March 2025 Mum goes to Mexico

March 9th Sunday

When the Beautiful and Able Co-Captain on the sailboat, Karma, received a call to head for Idaho for a family emergency, my son sent me a text the day she left “So, do you want to come to Manzanilla tomorrow haha?”

Ha Ha indeed. Recently returned from a trip to Guatemala, I was deep in the throes of organizing Every Day Life. I had on the calendar, just for starters, a dentist appointment, a mammogram, an annual check up, Book Club to be hosted at my house and a service appointment for my car. My husband was on an extended trip to Oz and New Zealand, so there were plants to be watered, bills to be paid…ETC. Of course I couldn’t leave immediately for Mexico…

Tempting texts would show up as the day progressed …”

“You would meet lots of interesting cruiser people.”

“You only need one outfit, a sweater, flip flops and 2 swim suits. Oh wait, the sweaters you gave Heather are on board. You could wear your own sweaters.”

“Warm water snorkeling.”

Meanwhile, back at home, my thoughts were more along the lines of “An actual invitation for precious time with a son I don’t see nearly often enough…”

A friend stopped by for a drink and immediately offered to drive me to San Diego to take advantage of our wonderful Cross Border Express, giving me access to cheaper domestic Mexican flights.

By midnight I had cancelled the paper, cancelled the mail, and booked a one way ticket to Mexico. I would have one day to reschedule all the appointments, try to upgrade my seasick remedies and put some things in a soft side duffle for an early morning ride the following day.

The next morning I texted “It’s really happening! I have a ticket!” When Liam texted back what seemed like surprise, I had a moment of dread “Wait! You didn’t wake up this morning and think “OMG! Did I REALLY just invite my mom to come sailing with me?!?!” He assured me this was not the case and that we were going to have a great time. He said a friend had just put down anchor in the same harbor and was likely “bribe-able with beer” to watch his boat and be his ride to and from land.

Upon hearing of this spontaneous plan, a sister asked “Are you Liam’s only crew member? Do you know how to sail?”

“Yes I am and No I don’t.” I replied “but I know how to take orders.”

March 11 Tuesday

The cheap flight I found did not, in fact, go to Manzanillo but to Guadalajara, a 5 hour bus ride inland. Liam didn’t hesitate at my offer of a little “land based adventure”, however, and was leaning, smiling, against the wall when I walked out of arrivals in the airport. We caught a crazy crowded bus to the centro, where I had a room booked in an old historic hotel and in short order we were drinking margaritas at a table on the central plaza. We made the best of our evening and morning exploring a city neither of us had visited, and were soon settled onto the most comfortable bus I had ever ridden. I am talking His and Hers bathrooms on the first level, and upstairs big comfy, reclining seats with separate fold down footrests and individual screens for all. It felt weirdly surrealistic to be traveling through Mexican scenery watching a Ray Romano movie overdubbed in bad Spanish less than 48 hours since the concept of this trip had seemed completely ludicrous.

Once in Manzanillo, we unloaded in a surprisingly large, spacious, clean bus station (NOT our dingy Greyhound stations in the sketchiest parts of towns vibe.) and immediately caught a tuk tuk for a bumpy open air ride to the harbor, where steep hills finally became too daunting for the poor little rig, and we were politely offloaded to walk the rest of the way. Liam picked up my duffle and headed down a tiny, steep cobblestone street, before we turned left and crossed the ritzy pool area of a gleaming white seaside resort. That’s where the privileged folks stay, I thought. Out the other side, up a sidewalk to a gate Liam held open for me, and there, peacefully bobbing in a beautiful, little cove below was Karma, my accommodations for the nights ahead. And THAT, I thought, is where the truly privileged folks stay…

Our destination was an open air patio several floors above the water where Liam and Heather, in their local reconnaissance, had discovered 2 for 1 margaritas. We were joined by the delightful Canadian, Bryce, for tacos, drinks and sailing stories. I could hardly believe I was watching a fabulous sunset over the Pacific with my firstborn.

