Veracruz Regatta / Laguna de Sontecomapan

Kayaking is kind of like any other sport, you get out of it what you put into it. Our group of 8 had been working on increased speed, technique and endurance and were ready for the annual 18K (11.2 miles) regatta to be held in Veracruz. Lashing my kayak on top of our new built for adventure Outback, we headed over the high desert and mountains to the Gulf of Mexico.

The following morning, after a frenzied shopping spree for things our little town doesn’t have, we donned our racing attire and headed south to La Laguna, a village along a sheltered bay just off the ocean where dozens of cars, trucks and trailers were unloading kayaks. The morning  weather forecast indicated 8 mph winds, but by the time of the race at 4:00, winds were starting to pick up.  Halfway through the race, they were blowing at 15 mph. In these tropics, that kind of wind is usually welcome to combat the high humidity. They are not appreciated if you are going to be paddling across water that is being whipped into whitecaps that wash over your kayak sideways pushing you backwards!

On your mark, get set, (notice the blue sky ?…)

Starting to get ugly and it’s still only 8 mph wind..the blue sky has gone down for the count!

Over 100 entrants began the race, 40 finished….the top young super-heroes last year finished the race in 74 minutes. This year their fastest time was 2 1/2 hours. Jim was in one of the “rescue” boats picking up those who couldn’t go on or had capsized one-too-many times. I finished 2nd in the women’s division, while my compadre, Holly took first place. Four of the men in our group finished, two with first places and one with second. Graciously accepting our medals, our silent communication between each other said “I’m  going to have my brain check before going through this again!”

Morning brought a brilliant blue sky under which we headed south a few hours where we treated ourselves to a relaxing couple of days to a lagoon on a beautiful  peninsula, Laguna de Sontecomapan, which lies within the Los Tuxtla forest range. Putting kayaks in the water, we paddled across the lagoon to Los Amigos, a locally run property with tin-roofed cabins that zig-zagged up the hillside .  The ocean waters here are fed by crystal clear fresh-water from the surrounding lush hillsides.

Los Amigos, our lodging in Laguna de Sontecomapan

Afternoon siesta from my hammock perched on the front porch of our cabin with a view of the lake.

After taking to hammocks for a quick snooze, we got into our kayaks to go exploring the different little waterways that fed off the sides of the lagoon. Within the mangroves, yellow grasshoppers over 6″ long with black spots, lazed on water lilies in the shade, blue crabs sat at water’s edge on mangroves roots, exotic flowers hanging from trees dropped spent petals all around us, parrots screamed at us from high perches, huge multi-hued butterflies flitted along around us as we craned our necks to not miss anything.

Many of these friends of the lagoon flashed ahead of us seeming to lead us deeper through the mangroves.

Pods hanging from mangrove trees, a slight tap or two and presto, floral feather-duster.

Grey herons are also very prolific here.

Blue crab hiding in mangrove roots waiting it’s turn on our dinner plate.

Hiding places for blue crabs and other fresh-water fish.

The shores were heavily pockmarked with these shy crabs who would pop back down into their dug-out at the slightest provocation. Creepy curiosities, but harmless.

The biggest grasshoppers we’d ever seen. Hope I didn’t get one in my luggage or my tomato plants are a goner!

While out on our mangrove excursion, our host Valentina, went out in search of our dinner of fish, blue crab and langostina.  By the time we returned, the most scintillating smells drew us toward the kitchen under the heavily thatched palapa where cocktails awaited us.  Sitting down to eat at a long table created from polished tree planks, balanced upon whole tree trunks, we listened to the awakening of the night jungle around us.  Our feast did not disappoint us!

Heavy thunder and lightning storms interrupted our sleep each night as it thundered onto our corrugated tin roof, leaving mornings fresh and clean.  In a palapa high atop the hills above us, daybreak yoga class was conducted by Valentina amidst a flock of parrots who screamed hysterically as we attempted to bend our bodies in unnatural positions.   Infused  with a calm new energy, early the morning of our departure before sliding kayaks into the water for our return to the main village and then home, we were stopped by another stunning display of dawn in our adopted country.

Daybreak just before we paddled back across the lagoon to head home

Our next adventure to another magical place is already on the drawing board.

Hasta la Vista