So, a few days at the docks and we have a whole new plan. We are totally getting into this cruising thing about changing directions at will.
Once in our slip we found out that "Jeffrey the Rigger" who had retired from rigging back in February was actually keeping his hand in the business working with only a few boats a month! And luck being on our side, he had availability to work with us beginning in June! WOW! Alan was thrilled to hear this -- the burden for doing the re-rigging was falling to him as there were no other viable options in LaPaz or Guaymas.
We think the minor malfunction of an anchor deck switch that lead to our coming into a marina and then to a renewed connection with Jeffrey is just the serendipity of cruising....or is it Magic?
So suddenly, a new plan is conceived. We will cruise for another 6 weeks or so as far north as Loreto; return to LaPaz; pull the mast and summer the boat here! We will keep the boat (minus the mast) in the water at Marina Palmira. A yacht management team will watch her during our absence. A new insurance policy includes hurricane coverage for LaPaz (and it was cheaper too!) .....it has been a busy couple of days!
After we de-commission Magic in June we will catch a 5 hour ferry ride to the mainland port of Topolobampo; spend the night and then another 5 hour bus ride to Guaymas. Collect the car & say a few hellos and goodbyes before heading to Arizona and points north! WOW! Both of us are delighted with the plan. In the fall we will drive down the Baja with all the materials for the new rig and Jeffrey and Alan will put it back together. We will be good for another season or two or three or as long as the fun continues.
And next season: we will spend the next year or so based out of LaPaz. We love the town and local community; island anchorages are just hours away; and for us: the sea life and water of the Sea of Cortez is a huge draw. We don't see ourselves making long passages; Banderas Bay was fun but no comfortable, viable anchorages for weeks at a time; Mazatlan is a marina culture that is not a fit for us.
So, we are here in the marina "on vacation" till Friday when we head north -- slowly. There are enough new anchorages and islands that we are already having to decided how to make the trip. The water is warm and the fishing is good. We are ready to play!!!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Like a Herd of Turtles
Upon arriving in Mazatlan the daily subject of concern was : when is the next weather window to cross the Sea? The winds are typically blowing northwest and everyone waits for a window when it doesn't blow northwest! At least three web sites were looked at and their information was compared and notes taken. Grib files were down loaded showing a forecast 5 days out. When to go West depended so much on inexact information, but after several days it was clear: Tuesday or Wednesday was the time to go. We were not alone in this quest. In our anchorage there were 7 other boats waiting and who knew how many in the marinas at the north end of town. But besides when to go, where to go was dictated by the weather too, for a southerly wind would make 3/4 of the anchorages on the Baja side untenable. We had three options : Los Frailes @ 162 miles (just N of Cabo San Lucas), Muertos @ 190 (40 m. N) and Playa la Bonanza @ 230 more northerly yet, on the East side of Isla Espirtu Santo, a bit NE of La Paz.
When dawn broke on Tuesday, the first thing I noticed outside was the empty space nearby where four boats had been. There were all single handers and had chosen to go early and take the shortest route to Frailes. The rest of us opted to wait for the following day, but when I got up Wednesday at 4AM I noticed a problem: FOG! Really thick, no visibility FOG. Even the sun had a problem getting up and it seemed like we were back in the S F Bay area! On the morning VHF net we learned the Port Captain had closed the harbors out of safety concerns. A short time later our friend Phil on "Manassea" (ok, I call it Lunasea sometimes) snuck out and got away with it. We had planned on leaving at 1000, as it was an expected 48 hour passage and wanted to arrive in daylight. At 0930 a tug sat in the channel, awaiting the morning truck ferry from La Paz. At 1000 a charter fishing boat floated by to wait for the moment he could leave. So we pulled the anchor up and idled around too. It took awhile to realize the two long horn blasts we were hearing every 2 minutes were from the ferry sitting outside waiting for the fog to lift. Then at about 200 feet away, we couldn't see the tug or the breakwater even closer! We moved back to where we'd been and put the hook back down, to sit it out. Finally at 1315 the ferry came in, a navy patrol boat came in (good thing we didn't try sneaking past them!) and we left.
