Wednesday, 5 March 2014 – We left at 9:20 a.m. on an ETN Luxury bus from Barra De Navidad and arrived at the Hotel Frances in Guadalajara at 4:30 p.m. The bus winds along the coast for some time before heading inland to the town of Colima. North of Colima is an active Volcano which rises to 12,533 feet. It does have major eruptions every few years. It also regularly spews out smaller steam eruptions. It was doing this just as we approached Colima however, we were too late to get good photographs of the event from the bus.

The main bus terminus for Guadalajara is on the outskirts of the town, just beyond the ring road, it is called the Nueva Central Camionera. We took a taxi from there to the Hotel Francis which is in the heart of the old city on Calle Pedro Moreno.

The Hotel Frances is full of character, although it needs some refurbishment. The room was clean and comfortable, and the central location was perfect.  However, there was a Disco under the hotel which boomed from 8:00 p.m. in the evening until 3:00 a.m. in the morning, so sleeping was a challenge.

The hotel dates from 1610 when it was built as a hostelry for trading merchants coming from Mexico City. When it was fully renovated in 1983, it was used for several scenes in the Charles Bronson movie “The Evil That Men Do.”

After unpacking, we headed out to see some of the sights. Starting at the Cathedral, we saw parishioners lined up getting their ashes, this being Ash Wednesday. We walked around the Plaza Guadalajara and then down to the Teatro Degollado taking photographs as we went even though the shadows were becoming long.

Saturday, 1 Mar 2014 – We took the laundry into Barra and had breakfast there.

Sunday, 2 Mar 2014 – We went for a walk to the restaurants in the lagoon and had lunch at Mary’s.

Monday, 3 Mar 2014 – We went into Barra once again. We needed to book a bus for a trip inland to Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara, about a six-hour luxury bus ride from Barra. The plan included continuing from there to Guanajuato. We would be gone for about 7 days and as we have used Mexican buses previously, we were not concerned as they are quite comfortable and efficient.  The first-class bus tickets were 3,554 pesos. Returning to Hilbre, booked our hotels online for Guadalajara and Guanajuato.

Tuesday, 4 Mar 2014 – It was a busy day at the hotel with lots of security as the President of Mexico was staying at the resort. In the afternoon, we prepared Hilbre for our departure tomorrow for Guadalajara. As we were only going to be away for just over a week, there was not a lot to be done. We had dinner on the boat. This was also Carnival.  We did hear that Malaque has a better carnival with lots of fireworks, apparently it gets a bit wild.

Barra De Navidad (Bar of Christmas) takes its name from the large sand bar which projects from one side of the town out into the lagoon.  The sand bar still exists but it is now a covered walkway and protected from storms by rocks. The town has a long colonial history starting in 1540 when Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza arrived to put down a rebellion. In later years it became a major shipbuilding center. Many of the Galleons built here were used in the capture and control of the Philippines.

In 1565, one of these Galleons discovered the easy route across the Pacific. This was used by the treasure galleons of Spain to bring the riches of the orient home to Spain via Mexico. Eventually Acapulco became the major trading and transit center and Barra fell into obscurity.

Wednesday, 26 February 2014 – The town of Barra is quite small and tourist friendly; there are a few small grocery stores with limited supplies so most serious grocery shopping must be done in the next town to Barra called Melaque. A local bus travels frequently between the two towns and costs seven pesos per person each way.

This morning we had breakfast in town and then took the bus to Malaque. There was a street market in progress and the whole street was taken over by this market. It proved to be interesting although much of the craft work was more expensive than Mazatlán. We also found a Peluqueria (Hairdresser) as both of us needed haircuts which cost us less than $5.00 each.

Because we finished up with several heavy bags from grocery shopping, we took a taxi back from the Barra water taxi stand and they took us right to our boat; what a service.

Thursday, 27 February 2014 – We relaxed and swam in the pool and then the beach.  In the afternoon, we went into Barra to see the start of Carnival. There were too many Gringos who seem to have hijacked the event, so we returned to the Marina.

Friday, 28 February 2014 – During the morning, I worked on a document to make manual sight reductions quicker and easier to do. I made a spaghetti dinner and afterwards we watch a movie.

This is quite some resort and as Marina Guests, we have the run of the place with Tennis Courts, Pools, Beach and Restaurants. On Thursday evenings they host a Harbor Masters reception with hors d’oeuvres and an open bar; it is all very welcoming.

The village of Barra is quite small with some touristy things, probably due to the proximity of the resort but it is easy to walk around.

There is a water taxi service to take you between the resort and Barra and the same service will pick you up and drop you off at your boat. In the evening, we explored the resort and from there, we could see the back-bay anchorage where I counted about 20 boats.  Here in the marina, boats come and go frequently, and many boats have guests visiting as it is such a great place to stay.

When it first opened, the Marina was expensive, but they have since modified their rates. While it is still the most expensive marina we have stayed in Mexico, it is reasonable given the availability and use of the resorts facilities and its great location.

Friday, 21 February 2014 – In the morning, we had a visit from the French Baker who does his rounds each morning with fresh French bread and pastries. We bought a couple of Croissants, a Baguette, and a very tasty Almond Croissant.  He wanders about the anchorage and the marina ringing his bell or will respond if you call him on the VHF. The rest of the day was spent cleaning Hilbre.

Saturday, 22 February 2014 – We went into town and wandered around and had drinks at the Sands Hotel. In the late afternoon, we took a water taxi to Fortinos Palapa for dinner. The water taxi takes you a short distance up the estuary to where there are several palapas. We had many Margaritas with our meal and decided to take a walk back to the Marina instead of taking the water taxi. Anita was not too happy with the walk up the hill on the cobbled street which eventually took us to the road leading to the Hotel and then the Marina.

Sunday, 23 February 2014 – We have explored more of the hotel and it is delightful to sit either by one of the pools or the beach lagoon and just relax or read a book.  The resort is popular with both Mexicans and Gringos who are mainly Canadian. Various events take place during the day and because we are in the Marina, we can join any of these. We spent a leisurely afternoon reading and hanging in the hammocks.

Monday, 24 February 2014 – There are individuals can do work on your boat and this morning, I had the waterline boot stripe polished. Hilbre looked smart after this was done. We also caught up on emails and other internet work. Tomorrow we will have the rest of the boat polished and waxed.

Tuesday, 25 February 2014 – We took a water taxi to the lagoon palapas and had lunch at Fortinos. While we were there, the high school must have ended as the children all flooded down to the restaurant pier to take a water taxi home to Barra.

Thursday, 20 February 2014 – In the morning, I topped-off our diesel tank from the Jerry jugs and then took in the anchor. We were underway by 10:00 a.m. headed to Barra de Navidad.

It was an easy three-hour trip from Tenacatita to Barra with calm seas and only a light breeze, not enough to even put-up sail. We passed several boats going north including one from Jersey, UK, who we hailed on the VHF for a chat. I had noticed the three Leopards on the ‘Red Duster’ they were flying. I recognized this immediately as the Jersey flag and sure enough, as they passed us, I saw Jersey listed on the Stern.

