One of the most fun parts of Sailfest is the Sail Parade where for 300 pesos (less than $15) you can spend a day on a sailing on a sail boat. The the best thing is all that money goes to build and improve schools for the poorest children in Mexico, and there are no paid administrators to siphon off the funds.
Faye holding the sign to assemble our group
This morning around 300 people lined the pier waiting for the pangas to take them out to the various boats they has signed up to spend the day on. My companion Faye and I decided we wanted to do the Patricia Belle again because she is such a FUN boat. The Patricia Belle is very large, some 60 feet of deck space and 30 of us enjoyed the captain and the crew’s hospitality. This boat was built some 20 years ago about 10 miles from where I live. Built of timber logged off the captains property behind the Bear Creek Store on the old Belfair Highway in Washington state.
The Picante
Not all were sail boats, this yacht followed behind us
Boats of all shapes and sizes
We led the sail parade around Zihuatanejo bay and then out past Ixtapa, paid our respects to the Port Captain then sailed off to do some middle of the ocean swimming. About two thirds of the passengers and all of the crew jumped or dove overboard and swam along side the boat as she gentled sailed on, and I do mean gently as there was almost no wind at all. There are lines over the side that you can hold on to if you aren’t comfortable swimming away from the boat.
Faye and me on the pier after a day of sailing and swimming
We had packed picnic lunches complete with salmon, cheese, capers, olives, crackers, jicama and of course wine It’s just a fantastic way to spend and afternoon sailing, eating, drinking and swimming in the ocean where the water temperature is about 82 degrees and meeting so many new friends. Signing off KO
The cactus is made from zucchini, pea pods and rasberries
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Sailfest is the most fun you can have doing good deeds for the kids of Zihuatanejo. The chili cook off is the Senor’s favorite event and he turned out for it happily voting for his favorite chili from “The Captain’s Daughter”. Not being a fan of spicy chili I’m afraid to try half of them. I stick with my favorite, the key lime pie.
Writing their bids
The silent auction is one my favorite events. I usually just go after the Restaurant meals. My theory is if I’ve bought a certificate for a restaurant, the Senor will have to go out and use it. And I do enjoy eating out from time to time. But I wasn’t very successful this year, got out bid most of the time. But did succeed in getting the dinner for 4 at Chula Vida out on Playa Larga. We went there a couple of years ago with Will and Sylvia and had a fantastic time. Now we get to do it all over again with them this year. I’m looking forward to it. My only other successful on a bid on a natural beige cotton dress.
The Senor and I along with friends attended the Gala Dinner at the relatively new El Consuelo restaurant located where the old Pacalo’s was. It’s been beautifully remodeled, but an unusual location for dinner for a very large group of gringos with a staff that only
The Senor and I dinner at El Consuelo
speaks Spanish and isn’t tuned into gringo drinks. I went to the bar to get a bloody mary and a screwdriver and the folks behind the bar had no idea what they were. I’m flexible with what I will drink, but the Senor isn’t and I couldn’t believe they couldn’t do a screw driver. So I explained that it was Vodka and “juego de narnja”. Yes he under stood, then I said I would also like a rum and coca lite. well he fixed the screwdriver, then proceeded to pour diet coke on top if it and would have added rum on top of that if I hadn’t stopped him. Finally we worked out what a screw driver was and I settled for a glass of wine as you just can’t screw that up. The food was good, the music fantastic. The music alone was worth the price of the ticket. A Mexican couple sang lovely Mexican
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music to his guitar accompaniment. Her voice is high and clear like Joan Baez. Even bought their CD.
Going out for an afternoon on a sail boat is probably my most favorite activity of all of Sailfest. This year my friend Faye went with me on the Patricia Belle. I can’t get the Senor to go with me. After 22 years in the Navy he sees no reason to get on a boat unless it includes fishing. Thhe Patricia Belle is a 50 foot wood sailboat, built just a few miles from my home in Washington out of timber the Captian logged off his property. There were 27 passengers and every one had a great time especially as we really got to sail, with all sails up and no motor at all. We were
Faye and I enjoying fine wine!
actually going to fast for folks to swim so the crew cut the sails back, slowed us down and about a dozen folks jumped in, including Faye and I. Even slowed down it was tough to keep up with the boat, kind of like swimming in a swim spa where you keep swimming but make no progress. When a took my hat off to swim, the chin strap broke and wouldn’t you know it on the return leg of our journey the wind caught my hat and it went sailing into the bay. I thought it was a goner, but
Hat lost at sea
hooking the hat
the captain and the lovely lady who retrieved my hat
they turned the boat around and after a couple of valiant tries my hat was hooked and back on board. This is the second hat of mine that had to be rescued at sea, last time I was on a different boat but it was the crew of the Patricia Belle that saved it and transferred it back to the boat I was on. Signing off KO
That is nothing we have to do, I don’t swim on the weekends so we had a leisurely lovely breakfast on the balcony while listening to the church bells calling the faithful. Surprisingly this is the first time we have heard the bells. The Senor is always the breakfast cook and this morning he out did himself with this marvelous fruit bowl. It would be such a healthy breakfast if we hadn’t have stuffed ourselves.
Our pigeon bathing across the street in a “tinaco”
Our morning entertainment was watching our pigeon take a bath in the neighbors water supply “tinaco”. This is a daily event that truly amuses me. But I have checked out the tinacos on our roof and know they are covered, no bathing birds there.
Roof top swimming hole
another sight that amuses me is a half block away on about the 3rd floor roof is what I believe is an old cement rooftop cistern that has taken on a new life as a swimming hole. Several times I have seen kids whooping and splashing in it.
So much of Mexico is interesting and no matter how frequently I see it it never ceases to amaze and amuse me. Almost every evening there will be a couple of restaurants roasting this cut of pork over an open fire and continuing to
Mystery meat
slice little bits. Not being a meat eater I have no idea how it is served, and the Senor is not an adventurous eater this will remain “mystery meat” to us.
A day or so ago I noticed the sail boat the PATRICIA BELLE was anchored in the bay. She was hand built by the captain just a couple of
The Patricia Belle
miles from our home in Washington. I had the opportunity to sail on her last Sail Fest and hope to do so again. She is one of the largest sailboats we see here. Signing off, KO
Zihuathyme 