A Perfect Beach Day at Playa Cacaluta, Huatulco

I haven't been to Cacaluta for a few years.  It isn't the quickest and easiest beach to get to when I feel the need to swim but it's worth the trip on special occasions like Rowena's birthday.  I don't know how old she is but she's still quite young.

There's a sign at the trailhead with dos and don'ts, some of which shouldn't be necessary, like don't leave your trash behind, but you'd be surprised.  One of them is a recommendation to only enter the woods in a group.  While you probably wouldn't be attacked, there are wild animals in there and a lone person is much more tempting prey.  I've come across packs of wild dogs myself.  They didn't attack or even growl but it might have been a different story if I'd been alone.  There are snakes, crocodiles (or alligators, I'm not sure) several species of snakes and wildcats.

A few years back,  I came across a young couple, tired, hot, dehydrated and completely shaken, stumbling along the road from the trail.  There were on vacation from Mexico City and had wanted to visit the site of "Y tu mama tambien".  They hadn't packed enough water.  However much you think you're going to need, double it.  This unfortunate pair hadn't even made it to the beach when they'd been chased by an aggressive giant snake, probably a python.  They can grow to an intimidating size, length and width.

After a 25 minute hike through the forest, the beach is always a welcome sight.

A friend had told me that morning that the beach had been steep on the previous day but that had been on the other end.  It couldn't have been much better on Saturday for us.

Life doesn't really get much better than this.

Here's our birthday girl, sitting with Lupita.

These two daredevils decided to jump off the rocks.  I declined. 

Just so nobody puts this on their to-do list, look at how close they came to hitting rocks beneath the surface.  It's also worth mentioning that you can't get a cellphone signal at Cacaluta and the beach is usually deserted.  Your best option, if you suffer a debilitating injury, would be to wait for a tour boat and signal for help.  Wave your arms and scream loudly.

Will, Romeo and I took the big swim to the rock island.  It was Romeo's idea and I didn't jump at the idea at first.  I was concerned about cross currents but a passing tour boat operator who knew what he was talking about, convinced us that the currents ran deep below and wouldn't affect us unless we were diving.

You have to approach the rock beach with caution.  The only way to do it is to crab walk backwards.  When a wave comes, plunk your bum down and hang on tight.  Move in between the waves.  Don't try to stand on the wet rocks and move slowly on the dry ones because they're not stable. 

The waves make a beautiful cracking sound when they shake the rocks but it sounds a bit sinister, like breaking bones, when you're trying to move on or off the beach.  Will gives a good demonstration of how to do it on the video.

Good times.  It was the sort of day when you have so much fun, you don't even realize how busy you were until you feel your aching muscles the next day.

Finally, for those who have never seen Y Tu Mamá También  ,
someone has posted the scene where they wake up and discover the beach they've been looking for for the first time.

Shore to Shore: Santa Cruz to Playa Entrega

I struck another item off my to-do list yesterday, swimming all the way from Santa Cruz to Playa Entrega, something that local athletes do routinely and a lot faster.  I know a student who can make the return trip in 45 minutes or an hour but he's a tri-athlete in a completely different league from the rest of us mortals.  For me, this was completely epic.  I have never swum this kind of distance so far from shore.

Will and I had warmed up a few days earlier by swimming to the distant buoy and back.  He has this high tech waterproof watch that measures distances and confirmed that the buoy trip is the same length as Playa Chahue, about 800 meters return trip.

Will had the plan.  Several people had agreed to go as a group for safety.  None of us were triathlon type swimmers so a bunch of swimming buddies would allow us to stay in a comfort zone when we were way out there.  Will had even planned for a paddle board as a safety net for anyone who got too tired but when he went to pick it up, the young guy at the surf shop doubled the price he had quoted the week before.  So much for that.  Maybe they have different weekend rates.

We waited around for an hour for people who never showed up.  It was seriously early for the first Saturday morning after exams.

Our first resting point is the buoy.  At this point, I hadn't realized that two of our party of five had changed their minds.  I thought they had already left us behind.

