"Guavi" Arrives in Banderas Bay!

"Guavi" arrived in Banderas Bay (the bay Puerto Vallarta is located on) today - Saturday, 03-31-07! They anchored in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle ("La Cruz" as it is know to cruisers) right next to Dave & Kellie on "Sweet Lorraine" (the boat Jim helped take down to La Paz in November). All is well on the boat - had a decent trip from Cabo to PV, a little rolly - similar to when we crossed 10 years ago on "Thistle", but fine. They are going into La Cruz for dinner tonight with Dave & Kellie. Jim said the town looks totally different from the last time we were there, just over 7 years ago. Lots of growth and a marina being built.
They will head South towards Barra de Navidad in few days. I'm flying in to Manzanillo next Saturday (April 7th) for a week, and will get to enjoy my favorite anchorage on the mainland "Tenacatita"! I will get to do the jungle cruise and eat fish rolls! Will also get to see Melaque, Barra and another favorite Bahia Santiago and the town of Manzanillo. And see the GUYS (mine especially)!

Stan Returned Home - a Few of His Photos

Stan flew home Wednesday and was looking forward to sleeping on his own boat. John Howard, Stan & I went and got dinner and heard all about his trip. He said Ariel is the most gracious host, the trip was great, he enjoyed it all, but Cabo was a disappointment (I guess after being in La Paz away from all the "Spring Break mentality tourism it would be!). Here are a few of his photos.

"Guavi" arrives in Cabo San Lucas and gets parts!

"Guavi" arrived in Cabo San Lucas yesterday, March 26th. Found a slip and started paying a hundred and a quarter a day (yikes reminds me of Ft. Lauderdale)! The guys took naps, took showers and made phone & skype calls. John Donnell (Jim's brother who lives in La Paz) and Alan (the next crew member) found the motor mounts somehow and somewhere in La Paz and hand delivered them today! Stan-the-man installed (I could have some of this wrong - I'm sure the others would have helped) and all is well! Jim made his famous burgers for dinner, so I'm sure the four of them are happy. Stan flys home tomorrow so he can join his son, Colin on a fishing trip. They will do a few other things and wait for weather. It's blowing from 25-45 knots in the Ventura Harbor right now (yuk, even our 49' catamaran is moving all over and slamming into the dock). They heard of a boat 40 miles North of Bahia Santa Maria that is getting 40 knots as well. So sounds like the wind is headed their way.
Next stop Puerto Vallarta!

Santa Maria Bay!

"Guavi" spent Saturday night (03-24-07) in Santa Maria Bay (the smaller outside bay - Bahia Magdalena is the larger inside bay) and left Sunday morning headed to Cabo San Lucas. Once again, I am amazed they had cell phone reception! Jim called both of my phones Saturday night, but I missed his calls. I was at a 50th birthday party for our friend Lynda - something about the live music and me not thinking ahead & putting my phone on vibrate...
Saturday they were getting winds up to 25 knots and it was expected again today, but they didn't want to wait it out. Jim said as long as the autopilot could hold it's course they'd go.
They are still trying to find the parts for the engine motor mounts. Anyone flying to La Paz or Cabo in the next week?

"Guavi" reaches Turtle Bay 03-22-07

Amazing where cell phones work now...
Jim called me at lunch from off of Cedros Island - they must have a cell tower on the island now! When we took "Thistle" down Baja 9 1/2 years ago, there was no communicating except by single side band or ham radio.
Cedros is the big island off of the point & Turtle Bay is the horseshoe shaped bay to the Southeast of the point.
Along Cedros "Guavi" had about 20 knots of wind on the beam and was motorsailing along nicely. Jim said they had about 5 hours to get into Turtle Bay.
Then he called me tonight too! So they must have cell phones in Turtle now... The pangas now bring fuel out to the boat, at the same price as the pier, so none of that backing down against the pier stuff or jerry jugging it in the dinghy anymore! They fueled up and changed the oil and are ready to take off in the morning. They were bar-b-quing a tri-tip and were going to open one of the mystery gift bags tonight. Then sleep. I searched through my old cruising photos and found none of Turtle Bay, so scanned in a Baja postcard for today's photo!
"Guavi" may stop in Bahia Santa Maria or may continue directly to Cabo San Lucas. So it may be a few days until I hear from them again.

"Guavi" heading down Baja

As of noon Wednesday, 03-21-07, "Guavi" was off of San Quintin heading for Turtle Bay. They hope to be in Turtle Bay by dark tomorrow. Jim said the wind was starting to pick up and it was lumpy, but tolerable. The weather is beautiful here in Ventura now, with the storm having passed. Hopefully this nice, calm weather catches up to "the boys"!
They also broke an engine motor mount. Stan was able to fix it temporarily (always travel with a blacksmith), with the real repairs to be made in Cabo. Jim mentioned Ivan was either to get the parts to them in Cabo or he would arrange to have them there for them.
With Michele having left them in San Diego, I was wondering if they were eating... Ariel made them burritos for lunch, so they must be!
I obviously cannot get photos of them where they are, but I can post one of San Quintin Bay looking out where they were earlier today!

Jim leaves on "Guavi"!

The big day arrived yesterday, St. Patrick's Day. "Guavi" left our dock, heading South towards the Panama Canal with the final destination being Puerto Rico! Stan (next door neighbor) is the 3rd crew member, along with boatowner Ariel (Captain Nevares) and Jim. First stop, San Diego, then down Baja, across to Puerto Vallarta, south along Mexico's "Gold Coast", where I plan on meeting up with them. Then south along Central America, where I will join them in Costa Rica then Panama.