Mazatlan and the Passage to La Cruz

We stayed in Mazatlan a little over a week.

The more we are there the more we like it.

There are many excellent restaurants, a vibrant

arts/theater community, a wonderful colonial

 "Old Town", the best and most varied public

 transportation that we've seen in any town in Mexico, 

(I think I will do a future blog post about the various

 forms of public transportation that we have used),

one of the biggest shrimp fleets - thus a great

 "shrimp market", almost any yacht service you 

could need, big supermarkets within biking distance

from the marina, a wonderful dentist, and best of all: 

VERY friendly people.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday "Gila" comes to the
marina with lots of fresh veggies, homemade tamales, and sometimes
fish or shrimp.

The Presidio
This is our new favorite restaurant in Mazatlan

The Presidio's version of a caprese salad

The "Machado". Mazatlan's central square.
Decorated for Christmas

Evening Street Scenes

View of Marina Fonatur and Marina Mazatlan

Bob Coffey and Jim riding the "ferry" across the entrance to
the Marina estuary.

We got a little detour because the Port Captain was on
board and wanted to see the entrance so he could decide
whether to close the port that day or not.
The swell can get huge right there making it dangerous to
come or go.

Our "fruit basket Christmas Tree"

Soriana is one of the major supermarkets in Mexico.

They were ready for the Christmas rush.

I don't know if these live trees will have any needles left by
the time Christmas rolls around.

Back at the Machado - dinner outside on the square

One mode of public transportation - the Red Truck

                                           

This is a Pulmonia. It's a very popular way to get around.

There is even a pulmonia monument on the malecon!

Leaving Marina Mazatlan.
On our way to La Cruz via San Blas.

The trip from Mazatlan south to Banderas Bay

is known for being riddled with shrimp boats

and long lines. The shrimp boats stay in fairly close 

in 130 - 150' of water and the pangero long liners

are usually deeper so you have to pick which one

you would rather deal with.

When we are doing an overnight passage we choose 

to deal with the shrimpers because they have bright lights

and they are bigger than the pangas so 

they are better radar targets.

This is a photo of our radar screen during my middle of the
night watch. This was the first shrimp fleet we encountered.
We were still north of San Blas.

We spent the second night in San Blas. This photo was
taken just south of San Blas. It shows the beginning of
a long line. There is one black flag on a buoy and a long
floating line extends out with coke bottle floats. It is impossible to
see until you are upon it. Almost everyone
we know (including us) has been caught
in one. Sometimes it frees itself, but sometimes it needs to
be cut. If it gets caught in the prop it's a real ordeal.

After rounding Punta de Mita the wind picked up and we
had a great sail to La Cruz.

A great way to end a passage!

We are now at the marina in La Cruz.
We are flying home tomorrow to
enjoy Christmas with Drew, Kelsey, RL and Simon!