Barra de Navidad Lagoon!

Well, we have daysailed across Banderas Bay.
Spent a night in Punta de Mita.
Went to Chamela.
Cruised through Careyas.
Went in to both anchorages at Tenacatita.
Did the jungle cruise at Tenacatita.
Anchored at Melaque and met up with John and Debby of "Lovely Reta" along with Rick and Karen of "Eyes of the World".
Had a noodle party under "Meerkat" yesterday and are now anchored in the lagoon at Barra.
We have 3 other boats coming over for a "birthday party for no one", so the updates and pics will get uploaded manana.
In the meantime, here is the Google Earth shot of the lagoon.Look familiar Kirby, Suzie, Ray, Lucy, Steve, Mollie and the rest of the cruising gang from way back when?

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

We had a great hora feliz that went on until 9 pm with Evan and Flossie of "Jambo" at Punta de Mita,
then headed in the next day to our old stomping grounds of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

La Cruz has changed.

Huge changes.
Instead of the small panga breakwall, there is a giant marina with gigantic slips.
Most of them empty.

There is a huge Mega store in Bucerias ~ what used to be known as Commercial.
Incredible products and produce!
We had a blast in there yesterday...

Hotels, condos, houses and tall buildings are everywhere.
Golf courses and green beautiful landscaping with fountains and walls.
Totally different than the bay I remember...

Jim and I enjoyed a nice dinner out with Dave and Kellie of "Sweet Lorraine".


I had my fill of pozole, quesadilla and some other thing...



There seems to be more wildlife now.


And the sunsets are still beautiful!







Still lots of dogs.








And now to shock Ray, Lucy, Kirby and Suzie ~ the marina and anchorage at La Cruz!



"Meerkat" is marked with the "v".





Today we are planning on a daysail across the bay and back out to Punta de Mita to anchor.
Then early, early we will head South around Cabo Corrientes towards Chamela, Tenacatita, Melaque and Barra de Navidad!

Chacala to Banderas Bay ~ Turtle and Whale Show of a Lifetime!

Time to head to Banderas Bay!
The last time I had been in the bay was April, 2000, just after we had "Thistle" painted dark blue.
I knew it was going to look different, but wow, was I amazed at the changes!
Buildings, hotels, homes galore and a new marina!

After leaving Chacala, we got into an area full of fishermen's nets.
The floats they were using were water and clorox bottles ~ the ones that are about 10" long...
Yep, we caught one on the starboard keel and saildrive, but slid off thankfully.

Then the turtles!
They were everywhere!


We actually went over a couple of them...
On accident, but they went between the hulls, so it was ok.
Gave them a little surfing lesson!

Then the whales.
Everywhere!
Breaching, tail slapping, jumping, amazing!
One surfaced right AND I MEAN RIGHT next to the boat and proceeded to tail slap for at least five minutes straight.
We were in absolute awe.
So instead of me typing a gazillion words, enjoy!

Green, Green, Green Chacala and Happy New President to Us!

The bay is surrounded by jungle ~ so green and lush!I'm not sure what we did this morning, but took a walk through the small pueblo and down the beach this afternoon.Then found TV...
We missed the swearing in of the new US president, but caught some of the after swearing in stuff.

Mr. President and Mr. Vice President, please make me proud...

I was kind of wondering what Scarah Palin was doing today ~ I didn't see her in the luncheon crowd ~ wonder if she was there.

So while the rest of the USA was tuned to their televisions, this is what we did...


Had a little sangria and a couple of Coronas in a beachside palapa.







We left Alan and Susan in the palapa for more TV viewing.
Jim and I dinghied around to a small bay just South of here to check it out as a possible anchorage.
Looked fine, but we are anxious to get back into Banderas Bay!

Another nice afternoon in the anchorage with clouds coming in to cool it off and make for nice lighting.

To Chacala! Finally Away From Bug Hell!