I must say here we had an unusual plan: leave late, go slow when needed, taking our time, as we choose the longer route to Playa la Bonanza and the forecast predicted strong westerlies the morning we planned to arrive (Friday). Leaving late, it turned out we were at the back of the herd of some 25 boats all going West at 3,4,5,or 6 knots. So we had plenty of boats to give us info as what we'd find ahead, and with our speed it was not likely we'd be catching anybody--so fewer targets on the radar at night. The fog was still shrouding the mainland but luckily caused us no more problems.
You must understand that there are a lot of hours without much to do when traveling, especially when motor sailing. It can be hard to read books, there is no internet connection and doing projects on a moving boat is no fun. About the best option is to be outside and watch for wild life. On our second day, having very flat seas, we sat out on the forward trampolines and saw 100's of rays trying to get air born, dolphins playing on the bow wave, turtles floating by, a Tropic Bird sitting on the surface just 75' feet off, and so many pilot whales we couldn't keep count! We were sitting there in contentment when the anchor windlass turned itself on! What caused that? AT least the clutch was released so it didn't do any damage. Alan went into Handyman Alan mode but after testing switches couldn't figure it out. Oh My, what to do? It was getting dark when we decided we couldn't go anchor anywhere we planned on, as we could get the hook down easily but eventual retrieval was doubtful.
The New Plan became: speed up to make La Paz on Friday by midday; go into a marina and get an electrician. Doing those early hours of Friday we passed Manassea. Good luck was with us, as the notorious Cerralvo Channel was flat and we were motor sailing hitting 7 kts and averaging 6.6 for hours on end. At day break we turned left into the San Lorenzo Channel and found the previously predicted strong westerly and ugly steep oncoming waves that dropped our speed to 2 kts.! The fun was over, but at least it came near the end. Five hatches leaked water that washed over the decks. Eating was about out of the question. It took 7 hours to go about 20 miles but the flat calm water of Marina Palmira was a welcome relief.
Our favorite electrician Victor, could come in an hour! Alan had tried to contact Magic's previous owner for answers, but he was AWOL. Victor arrived and after looking things over asked just one question: "Where did you come from?" What does that have to do with the electrical problem at hand? "You have a pneumatic deck switch, when you traveled from the cool mainland across the hotter Sea, the air in the switch expanded and both turned on the windlass and wouldn't allow it to turn off." With that he showed the back of the switch, sucked some air out, and the repair was done!
Now what to do? The larder's full, the anchor's good to go, the marina doesn't know yet how long we'll stay, this isn't where we like to live... OK, let's stay a week, clean Magic at a slow pace, swim in the pool and have a vacation!
When dawn broke on Tuesday, the first thing I noticed outside was the empty space nearby where four boats had been. There were all single handers and had chosen to go early and take the shortest route to Frailes. The rest of us opted to wait for the following day, but when I got up Wednesday at 4AM I noticed a problem: FOG! Really thick, no visibility FOG. Even the sun had a problem getting up and it seemed like we were back in the S F Bay area! On the morning VHF net we learned the Port Captain had closed the harbors out of safety concerns. A short time later our friend Phil on "Manassea" (ok, I call it Lunasea sometimes) snuck out and got away with it. We had planned on leaving at 1000, as it was an expected 48 hour passage and wanted to arrive in daylight. At 0930 a tug sat in the channel, awaiting the morning truck ferry from La Paz. At 1000 a charter fishing boat floated by to wait for the moment he could leave. So we pulled the anchor up and idled around too. It took awhile to realize the two long horn blasts we were hearing every 2 minutes were from the ferry sitting outside waiting for the fog to lift. Then at about 200 feet away, we couldn't see the tug or the breakwater even closer! We moved back to where we'd been and put the hook back down, to sit it out. Finally at 1315 the ferry came in, a navy patrol boat came in (good thing we didn't try sneaking past them!) and we left.
