3/13/15 LA CRUZ

We are in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle or affectionately known as La Cruz. Like La Paz, we have heard of this glorious place and have read about it’s legendary cruiser anchorage and easy lifestyle. We arrived after a beautiful ~45 nm sail. Upon entering Banadara’s Bay, a large well gently surfaced in the not to distant as if personally welcoming us. We passed Punta Mita which is an anchorage on the north tip of the Bay for our final 10nm. Shortly after entering the bay, the winds began to pick up in the 20k range, which is fine for us as our boat is heavy. We circled around the anchorage where there was about 25 boats bobbing around. We selected our spot and dropped “the hook.” As usual, once the hook is dropped, we go into “unpacking” mode which means all the things that were stowed can now take their rightful spot in the cabin. 

However, we paused and noted that there was quite a bit of swell as we got knocked from side to side so we waited and watched the other boats hobby horsing wildly about their anchors. We scratched our heads thinking the winds would die down once the sun set but to our dismay, they did not, and instead became even more uncomfortable. We were not in any danger just uncomfortable and unable to drop our dinghy from the davits safely to bring Nanuq to shore. 

We radio’d our friends on sv Astrea who we sailed down the Baja with and were anchored not too far away. They had been in the anchorage for a month so they surely could tell us more information. Speaking with Nate and Natalie, they too were having a challenging evening due to the conditions which they reported were atypical. Phew, since we were beginning to question ourselves and maybe we are just wimpy. Nate’s sister Liz was visiting from PA and was feeling a bit queazy from the rocking and rolling. We managed the night but promptly pulled into Marina Riveria Nayarit for a few days. As it turned out, a large storm was coming in and hung over the bay for several days dropping several inches of rain and winds in the 20-30k range.

Many of the boats in the anchorage also came in for a night or two which helped to validate our decision. 

3/18/15 Small Spaces

Sometimes you just can’t please everyone. Whether on a boat, house, or a camper, there are situations that arise that may come to an impasse. Tension or discourse can be light and easily resolved like dinner options/plans, messiness, or whose turn to do the dishes. Other times, tension can escalate which often can be in a crisis, expectations not realized, or from frustration. Living in small spaces with a teen on board can exacerbate any of these situations to another level. As we morph through this process of cruising, living in a small space, and dealing with the unknown, we find ourselves using these opportunities to use humor (ok, maybe not immediately but soon after) as well as conversing about compromise and flexibility. 

Life is not perfect and learning to accept and rebound from our expectations is an important lesson. Gleaning the gifts in the face of adversity is a challenge but important to hold onto. Journey would tell people that our boat mantra is “The difference between an ordeal or adventure is attitude”. Of course she would say it with Attitude and maybe even an eye roll! It hasn’t always been easy traveling with a young teenager but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have been able to spend time with her in an invaluable way and watch her gain confidence in a new way. 

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Precious time together