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Since we've arrived in El Salvador, we've pretty much stuck around Barillas with occasional visits to the department capital (Usulután) and the national capital (San Salvador). This has largely been because we've had plenty to do on the boat to keep us occupied and we just haven't been here that long.
Saturday night, we had some of the other cruisers aboard. We all decided to make Sunday a day of "rest" and go exploring. We would visit some of their favorite haunts around the Bay and get a general lay of the land. They'd introduce us to many of the friends they've made over the last few years and we'd get a more intimate introduction to the locals and their culture. The results were unforgettable.
We took the dinghy and met with some friends of ours about ten to begin our day of bay touring. We started out by stopping at a small fishing village near the mouth of the bay called La Pirraya. This is about 10 miles from our mooring. The family whose palapa we stopped at was absolutely lovely. Their young daughter has been going to a private school in Usulután and learning English thanks to the generosity of some cruisers. They welcomed us with open arms and let us explore their little homestead. The most memorable part was when some of the local boys showed off their pet raccoon. They even made him get up on two legs when Susan from S/V Suvuka asked if it was "macho". Our boys (and the rest of us) just ate it up.
After meeting with the locals and exploring the beach we headed across the mouth of the Bay to the Bahia Sport Club for a feast of a lunch. Our friends Arthur and Susan knew the owners but had yet to visit their fledgling resort. Boy, was it a treat! We had an amazing seafood extravaganza with fresh coconut water to wash it down. The boys preferred hamburgesas con papas fritas and virgin piña coladas. We just sat back and enjoyed Tony and Digna's hospitality. The boys enjoyed playing in the pool and attempting to pet the geese. There was also a litter of kittens to be cavorted with. Nicholas and Alexander had been going through kitty withdrawal, so this was just the thing.
Just when we thought we'd all take cabañas and stay forever, we got a burst of energy and decided to check out the major port on the bay, Puerto El Triunfo. Triunfo is a port city in decline. Most of the fisheries that we once here have moved out. It is clearly only a shadow of what it once was.
There is a small naval installation on the waterfront. With Arthur's help, we gained permission to tie alongside their vessel for protection from the barnacle-encrusted piers as much as from thieves. The sailors were warm and friendly. They even laughed when the boys posed to have their photo taken.
From there the boys took a tricycle taxi to the malecon while we all walked alongside. The driver Chiba was the man who helped Arthur and Susan the most when they were trying to resurrect Suvuka. Naturally we invited him to sit with us and enjoy the live music when we got to the restaurant. Once there, we rehydrated and had some complimentary crab soup. Delicious!
After we were sated, we decided to stroll around town and get a feel for how people lived here. We spent about an hour wandering the neighborhood streets. The people were very friendly and eager to talk with us. The cemeteries here are much less ornate than Mexican ones, but they still show similar tendencies to large crypts with fences and painted facades, if in slightly more somber hues. Everyone seemed to be raising pigs and chickens and geese, with the occasional goat thrown in for good measure. The piglets had basically free reign to wander. It's a wonder anyone knows whose is whose.
Eventually, we found our way back to the waterfront. With the requisite half-dozen pepsis for our friends the navy, we arrived at the end of the pier and headed back out into the bay. This time we had Arthur with us as guide, and as usual, we zoomed ahead of T/T Learnativity. Arthur directed us around a corner of mangroves, and we ducked out of the way to try our hand at ambushing. Unfortunately, it was only well after we'd passed them that we realized that we were way off track. We had a little dinghy pow wow and decided to retrace our steps. Then a couple minutes later, we got a call over the VHF.
Our friend Wayne was having some issues with his outboard losing oil, so we took up their painter and began the long journey back. We tried a couple of times to get up on plane, but even though Shiva can tow a wakeboarder, she can't quite make it happen with another dinghy and nine people total. Darkness fell as we made our way over the last 7 miles back to Barillas. Kira and Julia serenaded us with camp songs and Phillip convinced me to give an a capella rendition of "Black Swan".
