December 27, 2019 – February 24, 2020

This 2019-2020 sailing season has been a bit different for us – in more ways than one – we seem to be arriving earlier and spending longer periods of time in various locations along our typical migration path. We normally move along at a pretty good clip, so it’s been quite nice to slow down. After spending November and almost all of December in Bahía de Banderas, which included a quiet Christmas in La Cruz, we took advantage of some spicy breezes later that week that pushed us down to one of our favorite parts of the mainland coast – the Costalegre, where for the past 4 years, we’ve enjoyed an annual pilgrimage to the likes of Punta Perula, Bahía Chamela, Tenacatita, and Barra de Navidad.

Oh, and while da boat rested comfortably in the Barra lagoon, Rand and I staggered a couple of trips north (so one of us could be on da boat most days) – he to Canada for his annual brothers’ ski trip, and me to southern CA for some much needed time with da homies. Then, and most importantly, little did we know that a worldwide pandemic would keep us in this area much longer than anticipated, but that’s a separate post. And this after a jaunt to Zihuatanejo – also another post. Lots going on – lots of moving parts.

So, while the COVID-19 pandemic was leaving a wake in Asia and Europe and quietly sinking its claws into the States, we were blissfully reconnecting with old friends and the French Baker, making new friends, eating street tacos and churros, and enjoying happy hours and rubbing elbows with our sailing brethren. One doesn’t often realize just how social this lifestyle can be, and how much we really thrive on social interactions – the inane blathering and lively political conversations, laughs, and hugs we collect while hanging out in different anchorages. Extroverts like me need socialization, and Barra and the surrounding anchorages, especially Tenacatita, are perfect for filling our socialization tanks. So, in the early months of this year, we were able to enjoy our typical social schedule.

January Gallery

Sunset on Dec. 27 as we depart Bahía de Banderas

Taking advantage of mellow conditions

One of our go-to locations on the Costalegre

Holidays are a busy time here

Margaritaville

Brick stack

First time we felt an earthquake on da boat…pretty crazy!

South end of Bahía de Chamela – looking for surf

Ghosting into Tenacatita on New Years Eve

New Years rain day

Greetings from Cake 🙂

Up anchor for Bloom – off to parts beyond

Neighborhood fun

Monica of S/V Bella Via

The Friday Mayor’s raft-up in Tenacatita

HH on FL with Cake and Liahona

Streaming college hoops while out for a sail – HA!

Sunset over Tenacatita

Sunset over Barra

Wolf moon over Barra on Jan. 8

Back in French Baker territory

Ice cream in Melaque

Heading into town on Taxi Aquatico with Ramón at the helm

Fishing at sunrise in the Barra lagoon

Wolf moon setting

Horse butts

Sunset with the crew of Follow You

Full moon rising (can’t get enough of this stuff)

Yep, another sunset

Walk to Secret Beach

Calm, solitary peli

Happy talkabout with family in Alaska

RIP Neil Peart – Jan. 7, 2020

Stroll on the malecón with Cake and Rhiannon

Vicki of S/V Rhiannon captured this shot of FL in the Barra lagoon – Thx, Vicki!

First stop at Miriam’s on the taco bam bam

Second stop at Pastorcito on the taco bam bam

Ok, then we had to have churros

Just another sunrise over the lagoon

Happy birthday to Tanya of S/V Seadra

NFL playoffs at Barra Mia

Din din at Pipi’s with Striker and Catatude

Ok, then there was ice cream

And another sunrise

Quick-trip-across-the-border Gallery

Leaving Manzanillo

Flying into Mexico City and a layer of polluted air

Rand and Tobin grabbing breakfast at — a gas station in Canado

It was butt-cold in Canada – quite the opposite of Barra (this photo is pre-Jeff’s arrival)

Scored tickets to the SDSU basketball game

Golf day with Mel, Jer, and Pop

Beach day with Tannika

Hangin’ with Jack at Pizza Port

Family dinner

Happy people

Thai with Simon and Erin

Girl time at the Resort

Jay and Kathy visited the Resort, too

WTF?! (Turns out it’s Stacy’s childhood suitcase and bunny she ran away with when she ran away from home)

Afternoon hike to look for sheep with our FWS peeps

Sheep!

More sheep!

Happy hikers

Awe…my BFFs

Made it to the picnic tables on the South Lykken Trail

🙂

Rand on da boat – me at the Resort

Hangin’ with Barb, Tom, and Vicki in Esco

Erin, Lily, and Simon, too

Ramen with Mel and Pop

Gathering at Matt and Kathleen’s

Jeanne and Monte

Yay!

Yay!

Superbowl Sunday in Murr-town – AND Jefe’s 60th!

Liberty Station lunchy before the girls fly home

Happy Grandpa

Nobisan!

Kai and Sharisse in their new digs

Last golf date this trip

February Gallery

Back to Barra

Miriam’s with Vanessa and Sonni and Brad of S/V Luego

Beach walk to Melaque with Luego

Stroll to Secret Beach with Sonni and pups

Mac and Pip

Secret Beach shenanigans (PC Sonni)

Oh look, a sunset in Barra

The whole Luego family (PC Vanessa)

Dinner at Mokeke’s with Vannie and Elisha

On da boat! (PC Vannie)

Moonrise over S/V Shazam

Tequila time at Pastorcito

Grillin’ veggies for homemade huaraches

HH on FL with Serafina, Strikhedonia, and Cake

Cute little treehopper on da boat

Tom taking Daisy for a paddle

View from my yoga studio

Morning visit from Catatude and Milou

Sunset over Tenacatita

HH on Catatude with Brainwaves

Emeric, our beloved French Baker

The whole Cake clan

View of the marina

Another margaritaville

Taxi Aquatico time!

Love these people

And this person

And this person (PC Ellie)

Ellie, the angel

Michael, wanting to be an angel

Late night noms at Pastorcito

Bus driver checking in with the chicken in Melaque

Early morning shopping in Melaque

Will she like it? Turns out, no.

Cat nap

Javi’s churros rule

Oh, another sunrise

Solar panel project

Can you see Cavu? We’re out to make water and do some housekeeping

Bird event

Gathering for the Barra Cruise-In Week

Marla is a prisoner forced to paint

Joe painting the Barra library

Teamwork

Really? Another sunrise?

Cruise-In parade

Cat nap

Lunch at Cabo Blanco

Meet up spot!

On the malecón

🙂 (PC Vannie)

Captain silly taking laundry back to da boat (PC Vannie)

A very full recycling fish

Tamales from Rosa, the tamale lady

Din din with Striker and Strikhedonia at Manglito’s

Seriously, the last sunrise of this post

Sailing CD on Tenacatita BAy

Torqueedo project

Solar panel project

Huaraches with Cake

Cake by Cake with Cake

Last Tenacatita gathering with these cat people for awhile