Spring time in El Salvador

Photos and text of the sailing voyages of Ketch 22

Naty and I made a trip to El Salvador in the spring, to check on Ketch 22 and soak in some sights in lovely El Salvador in Central America. We went first Barillas Marina where I had Ketch 22 tied to a mooring can.   After about 3 months on her own, she was dirty and had bats under the sail covers, but I didn't recognize the evidence.   Bats aren't the cleanest of mammals and have a tendency to leave fecal deposits where they sleep.   I still have the stains and the stench on my sails, although it's getting better with the passage of time.   It was only after I mentioned to the harbormaster Heriberto that I had bats aboard that he gave me the prevention.   "Ah senor, go to the kitchen and ask for several cloves of garlic that you must cut up and scatter around the entrance to their nest".   I remember thinking that he must have seen too many Dracula movies, but the cure actually worked rather well.

Barillas Marina

Barillas is a very special enclave in El Salvador, carved out from the surounding sugar cane fields during the now resoved civil war.   It's in a tidal estuary, well protected from storms and storm surge.   From check in to check out, the harbor master Heriberto was helpful in every respect.

Heading up river in the dinghy.

Life's a dinghy ride!

View of the mooring cans from the shade.

Siesta time at Barillas.

Under the canopy.

Spring time and the flowers are in bloom.

The Barillas compound grounds in bloom.

San Salvador, El Salvador

San Salvador , the capitol city of El Salvador.

La Libertad, nearby beach resort.

Naty working hard on her next business venture.

Surfer's paradise at La Coco in La Libertad.

Mayan town ruins, uncovered after being buried in volcanis ash for centuries.

In the mountains above San Salvador.

Our Bed & Breakfast in San Salvador.

One scrawny chicken.

Memorial to Bishop Romero, casualty of the USA funded civil war in El Salvador.

Bishop Romero's grave in cathedral.

Cathedral of San Salvador.

Government house, built during Spanish rule.

Inside the Government house.

Naty at the San Salvador national art museum.

After our too brief stay in El Salvador, Naty and I flew home, leaving Ketch 22 on her own at Barillas Marina.   Six months later the new crew and I came back and sailed to Costa Rica.

Click on Barillas to Costa Rica   to continue the journey.