The last of Mexico and beginning of El Salvador

We started the month fresh back from Oaxaca and started planning our next moves. Mike did the 500 hour engine service – first on the starboard engine and then two days later on the port engine. All went just fine on the first one, but on the second one the fresh water flush came out with a lot of grit from within the engine. A lot of gnashing of teeth trying to figure out how a brand new engine could have gotten so messed up so fast. The only solution had to be a leaking heat exchanger. So, off came the alternator, the fan belt, the exhaust elbow, then move a bunch of wires. That gets one to the six allen screws holding the heat exchanger in place. Of course, the parts manual sold to us with the new engine is incorrect when showing the construction of the heat exchanger so getting it out took about two hours longer than it should have.

Once out, the problem was how to diagnose a leak. The best we could do was a simple gravity test of each one of the 24 tubes and we found no leaks. It was pretty gunky (is that a word?) so a day long soak in vinegar and an old toothbrush got it looking like it would pass and exchange water again. We almost ordered a replacement but luckily could email a great mechanic in Mazatlan and phone call the original installing mechanic in Seattle to get their opinions. Both matched: “the heat exchanger is not the problem”. That was good but where, then, did all the gunk come from. The best answer seems to be the original Bainbridge Island water that was first put in the engine. So, from now on, only good "water-maker" water will go into the engine and we’ll see if we get more gunk at the next 500 hour checkup.

During this time of mass worrying, Mike had tools spread out all across the port side of the boat. Also during this time, Mary decided to shift weight around to better balance the boat. During one of many trips stepping over all the tools on the floor, her foot landed on some extra wedding tule (used for mosquito screening) and she did a HUGE splits – resulting in a torn hamstring muscle. Luckily, one of the cruisers next to us was a critical care nurse and immediately diagnosed Mary and got ice on the injury. The bad news continued as she said that it would take six weeks to heal and she’d be in pain for the first three of those. Then there was the bruising – lots of it from crotch to knee – one big long bad looking bruise. But by taking various homeopathic meds, nattokinase, and wobenzyme the bruising went away faster than any of her previous little bruises that just naturally happen on a sail boat.

One week after the accident, the local “people for culture” put on a string quartet concert, and as luck would have it, it was right at the marina. So we could just walk up and listen to a great evening of music. The moon was almost full, the stars were out, it was 78 degrees with a very light breeze and the music was fantastic. Three Russians and a Mexican composed the group and were all from Mexico City and with various orchestras there. The cost of just $6 was amazing and we sipped some nice white wine while the music played.

The next big event was the arrival of a 167’ mega yacht with its own helicopter. Unfortunately it also meant that we had to move to make room for it. This meant squeezing our 28’ wide boat into a 31’ slip. No small feat – but we did do it with the help of at least 10 other cruisers (virtually everyone in the marina). The owner, not wanting to be seen, arrived at the local airport (probably in his/her private plane) and then had the helicopter pick him up – rather than take the 15 minute car ride. We have no idea who it belongs to. The crew was made up of Americans and it flew a Cayman Island flag. It was huge.

Another week went by and a bunch of us decided to “get out of Dodge” for a day. So we rented two jeeps and six of us and a dog went up into the mountains to a coffee plantation that had some awesome water falls and swimming hole on the property. Mike did the rope swing thing out over the water while Mary watched and took pictures and wished her leg was healed. After about 4 hours of cool refreshing water, we went back to the plantation where half the group took a tour of a butterfly sanctuary and the rest of us got a guided tour of the grounds. Then at 4pm we sat down to a typical dinner at the plantation for the owner and his guests. The house was at least 100 years old and you had the feeling of being on a movie set the feeling was so authentic.

Three weeks of the six passed and Mary was ready to travel but still not able to do any “heavy lifting”. We left at 8pm and headed across the dreaded Golfo de Tehuantepec which most people say can be more hazardous that Cape Horn (on a pure wind and wave basis over a 48 hour period). But May is the most tranquil month for crossing and thus we sailed and motored the 440 miles to Bahia del Sol, El Salvador. There we had to cross the bar to the lagoon and it required a guide service since the bar is also notorious for breaking waves and in general not boat friendly. Once inside we were greeted with a our first true sense of tropical settings – palm trees, green everywhere, and of course humidity.