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Banditos on board!!!!!!

Yesterday was spent lanquishing in the Nicaraguan police department, which of course was a deviation from our planned intinary!

A bandito was spotted helping himself to some of our equipment, and off 2 other boats in the bay.

To cut a very long story short you a few of you may be hearing from him on our Satellite phone!!! Ha Ha no not really he's in prison. We saw him get dragged in and thrown in the cells.

Anyway getting the paperwork has taken a day and a half, and we are almost on the staff of the Police dept as we've been there so long. Due to the high winds and driving rain the power kept going out as they were preparing the report.

Anyway we are planning on getting out Nicaragua tomorrow high winds permitting.

On the good side of things the bandito damaged the door , but did not damage US or any ports or hatches that would make the boat unseaworthy.

Attack of the killer bees

Not all is perfect in Paradise. We've been invaded by El Salvadorian/ African bees,

they have taken up residence in the mast, we tried to wait them out , but no they LOVE us.

We hired a "Bee man" to come and help, he donned his mesh mask, and we hauled him up...........

and moved away to a safe distance. Eventually we got the all clear...............and guess what they

are all DEAD, but now we have residual paranoia, everytime we hear a hint of a buzz,

we jump up and start listening for buzzing in the mast.

We are escaping tomorrow before they return, we are heading for Golfo de Fonseca.

Getting to know El Salvador

This is where we are moored at present Bahia Jiquilisco Lat 13 07 000N, Long 088 25 200W , we are in the top left corner, behind the boat with the sail up ( they were trying to get the bats off their sail!)

Its hard to think that the people we have met here, were until relatively recently killing each other in a civil war.

We set off a few days ago to rent a car and see some more of El Salvador, some of Guatemala, and Honduras. To cut a very long story short, it is either very pricy or impossble to take a car from one country to another, so we thought less is more, let's just explore El Salvador. We could have taken numerous buses, but we've had our fill of wrestling a backpack on hot sweaty buses, then being besieged by touts when you get off , hey that's why we bought a boat!

Anyway we love the country and the people, they are eager to help lost gringos, and a few words in Spanish brings out the smiles, and more helpers. We did OK on the whole. San Salvador was crazy, fast and polluted, the countryside was poor, but beautiful.

We needed to catch a bus back to the small town near our boat, and we couldn't find the departing bus terminal, we sped around the City asking everyone, but could make no sense of where it was, eventually we asked some very stern looking Police who instantly broke into smiles, and had us follow them in our car..............when we got to the station they drove in with the lights on, and had guns at the ready whilst we asked the bus times. We thought maybe they needed the guns to protect themselves...........who knows, because we rolled up the next day and it was just fine.

We made it out of Mexico and past "the BEAST of Tehuanatepec

We are so happy to be here, and in one piece, after

crossing one of the most hazardous areas on this coast.

The reason it is so risky is that the Gulf is

influenced by winds from the other side of Mexico,

and when the weather is bad on that side gale

force winds funnel through the mountains, and

people can be blown up to 500 miles out to sea!

We had been watching the weather very closely

because it blows almost constantly, with short

lulls. We spied a good "weather window"on the

forecast and scrambled, literally running around

dragging big jugs of fuel, water and food on board.

All sails up and engine roaring we set off to face the

beast and hooray it was napping, we sneaked by

heads stuck over the siderails, noses into the

wind like two bloodhounds sniffing the breeze to

detect a shift to the north which would mean the

beast was stirring.

We chugged along merrily for 500 miles, loving

every minute of the passage. Some of our boat

pals weren't so lucky, one boat who set off before

had 65 mile an hour winds, and had to scramble

into a commercial port at night, and take shelter

amongst the rusty shrimp boats. Another who left

a couple of days later , was hit by high winds

because his engine was broken, and he turned

into a sitting duck!

So now we are moored 9 miles up a river in

El Salvador, the closest town is Usulatan which

we visited yesterday. It was splendid! They call

El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras the

forgotten middle of Central America. It really

feels different to Mexico, the people are not as

used to tourists, so we are made very welcome.

There is great povery here, endless civil war,

hurricanes etc have pounded the place, but the

people are cheery and friendly. We are planning

to leave our boat in the river, drive or bus it to

Guatemala, and Honduras to explore inland,

just trying to work out the logistics now.

Vegetarians don't look now!

Languishing in lovely Zihautenjo. We amble into the market off the beach everyday gravitating towards the Vegetable and fish sections of the market, and away from the meat.



Acapulco is to be bypassed,too many stories about decapitated heads of Police washed on shore, with the current druglords turf battle,(see Lonely Planet dangers and annoyances- Acapulco) also so much junk on the ocean floor the anchor will not hold.
Instead we will hop down the coast visiting the quaint fishing villages, and beautiful bays, en route to our next mortal foe............The Gulf of Tehuanapec this is a big bay where the wind funnels through the mountains reaching gale force winds. Guinivere has however requested calm winds from the Gods, so we'll see!
Happy birthday to both Chris and Ann.

Here we are!

Been very busy doing a lot of sailing and motoring. Now in Barra Navidad, Mexican Riviera . Life is good, but we are moving on soon as soon as the wind picks up, going further south to places we have not visited in the past.
Carol is leaving us today, so she will be missed.
High point was swimming with the Dolphins in Tenacatita, but we did start to worry as they swam towards us that maybe they were Sharks in Dolphin suits!
Getting a peek at the Captains tan lines temporarily blinded the neighbours!
Photos to follow.

Viva Mexico!

Lots happening.............embroiled in US Navy exercises.
Carol arrived and was put to work !!!
Left the US, and checked into Mexico, caught some Kelp along the way, but Arthur said NO stowaways on this boat, and swiftly despatched the demon kelp back to the depths of the Ocean. And of course we had to do some last minute shoping before we left the US

Camelot Comes Under Fire

Had a great time in Santa Barbara and heard about 2 nights free dockage at Oxnard so off we went to claim our night. Not much happening there so we just went shopping at Fry's electrical got a bit carried away and could hardly fit it all on the bike and in Neil's backpack for the 10 mile return cycle. Neil had a blow out on the way back and we didn't have a puncture kit. It was blow the tyre up and pedal as fast as possible and do it again until we arrived back at the boat. The tyres have now been upgraded to be more puncture resistant.

Left Oxnard and were just getting comfortable with our drinks etc when an orange inflatable boat appeared and came towards us to redirect us to follow two other sailboats five miles out as they were going to be firing missiles from the beach out 5 miles!!! What are we the targets!!.

Any way never heard or saw anything arrived at Marina Del Rey for more beach cycling and relaxation including riding another 10 miles to return most of our Fry's purchases, talk about changing our minds!!!

Based in the municipal Marina watching the rowing and races that occur past our stern

We are in Santa Barbara

Had a great trip left through a foggy golden gate and had a great trip down the coast attracting a host of wild life , 4 whale sightings one came within 15 ft of the boat to check us out, fantastic displays by the dolphins especially at night as they made a fantastic light show dancing under the bow.

We rounded point Conception under a clear starry sky surfing at 9 knot plus, then slowed down to arrive in Santa Barbara at first light, Now enjoying the cruising life, thanks for the Champagne Mike it was brilliant for the first night.

We are off into the unknown

Good send off

We have a name and we are British

We need food and beer!!!!