Having been in Troncones in February, we loaded quantities of books onto our readers, threw sunscreen into our bags, along with plenty of hot weather attire. Some of our friends had already arrived and were off in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa getting the lay of the land(or maybe it was getting more tequila, I forget). After unloading enough food, drinks and other supplies to last us a month, we headed for poolside to await their return. Recalling the reason we avoid the tropics in the summertime, my whining soon led to us learning the Spanish word- bojorno – which means steamy or hot flashes! Gathering in the pool was someone’s brilliant idea where trays of shotglasses and tequila awaited along with fresh shrimp, guacamole and other tasty snacks. Here we stayed until long into the evening.
Sunrise found us climbing into the back of a pickup to head for Manzanillo Bay lagoon to kayak with our local oceanographer and wildlife guide Alejandro.
During turtle egg laying season, the village tortuga sanctuary collects each batch, numbers them with date and # of eggs, and places them together under a netted tent. After 44-45 days, the eggs begin to hatch. At this time, that particular batch is dug up and carried within yards of the ocean where it is a delight to all observers to watch the little buggers waddle toward the water. Those wanting to briefly hold one of the turtles, is given a hand sanitizer and cautiously craddles the baby before returning it on it’s journey. Unbelievably, of the 1000’s sent on their way, only 3% will survive to return in 15 years to lay their own eggs.
Hurricane Dean descended on us rapidly, bringing pounding rain and lightning, along with thunder. Being the strongest storm seen in the area since the early 60’s, we were not surprised to see rain washing into our houses. Two separate earthquakes also rocked us while in Troncones, one a 6.0 and the other a 6.8. We were standing in the artisan’s market in Zihuatanejo the next morning, where two feet of flood water still stood in the booths, when suddenly the hastily constructed buildings and pavement began to roll. The streets were still belching water up out of the storm drains from the remains of the hurricane the previous night. All morning and all afternoon, water and mud were swept out of the booths. By evening, all was calm and normal.
Sunsets here are stunning, the people friendly, as in countless places in Mexico, but the humidity makes us completely understand why our Mexican Riviera friends head for San Miguel de Allende this time of year!