Kicking back in La Cruz

Still just kicking back in La Cruz…. Not such a bad life. It is the typical mexican village and has a great pace of life. People are very kind and courteous as well as hard working. While walking in town this morning, we saw people sweeping the dirt streets to make sure they were clean of leaves, etc.

The other day, we tried to move north to Mazatlan. Did the check out with the marina, got the papers done with the Capitana de Puerto, and were off the dock by about 10 am…. Headed west to Punta Mita and found the swells getting larger as we moved west. After we rounded the point and heading north, the swells did not die down as we had hoped. Swells coming into the bay sometimes get larger as the water compresses coming into the bay. In this case, they pretty much stayed the same. With a N-NW wind, we were barely able to hold course to Chacala, which was the next anchorage. After 2 hours, it was getting too rough with 10-12’ troughs so we turned back. We did see some humpback whales and had a pod of dolphins join us for a few minutes. Two of them jumped clear out of the water right beside the boat, and scared the hell out of me. You never have the camera ready for a shot like that. Got back to the dock around 5 pm and went into recovery mode.

Today, we pretty much rested up and looked at our options. The seas are supposed to calm by Sunday with 3’ swells expected along with a westerly wind. We were going to try to move north again on Sunday but we do kind of like it here. Alternatives include putting the boat in dry storage here or looking for a slip, and we found one at a sort of reasonable price. It is little pricier here but on the other hand, the water is warmer and PV is on the edge of some of the best cruising areas in North America, if not the world….

The slip is a private slip at a condo resort so we will have good security, water, power, etc. We can stay on the boat but when we come back, I think we want to move it further south... Barra has some great places on the way down and we might even go further. Water temps are much warmer as we go further south...

Yesterday, in the afternoon, we took a break from the heat and sat in the restaurant overlooking the marina. We had a few cool drinks and watched a dock side rescue. Chester was on the far dock and fell in but could not get out. Panic ensued and the security guards ran down to help. They struggled to pull him out and after significant effort managed to get him back on the dock safe and sound. Chester was very grateful as it was pretty difficult for someone of his size and shape to swim well. He is overweight and has pretty short legs and arms. Once on the dock, he shook pretty hard but let everyone know how much he appreciated the help. It is pretty hard for a beagle-dash-hound cross to swim at the best of times, let alone try to get back on a dock that is 2 feet above the water…..

Secrity has really ramped up here, the Mexican J24 races start soon and the President, the Govenor, and several others are coming in tomorrow. The real big event will be in town at Phillo's restraunt where the Canada-USA showdown is going to happen on the big screen. We will be there.

On the cruiser net this morning, there was a tsunami warning due to the earthquake in Chile. We did see a dip in the water level, then a surge back up again but nothing significant, maybe a 5' change between the low and the peak.... Bottom line, nothing big here.

Heading North....

The marina has been a buzz of activity with cleaning, trimming and setting up for a big boat show this weekend. There are big pavilions being put up, lots of boats being brought in, internet has improved and they even brought in an ATM machine.
We have had a great time, day sailing, touring around, lazing around, etc. but....

It is time for us to move north, weather window has opened up and we leave this morning….

Will update from Mazatlan!

A Word from the Admiral.....

Sailors Wife here…since arriving on Monday, we have been to a dock birthday party, had one or two thunderstorms, found a nice little restaurant we hope to return to (Abalon, or something like that…you know, up to the traffic ring, take a right, and go three blocks), set up the keyboard (although I am missing the part that would allow me to practice with headphones, due to “borrowing” it for the studio less than 12 hours before I left – GRRR).

We have been trying to follow the Winter Olympics but only can get updates on the computer, never actually SEE any of it, and establishing that I am the superior player at crib, and that Rick gets lucky at gin rummy. I am onto my third novel, and have discovered that Dramamine does make me sleepy a little, but that the prescription from Dr H does not. What else? Finding I wear out in the heat (the ipod player had a readout of 113 F degrees this afternoon!)…and that I am looking forward to the kayaks tomorrow and the sail to Mazatlan….later next week?

I have been keeping my ears open and writing some of the ideas of the other sailor’s wives, so my song cycle should be ready to get started once we are under sail….or sooner. There is good, and there is bad….should be fun. Till later, Nathene (aka Sailor’s Wife) ps apparently there are TANGO lessons on Sunday afternoons in town!

The Bus to Bucarias….