When it was time to head for Karma, I learned Bryce had simply pulled the dinghy into a tiny patch of beach, not a dingy dock. The tide had come in since then, swamping the boat. As I watched in the dark while the lads wrestled the raft to dump the water in very rambunctious waves and contemplate how to get me into the bucking craft, I did have a moment wondering just what I had gotten myself into…but soon we were safely on board Karma. Liam had graciously given me the V berth, the largest bed at the front of the boat. I happily climbed in and, after checking out the stars through my open hatch, slept like a baby being gently rocked by a kindly Mother Nature. Sunrise photo? As an early bird, I realized what a bonus my hatch was when I awoke my first morning and stood up to watch the entire sunrise. I would not miss a sunrise during my time on Karma. Once the captain was up, we had the first daily Coffee in the Cockpit, accompanied by dunking supplies I had packed in anticipation of this scene. We discussed options and immediately scrapped Plan A, which was to show me Manzanillo. This was a sailing trip, after all, and with a favorable wind window, we decided to hoist the anchor and get sailing!

8020 Last coffee before leaving Manzanillo 2) 8018 Shore shot of Manzanillo 3) 8025 Sails going up as we leave Manzanillo

I had wasted a good part of my one day before the trip attempting to get Patches for seasickness, a remedy that had seemed to work on my generally non-cooperative stomach during a past multi day trip in a tiny Cessna. Now only by prescription I had learned, and wasted because at the end of the day, I did NOT in fact have this in my possession. Up came the anchor, up went the sails and we headed out of the harbor before 10:00 a.m. I popped a ginger candy and hoped for the best.

My first extended sailing experience in Karma was downright delightful, a full day of watching the sails in action. Not overly fast, but fun and easy and relaxing. I brought Liam up to speed on the characters in my audio book “The Thursday Murder Club” and we enjoyed some time lying on the benches listening, far from any responsibilities, as I relished time with my son. He had told me that the next anchor would be a social destination and, indeed, that might be the first word which comes to mind when I think of our three nights anchored in Tenacatita, Jalisco. It was a peaceful anchorage in a cove with nothing on the beach but a bar consisting of a few plastic tables under some palapas.

There were a couple dozen boats already settled, and Liam recognized many of them. Our arrival was noted and I started to familiarize myself with new boats I would come to know. Liam was asked to host the “morning net,” an informational exchange by radio that happens in ports with enough boats to warrant it. I was told he and Heather host “some of the best.” In spite of missing his broadcasting partner, he agreed, and set his alarm to be ready for sign on at 8:00 a.m.

March 14th Friday

Another fun and new experience for me, hearing Liam as a radio host, starting with a few bars from a chosen song before he opened the program with his standard “Welcome to the It Might be Friday Morning Net.”

Cruisers are well familiar with this service, but for landlubbers: it started more formally, with a weather report and boats announcing Arrivals or Planned Exits, and moved to other useful sections, such as a Lost and Found, Repairs/Help Needed, Things to get rid of or seeking. ( e.g. a boat had end of season surfboards they were looking to offload.) Two young girls had told Liam they would do jokes, which were cute and sailing appropriate. Clearly the bar for participation was low, so I figured the Mom Figure should make some sort of contribution on her first morning net; I had found a short poem to read.

“One ship drives east and another drives west With the selfsame winds that blow, Til the set of the sails And not the gales Which tells us the way to go. Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate, As we voyage along through the life: Tis the set of a soul That decides its goal, And not the calm or the strife.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Also on the net, a cruiser announced arrangements had been made for a panga to take them across the bay to the little town of La Manzanilla, with two extra seats available. Karma’s dinghy was tied on the front so we accepted, but before the local taxi arrived, a very nice dinghy, driven by Christain from SV Malahini, and already loaded with a couple kids and moms, pulled alongside and offered the same ride, so we hopped in. After a rather frantic but mostly successful dismount in the waves, Liam and I headed for the local coffee shop, clearly a favorite with visiting gringos, before touring a small crocodile sanctuary, and picking up a few fresh things at a farmers market. Getting back on board was slightly more challenging in the waves, with Christian concerned with getting the old lady on board first, but soon we were buzzing back across the bay to our little cove.

