When the rain clears, time to head to beaches - again

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - After a torrential rainstorm Thursday night, we headed for the beaches Friday to dry, so to speak.

The rain and thunderstorm was spectacular for about an hour, but the muddy mess it made, quite unwelcome. We did weather it better than the last onslaught which lasted several days.

Still, the rain has made the area sooooo lush and green it is amazing. So are the mosquitos, amazing, not lush and green.

We loaded up the Tundra and the quad and headed to a small protected swimming beach at the south end of Playa Grande where CEO Laura said she saw only a single stingray in the water near the rocks .

One is enough for me, single or married.


Randy, Karen, Sylvia and Laura at Beach Camp Bravo


Neighbor Jordie lands a Forel at Playa Grande


Princessa Mia says, Say what?

Video: At the beach


Video: Rain again?

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!