Punta Mita!!!

One afternoon Jerry and I took the bus about 25 minutes up to Punta Mita (10 peso trip) to see SV Velella Vellela and Jean Marie who were anchored up there.  We could not take SOMF because we do not have an engine but more on that in another blog.  It was a beautiful day, Punta Mita is a major resort town, with beautiful condos and a great surf spot.  We enjoyed walking around the town and just enjoying our time on the beach.

Everyone loves a truck full of toperaries

The fishing fleet up in Punta Mita!!

Wow, I don't think I will ever be able to do that

 While we were sitting at the restaurant near the beach, we met some people who were from Alaska on vacation.  It is always fun to hang out with people that are only down for a few weeks, they sure know how to party!!!

The lady demonstrating the shell sound before making the final sale!!

Then we all had to try, it is harder then it looks!!

After a few margaritas Pete had to try to do the handstand move...you better keep practicing!!

Fun Times!!

Well it is Feburary and we are still here in La Cruz, not that I am complaining.  We are having fun, and enjoying the great weather.  We went to Sayulita with Rob and Kai from SV Velella Velella and James, Milli and baby Colin from SV Jean Marie.

James, Milli and Baby Collin, along with Kai and Rob...Love these guys such great friends!!

Collin love the sand, they also took him in the ocean for the first time...yeah he loved that also!!

Jerry and I have also been enjoying time off the boat eating and drinking with good friends..I know what a big suprise. 

Ya Ya's restaurant...great breakfast and love watching the kitty trying to get the birds!!!

Red Chair Tacos!!!  pobably one of the best taco places EVER!!!

Rob of DJ Emerson up in the Sky Bar Restaurant for a sunset reggae party!!!

Huanacaxtle Bar and Cafe...probably our most frequent night spot....especially with our great friends!!

Ana Banana's every Monday for Pacific Rock Band!!!

Blessing of the Fishermen!!!

On January 24th, Jerry, myself and Joan from SV Kona went to Bucerias for the blessing of the fishermen, this is a festival that goes on every year to celebrate a good fishing year.  The beach was crowded, and the town was all festive for the week of celebrating.  The last day of the festival is when they have a parade of fishing boats, and they come up on the beach dropping off people.  It was quite a show, we found a table and enjoyed the day on the beach.

Tequilla!!

Our friends Bill and Jean on SV Mita Kulu took a trip up to the town of Tequilla with is about 6 or so hours towards Guadalajara ( which is a trip that we would love to do, but don't know if we will be able to.)  Bill has been aging tequilla in his bildge for the past couple of years, and the other night we went over there for a taster test of his 3 year old tequilla.  WOW, that is all I can say, it has a great taste, smooth yet with a hint of smokiness to it.  Well after talking to Jerry about the process and how to start with the three (2 litter) barrels, and fill them up, then as they age they eveporate and you add the tequilla from the frist barrel to the second and then fill the first barrel with new tequilla.  You have to do this about every month or so.  Jerry had Bill bring back 2, 2 litter, barrels and 10 litters of tequilla so Jerry can start making his own aged tequilla.

Having fun in La Cruz!!

So we are still hanging out in La Cruz Mexico, having a great time going out to listen to bands, and they had the Taste of La Cruz the last weekend.  Where different businesses came out and had samples of food and drinks for a couple of hours.

The band at Taste of La Cruz!!

They had a great turn out!!

 Jerry and I really love going on Monday nights to a bar called Ana Bananas, there is a great band that plays 70's and 80's music called The Pacific Rock Band. 

Sayulita Mexico!!

To get you up to date on what is going on on SOMF, Jerry has been still working on the battery problem.  He has taken every cable off, and back on, checked terminals, checked the bildge pump, checked the solar panels and still can not seem to find where the 6.2 volts are coming from.  The Nigel Calder Book say to imagine your electrical system like a water system, you have a tank of water, the battery, pipes that are the wiring, valves are like switches, ect..so we should be seeing a pool of electricy laying in the bildge.
So while Jerry is working hard on the batteries and the watermaker that is acting up, I (not being the best of crew) have been having fun, I went to Sayulita which is a 30 minute, 2 bus rides town away.  It is a very large surfer town, so of caurse it seems right I go with a surfer. While he surfed I had a great time walking around this very new meets old hippy town, with an artist flare.

lots of surfing!!

Cool little town, but lots of tourist!!

the little church in the square

awesome produce stands!!

Bees on a Boat...oh no!!

One afternoon I was hanging out on SV Finess (which is a 28 foot sailboat anchored less than 100ft away from SOMF) when all of a sudden Donnie (the owner) came rushing in through the companion way shutting the doors faster than I could ask what was going on.  Looking out the side portholes we could see thousands of bees swarming in the cockpit.  They were so loud, we did not know where they came from or why they choose this boat to try to make a hive on.  But about an hour the noise started to die down so slowly looking out the campanion door we could see them all bunched in the port side cubby hole.  Not quite sure what to do, the first instint Donnie had was to try to get them off his boat so he took a can of carbarator fluid and sprayed the massive swarm.  Well to say the least that pissed them off, they all took off flying, after about another hour or so of being trapped in this small, hot boat we could not hear them anymore, so we ventured out.  We were not sure if they were still on the boat, we had a feeling that they might have moved up under the sail cover, but we were not sticking around to check it out.  I got in my kayak and went back to SOMF, while Donnie went to shore.  That evening I saw Donnie go back to the boat, did not check around, just went inside and lock up.  The next morning I dinghed over to his boat to see if he check to see if they were still on the boat, he said he had not yet but was about to .  So going up to the front of the sail cover, and slowly unzipped it, and WOW there they were, so he jumped in the dinghy and we took off to go see Steve on SV Go For Broke, who we heard was the guy to see if you have questions about bees.   About an hour later Steve was on Donnies boat while we were safely in the dinghy, if we needed a fast get away, but I'll be damn, a couple of hours later Steve had almost of the bees in a box with only one sting on the arm. 

First Steve added honey to a box try entise the bees into it

Second, Steve had to find the bees

There they are!!!

Third, he put the box with honey up to the box and....

Skrapped them off!!!!

While a bunch started to fly around, there were quite a few that went into the box, he repeated this process a couple of times till he got the majority of them in the box

He then stuck the box up there (with the lid tapped shut) and a small opening for the rest of them to find there way in.  He claims that they want to be in that box, because the queen is in there.  And after a while almost all of them went in there.

After Steve had the box safely taped up, I invited him and Donnie over for a beer to celebrate a victory.  He then went and released the box in a open field far away from the boat, and said that the would find a new place to build a home.  The few bees that were left, would expend their energy and die off.  I have to say that is was quite an experience and thank got it was not on SOMF!!  Great Job Steve!!!