TURNING WASTE INTO OPPORTUNITY AT FINCA HAMBURGO CHIAPAS, MEXICO

TURNING WASTE INTO OPPORTUNITY

FINCA HAMBURGO, CHIAPAS, MEXICO

Re-Creativa Sustentable Finca Hamburgo

At Re-Creativa, we are more than just a recycling project—we are a community of six women from Finca Hamburgo, deeply committed to turning waste into opportunity. What started as a simple idea has grown into a powerful initiative where we transform plastic waste into beautiful, functional products. Not only are we making a positive impact on the environment, but we are also creating economic opportunities for ourselves and other women in rural communities, right here in the heart of Chiapas, Mexico.

6 deeply committed women turning waste into opportunity in Chiapas, Mexico

Our Journey to Sustainability

Living in the lush mountains of Chiapas, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, we’ve seen firsthand the challenges posed by plastic waste. There is little infrastructure here for waste management, and much of the plastic ends up in rivers or lands in open dumps, damaging our environment. We knew something had to change.

That’s when we teamed up with In Mocean and Finca Hamburgo, our home. Finca Hamburgo is a historic coffee farm in the heart of Chiapas, and it became the perfect foundation for us to build something meaningful. Together, we began the journey to create a space where we could recycle plastic waste and turn it into useful, sell'able products—helping the planet and creating opportunities for our community.

Education is a imperative component of addressing the plastic pollution.

Transforming Plastic into Creativity

It all started with a workshop. Nike, a passionate sailor and founder of In Mocean, reached out to us and offered to lead an introductory workshop at Finca Hamburgo. We invited women and children from the community to join, and together we learned how to make simple drafts from shredded plastic. Over two days, the idea of Re-Creativa started to take shape. We realized we could turn plastic waste into something more—something creative, useful, and impactful.

From that moment on, we knew we had to build something lasting: a community-led recycling workspace where we could create, learn, and contribute to a cleaner, greener future.

Earrings are just one of the items re-created from plastic waste

Setting Up Our Workspace

With support from In Mocean, the REESE Gruppe, and generous donors, we received the equipment we needed—machines like a shredder and an extruder. Just two weeks after our first workshop, Nike and Maria (co-founder of In Mocean) returned to Finca Hamburgo, and we got to work. We learned how to operate the machines, sort plastics, and use our creativity to make products that would not only help the environment but also generate income.

Our first creations were colorful earrings made from shredded plastic. We quickly began to experiment, crafting bowls and beams using the extruder. But it wasn’t just about making things—it was about learning how to run our new workspace as a small business. We discussed how to generate income, market our products, and sustain this new venture for the long term.

The machine that is used to shred the collected, washed, and sorted plastic.

Early Successes and Growing Together

As we took ownership of Re-Creativa, we named our workspace and even designed our logo. We set up an Instagram account to showcase our creations, and soon, the sales started rolling in. The money we earned helped support our families and fueled our passion for the project. With each new product, we saw our skills grow, and we began working on a new goal: our first prototype for a chair made from recycled beams.

What makes Re-Creativa so special is the sense of community we’ve built together. We are no longer just recycling plastic—we are creating something bigger than ourselves. The bond we share as we work, learn, and grow together is the heart of this project. We’ve even begun hosting workshops in schools and cultural centers in Tapachula, sharing our journey and encouraging others to join the movement.

Re-creativa is creating community on many levels to take waste, beautify their immediate environment, and create a new local economic opportunity.

A Beacon of Sustainable Change

For us, Re-Creativa is more than just a workspace—it’s a beacon of hope. It shows that even small, simple actions can lead to big changes. By turning waste into valuable products, we’re not only helping the environment, but we’re also creating opportunities, building a sense of community, and inspiring others to act.

As we continue to grow, we are more determined than ever to transform waste into creativity, opportunity, and empowerment. We know that this is just the beginning, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us.