We took a bus into Bucarias the other day for more provisions. This bus will also take us into Puerto Vallarta when we go, probably on Monday. Bucarias is a larger town east of La Cruz. It has a larger commercial center plus a major mall. The bus there was pretty nice, air conditioning, and only 8 pesos each. We did our grocery shopping and came back on an old bus with no air, no springs or shocks, no foam in the seats, and most importantly, no or at least very little in the way of brakes. Fortunatly, it was only about a 10 minute ride. We capped the day by going out for dinner with another cruiser couple who were left morning for Barra de Navidad. Many of the boats that were here when we came have left, and many more have arrived.

This morning we got up, had brekkie on the boat, then went day sailing across the bay. There were very few boats out there and it is a big bay. It was a little cloudy with a nice wind, sending us southwards towards Yelapa. (A palapa in Yelapa is better than a condo in Redondo) About half way there, the wind died, the sun came out, and it got pretty warm on the bay. We motored back and sat up in the lounge to cool down and sip a cold one, or two. Saw some whales at a distance blowing and splashing around. We also saw a turtle but did not get any photos.

Tomorrow, we might try our hand kayaking. There are some nice looking little inlets just west of here, that should have some very nice snorkeling and well as tiny secluded beaches.

La Cruz de Huanauxctle

La Cruz (The Cross) as it is more commonly known is a small fishing village that is now on the edge of significant development and change. It is named after a cross in the center of town made out of a Huanauxctle tree.

In the lower part of the town, between the new highway and the ocean, the streets are all cobble stone and just wide enough to for 2 vehicles (or donkey carts) to squeeze past each other. There are a number of small little stores with a few shelves/pretty low inventory as well as restaurants. The restaurants vary from being larger more focused on touristas to small, little holes in the wall with maybe two tables, a few chairs, and no signs indicating it is a diner vs. a private residence. In the evenings, especially Fridays and Saturdays, the central plaza comes alive with all the locals visiting and kids playing. A walk down the streets is taken with caution to avoid twisting an ankle on the cobble stone or to avoid stepping on a sleeping dog, of which there are many. In the early morning hours, roosters can be heard crowing as everyone seems to have a few chickens. They can be seen on the streets, pecking their way around, or in some cases, on a grill by the sidewalk for a few pesos…..

La Cruz is becoming well known for its music. Local bands, individuals, passer- thru’s, or who-ever, will come down and start jamming or playing either by plan or spontaneity, we can’t really tell. Today, there is large condo development underway all around on the hills above the town as well as a large hotel just commencing at the marina. When the marina was built, there were a number of homes and businesses that lost their direct ocean front views as they filled in the area in front of them. Change is coming, with it, perhaps a better economic future for many, but also at the cost of an older lifestyle which will fade away.

The Move to La Cruz...

Got up this morning, had another very cold shower in a smelly shower stall. Rather than wait for Nathene to arrive and have to endure the noise, poor security, dirty bathrooms (which are always locked), constant sales opportunities, etc. I decided to move to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

Jason and I went by it when we came in, thinking that it was only an anchorage. Last Friday, we found out that there was a new marina there. I contacted the marina they had slips available and I solo sailed over. It took about 2 hours or so, nice light wind right off the nose so I motored for a while. Once clear of the sand bars at the east end of the bay, I turned towards La Cruz and sailed in. Got in around 2 or so (crossed back into Mountain Standard Time), did a quick check in, and caught a taxi to the aeropuerto. Waited for about a ½ hour and Nathene came through the gate. She had a good flight, no problems, other than having to get up at an early hour… The airport taxis charge twice as much as a regular taxi but we were able to go across the street from the airport over a foot bridge which saved us over 200 pesos.

Riviera Nayarit Marina is very much a first class facility. Everything is clean, hot water in the showers, nice capitana’s lounge, internet, etc. and most of all they seem to want to provide a good service. La Cruz itself is a pretty small town, no major stores, so we will be shopping locally and should be doing a lot of walking. There will be a hotel attached to this marina in the future, but for now, it is pretty quiet, more or less what the doctor ordered. I see us kicking back until Nathene gets a little rest and then some day sailing, maybe kayaking, and a little snorkeling. Bandaras Bay has some great day sailing, water is very warm, and there are quite a few whales in the bay as well. Several islands nearby have good anchorages, and should be nice snorkeling.

(Did I mention that the Admrial has arrived?)

