This is text from Bill Eddy with photos added from various crew members.
Crew for this leg was: Paul Goss, Bill Eddy, Jim Labbe (as far as Bahia del Sol) and Harry Reppert.
Saturday 5/1 Bahia del Sol, El Salvador
Up at 7:00am to full tropical rain and an incredible 3k current past the hull in the estuary. Tides change 6-7’ in here each tide cycle. Took laundry to the resort office for $1 per lbs. Back tomorrow. Resort grounds are lush with 3 large colorful parrots near the entry area ponds. See pictures. Cultural Emersion Time. While Harry and Paul are on their computers, Jim and I walked across the resort property (1/2 mile from inner estuary to the sea shore across peninsula) to see the other ½ of the resort. More hotel bungalows with another pool, restaurants and a large beach bar. Extremely crowded with a large group of approximately 900 people. We walked the beach to the end of the peninsula and the dreaded entry channel. 1000’s on the beach. All the shade palapas were full of families with flags, signs and banners up, along with vendors, food booths etc. We went to the top of a 2 story palapa for a cervesa and were corrected by the 12-13 year old bartender that we should ask for a Pilsner, the national beer of El Salvador. Great spot to people watch. Apparently they come from San Salvador each weekend by 30 extremely colorful busses to escape the hotter interior climate. Like gambling junket busses at home.
We returned to the boat down the spine road of the Peninsula. Did projects, and Harry fixed us cheese burgers and baked beans for lunch around 2:00pm What a cook. After setting up our sun tarp (getting old and tattered), we visited boat neighbors Doug and Jill on La Campanera and toured their boat. Met them in Huatalco. They are heading to Chile from Alaska. They had an old dog on board that I befriended and scratched. They are world class canoe people and she has written books about their canoe trips. Given our late lunch, we passed on dinner and just went to the bar for drinks and snacks of fried tortilla diamonds, guac and bean dips.
La Campanera in Huatulco
After dinner guys returned to the boat and I went looking for the casino. Found a large one with 10 card tables, roulette table, 50-60 each of wheel slots and poker machines. I was the only person there at 9:00pm, along with an armed guard, 2 cashiers and two attendants, all watching soccer games on TV. I have never gotten so much attention in a casino. Won $20 on poker machine. Back to boat and bed at 10:00pm
Crew with Bill and Jean who Organized the Cruisers’ Rally to El Salvador
Sunday 5/2 Bahia del Sol
Up at 6:30am. Harry made fresh cinnamon rolls and coffee and we contemplated a trip to the small town of Herradura for exploration and some light shopping. It was 88 degrees and humid.
Pool at Bahia del Sol with Restaurant and Marina in Background
At 10:00am, Jim arranged through concierge Claudia for a local in a pickup truck to take me, Jim and Harry up the road to his panga, take us through the Mangrove jungles in the estuary to the docks at Herradura town. About a 25 minute ride past many dugout and panga fishermen. We initially walked through some really poor/broken down areas where the fishermen live, then into town that consists of a 2 mile stretch of shops and residences with maybe 1-2 blocks on either side of the main bus congested road. Town was in a lot better condition than the dock exit area. The main mode of transportation for the tourists and locals was 3 wheel Cushman type motor carts. The busiest place in town with SRO was the Catholic church in the middle of town. We visited a well supplied hardware store and a ghastly covered marketplace for vegetables and some supplies boat neighbors wanted us to get. The market people were very friendly. We visited a cellular phone store and bought Paul a charger for his phone. Despite the poverty there, the people were clean, neat, friendly and very interested in the three gringos. Harry got stiffed by a bunch of kids selling wooden crosses. He was going to get one to take to the kids at his school later in the week. After he got the price bargained ($1) and paid he asked their mother if he could take a picture of them all with their crosses. She refused to let him do so. He let them have the $ and left empty handed and no picture.
After our town tour, we caught the fun bus back to the coast road where we would catch another down the Costa del Sol peninsula highway to our marina. What a trip. The busses were packed with neatly dressed church attendees and their kids. The busses there literally stop at everybody’s’ houses (huts, most without electricity and wood stoves) to let them off. Thus a slow ride but worth every moment in cultural emersion.
Back to the boat at 2:00pm for lunch and a swim in the pool. Tonight was pizza night with $1 beers. To bed by 9:00pm in 90 degree heat, and impressive lightening storms in the volcano rich hills to our east.
