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San Blas Crocodile Tour is totally worth it |
We made our latest night passage in early April heading
north to Mazatlan from San Blas where we hauled out for a week for bottom cleaning
and painting. This trip was 130 NM, so we estimated 25 hours transit time.
We left late morning with another boat we met in San Blas,
departing the calm anchorage at Mantanchen Bay into choppy seas. Winds were
from NW with swells from the west, delivering a bouncy ride for the first 16
hours.
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| Skyview shows a lot of info |
My evening shift began as usual at 6:30 as the sun set.
Planets and stars popped out of the darkness one by one, and the moon arose at
9:30pm, lighting up the night sky against the black void. With rough sea
conditions, my helm activities and movements were limited and queasy, making time
roll by like molasses. Finally, at 11:00pm, I’d had enough rock n roll and
beckoned Mike for his turn at the helm. I was ready to try and catch some ZZs
before my next shift.
Lo and behold, it was 4:30am. There I was, dressed for warmth
and at the helm again. But how conditions had changed during Mike’s night hours
at the helm. The seas were calmer, the moon had set, and now the Milky Way guided
my way. It was truly spectacular to embrace the rainbow of colors splashed
across the heavens. I checked the Night Sky Viewing book I’d bought at the
Grand Canyon and aimed my phone using the SkyView app to see which constellations
regaled me.
Suddenly, a large dark shadow blunted my overhead view so I
kind of freaked out, then realized it was a magnificent frigate bird attempting
to land on the main mast. One interesting point about frigate birds is that
they can’t land on water. I understand the desire to rest and take in the view
from Pura Vida, but not on my watch! Thankfully, friends had gifted us plastic
spikes to place on top of our masts to prevent critter landings. Since ours was
the only available perch, that bird wasn’t about to give up. I flashed my
headlamp, turned on the forward spreader lights and yelled in Spanish and English
– like that's going to help. After half a dozen flybys, the bird flew away into
the darkness. I was glad to not have very large poop land on me – or the deck.
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| Sunrise heading to Mazatlan |
I peeled off my chilly weather gear and settled into a
pleasant transition from darkness to dawn and the pastel sunrise some hours
later. We arrived at the old harbor at Mazatlan in the late morning hours,
happy and tired.
TEPIC
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| El centro at Plaza Principal, long walk from bus station |
Backing up a tad before our trip north, we spent a highly
eventful week in San Blas where we’d arranged our haul out. San Blas is a great
destination with a cathedral, market, town square, and plenty of fish and
ceviche for sale.
Each day was filled with adventures, some more challenging
than others, and there were a lot of logistics to work out before and during
that time. Just one tiny example, getting our fuel cans filled – at the Pemex dock
less than 1/8 mile away – required half a day’s effort with two of us.
One day during the 25-minute walk from the boatyard to the
lavanderia, schlepping our pink laundry bag over my shoulder, I realized I’d
had enough “third world moments”. I secretly longed for a paved road (there is
one in San Blas), no garbage along the cobblestones, less dust, less sweat and
fewer bugs. I know, what a priss, but after months of flexibility, sometimes…
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| Our guy Lucio, helping at the launch |
Haul out price for a 41’ boat was lower in San Blas than
Mazatlan, thus our choice, and I received two quotes for painting. There was
quite a difference in quotes - we opted for the lower price – then the first
guy dropped his price by 10,000 pesos (which is $500.00 and a substantial
“discount”). We didn’t like the vibe of that so stuck with Lucio, who not only
helped us with our lines on the haul out and launch but was a great guy.
Win-win.
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| Looking good with fresh bottom paint, ready to launch |
We couldn’t stay on board during the work, and rather than
wonder how things are going – like watching paint dry – we spent the first two
nights at a “deluxe hotel” downtown for $30. / night. The room was basic but clean,
hot shower and lovely gardens. The last two nights were at a small apartment
above the bungalow our good friends are renting – at $15. / night. That was a
total score as we spent time with them – wow, they made us dinner served on our
patio at sunset, they turned us on to a number of local resources and we rode
in their car to a great local restaurant.
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| The bus station at San Blas |
The other 3 days and 2 nights, we decided to explore Tepic, the
capital of Nayarit, a 2 hour bus ride away. Tepic is typical of capital cities
with museums and historical sites as well as serving as the hub for
various ethnic groups from the surrounding countryside. Many retain
their culture, dress and cuisine, so we experienced another wonderful
destination. The locals were gracious as always, very helpful to us as the only
obvious turistas.
I asked the staff at our quaint Sunflower (Girasoles) Hotel about
finding artwork, as I was on a hunt for a piece of Huichol art. He shared that
the “feria” (fair) was the place to find the best selection. He didn’t mention,
but we knew, a feria also meant loud music, so decided to find a quiet place to
gear up before that venture. We lucked out and found a colonial home converted
to an open atrium restaurant. It was perfect.
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| Had to try the Nanchi - local tart fruit |
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| Flowers at the market in Tepic |
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| Colonial home turned into a cool restaurant |
With the help of our gracious water, we chose a glass of dry
white wine. He shared the story of the wine, along with the history of the
home-turned restaurant. He was very proud of their locked wine cellar behind our
table and invited us to see it. It was a very fun moment to be invited into
that cozy little cellar. Being a good salesperson, he also said their breakfast
was accompanied by soft piano music (not a common thing in Mexico), performed by
a local blind musician (of course we obliged). |
| Our special quick tour |
After our glass of wine, we were ready to jump into a taxi
and explore. It was only a couple of miles to the fairgrounds but a 30-minute
ride – as the taxi guy warned us, the ‘feria’ is super busy on the weekend. Welcomed
by a well-lit giant arch, it was a much larger affair than I’d envisioned.
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| Beautiful cheeses at the market in Tepic |
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These plaques are for the missing young
men of which there are thousands in Mexico.
It's a sad reminder they never found . |
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| Practical I guess, 5 pesos for TP |
The first stage at the fairgrounds featured regional song
and dance performances. Two tents showcased local food and culture: Nayarit and
the other, several surrounding states. The super loud and bright midway sold every
fattening food you can and can’t imagine, religious iconography that bordered
on gaudy, midway games that looked like nobody had won at for years – it was
all there in loud form. We dined at one of the many indigenous tribe’s booths, but
I don’t know which one it was, sorry to say. We chose it because it was crowded,
not because of the food selection.
No luck on any artwork worth buying or that we could carry.
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| Jaguar a bit too large for our boat or our floating home! |
A bit
Although
we did see a life size jaguar made in the style of Huichol art.
It turned out
to be a great evening out nonetheless, just too loud.
GUAYMAS
There are a lot of stories from San Blas to Mazatlan to
Guaymas, but here we are on the last phase of our Mexican travels. The boat is
resting in the water at Marina Mazatlan, covered and ready for the summer heat.
We bused for 12 hours to Guaymas, where our car awaited and Mike
just had dental surgery. Now we await the date in May to get his stitches
removed. Then we begin our travels north to Portland and the summer months.
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| Creepy coated hot dogs of various flavors. Hungry? |
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| The Bus Station at San Blas |
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| A Huichol family carving |
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| Religious pieces and other glitzy stuff! |
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| Our dinner restaurant |
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Yours truly - good thing there's no
Fashion Police in Mexico |