It was about 7:30 p.m. when we dropped Wayne and the girls at Learnativity. We were all pooped, but what a great day!!
The boys have been doing Calvert for almost a year now, and you know, sometimes, it can be kind of dry. Last time we experimented with starting the day with The Writer's Almanac. I'm a big fan, but the boys favor Car Talk over something so mellow.
This pump was less than a year old, and under warranty. In the USA we would simply go into the nearest West Marine, and they would swap the pump on the spot. Here in El Salvador it isn't quite so simple. Shipping the pump back to the USA for service and then shipping it back here would cost far in excess of what a new pump costs. The local marine store doesn't stock Shurflo pumps at all- so we cannot simply buy another one locally.
We aren't suffering by any means. We have running water and hot showers aplenty still. If you are going offshore and you are using a Shurflo Extreme water pump you should bring two... actually THREE.
On our latest trip to the USA we were given a wakeboard to bring back with us. What a fun way to get out and enjoy the sea while getting some exercise!
I was worried that our dinghy* would not be able to pull an adult, let alone pull someone while carrying three others. Turns out that our dinghy will pull the heaviest 'boarder (that would be Phillip) while carrying two cheering kids and driver Kelly, no sweat! Pulling up the boys is very easy with only a small amount of power required.
Alexander and Nicholas both tried wakeboarding for the first time today. We are proud to report that they both popped right up and were riding the board right away! Today we were busy driving the boat and giving instruction, we promise photos of the boys riding soon!
Finally, we closed out the day with a sunset ride for Phillip- Alexander filmed with a digital camera and we have uploaded the video. See it here: Wakeboarding behind the dinghy!
We are so happy to be back here and having fun!
* It's not an overpowered dinghy. it's an underpowered towboat :)
We're back in El Salvador! It was lovely to see everyone, but it is so good to be home.
The boys return on Friday. We can hardly wait!
Another cruiser pointed out that we could see the Southern Cross in the sky last night. So we all went down to the dock and looked up into the night sky together.
Now, I have Crosby Stills and Nash playing over and over and over in my head.
We're not in Mexico Anymore, Toto
Samadhi V rests peacefully on her mooring as the tidal current gently pushes past. We are located in a massive estuary, surrounded by lush forests of mangroves. Moving out from the Mangrove forest, there are several volcanoes in the perimeter of our view, covered in dense tropical jungle. We are surrounded by wildlife: Brightly colored birds fly past, and at night, you can hear the shrieks of wild spider monkeys. The water teems with tiny fish as well as barracuda and snapper. There are alligators in the estuary, but we haven't seen any of them yet. Not to worry, we have been assured by everyone we speak with here that the alligators have no interest in people.
We are in a beautiful place, but certainly the people of El Salvador are what makes this land special. Everywhere we go, we are greeted warmly with a smile and welcomed graciously. Unlike some of the places we visited in Mexico, tourism hasn't poisoned this region. No cruise ships pause here to disgorge masses of consumers. There are no mega resort developments, no roaming vendors constantly hawking trinkets. Local fisherman paddle past in dugout canoes, still fishing in the same way that people have for eons. When you get here you know that this place is real.
Our passage South from Mexico was uneventful, with pleasant weather but not much in the way of wind. We arrived off of the bar entrance to Barillas Marina Club this morning at around 4am. We stood offshore until the pilot boat came out to meet us at around 8. After watching a wonderful sunrise and having a relaxing breakfast it was time to challenge the bar. The pilot expertly led us between breakers on both sides, powered by the significant South swell we have been experiencing. Samadhi hit 16 knots surfing on one wave, throwing up a huge wall of spray from each side of the hull! Surfing on a 60,000lb surfboard is certainly a rush!
We are tired, and happy to be sleeping tonight at a snug little mooring in an estuary on the Pacific Coast of El Salvador. We're so glad to be here!
