SAILING CAMELOT

38 ½ hours in a washing machine, and not the gentle cycle: that’s what the trip from Roatan to Mexico felt like.

It has to be said though, that between the winds and a finally favorable current our sturdy Camelot was gracefully gliding at a steady 7 ½ knots, reaching over 9 knots at times.

Tom held up like a trooper, like he always does, while I finally joined the ranks of those who occasionally get seasick.

Yes, after 11, 015 nautical miles without so much of a hint of queasiness, I too joined the Hurling Hos Club, earned a membership to the Barfing Sisterhood, and changed my name to Barfin’ Betty…

I know, I know: too much information… But it is a big deal for me! Made me realize I am human after all and not all that tough, either. Quite humbling, really…

Anyway, that was my re-entry into Mexico. Hurray.

We are now in gorgeous Puerto Morelos, Mexico, safely tied up to a solid dock at the El Cid Marina. A short distance away the enormous luxury El Cid hotel complex extends for a long stretch of the beach.

 

 

 

 

This is still Semana Santa, the extended Mexican (and Central American) Easter Holiday that coincides with the American Spring Break, rendering any tourist spot impossibly crowded.

Lucky for us, the Marina is pretty immune to the disease, we can find peace and quiet on our boat when the craziness gets unbearable.

The Marina is just two Km away from the quaint little town of Puerto Morelos, which lies spot in the middle between Cancun (37 Km to the North) and Playa del Carmen (35 Km to the South). Perfect logistics for our explorations!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to my good friend Mike, who has been here before, we were introduced to The Little Mexican Cooking School  in Puerto Morelos.

 

 

We both ended up attending a cooking class taught by Chef Marcus Marin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a fun day of learning about the local cuisine, dabbling with Mexican food and eating our results!

 

 

 

Should you ever get the chance, I strongly recommend this experience.

Of course there had to be the mandatory Mayan ruins tour, so we rented a car and drove to Tulum.

 

 

 

The imposing ruins and dramatic views, although a little bit of a tourist trap, were well worth the visit.

 

 

 

Once the crows left at the end of the Easter holidays, we spent a lot of time on the beautiful beach and in the gigantic pool of the El Cid complex, waiting for favorable weather to get to our next destination.

The weather this year has been really screwy, with all those cold fronts the USA had to endure producing strong winds and very choppy seas down here.

But the perfect weather showed up once more, so it’s time to leave!

 

 

Next destination: Isla Mujeres.