Sailing, Sailing

This beautiful resort is Casa Arabe and is the starting point for our sailing adventure. We descended the 52 steps to the bay knowing full well, we would have to climb them when we returned. Our Captain was Flo and her first mate and tour guide was Amy. I love a female captain! We traveled with two other guests, Daniel and Rose from Holland. The weather was perfect with just enough wind to sail a bit, then motor a bit, then back to sailing. The cloud cover protected us from the glaring sun and made the afternoon very comfortable.

Our first stop was just off shore of an abandoned resort, built back in the early 1980s. This building has over 400 rooms that were never used. The Governor at the time wanted to do something good for the community and provide jobs for the local residents. He partnered with a local cartel to launder their money and began construction. The community was very appreciative until another cartel wanted in on the deal, the federal government realized what was happening, and the project was stopped - ultimately abandoned. As work stopped, the workers weren’t paid so they ravaged what was available on the site to sell and try to get some compensation. The Governor fled to the USA, where he was captured and spent many years in a USA prison. He is now back in the community, but under house arrest until the Mexican government can decide what to do with him.

A bit of relevant history - in those days, local people could squat on land and homestead it. If they showed progress, the government would give them the land. The land this resort is sitting on had been homesteaded and deeded to several different families - the Governor didn’t care and the people were too poor to legally fight it. When the project was abandoned, they couldn’t decide what to do with it as it crosses over multiple property lines. If they tear it down, who will pay for it? They can’t divide the building up as the local land owners can’t afford it. So it sits, vacant, abandoned, and falling apart.

The next stop was just off a small island dedicated as a bird sanctuary. We couldn’t get very close but it was fun to just lounge in the water and listen to the birds chatter. But we found the kissing birds…