Notes:  12/19/13 motored sailed and partly sailed form 145 miles from Acapulco to Punta Galera, and anchored for the night. Jan had a tough couple of days, caught a few tuna on the way down and one small Dorado but through them all back as it wasn’t the type of tuna we like. Caught a big Jack and gave it to a passing fishermen in a panga.. it was rough when we anchored for the night but it calmed down and I snubbed the boat so she would turn mead into the waves. Very hot, not much wind. out of the SSW 7-9 knots. Lots of sea turtles. Beautiful beach, bio-illuminencesess in surf, spectacular. Night time temps seem to be dropping, early morning wind blowing in the cabin feels cold, need a sheet to keep covered. Big difference from sweating all night.

 Saturday, December 21, 2013. 

 Best day of sailing yet, left Galera by 8 am, motored for a couple of hours till wind filled in the we were able to sail at 5-6 knots. fished all the way but caught nothing. Lots of manta and sting rays jumping, one almost landed on the deck. By 3 pm were off Puerto Escondido, nice town, anchored next to a navel vessel. They left shorty afterward, no internet service. Had a swim, water smells dirty, fishy. Quiet, no tubas on shore. Rolly anchorage, will leave early at this rate, had a fire as we came in to anchored. Electrical short in the steering column. Smell of pot came thick to us from shore. Music went on til 3 am. Set mizzen sail to spin the boat the big so stern to the big swells. Fireworks ashore. Rocky bottom, deep, got hook to hold but dragged over rock for a ways. 

Just a short one for now, too tired to write. Last three days after leaving Acapulco have been long and hot, but seems to be cooling down a bit- sorry to hear about the snow. The only ice we have here is in our drinks.

 We are now anchored in Puerto Escondido right down town. N15,51. 43—W97,03.75

 Big Mexican town, but nice, had a swim at dusk, anchorage rolly and the water smelled like fish. The thick smell of pot also drifting off th shore. Will be leaving at first. Caught some big fish today and gave one away to a panga fisherman. We had the best sailing day yet, 15 knots from the west northwest, putting us on a nice reach/run sailed flat at 6 knots, nice cooling breeze today for a change. Been working on burning up the miles, not far now from the infamous Gulf of Teahuantepec, will be blowing 50 knots there by Monday, so will be waiting for a weather window for the crossing.

Oh its 8 pm and the sun has been gone for an hour and a half, it’s now only 81 degrees outside. A bit warmer in the boat, not much of a night breeze. Saw lots of Rays, both Manta and sting leaping out of the water today, one the size of an easy chair almost landed on the foredeck.

Oh I almost forgot, just as we were anchoring next to a Mexican Navy gunboat at Escondidto, smoke began pouring out of the steering pedestal. The anchor was barley down when the fire broke out. Jan was at the helm at the time doing the driving, I was on deck doing my anchor thing when she called to me to let me know we were burning. I first assumed that it was an electrical fire so I ran down below to turn off all the electrical systems and disconnect the batteries.

 As soon as I killed the power the smoke began to dissipate. We have a 12-cigarette lighter type plug mounted in the steering column which apparently shorted out, burning up some wiring.  Jan and I spent the next hour or so with the column all torn apart replacing burnt wires. Don’t think the navy even noticed despite being only 20 meters away.

So that’s it for now, will be putting together a better email soon . Andy , Jan and Marina.