Cruising Bandaras Bay on Escape Velocity :

by Bev and Ivan Murphy #151

Date: 4/2/99

Five months we have been in Bandaras Bay, It is a wonderful place! Escape
Velocity has been very busy. In December we took some friends, from Brussels
Belgium sailing to Los Arcos on the south side of the bay. We all then went
snorkeling, try that in December in Michigan. We have been out in the bay
looking for whales a couple times. Mostly we see them from a far which is
better given the relative size of each of us. We have had dolphins swimming
around the boat on several occasions, once during a beer can race. It was
like they were showing us what fast is!

There are beer can races almost every Thursday night. We have done okay even
with pretty stiff competition. We are usually the smallest boat out lots of
times we have to go against 36 to 42 footers.

Last weekend we had the big party of the year, The Bandaras Bay Regatta. It
is four nights and three days of parties and racing. The Escape Velocity was
in a class with a Hunter 36, a Valiant 40, a Tartan 33, a Cal 30 and a Morgan
racing Yawl also about forty feet. We managed two seconds and a third which
was good enough for a second in our class. We would like to have beat them
all but I think that the S-2 certainly held it's own.

May be next year we could get some of you really fast, experienced racers
down with your boats and we could show these guys a thing or two. If you
like to sail and are looking for warm clear days with pretty constant wind
Puerto Vallarta is just what you need. Almost every day the wind goes from
about noon till dusk. The water temp this year has been about 72 degrees
just right for a little swim off the boat. This winter a friend of ours from
asked, "What is the down side to living in Puerto Vallarta?" I am still
trying to answer that question.

The season here pretty much is over by the first part of May. We are
planning on pulling the S-2 back to America around the end of April. The
crew is really concerned that we bring her back next year. We are sort of
heading for the Mid west and may be we'll see some of you S-2 types on the
high ways or lakes.
Your Amigos,
Bev and Ivan Murphy
ESCAPE VELOCITY hull #151


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updated: July 13, 1999
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