La Ofrenda And Halloween By Michael

A big part of the Mexican celebration for Dia de los Muertos
is the ofrenda. This offering to a deceased person
(usually a family member) is usually in the form of an altar.
This year at the marina lounge, the cruisers in residence
made an altar that honored many dearly departed.

It is hard to believe the holiday is come and gone. When we arrived September 1, it seemed totally within reason that we too would be here and gone by this time.

Not even close.

Frances honored her late Grandpa Bill. The can
of beer is for him. Unfortunately, I would bet our
boat he never drank a can of Pacifico in his life,
but it is the thought that counts.

 I am knee deep in getting the outboards running, the dinghy patched, a couple additional coats of varnish applied (so that we don't lose the work we did), and readying ourselves for the biggest project of them all: removing the water tanks and then replacing them (more about this in a separate post). I am waiting for our new chain plates and anchor roller to be fabricated  (so I can then remove the other chain plates). Our new port lights still sit in their boxes.

Strike knee deep, we are neck deep. But we paid for our slip only through the end of November; hopefully we will be ready to sail away at that time (and at the new winter slip rates, we had better be ready to depart).

Things are starting to buzz here at the marina and in La Cruz. Hatches shut tight on boats dormant since we arrived, are now open New faces keep popping up on the docks and at the yacht club. Store fronts in town that looked as though they were shuttered for years, are now bright, cheery, and alive. More people are milling about. The first boat flying a 2011 Ha-Ha burgee sailed in yesterday. The farmers' markets are back up and running. The first cruisers' swap meet is on the calendar (November 19).

The change reminds me of D.C. after a winter of windows shut tight and faces of the few pedestrians wrapped in scarves. Suddenly one weekend it seems everyone is outside bustling, the sound of lawnmowers vibrates the air, and the smell of fresh cut grass amplifies the notion that things have awakened.

The trick-or-treaters of Marina Riviera Nayarit 2011: (left to right) Christian of Andiamo III as a
zombie, Abby of Andiamo III as the summer fairy, Shandro of Kenta Anae as King Peter, Frances of
Del Viento as a ghost, Matero of Kenta Anae as Little Red Riding Hood, and Eleanor of
Del Viento as the evil queen of the dead.

For treats, all of the kids walked the docks and visted boats with either an anchor light or spreader lights on, identifying them as per official Halloween nautical custom.

--MR

Cruisers again hosted the orphans from nearby Bucerias for a holiday party.
Here Eleanor and Frances are engaged in a game of Pato, Pato, Ganso (or
duck, duck, goose). Musical chairs is another favorite of this crowd.

Eleanor instructing a couple of the boys on the fine points of making masks.

Tami of Andiamo III (standing) and Terry of Ulalena (sitting) working with the cruiser
kids to make this Rice Crispy, marshmallow, food coloring, gummi worm thing they
called sushi...yuck...but all the kids at the party loved it.