Present Time....Barra Navidad

Current location: Barra Navidad (130 miles south of Puerto Vallarta).

No flashback this time….this is present time!!

So we continue to head down the coast exploring different anchorages and having a wonderful time sailing and seeing new places. We are currently anchored out in the lagoon of Barra de Navidad which is a nice change from the moderate swells of other anchorages. I find myself getting up in the middle of the night to check the anchor out of habit, which is quite unnecessary since the waters are dead calm.

We are enjoying the town of Barra and its warm welcome to cruisers. The Sands Hotel allows us to use the pool, internet and other facilities which the boys are thoroughly enjoying. There is also an enormous and elegant hotel across the lagoon which we have not yet attempted to invade “Caddyshack” style!

Perhaps the most miraculous find for me has been the French Baker, who comes to the anchorage every morning ringing his melodic bell signaling his arrival and ready to serve up delectable bakery goods. Now anybody who knows me, is aware of my obsession with baked goods ranging from Ho-Ho’s to Austrian handmade pastries (my sister, Colleen and I literally ate our way around Austria, attempting to sample EVERY pastry we would find). Emerit (we are on a first name basis) pulls up to the boat with an amazing selection of chocolate and almond croissants, baguettes and tortes. When requesting a chocolate croissant, he happily placed it in a bag and declared, “Voila!”. After eating an almond croissant with my coffee one morning, I informed Ben that I was truly sorry, but I was leaving him for the French Baker. Screw the sailing thing….there’s a man out there that can bake heavenly goods for me every morning!! Ben is convinced he is from the Bronx and faking every syllable of his French accent…I believe this is simply jealousy rearing its ugly head.

Due to the calm waters in the lagoon, our friends from Bella Star, Ventured, Panache and all of us on Jace decided to execute a “raft up”. This is where several boats tie up together which I have never experienced before. It’s a bit like living in a college dorm, where there is always someone in close vicinity to socialize with and yet when you need some privacy, you can always retreat to your room and shut the door. Needless to say Mickey and J.P. have enjoyed every minute of our two day social event!! We have also become quite the spectacle in the anchorage and at one point fellow sailors swung by to take pictures of our little floating community.

Zach from Panache astutely observed, “I feel like I’m living on a hippy commune”. To which he quickly added, “but you’re kids would need to change their names to something like ‘Rain’ or ‘Sunshine’.” We all agreed J.P.’s new self-proclaimed nickname of “Collateral Damage” wouldn’t pass hippy pacifist ways.

On top of all this fun, they boys were tickled when our friends from Endeavor showed up the other day. We have had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s adventures and they boys are happy to follow their friends, Sydney and James around town like little puppy dogs.

Today we plan to head south once again to the Manzanillo area, where we hope to do the necessary repairs on our fuel tank and check out an anchorage that is reported to have beautiful snorkeling.

I think Ben had something to add to this blog....see below!

Cheers,
Molly




The French Baker Poem
By Ben Doolittle

You come around in your ponga.
4 stroke engine with electric start.
Peddling your baked goods
rolls, croissants and tarts.

You ring your silly little bell
and pull up alongside my yacht.
My wife goes crazy smelling your goods,
all so steamy and hot.

Smug little French Baker if you know what's good for your life,
keep your baguette away from my wife!

From your orange crates
come baked goods like I've never seen.
And you speak in that little smug french accent,
you'd be perfect if only you brought cofee!

Smug little French Baker if you know what's good for your life,
keep your baguette away from my wife!













Streets of Barra at night


















The "Treehouse" restaurant. Love the lanterns in the enormous tree!


















The French Baker...my second husband! See, the boys really like him too!!

















Rafting Up...Ben took this from the mast.














Rafting up....Mickey took this from the dinghy. In order from left to right:
Bella Star, Ventured, Jace and Panache.





















Mickey and his pal Maureen from the boat "Blue".















Recess!! J.P. floating in the Sands Hotel pool.




















Mick enjoying some "school time" in the garden by the pool. Man, this kid has a rough life!!