The entrance to the channel leading into the lagoon at Barra is an easy passage with good depth. The Marina ‘Grand Bay Marina Resort at Barra de Navidad’ had told us to pick our own berth, so we finished up in G20 next to a nice 37’ from Seattle called “True North”. We arrived at 1:30 p.m., having covered almost 16 Nautical Miles.

A quick visit to the marina office had us checked into the marina. You must report arrivals and departures to the Port Captain in ‘Barra’ so we then took the water Taxi from the Marina across the estuary to Barra to check-in with the port Captain. Their office is about a mile or more inland and we found them to be very friendly and efficient. 

Returning to down-town Barra, we settled for lunch at Mexico Lindo, a restaurant which hangs out over the beach on stilts. We ate on the third deck where there was a nice breeze off the ocean and a grand view.

Tuesday, 18 February 2014 – Because of the late sunrise, the morning VHF Net starts at 9:00 a.m. in Tenacatita. It covers the general area including Barre de Navidad.  As new arrivals, we introduced ourselves along with four or five other boats also new.  Yesterday we passed several sailboats heading north, it is quite a difference sailing in these waters, mostly we never see another boat but not in this area. 

After breakfast we prepared the dingy for a trip into the Mangroves. At the head of the bay, a small creek enters the sea and at high tide, you can navigate the entrance and motor about two miles up the creek through the Mangroves. In some places the creek was quite wide and in others very narrow. We spent about two hours exploring the creek and poking about in the Mangroves. We saw many different birds and even a Pink Flamingo.  It was a fun trip although we did learn a lot about how well our inflatable dingy handles in tight places, which is not very well. It tends to swing wide when steering, so in windy narrow spots you must concentrate on the direction you are going and be prepared for the next turn otherwise you finish up in the Mangroves being poked into by tree branches.

During the afternoon, several new sailboats arrived and at least four of them, two with young children, anchored close by.  A large luxury yacht had also arrived sometime while we were in the Mangroves. In the evening, we fitted our wind-scoop over the front hatch. This worked quite nicely and provided more air flow through the boat.

This anchorage is home to many sail boats that usually arrive in early December and often stay for three or more months.  Supplies are obtained by taking the boat across the bay to Manzanilla early in the morning before the surf and waves get too great for a dingy beach landing. Once the morning shopping is complete, you head back to the anchorage in the late morning.  Like Chamela, there is no internet service here so while I write the blog each day; it must wait until we get internet access for an upload.  However, we do have cell service and therefore have been able to talk to family and friends from the anchorage.

Monday, 17 February 2014 – We left just as the sun was rising at 7:23 a.m. heading out of the bay and past the Islands to a point about two miles offshore. We then turned to parallel the coast heading for the large bay of Tenacatita. Our first headland was the Farallon where there is a large bowl-shaped dish, La Copa del Sol. Later we passed the twin islands of Los Frailes (Friars) which stick up out of the water about a mile offshore. Early in the day we used the land breeze to press on full sail and scooted along at almost seven knots for over an hour until about 9:15 a.m. when the wind finally died.

The sea had only a slight swell and it was a great day to practice taking sun sights with our Sextant; using ‘Dead Reckoning’ and plotting our position by hand rather than relying on the GPS to tell us where we were. The sights were all good as the Line of Position (LOP) passed through the confirming GPS waypoint each time. It is always amazing how accurate a sextant can be if you make a good sight. The one we use is a Celestaire, Astra lllB Deluxe that I acquired last year in Mazatlán for $200. We also have a Davis Mark 25 plastic Sextant on board. We also use a software product called “Starpath” for doing quick and easy sight reductions although we often practice calculating sight reductions by hand, just for fun and for the practice.

An hour or so south of the Frailes, is Punta Hermanos, the entrance to the Bay of Tenacatita. Our plan was to head to the main anchorage just north of Punta Chubasco.  This is a well-protected anchorage from North Winds and if a southerly blow occurs, you head across the bay for protection off the town of La Manzanilla.  The anchorage consists of a large gently curved bay with a fine sand beach which has an all-inclusive resort, the BlueBay at one end and a small campground and Palapa Restaurant at the other.

At 2:20 p.m. we anchored in 25 feet of water about 300 yards off the beach. We had covered just over 35 Nautical miles in almost seven hours. As this is a large bay there were over 20 other boats. After tidying Hilbre we were hungry, so we made ourselves a fine meal of grilled steak, roast potatoes and veggies on the BBQ. After which, we settled down to enjoy the sunset. The resort hotel had some sort of event in the late evening as we could hear the booming voice of the MC wafting across the water but it all ended at 10:00 p.m., and peace was restored to the tranquil night.

Sunday, 16 February 2014 – We had a nice cool and calm night but awoke to a boat covered in heavy dew. It is surprising how wet everything sometimes becomes overnight, and we have learned to close the hatches before sunset otherwise moisture gets into the boat where everything gets damp.

We prepared the Dingy for going ashore as we planned to go for lunch at one of the Palapas. However, by 10:30 a.m. it was clear the wind was increasing from the South and a heavy thermal settled over the area with steady winds in the 16-20 knot range until almost 3:30 p.m. after which things got quiet once again. In this part of Mexico, you perform a “Surf Landing” on the beaches with your dinghy. As the wind had increased the surf considerably, we decided to relax and wait out the weather on board.

At 5:30 p.m. we headed ashore for dinner at one of the Palapas. While there was still some surf, it was not strong and we had no trouble surfing ashore on one of the waves and then pulling the dingy above the high water mark on the beach. Dingy wheels are a real must-have for this type of landing; they make easy work of moving the dingy about on the soft sand. The wheels attach to the transom of the dingy and can be flipped up or down as required. They are worth their weight in gold when you must haul a dingy up a steep beach.

We picked out a suitable Palapa restaurant and settled for some fine Garlic Shrimp that were sweet and much tastier than the jumbo shrimp we had bought at the fisherman’s market in La Cruz.  Our waitress was a nine-year-old who spoke excellent English, the only person in the Palapa that did. A seller came by with wonderful coconut balls made of real shredded coconut soaked in honey and sweet milk and then lightly baked to provide a crisp exterior.  As the sun set, we headed back to Hilbre to prepare her for a morning departure.  We kicked back and enjoyed the coconut balls with some Coffee. We are on Central time and our position west of the time zone means sunrise is after 7:00 a.m. each morning. Because of this, things seem to happen later, and the mornings just fly by.

Saturday 15 February 2014 – For an overnight passage, it was quiet with a full moon to light up the sea and the coastline. By 8:00 am on Saturday we were beginning our entry into the Bay of Chamela. This is a large Bay with several Islands that are part of the Mexican National Park System. The anchorage between two of the largest Islands provides protection from southerly winds and the small village of Perula at the northern end of the bay, protection from north winds. Perula was where we were going to anchor, and we dropped the hook a little after 9:00 a.m. having covered 115 Nautical Miles in 22 and a half hours. We tidied up the boat before taking a swim and making ourselves a nice Brunch. There were five other sailboats at anchor.

Hilbre was anchored in 22 feet of water, a few hundred yards from the beach with its Palapa restaurants. It was such a wonderful morning we went for a swim to refresh ourselves and cool off. There was a school of small Tigerfish that had taken shade under our boat and a couple of Dolphins playing around the boats including Hilbre. The Dolphins seemed to like diving under the boat from one side to the other. It gave us a great opportunity to take pictures of them and watch them up close.

