There is so much to say I have almost given up on telling our story of the last month. I know that everyone experiences trials and difficult things in life. I have hesitated to talk about ours because it is not special or different than yours. And really, how much of what we go through or endure does anyone want to know about?
In preparing for our trip to Bahia de los Angeles, Mexico, our brains needed a thought of a reprieve or destination in order to survive the last grueling weeks of school. Bruce did pass his semester...he has one more to complete...I did finish with my third year of teaching and put away the classroom all in time for us to leave on the day we were planning. We met our accomplishments. We prepared really well in spite of trying to finish everything under pressure. Or so we thought.
We left as planned on May 23, four days after school finished. God had been speaking with me long and hard about trust in the last couple weeks and this continued as we journeyed uneventfully toward Mexico. Trust was required for us to buy another vehicle a week before we left because our current vehicle was again spewing oil from its underparts and we did not want to be left high and dry in the desert broken down. Trust was needed to be able to rest in Bruce's judgment about preparing for the trip with paperwork and all details pertaining since I was too busy with school to notice. Trust was huge for me in leaving my eighteen year old behind on his own with laundry, food, and work.
Anticipation was huge. Probably on my part more than the rest. I truly burned myself out the past year of teaching. I was working so hard at performing and "doing it right" that I feel I lost my first love for God. I was so busy doing and dealing and coping that I had no time to just breathe and be. I was really and truly counting on six weeks free of people and schedules and church and school. I had also overdone myself with writing assignments over the winter, both magazine articles and devotionals for our girls camp handbook, plus my blog and a writers group of which I am a part. My anticipation was the idea of rest and quiet and alone-ness with God and my husband and my two girls.
We arrived in Bahia on May 25. Pulling into the small dry town was the first shot of reality...the wind. The wind is relentless in Bahia. It was when we were here last too a year and a half ago in winter. Somehow I was sure it would be different or better in summertime. However, being good sailors, wind is what we wanted. We took the rest of the day to prepare...in finding a hotel, gathering food and water and setting up the boat. That evening we enjoyed a Mexican dinner and finished packing the boat. We went to bed still not sure where we would leave our vehicle and trailer while we were out at sea. But again... Trust.
The details for boat and trailer worked itself out the next morning. Bruce talked to the owner of the restaurant and boat landing area and they let us park there for a few pesos a day. it felt like God was on the job ahead of us the whole way. We left the boat dock around ten that morning and motor/sailed to our first destination. It was gorgeous. But the wind...still variable...as soon as you would set your sails it would turn and once again you'd have to adjust the sails. It was a gorgeous day though.
What was a calm little lagoon a year and a half ago was much changed. It was still beautiful but the sandy beach was gone. Now it was mostly rocks, a little gravel. There were plenty of pretty shells and rocks and it still looked promising if the wind would die down. We anchored but were nervous if it would hold with lack of sand and high winds tugging us every which way. We spent the afternoon and evening exploring and settling in, we were hoping for about five days. We got the paddle board out and by evening the wind calmed down enough to use it. That evening we watched a pod of dolphins swim toward our lagoon then turn and go along the beach of the other side.
After we lulled off to sleep the wind came up again and I felt sure we were dragging anchor, yet every time I would get up to look it seemed we were still safe within the lagoon. The moon was full and I could see land on three sides...I prayed myself back to sleep often being reminded of trust in God to be our Caretaker and Provider. About three in the morning we were all jarred awake by the sound of scraping on rocks and a huge thud. The tide was at it's lowest and we had been dragging anchor after all. We were stuck hard on the rocks and soon we were high and dry. The timing was perfect. Just a little to the right and we would have floated out to sea. As it was, we were dry on the rocks and on the level. God had provided. At daylight while the tide was still out we were able to patch a hole in the bottom of the boat.(Bruce thinks the hole was in our water ballast so it probably wasn't harmful but still who wants a hole in the bottom of their boat?)