Once on board Karma, I considered the number of hours I had been awake since before sunrise and thought perhaps I might just crawl into my comfy bunk for a brief nap. I had no more settled myself when I heard another dinghy pull alongside and an offer for a ride to the bar on shore. Well, if the goal was maximizing the experience, THAT sounded like an offer I should not refuse, so up I popped to meet Doug and Dawn from 39’ SV Rebecca Lea.

Soon we were settled behind a margarita, meeting a growing cast of interesting characters, all easily prompted to share good stories of the sailing life. One personable gentleman appeared out of the water, having swum ashore from SV Papa Sierra, not interested in buying a drink as he had his sobriety date tattooed on his right arm. A generally convivial group, including a separate table of the kids being raised on board, involved in lively card games. Unless we are getting too many photos? Should we put a couple cruiser pix ? 8044 (on shore drinking Tenacatita) 8047 Doug and Dawn As the socializing wound down and we caught our ride back to Karma, Liam informed me we were due on board Stella Blue for drinks. Whew! I should have done more conditioning for the cruising life, I was thinking! Sunrise shot in Tenacatita Pick one or the other (or neither) One has better sunrise color but only a power boat in it. Other has sailboats. 8027 or 8028 Day #2 in Tenacatita started with my sunrise viewing, Coffee in the Cockpit of course and paddleboarding with Liam over for some excellent snorkeling along the rocks. Liam and Paige, from SV Chandelle, who has crossed coves with Karma all the way from Canada, paddleboarded over to watch the cruiser kids surfing, while Dawn and Doug pulled up alongside to chat. We learned we were due for a kid’s birthday party on shore at 3 p.m. which seemed to involve nearly everyone anchored. Once on the sand, Liam immediately joined the cutthroat card game at the kids table before we dined on an amazing variety of food and birthday cake. As no sailor gathering is complete without a weather discussion, attention was given to a possible weather window for those heading north the next day.

Somehow by the time we caught a ride back in Chandelle’s dinghy, a bonfire on the beach had been planned. We had just time to grab our tostados to contribute and head back to shore, where Liam again joined the kids, but this time in general gymnastics on the sand, Liam holding his own with his Parkour moves. He finds the cruiser kids a fascinating lot, so clearly intelligent and independent beyond their years. He told me he has found himself deep in a conversation with a youngster, thinking “You sound like you are 20, but you look like you are 8.” The education these young folks are getting seems an exact opposite situation from the homeschooled kids in the US, whose parents are often motivated by protecting their children and limiting exposure to what they consider the dangerous, scary impact of the bigger world. These kids are getting smart, active, social, fit and…they all read books!!

One of my theories is that there is no room for separation of the generations on boats. Back in the U.S. the kids might be required (or not) to sit at the table with the adults for the meal, but are then freed to head for their video games. Life on board dictates much more mixing of all ages, to the benefit of all in my mind.

During these days, while contending with limited WiFi cover, we were in communication with Tristan, a newly introduced variable in the scenario, and had changed our plans so many times it was making my eyes cross. We had finally settled on about Plan P, which entailed first breaking Liam’s promise there would be no overnight sailing. After no mutiny in my internal systems during my first day sailing, and with 3 more nights on water to get my sea legs, I was all for my first extended trip. The plan was to head for Puerto Vallarta, and an actual slip (stepping off directly onto a dock…luxury!) while we waited for Tristan to tie up his final 6,239 loose ends and join us. Basically, flying in the more competent replacement crew for the remaining longer route back up the Baja.

8049 Liam and Paige paddleboarding. 8059 Last coffee in tenacatita

March 16 Sunday

But first on the agenda, an interim stop at the secluded fishing village of Yelapa on the Bahia de Banderas. On our third day in Tenacatita, a suitable weather window was expected late morning and plans were afoot for movement north by anyone heading that way. “We’ll be a convoy!” said Liam on the morning net. While he readied the boat for sailing, one of my new acquaintances, Paige, from SVChandelle, collected me on her paddleboard for a last session of snorkeling. By the time we surfaced the final time, the waves had picked up enough to make two on the paddleboard dicey, and I just struck out swimming as hard as my fin enhanced kicks would allow back to Karma. Our wind was indeed arriving!

