Over-sleeping a bit later than usual, we got to breakfast well after 8am. Just by coincidence, Ellen and Aart arrived at the same time, so we dined together. It was sure nice to be able to visit with them for more than a few minutes at a time. We’ve been careful not to share our colds with anyone, and hope we are well past the contagious stage.
Well before we arrived to the port of Huatulco, Mexico, we made an attempt to access deck six forward to watch for wildlife. That was somewhere in the neighborhood of 11:30am. This coastline has an enormous number of large fish such as blue marlin, swordfish, yellow fin tuna, dorado, and mahi-mahi. And of course, there are numerous dolphins if you are in the right place, at the right time. Flying fish are a given here too.
When we went to go outside the double doors, there was a very small sign posted saying deck painting. Never having seen this before, we opened the door to see narrow strips of masking tape covering the “fake” tar lines between the “fake” teak decking. Guess they were ready to repair the flooring, but why today? This is a popular spot for scenic sailing, which today was one of them. So we headed down to the lower promenade deck, just in time to see pods of dolphins playing in the ship’s waves. On top of that, we spotted many sea turtles, probably green turtles, as they floated past the ship. They were about the size of a large 18 inch pizza. (Pizza must be on our minds.) We figured that if we had been up front, we may have missed them. That’s when we had a really big surprise…..we spotted the blow of a whale, actually seeing it skim the surface as they do when feeding. It blew at least four more times, before it dove, never to be seen again. Good thing the camera caught it, or else we might have thought we were dreaming.
The closer we got to shore (about an hour away), we began seeing many small fishing boats. Even from a distance, we could tell that one of them had a big game fish on a line, as we could see the splash as it jumped and fought. Some boats were chasing dolphins, knowing that other game fish could be close by. In time, we saw the pilot boat arrive, and also a larger Mexican coast guard boat, which appeared to be escorting us to the port.
Huatulco was once a thriving port for the Spanish, however, today, it is a thriving resort and tourist destination. It has a much different feel about it than Acapulco, Mazatlan, or Puerto Vallarta in that it has remained more of an authentic Mexican town without the frills. There are nine bays for fun in the sun, as well as one perfect beach, which is a short walk away from the ship. Cancun…it is not, but it appeals to folks that prefer scenic areas for sailing and swimming over the hardy-party group.
Shore excursions were many here – 15 of them in fact. The longest ones were 5 hours of sight-seeing, history, and culture. Five excursions offered adventure and water activities such as snorkeling from a beach or boat, a river float trip, or sailing on a catamaran or sailboat. How about a chance to go deep sea fishing for the big ones? It was a catch and release trip priced at $190, with the option of tagging along for only $75. We could not believe the number of small boats that were offering this service in the boat harbor. As for the boat rides, we have done several types, and all of them were fun. Short and sweet.
There was one lunch tour which included chocolate, mole, cheese, and even grasshoppers. We’ll pass on that one. But freshly made tortillas, tomales, or a cactus salad would do just fine. We took a tour years ago, and actually liked the cactus salad. Bird watching could be fun if you happen to be here during the right time of year. This is another excursion we took, but saw few of the promised sightings of 227 species. We did have a very long and hot walk in some of the driest of terrain we had ever seen.
As we got closer to shore, we began to see some birds like the high-flying frigates. There were a few ominous vultures flying with them. These were joined by some gulls, terns, boobys, and some pelicans resting on the rocks.
Pulling into the pier, we were docked across from a smaller vessel, which turned out to be a US Coast Guard boat. By 2pm, the ship was cleared by the officials, and the “sticky” tour folks filed off for the 15 different tours. One thing for sure, it was already a most hot and humid day, just like we remembered it to be. Going off to shore, we planned on finding a good place for beers and some Mexican food, which we love.
The hidden marina is not massive here, but there were more fishing boats than water. And it was another day of a fishing tournament, just like last time we were here. The main square in the center of town was full of locals coming in with their catch. Some of the fish were still in the water (quite dead), while some were down on the ground being measured. One large marlin was hanging from a scale marked with 131 kilos, although it looked heavier than that. A band stand nearby had a video being shown with some of the loudest music we have heard. It raised the dust right off of the road. This would continue into the evening, making this Friday night a very festive one.
We strolled in and out of the souvenir market, but found nothing we needed. It was so warm out, there were few people buying anything yet. Maybe when the tours got back, they would have many customers. We were more amused with the black grackles that were fighting over some fresh water used to wet the lawn.
Making our way towards the beach, we passed by many restaurants offering tables with drink specials. Each outdoor restaurant had fellows enticing folks to their place with the best seafood in town. Actually, we always go for the chicken and beef dishes. So we ended up where we always go… a waterside restaurant called Ve El Mar. It really has the best location, with breezes from the beach. Good food too. Of course, we ordered two local beers, Victoria, and then added a combo quesadilla plate with grilled chicken and beef. Expecting an appetizer-size portion, we were shocked when it came with a huge serving for two. We had seen one of the chefs grilling meat, onions, and chicken, but had no idea it was for us. Sure was good with plenty of refried beans, guacamole, and extra cheese. It also came with a side of salsa and over-sized tortilla chips and crackers. Filled to the brim, we headed back to the ship without being tempted to purchase any of the things being hawked tableside by drifting vendors.
It was still blistering hot by the time we got back at 5pm. Cooling off in our room while working on photos was perfect. We sort of forgot we had reservations at the Pinnacle Grill tonight. Good thing it was at 8pm, and not earlier. Not really famished, we both ordered the wedge salad, without gorgonzola, and would have been happy with just that. And the hot cheesy rolls too. But we kept the meal simple by having just lamb chops and a chicken entrée without sides. OK, one side, a shared order of French fries. Dessert was one scoop of vanilla and mango sorbet.
Walking the deck outside, we found it was still as hot as ever, and the music in town was going full blast. Looking out over the ocean, we could see lightning once again. Must be a normal occurrence in this part of the world. By the time we remembered there was a folkloric dance, a local show, it was about over, as it began at 9:30pm. We did see a performance last year, and we assume this was the same act. Always fun.
The ship left before 11pm. But the better news was that we gained back the hour we lost last night. Now we will have one more hour to go back to be on Pacific Daylight Savings time. Since we only have a few days left, we will add one saying a night from the goodnight card. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” -St. Agustine-
Bill & Mary Ann
PS Mike and Nancy – good to hear from you…look forward to seeing you both next year.
Mrs. Marples - No, we do not know which ships will use the new locks at Panama.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Report #126 Huatulco, Mexico May 24, 2019 Friday Cloudy & 88 degrees
