Manglitos New Years Eve Party

I think I would prefer live music over a couple DJ's, but then again I haven't been to a New Years Eve Party in years. I hear the food there is great and overlooking the lagoon helps. Located on Avenue Veracruz close to the water taxis. 

Barra has two beaches

Two very different beaches in Barra de Navidad

Beach is in good shape moving towards Melaque

Not so good headed towards Malecon and Breakwater

Barra Galeria de Arte & Restaurant

Our restaurant is now open all three evenings for the high season. Please come by and visit us when you have a chance. Our menu is posted every week on our website ... Thank you, Robert & Rosy 

Barra Galeria de Arte & Restaurant

A Costalegre Christmas Tree

Not many Fir Trees around here. Almost like in honor of all the bananas that were lost in Hurricane Patricia.

Pobrecita Playa

A little help please

Barra beach - not a beach

This is really sad compared to what used to be a very pretty and user friendly beach. I think the dredge is still there so maybe they'll cover it with sand once again.

Barra Day of the Dead Celebration

This has been delayed until this weekend due to Hurricane Patricia

Saturday November 14-Music, Food, and Drink from 9:00 PM, Catrina contest 11:00

Contestants will be judged on costumes and make-up. 2 categories are children/others. The Catrina Contest is open to all. Sign up at Sea Master or Jarro Beach Bar.

Sunday and Monday November 15, 16 - Music, Food,and Drink from 9:00 PM

Incredibly. the businesses of Barra are going forward with the Day of the Dead celebration this weekend. Despite all the repairs and cleanup, these dedicated people are committed to celebrate the SECOND ANNUAL "FESTIVAL CALLEJERO GASTRONOMICO La Magia de Las Calaveras". The festival will last three days-October 31, November 1, and November 2.

Saturday October 31st - Music, Food and Drink from 9pm. Catrina Contest from 11pm

The Catrina Contest is open to all. Sign up ahead of time at either Sea Masters or Jarro Beach Bar. Competitors will be judged on costume and make-up. 2 categories are for children/others.

Sunday and Monday - Music, Food and Drink from 9pm

Please come out for a good time and to support the community of Barra de Navidad.

Barra waterfront after

The beach is extremely ugly but for the most part the rocks protected the buildings. The statue on the malecon is leaning a bit and there is rumor of a beach side pool cracking. My guess is it's the Alondra pool because it's closest to the beach and more likely to have an undercut foundation. 

Ugly beach

Careful

Ship runs aground outside Isla Navidad

I guess aiming straight out to sea was not in their plans. Hard to believe heading directly into the wind would not have avoided this unless they lost power

That's a tight squeeze

What does "dragged" mean ... under tow?

The Mexican cargo ship Los Llanitos is trapped between rock formations after it was dragged and ran aground during Hurricane Patricia near the town of Barra de Navidad, Mexico, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. The Mexican navy had to airlift 27 crewmembers of the ship, whose hull was badly damaged after it hit the rocks. The ship had left the port of Manzanillo to try to minimize the impact of the hurricane. Nobody was injured, according to the Navy.   AP

Calm before the storm

It will will not be this calm this afternoon when Hurricane Patricia comes ashore. Patricia turned into a CAT 5 over night and expected to land around Perula .... but it's so large it will effect the whole Jalisco coast. Possibility of some very large surf along with wind and rain.

From NOAA

...PATRICIA...
...THE STRONGEST EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC HURRICANE ON RECORD...
...HEADING FOR POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC LANDFALL IN SOUTHWESTERN
MEXICO LATER TODAY...

A different view

Barra from above

Maybe taken from a drone or the lawnmower man is back

Start of the cross bay swim

Leaving Barra de Navidad beach

The only good foto I found and no results posted anywhere.  The post below this is the notice for Saturday morning

Swim across the bay from Barra to Melaque

Got lots of energy?  Be on the beach in Barra tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I think I've seen a video of the finish line in West Melaque but that's all

6th annual swim from Barra de Navidad to Melaque - Oct. 3rd

A Barra visit

I had to go over to Barra de Navidad yesterday afternoon to meet with Libra Construction about drawing up plans for a construction project in Melaque I'm working on. They are located next to the ETN Bus station at the entrance to Barra on Veracruz.

Since I don't get over to Barra often I had to take a look at the beach. It's not sandy like may have been planned but the rocks look very solid preventing any erosion up to the buildings. Hurricane season isn't over till the end of November so for two more months there's still a chance. We'v been lucky with pretty calm weather so far this year.

Looks solid

A grey sunset 

Glen's street

Remember when Barra had a beach?

Probably not since this is from the 50's or 60's

Almost as big as Melaque

Spay and Neuter Clinic in Jaluco

CAMPAÑA DE ESTERILIZACIÓN / SPAY & NEUTER CAMPAIGN

Sólo 2 dias! Haz tu cita

Only 2 days! Make your appointment

Pro Animal Melaque

Barra de Navidad Malecon

7AM in the morning

Even though there is almost no beach left along this section .... the Malecon is still attractive. If we have a hurricane and nothing has been done the Malecon may be at risk.