Join Us for a Recycling Workshop and Visit Finca Hamburgo

We’d love for you to come and visit us at Finca Hamburgo. Experience the beauty of our home and see firsthand the work we’re doing at Re-Creativa. Join us for a hands-on recycling workshop, where you’ll learn how we turn plastic waste into creative, functional products. It’s a chance to connect with our community, see the impact of our work, and be part of the positive change we’re building together.

From la Marina in Tapachula Chiapas it’s a 2 hour drive to Finca Hamburgo. For more information about the hotel, restaurant and spa, please contact Ulises: +52 962 153 2916.
Any information about coffee or the recycling workshop, I am happy to help.
Let me know of you need any more information.
Hear from you soon.
Lisa

SEWING ON BOATS

SEWING ON BOATS:

PHIFERTEX BRINGS ON THE SHADE &

TAKES DOWN THE TEMPERATURE

Phifertex is a versatile woven shade cloth.

By Nicole Smith on SV MAISON DE SANTÉ

Phifertex is a very effective for use on the inside of your boat and the outside. We have large dual pane glass windows in our salon which are great for seeing outside while cooking/eating/hanging out inside but they get hot and radiate lots of heat inside the boat.  I did not want to have to install snaps on the outside of our boat for Phifertex shades but wanted the UV protection, shade, and cooling effects.  So, I made individual shades for each of our 9 windows and they are great! It’s hard to see in the pictures but with the shade it’s 82 degrees with the heat gun. Without the shade it shows 135 degrees! Of course there is some variance in degrees depending on where you point the gun on the window but wow, do these help (for reference it’s 9am with sun beaming on these windows). I used Velcro at the corners to keep in place and for some of the shades used coated flexible garden wire sewn inside the outside trim so it keeps it shape and doesn’t droop down. An added bonus is that they provide decent shade like a curtain but we can still enjoy our views. I hope others might find this useful 😀

It’s a hot sunny morning in Panama 🇵🇦.

The left window with the new shade and the right window without a shade
Heat gun reads 82 degrees Fahrenheit with the new window shade.
Heat Gun reads 135 degrees Fahrenheit without any window shade.

SY MAISON DE SANTÉ 🇺🇸 Nicole & Keenan -  Cal 46'

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECENT UPGRADE THAT KEEPS YOUR BOAT COOLER IN HOT PLACES!


POSSE PERK: 📹 Free Video EDUCATIONAL Seminars

POSSE PERK: 📹 Free Live & Video

EDUCATIONAL

Navigation Software Open CPN Seminars

opencpn

A huge Posse Perk is access to both live and recorded seminars on a variety of relevant cruising topics.  Of particular relevance are the navigational seminars related to using OPEN CPN for navigation.   Open CPN allows you access to multiple views (from different satellite views to different charts) of one location in one location.  One can plan routes and load in weather files among other capabilities.  There is a lot to learn in order to use Open CPN to it's potential which is why the Ocean Posse offers educational seminars.

LIVE Navigational Cruising Seminars coming up in San Diego:

  1. Open CPN - installation and integration (PC + MAC )
  2. Weather Weather Weather – planning – routing – underway
  3. Open CPN – Satellite Charts – Use Cases and Satellite Chart creation
  4. Chart Accuracy, Navigation Trips and Tricks & Tracking

Navigational seminars currently available to Ocean Posse members online:

  1. OPEN CPN MAKE CHARTS
  2. CREATE .MBTILES WITH SASPLANET
  3. OPEN CPN WITH ROB FROM AVANT OCT 23
  4. ADVANCED SAT2CHART: MAKE GOOGLE EARTH CHART OVERLAYS WITH PAUL HIGGINS
  5. OPEN CPN USE CASE

Posse members can click on this link to log into the site to view all these and more.

In Open CPN one can plan routes, record tracks, export and import tracks.

POSSE PERK: Free aid to navigation 150 Gb OpenCPN satellite charts (mac/pc/android)

POSSE PERK: 🗺️ Free aid to navigation

150 Gb OpenCPN satellite charts (mac/pc/android)

PLUS vetted tracks to safe anchorages

Ocean Posse member SV Whirlwind's navigation station prepping to enter Raroia, Tuamotus.  Three data sets: Radar (top left), Navionics with satellite overlan (bottom left), & OpenCPN (Bottom right) with vetted tracks overlayed on satellite chart to follow safe route through the Raroia Atoll in the Tuamotus.

