This week's news

Good morning to all! There’s a patchy clouded sky with pleasant breezes blowing. This morning at something approximating 2:00 a.m., Mexico crawled across the threshold into day light savings time. Early attendance at Ray’s Place for birria was sparse, but will no doubt see a late morning surge as eyes open and feet search for flip-flops. Few villagers wear watches. Across the bay froth bathes and then recedes from the eastern shoreline. Sea swells are entering from due west. Water taxi passage out will be smooth, but the return is bound to bounce. Nature rules in Yelapa, not the moving hands on a dial.

Friends rejoin their Yelapa roosts. Aline and Bill are back from a near month in Santa Barbara; Erin arrives Tuesday having endured Chicago’s winter from hell; Tamara and John will shortly jet away from the weather foibles of Fairbanks. There will be much eating, drinking and laughter; there always is. Alas, for those of you curious about my dear wife, she remains lovingly entrenched as the primary care provider for granddaughter, Reese. Our orbits will intersect late July.

The end of April registers a reduction in visitor traffic. The resulting trickle trails into June. Once the rains arrive, a few Mexican nationals and Americans with families venture across Banderas Bay. They will experience the gifts of a quiet village. Locals will begin the six month rationing of two precious resources: time and money. Pangas, white bellies up, festoon the beach to await seasonal repairs and repainting. Construction greets each morning and drones until sunset imparting repairs to rental units or expansion on family homes. It is a time of renewal. (That is code for noise, humidity and heat.) Any down time is spent in a friend’s panga fishing. Summer rains also bring in the big fish: tuna, dorado, red snapper. Freezers must be filled.

Nikki, our English shepherd, and I plan a late July departure north to San Diego. It is a time of renewal. (Same word, different code. This implies periodic cycling amongst the in-laws and re-establishing tenuous truces with two pair of resident canines.) For the past year or so, I have written a series of dual language, English and Spanish, books for children. Each book portrays a real boy’s real adventure here in Yelapa.  The narrative, English on one page with Spanish on the opposing page, will appear over a water color illustration supporting the action discussed. Each adventure runs twelve pages. By November 1, my goal is to have the first twelve adventures ready for e-publishing in advance of the Christmas season. The intended audience, either English or Spanish, roams from the pre-reader thru second grade. My artistic assistant/illustrator on this task is my partner/mate Dianne. The rich water color derivatives are made from actual photographs. Each book will have twelve distinct illustrations based upon local scenery. Taken collectively, they could become an artistic travelogue for future visitors.

Commercial Break

The presence or lack of sand changes daily. I will not schedule a launch when I have safety concerns for either the equipment or the clients. Please contact Yelapa Kayak Rentals by phone: 322 146 5064; email: yelapakayakrentals@gmail.com; or ask your lodging host to call on your behalf. Right equipment, right price, right under the giant fig tree on the playita (little beach). Happy Paddling!!! Memo