That’s all this season

We have reserved a slip in Marina Mazatlan for summer (hurricane season) boat storage, but they cannot haul our boat there, so we were hauled in La Cruz. While waiting our turn to be hauled, we rented a car and drove to Mazatlan – a very tough drive, It has been a long time (Libya and Saudi Arabia) since I drove in a place where one did not have to follow any rules. We drove 140 to 160 Km/hr, passed on double lines and sometimes 2 cars and 2 trucks abreast. It took almost 8 hours to get there. Mazatlan is only 178 nm from La Cruz direct via water, but a bunch more via road. Some great (toll roads) others thru the windy mountain trails.

One could not ask for nicer weather here with a breeze every afternoon. Went to the Sunday market today – lots of handicraft at the many stalls. Bought a couple of nice wooden bowls. Taking life easy!

We were hauled in La Crus Marina, near Puerto Vallarta, for new bottom paint, zincs and repairs. It has now been almost a week of working 9 to 6 daily along with 3-4 local workman. We checked into a local hotel at $40/night – not the Ritz. This was the only marina north of Panama that had a wide enough travel lift to haul our catamaran. It took a bit of time to fix the starboard hull where I bashed into the dock leaving Chiapas. They fiber glassed the damage, then drilled a small hole in the bottom of the hull – water ran out for most of the day, so we had to cut into the forward part of the hull from inside and do a bit more work. Now all dry and sealed – I hope! Took 4 gallons of bottom paint at $450/gl. paint only. I replaced all zincs, but could not fix the fridge. Had some great and very inexpensive meals – grilled red snapper is my favorite. Watching the fishermen come in with the days catch – wow they really catch fish and this part of Mexico certainly enjoys food from the sea. They have mega supermarkets and fish markets to match any in the USA.

Made the tough overnight sail from La Cruz to Mazatlan today. We even managed to navigate the rough surf thru the marina breakwater and into our slip (in a cross wind). The sail was as usual 18 knots of wind on the nose - smash and bash. The usual wind here is about 10-12 knots from the N/W from exactly where you wish to go. One can put the sail up and pick an angle making maybe 6 knots, giving you a VMG (voyage made good) of say 4 knots. That can be a long slow trip. so when you get winds of 18 knots, even if it is on the nose, you pick an angle and go for it, making 8 knots and with a little luck a VMG of 6. But it is a wild wholly ride crashing and smashing into the oncoming seas. Fine in the daytime, but tough sleeping on overnights when not on watch.

At any rate, we are here in a great marina where the boat will have a home while we go check on our home back in Orangevale. Hope to return next winter.