Open CPN is a chartplotter navigation software that allows mariners to upload multiple charts and satellites images that can be overlayed on one another to confirm what one sees (or does not see) with the chart.  It is a huge departure from the days of early explorers that navigated by compass, distant accounts, clouds, and stars.  Open CPN takes navigating to a whole different level filled with information.  Ocean Posse members have access to relavent Open CPN Charts and Files that aid navigation and keep vessels and crews safer on the water.  SV Whirlwind used Open CPN above to navigate an entrance through a passage in a reef into an atoll.

They went from this:

Outside the Atoll the open Ocean

To This:

 

Mike setting floats on our anchor chain in Raroia, Tuomotus
Bliss

Ocean Posse members have access to Open CPN Charts, tracks, and How to Seminars

STAY SAFE AND NAVIGATE WITH CONFIDENCE

*IMPORTANT OpenCPN Version 5.10.0 was released August 10, 2024*

5.10.0 is a service/maintenance version to 5.8.4.

OpenCPN 5.10.0 series contains some new features and improvements "under the hood". Many of these changes make OpenCPN work even better.
.

Among them are:

- Grib plugin adds direct GRIB file download capability from multiple online resources.
- Enhanced native NMEA2000 network interface capability from numerous third party gateway devices.
- Update core wxWidgets support to wx3.25.
- Full support for Flatpak on virtually all linux distributions, for both x86 and Arm64 architectures.
- Native support for generic Debian linux distributions, particularly plugin system.
- Improved OpenGL graphics support and performance on all platforms.
- Incorporated extensive user feedback to resolve various UI flaws and functional errors.
- Improved embedded User Manual, mirroring evolving online Wiki presentation.
- Improved reliability and stability across all platforms.

It can be downloaded at https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/downloadopencpn.html

 


laying up on the hard

LAYING UP ON THE HARD

LAYING UP AVANT

SY AVANT  🇨🇦 Rob & Debra – Beneteau 43.5′

We’ve had Avant offshore for a few years now and have developed a routine for
laying her up for the off season. It’s a fair amount of work, but pays
dividends in letting us come back to a vessel that’s not suffering from
mold or mildew, and hasn’t degraded (much) from the weather when we’re
away. We have set Avant up to wait for us on the hard and in the water,
and each has its unique requirements.  Preparing the boat takes a
few days, but the effort pays dividends on our return.

MOLD

Mold is perhaps the most pernicious hazard for a laid up boat in the
tropics. If it gets a foothold, the warm, moist interior of the boat is
the perfect environment for it to grow, and it will grow everywhere, on
any surface. To forestall its growth, we clean the interior aggressively
and then spray all surfaces with a mixture of straight vinegar mixed
with a drop of dish soap per litre/quart (the dish soap is a surfactant
and stops the vinegar from beading), wipe them with a cloth wet with the
same mixture and allow the vinegar to dry in place. The ph value of
vinegar is antithetical to mold growth, and it simply won’t start where
there is vinegar on the surface. The smell is overwhelming on
application, but fades in an hour or so, and is undetectable on our
return. We also mist curtains and cushions with the same mixture, spray
liberally in the bilge, and leave a few bowls filled with just vinegar
(no soap) in various places around the boat to evaporate while we’re
away. We use at least a couple for gallons for this process.

AVANT TARP

View under the sun shade awning as we start to ‘gift wrap’ the rig with aluminum foil.

TARPS

Tarps are used for a couple of things: to keep sun off the decks and thus
control heat, and to keep the rain off portions of the deck. We use
them, but under the tarps we do get algae on deck.

BUGS

Of course, we live in fear of a bug infestation of some sort while away.
We buy cockroach bait (apparently the kind that comes in a tube like
toothpaste is best) and roach hotels and place them around the boat. We
use the whole tube, as this is not the place for half measures. We have
found two dead roaches and no live ones aboard on our return in the 14
years we’ve been laying up. We shudder to think how many we might have
found without the poison set out.

