Feliz Aňo Nuevo!

We began this leg of our journey with an overnight sail from the Marina La Cruz in Banderas Bay to Chemela (approximately 80 miles south). I haven't said enough about overnight sailing, so what I will say here is that it is a truly awesome experience to be riding on the surface of a dark ocean with brilliant stars overhead; intimately connected to moonrise and moonset; anticipating sunrise, then watching its unfolding; the muffled sounds of birds, water, sails; the vast space all around; the opportunity to spend the wee hours of the morning in the presence of Jim Lambert.... I could go on forever about these rare moments.

Long-awaited sunrise after an overnight sail

Our trip south took a few days after that initial push. We couldn't see much past Kimmy's enlarged tummy (ha!) and her and Randy's excitement about becoming parents. They are doing great, as you can see.

We arrived at our destination, Barra Navidad, on New Year's Eve, where Lindsay and Beto (Ryan's cousin and her husband, who is a real-live Mexican:) joined us all the way from Queretero, where they live. Laura and Jim had amazing foresight when they planned for all of us to be together in Barra. The marina sits at the base of a beautiful hotel/resort, and across a lagoon from a funky little Mexican beach town, which even has a surfing wave (I got to give it a try on New Year's Day!). We have definitely been enjoying the best of both worlds here!

Having Lindsey and Beto with us has been great, not only because they are real-live Mexicans, but also because they excel in storytelling and laughter. They have helped us immensely with our spanish, mostly by being patient with us, and also helped us find "the real Mexico," as Beto described it, on New Year's eve. In lounge chairs by a still couryard pool, we listened and watched as two couples gracefully danced, first Merengue, then Tango, to the rich music of one man's guitar. It was so magical that Ryan kept asking, "Is this real?", and then he got stung by a bee, as if the bee was saying, "Yes! Duh!" In keeping with tradition, each of us made 12 wishes, or resolutions, for the new year and then, as the clock struck 12, we ate 12 grapes, one at a time, while inwardly noting each of our goals. After everyone had stuffed their faces full of grapes, they sang the Mexican birthday song, which makes sense, if you think about it. What a world of possibility has opened to us for this new year: 12 whole wishes!!!

We hope that all of you, wherever you are, have also put your wishes and resolutions out there for this new year, and that they will be fulfilled. Dream big!!!

With love from Brainstorm,
Jess, Ryan, and, indirectly but wholeheartedly, Laura, Jim, Kimmy, Randy, Lindsey, and Beto