I must say here we had an unusual plan: leave late, go slow when needed, taking our time, as we choose the longer route to Playa la Bonanza and the forecast predicted strong westerlies the morning we planned to arrive (Friday). Leaving late, it turned out we were at the back of the herd of some 25 boats all going West at 3,4,5,or 6 knots. So we had plenty of boats to give us info as what we'd find ahead, and with our speed it was not likely we'd be catching anybody--so fewer targets on the radar at night. The fog was still shrouding the mainland but luckily caused us no more problems.
You must understand that there are a lot of hours without much to do when traveling, especially when motor sailing. It can be hard to read books, there is no internet connection and doing projects on a moving boat is no fun. About the best option is to be outside and watch for wild life. On our second day, having very flat seas, we sat out on the forward trampolines and saw 100's of rays trying to get air born, dolphins playing on the bow wave, turtles floating by, a Tropic Bird sitting on the surface just 75' feet off, and so many pilot whales we couldn't keep count! We were sitting there in contentment when the anchor windlass turned itself on! What caused that? AT least the clutch was released so it didn't do any damage. Alan went into Handyman Alan mode but after testing switches couldn't figure it out. Oh My, what to do? It was getting dark when we decided we couldn't go anchor anywhere we planned on, as we could get the hook down easily but eventual retrieval was doubtful.
The New Plan became: speed up to make La Paz on Friday by midday; go into a marina and get an electrician. Doing those early hours of Friday we passed Manassea. Good luck was with us, as the notorious Cerralvo Channel was flat and we were motor sailing hitting 7 kts and averaging 6.6 for hours on end. At day break we turned left into the San Lorenzo Channel and found the previously predicted strong westerly and ugly steep oncoming waves that dropped our speed to 2 kts.! The fun was over, but at least it came near the end. Five hatches leaked water that washed over the decks. Eating was about out of the question. It took 7 hours to go about 20 miles but the flat calm water of Marina Palmira was a welcome relief.
Our favorite electrician Victor, could come in an hour! Alan had tried to contact Magic's previous owner for answers, but he was AWOL. Victor arrived and after looking things over asked just one question: "Where did you come from?" What does that have to do with the electrical problem at hand? "You have a pneumatic deck switch, when you traveled from the cool mainland across the hotter Sea, the air in the switch expanded and both turned on the windlass and wouldn't allow it to turn off." With that he showed the back of the switch, sucked some air out, and the repair was done!
Now what to do? The larder's full, the anchor's good to go, the marina doesn't know yet how long we'll stay, this isn't where we like to live... OK, let's stay a week, clean Magic at a slow pace, swim in the pool and have a vacation!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Mazatlan Days
Our days have entered a pleasant pattern: foggy mornings, sunny days, cool evenings. Check daily for that weather window, take a bus ride to somewhere and wander the streets, find fresh veggies at the mercado and head home. Maybe we leave on Wednesday; maybe.
But we have totally enjoyed the time here: a busy town, a vibrant historic district, arts, color, and a malecon that stretches for miles.
Enjoy some of these scenes:
But we have totally enjoyed the time here: a busy town, a vibrant historic district, arts, color, and a malecon that stretches for miles.
Enjoy some of these scenes:
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| Easter Sunday at Punta Mita -- everyone enjoying the surf and sand |
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| A band, well, because we need music |
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| Wind and surf sculpted sandstone |
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| Land HO! Cape Haro Lighthouse. We anchor to left in Old Harbor |
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| Hitching a Ride! This is motorcycle weekend in Mazatlan |
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| Lovely colors |
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| Rowing out to a boat in the Old Harbor. Backwards with makeshift paddles. |
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| Shrimp market -- 1 Kilo for $8 USD. FRESH |
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| Rolling a panga in and up the beach -- check the log rolls |
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| Long lines -- the curse of night crossings! and day crossings too! |
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| Fish market direct from the pangeros |
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| Painted building -- so many buildings have murals and paintings |
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| Sculpture on the malecon |
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| Looking for a day in the sun -- umbrella, boogie board and the breakfast of champions! |
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| A Pulmonia is a local open air cab. Note the lighthouse on sculpture. Mazatlan favorites |
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| A bike shop -- chock a block full of everything |
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| Making tamales |
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| Motorcycles lined up at the mercado |
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
All Days Cruising Are NOT Fun
We knew the slog from Punta Mita north to Mazatlan would be "one of those days." We just hoped it would not end up in Capital Letters as one of THOSE days. The winds and seas at this time of year come from the northwest; sometimes a bit of west. And since that was our heading -- it is a slog.