When the tide came in, we motored back into the lagoon and spent a fairly peaceful day, paddle boarding, hand washing clothes, watching gorgeous fish beneath our boat,(you didn't even have to snorkel to see them)and whacking bugs off our skin. Again that evening we watched pods of dolphins outside the lagoon. This night, Bruce anchored as close to shore as possible and although the wind did come again, we stayed anchored. However, it was nerve wracking enough for Bruce he made the decision to seek a calmer shelter.
That morning we motored/sailed to Don Juan Cove, a place sailors are known to go and sit out the winds, also the same place Bruce and I sought shelter on Christmas Eve 2016. It was peaceful alright. And hot! And the NO SEE UMS. That was the breaking point for some of us. At Don Juan Cove we saw coyotes eating the fishermen's fish cleanings, and we saw sea turtles. Our day there we spent the morning washing our hair and bathing in salt water. Not a great idea on insect bites and heat. This was the afternoon we started talking about the possibility of not staying the planned six weeks.
And alternatives. We talked about vacations and expectations and our priorities. That night before going to bed we re-anchored and made plans to sail in the morning wind and go hike the volcano. From there we would plan to go back into town and re-evaluate our next move. By five, Bruce was up and pulling anchor. The rest of us stayed in our beds. But I could feel it was a good sail. It felt fast. It was. Bruce said the wind speed was close to 30 mph and that we had sailed at a speed of 8 knots. Our lean was about 15-20* All very good for our 26X Macgregor.
Near the volcano we found a small island packed with sea lions. We stopped and watched them for awhile. They have the ideal life. Just soaking up the sun and lounging on warm rocks. Yes, I could do that happily for quite awhile.
At the volcano we packed our backpacks and waded to shore. We anchored in the sand and had faith our boat would stay even with the tide coming in. That volcano whipped our tails. We hiked as steady and safely as possible for about two hours but had to turn back because of time with tides and because of the heat. Probably the hardest hike any of us have ever done but also the most beautiful. When we got back to the boat, Bruce had to swim to reach it but it was fine.
The view, partway up the volcano
Turning back
From there we decided to motor back to town. In a dreamy wonderful moment another pod of dolphins were spotted coming our way. This we slowed down for and held our breaths. Our dream come true came true. Those gorgeous creatures came up to our boat and surrounded it, swimming under and around with their big dolphin snorts and whistles.
To be continued...
In preparing for our trip to Bahia de los Angeles, Mexico, our brains needed a thought of a reprieve or destination in order to survive the last grueling weeks of school. Bruce did pass his semester...he has one more to complete...I did finish with my third year of teaching and put away the classroom all in time for us to leave on the day we were planning. We met our accomplishments. We prepared really well in spite of trying to finish everything under pressure. Or so we thought.
We left as planned on May 23, four days after school finished. God had been speaking with me long and hard about trust in the last couple weeks and this continued as we journeyed uneventfully toward Mexico. Trust was required for us to buy another vehicle a week before we left because our current vehicle was again spewing oil from its underparts and we did not want to be left high and dry in the desert broken down. Trust was needed to be able to rest in Bruce's judgment about preparing for the trip with paperwork and all details pertaining since I was too busy with school to notice. Trust was huge for me in leaving my eighteen year old behind on his own with laundry, food, and work.
Anticipation was huge. Probably on my part more than the rest. I truly burned myself out the past year of teaching. I was working so hard at performing and "doing it right" that I feel I lost my first love for God. I was so busy doing and dealing and coping that I had no time to just breathe and be. I was really and truly counting on six weeks free of people and schedules and church and school. I had also overdone myself with writing assignments over the winter, both magazine articles and devotionals for our girls camp handbook, plus my blog and a writers group of which I am a part. My anticipation was the idea of rest and quiet and alone-ness with God and my husband and my two girls.
We arrived in Bahia on May 25. Pulling into the small dry town was the first shot of reality...the wind. The wind is relentless in Bahia. It was when we were here last too a year and a half ago in winter. Somehow I was sure it would be different or better in summertime. However, being good sailors, wind is what we wanted. We took the rest of the day to prepare...in finding a hotel, gathering food and water and setting up the boat. That evening we enjoyed a Mexican dinner and finished packing the boat. We went to bed still not sure where we would leave our vehicle and trailer while we were out at sea. But again... Trust.
