Sunday, December-01-13  

Well this has got to have been the best day that we have had since returning to Mexico and Maiatla a month ago.  We awoke this morning feeling the warm morning breeze funnel down though the hatch that leads into Maiatla’s great aft cabin. Through the stern windows I could see the sun rise over the jungle mountains thick with the bluish tropical haze. It was a blissful night at anchor here at BahiaTenacatita. It was millpond calm with a sky full of stars and around Maiatla, the sea swirled with fish igniting trails of bio-luminance. After cooking Jan and I breakfast, I launched the dinghy and mounted the larger of our two out board engines as I had a trip planned for today.  As Jan readied herself, I swan next to the boat as it was well on its way to 90 degree temp that it would reach today. Jan loaded the snorkeling gear into the dink and we were soon off, not headed to the nearby reef but to the entrances of a small river that enters the sea near here.

The day previous I had taken a swim in the river to cool off after a long walk on the deserted beach. As I exited the water I saw a sign. My comprehension of Spanish is weak at best but at the bottom of the notice board I was able to read the final few words which when translated says. “Don’t molest the crocodiles”. I guess I should have read the sign before my swim.

This morning we were off on a Crocodile hunt up into the mangrove swamp. There was quite a current but we had the power to explore deep, miles deep into the tangle knot of trees full of crabs and crocks , snakes and lizzards. With each bend in the narrow river, great white egrets, herons and hawks and a species of kingfisher all to flight as we raced by. We even surprised a few crocodiles, one of which decided to cross in front of us. I tried to stop the boat but the meter long reptile kept coming. When he reached the side of the dinghy, (of course on Jan’s side) he ducked under the boat, bumping its head all along the bottom , as if looking for a weak spot, until emerging on the far side  Where it gave us an indignant look and carried on.

After spend several hours feeling like Bogart and Hepburn in the African Queen. We retreated downstream to beach the dink at the head of the river as it dumps into the surf where a thatched roof Palapa stands. We ordered cold Coronas and garlic prawns while dinning in the shade of coconut palms as Maiatla swung on the hook just off shore.  After lunch we motored around the point to a secluded spot, anchored the dink and spent the following two hours chasing angle fish, neon’s and gobes. We tailed a precocious octopus while trying to take video and we even, ever so cautiously, tailed a speckled sea snake as it hunted the nooks and crannies just a meter of so below us. We Returned to Maiatla in the late afternoon, stripped off and went for another swim next to our home.  We shower and Jan retreated to our cabin to read as I popped the top on another beer to sit in the cockpit to watch the world, every soooo slowly, go by. About the time the sun disappeared to the west, it was dinner time, more garlic prawns with rice cooked on the BBQ.  After which we both then read, did some e-mails and went early to bed as we had and early plan for departure, bound for Manzanillio, a harbour town and our next stop on our way to central America. Not a bad day at all down here and quite fitting as tomorrow is my Birthday. Happy Birthday to Me! The best part was that I got to share it with Jan.

Sorry if I have been a bit remiss in making regular posting buts it’s been a hectic 350 miles coming down the coast. But I will try and get everyone updated.

Regards, Andy and Jan aboard Maiatla in Mexico.