(2010 Rally) RALLY PRIZE COMMITTEE WORKING OVERTIME!

The rally folks in El Salvador are working very hard and just forwarded another nice list of rally prizes.  Oh my, is this going to be fun or what?

Dinghy dock at the restaurant

RESTAURANT MAR y SOL, COSTA DEL SOL

How about two free dinners? If you win this prize you can just jump into your dinghy and in a few minutes tie up at the floating dock in front of Restaurant Mar y Sol. It is a great place to enjoy an inexpensive meal, a cold beer, and watch daily life along the estuary.

Open-air with a view

The restaurant is situated over the water on a covered, open-air deck. The simple menu offers grilled or fried fish, various mariscos, and basic Salvadorian dishes. Mar y Sol also sells beer and soda by the case and bagged ice from purified water. You can bring your laundry up and usually have it back the next day. Cloths are machine washed and line-dried and it is pretty inexpensive.

The restaurant hours vary by season. Click on the sponsor link to read a review from Frommer’s.

RESTAURANT ACAJUTLA, COSTA DEL SOL

More fine dining over the water

Acajutla is part of a well-reputed 20-year old El Salvadorian seafood chain and is also located in the anchorage about a mile from Bahia del Sol. Acajutla is also offering two ($20) free dinners as well as hosting a rally get-aquainted happy hour with free boquitas. The up-scale restaurant offers entrees in the $12 to $18 range. Among the best item on the menu is the seasonal mixed grilled lobster and crab with butter and garlic sauce. The sopa de marisco is quite hearty, and most of Acajutla's entrees are huge by El Salvador standards. Like most estuary side restaurants the food is served on a covered, open-air deck over the water. Click on the sponsor link to read a review. You can also view a video by clicking on the restaurant name in the “Links” list.

MARINSIA MARINE STORE, SAN SALVADOR

Marinsa is the biggest marine supply store in the area. It has locations in Central and South America. The El Salvador store is located in Colonia Escalon, in the capitol city of San Salvador. That being said don’t expect to walk in and see shelves full of goodies like West Marine but they do have quite a few items available. Gabriel Alvarado who speaks English and can help with getting parts shipped into El Salvador runs Marinsa. Gabriel is giving us, get this: three $75 store coupons! In the past Gabriel has helped a lot of cruisers find needed parts. From time to time you may see Gabriel and his family boating in the estuary.

BARRACUDA MARINE STORE, COSTA DEL SOL

This is a new offshoot store of Marinsa Marine and is located just a short distance from the anchorage. Although it is small they are willing to order or deliver parts from their main store in San Salvador to their Bahia store saving you a trip to the city. They gave us a $25 coupon for use in their store.