Fishing in Mazatlan

Location:  Mazatlan, Mexico

Hola!  

We finally departed Puerto Vallarta on Wednesday, November 19th.  We left the marina mid-morning and headed to the south part of Banderas Bay and the small town of Yelapa.  There are no marinas there and the shore line drops of quickly, so anchoring is not easy.  As we turned into the small bay close to Yelapa, a local fisherman in a panga, Richard, came out to greet us and ask if we wanted a mooring.  We said yes, so he led us close to shore and hooked up our mooring line.  He also offered to give us a ride from the boat to the beach later and offered to guide us to his family's restaurant, Gloria's, for supper.   We couldn't refuse and told him we would call him on the radio when we were ready to go ashore.  We set about getting comfortable and putting on our suits to swim around the boat, when a young couple paddled up in a kayak.  They asked to come aboard, so we got out a few cold ones and took them up to monkey island to chat.  He was a local, who worked in Canada summers and came back to Yelapa to help with the family business during the winters (tourist season).  He filled us in on some of the local history and culture and gave us a few ideas on what to see while we were there.  She was studying midwifery in the Denver area.  It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Later, we radioed Richard and he came out in his panga to pick us up.  We docked at the local fisherman's dock and wound our way through the maze of streets and people's backyards to get to Gloria's.  We were a little leery about how the food was going to be, as we were the only people in the restaurant and it was difficult to find.  I ordered shrimp and Dave ordered steak and it turned out to be an excellent meal.  Our waiter asked us if we were going to stay for the parade the next day.  We told him no as we planned to leave early morning and head to the next anchorage.  He talked us into staying.

The next morning, Richard gave us a ride to the beach and we settled in for breakfast at a beachfront restaurant and to watch the parade celebrating the Mexican Revolution.  All of the town's school children participated with the littlest ones dressed up as Pancho Villa and his wife Maria Luz Corral; the older children marched in costumes, school uniforms or gym clothes and performed traditional dances, twirled batons or built human pyramids.  There was even a queen of the parade.  We were glad we stayed.

Pancho Villa and Maria Luz Corral

Queen of the parade

Children in traditional dress dancing

Pyramids on the beach

We finally left Yelapa about noon and cruised for about an hour to a snorkeling site called Los Arcos (the arches).  We anchored near the large rocks and snorkeled from the boat through the arched caves.  The visibility was ok (not great) and we saw a few colorful fish.  From there we continued across to the northern side of Banderas Bay and anchored near Punta Mita. We saw our first humpback whales of the season but didn't get close enough to take any good pictures.

Seabiscuit on a mooring near Yelapa

A rhinoceros beetle on the beach.

From Punta Mita, we sailed north to Chacala, another small village on the beach.  We anchored in the small cove near town and took the dinghy into town for some cold beer and supper.  The next day we took our boogie boards into the beach and did some snorkeling and surfing and had beer and supper at a different beach restaurant.

We left Chacala early the next morning and headed north and west to Isla Isabela.  Isla Isabela is located about 15 miles offshore and is sometimes called the Galapagos of Mexico.  It is a small island inhabited by thousands of birds - mostly brown boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigate birds and red-billed tropical birds.  There is also a fishing camp where local fisherman live, bring in their catch, clean them and prepare them to go to market.  We anchored in a cove on the south side of the island, enjoyed a nice meal on the boat and watched the sunset.

Sunset at Isla Isabela

 

The next morning we took the dinghy to the island and hiked to Crater Lake and then to the north side of the island.  The birds seems unafraid; we were able to get close enough to take pictures of their mating behavior and of them sitting on their nests.

Male frigate birds, inflating their pouches and trying to
impress the females.

Blue-footed boobies nesting on a cliff face.

Fisherman's camp.

We went back out to the boat for lunch and then spent the afternoon snorkeling among the rocks near the island.  The water was super clear and there was an abundance of brightly colored tropical fish along with barracuda and others.  This was some of the best snorkeling we've had since we left the San Blas Islands of Panama.  We went back to the boat satisfied with a good nature day and planned to stay another day in order to do some more snorkeling.  But...  during the night, the wind picked up and changed direction and we found ourselves uncomfortably close to the boat anchored next to us.  With the change in the wind, the swell increased and we decided not to stay the extra day.  We picked up the hook and headed north towards Mazatlan.