We watched for a good window -- we wanted to make the 160 nautical mile jump to Mazatlan in a nonstop trip (coming down we took six days to cover the distance.) And finally, we had a "not too bad" forecast: nothing too strong--so off we went.
We left Punta Mita early on Monday about sunrise and rounded the point -- got a view of the new, exclusive homes on the west side -- and set our course north. We had a nice thermal breeze off the land for a bit; then no wind; then afternoon winds. Always the swell and with the wind, well, a bit more wave.
Now catamarans are good for many things, mostly level sailing, and a very comfortable platform for living on the hook. But catamarans are not so good for slogging into sloppy, choppy swells. BOOM as a wave hits the underdeck; RATTLE and SHAKE as the boat vibrates. BOOM BOOM. Over and over. Every boom drops your speed, then you pick it up again for a few minutes. On and on. Yeah, I'm complaining. But the motion on a cat is quick and fast and you don't get used to it as the waves are irregular. Neither of us was having any fun. We just watched the miles go by.
All day we saw nothing -- no other sailboats, no pangas; no commercial traffic. We passed Isla Isabella about sunset and then suddenly we had lots of friends on the radar. All doing strange maneuvers and light patterns that I guarantee are not on approved lists! Which way are they going? How fast? Who is crossing who? How close? And why don't they answer when we call on the radio? Well, probably because they are a Mexican fishing boat and don't have time for gringo sailboats.
The moon eventually came up; the winds and seas moderated; and we were back on course for Mazatlan. The morning sunrise was beautiful and finally we were treated to a ongoing show of marine sealife! We had seen NOTHING in Banderas Bay so it had been weeks since whales, turtles, dolphins by the hundreds, stingrays were on display all around us. It made the night seem like a bad dream and renewed our energy to keep cruising.
Well, until the fog. Mazatlan? Fog? Back on with the lights and radar -- we had been in the harbor before so felt comfortable closing with the coast. The fog did lighten about an hour before we arrived -- and that was when I asked the Captain: "how come there is no water pressure?" I was making guacamole for lunch and had a stack of dirty dishes.....oh well. It is a cruising boat.
But all is well. The fog lifted; the anchor dropped. Handyman Al found a disconnected wire and soon showers were in order. The boat got cleaned up; we had some lunch. Shade awnings cover us to keep us cool. Life is good.
We watched for a good window -- we wanted to make the 160 nautical mile jump to Mazatlan in a nonstop trip (coming down we took six days to cover the distance.) And finally, we had a "not too bad" forecast: nothing too strong--so off we went.
We left Punta Mita early on Monday about sunrise and rounded the point -- got a view of the new, exclusive homes on the west side -- and set our course north. We had a nice thermal breeze off the land for a bit; then no wind; then afternoon winds. Always the swell and with the wind, well, a bit more wave.
Now catamarans are good for many things, mostly level sailing, and a very comfortable platform for living on the hook. But catamarans are not so good for slogging into sloppy, choppy swells. BOOM as a wave hits the underdeck; RATTLE and SHAKE as the boat vibrates. BOOM BOOM. Over and over. Every boom drops your speed, then you pick it up again for a few minutes. On and on. Yeah, I'm complaining. But the motion on a cat is quick and fast and you don't get used to it as the waves are irregular. Neither of us was having any fun. We just watched the miles go by.
All day we saw nothing -- no other sailboats, no pangas; no commercial traffic. We passed Isla Isabella about sunset and then suddenly we had lots of friends on the radar. All doing strange maneuvers and light patterns that I guarantee are not on approved lists! Which way are they going? How fast? Who is crossing who? How close? And why don't they answer when we call on the radio? Well, probably because they are a Mexican fishing boat and don't have time for gringo sailboats.
