Travel letter 4. April, 2008
Madero - Puerto Angel - Acapulco, MexicoOutstanding navigation, a dingy swim and engine problems
Checking into Mexico in Puerto Madero, a smelling fishing harbour with a naval base. The paper cha-cha was so complicated that we had to hire an agent. Two visits by a Labrador who checked us after arrival and before departing. While searching for drugs and explosives, the dog was protected by two machine-gun armed naval guys in camo.
After crossing the Gulf of Tehuanetepec (very dangerous acc to the guide book), we already knew it was going to be an interesting arrival, after dark, with questionable charts and even more questionable lights. We had been hoping to enter the harbour using the radar, but that device wasn’t quite right, either. In hindsight, it turns out that the radar was completely right, we just didn’t let ourselves trust it; we desperately wanted the reflections to line up with the shoreline shown on the plotter!
Sure enough, there is a clearly visible light house there. However, that isn’t on any chart, and lights on shore completely obscured the leading lights. In the dark, by starlight, depth sounder, the sound of breaking waves and shadows, we navigated through the narrow (45 meters) opening. Then we became aware of dozens of little boats anchored all around… we found ourselves a spot to drop anchor in 10 meters water, just 20 meters from a huge rock (discovered next morning). Well, now, -that - was interesting! Every single chart or plotter we have on board showed that we were anchored one nautical mile inland! After a congratulatory beverage, we rowed ashore for dinner.
While waiting for dinner to arrive, the question arose as to whether that dinghy there, being washed out to sea, was ours? It sure was! Cpt Erik ran down to the beach and swam after it in the dark! It must have been a new world record in the 100-kg athlete class. We dragged it much further up the beach this time. The restaurant still accepted the laundered dollars.
And then we have a little technical story (again) – this time from Acapulco. Since departing Panama, we have noticed that the engine’s rotations vary from time to time. This became quite disturbing when the diesel tank was getting down to 1/4 – the engine almost stopped. Acapulco Yacht Club - not a bad place for emergency repair. The diesel filter was the suspect. You would think that you could easily get a new filter at the authorized Volvo Penta dealer, but no! However, the very helpful club assistant (?) found the filter in a truck store! While changing the filter we found out that actually the filter itself was not guilty – it was the gasket that had been placed in the French way – thus causing the diesel pump to suck air. And as you may know the engine requires air, but thru another location.
After a hard days night beating to windward, we are now between Acapulco and Manzanillo with almost no wind. Iron Genoa time again – this time running smooth like a Rolex. As we have told you before, we are great mechanics!
One whale in the distance this morning, and many lazy turtles. Turtles of high rank always have a bird guarding on top. Yesterday afternoon we saw ten airborne dolphins at the same time!
Cpt. Erik & Michael
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| Picture above: Turtle with Goose-Duck-Pelican watching out for sharks. "Pls. don't dive!" |
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| Picture above: Acapulco by night seen from Club de Yates (Erik was in the engine room during the whole stay!) |
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| Picture above: Departing the anchor place ashore towards safer and wetter areas |
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| Picture above: Our neighbour at anchor discovered the next morning. |