Secret lagoon road

We were out looking at lots the other day and came into Barra on the back road that angles in from near Aguacate. I thought of the secret road out to the lagoon near the high school and we decided to take a look. The road is pretty bad and you really should have a truck. It's a narrow two wheel track and you just hope you don't meet anyone coming the other way. It would make a nice country bike ride. There used to be a large catamaran hull sitting on the beach but a few kids said that they finally hauled it away. It was a real eye sore. A few locals have put up a fence to keep their goats together. There's no problem going thru but just close the gate after you in both directions.

The beach at the end of the road


Goats at the gate


I came across this older sunset foto from Barra

Scenes around Barra de Navidad

Some friends were here for 2 weeks over Christmas that had lived in Barra about 5 years ago. We spent the day walking and eating our way thru town. A couple of hours during the long happy hour around the Hotel Sands pool, driving around the canals with all the fancy homes and checking out all the new shops, bars and restaurants. There is much more competition in Barra than neighboring Melaque to make things fancy and upscale and expensive - but there is a lot to choose from and definately more music and nightlife

The lagoon


The canals


The streets


Seamaster at night

The Beach and Surf in Barra de Navidad

Summer Surf is coming
It's getting warmer and the waves bigger. Very few gringos around but still plenty of Mexican tourists on the weekends. Can't wait until we have some weather move up the coast and see what the surf is like then. Last summer I spent most of my time in the cooler climates of Patzcuaro and Cuernavaca taking Spanish classes.

Umbrellas on the Beach


Statue marking the beginning of the Costalegre


A couple of good surfers out


15 people out in early afternoon

Surfing - Barra de Navidad

Surfing off the Barra de Navidad Jetty
From time to time in the winter the surf is pretty good in Barra but some days there is nothing. This day in Feburary 2006 the surf was some of the best winter surf I've seen there. I can be much larger during the summer season. Go through town to the Malecon that goes out to the jetty and harbor entrance. Easy water entrance from either side of the break. There is a rental shack on the Malecon that also offers lessons. During the summer you'll have to rent a board in town at one of the few shops

Rental Shack on the Malecon


Town of Melaque in the background


Even winter surf can be fun


Pulling up?

Colimilla by Water Taxi

We were going to go over to the Grand Bay Hotel to look at kayaks but the water taxi guys tried everything to dissuade us. Too expensive and there might be a problem walking from the hotel to Colimilla, which is very close. So we decided just to take the taxi directly to Colimilla, have a beer, lunch and walk around a bit. We ate at Restaurant Colimilla and could have done better. Prices were a little high, food not special ... and no options other than seafood.





Leaving the water taxi dock


Passing the "Mexican" side of the Barra beach


Passing by a few small boats in the Grand Bay Hotel Marina


Restaurant Mary on the south side of Colimilla


A young salesman working tourists in Restaurant Colimilla


Relaxing in Restaurant Colimilla