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Boaters
 One afternoon, almost eight years ago, while my family and I were building the Estudio-Café on the Nuevo Vallarta marina, our 2 year old daughter disappeared. I had never seen my wife so desperate; I too became anxious and feared the worst while in my mind I asked God to help me find the little one. One of our neighbors living on a boat found out about the problem and quickly reacted: he got on the VHF radio and hailed "attention the fleet..." and the fleet responded immediately. About 15 boaters came running, equipped with hand-held radios. Some brought bicycles. The one who called them led the search. I was given a radio and sent to the first gate to Nuevo Vallarta with instructions not to let any vehicle leave without the police inspecting it to check if my girl was inside. Each one of those attending was given a description of my daughter and the dress she was wearing and then dispatched to the various areas around, while, he monitored and kept constant communication with all. In my distress I could not help thinking what our life and projects would be like without the happy presence of our daughter. Some 15 minutes of total angst passed slowly and then, over the radio, I heard my name and I was blessed with the report she had been found alive and well. One of the boaters saw her three blocks away, near the Port Captain's office and brought her back. Interestingly, she had some toys with her which we never knew how she got. This was our first encounter with the Nuevo Vallarta boating community.
This is the way of the boaters: always quick to lend a hand, accustomed to promptly react to any emergency. Retired, most of them, with ample experience and knowledge accumulated through fifty plus years. Respectful of life in all of its forms and mindful of customs and of different peoples. They are moved by a free spirit and a fervent illusion, they are proud to live on a floating house that may move over the sea, pushed by the winds. When help is needed, one single boater -whether man of woman- will be worth many common people. Such is their resourcefulness. While they sail along Mexican coasts they are different from tourists and other visitors in that they mix with the locals and share their table and beer, the latter which they are known to consume in considerable amounts. They may be found to be American, Canadian, New Zealender kiwis and even Mexican, yet mostly they come from the Northern Pacific coast. Many start from San Diego, sailing down the Baja into the Sea of Cortez, down to Mazatlán with intention to circumnavigate the globe "puddle-jumping" to the Marquesas, Fidji, New Zealand, Polynesia, India, Africa...but very few really make this long voyage. Bluewater sailing can be exhausting. A heavy toll is paid in time, tear and wear of equipment, and even age. Once they pass by our beautiful Vallarta they are in need of rest. Many do stay "to wait out the hurricane season" or "on the dry, for repairs". The months at the dock then turn into years in our marinas while they acquaint with the area and fall in love with Banderas Bay. One day it happens that the head female crew member wakes up and says: "I need more space for cooking and for my things". Thus begins the search for a condo. Sooner or later she convinces him and they transform from boaters to immigrants. These are my neighbors at the Estudio-Café, which fill our Vallarta experience with colorful and incredible stories.
Thorugh the years of living by the water on the Chino Canal in Nuevo Vallarta I have collected boating anecdotes. The sea stories I could tell could fill more than Jimmy Buffet's books; they cannot be imagined in this little article. I owe part of the construction of my studio and restaurant to boaters. It was a boater who did our plumbing (in more than 8 years of heavy duty operation it has never clogged or smelled). Another boater, a shipwright, did our wooden stairway and part of our loft, which visitors always praise for its unique design and beauty. On one occasion I needed to lift a 30 feet long iron beam. The welder was ready, but the crane would not show up. I got on the radio and enough men arrived from the boats to lift and hold the beam while it was welded, barn-raising style. The radio is part of what keeps this unique folklorical community which my family and I have become part of. Every morning on channel 22 VHF, the "net" provides information useful to all of us living by the Banderas Bay coast. Taking turns for each day, one volunteer monitors for orderly broadcast of its different parts: listening for emergencies, roll call, the weather and tides, general announcements, rides around the bay, services offered or needed, treasures of the bilge, lost and found, ending with some humorous note. I understand, from the comments I hear, our net is the best. It provides great community service, some of the information provided is vital, plus it fosters commerce and great relations. In years past, we have celebrated the net by inviting its volunteer monitors to a free dinner at the Estudio-Café so other may get to know their faces, yet I get the feeling they do not like to be seen much by the general public, so in this humble way, through this article in the local news, I mean to celebrate them now. Thank-you Arn (deceased), Ron, Jan, Ronnie, Lupe, Annie and others I may be leaving out. You are welcome to a free dinner, even if you come under cover.
The painting accompanying this article depicts the sailing vessel "Escape Velocity" which a few years ago was owned by Bev and Ivan Murphy. I was fortunate to crew for them during the three consecutive International Banderas Bay Regattas it won. For this and for endless other joys and favors, too many to mention, I hereby sincerely thank and honor my friends, the boaters.
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Federico León de la Vega
E-mail: fleondelavega@hotmail.com
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Author Note: This is a chapter of a book I am writing about my adventures as a painter artist.
The Federico León de la Vega Estudo – Café is open to the public and is located in Paseo de la Marina 31, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
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