Nuevo Vallarta to Ensenada Mantanchen

Leaving Paradise Village and another boat like ours, Violeta.

3/26/2017- we departed Paradise Village at 0800 with Janet , Henry , Al and JoLinda aboard.

Love early morning fisherman

Mangrove Swallows ? came in with us and left with us.

Only one at a time please.

Entrance to La Cruz

Tied up at La Cruz fuel dock at 0915.  Took on 110 l. of diesel.  We were underway at 1000 after Janet and jl checked out the Sunday market.    Nancy and Jeff both friends made in ZIHUATANEJO showed up to say Hi and wish us fair sailing.  We had a lovely day of motor sailing mostly on a close reach with avg wind speed 10 to 12 kts.  Our plan was to go to Chacala and anchor but it was so nice we decided to con't on to Mantanchen Bay outside of San Blas 22 more miles north.   We anchored at Mantanchen Bay at 1805 mountain standard time.  Bar pressure 1007 compared to 1010 this am.   We did 68 nm in 11 hrs. Counting refueling.  Settled in just before sunset and had delicious arrachara fajitas on the grill.  

Mantanchen Bay Sunset

BBQ Time

 

RETURN FROM ZIHUATANEJO TO PV FEB21-27-2017

Jim and Jill Morgan arrive on Feb. 20 and JL arrived on the 21.   AL had the boat provisioned so after a lovely dinner and a good night  sleep we took off going north again.  

Sunset

Cheers  

Beautiful Jill

Beautiful Restaurant

Bye to the Bay hope to be back someday.  Of course we had wind on the nose and fairly large swells.  By 2000 both were increasing so we pulled into Caleta de Campos and were anchored in a quiet cove by 2300 for a perfect sleep.   

Sunrise in Caleta de Campos          

HEADING BACK OUT TO SEA.          

VILLAGE SHINES IN MORNING LIGHT.

We had a great day and night with light winds and decreasing swells.

Moon in the morning

Coming into Barra          

Barra Entrance

Grand Bay Hotel in Barra

 Had planned on staying overnight in Barra de Navedad but instead only went to the fuel dock and decided to take advantage of the goood weather to get as far north as we could.  

Mexican coast

We knew we needed to kill a day before going around Cabo Corrientes so around 1600 we pulled into Chamela and by the time we got anchored it was blowing over 20 in the protected end of the cove with probably 20 boats in there a a couple dragging anchors but in smooth water.  We decided not to put the dinghy in to go to shore for dinner.  Instead we had a nice BBQ on the boat and another good nights sleep.

Sunrise in Chamela

 

CHAMELA

                                                         LEAVING  CHAMELA.            https://youtu.be/CgaqK0bH0EE Arrive 2300 feb.25 to our old slip at Paradise Village Marina so we had a couple of days to hang out with Jim and Jill before their plane left on the 27 th.  What a fine time with great friends and the best crew anyone could wish for.

IGUANA ARE STILL HERE

A FAVORITE PLACE TO KAYAK

 

SAILFEST 2017

Holding this blog space for Al's post of Sailfest in Zihuatanejo while I flew back to the States for a family emergency.

 

Jan2017Part 3

Las Hadas

SISTER SHIP SITING OF FANTASIA

MANZANILLO Market

 

 

LEAVING LAS HADAS WITH REEFED MAIN

 

 

Weather outside Manzanillo was getting rough with big seas, my blood pressure and my anxiety were getting out of control so after talking to my Dr and making some changes to my blood pressure meds  and Al agreeing to delay our departure we left at 7:30 on Tues the 24th.  A 6ft swell with a couple ft. Wind waves.  Swell from the north and waves from the S.  Interesting washing machine for a while.  Wind from the south east so had to tack offshore with a reef but soon the wind lighted and eventually come in behind us at about 5kts.  A pretty good trip compared to others that started before and after us.   Arrived the 25th and anchored in 12 feet of water off  the Municipal Beach here at Zihuatanejo.

 

PANGA FISHING FLEET IN ZIHUA

 

 

Just bought more water.   Used only 65 gals in 2 1/2 weeks.   Suzanne left yesterday , the 30th and took the kit and the old water-maker head/pump back with her and we have ordered an already rebuilt one.   Anyone coming this way?

 

And the generator is still having issues at times.   Cross my fingers the engine is perfect.

 

 

 

FEB 2....JL had to return to the states for a family emergency.

Jan 2017 Part Two

Jan 18th we lift the anchor for another short sail to Las Hadas and the chain is covered with really dirty sand slug so Al gets out our cool little saltwater washer hose and the hose fractures into a hundred pieces. It's totally disintegrated from age and heat, so we break out the little blue bucket. Anchored in front of Las Hadas outside the Marina by 12:00. While we were there we paid a small fee to use the dinghy dock. From a distance Las Hadas is as beautiful as it was back when 10 was filmed there but close up it needs some TLC. Still love the architecture.

Suzanne arrived on Sat. The 21st. with watermaker kit in suitcase. It's determined that it may not be possible for Al to rebuild it. In the meantime the generator acting like it's not getting fuel. Sunday Al discovers water in the fuel. Yep, a couple of gals of water in the bottom of one of the fuel tanks from condensation apparently over the summer. So that took all morning bleeding water/fuel into containers and separating it. Then taking dirty water into the marina by dingy in Costco pretzel containers and an open bucket.

January 2017 Part One

It's been a long time since I've sat down to update our blog and now it seems a chore. Many times this month I've had no data or internet but the most frustrating part of blogging lately is that the blogger app keeps crashing then I lose the entire blog and have to start over, so I'm trying iridium email to blog. We'll see if pictures will post through the satellite.

There is a long list of things that have broken or have just gone wrong this month, starting with the head, then the AIS stopped working for a while and is still intermittent .

Next the trusty wonderful water-maker simply stopped working when Kev and family were still on board. We were able to buy water at Barra de Navidad so we filled the tanks with 160 gals. Al ordered a repair kit that his Sister Suzanne will carry down when she mets us in Las Hadas.

We depart Barra de Navidad on Jan.14th for Ensenada Carrizal 20 NM to the SE.
Ship Wreck just south of Barra


 It was a beautiful little bay with protection from the north.

 I guess we were lucky cause it wasn't too rolley that we did not have to put a stern anchor out. We stayed three nights, kayaked and snorkeled.
     


The generator starts shutting off like it's not getting fuel so Al changes the primary filter while still in Carrizal. Left there on Tues Jan 17th for Bahia Santiago. Only a 5 mile motor around to playa La Boquita

Leaving Ensenada Carrizal

Anchored at Santiago Bay

Had lunch on the beach after an exciting dinghy landing.  Watched a bunch of Canadians playing "Washers".   A beach horse shoe game with four inch washers trying to get them in to 5 inch cans buried in the sand.

Entering the Laguna in the am.

Looking behind me out to the Bay.

 



 
Took the dinghy up into the laguna for a little bird watching  before we headed around the next point  to Las Hadas , Manzanillo.