Sailing Vessel Timoneer: Bahia Chamela, Tenacatita and Barra de Navidad

Bahia Chamela, a humble coastal town with a few palm-thatched restaurants snuggled in the corner and four miles of nothing but sand and tiny fragile shells. Deceitfully peaceful, the afternoon thermal winds would pick up making for a very rolly anchorage. Sleeping in the V-berth meant listening to the chain cry out and contsantly worrying that our anchor had lifted and we were drifting towards the beach, a hundred meters away.

Spined Venus Clams

After a couple of nights, we migrated to a little island 2 miles off, the sand was whiter there and it was completely vacant. With the Stand Up Paddle board, I became its only inhabitant. A few hours of total solitude and beauty. The water was quite clear, though upon closer inspection was full of 'bioluminescent dinoflagellates', the reason for the water coming to life at night. Mark called me out from bed one night to watch as he spit and peed and fluoro circles appeared. Truly amazing!

As we sailed away from Chamela towards Tenacatita (about a half day sail), we were greeted by a pod of dolphins; Google: In places with a high abundance of food, pods can merge temporarily, forming a superpod- such groupings may exceed 1,000 dolphins! We sailed through this SUPERPOD, standing on the bow sprit, close enough to make out the scratches and spots on their sleek bodies.

In Bahia Tenacatita we anchored off 'The Aquarium', a field of brain coral, bleached but in its way no less beautiful, inhabited by puffer beach and small electric-blue fish. Low tide meant it was an obstacle course of channels and trying not to get our bellies scraped.

A hotel, damaged by weather and now vacant.

We walked to the lookout and were kicked out by a guard. Then we walked along the road to the other side of the peninsula, to the other beach. Again, guards came and asked us to leave. This too, was private property! We decided it was time to get back to the boat before we got into real trouble.

HOT SAND!

Around the next bay we visited the township of Manzanilla, stumbling upon a crocodile park. US$2.00 gets you a long walk along fenced, wooden bridges through a crocodile infested mangrove. Such an adrenaline rush and perhaps a miracle we came out the other end alive!

And then, imbued with partial fear we did what the locals do, taking our dhingy for a little drive down the other end of the same river, apparently croc-free. It was also a good opportunity to practice my advanced dhingy driving skills resulting in a few gnarly scratches!

Another half days sail and we arrived to Melaque.

This hotel never recovered from the cyclone that destroyed it before it was ever finished.

Crossing the bay to Barra de Navidad, we decided to anchor in the lagoon for a couple of nights. The tide was coming down and we followed the channel on our chart plotter into belly-button height water and RAN AGROUND!!! After failing to drag ourselves out with the anchor, we were defeated and subjected to the humiliating taunts from the passengers on the water taxis 'Hahahaha Capitane!'- all we could do was hide or get off the boat and go for a meal; watch our boat lift out of the water and lean to one side, whilst eating delicious fried fish and cold beer waiting for the tie to rise us off.

Motoring into the lagoon, all was going well until....!

Never put too much faith in a chart!

We discovered that Marina Isla Navidad has cheap slip fees off-season (less than half price) and decided to leave our boat for a month. Mark was asked to join the SuperYacht we previously worked on to cross the Atlantic. I used this time to fly home to Australia to visit my family and friends.

The yellow foam was a failed attempt of the Governments' to stop the erosion. Also a wave deflector lines the beach and breaks incoming waves (bummer for surfers!)