Thursday, February 26, 2009

Stingrays and Transit Troubadours

All right, already! Barring some unforeseen disaster, we're outta here tomorrow morning around 10. We've hauled the dinghy aboard, topped off the diesel, loaded more jugs of drinking water, washed down the deck and I've been tucking away every loose object in sight.

According to our weather oracle Don Anderson, conditions are calm around Cabo Corrientes (the point of land at the southern end of Banderas Bay), which is usually the hairiest part of the trip south. We'll try to land in Ipala tomorrow night. We'll have to be careful of the fishnets at that particular anchorage, so if it's after dark when we arrive, we'll probably just keep going overnight and land in Chamela. Get some rest, go on to Careyes. Then Tenacatita. Then Barra de Navidad and Melaque!

The Capt caught a video of dozens of stingrays traveling past our boat -- They look like reflections on the water, or fallen leaves
No whales yet, but then we have only been outside the marina with the boat once in the last three weeks. But we've been spotting the occasional lone stingray, and here's the shot I promised of the whole herd (flock? school?) we saw a few days ago.

Transit troubadour expertly balanced himself on the lurching bus and entertained us. Curious-looking guitar he was playing... the neck looks like a bass but the sound was a normal guitar

And here's a transit troubadour we met on the bus to Puerto Vallarta yesterday, when four of us first mates jumped ship for the day. He was actually pretty good, and I liked that he talked about his songs. The Mexicans on the bus resolutely ignored him and refused to make eye contact, but I dug up a good tip for him.

I felt like telling him "I know what it's like, amigo, to play your best and be regarded as a pest."

15 comments:

Overboard said...

Fair winds and following seas to the good ship Bliss.
:)

Steve Cotton said...

Of course, you did. He is a fellow Show Folk.

Those rays are fascinating. I understand they are all over the place in Melaque. Must be breeding season.

American Mommy in Mexico said...

Where did you see that group of sting rays exactly? In the bay? or close to Marina?

Calypso said...

Have a GREAT sail - We envy you here on land ;-)

CancunCanuck said...

LOVE the shot of the stingrays, amazing creatures! Good for you for tipping the musician, I always feel bad for the folks that have real talent and don't just have their hands out for nothing.

Happy trails! Er, sails!

Nancy said...

I hope you headed out like you planned, and have a wonderful sail. I always wonder what it's really like out there for days and days in the middle of all that water.

How are your projects coming?

aighmeigh said...

When I realized what I was looking at in the stingray photo, I literally gasped! Seeing something like that has to be akin to seeing a pod of dolphins or a whale... it's so cool you caught it on film. Thank you for sharing :)

jomamma said...

That's so sad when people regard performers as pests. My daughter has always sung and done quiet well at it even as a 3yr old under the grocery basket... she could draw a crowd. But sometimes there are those who struggle, I still admire them for having the guts to get up there and live their dreams. And we try to reward them well also.

Cynthia Johnson and Mike Nickell said...

That is a cool pic of the stingrays...and you look very beatuiful in your Valentine's Day pic! Sail on, sailor...

Helena said...

Hope you're having a great time!

BTW my brother has gone to Mexico to live and work till June! He left yesterday.

Linda Lou said...

i really like the stingray photo. hope you are having a great time.

Calypso said...

It isn't Bliss without you - looking forward to your getting back to the Blog ;-)

1st Mate said...

Dear fellow bloggers - Wow, this post received 12 comments, the biggest response yet, and they were all from people I know!

Overboard - We're getting more wind in this anchorage than we had all the way down here!

Steve - Didn't see any in Melaque, except one dead one I almost stepped on. HOPE it was dead...

Mommy - They were inside the Marina.

Calypso - There've been plenty of times in the past week when I envied you lubbers.

Canuck - Yeah, this guy had talent and I hope he gets discovered someday.

Nancy - We've only had two overnights on the sea and that was fine by me. I've somehow managed to keep up with MY projects, the two books, and may have another one coming. The poor Capt will never catch up, there's always another project or repair to do.

Ale - Believe it or not, a group of stingrays is called a "fever!" A Cuban friend of mine clued me in on this one.

Jomamma - Jolea sings? I didn't know that! You must be a proud mamma.

Cyn and Mike - Great to hear from you, thanks for the compliments.

Helena - WHERE in Mexico is your brother?

Linda Lu - Yes they were beautiful, very graceful. Sure wouldn't want to be swimming in the middle of them.

Helena said...

My brother flew to Mexico City but said he'll be staying about 20 miles north of there. I'll find out the name of the place and get back to you!

jomamma said...

Oh yeah, Jolea sings... and plays the guitar... very strong voice, a lot like Melissa Ethridge. I'm very proud.