We decided to relax for the day and not go ashore, because it was such a nice spot. The location looked like one out of a glossy magazine on sailing tropical places. Our plan included staying a couple of nights. As it was Saturday, the Palapas had music which drifted across the anchorage and did not finish until almost 4:00 a.m.

Friday, 14 February 2014 – After adding fuel to our tanks in La Cruz we left the fuel dock at 10:50 a.m. and set sail for the Bay of Chamela, about 115 nautical miles south of the marina. Diesel fuel at the Marinas in Mexico is not as cheap as you would expect for a major oil producing country and a gallon costs about $4.36.

At 12:20 the wind came up and we put up sail for a couple of hours. The Banderas Bay is large, and it was 25 miles before we reached Cabo Corrientes. While crossing the bay we passed groups of boats with tourist’s whale watching. The bay is very deep being an ancient caldera and many Whales use it as a birthing area. By 3:00 p.m. we were back to motoring and by 5:00 pm. we were closing with Cape Corrientes. Sailing directions suggest passing it during the early hours of the morning when the seas are at their quietest.

Just after 6:00 p.m. we had covered 37 miles and had cleared the Cape under ideal conditions.  We set our course keeping us about seven miles offshore. We started our three-hour structured watches and when Anita came on watch at midnight, we had covered just over 65 Nautical Miles.

Sunday, 9 February 2014 – We went over to the Palapa on the beach for lunch. Their service was terrible, and we will never go there again. We waited almost an hour, and no one approached us to take an order. Never again.

Monday, 10 February 2014 – It was time to change the engine oil and check other items in the engine compartment.  Everything was in good shape and all engine connections were tight. The packing gland was in good shape, I unlocked the compression nuts and added some shaft lubricant. The rigging was checked, and things prepared for leaving La Cruz and the overnight sail to Perula passing the of Cape Corrientes.  Cape Corrientes is one of those capes that sticks out from the coastline and increases the weather conditions, both wind and waves can increase, so we are watching the weather forecasts closely.

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 – We got up early to do our grocery shopping and to top up our supply of Pesos before leaving on Friday.

In the afternoon, Anita attended a “Women Who Sail” seminar in the La Cruz Yacht Club with more than 100 other women certainly was an inspiring experience.  There were women of all ages from their 20’s to 70’s who are out on the water living their lives and “dreams” along with their families. There were five presenters, and all had diverse stories and suggestions.

Pat Henry, who circumnavigated the globe single-handed while in her later years talked about the people she met as she traveled the world. She described the many interesting and a few harrowing experiences that she had along the way.   Pat encourages all women to follow their dreams and passions on the water.  Her book “By Grace of the Sea” tells of her single-handed journey.  Another young woman who also sails single-handed had many interesting stories.

A second young sailor spoke of her struggle with various health issues for herself and her son were inspirational. What amazing strength she had to rise above the strife however, she and her family are finding fun and happiness sailing in Mexico.

A few years ago, in the Baja Ha-Ha rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, one of the boats traveling south was hit by a whale not too far into Mexican waters. The boat was carrying a sailing instructor as captain along with four students from the sailing school. The captain was a young woman who talked about that challenging experience.  The boat was trying to escape whale pods but unfortunately they collided with one in a freak accident.  She spoke of all the things they attempted to try and save the boat, but the whale had put a hole in the stern which just could not be plugged and within 40 minutes the boat had completely disappeared. They did all the right things, getting the EPRB started and the life raft inflated.  While everyone finished up in the water, the crew all managed to get into the raft. Their ditch bag, which had become waterlogged while in the boat, sank with the boat, so there were no provisions or water to drink. They spent 5 hours in the life raft before they saw the Coast Guard helicopter circling.

They were all rescued and flown back to San Diego. The Coast Guard credited this brave woman captain with doing the right things to save her crew. She was certainly an inspiration and stressed being ready for anything and having individual tasks assigned for each crew for emergencies.

The founder of a new FB page called Women Who Sail also spoke of the 2,000 women who have joined this informative site. There are many women who are on boats worldwide, who share sailing and cruising advice. It is a useful site with lots of interesting comments and information.

The seminar lasted almost three hours and it was an enjoyable day for Anita, swapping stories with other women. The meeting many of the female boaters around the Banderas Bay.

Wednesday, 12 February 2014 – Our propane tanks were filled, and we did the laundry. In the evening we had dinner at the club restaurant with Peter and his wife from “Two Pieces of Eight” and Lee and Jackie.  

Thursday, 13 February 2014 – This morning we had breakfast at the marina and then took the bus to Punta di Mita. The bus terminus is at the top of a small hill which you walk down to get to the beach and the Palapas. Lunch in a palapa here was a bit above the usual palapa lunch with unusually good food and excellent service. We guess this may be due to its proximity to the Luxury resorts at the end of the point.

The beach is good for landing a dinghy and the bay had several yachts riding at anchor. There is a small commercial fishing harbor at one end of the beach and a small protective jetty at the other end. We will probably use this anchorage in the future as it appears to be well protected from the north and north-east winds. It is also the closest point to the Islas Marietas.

Before we returned to Hilbre, we picked up some bags of ice to top off our refrigerator, ready for the morning departure for Perula and the Bay of Chamela.

The weather continues to be warm but usually with a nice breeze in the afternoon to keep us cool.  The wind is reliable in the afternoons therefore day sailing is a treat in Banderas Bay.

We still bump into cruising friends we have not seen in a year or two.  It seems to be a crossroads with boats coming and going, both north and south.  Many boats are preparing for the “Puddle Jump” a colloquial expression for taking the 3,200 nautical miles, three-to-five-week sail across the Pacific to the South Seas; the Marquesas, Tahiti and beyond. We already had friends do this and we know two boats planning on a transit of the Equator this year headed to the South Pacific. Most boats leave around the middle to the end of March when the weather is reliable. To support these sailors, there are frequent presentations on various aspects of ocean crossing at venues around town and at our marina.

Monday, 3 February 2014 – Off we went to get Pesos at Santander Bank near the Mega Store. Afterward, we took the short ride to Bucerias so we could explore its colorful street stalls. Bucerias is loaded with restaurants, including Mexican art, and music, especially in the evening. We had a filling lunch at a beach Palapa overlooking the beautiful Banderas Bay. There are plenty of beach restaurants to choose from including many street foods sold from stands that open in the evenings; all tasty foods to try. 

Tuesday, 4 February 2014 – We took the bus from La Cruz to Paradise Village to visit our friends Ralph and Angie who have their boat “Naner Moon” there. Getting around the area on the local busses is usually OK but it can be a bit of a challenge if you happen to be going somewhere where a bus change is required.

Lunch with Ralph and Angie was in Paradise Village at the Vallarta Yacht Club. It is a pleasant spot overlooking the marina and the food was good. After catching up on everyone’s news, we stopped by the Marina Office to see if they had available berths. There was nothing and the marina has a long wait list for boats through March.

