How about a vacation? A vacation from permanent vacation? Sounds like fun.
Hung in Grand Case for a couple of days longer, was running low on provisions, so we explored the long way to the super market. Down the less traveled path that the tour bus had brought us on a month back or so. Walked through the town, instead of down the main restaurant row. Made our way to find some bacon and couple other sundries to hold us over till we left for vacation.
Back on board for a lazy day, beer supply was holding out fine. Decided about time to head to Baie Longue, or La Semmana hotel and chili out there. Decided to get up early and make a fishing day of it. Dropped the lines in and motored over what looked to be good contour lines and I could have sworn I saw fishing boats out in that direction before. No birds, no flying fish, nothing even tickled the lures. I pulled em in to check on them, and there was some small sea week fouling the hooks – ugh. That definitely does not help. In the process I managed to do my finest macrame of the starboard fishing line. Well at least that gave me something to do as we motored along toward La Semmana. An hour of something to do that is. Forgetting that I was in the sun, and neglecting the sunblock and hat, I got a little red but eventually got the line sorted out. Only having to start over twice.
We got up to La Semmana and the waves were rolling in, wasn’t too comfortable and the WiFi wasn’t cooperating so decided to bail and head elsewhere for the day. We had made plans with our boat buddies on Contrary Mary to meet at La Semmana, they actually raised sail and showed up right as we were getting set to bail. We settled on Mullet Bay, maybe it was a bit more protected, nope – smaller bay, not much protection so Marigot was the call. Back to almost where we came from.
On the way, they spotted Baie Rouge, a nice gem of a beach that is normally pummeled with waves and boats don’t often get to go there. Given the conditions, there was one monohull up in there, and shortly 2 cats followed. Perfect conditions for stopping there. We got the explorer itch, as we hadn’t been there. Called on the VHF and got no takers on a beach walk, so we swam ashore, dragging money as there were 2 beach bars that looked like well deserved watering holes, Gus’s is where we stopped. Didn’t take a camera / iPhone as it was a rather long swim and trusting a waterproof bag didn’t seem like a good move. Swam a shore with mask/fins/snorkel/hat and sunglasses and the cash in a ziplock baggie. Found a place to leave mask and fins while we wandered the beach. Was a nice beach, a long hard walk as the sand was really soft. Lots of nice houses on far end from the beach bars but we made the entire beach before turning around. There was this large pelican sitting on a rock that would have made a great picture as the sun was behind him. Oh well.
Gus’s Beach Bar close to where we anchored
Exhausted, plopped into the seat at the beach bar – it was happy hour, damn the luck. That means 2 for 1 drinks. Score. Beers and Frozen drinks – you can guess who had which. I wandered over to check on the mask/fins while Christine was ordering – all good still there. Cheers, the table of Canadians next to us – super friendly but wasn’t sure she knew where Canada was. Then in the conversation they asked where we were from and of course Texas is the answer, not USA – Texas, the big country of Texas. And then the strangest comments, yeah, started with the political theatrics with our current president, but followed shortly with “You got Chevy trucks in Texas”, and me being the smart ass, replied, “Yup, we got Ford pick em ups too”. Un-phased, the guy said he really wanted a short-bed chevy, used to own one and wants another and even follows a Texas blog about them. Oh my. Would you look at the time? They were on their way out, we finished our rounds of drinks.
The chairs were being piled high, the sun was getting lower, I went to get the gear while. Found everything except my mask, the snorkel was removed and left but the mask was gone. Was going to be a long swim with just a snorkel. Looked everywhere, Christine asked the chair guy, and a couple others on the beach. Nada, Oh well, I guess it happens. But just an old mask? Not the fancy flippers and why leave the snorkel. Looked a bit more and then resolved to swim back to the boat with just a snorkel, as I didn’t bother with bringing my fins along. Walked down to the waters edge with just the snorkel while Christine was looking under and behind the stacked chairs and then gathering her gear, and a guy comes running out of the water and hands me my mask. He said he thought it was “abandoned”.. Uh-Okay. Thank you. At least I had it back and the swim was much easier than keeping your head out of the water for that long.
Christine wanted a beach BBQ as there was secluded section, but we were low on something to cook and all, luckily we are boaters and schedules / plans are subject to change – our friends on Contrary Mary had us over for dinner while watched the sunset go down on another great day in a new anchorage. Cheers.