The distance from Isla Isabela to the Mazatlan marinas is about 95 miles, or 13+ hours for us.  We knew we were going to arrive after dark and decided that rather than go straight to the marina, we would anchor just south of town near Stone Island.  We dropped the hook there just after sunset.  The next day we spent relaxing at anchor and doing a few boat chores.  The next day we traveled the additional 12 miles to the marina El Cid and tied up at the dock just after noon.  Marina El Cid is a very nice marina with 3 docks for visiting boats and a fourth dock where they keep their fishing fleet and catamarans for day trips.  We have access to all of the amenities at the resort and have been spending plenty of time enjoying the pools and giant jacuzzi.

Dave's friend Bob joined us here on Saturday December 6th for a week of fishing and relaxation.  Sunday we rode the bus to a local street market and did some shopping for produce.  Early Monday morning, we left the marina for a day of fishing.  Bob caught (and we released) a nice striped marlin, 100-150 pounds, and a few bonita.  

Striped marlin close to the boat.

Bob reeling in the fish.

Getting ready to release the marlin.

Dave on the swim platform removing the hook.

We anchored out at Stone Island and spent the afternoon snorkeling around Isla Cardones.  The next morning, we headed back out to the fishing grounds.  We fished most of the day with no luck, but then caught a nice dorado at the end of the day.  We headed back into the marina, tied up and ate yummy fresh fish for dinner.

Dave bringing the dorado on board.

Bob with the dorado.

 

We took the day off on Wednesday and went to the pool and did a few boat chores.  Wednesday night we went downtown and had dinner at a restaurant located in an old cistern.  The meal wasn't very good but the decor was interesting.  Thursday morning we rented a car and drove into the mountains to the deserted mining town of Copala.  There isn't much left there; the church is in disrepair and there is only one restaurant in town.  We ate lunch on the restaurant veranda.  Very tasty food and we know it was cooked fresh for us.  After lunch we were greeted by the owner, Alejandro.  He is also an artist and makes masks out of cowhides, lamb hides, pigskins and fish skins.  He opened up his mask store/museum and showed us his work.  It was very interesting and unique; we purchased a mask for the boat.

Dave and B in front of a mural near the Copala town square

Alejandro (the mask artist) and B

 

Friday we went back out fishing for the day.  We saw a huge pod of spinner dolphins playing, jumping, leaping and spinning.  We caught and released a few bonita but nothing very exciting.  We came back into the marina just before sunset, showered and went up to the bar for the marina Christmas party.  Free beer and margaritas along with munchies.

Spinner Dolphins playing in the bow wake

Saturday we did a few boat chores, went to the pool and then headed downtown to Plaza Machado for happy hour.  On the weekends, they close the streets around Plaza Machado.  The restaurants around the square put out their tables and chairs.  Local artists and vendors set-up their stands and hock their wares.  We had a few cold beers and then walked a few blocks to Topolo for a nice seafood dinner.  Very good quality and excellent service.

Cathedral - Downtown Mazatlan

Sunday morning we did a few more boat chores and then put Bob into a taxi to the airport.  All in all a good visit. Since then Dave and I have been doing more boat chores and maintenance.  We are waiting for the wind to settle down some before we head north again, probably early next week.

Next stop, Topolobampo.
Happy Holidays to everyone!

New England, Las Vegas and Time to head north

Location:  Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico (Paradise Village Marina)

We are finishing up our boat projects, doing maintenance and preparing to head north to spend the winter in the Sea of Cortez – north of here, between the Baja Peninsula and mainland Mexico.  We went and did some final provisioning this morning, Dave is finishing up a few more maintenance items and we hope to hit the high seas tomorrow morning.  Our first stop will be Yelapa, a small village about 12 miles south of Paradise Village – a short hop so that we can get our sealegs, make sure everything is working correctly and do some final exploring before we leave Banderas Bay.

