M/Y Mary Ann

Left San Blas anchorage as quickly as possible this morning as we were tossed all over the place last night and were all weary with the effort of holding on. Lost several of various kinds of unsecured glassware during dinner, but no real harm done. The ride here was slow and easy and we picked up a couple of fish along the way; a skipjack, which we tossed back, and a dorado, which we cleaned and kept. Caught one or the other of them on a salmon rod with northwest style green hoochie lure and a 4.0 and 5.0 double hook.

It was difficult to leave Chacala, a peaceful retreat after the madness of the Mazatlan Carnival which, by the way, is second only to Rio in attendance. In Chacala we found that we could be almost as totally laid back as we are on the sea. No more cheap young tramps for the men to have to beat off. Such a relief for them.

We’re moored at Paradise Village Marina in Puerta Vallarta preparing to fly to Seattle tomorrow to get our tax information to the accountants. Last night at Punta Mita was quite lovely and calm with clear skies and lots of stars; also a boatload of Americans having a noisy party on a small sailboat nearby. We scooted over here to Puerta Vallarta around noon in about an hour and a half and entered the marina breakwater to find five feet of water.

Shawn, Craig, and Shannon arrived at PV late Thursday. We spent yesterday fooling around in PV, including shopping at a gigantic Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, and getting ready to leave, which we did this morning at 0815 at high slack tide with a generous eight feet of water over the bar leaving Nuevo Vallarta. The 98 mile run down here to this quiet and appealing little anchorage was uneventful once we passed Cabo Corriente and the breezes it nurtures.

It did start and we ran the 30 miles down to Puerto de Navidad, hoping to find some expertise in the form of a plumber. When we arrived off the harbor entrance I learned two things: (1) at Charlie’s Charts said “… do not EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES…” enter into the channel unless it is higher high tide, and (2) it was then lower low tide. I called the Harbormaster for advice.

I was too clever to plug into the 100 amp power here without checking to make sure it wasn’t three phase, but the harbormaster assured me that it was single phase power so I plugged in, got power for fifteen minutes or so, and burned up my primary power inlet coil again. I was disappointed to say the least and later learned that, indeed, the marina had invented their own hybrid electrical system; sort of a two and a half phase setup.

We all took the bus into Manzanillo in the morning. Manzanillo is not worth a visit unless you really like busy, noisy, dirty industrial cities. Caught a cab from Manzanillo out to Las Hadas resort to check it out. A beautiful, beautiful resort, like Navidad, but, also like Navidad with few guests. Apparently nobody is traveling these days, at least to Mexico. I wouldn’t want to be a resort owner just now. The marina at Las Hadas is all med tie, and is too small for larger yachts. Biggest boat in the marina was a 63’ something powerboat. Afternoon wind is abating.

ADDENDUM BY SHANNON

The week in review as seen by Captain Mary Ann

As I read through Captain John’s Log I question, “Are we really having fun?” It seems that the ship’s log is a long series of reports on non-functioning toilets, of the dishwasher that can’t be used and the useless range. There are the showers that can’t be showered in and the clothes washer that can’t wash clothes. Well, I am having fun. I see the silver lining under the clouds.

As you see, we have moved northerly to explore a reputedly beautiful anchorage that we had to pass by a few days ago because of our fresh water problem. Now that the kids are gone we decided to run back ten miles and check it out, and a wonderful anchorage it is, certainly the most protected anchorage we have found since Magdalena Bay north of Cabo. There are a varying ten to fifteen boats here enjoying the ambiance, nearly all sailboats, but a couple of motoryachts as well, including a 57’ boat from Royal Van YC and a sailboat from Tacoma.

We left Tenacatita after several days lounging around the many palapas and lying in the sun with the many families who were camping out nearby. We eat fish in the restaurants now most of the time since that is what is available, and whatever variety we get in diet is prepared on the boat. Isabel has been doing most of the cooking so, of course, we are having a lot of Mexican cuisine even here on the boat. Fortunately I have always been a bean eater so I’m enjoying an occasional desayuno of huevos revueltos y frijoles.