Surfing competition is over - but will be back next year

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - The announcers at the surf contest got the loudspeaker going about half-way through the competition today at Playa Grande, just in time to hear that the promoters of the contest - el municipio de La Huerta and Corona Beer - want to make Arroyo Seco into an international surfing destination.

Property owners will likely rejoice at that idea. People who live here might be a little less enthusiastic.

Whatever the case, the surfing today was even better than Saturday, as the surfers went out two by two to compete, one wearing a red jersey, the other blue.

Some very fancy surfing took place, even with relatively small waves again.


Riding the wave

There were two mishaps, one minor, one not-so-minor.

In the minor category, a Canadian surfer who winters in Melaque got inspired by the competition and decided to head out and try a few waves. But 25 feet from shore, he got swept north - right to the area where the surfers were competing, effectively blocking the surfers from making their runs.

The announcers told him to move off, but in the wind and waves, he couldn't hear.

He was caught in a terrible rip tide and ended up going out into deeper water to escape the current - escorted by another surfer who passed along the message that he had to move.


Hurt surfer getting medical attention


On his way to the ambulance

In the not-so-minor category, a non-competing surfer stumbled out of the water right in front of the fans, holding his neck and in obvious pain. And because the bomberos and an ambulance were there for the tournament, he was immediately treated by the red-shirted staff.

The medics immobilized his head and neck and whisked him off in the ambulance after only about 10 minutes.


Lois Lane interviews tournament officials

Also in the middle of all this was Guadalajara Reporter columnist Jane Gorby (aka Lois Lane) on the beat to gather information for her column.

After watching an hour of the competition, she went over to the judges' table and in very fine journalistic style, button-holed several of the leaders. Button-holed might not be the right expression, considering one fellow was sans a shirt, the other wore a blue t-shirt.

Still, Jane got the story and snapped a few photos, too, before departing in a cloud of dust back to La Manzanilla and her computer.


Photo tower at the swim competition

The event was a photographer's dream, providing me with evidence (again) that I need to upgrade some of my photography equipment before next year's competition.

Perhaps I should upgrade as soon as I get back in the U.S. - the land of cheap electronics.

Here is a brief video of some of the action:

A dangerous roadtrip, Olympic highlights and a trip to a chilly beach

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - It rained again Wednesday. Real rain, as in slick-as-shit-road rain but the Pink Flamingo needed propane (for a new gas BBQ grill brought in last week by amigos Jim and Vicky), the gasoline supplies were low for the motorcycles and we needed some plumbing supplies to fix the geysers that have erupted in our sprinkler system.

A quick trip down the highway to the neighboring cities of Melaque and Cihuatlan solved all of those issues, though my neighbor Chon was concerned about my carrying gasoline and propane in the Toyota Tundra in one load.

Chon looked in the back of the truck and declared that with the tanks and gasoline cans, I had created una bomba. Yup, it means bomb. And even though he was concerned, he did hand me a 20-liter gasoline can to fill for him at the Pemex station.

Having transported a lot of propane and gasoline over the years for various boats, I knew enough to keep them quite separated with the propane tanks secured the cab of the truck, the gasoline (and diesel) strapped securely in the back. The propane tanks looked quite cute with their seat belts on.


No seat belts needed here

A celebratory lunch was in order after the solo voyage, and I followed the truck above into La Manzanilla, watching as the younger children leaned over the edge of the truck trying to touch the leaves on the low hanging branches of the trees.

There is a seat belt law in Mexico. The driver has to have one firmly buckled, as least on the highways and in Puerto Vallarta where the city police have discovered tagging people sans seatbelts is a good way to make some revenue.

It's the one place I buckle up all the time.


Better than watching golf. Really

At Palapa Joe's, the restaurant had a good lunch crowded packed in, with all eyes glued to the television where Olympic coverage was on from the Winter Olympics.

And while my first choice would have been downhill skiing and/or ski jumping, the women's curling events actually were far more interesting than I thought they would be. While I wolfed down a club sandwich, it was the Germans vs. the Americans and the yells and grunts from one German team member were wild.

Those Germans take their curling seriously.