The details for boat and trailer worked itself out the next morning. Bruce talked to the owner of the restaurant and boat landing area and they let us park there for a few pesos a day. it felt like God was on the job ahead of us the whole way. We left the boat dock around ten that morning and motor/sailed to our first destination. It was gorgeous. But the wind...still variable...as soon as you would set your sails it would turn and once again you'd have to adjust the sails. It was a gorgeous day though.
What was a calm little lagoon a year and a half ago was much changed. It was still beautiful but the sandy beach was gone. Now it was mostly rocks, a little gravel. There were plenty of pretty shells and rocks and it still looked promising if the wind would die down. We anchored but were nervous if it would hold with lack of sand and high winds tugging us every which way. We spent the afternoon and evening exploring and settling in, we were hoping for about five days. We got the paddle board out and by evening the wind calmed down enough to use it. That evening we watched a pod of dolphins swim toward our lagoon then turn and go along the beach of the other side.
After we lulled off to sleep the wind came up again and I felt sure we were dragging anchor, yet every time I would get up to look it seemed we were still safe within the lagoon. The moon was full and I could see land on three sides...I prayed myself back to sleep often being reminded of trust in God to be our Caretaker and Provider. About three in the morning we were all jarred awake by the sound of scraping on rocks and a huge thud. The tide was at it's lowest and we had been dragging anchor after all. We were stuck hard on the rocks and soon we were high and dry. The timing was perfect. Just a little to the right and we would have floated out to sea. As it was, we were dry on the rocks and on the level. God had provided. At daylight while the tide was still out we were able to patch a hole in the bottom of the boat.(Bruce thinks the hole was in our water ballast so it probably wasn't harmful but still who wants a hole in the bottom of their boat?)
When the tide came in, we motored back into the lagoon and spent a fairly peaceful day, paddle boarding, hand washing clothes, watching gorgeous fish beneath our boat,(you didn't even have to snorkel to see them)and whacking bugs off our skin. Again that evening we watched pods of dolphins outside the lagoon. This night, Bruce anchored as close to shore as possible and although the wind did come again, we stayed anchored. However, it was nerve wracking enough for Bruce he made the decision to seek a calmer shelter.
That morning we motored/sailed to Don Juan Cove, a place sailors are known to go and sit out the winds, also the same place Bruce and I sought shelter on Christmas Eve 2016. It was peaceful alright. And hot! And the NO SEE UMS. That was the breaking point for some of us. At Don Juan Cove we saw coyotes eating the fishermen's fish cleanings, and we saw sea turtles. Our day there we spent the morning washing our hair and bathing in salt water. Not a great idea on insect bites and heat. This was the afternoon we started talking about the possibility of not staying the planned six weeks.
And alternatives. We talked about vacations and expectations and our priorities. That night before going to bed we re-anchored and made plans to sail in the morning wind and go hike the volcano. From there we would plan to go back into town and re-evaluate our next move. By five, Bruce was up and pulling anchor. The rest of us stayed in our beds. But I could feel it was a good sail. It felt fast. It was. Bruce said the wind speed was close to 30 mph and that we had sailed at a speed of 8 knots. Our lean was about 15-20* All very good for our 26X Macgregor.
Near the volcano we found a small island packed with sea lions. We stopped and watched them for awhile. They have the ideal life. Just soaking up the sun and lounging on warm rocks. Yes, I could do that happily for quite awhile.
At the volcano we packed our backpacks and waded to shore. We anchored in the sand and had faith our boat would stay even with the tide coming in. That volcano whipped our tails. We hiked as steady and safely as possible for about two hours but had to turn back because of time with tides and because of the heat. Probably the hardest hike any of us have ever done but also the most beautiful. When we got back to the boat, Bruce had to swim to reach it but it was fine.
The view, partway up the volcano
From there we decided to motor back to town. In a dreamy wonderful moment another pod of dolphins were spotted coming our way. This we slowed down for and held our breaths. Our dream come true came true. Those gorgeous creatures came up to our boat and surrounded it, swimming under and around with their big dolphin snorts and whistles.
To be continued...
At this point I'm wondering why you came home so soon. It sounds like paradise!
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