Barra beach looking pretty sick

I haven't been over there in awhile so I don't know how it is with the rocks in front of the buildings but this section without any rocks is just about gone.  I assume the rocks are doing pretty well but then we haven't had any storms lately

Barra de Navidad lagoon in the morning

Barra de Navidad lagoon in the morning

Barra Beach Fotos

From the air

From the beach

Red Tide in Bahia de Navidad?

Last weekend in Manzanillo the sale of bivalve molluscs was banned due to Red Tide

Might be a good idea idea to use caution here

April 18, 2015

* The prohibition of selling is maintained or consume bivalve molluscs

The Ministry of Health and Welfare reported that the continued presence of toxic red tide in the bays of Manzanillo, so the ban on the marketing and consumption of bivalve molluscs is maintained, in order to avoid health risks of the population .

Derived from the operatives carried out jointly by the State Commission for Protection against Health Risks, COESPRIS with the Sixth Naval Region, through the Oceanographic Institute of the Pacific in Manzanillo, was verified with the sampling and analysis of sea water that remains that harmful algal bloom (HAB) in that part of the coast of Colima.

Therefore, said the injunction not to consume or sell bivalve molluscs such as oysters, clams, scallops and scallop margarita from wild harvest and / or stored at sea and estuaries that have detected the red tide, continue to whereas the results of the samples to determine the disappearance of the phenomenon.

Dependence recommended that people refrain from acquiring and consuming product sold in the street and beachfront by poachers and vendors; if so, go to places formally established and regulated by the health authority.

Also, he pointed out that in the case of people with open wounds and abrasions with susceptible skin, eye and upper respiratory tract and ear problems should refrain from entering the sea.

Finally, he mentioned that if you have tingling in the lips, numbness, diarrhea and abdominal pain, it is necessary that affected immediately come to medical attention and report if consumed oysters, clams or other shellfish 2 valves (shells).

Big waves everywhere

I saw this on the Facebook Cihuatlan page but there are large waves along the whole west coast of Mexico it seems. La Manzanilla is reporting large waves where they are usually very small. Yesterday in Melaque it looked like some beach tables were in danger.  I'll be in Barra a in few hours to see how the beach is doing.

Puerto Escondido where it's always large

And then there is always

History of Beisbol in Cihuatlan

It seems  a shame with the long history of Baseball in the area that when locals attempt to create a league for youngsters it falls flat and never goes anywhere. Five to six local teams were all outfitted with donations from up north but that was not enough to keep people interested. Back in 2008 I went to the Cihuatlan sports field with the Melaque team and their opponents never showed up. Oh well, soccer is alive and well.

Festival Sabores y Sonidos again

I don't go to many events and I had totally forgotten about this one. I expected the road trip to  Tequesquitlan with Glen to take up more of the day but we ended up back in Barra at 3:30-4. While walking around looking for a good salad at a reasonable price we could hear the music start up on the Plaza. Basically the food portion of the festival was a Mole competition. Each booth had chips and mole.

Lots of people. You had to buy a ticket to try the professional mole or a beer .... but it was a fundraiser so that made sense and all the money went in one direction. Lots of groups of girls dancing on stage but by the time we finished looking at all the food booths they finished and the Chido Rivera Band was on stage.

Professional mole booth side

Nice layout

Chido Rivera Band - really pretty good

A different look at the Barra Dunes

Eventually to be redistrbuted - eventually

Beach reconstruction in Barra de Navidad

First CAM Dinner in Barra de Navidad

Come to dinner at El Mangalito and support CAM School

The 23rd of February at 5PM

CAM or Atención Múltiple Cihuatlán is a special needs school in Barra

Fortress Barra de Navidad

Foto - Jack Brock

Even though it looks like they are building a wall around Barra, this is just sand dredged out of the lagoon behind and eventually will be spread down the beach where needed. Probably to be washed away next summer.

Festival Sabores y Sonidos

Tastes and Sounds of Barra February 28th

Amateur and professional cooking competition

Food categories

** Chicken Mole  ** Salsa  ** Seafood

Live Music and Folklore Dance

February 28th in the downtown Barra de Navidad Plaza

Festival - Carnaval Costalegre, Barra de Navidad

Festival - Carnaval Costalegre, Barra de Navidad 2015

Lots of music, parades and Coronations

Carnaval Costalegre - February 12 to 17

Carnaval Costalegre - Festival Barra de Naviadad

From the 12th to the 17th of February 

Some changes around Barra

Barra Foto Gallery

They've moved over to Mazatlan but only have food 2 days a week

The old Pipers is now Puerta del Sol

They are dredging again to bring more sand over to the ocean side

New Year's Eve Fireworks

New Year's Eve Fireworks over the Barra lagoon

The yearly display from the Grand Bay Hotel

Boat Fire in Barra

Pleasure boat fire in Barra de Navidad back in December

Evidently this fire started while the boat was tied up in front of someones house on the canals. Someone towed it out into the lagoon and let it go. Rumors of insurance money but who knows.