Matanchen Bay to San Blas

We left La Cruz and headed north. We spent one night in Matanchen Bay and then we decided to sneak literally around the corner and go up into the estuary and dock for one night in the marina at San Blas. San Blas is a historical city for many reasons. It was where the Spanish built ships in the 16th century that they loaded with Aztec gold and shipped back to Spain. It has a great fort and an old church made famous by a Longfellow poem. The Bells of San Blas, a famous poem was written about the bells found in the original church built in town. We were in San Blas for less than 24 hours but boy did we get our money’s worth.

Kelly and Ryan on the pier in San Blas

The old church in town with the new church under construction next door

For all of you California 4th graders studying the missions, this plaque is on the old church in town.

The first sign we've seen of Juan Diego, along with Our Lady of Guadalupe

The inside of the new church in town

This was unprompted but we thought we'd add it for the grandparents and Father Ray!

Kelly, Ryan and Phil standing between the old and new churches

One of the local ladies selling her fruit

Another vendor selling her fish

Ryan at the entrance to the Fort and the original church in San Blas

The first church in San Blas where the bells for which the poem was written originally hung.  Again for the fourth graders out their studying the Spanish colonizing of California and Mexico, this church is only a few hundred yards below the Presidio - aka Fort.

Kelly and Ryan on one of the cannons in the Fort

The view from the Fort.  You can see why they picked the spot they did.  You can see the "new" church in the center of the picture and all the sticks - aka masts where the marina is in the background.

Phil and the kids on the road into the marina - you can see just how busy this place is.

We wanted to leave you with some pictures of  what we saw on the way out of San Blas.  The channel into this estuary is so silted in, they send a panga out to the break wall to guide you into the marina so as to help you from avoiding going aground.  These were some of the boats that did not fair so well in the last hurricane that swept through here.  Ryan thought it looked like "Shipwreck Cove" in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.  We were just happy that we did not end up anywhere close to where they were.

Besides the bugs in San Blas - Ryan was eaten alive here- we really liked the place.  Off to new adventures! 

Cuesta Comate to Banderas Bay, March 1st to March 11, 2010

We decided to make our first stop on the way north a short sail. We pulled into the “hidden anchorage” that is Cusesta Comate a short 1 ½ hour sail north of Barra. We needed to get our sea legs back. We were there with of course Sabbatical Verde and Oya. The first night we spent there was very calm but the second night had lots of swell so we pulled up anchor and headed just another short distance to Tenacatita. We did not go ashore in either anchorage. Then we made the long overnight passage around Correntes back into Banderas Bay.

Cuesta Comate

We left Tenacatita at 7:00 a.m. on March 4th and arrived in La Cruz to anchor at 5:20 a.m., after sailing all night. We anchored out in La Cruz for three nights and then went into the marina for five nights. While we were anchored out we witnessed a mother humpback whale breaching in the anchorage. We also saw the race for the Mexico Cup which was held while we were in La Cruz. The President of Mexico waved to us one day while we were at lunch and he was heading out to watch the races.

Mexico Cup - taken  by Ryan in the anchorage in La Cruz

"Neck and Neck"

Mexico Cup - taken by Kelly -

"Making the Turn"

Mexico Cup

"The Dancers"

We also were in the marina to see the largest in-water boat show in Latin America. We got to see all the new power boats. We sent our roving reporters Kelly and her friend Maia out to investigate the boats. The kids also got to see exhibits put on by the Mexican Coast Guard and Navy.

Kelly and Maia (our ace reporters)

One of the boats our reporters said they liked

Which one shall we buy?

Ryan at the helm

Ryan and Maia in front of a replica of the Mexican training vessel

A life raft for 25 - a little cozy you think?

An officer and two young ladies

We also got some down time to actually just play in the park.

Kelly, Ryan and Maia in a park in La Cruz

Ryan trying to push Kelly into the tree

We had a lot of fun spending time with some of the families that are preparing to do the “Puddle Jump” to the Marquesas and beyond. We spent time with the families on Totem, Capaz, Mulan and Oso Blanco. We hope to read about their adventures as they make their way across the Pacific.
Our trip back to Banderas Bay was a fun one. No complaints from the crew here.

Leaving Barra - March 1, 2010

                                        Phil and MaryLou at Restaurant Maya in Melaque


After a long month in the marina it was finally time to set sail and head back north. We had planned to leave on February 28th but a little tsunami threw a wrench in our plans. So we delayed a day and left to head north on March 1st. We will all remember what a great time we had with friends in Barra.

Sunset over Melaque

Kumpis and Pond kids on the way to dinner in Barra

Phil, MaryLou, Margaret and Todd

on he water taxi dock in Barra

Phil and the girls on Sabbatical

The gang enjoying the pool bar in Barra

Caitlin, Fran, Colin, Phil, Jack, Cindy and ML

Phil and MaryLou

A Typical Day in Barra

I thought you might want to see what a typical day of touring in Barra de Navidad was like for us so here goes.

First, we have to wait at the water taxi dock to catch a panga ride across the channel to Barra which is really across the state line in Jalisco.  We are staying at the marina which is in the state of Colima.

Then our trusty panga driver takes us over to the "taxi aquatica" dock in Barra.

The driver in the back of the panga

Kids on the bow of the panga

At the dock

On the way over we passed the large scupture on the break wall that commemorates the four hundred years during which the Phillipines and Barra acted as trading posts for the Spanish empire.

Once we get to the dock the first thing we see is the local lime distributor making his early morning delivery of limes to all the local restaurants and bars.

As we walk down the street toward the center of town we start to see the local vendors carrying their wares to market.

On the way to the central market we stopped by St. Anthony of Padua's Catholic Church which is a block from the center of town.

The inside of the church is quite beautiful. 

After leaving the church we went to "shop" in the market that is held every Thursday in the town square.  We found all kinds of interesting things on sale.

Mexican Train characters

As Kelly has discovered, you can never have too much jewelry.

We left the market and wandered down to the water front where we explored the scupture before heading back over to Isla de Navidad.

Before we left Barra the kids went and climbed all over the scupture we had seen when we came across the channel.

Just another typical day here in Barra.

Tenecatita with Dr. Kelley

Thought I'd try and catch up with the blog before we left Mazatlan and lost our internet connection. 
While we were in Barra, Nicole's dad offered to take all of us up to Tenacatita for the day. With his power cat it only take about an hour and one half to get there. We set out in the morning and had a great day with the McGuinness family.

The kids on the front of SeaStar

Dr. Kelley driving the boat

Needless to say our kids were happy to be moving at over 5 knots. Captain Kelley even let Phil drive the boat. Phil was really happy to drive a boat that goes fast.

We even had some excitement along the way. We caught a couple of fish (both of which we threw back) and we ran into a pod of dolphins who had a great time playing in the wake of the boat.

Tossing one back

One of our friendly companions on the trip

We anchored off the aquarium and most of us swam to shore. Ryan opted to take the kyayak ashore. We had a wonderful time with yet another lunch at our favorite palapa restaurant - Cato. We made it back to the dock by about 5 o'clock. I have now decided that power is the way to go.