FOOD

The temperatures in the interior of the boat will be extreme: in the Sea of
Cortez, interior temperatures of 140°f/60°c are typically reached daily
for a boat on the hard for weeks at a time, and 120°f/49°c for a boat
in the water. We have had cans of food explode from the heat, and an
unopened bottle of ketchup left aboard cooked in the heat to turn the
rich dark brown colour of bbq sauce. For unopened food we want to try to
keep, we get small plastic bin liner bags and after emptying and dosing
the interior of the lockers with their vinegar wipe-down, we double bag
the food in small batches and stow back in the lockers. If a can
explodes it will do so inside the bag and the mess will be contained to
the ½ dozen or so items sharing the bag with it.

PLASTIC

Items made of plastic do not fare well. The heat and UV bake them. For items
below decks, we wet out a cloth with ArmorAll, Aerospace 303 or a
similar plastic treatment (easily found at auto stores) and wet wipe
them down. For items on deck that can’t be removed and brought below, we
treat them with protectant, wrap them in a layer of paper towel, wrap
aluminum foil over that (two layers of cheap tin foil seems to work
better than a single layer of thicker expensive stuff) and then secure
the tin foil with liberal amounts of duct tape (being very careful the
duct tape only adheres to the tin foil and not to anything under it). On
our return we find the duct tape has usually been reduced to a skeleton
of the reinforcement fabric and is easily removed.

We also wrap winches, blocks and all other deck hardware in a similar
fashion. UV will destroy the ball bearings in ball bearing blocks.

ZIPPERS AND SNAPS

Zippers and snaps like to corrode shut while the boat is laid up. We rub them
with cheap dollar store chapstick or lip balm (cheap lip balm is usually
a mix of waxes and petroleum oils like Vaseline) to increase the
chances they will work when we return.

ELASTIC

Elastic will no longer be after a season of baking in the heat. Shock cords
should not be used to secure anything as they will perish. Elastic in
clothing and swimming suits may not be elastic on your return.

LIGHTNING

Grounding. Most vessels are poorly grounded, and their grounding is ineffective
when hauled (yes, you can be struck by lightning when on the hard). You
can ground your boat quickly and simply with a set of jumper cables (or
add these to increase the grounding)

If in the water, we buy a set of cheap but fairly thick jumper cables.
Separate into two wires. Remove one clamp from each wire, strip back a
couple or six inches of insulation and ‘fray’ the end (or keep the clamp
and clamp it to a 1’x1’ metal plate) to make a better ground connection
with the water. We attach remaining clamp to a top shroud or other bit
of metal that connects to near the masthead and throw the frayed/plated
end in the water. One cable on the port side, one cable on the starboard
side.

If on the hard, separate cables and attach one to the top shrouds and Jack
stands on the port side, the other to the same points on starboard.

In either case, the cables will be trash at the end of the season, as they
are not designed for continuous outdoor use. Brushing clamps with wax,
Vaseline or any other topical protectant helps them rust less and look
better longer. Even if you *think* your boat might be/is well grounded,
these jumper cable tricks will ensure/increase the protection.

We gather up all portable and easily de-mounted electronics (hand held VHF
and GPS units, epirbs, led flashlights, portable radios, etc.) and wrap
them in paper towel, then in tin foil, then in plastic food wrap
(secured with masking tape), and then place them in the oven as a kind
of double faraday cage. We disconnect all antennas and easily unplugged
items like chartplotters, AIS, VHF, etc. and leave them disconnected and
just hanging to disrupt possible paths for lightning.

BATTERIES

Small batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, silver cells like A76, CR2025 and CR2032,
etc.) are removed from whatever they are powering, gathered,
inventoried and given away. They won’t be any good when we come back,
and we need to know how many and of what type we will need to bring when
we return.

The ships batteries (house and starting) we leave connected to our solar
array for charging while we’re away, to make sure power is available to
our bilge pumps. We disconnect (switch off at the panel) the shore side
charger as superfluous.