Before we left, a couple from another boat paddleboarded up to the side of Karma and the husband gave me a sleeve of his go-to seasickness pills, found only in Mexico he said. I am pretty sure this is the first guardian angel I ever met riding a paddleboard. I popped one of the magic pills with the tasty egg, tomato and cucumber sandwich Liam made me before we left.

The previously peaceful bay was now starting to get noticeably frisky; our exit was a high adrenaline exercise with Liam hoisting the anchor while shouting instructions from the bow at me to keep the vessel from being blown against the nearest boat. It was time for me to see what Karma was built for, and as we cleared the end of the bay into open sea, it was ON!!! Waves that had been coming from the north for the last couple of weeks smashed into waves that were now coming up from the south to create basically a cauldron of chaos. “I’ve never seen waves act like this!” exclaimed Liam. Sometimes the boat seemed to come to a complete stop, pummeled from both directions, before starting forward again rolling and bucking.

For the next 10 hours, my body tensed, I mostly laid in the cockpit, holding on to stay on the bench, trying not to think of going below. Inevitably, it became necessary. Any trip to the head was an extreme sporting event, as I ping ponged violently side to side, working my way through the galley. I realized that miraculously, I was not the least bit nauseous, nor was Liam, who had started to feel the effects of the rolling waves shortly after hitting open water, and popped a pill.

Hours into my trial by sea, on a particularly turbulent trip below, I thought something in our stomachs might be wise, and knew in a cupboard there was a bag of crispy tostados…salty and easy to eat. I braced myself with one hand and ripped open a cupboard, relieved to see I had guessed right. With our dinner in my left hand I took a step and was slammed into the left side of the wall, smashing the tostados violently. Switching them to my right hand, I took one more step and was thrown across to the right side…again with the tostados between the wall and me. When I finally managed to struggle back up onto the cockpit, I handed a bag of what I assumed was now completely crumbs to Liam. “Dinner…”

While I found this new wild water experience exhilarating, I wasn’t deeply sad when the wind suddenly decided to calm down. Sometimes…too much. There was occasional motoring or slow going, but the remainder of our 27 hours was peaceful and often beautiful as we took shifts watching the colors and light change, keeping an eye out for boats. I was greatly relieved to learn the watch was done from the cockpit, having pictured that the person on duty would have to be harnessed at the front of the bow to keep watch through the night.

I ended up taking a 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. shift, although Liam checked every couple hours to make sure I was awake. I didn’t want to cut short an experience I did not know when I would again repeat. Sitting up alone in the night, watching the moonlight on undulating silvery waters, I had a strong sense of both gratitude and privilege. Liam came to relieve me just after 6:00, but I didn’t want to miss the sunrise so sent him back down for another snooze. Coffee in the Cockpit that day just might have been my favorite of the trip. Silvery water/sunrise 8066 Me with coffee/baseball cap.8073

March 17 Monday

The sails came down at 1:30 p.m. as we entered the pretty cove at Yelapa. It is one of the few remaining indigenous communities in the world where residents own and control their land, which is held collectively. It is a caldera from a past volcano, making it steep, deep and not suitable for anchors. Clearly the pangas waiting on the beach have a system because as we came close, one separated from the rest and came to meet us, a man and his cute, young son, to aid with the tie up and discuss the price. The sailors had swum ashore their first visit, but Liam had promised me a walk to the waterfall and we planned dinner, so we fancied arriving dry. The lancha driver agreed to take us to shore but the offer was only good right then, so in we hopped for the short ride.

The steepness created 4 foot swells on the beach, and as I was contemplating this very precarious dismount situation, the lancha driver suddenly started yelling “GO NOW!!! GO NOW!!!” Liam leapt off and somehow nailed his landing. Maybe had I paused even a second to think, I would have tossed my little canvas bag to Liam, safely on shore, but all I had in my mind was the driver continuing to yell, even more frantically “GO NOW!!” Gathering my legs underneath me, I launched myself over the side of the boat onto the tilting beach. I had a moment of relief that I had gotten my feet under me, but then as the first wave hurried downhill over my feet, back into the bay, disorienting and destabilizing me, the next wave slammed over me from the back, knocking me into the surf. Liam wisely kept a straight face as he and a waiter from a nearby restaurant rushed to hoist me dripping from the water. My immediate concern for my phone momentarily distracted me from executing a bow that would have been appropriate for all the patrons in the beachfront restaurants for whom I had provided unexpected entertainment.

