos to the Baja; as green water runs down both side decks and crashes over the dodger into the cockpit drenching all in its path and leaving everything, crew included, with a crusty coating of salt all 'round.  All of this to say; I, we, miss our cruising in the Sea of Cortez.. all of it. Well; maybe most of it :-) Nothing like a good ocean dousing to make you feel alive and nothing like the warm caress of the morning sun to make you comfortably glad to 'be' alive.

All this 'remembering' is my way of introducing the following post from February 2017.  I had fun writing it and was thinking about it the other day... looked it up... read it... and decided to re-share the experience. I hope you enjoy the post. Adios amigos  CJ  oh, and best wishes for the new year. May 2025 allow peace back into our world, wherever it is needed.

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I walked my malecon this morning.... like I do most mornings these days. Up early, at "sparrow fart" (a term I learned years ago from a British colleague). Up even before daylight (which always arrives in a rush and catches the unaware who aren't ready for the brilliant sunshine pouring over the eastern mountain top), and a quick brush of teeth, splash of cold water to the face, and a leap into clothes set out the night before... and off I go. It's usually about 0630 hrs. when I'm leaving the boat.

I'm always surprised at the number of marina fellows, and others hoping for work, I pass as I wend my way up the dock, through the locked gates, past the office (door always open as I think the new manager practically sleeps at his desk, intent on being ready for anything), through the parking lot, past the security guard, and out through the gates. And to each one, or each small group, I offer up a "Buenos Dias" and receive the same in response along with a brilliant smile.

This "malecon" I speak of is the extended and improved sidewalk, running along the shoreline of La Paz. It runs for miles and passes by Marina Palmira on its way out of town to the furthest-most marinas and resorts. At 0630 this morning the world was a soft pink and baby blue... for real. The pavement glowed pink in response to the morning clouds....softly pink against a pale blue sky. The sea, flat like a mirror, was both pink and baby blue in its reflection of both clouds and sky. The scene was magical and made me darn glad to be alive. It also put a spring in my step as I set off along my malecon.

I call it "my" malecon... but really, I share it with many souls. Folks like me... enjoying a quiet time with their thoughts, or time shared with a like-minded walking mate, at the start of a new day. Some folks I pass (or who pass me) are new, but many are regulars and... like old friends (or at least acquaintances) who share an interest in common, we greet each other as we pass. Most of the people I see at my early hour are Mexican; a few are North American... all are pleasant. Some stick in my mind and I watch for them each morning.

There are three dog walkers who stroll my route. One, a large gruff kind of fellow, has two dogs... always off leash... one younger male, and one older female... both of unknown origin. Neither particularly care that I am there.. they go by me like a full bus. But, there are two others I look forward to seeing. One gentleman, older than me, walks two puppies... always on leash, always way more interested in everything around them than in behaving on leash, but soft and gentle in their approach and always interested to see me. I don't stop to speak with them as I don't want to interrupt their rather dubious training session. And then there's my favourite, a gorgeous pair of young afghans, one golden in colour (and a happy-to-see-me boisterous girl) and the other Black and Tan (a very refined and shy young male who hangs back and eyes me timidly...) I'm still working on him. Their owner is very nice and he slows and lets me have a short visit... and then we all carry on our way.

I walk about three kilometres round trip and during that time I pass many I recognize. Some are couples enjoying their walk and chat, others are business colleagues having a walking meeting, and many are individuals walking or jogging in their own little world (no doubt created by the pieces of electrical equipment stuffed in their ears). Oh, and there's the fellow on a bicycle with spread-apart handlebars. He rides into town each morning and I can hear him coming long before I see him. He wears a transistor radio tied around his neck with a string and he plays it as loud as possible... and it's always bright and cheerful Mexican music. How could I object? The music makes me want to dance while I walk.

To all these folks I say "Buenos Dias" and they reply in kind. What a great way to start each day... with the natural beauty supplied by Mother Nature and the warm greetings supplied by complete strangers.

I wish you all a good day... and warm greetings from total strangers, wherever you go. Adios. CJ

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www.cjdaley.ca 

www.svshannon.blogspot.com 

 

Waiting for the storm

All hatches have been battened down, fenders, port and starboard, have been doubled, and the dinghy has been relocated to the back yard… oh, and we've put the snubbers on the dock lines. All is well on Shannon's Spirit and Abbey Acres is snug as a bug, including fireplace in the rec room and camp stove set up in garage in case of power outage. Ahhh, life is good. Hope your hatches are locked down and your lanterns are at the ready. Here comes winter! Always CJ

Beautiful Maple Bay

A beautiful, cool, sunny day reminds me why we moved here 20 years ago. This will be a very different winter for us as we've decided not to do our usual RV wander through the state parks of southern CA and AZ. Hopefully we'll get to see more sunny days between the rains and winds. No complaints though. We love it here.
Hope all is well with each of you. Always, CJ