The Push North to Mazatlan

It was HELL. We had 30 knots of wind on our nose and swells that were 8-10 feet for about 15 straight hours. We still made it into Mazatlan in a day and ½ but it was the worst overnight passage we had on the trip. We were all happy to get back to Mazatlan. We stayed at El Cid Marina which is an AWESOME resort. We also ended up being docked next to a boat that we had seen a lot but had not actually met – Black Dragon. We are all in love with the Dolling family from Black Dragon. Tracey, Steve and Foster (and Scupper the dog) are wonderful. We ended up spending a week with them in Mazatlan. I had my best shopping day ever with Tracey trying to find the bowls you need to make molcajetes.

Turns out that we decided to buddy boat across the Sea back to Bahia de los Muertos. We had a great trip across. We could not have had better conditions. There was a group of four sailboats all going the same way – us, Black Dragon, RockStar and Sapphire. We made it from Mazatlan to Muertos in 32 hours. We anchored in Muertos and spent a great couple of days on the beach there exploring one man’s resort (a former San Diego real estate developer – complete with giant model train collection) and the shoreline. The kids also had a lot of fun learning to sail in Foster’s sailing dinghy. Next stop back to La Paz to reprovision for the trip north into the Sea.

The Dolling family sailing to shore in Muertos on their dinghy

Kelly and me ashore in Muertos

Ryan just above the dinghy dock in Muertos

The walk into Muertos

Everyone, including Scupper is glad to be ashore

Lets hug a cactus but not too close

Climbing the awesome sand dunes in Muertos

(our camera makes everything look blue in bright sunlight)

We have conquered the hill

This picture does not do justice to layout of trains at this small resort on the south shore of Muertos

Kelly, Ryan and Foster playing with the slot cars in the resort at Muertos

I couldn't resist snapping a picture of this one for my mom

A picture taken from the second floor of the resort looking back down to the beach

Kelly coming down the slide

Kelly in the infiinty pool

The gang resting back at the beach before making the big push back to the dinghy dock

Steve Dolling and Phil walking back up the beach past the pangas

The colorful pangas

One of the locals in Muertos we found trying to hide under the rock.

 

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