Monday 5/3 Bahia del Sol
Up at 6:00am (Crazy) and off to breakfast at 7:00am. Three boats arrived this am. Rumb Line, Calypso and Trumpeter. All were with us in Huatalco but left a day later and took the shoreline route. Bad decision as they got slammed with severe electrical storms, squalls and rough seas. At 11:45am Jim, Paul and Harry departed for Harry’s church project, bringing aid and supplies to a school in Sonsonate in the central part of El Salvador. They traveled in a rental van. Paul and Harry’s blogs/facebook pages will cover that trip in detail. I retreated to Virago for projects and relaxation. Among other things, I fixed the electric forward head, sanitized the interior, and cockpit, floors galley and walls. Basically I adopted Virago as my own and did projects accordingly. Went swimming in between projects and eating. At 6:30pm, a CT54 ketch came in with Peggy and Craig from Long Beach. Took 3 tries in the strong currents to finally land the thing. A lot of boat for a couple to handle. To bed at 9:30pm with lightening storms in the east.
Tuesday 5/4 Bahia del Sol
Up at 7:00am in 88 degree temps and major humidity. Spent the morning fueling the boat. Bought 31.5 gallons at $3.69 per gallon and filled 7 jugs. A lot higher price than Pemex in Mexico. Broke for breakfast after hauling the jugs to the boat, then pumped the jugs into the tanks. It all took about 5 hours as the siphon hose was very small. Done with tasks by 2:00pm and off to the local “super market” by fun bus. Quite an adventure. Shopped for fruit, beer, soft drinks and vodka. ($7.60 per quart) The market did not have garbage bags, deodorant or Coke Light. In fact, the stock was very poor. More of a 7-11 type place.
The bus ride home was the best part. Kids getting out of school thought I was quite a sight. Learning English, so they wanted to practice on me. The bus was full of nuns, vendors with baskets on their heads and servants coming and going from some of the bid estates and resorts. Bus was $.50 for a 10 mile ride. Back at 4:00pm for some rust removal activity in the cockpit and at the chain plates. After, swam, visited with boat neighbors and ate at the dock palapa. Rained just before bed so had to close the boat hatches up in the 90 degree humidity. Fun. To bed at 9:30pm Lightening storms to the east again. Finished up reading my biography on Les Schwab.
Wednesday 5/5 Bahia del Sol
Up at 9:30am (slept in) Clear and 96 humid degrees. Did some boat projects, read a new book, Fiasco by Tom Ricks about the run-up to the Iraq invasion and our failed policies relating thereto. I swam and went to dinner. During dinner I was whining about my phone costs and the local boatyard owner, Murray offered me his $.3 per minute prepaid phone to use to call home. What a nice gesture and I bought him a beer. Had best talk since Mexico with Nora. Murray from Canada built robots for the auto industry and now does occasional contract work for Caterpillar Tractor Co in the tar sands of his home province of Saskatchewan. He says that the sands are now a big deal again since they can harvest oil at $18 per barrel. To bed with Fiasco at 8:00pm
Thursday 5/6 Bahia del Sol
Inside Marina Bar
Up at 7:30am had some fruit and went up to breakfast. While there, an expat from Chicago named Danny who lives across the estuary from the marina had a 3 month old female Keeshund puppy. Had fun playing with her. He adopted her on a San Salvador street corner and basically nursed her back to health with medical care. Did some boat projects before the boys returned.
At 6:00pm, no boys yet so I toughed it out and went to the Thursday Cruisers Social on behalf of the crew. Had 2 for 1 drinks and $1 snack plates of chicken wings, and beef and veggie shish- ke- bobs. Sat in the pool with the other cruisers, enjoying English conversation while Mojitos (a first for me) were served in the water for $4 for 2. Had live music and a singer doing Burt Bacharach and bosa nova mostly in English. Another big amp band was setting up on the patio for a party later that night and the crews were preparing the banquet hall for a fancy dinner for a Central American Rotary Youth convention coming in. Chinese lanterns were strung all over the patio area.
The boys arrived at 7:00pm from their trip to the school. They brought provisions, water and an air conditioner. Reported a good time while we had dinner. To bed by 10:00pm after screwing around installing the AC in the companion way door. Despite the mess it made, it did cool the boat’s interior effectively. I missed all the noise from the big party after 10:00pm, but Harry, sleeping in the cockpit got it full blast. That and the heat,noise and water vapor pouring out of the new AC really made his night. He will have to sleep below henceforth.
