A day in Chamela 2.15.09

We made it to Chamela around 2pm and were originally thinking we would just stay for the afternoon and head out at midnight for Ipala. However, after listening to the weather & getting weather fills from friends who had the info at their fingertips, we made the command decision to stay a day in Chamela and leave the following evening. So we had the good fortune to spend some time in Chamela, one of my favorite places! As soon as we were anchored, we were visited by Justin & Dahlia from S/V Steady Beat who we knew from Mazatlan.



We enjoyed chatting with them. They are heading South now and then up North to Canada once the season is over so it is the only time we will see them. It's the bummer side of cruising.

The nest day, we dinghied into shore & walked into town with the folks from S/V Baywolf looking for an internet café. We had been to town previously and I needed to find the tienda that sold the ‘Gorilla Snot’ shampoo! I didn’t get a bottle of it the first time and kicked myself figuring it would be all gone by the time I got back. As luck would have it, they had a couple bottles left so I picked one up for a gift for my niece or nephew! And I have to tell you….I’m beginning to get desperate….It’s time to get back to the States. I’m out of Coffee Mate. Haha!! See, I really like my coffee mate in my coffee, just a little flavor. They sell coffee mate down here, but it’s just not the same. Last year when Michael flew back to the States for business, I asked him to bring me some ‘real’ coffee mate and he did….so I’ve been using that since we left. But I am on my last couple teaspoons of it and I’ve even started rationing it – cutting down the size I’m using and even skipping coffee a couple of mornings (these mornings are not Michael’s favorites!) to try and make it last. OK, so I’m a bit of a nut, but it’s time to get back & buy more of it! Haha… Oh, and yes, I found it being sold one place, in Barra de Navidad….for $12.50! I wasn’t desperate then….I would buy it now!

Anyway, Chamela. We walked into town with the folks from S/V Baywolf – Kirk & Sachi with their two kids – Miya & Romi. The youngest was 8 and was just a treat to chat with. She told me everything – what they had been doing, where they had gone, who they met, what kinds of fish they caught, which ones were her favorite & least favorite, etc. We talked the entire time looking for the internet café. When I asked her what her favorite thing about being out here cruising was….she replied….the pools in Puerta Vallarta. Check out their website... www.sailblogs.com/member/baywolf The Internet café I knew about was closed as it was Sunday so we asked if there was another one it town and were given directions from one of the tienda clerks. Two or three blocks up the street, two blocks over. We walked into a residential area of town, dirt streets, with no storefronts to be seen but asked a guy walking down the street and we just missed it by one street. We found a little tienda that sold lots of gifts, balloons, wrapping paper, & misc items and in back were 4 internet stations. We ended up using the internet for about 30 minutes for a whopping 10 pesos, around 80 cents! And the shop owner was wonderful, even offering us use of her memory stick. The folks from Baywolf had more internetting to do so we left them & headed back to the beach with our fresh fruits & veggies & gorilla snot shampoo!

Bob & Marlene from S/V Selah were at the palapa enjoying the sunshine and some snacks so we joined them & chatted away. We decided to leave at midnight, skipping the stop in Ipala and heading straight to La Cruz, an unplanned stop. Bob & Marlene have a condo in Puerta Vallarta and convinced us to stop so they could show us the area! How fun… The last time we were there we dealt with generator issues most of the time so we didn’t do a lot of touring the area so it was a nice offer.

Leaving at midnight…
Rene