Kayaking with Crocodiles

Yesterday, we went back over to Nuevo Vallarta, specifically to go kayaking in the estuary which is really a pretty neat mangrove swamp ecosystem. There is a lot of development going on in the immediate marina area as more and more luxury homes are built. Which each house, they take out the entire riparian zone and put in cement walls to support their docks. Many of the houses look like they have been abandoned since construction as many of the owners are a long distance away and the tropical climate here means lots of maintenance.

Before we went kayaking we had lunch at the Puerto Vallarta Yacht Club. We had kayaked over to the yacht club leaving the boat over at Nuevo Vallarta Marina. They make a pretty nice rib-eye hamburger, but it needed a few cervesas to wash it down.

Once away from the developed areas, there was an abundance of birds and other wildlife. Crocodile tours kept coming by and were warning us of crocs they saw on shore. I only saw one, about 6’ in length and it slid into the water as soon as it saw us. It seems that the powerboats are ignored but kayaks either scare them into the water, or are potentially a slow moving lunch opportunity. There was lots of bird life, herons, snowy egrets and others that migrate for the winter from Alberta, as well as lots of other species, many which I did not recognize. There were lots of iguanas as well, just sitting in the Mangroves above the water. I saw one, went for a closer look and realized there was at least 5 all hanging in the sun above me.

We motor sailed back, showered and had supper at a little Italian place. Food was OK but we were pretty tired. Back to the boat, wound down and off to bed. Got up early to help Jason find a taxi, once that was a success, I headed back to bed.

I spent the day, crawling around the boat, cleaning and doing a few repairs. Crab and Crusty would be very happy to know that I rewired the running lights. They helped me rework them last year in La Paz just before we left Mazatlan. I ran a new power wire up to the bow lights, so no more concerns. Tired now, will do a quick update and then maybe catch a little of the Olympics. It is a little quieter on the boat now that I am crewless, but it will be all cleaned up for when the Admiral arrives on Monday….

I am starting to have a little problem with identification. My skin is getting darker with the sun I am getting. Both locals and tourists are mistaking me for one of the locals. Most of the tourists ignored me today when I'd say hello as they think I am trying to sell them a timeshare, a fishing trip, etc. On the other hand, the locals look very confused when they start speaking to me in Spanish and I answer "No habla espanol"...

Showering with Gecko's....

Days often start and end in ways that are quite a bit different than planned…. This was one of them.

The day started quite early with the thrum of diesels up and down the dock beside us as the charter fishing fleet warmed up at about 05:00 hrs to take their charters out for the day. It may have started a little bit earlier actually as there were a number of people up and prepping the boats before they actually started. Once they were gone, we settled back into sleep for several hours and finally got up around 9 am local time. Had a little chat with the marina office and moved slips to the next dock over. Hopefully it will be a little quieter.

Jason was not feeling well this morning…. A few stomach aches, etc. which grew worse and then better as the day went on. Rather than take a chance and go kayaking, he kept a pretty low profile and rested up. I decided it would be a perfect time to deal with my new battery problem. The new battery has crapped out, so I had to find an AutoZone store here in PV. As it turns out, one just opened. I took the dead battery, my sales slip and a taxi to the new store. No problems returning the battery, but none in stock of that type to exchange. There were no refunds, just exchanges was what I figured out between Spanish and English without an interpreter handy. The much more expensive battery was not what I had in mind but with a small discount, lots of grumbling, off I went with the new battery, specific for marine applications. The discount was quickly eaten by the taxi fares. I have found that whenever you add the term “marine” in front of anything the price goes up substantially.

Got back to the marina and Jason was feeling a little better
so we took a walk along the beach front. It was pretty quiet in front of the hotels but they looked like there were a few clients. Saw a man walking with a little boy and girl, and I am pretty sure Jason had a little flash of homesickness.

Came back to the boat and made a nice pasta dinner. Jason tried some of it and promptly heaved it back up to Neptune and associates. He now has the record of getting sicker off of my cooking faster than anyone else who has previously tried it. He could have just given me 2 stars out of 10 or something rather than being so graphic. He is feeling better again though.

The local sales agents along the marina front are starting to get to know us. I think I have stopped and talked with most, introduced myself, shook hands, and I have lots of new friends who are willing to help me with anything for a small fee but also know that I am not buying….

Jason is resting now, which is a good thing. My cooking can sometimes take a while to recover from. I finished up having a cool refreshing shower… with a gecko. Gecko’s are small little lizards that eat insects and are generally considered to be good luck. It was not so lucky for him as the showers here are very cold. In fact, I think we have found the coldest water in Mexico. I caught the poor little guy, warmed him with my hands and let him out the window.