Virago at Bahia del Sol
Friday 5/7 Bahia del Sol
Up at 6:00am to Paul working on his AC unit. Sent Harry in the rental car to Jacahulto for provisions. Went to breakfast and saw the remains of the big party last night that some of us missed. They had 15 large wooden pallets on the patio ground with mattresses on top with a sheet wrapped box next to each with votive candles. People sat on them during the party. Interesting custom.
After breakfast, Jim and I cleaned the cockpit again and helped Harry haul the new found groceries to the boat. Jim and I went to the end of the peninsula again to watch 3 boats come over the bar. No major excitement as the sea state was relatively calm. This was Jims last night with us. We toasted his departure pre-dinner and reflected on his long sample of the cruising lifestyle and his first overnight sailing.
The boys went to the boat at 8:30pm for rest and I did another Casino run. This time I hit 4-2’s and won $100, for a net profit of $80. All alone in the casino again To bed at 9:30pm.
Saturday 5/8 Bahia del Sol Departure-Maybe
Up at 5:00am for coffee, then walked Jim to his taxi to San Salvador for his TACA Airlines flight to Mexico City and on to Cabo San Lucas for a great vacation with his wife Judy and another couple. Sorry to see our Chief Engineer and Safety Officer have to leave. Our trusty crew was now down to 3.
Spend early morning prepping the boat for departure for Costa Rica around slack high tide at 11:00am. While doing so I inspected the rig for a final time. Found that the tack fitting connector holding the head stay on had deformed and the large clevis pin holding it together was about 1/16th of an inch from backing out completely. It appears that the cotter pin holding the clevis in had sheared leaving the pin free to move out of its designated holes. Any sudden movement of the head stay or furling system would have been catastrophic for the rig. Like crossing the bar later on this morning. After analysis and thought, and facing a bar crossing time window, it was decided to delay our departure a day and fix the problem without compromise. We can still make Costa Rica on schedule.
After spending most of the morning disassembling the furling system and head stay, we got the holding assembly out and gave it to Murray the boatyard owner to reshape and fix for us at his shop. Good thing he was there since there was no way we had the tools to reshape ¼” stainless steel. Napped from 2-4 then spent until dark working to put the refurbished part and furler back together. Paul and I made a couple of college trys but found that some parts left out or wouldn’t align, so we kept on trying until we ran out of light and energy. Will finish in the am, and read the directions for the furler as well. Brilliant!! Had a nice BBQ beef dinner with salad, vegis, and pudding on board thanks to Harry. After calls home on Harry’s World Phone, hit the sack early at 8:45pm. Thank you so much Harry.
Sunday 5/9 Departure for Costa Rica-Happy Mothers’ Day
(Captain’s note: The voyage across the Papagallo is also documented in the May 13th post.)
Up at 6:00am for a nice breakfast on board, final boat prep, including getting the furler totally and correctly reassembled. We left the dock at 11:40am led by Bill and Raylondo on the skidoo. They called the surf break perfectly and Paul gunned the motor and we crossed the bar perfectly and into the ocean in 10 minutes. Once out, the 8-12k breeze did not favor us so we spent the afternoon heading west out to sea to later turn to a SE heading to CR. Since nobody was particularly hungry we had a nice green salad and kept on sailing. Our plan with only 3 crew was to do 2 on, 4 off shifts through the night. A small colorful land bird joined us in the afternoon and rode along for hours on the stern pulpit.
By 8:00pm, we made the SE turn and motor sailed till 10:00pm with good SOG toward our Nicaragua waypoints. At that point in time, the wind built to 31k, the sea state built up substantially and we got pounded.
After cheating death again, we finally reefed the main to ¼ size, conformed the jib and got through the night. All 3 of us stayed in the cockpit as the cabin was hot all day and night and we had to keep the ports closed due to the green water pouring over the cabin top all night.
Monday 5/10 At sea off Nicaragua Coast
Sunrise brought us calmer seas in the mid to high 20’s and we could see the volcano laden Nicaragua coast 15 miles away. We were deep in the Gulf of Fonseca and the Gulf of Papagyo. By 9:00am breakfast, bran bars and fruit it was already mid 80 degrees. Everybody was tired as even off shift sleep was difficult with the boat movement and heat. Another very colorful land bird (like a Canary ) joined us and was so tame that it climbed on my chest and face as it explored the cockpit.