Our last blog ended in San Miguel de Allende.  Dave left from there to go to New Hampshire and visit his father, James O. Herndon, who, unfortunately passed away on October 2.  Prior to his father’s death, Dave, his brother Pete and Pete’s wife Cathy and his sister Julie were able to spend some quality time with their dad.  All of the grandchildren (Ben, Erin, Heather and Amy) and the great grandchildren (Mariah, Maggie and Benjamin) were able to visit and tell their Grampy that they loved him and to share some favorite memories. 

From San Miguel, I continued on and spent a week in Ajijic, on the north shore of Lake Chapala, and then came back to the boat before flying up to New Hampshire to join the Herndon family.

Mural in progress in Ajijic

While we were in New England, Dave and I did some leaf-peeping in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.  The fall colors were really beautiful.  We spent our time driving the mountain roads, doing day hikes, enjoying the fresh air and exploring the small towns scattered amongst the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine.

Cog Railway train that climbs to the
summit of Mt. Washington, NH
(at the bottom)

Cog Railway train at the top of
Mt. Washington

View of the surrounding valley and mountains

View - hiking in Vermont

Hiking the ridge of Mt. Mansfield, the highest peak
in Vermont

On Saturday October 18, we had an Irish Wake at Pete and Cathy’s house to honor Dave’s father.  From there, we went into Boston for two days.  We stayed at the Mariner’s house in the North End, within walking distance of the harbor, great restaurants and excellent cannolis.   We did some touristy stuff including the “Duck Tour” which uses an amphibious vehicle to tour the city and the Charles River.

Tuesday, we headed for Las Vegas to join the annual “Divas do Las Vegas” trip.  This is a group of girls from Houston who make a trip to Vegas every fall.  We’ve missed the trip for the last two years so it was great to catch-up with everyone.  My mom, Louise, joined us from California.  We did a lot of gambling and walking, ate some good food and went to see Terry Fator at the Mirage.  We didn’t win any money, so we will have to go back next year and try to reclaim what we lost.

Getting ready to board the flight -
Boston to Las Vegas

The last week in October, we arrived back in Puerto Vallarta with my mom in tow.  She came to visit us here on the boat for a week.  We did a mix of fun things like going to the beach, going to happy hour and driving up to San Sebastian in the mountains south of here, along with chore things like food inventory and boat cleaning. 

Traditional dancers at the Paradise Village
Welcome Ceremony

Happy Hour by the pool

View of San Sebastian from the mountains above the town

View from our hotel room in San Sebastian

We also walked every morning, and, on one morning, saw a baby turtle making its way down the beach toward the ocean.  Since then, Dave and I have been walking the beach almost every morning.  We’ve seen baby turtles along with tracks of mother turtles who came ashore during the night to lay their eggs.

Turtle tracks leading to a new nest

Baby turtle making his way from the nest
to the ocean

Baby turtle - notice how small he is
compared to the bird track

And... he made it...

We have managed to complete a lot of boat projects this summer.  Our solar panels are mounted and operational so we now have access to free power when the sun is shining.  This will help cut down use of the generator while we are at anchor and will save us money on fuel and maintenance.  We’ve installed a bimini over monkey  island so that we have a shady place for happy hour and had slipcovers made for the interior cushions.  We also installed new deck mat on the swim platform.

We are both looking forward to being back on the ocean and cruising again.

Until next time…  

B cutting the new deck
mat for the swim platform

Installing the deck mat

New slip covers for the
interior cushions

Dave installing the
solar panels

View of the solar panels from monkey island

New bimini over monkey island

Mexico's Colonial Cities

Location:  Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

After Al and Patti's vacation, Dave and I decided to return to the mountains to explore some of Mexico's colonial cities and the history of their independence.  First we went to Guadalajara for a few days to plan our route and then we proceeded to Guanajuato, a city rich in Mexican culture and history.  Guanajuato was one of the richest gold and silver mining cities in the country and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Zone.  The city is built in a bowl between several mountains and consists of narrow, winding streets and numerous steps to get up and down the hillsides.  We rented a small house on the hill close to the El Pipila monument.  El Pipila was a miner who, during the war of independence, volunteered to set fire to the Alhondiga (granary) where the Spanish were hiding out.  The Alhondiga, being built of stone, was a strong fortress and the revolutionaries were having difficulty getting to the Spanish.  The story says that El  Pipila strapped a rock to his back to protect himself, made his way to the wooden door of the granary and set fire, clearing a way in for the rebels.