Being in the Paradise Village area was almost like being in the US, American shops with Gringos everywhere. We said goodbye to Ralph and Angie and then asked which bus would take us to the Wal-Mart, which is where the Santander Bank is located.  We were directed to a bus however there are two Wal-Mart’s and this bus, instead of heading north, headed into Puerto Vallarta and the Wal-Mart there. We had to jump off and then take another local bus going north to get to the Bank.

Wednesday, 5 February 2014 – The morning was spent doing email and working on the internet. John had another massage in the afternoon and then in the evening there was a film on the Whitbread race at the marina lounge.

Thursday, 6 February 2014 – While out buying shrimp at the fish market, we ran into Greg and Diana on Sea Monkey.  They are preparing to leave in March for the South Pacific. We arranged to have dinner on Friday at the Black Forrest restaurant.

Friday, 7 February 2014 – The stay in La Cruz continues to speed by and this evening we shared dinner with our Australian friends, Greg, and Dianna at the Black Forrest restaurant here in La Cruz. It was Flamenco night, and the musicians were quite good. The place was full and although we did not have reservations, we were accommodated.  Apparently, you should have reservation at the weekend. We had some great German food and beer with Spanish music; then afterwards we stepped out into a Mexican night, it was quite a mix.

Saturday, 8 February 2014 – We plan to leave late next week, weather permitting and head south to Barra de Navidad via Perula in the Bay of Chamela. Doing this will mean we miss the Banderas Bay Regatta, a big sailing event which starts in early March.

The local Butcher had a leg of lamb which we bought, after cooking, it could be best described as a leg of mutton, the owner of which had died of old age. We enjoy eating lamb, but it is doubtful we will purchase another ‘leg’ in Mexico. A lesson learned!

The marina of La Cruz at Huanacaxtle is large and there are boats of all sizes and types. Most sailboats are part of the cruising fleet that, like us, cruise the coasts of Mexico and the Baja.  The village of Huanacaxtle was a small fishing village before the Marina was built and it still retains some of its cobbled streets and village atmosphere, even though the Marina overshadows the area. While the town is small it does have some restaurants, a pharmacy, a couple of grocery stores and a couple of butchers. It also has a small massage spa, and Philo’s a nighttime hotspot with live music. Outside of the Marina is the anchorage area that hosts many boats not wanting to stay in the Marina.

Boats come and go all the time and while you check in with the Marina, you are still required to report your arrival to the Port Captain who has a small office behind the fish market. Just a short bus ride along the main road is Bucerias with its fine beaches and active nightlife.  Buses can also be used to get to Punta di Mita with its beaches and restaurants.

Wednesday 29 January 2014 – We caught up with internet items in the morning and then relaxed in a beach Palapa eating and drinking with our friends Lane and Vicki.

Thursday, 30 January 2014 – The day was spent cleaning the boat and talked briefly with our neighbors on Dodger Too who have cruised extensively. They were headed off to do some exploring of inland Mexico for a few days. They let us know that friends of theirs had been following our blog; the first indication of anyone other than family and friends watching our travels on Hilbre.

Friday, 31 January 2014 – Using the local bus, we went with friends to the Mega Store to do grocery shopping. This is a large store, about a 20-minute bus ride from La Cruz.  In the afternoon, there was a celestial navigation seminar in the VIP lounge at the marina.

Most people seem to have the Davis Mark lll plastic Sextant and I saw only one traditional metal Sextant.  The presenter was knowledgeable having been a navigator for the US Navy. Most people there seem to have issues with performing the sight reduction process and this is mainly what was covered.

Saturday, 1 February 2014 – We have now been in La Cruz since Tuesday afternoon and the days seem to have gone by quickly. Today we spent catching up on the Internet and enjoying the company of sailing friends. Anita took her turn at the massage parlor before we joined a social event in the marina with Tacos and drinks by the small pool.

We can see this is a place that might be difficult to leave with so much going on, things to do and events to participate in. It is focused on cruisers planning to do the ‘Puddle Jump’ or the voyage from Puerto Vallarta to the South Pacific.

Sunday, 2 February 2014 – This morning, we went to the Farmers Market which is held each Sunday at La Cruz.  It was larger than we expected with lots of handicrafts, music, and dancing. It is held next to the Fish market and it was interesting watching the fishermen clean and fillet the large Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado.  The fish market is a permanent fixture of the Marina and was probably an agreement made with the fishermen when the marina was built; it is quite new and well equipped.  There is always a good daily selection of fish and shellfish available at this market. The Farmer’s portion was a small area, however we did buy some fresh Strawberries and ground coffee. 

Tuesday, 28 January 2014 – After a fitful night we were ready to pull up the anchor at daybreak and head to Banderas Bay. The long Pacific Swells continued during the day however, as we were offshore, it did not bother us. Sailing along the coast with the wind off the land, we watched the mountains go by until we approached the Bay at Jaltemba. Here we got a nice breeze and scooted along at over six knots until we hit the south side of the bay where the wind suddenly dropped. We went back to the engine for a few hours until the wind switched direction and increased to over 24 knots giving us a nice port reach at up to 8.5 knots for more than two hours. What great sailing, the best we have had since we have been in Mexico.

As we reached Banderas Bay we set ourselves up for a 90 degree port turn and a passage between rocky Punta de Mita on the mainland and the rocky Islands of Las Tres Marietas.  There are some underwater pinnacles in this area so careful navigation is called for.  Because of the swells, the wind and the following sea, the passage had us squirreling our way into the Bay in seven-foot seas for over seven miles before the swells eventually began to play out and the sea settle down. 

We had originally planned on dropping anchor in a popular anchorage at a fairly protected cove at Punta de Mita instead, we decided to press on to the La Cruz Marina at Huanacaxtle about 15 miles north of downtown Puerto Vallarta. When we called them, we had an immediate radio response from the Marina who quickly assigned us a berth on dock B9. We had covered 50 Nautical Miles.

This is a large Marina capable of berthing large motor yachts and as we soon discovered, a real cruiser hang-out with activities going on day and night. We are sure to get involved with some of them in the coming days. It was nice to be tied up to a dock again and meet up with other cruising friends.

Monday, 27 January 2014 – Our departure from San Blas was uneventful until we were about a mile offshore when our instruments; the depth sounder and the autopilot suddenly stopped working.  The autopilot had locked the steering and would not release the wheel for hand steering.  We powered off the instruments to free the wheel and decided to head back to the Marina and check everything out.

We noticed the instrument pod above the chart plotter had developed slight play and I expected to find some frayed wires where they feed from the pod into the metal part of the pedestal. Such was not the case, the power cable between the Depth Sounder and its connector panel was quite short and the slight movement of the instrument pod on the pedestal must have caused a loose connection. After cleaning and re-seating all of the cable connections and tightening the instrument pod to the pedestal, we had no further problems.

During our second departure, we took photographs of the Pozo estuary as we made our way out to sea.  It was now almost 10:30 a.m. but the distance to Chacala is only 26 Nautical. Miles and by 3:30 p.m. we were already turning into the small cove of Chacala. The day had been a mix of sailing, motoring, and motor-sailing as the wind, which was initially off the land, slowly moved around to the NNW by early afternoon.

