 Our first night on the water after 8 months. |
Updated 12/31/2006: Terra Firma and crew finally left El Salvador on the day after Thanksgiving. Yes, that was a Friday and no, you are never suppose to start a voyage on a Friday. Fortunately the old superstition did not hold true and we had a very nice passage to Costa Rica along with Slip Away. We had planned on leaving El Salvador in early November with our friend Bob, but when we arrived at the boat after spending October in the States, many pieces of electronics were toast and needed to be replaced. As it turned out we got the boat ready to go just in time for Bob to head back to the States. Oh well ... some of the sailing on the way to Costa Rica would have been a bit unsettling to a lesser trained stomach. We have been hopping from anchorage to anchorage throughout Costa Rica and have gotten in a few 'spirited' sails. Don't you love sailor talk? 'Spirited' pretty much means that a landlubber would be tossing their cookies. Background Photo: Jungle river water in Bahia Santa Elena |
After
spending the month of October in the States visiting friends and
family, we headed back to Terra Firma in El Salvador with friend Bob.
The plan was to take about a week to recommission the boat
and then sail to Costa Rica. Well ... we did not foresee our
autopilot, wind indicator and depth sounder to all be pushing up the
daisies. It took the better part of November to order, receive
and install the replacement parts and our friend never did get to go
sailing. Good thing he was able to entertain himself and even
paid a visit to Guatemala.Left: One of the broken pieces of electronics. This is Chuck the autopilot's brain. This is Chuck the autopilot's brain on drugs. Any questions?
Below Left: We had a tenant when we arrived at the boat. This bat moved in and didn't want to leave.
Below Right: We had the boat in good order and the bar crossing and weather forecast were favorable for a departure of the day after Thanksgiving. Murray and Colette (the owners of the mooring field in El Salvador) threw a big Thanksgiving potluck dinner. There were all of the fixings; turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberries, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes with gravy. Yumm!!!!
Our
nerves were on edge as we departed the estero. It had been 8
months since we sailed the boat and we had to cross the bar and sail in
the 'papagayo' region (the coast of Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica).
Friends of ours who left a week before us for Costa Rica had a
very difficult passage. They wound up being blown about 200 miles
offshore with high winds and large seas. Their steering failed
and the boat was holed. The coast guard rescued them and towed
them in to port.Left: Slip Away and Honu leaving the estero in El Salvador.
Below Left: Dinner! A very tasty dorado (mahi mahi).
Below Right: The most glamorous job on the boat ... cleaning the catch. Ick!
Below Left: Terra Firma sailing off of the coast of Nicaragua in 15 - 20kts. Beautiful!
Below Right: After a largely uneventful passage we anchored safely in Bahia Santa Elena, Costa Rica.
