Our first week in Nuevo Vallarta

Sunday 2-28-2016

Chez Nous is currently at Paradise Village Marina in Nuevo Vallarta. Nuevo Vallarta is a collection of hotels, resorts and condos, throw in a Sam's Club, Walmart and a Mega that about decribes it.   Let me add,  miles of beaches, 

 

 

and Marinas that are tucked in behind the hotels in channels that are well protected from Hurricanes.  

 There are miles of channels in the mangroves some lined with very expensive houses and filled with wildlife.  Great kayaking right from the boat.

 

Paradise Village is the first resort and Marina on the left as you enter the harbor.  Also it is the home of Vallarta Yacht Club 

 

       (Support boats for Opti regatta )

and a small shopping mall with Laundromat.  

We've spent the week exploring northern Bandares Bay by bus and

 

   ( Punta Mita)  over rated....

 getting oriented to the bus/collectivos systems so we can get around the bay without using the cabs and doing small boat projects.   We've found the right size inter tubes for our dinghy wheels, Al has fixed the plug for the SSB and thinks the water maker may just have sucked some air that rough night coming in last week.  

Not your typical cruising here in the Bay.  Lots of boats just come here every year for 7 or 14 years.  Some came and have been here ever since. Some stay the winter here and the summer in the Sea. A few are leaving next week for the South Pacific and a few are going south for a guitar fest in Z-wa but are coming back up when it's over.   Us...we aren't sure which way we'll go next but there are lots of things still left to experience here before we take off on the boat.

As I write this Al and I are on our way to Guadalajarra on the biggest bus I've ever seen.  Double decker, front seat on top with an incredible view.  It has recliner seats,  bag lunches, wifi and our own screens plus air conditioning.

 

La Cruz to Barra Navidad and back to PV

Sunday Feb.14,2016

Valentine's Day was not so good for several reasons .   We spent most of the day and evening helping to salvage as much as possible from the  Sv Rage who had drug her anchor and ended up on the reef near the LaCruz anchorage and entrance to the Marina.   What a sad event but everyone was quick to join in with dinghies, kayaks, buckets , dry bags and manpower to ferry things to the beach.   Al says the entire port side was breached  with rocks visible inside the boat when he was on the deck helping to save the sails.  

Meanwhile our Boston family were delayed the entire day due to bad weather and mechanical difficulties on Southwest Airlines.  First the fuel fill hose froze to the plane at -27 wind chill temp in Boston.  Another plane and another mechanical delay caused them to miss their international connection so they stayed over in Houston .  Finally arriving in La Cruz de Haunacaxtle on MONDAY, a day late but thrilled to be out of the cold.

Arriving around 3:00pm they got settled  , had some dinner and explored La Cruz.

2-16-20016 we checked out with the Port Captain and at 1130 headed across the Bay to Cabo Corrientes and southeast to Barra de Navidad 134 nm and 24 hrs later entered the dredged channel into the Marina.  We had 18-20 kts from behind with several jibes most of the day and night then motor sailing on a beam reach early in the morning.  

Tied up at Isla Navidad Marina and greeted by a 12 yr old named Zoe same as our grand daughter Zoe with an invitation to the pool at the Baja Grande.  There were about 6 other cruising kids all around 12-14 having a blast playing volleyball in the pool with a few parents joining in later in the afternoon.

We took a water taxi over to the town for an early dinner.

2-18-16

Underway at 1130 after the French Baker arrived by panga with amazingly good good pastries.   

On the way out Al spotted Stan Honey's Cal 40 Illusion.

We motor sailed to Tenacatita arriving at 1400, anchored in 31'of water.

It's so nice and peaceful here we decide to stay another night, besides the Zoe B was scheduled to arrive in the am.   

2-19-16

A dinghy kayak adventure through the jungle river.

A little beach time swimming in through the surf then back to boat for an evening raft up called by the Mayor of Tenacatita which was attended by at least 25 inflatables.  No dinner needed after everyone passed around food.  We were told to bring a plate and fork.  This was no light affair.  

Just before the raft up our sister ship anchored behind us.   Looks so much like us on the outside but totally different on the inside.

2-20-16.   Saturday underway at 0800 to Paradise Village with wind speed of 1 kt.  Anchored at Isla Pajarera in Bahia Chamela for a 2 hr lunch break and swim as Zoe wasn't feeling great.  Beautifully clear water which the kids loved following the anchor road to see if they could get to the anchor.

Pretty coast with castles on almost every point.

1630 wind picking up.

2100 wind came up, up , up.....,

Blowing +30 for hours tacking up the coast, hand steering with staysail and reefed main and mizzen.  Topped out at 37 kts.  Finally dropping to high 20's as we neared Ipala then continued to drop as we rounded Cabo Corrientes about 0600.  A very rough night for all and especially Zoe who was a real trooper.

Tied up at Paradise at 0930 2-21-2016

Checked in, then  breakfast and pool.  Later to the Malecon for dinner, and sculpture fun. 

2-22-16.  Boston clan flies home.  Sad to see them go, but sooo glad they came.

Week 2 in La Cruz

Loving the relaxed pace and enjoying the cruising life. We've been fixing little things, roaming the town, took a bus trip checking out  the Mega (grocery store) and enjoyed lots of live music. 

La Cruz has a great Sunday farmers market with awesome home made foods and crafts plus veggies and fruit.

Our LAYC friends Lloyd and Colleen Clauss plus Matt and Terry and a friend Cassey anchored out side the Marina and came to visit by dinghy.  We had a great dinner and fun evening at Phillos.

I told Al I needed more exercise so he agreed end to take a long walk with me on Tues.  Well , sometimes we are a little crazy.  We walked from here all the way to Paridise Village in the sand and over rocks.  The longest 9 miles in the heat of the day.  It was beautiful and we did take a couple collectivos home.

Needless to say yesterday was a slow day.   Just a short kayak trip that didn't require walking.  My heels feel like I've been on the Camino again.

Magnificent Frigates on light posts at the breakwater for La Cruz Marina while kayaking.  They are huge.

We are excited in anticipation of the arrival of our son Darren, Suanne, and grandkids Noah and Zoe from snowy Boston on Sunday.   We got fuel this morning and will finish reprovisioning in  the next few days.  

Speaking of fuel.  Chez Nous's engine is a Perkins M135hp we got in 2007.  Fuel consumption rate on the way down was .77 gal /hr.  Diesel here is $3.15 per gal.and no extra docking fees like we heard about Cabo.