EL SALVADOR LOG

August 13, 2003

Bahia Del Sol

"The Neighborhood"

We've been here for almost 2 months now. It's beginning to feel more familiar.

Although there haven't been any new boats since we arrived, some folks have returned to their boats and one or two have come back to leave the boat while they return home. We have gotten to know everyone and we're not surprised to find some of them rather strange! We've come to learn that this goes with the territory. Cruising, living-aboard attracts some odd ducks. We've tried to remain impervious to the Peton Place that sometimes seems to creep into the anchorage. Sometimes we g et together with each other for outings. Like last Sunday when four boatloads dinghied way down the estuary past the boca to a small tienda with a thatched roof dinning area make entirely of sticks tied together, including the floor, which was uneven and open enough to drop scraps down into the water. We ate lovely fried whole fish stuffed with some very small shrimp and drank lots of beer. Jann & I took a very hot walk across the island to the ocean and back. There were boys riding ponies on the beach.

Saga anchored in the estuary Costa del Sol, El Salvador

Cruising friends in the pool at the Marina del Sol

Santos in his handmade canoa

A storm build off shore

Tormentos

"I dont think I've ever seem so much lightning," Jann said during a particularly stupendous display the other night. "No, me neither," I concurred. We were tucked into the dodger, huddled together near the companionway , trying to stay dry. But it was still rather warm out, so we didn't really care about getting wet. The locals call them Tormentos which is quite descriptive actually. These raging thunder storms roll through the anchorage almost every night. Sometimes the lightning displays are very scary, especially when the hits are so near. We find ourselves counting after a close strike, "one thousand-one, one thousand-two," The really scary ones are those where the lightning hits and then, BAMM! The thunder cracks just after, before we've even begun to count! This evening, we both see what looks like a direct hit onto to the mizzenmast of the large ketch Quantum Leap. (It turns out that indeed if she was hit, she didn't sustain much in the way of damages; one of her VHF radios stopped working.) Jann sees sparks fly as I cringe, folding myself into his lap. We both pray (to the great spirit!) not to be on the receiving end of one of those strikes. And this time, we are lucky. Although the lightning seems all around us, we are spared. Our new friends on the boat Terazed weren't so fortunate. They have just returned from a boat delivery to Portugal and have brought with them all new electrics. New radios, new radar, new instruments, etc. The boat took a direct hit before we arrived. The storms usually come from the same direction and we can see them coming. We know enough now to prepare SAGA beforehand. We take down all shades, secure everything for the inevitable wind and then just after the wind comes, we put up our cushions over the companion- way hatch and sit and watch the show. Once or twice the wind has been fierce and once we actually dragged anchor for the first time. It must have been blowing 45 kts and the anchor hadn't been down more than a week and it came up then grabbed again but we had slid back some two boat lengths and we were coming awfully close to Diana's boat Windbird, behind us. Jann started the engine and keep us away for a few minutes, until the engine overheated! By that time, I was on the VHF to let the fleet know just in case we might need some assistance. But the wind calmed and we were able to run the engine again to re-anchor in the drizzle . So far, so good. We've been in one place for over a month and there haven't been any more big blows since that one. But we make sure to be on-board when we see one approaching. I guess we'll just have to get used to these tormentos since they will be with us for a while.

September 15, 2003 p On Turning 47!

One more week to go before we set sails again to head south. This stop in El Salvador has been our longest ever three months! It's been a nice change from the face-paced race down from Northern Mexico, but we're ready for new and different destinations. We've been picking the brains of every cruiser that have made their way back up here from Costa Rica and Panama to find out all the best cruising grounds in those countries. And there's a lot to see. We can't wait! Our plans are to leave the Costa del Sol sometime this coming weekend. Fortunately for me, there are many places to anchor so we won't have to do too many overnight sails. We should have plenty of wind too, unlike our trip down to Central America.

The whole fleet in Costa del Sol helped me celebrate my 47th birthday on Saturday. (Actually, I only turned 46, not 47! But now my memory is going, so if feels more like 47!) The hotel let us use their conference room (with air conditioning!) and our friends on Cheval, Sarah (& Bill) baked a yummy chocolate-rum cake, while Jann had a surprise cake brought in from San Salvador. The hotel provided the bar and waiters and we had ourselves a nice little party. Our new friends -Howard Fluker (& his lovely wife) owner of the Reptile Farm and Howard Chan - owner of Dynasty Restaurant in San Salvador, came as well.

I don't run into maybe cruisers my age. Have only met a few. So often times I don't feel as connected as I'd like to or as I was used to back in Marin. I sometimes miss my buds back there. But I only have to look around and know that I'm doing something with my life that very few ever even consider yet alone, do! And I'm doing it now, not after I retire. I realize that I'll have to pay for this later. I'll have to return and work for some period of time so that I can do it some more. But if that's the biggest price to pay, then so-be-it. I gladly accept. Happy Birthday to me!

We've enjoyed getting to know El Salvador a little. It really is a nice country and the folks are generally friendly. It's very safe compared to many of it's neighbors, even though it takes some getting used to all the guards with shotguns everywhere. We have nothing but good things to say about our stay here. We recommend it as a travel destination and a definite stop for cruisers headed south. (See Changes In Latitude p Latitude 38, February 2004 issue)

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