BILGE PUMPS 

We inspect and test our bilge pumps. Avant will take on a bit of water
through the mast, and other leaks may appear over the season. We want a
bone-dry bilge to keep interior humidity down. We know of several
cruisers who have had a battery die due to bilge pump pumping, and
another couple who lost their boat to flooding while on the hard (their
cockpit drains blocked and water flooded in the companionway in a
tropical storm). If your boat has a garboard plug, you can leave it out
if you’re on the hard, and if it doesn’t and the concept works for your
hull form you can consider adding one.

THROUGH HULLS

We  close all through hulls and tank vents and stuff stainless steel
scrubbies or rolled up green scrubbies in them if we’re on the hard. The
scrubbies prevent bugs from nesting in the holes. Some cruisers use
bromine tablets (for hot tubs) in their raw water strainers to
discourage growth there.

HEAD AND HOLDING TANK

We empty the holding tank and pump in 1 – 1½ gallons or so of vinegar and a
liberal amount of Pinõl or Lysol type cleanser. Better to have that
bake in the heat than what was in there before, and a completely dry
tank will form concrete-like deposits.

SAILS AND CANVAS

Sails and canvas are removed, inspected, repaired, cleaned, and neatly folded to be stowed below.

ENGINE

Our engine enjoys an oil change, fluid top up and wipe-down with an oily
rag before we go, and we leave the compartment door ajar so air can
circulate there too.  Many cruisers do a freshwater flush of the
exhaust as well, but we don’t bother.  Outboards are freshwater
flushed, given their annual service, and run dry of fuel before stowing below.

FUEL TANKS

Diesel tanks are filled to the top and treated with biocide (BioBore or
similar). Gas tanks are emptied, the gasoline given away, and the
plastic tanks are treated with ArmorAll or similar. We don’t bother
trying to ‘stabilize’ gasoline for storage, the quantity doesn’t justify
it. Jerry cans are emptied and treated with ArmorAll or similar. The
empty jerry cans and gas tanks are stored below.

PROPANE

We simply shut off the propane at the tanks.

WATER TANKS

Water tanks are emptied. When we return, we treat them as if contaminated as
recommended in this article. The water pump (and all other breakers save
the bilge pumps) is shut off.

MOORING LINES AND FENDERS

If we’re in the water, we double all mooring lines and add chafe guard (we
use fire hose) at all chafe points. We buy cheap children’s T-shirts
and slip them over our fenders as extra chafe guard/ UV protection,
securing them at the top end with small line or zip ties.

Even if you have a hired ‘boat watcher’ they’re unlikely to be 100%
available to come to your aid in a storm. They may be looking after
multiple boats, or the roof may be blowing off of their house (or their
mother’s house) in the same storm that threatens your boat. You need to
be secured for a storm.

Dinghy

We have a RIB inflatable dinghy, and some years we have been able to
secure covered storage for it at the marina or yard we’re at, which is
best. Other years we secured it to the deck upside down, inflated to
about ¾ normal pressure, spaced off the deck with dollar store pool
noodles and covered with a tarp. Protection from the sun while ensuring
its wrapping can’t hold water against the fabric are the keys to
success. If you can deflate yours and stow it below, that’s even better.

BOTTOM CLEANING

If you store in the water, you will need to arrange for regular bottom
cleaning. The interval will be determined by local conditions. Make sure
the cleaner is reliable, has references, and sends pictures or other
proof the job is being done: we know cruisers who found their cleaners
simply cashed the payments and didn’t do any cleaning until just before
their return.

CONTACT INFO

Post a card in the window with local contact information for your
boat-watcher (if you have one) and your contact info back home: name,
email, phone numbers.

When we return, we find Avant fresh and dirty, needing a good wash after we
enjoy a Christmas-like morning: like an unwrapping party of all her
tinfoiled appurtenances. After some reassembly, we’re ready to cruise
another season.