Extremes: 8.5 Knots at 30 Knots of Wind – Calm Seas Visitor
With calmer winds, we motor sailed for SOG to a Nicaragua mark more inshore for safety, then had a bean and wieners dinner with fruit salad. The evening wind again built into the 32k range with high seas and yet another pounding into the night. We passed a large city on shore but with the sailing excitement didn’t sight see much. Had a large motor yacht on AIS so we weren’t alone but he was further inshore. Never actually saw him. The wind and rig noise was quite high, but Harry could still sleep on the cockpit floor. Paul and I were envious that he could actually do that.
Tuesday 5/11 At sea off Nicaragua Coast.
At 6:00am I came up on deck from a nap to find the wind and sea state the same as last night with 27k and 8-10’ swells. The clue that we weren’t in Kansas any more was that Paul and Harry had their foul weather gear tops on in 90 degree temps.
Are We Back in the Bay Area Again?
They were soaked. We will be in Costa Rican waters in 2 hours. As we traversed Papagyo Gulf, conditions continued to abate back to the mid 20k range and we entered Costa Rican waters around 9:00am and rest became possible. As we approached Tamarindo mark we saw a town with lots of hotels and high rises. Very remote but very beautiful. We later learned that this is a major coast side resort area for Costa Rican tourism.
Around 3:00pm , Paul was resting and Harry and I were doing watch. As the wind subsided we decided to put up more sail. Kiss of death. The wind completely shifted and quit. Weather was beautiful and the sea state flattened quickly. This was the official end of our sailing on the trip. We motored the rest of the day and into the night down the Costa Rican coast, dotted with resorts and very expensive looking homes on the cliffs. We were 10 miles off shore at this point with good views of the coast.
By sunset, under motor, we had a nice relaxed dinner (our last at sea) of salad and pasta. We rounded the southern tip of CR called Punta Guciones and headed for Punta Blanco the entrance to the Gulf of Nicoya, the entrance to a giant bay leading to our final destination of Puntarenas. Some lightening ahead but as our luck would continue to have it, it abated by the time we approached it. We all took this more relaxing time to rest, shower and organize our stuff that got tossed around for 2 ½ days at sea. During the night we entered the Gulf of Nicoya.
Wednesday 5/12 At sea/Puntarenas arrival—End of Voyage.
Up for 4:00am shift. We were in the Gulf, dodging buoys, fishing boats and other lighted and unlighted markers. Kind of nerve wracking after being in open ocean so long. With daylight at 5:30am we could see everything and made our final approach to Puerto Caldera and Puntarenas, our final destination. The town looked unchanged to me.
Backside Waterfront and Costa Rica Yacht Club
A total armpit. Since it was low tide we could not get up the inner estuary behind the town all the way to the Costa Rica YC. We killed time off shore and had our final breakfast by Harry. Pancakes, sausage, fruit and coffee. Thanks Harry, you are relieved of galley duty. We got impatient so started up the channel only to ground in soft mud. We threw in the towel at 9:14am and anchored. Voyage officially over. Tech Note: We are now at Latitude 9 degrees, 43 minutes and 20 seconds. Remember the Bay Area is at Latitude 38 degrees.
We spent a few hours on the hook, waiting for high tide and a yacht club guide to come out and guide us into their marina area. Had some CDA beer and cleaned up the boat. Around 2:00pm the YC’s panga guy came out to get us. He led us right into another soft grounding. After much maneuvering by Paul and our bow thruster we got back into the deeper channel and proceeded to the mooring platform at the club. We side tied to a wooden raft in the middle of the estuary with an Erickson 27. No power or water and mooring cleats that looked like they were going to break off any minute. Arrival time 2:00pm.
Virago at Costa Rica Yacht Club
At 2:15pm, Paul went ashore in the YC provided 24/7 water taxi panga to do fact finding and the immigration/customs check in to a new country. Harry and I stayed aboard to organize our stuff and drink beer. Now 93 degrees and very humid.
Paul called on VHF and requested we come ashore, bring our laundry and join him for lunch. Did so and had a good lunch at the large and very well appointed CRYC open air dining room/bar. We decided right then that we would get off the boat, take a $10 per night club hotel room with air conditioning, showers and real beds. Not a tough sell. After lunch, we returned to Virago, gathered our stuff and moved into the YC rooms 19 and 20. Harry and I bunked together in a Spartan but nice room. We fired up the AC and relaxed until dinner time. Still full of a late lunch, we only had drinks, followed by calls home and an early turn in. 95 degrees and 90% humidity outside.
Motel and Pool at Costa Rica Yacht Club
Black Sand Beach Across Highway from CRYC—Puntarenas in the Distance
Note: The club bar and food menu was very nice. Fernando was our waiter. Handsome and trying his best to speak English. As always soccer was on the TV sets in the club. There was a 20 room club motel, a large pretty pool/patio area and lush grounds. Also 24/7 security on the boats.
