Surfers enjoy the huge waves, but with skimboards

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - On our way to Tenacatita, for a lunch with the Lamonts, we came upon a group of surfers who had gotten out their skimboards to tackle the huge surf that was pounding the shore near a house called, appropriately, Shangri-La.

They were having a wild time in water that would crush a person on a regular surfboard.

We left early because with the high tides and huge waves, we were a little afraid that the ocean might have breached the two rivers, which have been silted-in (or, technically, sanded-in) for months. If they were, it would have been a quick trip back to the Pink Flamingo for the Toyota Tundra.

The rivers were silted in and passable, but we got to Tenacatita covered with salt spray.


Skimboarders head out

We had our usual great lunch at the Fiesta Mexicana restaurant, which was relatively empty, while others were jammed with diners. Capt. Lamont and I surmised that one reason is the the tour buses - and there were about 15 of them - brought their passengers to particular restaurants.

And Fiesta Mexicana is not one of them.

The waves in the protected bay were excellent for boogie-boarding. I have the sunburn to prove that I stayed out too long and enjoyed the big rollers too much.

But afterwards we took a hike to the end of the beach to the area known as the Aquarium, a reef and inlet that is known for having great marine life. I left my fins and mask in car after being told by several people that the water would be murky because of the swell.

I should have carried them. The water looked great.


Admiral checks out the tide pools at the west end of the beach


Sanders and Pat on the rocks

Earlier Saturday, the Admiral spent an hour tapping out a blog about her adventures as the 'dog lady,' of Arroyo Seco. Because we zoom about on the quad several times a day with food to feed various ill dogs around the village, every dog in the rancho perks up when they hear the sound of our Honda.

The Dog Lady of Arroyo Seco

But, que lastima, we had to replace our internet connection/wireless modem earlier this week when the old one simply crapped out. (Crapped out: That's a technical term, which covers a lot of territory and the only description I have for what occurred.)

When I installed the new modem from Tel-Mex, my computer - and our two ITouch units - worked great. They might be processing data even faster, in fact.

But the Admiral's computer won't hook up to the wireless system. Instead, she has to use a cable and hook directly to the modem. And, unfortunately, that modem is out in the Communications Tent.

I may be moving that whole enterprise to a new location pretty soon.


Admiral works on her blog in the Communications Tent

The 'dog lady' will get a different kind of workout tomorrow - outside the tent - when our amiga and veterinarian Rocio is scheduled to perform surgery right here in our palapa at noon. Rocio had wanted us to bring Leona in the car to Manzanillo (about two hours away), but I begged her to come to the Pink Flamingo instead.

I am sure the Admiral will be right in the mix of things during the surgery.

My job tomorrow will likely be to hold Leona down on the surgery table while we wait for the anesthetic takes hold.

And Leona does not have much of a sense of humor when someone tries to restrain her.

Sting rays and sunburns and cerverzas, oh my!

TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - While Admiral Fox toiled in the real estate bizz Saturday, I played tour guide back out to Tencatita Bay for a snorkeling expedition to an area at the west end of the beach called The Aquarium, because there are sooooo many brightly colored fish swimming around the rocks and small reef.

Ruth and Jen Bills and I got there early enough to see some beautiful sea life, and stayed long enough to watch the influx of tourists from Melaque and Barra de Navidad who come up for the day. I heard people speaking English, Spanish (Really? What a surprise.), French, German and some Canadian, too, eh?

We stayed a little too long for me - I am sporting a rosy-looking lobster color today and I managed to step on a sharp sea shell which required some Neosporin and a band-aid.

For Jen Bills, her last foray in the water walking through a shallow tide pool resulted in a glancing sting from a half-asleep sting ray.

She said it was like standing on a large shiitake mushroom - at least until its tailed whipped around to her foot. It's healing already.


Ruth & Jen get ready to snorkel



There was plenty of activity on the beach and in the anchorage the sun got hot, the wind cranked up to about 25 knots and our lunches - though delicious - had a slight gritty taste in spots from the blowing sand.

And not everyone was there just for pleasure. A number of fisherman were working on their boats, ensuring that they will be ready for the water when Monday (lunes) rolls around.


Fishermen repair the keel on their panga


Westsail 32 at anchor off Tenacatita Beach


Returning from snorkeling - sans stingray encounters


Tying up loose ends

Today we all will venture one-hour south to Manzanillo where Ruth and Jen will spend a few days at a 4-star resort timeshare arranged by Karen Schamel of Hector who was too busy to come to Mexico and use it.

Que lastima, Karen, but thank you!