Yesterday morning we split up the last minute grocery list and three of us headed in different directions.
Farmacia and beer for me.
Shrimp and other beer for Alan.
Bread, flour tortillas and tomatoes for Susan.
Jim was to sit on the boat and wait for the water truck.
Amazingly enough I found Noche Buena, the Christmas beer in a small tienda!
So bought almost all of it, or what I could carry in two canvas bags.
30 bottles.
By the time I was back to the marina, I was dragging...
Almost dragging the canvas bags.
The marina security man ran out to take a bag from me.
And I don't even drink the stuff...

Yesterday morning we split up the last minute grocery list and three of us headed in different directions.
Farmacia and beer for me.
Shrimp and other beer for Alan.
Bread, flour tortillas and tomatoes for Susan.
Jim was to sit on the boat and wait for the water truck.
Amazingly enough I found Noche Buena, the Christmas beer in a small tienda!
So bought almost all of it, or what I could carry in two canvas bags.
30 bottles.
By the time I was back to the marina, I was dragging...
Almost dragging the canvas bags.
The marina security man ran out to take a bag from me.
And I don't even drink the stuff...


Lots and lots of whales on the way!



Jim and I were amazed at how many more homes were on the hillsides around and in Chacala!
The last time we were here was ten years ago.
Alan and Susan were here about two years ago, when delivering "New Focus" from Manzanillo to La Paz, so weren't quite as surprised!
And so GREEN!

We went for a float in the 79.5 degree water and had a drink with the neighbors, Evan and Flossie from "Jambo".

Then an incredible dinner of shrimp on the barbie, green beans and Alan's La Paz refried beans and rice!
And fresh pineapple too!

Today to the beach for some exploration.

The Bugs Win...

Ok, they win.
We will leave.
If we miss a quarter inch of skin while spraying repellant, a no-see-um will find that little teeny tiny quarter inch.
I know because I keep watching it happen.
We are done.
They won.


But first, a quick walk to the small central market for fresh fruit and veggies.



And a dip in the ice cold pool and chilly jacuzzi with a view of the boat and estuary.The guys still have to walk to the beer store.
Maybe some fresh bread and flour tortillas.
What else?
Ooh another shower with endless cold water.
Maybe an ice cream tonight?
So tomorrow we will head South to Chacala ~ about 20 miles away.

The Incredible San Blas "Jungle Cruise"!

Affordable, awesome and full of wildlife.
The San Blas "Jungle Cruise"!
We caught the cruise in San Blas, which gave us an additional 3 miles or so of winding mangrove-filled canal and wildlife viewing.
There is a second place to start the trip in Matanchen Bay, and amazingly enough the price is the same from each starting place.
The panga makes a quick stop at Matanchen, where you pay your $90 pesos and get a free beverage of your choice ~ including a cerveza for the guys!
Thanks again to Google Earth!I marked the trip with little arrows.
The trip follows a 16 kilometer natural spring water canal and ends in a fenced off swimming hole with incredibly clear and refreshing water!
It wanders through several different types of foliage eco-systems ~ mangrove canals, mangrove fern and palm areas, bayou and then a grass and reed wetland area.
We saw lots of small crocodiles and a few bigs ones.
All kinds of different birds ~ a tiger heron, ibis, great blue herons, a strange looking relative of the cormorant and about a dozen others that I can't remember...


Jose was our driver and had incredible eagle eyes.
He spotted all kinds of wildlife!

















See if you can spot the green iguana that Jose so easily spotted...Then an hour long stop at the swimming hole!
Nothing like seeing a fence to keep the crocs out...
Both Jim and Susan went in Tarzan style.










I of course slid in on the ladder and Alan dove in...



A stunning place for a mid-morning swim!











This guy was at least 12 feet long!












At times we felt we were in "Apocolypse Now" or "The African Queen".
One of those jungle or river flicks.
Jose said these huts were built for a movie ~ we just didn't catch what movie...What a treat this was!