PPS. This footage was shot on the Go Pro HD cam - thanks to the folks over there for their assistance in getting one of these on board. Amped on being able to start getting some nice footage underway. Pretty rad, right??

So much to tell. At the moment I'm  back in El Salvador, after a week long jaunt around Costa Rica with my bud, Leigh. After my last update, the pilot Rogelio and I indeed headed back out to the entrance but we quickly discovered that the channel had become impassable - instead of the normal rows of breaking waves with a teeny tiny little pass in which to scoot through, the surf had become one solid wall of breaking waves. Rogelio circled on his jetski, shaking his head and repeating "muy peligroso...". It was a no -go. 

It was likely to be closed off for a couple days and since the further delay meant I wouldnt be able to make it to Bahia del Coco in time to meet with my bud Leigh, I simply  buzzed back in and hailed Santos on the VHF radio. The Santos who had the mooring balls further into the bay turned out to be the same Santos I had met 3+ years earlier when I had been making a car trip through the country with some other sailor friends for an equipment roundup. Within minutes of meeting we were already making plans to explore the jungle together. We headed out for the first time just a couple hours later and made a few stops at various palapas stilted on the river. We ate boiled shrimp and mica and the locals taught me about the various fish that inhabit the river (including an insanely dangerous catfish that I'm told you must bite the tail of if stung by in order to stop the poison from entering the wound). To say that I've fallen for the Lempa River would be the understatement of all undertstatements - there's something so magical about being here. In the heart of old Mayan territory with volcanoes jutting up in the background, local families gliding by in old dugout canoes - it's ageless, timeless, mysterious, and peaceful. It feels sort of like coming home. 

Yesterday afternoon I got my outboard motor out and rigged up on the dink in time for a quick trip upriver before the sun set. Kids hung off the edges of docks, young girls paddled over with smiling faces, the colors melted away until we could barely see at all. I know I have to keep moving at some point but I don't think my time here is up just quite yet - there's still so much I want to see and learn about. It's not everyday you find a place that feels this special, don't want to let the magic of it pass me by...

Okay, off to enjoy the day. Have a handful of projects to tackle here and the boat is really due for some serious cleaning. She had a pretty good bash the last few weeks and the dankness level is sort of off the charts at the moment so trying to rectify that as quickly as possible.

Enjoy your day, friends.

Emily

I was supposed to head out this morning but somehow my one hour window to depart safely with a jet ski  pilot was missed amid the choas of paperwork, late officals, and general disinterest by the dock staff here. Pretty nuts.

The sail down was more or less uneventful  - which is to say things went well. I had wind right on the nose pretty much the whole trip so that made things challenging and slow, but overall nothing too major to complain about.

 Assuming the folks here manage to get their act together for my departure tomorrow I should be heading back out (through the insane 12 foot breaking waves - I have video I'll post soon!) and fuirther south. Next port of call: Bahia del Coco (AKA Some Kickstarter packages are soon on their way, winkwink), Costa Rica.

Until next time, enjoy this little chronicle from the Tehuantepec.

xoxo.

Emily.

Just a quick note to say I'm getting ready to head out of Huatulco and downacross the Gulf of Tehunatepec. The area is infamous for Gale force winds sothe best strategy is to travel the coast "with one foot on the beach". Ifyoure following me on the tracker and it looks like I'm actually on land I'mproabably not (fingers crossed!), just very very very close to it. Send mewishful thoguhts for a safe and benign passage....Once safely across theGulf I'll be heading down to Barillas, El Salavador for a quick break beforemoving onto to meet my friend Leigh in Costa Rica.

Sorry for not updating since I've been here, I've been vigilantly fightingoff a swarm of displaced bees that upon my arrival decided to claim Bobbieas their new home. It's been terrible...totally impossible to get my workdone! Anyways, off to finish tidying the boat and calmly, not nervously, orfeasrfully, heading out to the beast that is the Tehuantepec...

See you soon, friends. xoxo.

000
ABPZ20 KNHC 051741
TWOEP 
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1100 AM PDT THU AUG 5 2010

FOR THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC...EAST OF 140 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE..

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE LOCATED ABOUT 185 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ACAPULCO MEXICO
HAVE CHANGED LITTLE IN ORGANIZATION.  HOWEVER...CONDITIONS STILL
APPEAR TO BE CONDUCIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THIS SYSTEM COULD
BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION AT ANY TIME DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. 
THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE...70 PERCENT...OF THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A
TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT MOVES GENERALLY
WESTWARD AT ABOUT 15 MPH.  INTERESTS ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST OF
MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS.

$$
FORECASTER ROBERTS/BEVEN

Ducked into Acapulco last night to avoid this little surprise coming together right in my path! Crazy! Hopefully, when I check in the AM it'll say 'just kidding! - clear skies, smooth sailing!'.

Had a pretty insane sqaull last night, lasted over an hour. The rain was completely sideways, the wind sounded like a freight train a-comin'. Somehow the insane rain wind combo managed to bust open my lip whilst i was scrambling around on deck in the pitch black getting reefed and stowed. i was literally spitting mouthfuls of rain/blood mix....so refreshing!

Anyways, pulled into this beautiful little bay overnight, literally looked looked like the mountains were growing diamonds...all you have to do is reach out and pick them. Quite a beautiful sight at nighttiome (daytime is quite different...)

Alright, hasta luego, amigos. Gone explorin'...

Taking off again here in a few. having problems with my radio/modem at the moment so don't be worried if you dont hear from me for a few days. You can always check my progress on the SPOT tracker if youre curious as to my whereabouts. Hopefully I'll gte the cable switched out while underway and be back in business in no time but in theevent I have my hands tied just thought Id let you know :)

About 350 miles to the mouth of the Gulf of Tehuantepec at Huatulco. I'll be pulling into Marina Chahue while I wait for the clearance to cross the gulf. See you guys in a few days!