We were the last boat to arrive in Chacala so we had to take what we could get. This put us out near the entrance buoy in 40 feet of water. There were over ten boats at anchor, all bow and stern.  The small anchorage offers some protection if you are tucked in close to the inner part of the cove but as you move further out; you are at the mercy of the swells and swells we had.  For some reason large, long Pacific swells had developed and as Chacala is really an open roadstead, the swells were making their way into the area. Chacala appears to be quite attractive with many Palapas along the sandy beach and we would have liked to go ashore. Instead, we swam off the stern of Hilbre and decided not to bother going ashore.  It was already late, and we would have had to check in with the Port Captain.

The night was restless as we rolled about with Hilbre swinging in a wide arc due to the long swells. Just after midnight I finally dropped our 15 lb mushroom anchor off the stern with a pay out of some line which helped slow the wide swings we had been doing. Maybe next time we will find a better spot to anchor and stay longer.

Sunday, 26 January 2014 – Our last day in San Blas was spent relaxing and doing some shopping. Our first task was to find a Bicycle pump to inflate the dingy wheels and fenders as our West Marine American made “Taylor Made” pump had fallen apart. This $14.99 piece of junk from West Marine was to be replaced with an “industrial strength” Mexican made, all-metal pump for $10.90. Being Sunday, we found only one store open and they sold either a large or small pump and the small one suited us fine and it works well.

A short visit to town and a stop at the Social Club had us swapping stories with the owner while we sipped our drinks at the long bar.  Across from the club and in the square, the Huichol Indians were making some of their intricate bead work. We watched them slowly assemble both a bracelet and decorative wooden clamp. Each bead is individually selected and either threaded or placed into its appropriate position. It is very time consuming and the patterns are all done from memory.  A small bottle on the table showed they use Dental Glue for attaching the beadwork to the wooden forms.

The rest of the day was spent at El Borrego Beach under a Palapa, sipping Pina Coladas and munching Nachos with Guacamole while watching the sun sink to the Horizon across the ocean. We had been sent to Los Jacales or #16 Beach Palapa by the owner of the Social Club. The wonderfully friendly but almost toothless owner,Lupe, was a warm hearted lady who treated us like family. She took wonderful care of us hovering like a “Mother Hen” to be sure we were enjoying ourselves.  A $2.00 taxi ride had us back on the boat just before sunset after a nice relaxing day.

While everyone seems fearful of the Jejenes and their bites, it is a pity. San Blas is such an interesting place to visit. Cruisers on another sailboat did complain but we had no issues and in fact barely noticed any. Most cruises prefer to anchor in Matanchen Bay where the sea breeze and distance from shoreline help keep these pesky flies at bay.

We found San Blas to be very welcoming and easy to get around, especially with the inexpensive Taxis. It is an interesting place to visit especially if you are a nature or bird lover.  It retains its real Mexican heritage and atmosphere which is in contract to many other towns close by. While maybe not to everyone’s taste, we enjoyed our stay and would certainly visit again, staying longer so we could do more exploring further afield and maybe including a trip to Mexcaltitan, ancestral home of the Aztec.

Saturday, 25 January 2014 – We got off to a slow start as it took time to load the Blog with stories and pictures from the last few days. It was the first time in three days that we were able to get to the Internet. By late morning we were in town taking pictures of the Plaza, the Cathedral, and the sights around the square. They were setting a stage for a celebration of Bird Watching, of which San Blas is a major draw. Apparently, there are thousands of species in the area with the salt and fresh water marshes are the major draw for migrating birds from all over North America.

In the Plaza, there were several small outdoor stalls selling various craft items including some nice wooden ornaments and Anita bought a small wood spoon for Salsa which cost about 60 cents. The other major draw was the beautiful beadwork done by the Huichol Indians who are indigenous to the area and we acquired the wonderful Jaguar head which can be seen in one of our pictures.

Our mistake of the day was to go into the Social Club (Gringo Bar) for a couple of beers as we needed some refreshment. The owner fed us Bananas, fresh from his garden as well as watermelon. A street seller peddling nuts came by, so we bought a couple of packets to help the beer go down.  A couple of hours later we emerged but not before hearing many stories from Gringos living in San Blas who love the lifestyle here. Unfortunately and  due to this, we missed the best part of the morning’s activity at the Mercado.

Around the corner from the Plaza is a street with many restaurants and we stopped in at the La Isla Restaurant which had been recommended as a great place for seafood. San Blas is a fishing town so there is wonderful range of fresh seafood available. The interior walls of this restaurant are lined with various examples of shell art. The fish was fresh, moist and some of the best we have had in Mexico. Anita had Mahi-Mahi and I had Shrimp all for about $20.

Later, we went to see the Culture Center which used to be the Customs building but has been converted into a museum and small center for the performing arts. The walls are lined with old pictures of San Blas, some dating back to the early 1900’s. Across from the Culture Center is the Flamingo Hotel, another period piece that has been fully restored with courtyards and fountains. The pool area had many species of fruit trees all nicely labeled.  While there, we bumped into a couple who had come to San Blas for bird watching and Eco-tours. They seemed to be having a wonderful time and were checking off a lot of birds they had never seen.

Tomorrow, (Sunday) we will kick back, relax, and check the boat for a departure to Chacala or Jaltemba early Monday morning.

Friday, 24 January 2014 – It is clear, warm, and humid. San Blas is a small town, hardly affected by the tourist industry due to the prevalence of pesky “Jejenes” or “No-see-ums” small flying insects that thrive in the Mangrove Swamps surrounding San Blas. They have a nasty bite and can even penetrate the best of Mosquito netting.  Many cruisers avoid the area as do tourists because of the reputation of these insects. While this is a hindrance to the tourist development of the area, it means it has largely retained its quaint and charming parochial feel. We have found the people here to be genuinely friendly and helpful. The area’s future seems to lie with Echo Tourism due to its plentiful wildlife, a large part due to the very Mangrove swamps that breed the Jejenes.

While Galleons and Pirates have used the El Pozo estuary as a place to drop anchor, it was only in 1768 that the town was officially founded atop a hill called Basilio where a fort was built. Interestingly, the town was intended to help the colonization of California in response to English and Russian threats in the North Pacific. It has seen many ups and downs over the years including the devastating Hurricane Kenna in 2002.

We awoke early and prepared to head out and explore the area. The day’s activities were to visit the Contaduría or Fort, the old church “Nuestra Senora del Rosario” and take a jungle tour to La Tovara Springs.  San Blas has inexpensive taxis, and we took one to the Contaduría for 25 Pesos or about $2.00, it was certainly the best way to get there in the heat and humidity.

This old hill fort with its Cannon overlooks the town and has been largely repaired since it took a hit in Hurricane Kenna. The roof has been rebuilt and its rooms turned into a Museum. The entry fee is 10 Pesos a person and it is certainly worth the price for the wonderful view over the surrounding area. As we arrived, a large group of schoolchildren were having their group picture taken in front of the Fort. One of them later approached us to practice her English and offer to take a picture of us. We enjoyed wandering around the Fort and looking at the town from above. We talked with one of the guards who gave us some purified water as there was little in the way of refreshment at the Fort, although we did eventually find a soda machine.

