Still Here in La Cruz

Thursday, 9 April, 2015

Still in La Cruz and our schedule is in Limbo, where ever that place is!!!

We are hoping parts are leaving San Diego today but thus far, have not been able confirm this.

We have done some side trips to neighbouring towns, Bucerias and Sayulita. The beaches at both are heavily touristed and have tons of the little souvenir palapas so we spend most of our time saying “No, esta bien gracias” and moving on. Sayulita is a pretty location that often has a good surf break hence its sudden popularity. Buscerias is much closer to La Cruz and is much less of a tourist place with a lot of businesses available. We finally found the time to go to a printer and downloaded a picture of Kanilela at Isla Isabel and took a picture of Mags and me, so we now have 2 sided boat cards. We have only been talking about this since Vancouver.

Excitement in the anchorage this morning when a derelict power boat’s anchor rode parted and it drifted into one of the cruising sailboats. A call went out on the radio and several people arrived quickly, as did the Port Captain. The boat has been re-anchored, but close to shore so if it goes again, none of us are in line.

Being at anchor, our HF/HAM radio receives much better, marinas have a lot of interference. As I mentioned before, this is a popular departure point for the “Puddle Jump”, the trip across to the Marquesas in French Polynesia and they run a Puddle Jump Net every night for the boats to check in giving their location, speed and wind/wave conditions on the radio. Because some had left before we arrived here, they are already arriving in Nuku Hiva. Our friends Dina and Malcolm on Good As Gold reported their position as 5 degrees South latitude, I forget the longitude, last night, so they are 75 to 80% of the way there. All good on board. We last saw them over in the Sea of Cortez so it was great hearing them. Malcolm’s signal came in really clear although lots of boats had their reports relayed by intermediate boats. Several boats have been crossing the Equator in the last few days, so lots of excitement onboard their boats.

Life on Kanilela is great but we would really like to get going soon…..

Easter in La Cruz or another boat repair schedule promise broken....

Needless to say our pump parts were not available on Thursday as promised. Boats - some things never change. We are now hoping for early next week. 2 weeks after the part died.
Oh well, Easter in La Cruz is pretty good. Lots of boat projects getting finished. Oil and filter changed, fuel filters changed, propane tanks filled, various valves and seals greased. And so it goes. No pics.....

Back in La Cruz!

30-Mar-2015

Back in La Cruz!

About half way to Tenacatita, Mags checked the engine room, as we often do when running on the engine. For the second time she came back with a report of water filling the bilge. As a side note, we don’t leave the bilge pump on auto so that we will always know when we have issues – if we check the engine room! Also, if a diesel return line comes off we won’t be pumping raw diesel overboard by accident.

First question is always “can the pumps keep up?” Well they did and then it’s a quick search to find the source. Once again it was the raw water pump back seal. Only 460 hours on it since we replaced it in Walter’s Cove on the west coast of Vancouver Island last July. Mags found the bilge filling on that occasion as well.

We made the call to return to Banderas Bay area as Puerto Vallarta /La Cruz have a lot more marine supply opportunities. We were pumping every 10 minutes and made it back to the anchorage after dark but there was a good moon and it is an anchorage we know so all went well. No idea how long this may take but pictures and updates to follow.

Paradise Village Marina - Nuevo Vallarta

24-Mar-2015

Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta

This is an interesting harbour to enter. Winds were light so no swells at the breakwater which was good because it is fairly tight with mangrove shallows. The Port Captain and Nuevo Vallarta Marina are on the starboard side and Paradise Village Marina follows the estuary up the port side, north. The deepest water is close to the long dock that follows the estuary with an inviting looking, but very shallow, mangrove lined shore on the east side.

Back on shore power, got Mags going on some more hot weather preparation sewing projects. Hatch cover mosquito netting, deck awnings and a yellow quarantine entry flag for countries south, as well as some bimini repairs.

We have had two big shopping trips to Costco and Chedraui. The marina, in recognition of the huge provisioning that the boats headed to the Marquesas are doing, has provided a twice a week van to Costco that we managed to use and there is a bus stop in front of the Marina that a Collectivo uses that stops near the Chedraui grocery store, so provisioning has been relatively easy. Collectivos are vans that run almost defined routes that people just jump on and off paying for the distance travelled. They do require some level of Spanish but they are almost as cheap as the local buses and run constantly so are a great way to get around.

We managed a 5 km dinghy trip in the meandering channels of the estuary. Some beautiful big homes in secluded parts of the mangrove swamps. Lots of areas with no houses, just lots of different bird species, iguanas and signs warning of crocodilos. We had the camera with us so, of course, no logs with eyes were spotted.

 

No logs with eyes spotted!

The estuary does not have the sea breezes that we enjoyed at the La Cruz anchorage but creating shade on the boat is helping.  We are planning for a tomorrow departure for the 24 hour trip to Tenacatita with a possible stop at Paraiso.