SY AVANT 🇨🇦  Rob & Debra – Beneteau 43.5′


PODS

HERE ARE THE DIFFERENT PODS

;          

💰 GOLD RUNNERS

Florida / Bahamas / Turks and Caicos / Windward Passage / Jamaica / Panama / South Bound Gold Runners

🍹 RUM RUNNERS

Colombia / Caribbean Panama  Via Jamaica / Cayman Islands / Cuba / Yucatan / Florida Keys / North Bound Rum Runners

🌿 SPICE RUNNERS

Lesser Antilles via Colombia –-> Panama Canal Bound - East to West Spice Runners

☠️ PIRATE RUNNERS

Bocas del Toro –-> Cayman Islands / Roatan / Rio Dulce / North Bound Pirate Runners

🥥 COCONUT RUN

San Diego / Ensenada / Cabo / La Paz / Mazatlan / PV -–> Barra de Navidad - South Bound Cocount Runners

☸️ COUNTER POSSE

Pacific Panama / Costa Rica –-> North Bound Counter Posse

🦜 ORIGINAL POSSE

Barra de Navidad -–> Panama Canal South Bound Original Panama Posse

🌊 BASHERS

Barra / Cabo / La Paz / PV --> San Diego / LA / SFO - North Bound Bashers

🦀 CRAB POD

Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia & Florida Bahamas– north or south bound, coastal or via the ICW Crab Posse

🌵 CACTUS POSSE

La Paz / Mazatlan / Sea of Cortez - North and South Bound Cactus Posse

🌺 HIBISCUS POSSE

Panama - Jamaica - South Coast of Cuba - South Coast of Haiti - South Coast of Dominican Republic - South Coast of Puerto Rico - to the Virgin Islands - East Bound Hibiscus Posse

🪸 CORAL POD

GUATEMALA - BELIZE - YUACATAN PENINSULA - FLORIDA KEYS CORAL POD

🐚 SHELL POD

BAHAMAS - GREATER ANTILLES - LESSER ANTILLES SHELL POD

🏝️ MILK RUN - SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE >>

Pacific Coast --> Galapagos --> Marquesas / French Polynesia - South Pacific Bound south pacific posse

ATLANTIC POSSE - JOIN THE ATLANTIC POSSE

Spain - Greater Antilles Atlantic Posse

PANAMA & PACIFIC POSSE - CRUISERS UNIVERSITY

PANAMA & PACIFIC POSSE - CRUISERS UNIVERSITY

Tuesday October 25 '22
Wednesday October 26 '22 Thursday October 27 '22
08:30-10:30 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS 101
WATER MAKER 101 NAVIGATION 101
11:00-12:30 COMMUNICATIONS 101
MOBILE / DATA / SAT / SSB / VHF
RIGGING  101
CHECKING TUNING REPAIRS
OPEN CPN 101
USE CASE & SAT IMAGES
LUNCH THE ROUTE TO PANAMA THE ROUTE TO NEW ZEALAND
THE ROUTE TO EUROPE
14:00-15:30 OVERNIGHT PASSAGES 101 DIESEL ENGINE 101
MAINTENANCE
SAFETY, SECURITY & EMERGENCIES 101
16:00-17:30 MARINE WEATHER 101
ANCHORING 101 ADJUSTING TO THE TROPICS 101
18:00-21:00 MEET THE FLEET
NETWORKING AND MARINA PRESENTATIONS
MEET THE FLEET
NETWORKING AND MARINA PRESENTATIONS
PANAMA POSSE
FLOR DE CANA
KICK OFF PARTY

 

$199  per person

$ 299  per couple
or
$ 69 x class 

 

Tuition Includes:

  • Educational Materials
  • Instruction by  Cruising Experts & Professionals with facts and experience
  • Evening Networking Events meet the fleet and friendly locals

Refund Policy

      • Refunds are acceptable up to 30 days prior to the start of the event
      • Within 30 days of the event, only credit towards future  University sessions will be given
      • No refund or credits for cancellation within 15 days of the start of the event.
      • Credits are good for one year

 LOAD IN MONDAY 3PM PST
LOAD OUT FRIDAY 10 AM PST