On the hill behind the fort are the ruins of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, built in 1769. The ruins once contained the bronze bells that are said to have inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “The Bells of San Blas”. The old church which was active until about 1872.  The church is now just a stone shell but is interesting, not just because of Longfellow but also its architecture.

A short way further down the hill brought us to the local cemetery with many interesting monuments and vaults. We could well imagine the activities here on the “Day of the Dead,” (November 2nd) when Mexicans honor their ancestors with food and drink, often spending the night celebrating the memories of those long gone.

Back on the main road to Tepic we stopped for a couple of Cervezas (Beers) at Yesenias roadside restaurant. We watched as people stopped by for “Take Out” meals and in the end finished up having lunch there ourselves. Just a stone’s throw from Yesenias is the River San Cristobal and from the Bridge we watched a man dive for what looked like Oysters in the shallow but murky water.  He seemed to have no difficulty finding them as he reappeared frequently, throwing his find into his boat.

After lunch, we made our way across the bridge to a small boat dock where we negotiated a trip up the creek to La Tovara Springs. Our three-hour private tour was 500 Pesos (about $40).  Our guide was knowledgeable and helpful in pointing out the excellent wildlife on this creek or “Jungle trip.” We saw several Crocodiles, and a wide variety of birds. The narrow creek is lined with Mangroves, their roots falling like clusters of Stalactites from the canopy above us.  Arriving at La Tovara springs, John took a swim in the clear waters of pool with the many fish that crowd this area, safe from their predators.

Returning to the bridge we summoned a Taxi to take us back to the Marina for $2.00 over the bumpy and rough cobbled streets of the town, all the way to the Marina. It was a full and remarkably interesting day.

So far, we like San Blas, it is quite charming, a real small Mexican town not overly impacted by tourism, a place to kick back and enjoy tropical sunsets with a Margarita or two while enjoying its unique heritage. The Jejenes have yet to really bother us. Tomorrow we focus on the town and its historic buildings.

Thursday, 23 January 2014 – We continued our way south from Mazatlán. By 2:00 a.m. the sea was like glass and the half-moon sparkled on the ocean as Anita came on watch to relieve me. This continued until about 4:30 a.m. when the wind picked up from the East. Unfortunately, by 7:00 a.m. when we closed with Isabella, the wind had increased to just over 14 knots and the sea along with it. As the wind was out of the East, anchoring near the large Pinnacles on the eastern side of the Island was out of the question; it would have put us on a Lee shore in what appeared to be worsening weather. We watched the one boat anchored there being tossed about.

Still, we were amazed by Isabella, from afar it looked like it had swarms of Gnats hovering over areas of the Island and it was only when we got closer you could make out individual birds, literally thousands of them circling in the warm morning air.

We continued along the east side of the Island to check out the small bay on its southern end however the swell was rounding the headland there and making the inside of this small cove too rough. With no other option, we reluctantly changed course to San Blas, about eight hours away. We had now covered just over 100 miles since leaving Mazatlán.

 Of course, after three hours the wind died and the sea calmed down, but that is the sailing life. Our paper charts did indicate that Isabella was poorly marked and indeed we found the Island misplaced by almost two miles as was another rock on the way to San Blas called Pieda Blanca. Our Chart plotter showed us passing 100 feet from this Island’s rock wall even though we were almost a mile from it. Our Spot Tracker path even showed us sailing over part of the Island!

By noon we had no wind and what little there was, had moved directly behind us so up went the temperature and humidity and by midafternoon John was on the foredeck with a bucket of saltwater cooling off. As a consolation prize, we did see numerous whales breaching and in one the instance, John saw a Giant Manta Ray explode out of the water not more than 100 yards from the boat.

By 3:30 p.m. we were approaching the entrance to San Blas and the El Pozo Estuary. The entrance to the estuary has a bar with shifting sand banks and we were entering a couple of hours after high tide. After aligning Hilbre with a mark, we headed in holding a steady course and watching the depth meter. We were holding at 17 feet when a fishing panga passed us and waved to us that we should steer a little more to our port. Following his advice, we very quickly had 24 feet of water under the keel. To the south is Matanchén Bay, a popular anchorage for cruisers that has Palapas along the beach.

The El Pozo estuary has that sleepy, slow paced feel of many tropical rivers or estuaries with old buildings dotting the banks and small fishing boats pulled up in groups along the shore. Having lived in the tropics, it had a wonderfully comfortable and familiar feel to. We headed up the estuary a short distance to the Fonatur Marina. Here we found willing hands pointing out a slip for us and ready to take our dock lines. After 30 hours at sea and a comfortable overnight trip, we had arrived in San Blas about 147 miles from our departure point in Mazatlán.

An hour or so later, after checking in, Anita was ready and anxious to hit the town for some food. It was quite dark as we wandered through the rough cobbled streets of this unfamiliar town heading as best we could, towards the Plaza, the social center of San Blas. A ten-minute walk found us at the Mercado, next to the Plaza and then we found the “Social Club,” the bar hang-out of the Ex-pats in the area. They directed us to some restaurants. We ended up at the Restaurant McDonald where we struck up a lively conversation with a couple who were driving south to Zihuantanejo. We enjoyed our meal there and then headed back through the dark streets to the boat for some much-needed sleep.

Wednesday, 22 January 2014 – We pulled away from the dock in Mazatlán at 10:00 a.m. and after clearing the islands of Pájaros and Venados off Mazatlán, we set course of 146 degrees south to Isla Isabella. After a couple of hours motoring, we changed to sail and managed to do about two hours of fine sailing at 4-5 knots before the wind changed direction and then it was back to motoring. After an hour, we decided to go back to sailing, doing Jibes down-wind as the wind direction dictated. Hence the zigzag course in our map.

When the wind is directly astern of us, doing Jibes means we swing the stern of the boat through the wind so it is either 30-40 degrees to port or starboard and we can keep our sails full. Thus, we zigzag our way downwind and while it means we add miles to our route, we get the pleasure of silence and the joy of sailing. As we did not have a schedule, it really did not matter.

At 4:30 p.m. we tacked to adjust our course and at 5:15 p.m. we again adjusted our course again to our original heading of 149 degrees south.  At 6:30 p.m. we ran out of wind and it was back to the engine. By then, we were inshore and well inside of the active fishing fleet. This is a busy area with a large fleet passing at least 12-14 boats all actively fishing. At 9:15 p.m. we again adjusted our course to a heading of 170 degrees, directly to Isabella. It was after midnight before we finally put the last of the fishing boats behind us and finally we had the ocean to ourselves. We had covered almost 62 miles to our destination.

Friday, 17 January 2014 – The day was spent working on Hilbre and preparations for sailing south. I also took time to respond to emails and check the weather forecasts. We are looking for a good weather window for sailing to San Blas with a stop at Isabella Island.

Saturday, 18 January 2014 – In the afternoon, we went over to the Palapa for Karaoke and Beer.

Sunday, 19 January 2014 – The morning was spent updating my Genealogy WEB sites. In the afternoon, I borrowed a trolly from a fellow cruiser and filled our Diesel jerry cans in preparation for our trip south. This entailed walking over to the Gas station near the marina. After checking the weather, it appears we might have a good weather window for a possible departure on Wednesday or Thursday.