Jasmine and Will explain how to find the upcoming video in Spanish to a man who joined us as far as the buoy.  Pen and paper are things no one thinks to bring for a big swim so hopefully he remembered.  I think he would have liked to join us for the whole trip but he had a job to do somewhere.

This is where Will and Jasmine turned back.  Jasmine had foot cramps and Will wanted to see her safely back to shore.   That's what sensible people do.

I experienced 4 foot cramps myself before I reached Entrega but they didn't impede my swimming. 
They hurt as my big toe and its nearest neighbor twisted together but I could still kick and they disappeared after a few strokes anyway.

There is nothing like being alone in open water to make you feel small.

None of the passing boaters returned my wave, which doesn't make them snobs.  They just didn't see me and that's something to keep in mind when you're out in their playground.  It also means they are watching straight ahead as they should so it isn't too bad. 

A lot of this traffic can be completely avoided if you leave early enough.   Later in the day, jet-skiers
will be out and, fueled with beer and adrenaline, they might not be as sharp-eyed as professional tour boat operators.

That's Entrega, closer now than Santa Cruz.
 

At this point, I wasn't suffering muscle fatigue but I felt depleted.  That peanut butter sandwich at 530 in the morning was only a memory.  I didn't like the idea of swimming back in a weakened state.   I'd anticipated we'd probably want snacks at Entrega so I had packed some pesos in a plastic bag with a rock to keep it from floating away.  I had cab fare.   Otherwise, the only other alternative to swimming would have been walking 40 minutes along the hot road without a shirt in bare feet.

 

 

 

 

Whoo-ee!  Playa Entrega!

 

 

 

It's still early in the morning.  I don't think Entrega restaurants open for breakfast.  But wait.  Who's that.  Will and Jasmine came around by land to make sure I arrived.  With water!

 

 

It's nice to know people who would actually call the coast guard instead of just wondering "Whatever happened...?"

 

That's the whole adventure.  Back to Santa Cruz the easy way.  The return trip can wait for another day.

 

 

 

 

Finally, the video shot with the Sony Action Cam.  I recommend full screen on Youtube.

 



Picture Day

I finally got around to putting my new smart phone camera to use and took a few random pictures yesterday en route to the beach and back.  As far as I can tell, there is no zoom. 

A section of Chahue Boulevarde has been closed to traffic for about a week now. 

 

I'm not sure what the protest is about this time.  I can't read the signs.

 

 

The protestors camp out at night with hammocks and tents.  It's all very peaceful and the detour flows quite well.  For me on the bike, it's been a bit of advantage because the traffic has slowed down and it's safer to cross 6 lanes.  I don't even have to look but I always do anyway.

 

   

 

Completely random shots.

 

Marina Park Chahue

This is something new.  This lot has only recently been flattened.  It was mounds of dirt, occasionally used by dirt bike stunt riders, previously.  Open up the full picture and you can see a few pieces of equipment remaining from a cross fit obstacle course.  I didn't notice it myself until returning from Arrocito later when I saw some people swinging on the monkey bars.  I haven't done this since the playground in Korea.  I lost a lot of strength in my left shoulder back then after a bicycle accident.  I'm proud to say I made it across this time but 2/3rds across I knew I couldn't do the Tarzan swing anymore and finished up by baby steps.  But I finished.    

 

A new hotel going up, possibly an extension to Isla Huatulco.

 

Arrocito.

 

 

 

 

 

I had the Sony Action Cam with me to test out the advice on anti-fogging from this video. 

Fogging was a problem at last Umarela. 



 



A few water drops are to be expected but the difference in temperature didn't affect it all.  Success.

 

Arrocito

I'm still finding a few hitches with the Sony Action Cam.  I burned almost a tank just driving around and found out afterwards that the lens  had become fogged up after a while.  This little jaunt to Arrocito is all that survived of a Sunday afternoon joyride.






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfd3iJ1J3Ak&feature=youtu.be

A new toy 2013 Huatulco

I recently bought the Sony Action Cam after checking out reviews and it lives up to the hype.  I haven't used it for too much yet but it's going to be a great little recreational asset.  Here are my first three videos.

Riding to work in the morning.


Recycling at Fonatur.


Riding to La Bocana