A Road Trip - Puerto Vallarta

22-Mar-2015

A Road Trip! Destination – Puerto Vallarta…

Okay, it’s only an 18 km journey but hey we were doing the whole road travelling thing – waving down buses, seeing the scenery whiz by, trying to decide when to get off. It was the whole road warrior package. I loved it.

The old cathedral

It may only be 10 Nautical miles but light-years separate La Cruz from the activity of PV. I am trying to be the only gringo in Mexico who has not been in a Senor Frogs. It is difficult with Mazatlán and PV having one on every 3rd corner but I will persevere.

Actually the old architecture and cobblestone streets in the old town are great. The bell tower’s lacy crown, a replica of Empress Carlota’s – well a little larger than hers, is really well done. Being waterfront people, we are becoming experts on Malecon sculptures and PV’s are excellent. Loved them all. The whimsical ones especially.



The Belltower Crown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are lots of tourists but PV is clean and friendly and we got to go home to Kanilela in La Cruz at the end of the day. A fun time with lots of walking.

 

La Cruz - Banderas Bay

 

15-Mar-2015

La Cruz, Banderas Bay

The weather was definitely changing as a trough moved over us on our trip down from Chacala. As the morning progressed, the winds diminished and clouds increased. By noon the wind had died and by 15:00 the rain started with squalls hitting us both north and south of Pta. Mita as we rounded into Banderas Bay.



These are huge birds in this maze

Pelicans, Boobies and Frigate birds

There was an amazing frenzy of birds and fish feeding as we passed the small resort village of Pta. Mita. Not certain what the big fish were that were driving the schools of bait fish but no whales were evident. With visibility clearing between squalls, views south to Cabo Corriente and east to Puerto Vallarta confirmed the chart plotter and radar. Then just as suddenly, visibility was reduced to 200 feet or less in more squalls. Lightning and thunder added to the concerns.

We pressed on to La Cruz as the anchorage there provides the best protection if you want to stay out at anchor. Through the night winds gusting into the 30’s buffeted the anchorage. There is always a silver lining; the torrential rainfall did a great job washing the salt from the decks. A big schooner had to re-anchor after dragging in the early hours of the morning. We held well and in the morning got to appreciate just how popular an anchorage La Cruz is. Forty-five boats were at anchor and 78 boats checked in on the morning cruiser’s net. Various reporting stations measured up to 4.5 inches of rain in 24 hours and we later learned that Music III had anchored at Pta. Mita and had experienced winds in the high forties with gusts into the fifties.

After a day just relaxing on the boat and doing a few boat projects, it was good to get out and see some friends and meet new ones. Namaste, with John, Cindy, Journey and Nanuk aboard, who we first met on Catalina Island, California, were in the marina and had lots of information on the boats we had lost touch with while we were in Thailand.

There is a little outdoor café beside the Plaza that has the best Mexican lunches and the trees that overhang and give great shade are the source of the entertainment. There are a bunch of iguanas climbing all over the trees. The biggest ones are 1.5 m, (5 ft.) from nose to tip of their tails and they are really active.

 

The music scene in La Cruz is amazing. Although it is a sleepy fishing village with cobble stone streets there are 5 or 6 open restaurant/bars who regularly have live music. Bryan and Sharen, Music III, got us reservations for a night at Philo’s to see/hear Oscar Fuentes play with Philo and the band. The next night we were at the Britannia Restaurant for another band, missed a good night at the Geco Rojo but did get to see another very tight group play at Ana Banana’s. Would have loved to see the Gypsy duet at the Black Forest and we never got to Charlie’s Place when a band was there but there are only so many hours in a day!!

The Music III and Kanilela Ladies

The Skippers

La Cruz/Nuevo Vallarta is a popular starting point for cruisers doing the “puddle jump”. The first leg is to the Marquesas Islands which takes about 35 days and the ideal time to depart is now. On one day, seven boats left with many others leaving the day before and the day after. There are several others waiting for the next ideal weather window. All of this activity has kept us focused on going south to Panama, the clock is ticking and weather windows are not to be squandered.

Leaving La Cruz

Chacala

14-Mar-2015

Chacala

Music III looking sweet!

We had a fabulous 27 mile sail from Mantanchen in the company of Music III. The winds held all the way out of the SSW. Kanilela was sailing as a true cutter with genny, stays’l and main. It was a fun sail.



Kanilela's Genoa, Stays'l and Main pointing nicely



Kanilela playing

 

 

 

We had been told by many people to stop at the small community of Chacala but when mother nature decides to intervene, even the best locations can lose their luster. Chacala is an open SW facing bay so the great wind for our sail down made for a rolly anchorage. It was a bit of a fight getting the dinghy into the water and getting the outboard on to set a stern anchor but we managed and had good dinner ashore with Bryan and Sharen. By then it was getting late so we didn’t do any sightseeing.

By morning the winds had clocked a bit more, so retrieving the stern anchor and flying the outboard and dinghy aboard had its own challenges as well. After a night of repeated anchor checks it was a good to head away early, even though the wind soon was dropping.

Chacala with the seas calmed down