Nueva Vallarta to Zihuatanejo Sailfest 2018 (part 1)

Sunday Jan.14th 2018;    0940 Underway from Paradise Village with Jl and Al on board.  Last night VYC had a fried chicken dinner after the Vallarta Cuo Race which gave us a chance to say good-bye to lots of our friends before taking off. 

This is the first time JL has been sailing since her Achilles’ tendon surgery in August so we desidered to make this a short easy sail and headed for Punta de Mita.  Like sailing to Catalina.   In preparing to anchor Al turned the windless on to see it flash “SENSOR ERROR”.  Now this is the new sensor that he installed this past summer and the same one that worked without flaw at Todas Santos Is. 2months ago.  Bummer,   

1220 We anchored in 30ft of water with 125 ft of chain out.  Thankfully Al can still make out the painted marks on the chain.  Had the rest of the day to sun, read and watch the Big guys play.  Got buzzed once by the helicopter landing then twice by their drone. 

Monday Jan.15,2018;    0745  Underway from Punta Mita in the chilly dawn.  Today’s destination is Punta Ipala.   Light wind from the east motoring at 6 kts.  

Passing inside IslasTres Las Marietta’s.

1145 rounded Cabo Corrientes 1.3 nm off ,motor sailing DDW.  Cabo Corrientes bouy was not on station.  Wind increased to max 23kts and we reefed the main at 20kts.  Had to gib twice to sail to our turning point around Punta Ipala.  The town is a little fishing village with protected water but still gets the WNW winds.   The wind had eased for the short period of time it took us to anchor but quickly increased again to 18kts in flat water.

1420 anchor down.  40.5 nm-6.5hrs.

Wind died down to 8kts so we put the dinghy in the water after pumping up the wheels again.  Love the cool electric pump.  Gift from thr McGoldricks years ago still works like a charm.

Dinner at Candes looking out at Chez Nous and the Panga fleet.