Thursday 5/13 Puntarenas moored at Costa Rica YC
Up at 7:00am for club breakfast. Food very good. Harry did reservations to match mine in San Jose with transfers etc. We checked out the beach and took some pictures. Paul had to do the immigration dance with the help of a very nice club manager Carlos who was bi-lingual. Carlos also manages the boatyard and informed us that we would haul out at high tide today vs. next week. So, with that schedule change, and while Paul was doing immigration stuff, Harry and I went to the boat to do cleanup and stowing of gear in preparation for haulout. Harry cleaned out the refer boxes and freezer and sanitized the galley while I did the heads and floors. We removed the jib and bagged it, removed the life raft, anchor, all sheets and lines and stored them below. If it could “walk” it got taken below.
Around 2:30pm at high tide we moved the boat over to the boatyard travel lift entry dock. It was all very dramatic and there were at least 10 guys there to “help”, all with conflicting ideas on how to sling Virago. We believe that Virago is the biggest boat that they have hauled, and she barely fit in the entry bay and lift. We had to remove the furler and head stay. After much excitement and the help of a diver, we got airborne and cleared the ground by 2-3” on exit onto the yard’s concrete area. If we had a fin keep, there would have been no way period!!
The Two White Spots Under the Bow are Actually Light Coming Through the Bow Thruster
Virago is Aground!
Once set up on blocks around 4:30pm, we panga’d back across the estuary to the club and our air conditioned rooms for showers, laundry pickup and rest. Tough day doing boat tasks in the heat and humidity. I think Harry and I each lost 5-7 lbs. Harry and I packed for our adventure tomorrow to start home. We had dinner around 6:00pm at the club. It felt good to have worked hard all day to help Paul get Virago hauled, then clean up and put on freshly laundered clothes and have a relaxed dinner and drinks. Today was 96.4 degrees and 85% humidity. Heavy rain while we were at dinner. We shut the place down at 7:45pm.
How Close Was Virago to the Capacity of the Travel Lift at Costa Rica Yacht Club?
Friday 5/14 Departure day to San Jose Costa Rica
Up at 6:00am for final packing, breakfast at the club and the 1 ½ hour shuttle trip to the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose. Around 10:00am, Harry and I said a sad farewell to Captain Paul and headed downtown to the Tioga Hotel on the beachfront to catch our shuttle. Paul will follow leaving late next week. Town looked quite tattered and empty as no cruise ship was expected until tomorrow. All the casinos were shut down. Lots of bars on windows and doors. Why cruise ships go there is a mystery to me, but from past cruises there the place does come alive during the early winter when the weather is better and San Jose folks come over to escape the heat at the beach. Our ride to San Jose was very educational. We traveled on a super modern highway most of the way, with a few detours around the toll booths on the road into the country. With all the rain, the country was lush and green. Saw full electrification of the houses and farms and nicer houses than El Salvador and its poverty. Not as much of a gap between rich and poor.
Restaurant and Pool at Trapp Family Lodge
We got to the San Jose airport to catch a cab to the Trapp Family Country Inn where we were going to stay the night before our 6:40am flight home. We drove through an awful and congested area off airport industrial property. When the cab driver turned down a rocky dirt road to the hotel we thought we made a big mistake on the hotel choice. Then we arrived at a big steel guarded gate. Once opened we entered a lush and beautiful Spanish colonial estate property. (see pictures). We called home to let our wives know we were there and on schedule. We then sat on a beautiful open patio in soft couches and had a few drinks to unwind from the trip. We had dinner on a beautiful patio dining area with linen table coverings and candles and deluxe trimmings. Steak dinner was wonderful and off to bed early in very large rooms with double doors onto a veranda overlooking a beautiful pool area and a stream going through the property. What a good choice. (see pictures)
Saturday 5/15 Going Home
Up at 3:00am for shuttle to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. Wake up call by a human, and the shuttle were absolutely on time. The airport was modern, spacious and clean. Had to pay an “exit tax” of $26 each before we could check in. Frontier Airlines charged no baggage fees. Our fellow passengers were mostly young surfers, mountain hikers and bikers. Eco tourism reigns in Costa Rica. Our flight to Denver was on time and Harry and I parted company for San Francisco and San Jose, CA respectively. Great to have Harry as a traveling companion. We hope Paul’s journey home goes so well.
JOURNEY’S END
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