Overall it was not what we planned but still a good day.

Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta...

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog… What a trip, exhausting, but well worth the effort. Left Mazatlan around 10 am Sunday and got into PV about 34 or 35 hours later. We went non-stop, travelled through the night and direct as we could. It was somewhat reminiscent to the trip when Bonnie and I overnighted for the first time along the coast of Big Sur, not quite as magical in some respects but unique in others.
Very little moon light, or at least it was late in rising. It was only a ¼ moon that was waning so the light from it was pretty dim anyways. The night started with clear skies and as darkness spread across the sky and the light from the sun on the horizon faded, the Milky Way light up the sky in a glory of stars and constellations. Not to last for the night though and as we sailed south, you could see approaching cloud blotting out the stars somewhat like black ink spreading across the night sky. Later when the moon did rise, it would appear and then disappear behind the black shadows of clouds not unlike the old horror movies.
Winds were light, as were the seas but we were able to sail or at least motor sail most of the time. This trip we got to fly the gen-naker for a few hours… the most that I have ever used that sail at one time. It is a pretty little kite, white and blue, and stands out for miles I am sure. Pretty much the sail that everyone pictures when they think of sailing…
We passed by Isla Isabella at 4 am in the dark and stayed well away from Tres Maries, an island group with a major penal colony on them. Lots of heavy security and Mexican navel patrols so there was no need for a couple of gringos in a old boat to go and visit.
No dolphins this passage but lots of whales, mostly from a distance, blowing, snorting, breaching, rolling around, and whatever else whales do. They are really pretty cool to watch, even from a distance. During the night, I am sure I heard a couple of snorts close by but could not see anything in the dark. We did see one sea turtle right up close. He never seemed concerned about us, even when we circled to have a quick look. Bandaras Bay is huge, the second largest in North America, and we were headed to the far end. We got into Nuevo Vallarta late, about 8 pm and it was dark. Circled through Paradise Village Marina and could not see any open slips and no security guards answering the radio. At Nuevo Vallarta marina we found no one around as well but were able to settle into an empty slip with the help of another cruiser who looked like he had been there for quite a while working on his boat. The dock space we moored in was actually someone else’s but they were out on charter and not expected back until the next day. In the morning we checked in with Juan the manager. He was very helpful and considerate but could not find a space for us. The whole marina is being rebuilt very slowly and there just was no space. This marina area is built into an estuary, and being on the edge of the tropics, there were lots of birds and very noisy ones early in the morning. There were also lots of signs warning people not to swim in the marina due to crocodiles. There are 28 different crocs known to inhabit the area.
We called Marina Vallerta and moved into a slip here. It is very much touristy, not unlike Cabo with hotel development and stores all around the marina. Quite a bit noiser too, with charter fishing boats starting early in the morning. Much less in services, no internet, one washroom for the entire marina and no keys to get into it…. Just go find a security officer and he will let you in…. have only seen one so far, and he was having a beer with a fishing charter across the way from us…. But it is a secure slip and not to badly priced.
The weather is calling for unsettled weather over the next few days and the chatter on the net is not recommending travel so we will not be going to Barra Navidad this trip. I was really looking forward to it but would rather err on the side of caution. We will spend the next few days checking out the sites and opportunities around PV probably some kayaking tomorrow or the next day….

Leaving for PV.....

Saturday, went into town for provisions.... Took a bus, walked the beach, over to Mega. Mega is a spanish Superstore. Took a cab back, unloaded everything, stowed, it and tried to go for a test sail... helps if you don't forget to untie the stern line. Damn, that was embarassing....

Sailed out to the islands, one little bug showed up when the chain slipped off the steering gear. We scrambled and put the tiller on. Nice little breeze, out of the NW, got up to 6 knots at one point.
Got back in and cooked supper. Grilled a couple of rib eyes, stir fried some veggies, mixed it all up into some tortilla's, all very good.

This morning we fixed the steering and are now getting ready head south to PV... should take 36-48 hours or so but forecast is for light winds.....

Did any of you know that Black Dog shaves with an angle grinder.... don't mess with him.

You can track us via SPOT on the following link...

https://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=1DPBo1M3FppbqKTkDVaQtJjT3ln81I8XD

password is TansiYotin

Jason "Black Dog" Evans arrives...

Pretty good day, actually each day just gets better and better....