El Pipila Monument

The Alhondiga (granary)

While in Guanajuato, we enjoyed many of the historical sites, museums, activities and restaurants. The city is filled with gardens and squares, where it was pleasant just to sit and people watch. We'll let the pictures tell the stories of those adventures.

Burros in the city center

Looking up the hill at our rental house

The stairs going down (and up) the hill
from our rental to the city center

The same stairs, showing me part way down

A band playing at the Jardin de la Union,
the main garden in the city center.

The world's smallest mummy at
the Mummy Museum

Don Quixote and his faithful side kick
Pancho Sanchez at the Don Quixote Museum

Dave BBQing on our roof deck

A man selling cream puffs at Plaza de la Paz.
When he started the pile was about twice the size.

Student minstrel group, Estudiantinas, in front of the baroque
church of San Diego.  These groups would lead walking tours
through the side streets and back alleys of the city center.

One of the gardens at ex-Hacienda de San Gabriel de Barrera.

A group of students performing jazz at the Juarez Theater.

Guanajuato means place of the frogs.  When
you first enter the city, there is a fountain
surrounded with different types of
frog statues.

Dave and B in front of a small church in
Dolores Hidalgo

Dave and B at the Gene Byron hacienda.

A mural in Dolores Hidalgo depicting important
events of the Mexican Revolution.

While in Guanajuato, we also took a day trip to nearby Dolores Hidalgo, another important town in Mexico's fight for Independence.  This is the town of Father Hidalgo, the priest famous for the Cry of Independence "El Grito".

From Guanajuato, we headed to San Miguel de Allende (SMA).  During the mining days, SMA was developed to protect the silver and gold route from Zacatecas and Guanajuato to Mexico City.  Another famous colonial city, SMA was home to Ignacio Allende, a leader of the rebel army.  SMA is now a favorite spot for expats and artists (rumor has it that expats from 43 different countries make their home in SMA).  We took time to enjoy the historical sites, to explore the town and to take some spanish lessons.  During our visit, Dave received news that his father was very ill, so he headed back to New Hampshire to be with family.  We love you Dad/Pa/Grampy.
We'll let the pictures tell most of the story of our time in SMA.

Corn stalks along the road from Guanajuato to SMA.

View from the roof garden at our first rental house.

Puddy, Doofus and Dave relaxing.

La Parroquia de San Miguel Archangel

Piano recital at the Angela Peralta Theater.

View of the Parroquia.

Dave - First day of Spanish class.

B - First day of Spanish class.

A mariachi band playing in the patio area of the libray,
prior to the Sunday House and Garden tour.

Gathering for the Friday night cantina tour.
We toured five cantinas, with one drink,
either beer, tequila or mezcal at each.  Most of the cantinas
were places you wouldn't wander into by yourself
so it was great to go with a group.

Cantina No. 1.

Cantina No. 2.

A favorite taco stand on the corner near our first rental place.

A historic fountain with a mermaid sculpture.
Donkeys and horses used to drink here.  You
can see where their necks have worn away
the stones.

View across Lake Jalpa, where we went for a Sunday hike.

The bells at the Parroquia.  If you look closely,
you can see the boys ringing the bells.  Our second rental was
just behind the church.  The bells started ringing
every day at 6:30 so no alarm clock required.

Mexican bigger than life puppets and people celebrating
Independence near the jardin.

A huge "tinker toy" firework structure.

The top of the firework structure spinning.

Fireworks structure under construction.

The man loading the fireworks for that night's display.

Roof top garden at the second rental place.

Colleen and B, buying a rug direct from the "factory".
A good story to tell over a drink sometime.

A hummingbird in its nest at the botanical garden.

The dam at the botanical garden.

Until next time...