Seriously.


Laura with Princess Mia at Tenacatita

Earlier this week, Admiral Fox and Laura and I did take an afternoon off to go to Tenacatita Beach for lunch and some boogie boarding and snorkeling, taking along Princess Mia (I knew Hazel wouldn't stick) for the sojourn.

We met up with friends Randy and Karin from California and also winter Tenacatita Beach denizens Mario and Sharon who were leaving the next day to return to Portland.

But the overcast socked in solid, and it was almost cold (in the low 70s, brrr... ), a big change from earlier trips this winter when we were bobbing in the surf to keep cool.

Some of the tourists even took to jogging to keep warm.


Jogging to keep warm at Tenacatita Beach

Semana Santa (Easter Week) comes to La Manzanilla

La Manzanilla beach looking north

LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - Perhaps it is because I grew up going to Coney Island and Jones Beach in New York, but the scene above, hundreds of Mexican families enjoying the beach, actually seems more normal than the virtually deserted stretches of sand I have become use to here for most of the year. OK - deserted stretches of sand I enjoy.

Welcome to Semana Santa, or as it is referred to by many people here, Semana Loco.

Carloads and busloads of Mexican families are arriving and setting up camp on the beach, in yards, alongside the highway - any place there is a flat spot. On my way back from Tenacatita, two days ago, I passed two teenage Mexican girls carrying backpacks who were hitchhiking to La Manzanilla. By the time I had passed them and realized I should give them a lift, two truckloads of Mexican fellows were vying for the chance to give them a ride to the beach.

It's kind of an annual Mexican Woodstock, sans the late Jimmy Hendrix, and it's going on in virtually every Mexican coastal city and town.


La Manzanilla beach looking south

The local gringos gird for this event like upstate New Yorkers get ready for a snowstorm. Stock up on food, water, and figure that you are not going to leave your house for days on end. Some leave town entirely and head for the interior - where all the beach-going Mexicans have just left. (And many of them rent out their La Manzanilla homes for a good price...)

I toured the beach area this afternoon and met only one other gringo - a very confused-looking Canadian fellow searching for the beachfront condo he had rented, not knowing that most of the state of Jalisco was going to arrive and was already cooking carne asada and fish on his doorstep.

But good grief, everyone else looked like they were having a great time, with soccer balls flying left and right and even kitesurfers putting on a show.


Kite surfing in 30 mph winds


Working on a sunburn, er, tan

I had planned to go to neighboring Melaque today - it is St. Patrick's Day, after all - but was warned against going near the city. Melaque's patron saint is St. Patrick (San Patricio) himself and the city apparently becomes so jammed with people, cars, tequila and people dancing in the streets, it's impossible to get around.

Sure sounds like fun to me, but I'm blogging instead.

Sigh.

But on the way home from the beach I went by the lagoon to see if the crocs were celebrating - or perhaps salivating - at the prospect of several thousand naive tourists on the beach, some of whom were wading in the end of the crocodile swamp near a local restaurant to cool off.

Not a good idea, considering how many people have been throwing food into that area for the crocs.


Waiting for just the right tourist

A blur of activity and very little blogging done

LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - The last week or so was a blur of activity and while plenty of photos were shot, not much was done in the way of blogging.

I did post a couple of things to From Where I Sit and to the Class of '66.

One major development was the construction of the road on our beach lot, though because it is Semana Santa (Easter Week), the next step of putting in a septic system and water will be delayed. Still, being able to drive out onto the lot - and not have to deal with sand spurs sticking in my socks - is great.


Driveway to beach


Pad for trailer and palapa roof

But the days have not been all roadwork and driveways and property.

We spent several nice days at the beach (and around Melaque and Barra de Navidad) with Pat & Sanders Lamont, who left earlier this week to go back to their mountain retreat in California, where they report the snow is melting.

Brr....


Pat & Sanders Lamont - their last night on the beach in Melaque

And now that we have spent more time out on Admiralty Beach, we are beginning to see more possibilities for a beach residence - even if it only the Grey Goose Express with a palapa.


Admiralty Beach wave rolls in