FUN with Furey
YAY!! Furey arrived in Barra de Navidad by private car from Puerto Vallarta. (Thank you Glenn for making that trip first!) We were so excited to welcome him to our slice of "Barradise" but our real adventure would be heading north again, anchoring along the way with a possible overnight sail back to Banderas Bay.
First stop, for a couple of relaxing nights, was Tenacatita. It's a large sand-rimmed bay that fills with cruisers quickly in high season. Our late-season arrival was during shoulder season so there were less than a handful of boats...which means...almost NO dinghy or panga traffic in the estuary. The mangroves were only populated with birds, crabs and fish. We even saw a flamingo fly overhead!! Our meandering estuary tour was quite private until we pulled up on the shore and walked across to the ocean beach for lunch. "Vampiro" (self-described for his silver eye-teeth) had run up to us as we hauled out and eagerly escorted us across to his palapa where his wife prepared our meals. We sat with Adelina and shared refreshment. She and her sister make beaded items in the tradition of the Huichol and I couldn't leave without a couple of keepsakes.
Our next stop at Paraiso did not disappoint. Islets marked for scuba diving provided some shelter from sea swells as we tucked into a small cove and dropped the main anchor along with a stern anchor. Anchors well set, we indulged in some dinghy trips for exploration. Above water, the tropical plants and birds -- below water, mantas with 4 foot wingspans. There were also rock caves and blow holes stealing our attention and we found a sandy beach nook where Furey was able to leave first tracks. Mike and Furey headed out later for snorkeling.
Everyone loved the peaceful quiet and darkness at night at this place. It quieted minds and souls in gentle rolling waves. Each of us felt it.
Furey was game for a night sail! There was a lot of tacking under sail, we did motor a bit but were able to sail into Banderas Bay and down to our anchorage outside La Cruz. It was a homecoming of sorts and we celebrated with friends, Andrew and Christina. Furey had to be initiated to Tacos on the Street!
All in all, it was a restorative journey up the mainland. The sea helps strikes a balance of risk and reward.