The moon eventually came up; the winds and seas moderated; and we were back on course for Mazatlan. The morning sunrise was beautiful and finally we were treated to a ongoing show of marine sealife! We had seen NOTHING in Banderas Bay so it had been weeks since whales, turtles, dolphins by the hundreds, stingrays were on display all around us. It made the night seem like a bad dream and renewed our energy to keep cruising.
Well, until the fog. Mazatlan? Fog? Back on with the lights and radar -- we had been in the harbor before so felt comfortable closing with the coast. The fog did lighten about an hour before we arrived -- and that was when I asked the Captain: "how come there is no water pressure?" I was making guacamole for lunch and had a stack of dirty dishes.....oh well. It is a cruising boat.
But all is well. The fog lifted; the anchor dropped. Handyman Al found a disconnected wire and soon showers were in order. The boat got cleaned up; we had some lunch. Shade awnings cover us to keep us cool. Life is good.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
A Day in Puerto Vallarta
We are anchored in Punta Mita - the northwest corner of Banderas Bay -- and in the far distance we can see the high rise hotels of Puerto Vallarta and watch the cruise ships come and go. So we decided to hop on a bus and explore PV.
Since our visit 10 years ago the malecon (side walk along the water) has been greatly upgraded and the frontage road closed to traffic. There were more sculptures, more sand art, actors, and food stalls. And NO ONE selling timeshares. Then we headed through the old part of town (we love those cobblestone streets and funky shops), found the cathedral, and one of the world's best vegetarian restaurants. Then it was back on the bus for the 90 minute ride back to our sleepy fishing village & high end resorts.
This is Semana Santa (Easter Week) and the beaches are packed and the music goes all hours. As I type this a not very good band is playing about 10 feet off. Yikes they play with the volume UP.
Since our visit 10 years ago the malecon (side walk along the water) has been greatly upgraded and the frontage road closed to traffic. There were more sculptures, more sand art, actors, and food stalls. And NO ONE selling timeshares. Then we headed through the old part of town (we love those cobblestone streets and funky shops), found the cathedral, and one of the world's best vegetarian restaurants. Then it was back on the bus for the 90 minute ride back to our sleepy fishing village & high end resorts.
This is Semana Santa (Easter Week) and the beaches are packed and the music goes all hours. As I type this a not very good band is playing about 10 feet off. Yikes they play with the volume UP.
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| A view of the Malecon |
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| Decorated Pangas -- dozens all different |
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| One of our favorites -- love those colors in everything! |
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| A sand sculpture! |
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| A street scene -- for a small tip you can be at the table too |
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| Seahorse sculpture |
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| PVs famous arches |
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| The Cathedral in Old Town PV |
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| Tile Art |
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| Any one hungry? |
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| Water front BBQ -- fish, shrimp, or lobster? |
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| Delicious food -- buffet style |
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| Ready to find the bus home |
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Spring Break in Mexico
What a great tradition -- spring break in Mexico! This year Bryan joined us for some sun, sand, and tacos in Banderas Bay, site of Puerto Vallarta. We cruised Silhouette here many years ago, so it was "old home" week in many ways.
For several days we anchored in La Cruz, a small, Mexican fishing village that is now home to the largest (and newest) marina in Mexico and many small, gringo oriented restaurants. Despite the glitz of the marina and obvious new wealth in the town, the day to day rhythms of La Cruz had not changed. It still took walking to 3 tiendas to find all our vegetables and both ice cream parlors have the same local treat.
Coinciding with Bryan's visit, the tourist board of Mexico (?) was hosting 2,500 travel agents to encourage them to support tourism in Mexico. This annual event is normally held in Acapulco but was moved to Banderas Bay for the first time. And the whole region was engaged in the preparations. La Cruz was to host the opening night welcome/cocktail party! Which meant that the streets in town had to be paved (no rough cobblestones for those fancy buses), a newly planted town square, an entire entertainment venue by the marina, and police and officials EVERYWHERE. The work seemed endless, but in true Mexican style if was all done hours before the agents arrived. The fireworks and nightlight show were amazing! And within a few hours of the end of the show...the venue had almost all been torn down.