Monday, 20 January 2014 – With just a couple of days before a possible departure, we headed into Mazatlán and the Mercado. Anita bought some shoes, and I got my eyeglasses fixed as one of the arms had broken off. We had lunch in the Mercado and then headed back to Hilbre. We settled our account with Tony, did the laundry and topped off our drinking water supply. We have two seven-gallon jugs which contain our drinking water. We use our regular water tanks for cooking, washing and for showers.

Tuesday, 21 January 2014 – As it was quiet in the morning, we put up all sails to check the lines and ensure the sail-furlers were working correctly. After several other boat checks, we settled for an early night, ready for our planned Wednesday departure. San Blas will be an overnight sail.

Tuesday, 14 January 2014 – We flew back to Mazatlán which took most of the day having to connect through Los Angeles. Arriving in the late afternoon, we found Hilbre in good shape and as we were both hungry and thirsty, we headed to Gus Y Gus for dinner and drinks. Unfortunately, being thirsty and glad to be back in Mazatlán, we had a few Margaritas which we drank too quickly. After dinner, we stumbled back to Hilbre which was only a few steps away.

Wednesday, 15 January 2014 – We both laid low during the day and finally emerged to have dinner at Christies.

Thursday, 16 January 2014 – The morning was spent grocery shopping. Stocking up on ice and drinking coffee at Rico’s coffee shop. As there were lots of grocery bags, we did our usual thing and took a taxi home to the boat.  While we have refrigeration, we usually supplement this with at least a couple of bags of ice. This helps to keep everything cool and stops the refrigerator working overtime. The ice will typically last up to 7 days and provides us plenty of ice for our drinks. We would certainly look at buying a portable ice maker in the future.

For those of you who have head about the Mexican boat embargoes, be assured it is at least 95% BS and nothing like what has been reported in the US press. Cruising continues normally here and no one is bothering anyone unjustly including the Mexican Government.

We started this short week with preparing Hilbre for our trip home and being away for at least six weeks. There were a number of thigs that needed to be arranged including having someone wash the boat every two weeks, a diver to clean the bottom of the hull and have someone check that all is well inside the boat.

Tony, of Tony’s Boat Management was asked to do this for us (now called Dockwise services). He is from Manchester and one of a number of British ex-pats who have made a home in Mexico. One of them even went to the same primary school that I did.

Monday, 2 December 2013 – Anita went off to line dancing in the morning while I did some chores around the boat. We met Lane and Vicki at 10:30 a.m. and took the bus into town to show them around. The bus terminus is close to the Mercado (Market) and so that is where we started. Anita bought a dress and I bought a new belt. The Mercado is interesting and while most visitors spend their time on the ground floor, there are a number of small and inexpensive restaurants on the first floor with good food. We did not eat there this time but instead headed for Plaza Machado for lunch. We later toured the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Building the cathedral began in 1856 and it was finally consecrated in December 1941. It was built in the Baroque-Revival style of Sinaloa, Mexico.

Tuesday, 3 December 2013 – Time to do the laundry so we will arrive home with clean clothes. In the evening, we joined other cruisers in a Pizza party. These are random get togethers for cruisers to swap information and just generally catch up on cruising news. Many of these individuals we will see again in different ports so it is an opportunity to socialize and talk about future sailing plans or even meeting up somewhere.

Wednesday, 4 December 2013 – Vicki and Lane left for La Cruz (Puerto Vallarta) as they will have guests over Christmas and New Year. There are more facilities there as it is part of a Hotel and Resort. I walked Tony through the boat and gave him a list of things to do while we were away. We also needed to give him deposits for cleaning and maintenance.

Thursday, 5 December 2013 – This morning we went to a presentation at the Palapa for the El Salvador Rally. www.elsalvadorrally.com They covered the facilities there and how to request help with entering the lagoons there as you have to cross a Bar which needs some guidance. After locking the boat up we headed to the airport for the flight home. Our round-trip airfare was $517 each. We flew out at 3:25 p.m.

Thursday, 28 November 28 – Today is the US Thanksgiving Day and we had calls from our children and my Niece. We had a quiet day and in the Afternoon went to Christies restaurant with Jeff & Debbie from Sailors Run for a Thanksgiving Day Dinner. There were a lot of other ex-pats enjoying a meal and celebrating. Later, we all returned to Hilbre for drinks and story telling.

Friday, 29 November 2013 – I installed a bar under our navigation table to keep one of our sail bags from sliding out. This space is usually used for a swing-out seat for the Navigation table however, we had removed the seat as the space is more valuable for storage and the seat was rarely used.

In the afternoon, we went to Sailors Run and took a look at Jeff & Debbie’s PC which needed some general maintenance to improve it’s performance. That evening, we took a bus to downtown Mazatlán for Dinner at Pedro & Lolas. As it was the weekend and the evening, the tables had spread into Plaza Machado as had the other restaurants surrounding the square. The Plaza looked much different than it does during the day, quite festive. We had a wonderful dinner with drinks before walking over to the Angela Peralta Theater for our classical concert. December is a month-long arts festival and the Theater hosts many different events.

We had excellent seats and the concert was wonderful. The main piece was Dvorak’s New World Symphony and the final piece was by Alberto Ginastera. The latter was played with such Mexican Gusto that it had everyone on their feet. We returned to Hilbre by Taxi.

Saturday, 30 November 2013 – We needed some supplies so we took the Bus to the Mega-Store and a taxi home.

Sunday, 1 December 2013 – The Mazatlán Marathon was held today with the runners passing very close to the Marina. It was interesting to watch with many individuals participating in the event, some in stages from 3K to a full Marathon. Everyone was enjoying themselves and as usual in Mexico, it was all very festive.

In the late afternoon, we took the bus to Cerritos with Lane & Vicki for dinner at Mr. Lionoso and were able to watch a very pretty sunset from our table.

Time seems to be flying by, we are completing small boat jobs and enjoying the sights and events in Mazatlán.

Friday, 22 November 2013 – For the last few days we had tents which were setup close to the Marina. This was to accommodate a large scale fishing contest and as this was the last day for the contest, we were treated to a fireworks display.

Saturday, 23 November 2013 – Our friends, Lane and Vicki arrived from San Carlos on Adesso. Mazatlán will be new ground for them. We were again at the Palapa for Karaoke and Beer during the afternoon.

Sunday, 24 November 2013 – We took the bus to Cerritos and had breakfast at the Mr. Lionoso restaurant followed by a stroll along the beach and a visit to the hotel Rui. Many people were checking in for their vacations and it appears this hotel largely caters to Mexican families.

Monday, 25 November 2013 – A busy time in the morning cleaning the A/C and refrigerator filters followed by giving our spare diesel tanks a good cleaning. We fill these tanks and then filter our Diesel into Hilbre’s tank through a Baja filter. This way we avoid getting any sediment, water or other contaminants into our primary fuel tank. In the afternoon, we treated ourselves to Coffee and Guava Pie with Lane & Vicki.

Tuesday, 26 November 2013 – Not much happened, we added water to our tanks and had Pizza for dinner with Lane & Vicki.

Wednesday, 27 November 2013 – It was music time again at Gus Y Gus where we had dinner with Lane and Vicki who are beginning to settle into life in Mazatlán.

