Tenacatita

December 11, 2006 Bahia Tenacatita
After leaving Chamela, we ran down the coast for a short hop to Tenacatita Bay. It is a snug anchorage right off the mouth of a jungle river. Here is a panga passing our bow. Pangas are the nautical version of the Mexican pickup truck. They fish from them, haul tourists around, and just about everything. They are powered by 45+ HP outboard motors.

After a day of laying around, we got up in the morning ready for a trip into the jungle in our faithful dinghy. The only really tricky part was crossing the bar at the entrance which has a small surf break. As it came to pass, right at the critical last moment, we had to choose between running straight into shallow water or continuing on our proper course, but taking the break not square on the stern. We took the break on an angle and I tried to give her enough gas to surf the wave. Alas, that didn't work and the dinghy tipped to a perilous angle. I was on the downhill side and fell right overboard. Andi was on the uphill side and so managed to ride the wave and then come back and get me. I was able to stand up where I was so I jumped back in with no more damage than to my pride. Here I am just past the entrance and still quite wet.

And here is the river as it winds between the mangroves. I'm sure it would be completely overgrown if someone in a panga didn't hack at it with a machete on a regular basis.


We wound through the mangroves for several miles - about an hour before we got back to a lagoon close to the coast where there were a bunch of palapas and cold beers. Here is a picture of us that I show only to demonstrate the degree to which my tummy has disappeared; not sitting at a computer all day and getting more exercise is doing the job!