We did, indeed, visit the waterfall, walking up through the steep, winding, tiny streets of Yelapa and back down for a nice waterfront meal. With another perilous onboarding, we caught a panga back to our vessel, quite content for one visit ashore. Note to self: NO denim for sailing! The shorts I wore for my wave assault would not again be fully dry until washed and dried post trip back in California.

8078 panga , 2)me in front of Yelapa sign, 8092 3) 8081 view from above 4)8088 Liam at table and of pesos drying in the cockpit. (8094) Possible caption “Thankfully, plastic pesos dry well in the sun” STOP DO NOT PRINT from here down…still a work in progress

March 18 Tuesday

Another sunrise through my hatch. A leisurely Coffee in the Cockpit and tasty breakfast sandwich before the sails went up just before 11:00 and, with Yelapa receding in the distance, we started on the short trip north to Puerto Vallarta. The winds were mostly taking a break, so it was a power assisted sail before we pulled in that afternoon and tied Karma up at the first slip she had been in since January 2024. Suddenly we were part of a large harbor scene with high rise resorts as our backdrop, having to remember our address as “Turn left at Life is Short.” (the vessel we tied alongside.) and luxury of just hopping off onto the dock to be on shore!

AND!! Our floating address allowed us access to the ritzy facilities…including those spacious, completely stationary, easy flush toilets, no counting of pumps required! Liam also knew of a set of stairs outside that lead down to showers. I apparently was so excited I forgot the part about grabbing my towel. Lack of hot water (not to be confused with truly cold water) and blotting myself dry with paper towels did not dim the enjoyment of my first shower since Guadalajara.

It was in Puerto Vallarta where I got to see one of Liam’s super powers on display, which is his ability to remain calm, unflustered and take anything in his stride. He showed not the least sign of annoyance when our key fobs letting us in and out of the harbor area did not work…three different times! He would just patiently wait for someone to come along to let us in or out and back we would have to go to the harbor office for another fob. (The third time, they were embarrassed enough they accompanied us back down to the gate to make sure the fobs worked.) But as we left the first night to explore and find dinner, unable to let ourselves out, we found a tall metal gate we were able to hang onto, swinging out over the water and around to exit. Liam said if we had trouble getting back in, he was pretty sure he had friends on a boat elsewhere in the harbor and he would ask them if we could use their fob for re-entry. I could see so many things that could go wrong with this plan, but he was unfazed.

This particular gate served me well for my sunrises, now land based, as I strolled on the beach each day, watching the resort come to life with early morning workers mobilizing to sweep, arrange, set up and generally prepare for when the guests woke up. The first day we had a task, calling further upon Liam’s super power. It was time to register the boat properly in Mexico (no matter it had been in the country for weeks at less prominent harbors). Donning his official looking Captain’s hat, Liam grabbed a plastic folder of paperwork and off we went again to the harbor office. Liam explained that in these situations it is best to give them all the papers you have, and let them figure out what you might have or be missing. Also, always ask for a copy of anything they do need or you have to sign, to let them think you know what is going on and are keeping track. All of course while carrying on friendly, unhurried, good humored banter. Some cruisers, Liam told me, even have a stamp made up to ceremoniously stamp all official pieces of paper to add to their credibility.

Liam was worried they were going to ask for a …………copy of the title (???) which they had had some trouble keeping tabs on in their months of floating and no fixed address. When they did ask, he assured them that of course he had it and assumed an email to them would suffice (hoping he would in fact be able to find it in an email.) Eventually, after much copying and shuffling of papers, the situation was apparently copacetic enough that we could carry on with the next step. This entailed going back down to the harbor, and waiting on another dock for a water taxi to take us to a second location where a further stamp was needed from a different official. A kindly older cruiser, overhearing us, and tending to the same sort of business, offered to shepherd us on this leg of the journey.

Two rides on the water taxi, and time in a line to wait for an official to add his stamp, meant we had a new friend.