Cruise Log #34, Refugio back to BLA

SolMate's route from Puerto
Refugio back to BLA for a date with some great kids.

An enriching experience was set off by a whole string of serendipitous meetings - Jay and Janice on Ceilidh introduced us to their cool palapa neighbors, Larry and Lois. Larry and Lois invited us to their 4th of July party, where they introduced us to Carolina, who's lived in BLA for 35 years and is deeply involved in the community. Carolina runs the museum, and she in turn introduced us to a couple of the kids and staff from Aquatic Adventures (AA), who were working on a shark exhibit.

Jay, Janice, and Carolina (are Larry and Lois camera-shy?)

Aquatic Adventures director, Shara.

The Nakia, SolMate and Liberty crews finagled an invite to the AA field station, where fourteen Hoover High kids from San Diego lived during their six-week stay in Bahía. JABA, a local conservation group, was presenting the evening we visited. Not only did we receive a personalized tour of the facility, but we also enjoyed JABA's presentation, and then we were invited to stay for enchilada dinner.

Multi-purpose patio at the field station. Overlooking the bay, it served as auditorium and
bedroom. Chairs came out for presentations, cots came out for sleep...the whale remained static.

In return for their great hospitality, we cruisers offered our services to AA...for whatever. The staff put their heads together and decided that a daysail for the kids would be much appreciated. It just so happened they had a loose schedule one weekend, so they penciled us in. A few recruiting calls and seven boats signed on for a day with the kids (but Liberty had to cnx). Boats involved were Caravan with Vicky, Gene, Fiona and Clipper the Shipperkee; Ceilidh with Jay, Janice and Bad Dog Buster; Milagro with Lance, Jo, and Guard Puppy Rocky, Nakia with John and Linda, Overheated with Daryl and Rita, and SolMate with us and El Gato Gale.

Caravan and Ceilidh with special crewmembers...

...Milagro and Nakia...

...and Overheated and SolMate.

Stan collecting our daysail crew, (from left) Jeremiah (senior),
Antonio (sophomore), Margaret (teacher), and Nizael (senior).

No work for the owners...
willing crew (from left) Antonio, Jeremiah, Margaret and Nizael.

Cruise highlight? Antonio enjoying
the post-sail swinging & swimming.

Sailing around the bay for a couple hours, we learned more about our captive audience, about the Bahía program and about Aquatic Adventures. The goal of Aquatic Adventures is to supplement programs in schools where budget cuts have reduced coverage of the sciences. They are a non-profit performing a critical service to talented kids who would otherwise miss out.

Later in the week we visited their internet website (http://www.aquaticadventures.org), learned even more, and were suitably impressed - check them out - DONATE!

The next week the kids invited all six boatloads to the museum for an open house and the unveiling of their shark exhibit. The open house also included a wrap-up of the other two legacy projects that the kids worked on while they were here. One group taught marine biology to local village kids, another group constructed and installed informational signs for the dump, the museum and the sand spit. Their community service was in addition to their research projects in marine biology and ecology.

Jeremiah
talking sharks at the unveiling of the shark exhibit.

Quite a group of Mexicans and Americans showed up for the open house. It was very impressive to see how poised and self-assured the kids were as they provided the Bahía community a bilingual presentation.

Another legacy group
presenting a recap of their community service efforts.

These kids, through research and community projects, are making a difference. Aquatic Adventures, through their Bahía - and other - education programs, is opening doors. Check out their website, give them lots of money, ask your company to make a corporate donation!