SAILING CAMELOT

Three weeks have gone by in a blink. I guess that’s what happens when you live a “resort lifestyle”…

Tom exploring one of the tributaries

 We spent lazy days at the pool shooting the breeze with fellow cruisers, occasionally venturing out for a paddle on the kayaks, or on a “dinghy safari” to explore the many little canals thick with mangroves, stopping in some godforsaken little village.

Dinghy Safari

Getting in the 'Grooves

And here we had to turn back...

I even took a day-trip to San Salvador to remind myself why I like to stay out at sea so much….

We had fun every day, due in large part to the efforts of Bill and Jean – the organizers of the El Salvador Rally, who really do an amazing job to make sure the participants’ time in this Country be pleasant and hassle-free.

La Herradura Village

La Herradura Clams

Dona Margarita, always perfectly made up despite the heat and humidity

Tom and Dona Margarita

Every day and every night there was some form of entertainment or other, from Mystery Wine Tasting to lessons on Italian Cooking, or how to build an anchor light, or Happy Hour at the pool. Man, it’s better than Club Med!!!

Thank you, Bill and Jean, for your hard work and wonderful assistance. We sure appreciated it!

Peaceful Bahia Jaltepeque

Commute traffic at rush hour

Still, we feel the need to get moving.

I am craving some seriously crystal blue water and life at anchor, salivating at the thought of Costa Rica, but my craving will have to wait. There’s a whole country between here and Costa Rica: that would be Nicaragua.

We learned about a relatively new and beautiful Marina called Puesta del Sol in Nicaragua, and decided that it would be a good place to stop for a few days to break the passage to Costa Rica.

 Besides, there’s this old colonial town – Grenada – that piqued my interest.

Honestly, I’m not too thrilled at the thought of tying Camelot to yet another dock – luxurious as it may be – but if Tom wants to go there, then we’ll go there! Captains have rights, too…

As I write this, Tom is checking out the Marina website, rattling on about the many amenities offered: horseback riding, inland tours, 5 stars Hotel with infinity pool, and on and on and on. I guess he really wants to discover a bit of Nicaragua…

Anyway, let’s stick with the present. We’re departing Bahia del Sol – El Salvador today around 15:00 at high tide, making the crossing of the ominous bar a little easier. Or so we hope…

We estimate it’ll take us about 18 hours to get there, depending on sea and wind conditions. At least there will be a full moon, which is always a pleasure to sail by.

So that’s it. We had a good time in El Salvador and met some truly awesome people, probably the highlight of our stay.

New Friends! From right Sem, Tom, Edwin with his daughter and Antonio.

Our friend Leo: awesome guy and the best waiter of Bahia del Sol!