11th February, 2024

January 25, 2024

It is the ninth night of our ten-day cruise. The full moon is rising over the mountains. It casts a long, skinny light that shines across the water. There is a sultry breeze blowing through the halyards. Thirty-two boats lie at anchor in the bay at Tenacatita. Our tummies are full and all is quiet. Finally.

The beach along the bay stretches a mile or two. On one end lies a palapa restaurant that is only open for lunch. There is no electricity. They serve grilled fish, beer, and soda. Sometimes the owners make a special dish for the cruisers. At the other end is a large hotel. In the afternoons, tourists are led on horseback up and down the beach. Every night the hotel hosts a show with lights, loud music, and a man on a microphone. It blasts over the water in the most obnoxious way. Fortunately, it ends at ten. Then we are left with the natural sounds of the waves cresting on the shore and the intermittent sounds of sea life beneath the water. It can be a time for deep reflection.

These are my favorite moments at anchor; under the moon and stars, with the motion of the ocean rocking me gently. I take a deep breath and feel so alive.

Tomorrow we will go into the Isla Barra de Navidad marina. It is about a three-hour motor sail from Tenacatita. Barra is an old Mexican village. It is small and runs between the beach and the estuary and then spreads out into the barrio. The marina lies across the estuary on a peninsula beside a hotel. This is no ordinary hotel. It is massive in size and rises high against a hillside. A maze of hallways houses the 200 rooms. She is a grand ol’ dame with marble floors and iron rod chandeliers. There are no less than four pools, some hidden on various floors. Besides the outlying jungle, palm trees and bougainvillea decorate the manicured landscape. Tennis, ping pong, water aerobics, and yoga are offered daily. When rounding the point, the grandeur of this hotel lies in stark contrast to the humble village across the water.

We visit Barra de Navidad because we love it. We also come for Cruise-In week. This is where the cruisers come from all over the area to help raise funds for the schools. As I understand it, the government pays for the buildings and the teacher’s salaries but everything else – such as pens, paper, computers, etc. – must come from the community. This will be our fourth year and the best part is meeting the children and seeing the smiles on their faces.

So, off to bed, I go to prepare for a week of work and festivities.