Wednesday, 20 November 2013 – Anita went off to her Line Dancing while I studied Sextant navigation. We carry two Sextants on board, a Davis MK15 which is a quality plastic one with a whole horizon mirror and an Astra lllB with a half mirror. We also carry a set of marine sight reduction tables and the current annual Almanac. Our Laptop also has a copy of Star Pilot for automated sight reductions.

In the evening we had dinner with Jeff & Debbie from Sailors Run at Gus Y Gus. They have done extensive cruising and we were anxious to hear some of their stories. On Wednesday nights they have music provided by Rafael Rodriguez.

Thursday, 21 November 2013 – Today it is again sunny and clear so we took a bus to the heart of old Mazatlán, We toured the central market, the cathedral and Mazatlán’s original central plaza, the Plaza Machado, a wonderful shady area where we had a fine lunch. This is an arts district and close by is the Angela Peralta Theater. Next to the theater is a school for musicians and their practice sessions can be heard from the street.

The Angela Peralta Theater was built in the early 1870’s and named the Rubio Theater. In 1883 the famous opera singer Angela Peralta ‘The Nightingale of Mexico’ arrived in Mazatlán to perform at the Theater. Upon her arrival, the crowd that gathered to meet her unhitched the horses from her carriage and pulled her carriage to her hotel. She was so taken back by their enthusiasm that she performed for her fans from the balcony of the hotel.

Unfortunately, Mazatlán had a yellow fever epidemic, and she died before she could ever perform in the theater. The theater was soon renamed after her.
Unfortunately in later years, the theater became a movie theater, then a vaudeville stage, a boxing ring and eventually a parking garage. In 1975, a hurricane hit Mazatlán and destroyed the inside of the theater. In ruins for years, restoration of the theater began 1987 and it was re-opened in 1992.

We toured the theater for 15 Pesos each and have booked seats for a 29 November Concert. The seats are in the first balcony and the concert is by Orchestra Philharmonica de la UNAM from Mexico City, the oldest symphony group in Mexico.

We continued our tour of downtown Mazatlán with a visit to the Archeological Museum, a small but interesting museum that provides some insight into the early cultures of the region. The museum charges 35 pesos for entry. Afterwards we strolled around the area and visited some of the many art galleries before catching our bus back to the marina from the central market.

Monday, 18 November 2013 – Anita went Line Dancing at the Palapa. This is a popular activity for both cruisers and Americans who live near the Marina.

Tuesday, 19 November 2013 – The Devil’s Backbone and Mazatlán

The big news for Mazatlán today is the opening of the new highway between Mazatlán and Durango. The old road between Mazatlán and Durango was something of a challenge and was called “The Devils Backbone” as it snaked its way across the Sierras. The 6-8 hour white knuckle drive has been cut to just over 2 hours and Mazatlán is hoping this will have a positive impact on its economy, especially tourism.

The old road was something of a notorious killer, very scenic but in poor condition with many switchbacks. Driving it was always considered a high risk activity.

The new road with its 61 tunnels and 115 bridges has the highest cable stayed bridge in the world (Baluarte Bridge) at 1,321 feet above the valley and is 1,706 feet long. This new road connects with other major highways in Mexico which means Brownsville, Texas, is a mere 12 hours away. Easy access is now available from the interior or east coast of Mexico to the Pacific coast.

Flying Home – As we had no luck confirming a marina reservation in Puerto Vallarta, we decided to book flights home with Alaska Airlines via Los Angeles. After the laundry was complete we went over to El Cid to swim and relax around their pool.

Friday, 15 November 2013 – We had an easy day with coffee at Ronis in the afternoon.

Saturday, 16 November 2013 – The morning was spent shopping at the Soriana grocery store. We usually take the bus there and then a taxi home with the bags of groceries. The afternoon was spent at the Palapa with Karaoke and beer with dinner at Christies in the evening.

Sunday, 17 November 2013 – Mazatlán is again sunny, warm and with low humidity day. We took the short bus ride from near the Marina to Cerritos and the Bruja Beach for a Sunday lunch. Bruja is a wonderful beach and popular with Surfers. With a water temperature about 85 degrees, not only were the surfers having fun, but many Mexican families were out enjoying a beautiful clear and low humidity day.

Lunch was at Mr. Lionso overlooking the Bruja beach while listening to a Mariachi band and consuming a concoction of liquor called “Coco Loco” delivered in a fresh coconut.

We both had beer battered and coconut shrimp, until we could eat no more! After lunch, a short walk took us to the Cerritos beach with its Oyster, Fish restaurants and small stores.

We had a nice cool coffee at the Looney Bean Coffee where we bought a pound of freshly roasted and ground Mexican coffee before taking the 12 peso bus ride back to Marina Mazatlán.

Tuesday, 12 November 2013 – We had breakfast and lunch on board while we waited for the Laundry to be completed. We use the laundry in the Marina village for our laundry. Dinner was at Gus Y Gus where we ordered Octopus. Gus Y Gus is at the end of our slip.

Wednesday, 13 November 2013 – We washed the boat and soaked our Jack-lines in fresh water to remove the salt. We then hauled them up the mast to dry out. Otherwise, it was an easy and relaxing day.

Thursday, 14 November 2013 – The joys of Mazatlán, it is sunny and 85 degrees. This morning I used a rebuild kit for our Head. Heads are always temperamental on boats and require maintenance and rebuilds every few years. Kits are available for this purpose and we carry two on board for this purpose. After doing this essential maintenance, we headed to the Zona Dorado (Golden Zone). By the bus stop in the Golden Zone is the Panama Restaurant and who can resist their Guava Pie with a good cup of Coffee.

Then it was on to the beach for a stroll at sunset then into Pancho’s for Margarita’s and dinner while listening to some funky beach musicians. Yes, we are back in Mazatlán and doing the things we enjoy. It is just like old times, it seems like we just left, but that was back in March.

Puerto Vallarta is proving to be a challenge once again. We hear the old downtown Marina near the cruise terminal was sold, and the new owners asked the boats there to leave while they rebuild it. That is a good thing but this has pushed these boats to move to the other Marinas in Puerto Vallarta so space is tight and a premium.

We have not been able to get a marina reservation for December and January so it looks like we will keep Hilbre in Mazatlán, until at least mid-January. Still, we enjoy Mazatlán so it is not all bad, just that we thought we would be further south by December.

It is hot and humid. We arrived at Marina Mazatlán early this afternoon after a three and a half day sail from San Carlos.
Nautical Miles covered 385.05
78 hours 40 minutes elapsed time with
46.17 Engine hours

After 5 hours of being bounced around we turned on the engine and settled into a steady course for Mazatlán. At 7:40 a.m. we had covered 356 Nautical Miles and by 12:30 p.m. we were approaching the entrance to the Marinas in Mazatlán.

The entrance to the Marinas can be a challenge as it requires a sharp left and then right turn into the basin where the marinas are located. In heavy weather the swells can hit you broadside as you enter.

At 1:00 p.m. we officially tied up to the dock and turned off the engine. Mazatlán is currently hot and steamy although there is a nice light breeze in the Marina during the day. We are sitting in the cool of the AC and looking forward to a good night’s sleep with no three hour watches.