We did spend an evening listening to many local musicians at a benefit called "A Taste of La Cruz." In true gringo fashion, many local residents have put together a non-profit organization and raise money to support local schools, senior centers, and public works. Some of the musicians (The Blond Gypsies) even were playing the same tunes as ten years ago! Yikes.
After La Cruz, we headed out to the anchorage on the northwest corner of the Bay: Punta Mita. It is a "surfing" spot so, yes, there was a bit of southern swell. Here we dove into water sports: dinghy landing, kayaking, swimming, and standup paddle boarding (twice). Oh yeah, and sitting in the palapa restaurant watching the surfers on break after break after break.
Too soon it was time for Bryan to fly north to rain and cold. And of course, that day, a HUGE swell was running and the surfers were just right there off the bow! So, I was having none of the captain's story that he could land us one at a time and no one would get wet. I just waved down an incoming pangero...with his panga full of the night's catch...and in my best Spanish caught a ride to shore. No problemo! The swell was down the next day, the surfers have all left of other spots, Bryan is back and Davis.
We are waiting a few days for a window to slowly trek north for a few months in the Sea.
For several days we anchored in La Cruz, a small, Mexican fishing village that is now home to the largest (and newest) marina in Mexico and many small, gringo oriented restaurants. Despite the glitz of the marina and obvious new wealth in the town, the day to day rhythms of La Cruz had not changed. It still took walking to 3 tiendas to find all our vegetables and both ice cream parlors have the same local treat.
Coinciding with Bryan's visit, the tourist board of Mexico (?) was hosting 2,500 travel agents to encourage them to support tourism in Mexico. This annual event is normally held in Acapulco but was moved to Banderas Bay for the first time. And the whole region was engaged in the preparations. La Cruz was to host the opening night welcome/cocktail party! Which meant that the streets in town had to be paved (no rough cobblestones for those fancy buses), a newly planted town square, an entire entertainment venue by the marina, and police and officials EVERYWHERE. The work seemed endless, but in true Mexican style if was all done hours before the agents arrived. The fireworks and nightlight show were amazing! And within a few hours of the end of the show...the venue had almost all been torn down.
We did spend an evening listening to many local musicians at a benefit called "A Taste of La Cruz." In true gringo fashion, many local residents have put together a non-profit organization and raise money to support local schools, senior centers, and public works. Some of the musicians (The Blond Gypsies) even were playing the same tunes as ten years ago! Yikes.
After La Cruz, we headed out to the anchorage on the northwest corner of the Bay: Punta Mita. It is a "surfing" spot so, yes, there was a bit of southern swell. Here we dove into water sports: dinghy landing, kayaking, swimming, and standup paddle boarding (twice). Oh yeah, and sitting in the palapa restaurant watching the surfers on break after break after break.
Too soon it was time for Bryan to fly north to rain and cold. And of course, that day, a HUGE swell was running and the surfers were just right there off the bow! So, I was having none of the captain's story that he could land us one at a time and no one would get wet. I just waved down an incoming pangero...with his panga full of the night's catch...and in my best Spanish caught a ride to shore. No problemo! The swell was down the next day, the surfers have all left of other spots, Bryan is back and Davis.
We are waiting a few days for a window to slowly trek north for a few months in the Sea.
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| Wow! I'm glad finals are over!! |
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| Love the hammock life! |
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| Refreshments in the town |
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| Beautiful Huichol Indian bead work objects |
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| La Cruz street scene |
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| La Cruz street scene -- the drummer is about 6 years old! |
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| Philo's Bar in La Cruz...Bryan did open mike night there 10 years ago!! |
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| Yes, the travel agents will need a new road by Sunday night...and they got it. |
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| Sunset music program |
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| Kayaking ashore in Punta Mita |
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| We all had a blast on stand up paddleboards |
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| Plenty of places to eat and enjoy the sun and sand |
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| Look!! They are both standing as they paddle over waves! |
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| Bryan riding a wave in |
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| Alan riding a wave in |
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| Fresh seafood salad: shrimp, octopus, scallop, and mussel |
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| Looking out to the anchorage |
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| At the airport and already making plans for next year in Mexico |
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