Caught a ride to Walmart, picked up some Coleman Propane bottles, not cheap, but necessary for the stove and BBQ. Also got some rib eye steaks from a little butcher shop, premium steaks at about 1/3 of Alberta prices... Got a new battery too. It is pretty hard shopping and not knowing the language, but I got the battery that I was looking for, at least I hope so.

Installed it this afternoon, changed out the ground cables as well, they were pretty corroded and may have been part of the problem. Have not started the engine yet but it turns over well.

I was puttering around on the boat and saw Black Dog coming down the gang plank, several hours earlier than I expected, seems his flight was in at 13:00 rather than 15:00. He had a good flight, very smooth...

Why "Black Dog" you ask? Much better crew name than "Ginger Dog" although his and Marnie's dog, Ginger is a nice dog. It's just that Ginger Dog, doesn't quite have the right ring to it..... Comment if you think I am wrong.

Put him right to work, got the sails on, set up the GPS, etc.


Will do some shopping tomorrow, see if I cannot resolve a few electrical issues, and check out the engine. Will be making a list and checking it for possible departure Sunday morning, maybe earlier if all goes really well.

For those of you who have worked with forestry for a few years... you will remember Dennis York. Dennis retired a little while back and is now spending all his winters in Mexico. Caught up with him for a few hours. He is looking better, healthier, and younger than when he retired. Shows you what the good life can do for you.

A better day....

Rained all night, heavy at times. Rare for this time of year, it is being attributed to El Nino. With no storm sewers, water floods down the roads and reaches up to the axles on vehicles for some long stretches... On the plus side, gave me a chance to check for leaks. Some windows need to be recaulked as do the chain plates. Sun came out in the morning and it turned into a very nice, if not humid day.
Worked on the electrical today. Got the cranking battery to take a full charge, left it on overnight and it was sitting at a full charge this morning. Borrowed a load tester and checked the battery. It seems fine and held the charge without dropping today.
Took apart the grounding system and cleaned all the terminals. Lots of corrosion, may have to replace a battery cable but the bottom line is that the DC system seems to be fine. I will be checking lights, etc. later but the bilge pump is working again and the VHF radio seems fine as well. Got to take the electric pump apart on the head. It seems corroded as well, kind of important to make sure that is working...
Took a trip into town with one of the other cruisers. Checked out batteries at one place but did not have what I wanted, have to bring my spanish phrase book with me. Could not figure out which batteries were deep cycle..... Got some groceries while in town as well. Rum is about 130 pesos for Appleton Special, beer has gone up a bit, 8 Pacifico for 70 pesos, up from 60 last year... One canadian dollar is trading for about 12 pesos at this time.
Got all the laundry done, cleaned and dried out the outdoor cushions. I left them out last night and they were pretty soggy. Also left the genaker outside in its bag and it got pretty wet. I pulled it up the mast to dry out, some of the dye has run, but it is still a pretty blue and white kite.
All in all, a better day today.... much better than a good day at work.

Disaster.....

First day of the holiday was not too good. Got to the airport, had my first bad experience with West Jet. They had been having problems with the online booking but when I booked in November there did not seem to be an issue. Apparently they had me flying from Edmonton not Calgary. Sort of agreed to disagree, I had to pay extra, and am dealing with it separately.
Got into Mazatlan and was met by Dennis York and his wife. They were kind enough to give me a lift from the airport to the marina. Unfortunatly, his mom has gotten ill and they had to leave the next day. I was hoping to get to see and visit them for at least a few days.
Boat looked good from the outside, lock was corroded and had a tough time opening it up. Once open, my problems really started. There was a couple of inches of water on the floor, batteries were dead and as such, so was the bilge pump.... Solar chargers seem fine though.... grrrrrr. Dennis declined the tour, and headed back to start packing for his trip.
I bailed the boat out and started scrubbing, all evening, and all day yesterday. Got most of the gunk, mildew, etc. out, but with boats, there are always more corners and little storage spots. I think what happened is that the cockpit drains must have plugged and with the heavy rains from a hurricane this fall, it flooded. I am feeling better about it today but there is still lots to do.
Last night, it poured, like you would not believe. Very unusual for this time of year, locals blaming it on El Nino. On the plus side, it gave me a chance to see where the caulking is failing in a couple of windows, etc. as well.
Today I will pick up some new batteries and then start testing systems.... hopefully no damage to radios, DC system, engine, etc.
A real bad day on the boat does not beat a real good day at work, but even bad days on holidays still beat OK days at work.....