27 December, 2014 - Jan 9 2015
Having reached the mainland of Mexico we grabbed our Passports, boat’s paperwork, launched our dinghy, paid 40 pesos at the dinghy dock for “parking” in Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz and set foot on dry land for the first time in six days. We walked to the Port Captain’s office and checked in from our previous port, La Paz. We walked into town and had some lunch, got some groceries and before we got back to the dinghy, we introduced ourselves to the crew of Vivacia, Alan and Elizabeth in the marina. We returned to the anchorage stopping to say hello to Rich and Jenny on Plan Sea and then to rest.
As the year came to an end we were able to watch the last American football games of the regular season and the Bronco’s won. We were not able to see the game at Charley’s Place because they had the Seahawks game on instead. Seahawks fans are everywhere on this coast. (The only kind of Seahawk fan seems to be a passionate, rabid, in-your-face Seahawk fan.)
We took the bus into Puerto Vallarta and got to Ernesto’s Good Grub for lunch and then went to Costco for a load of groceries that we carried back on the bus. On New Year’s Eve, like most cruisers, we were asleep around 9 pm, but we got to ring in the New Year at midnight because of the fireworks displays all around Banderas Bay doing their job - waking us up and scaring away the demons that might influence the new year. There were fireworks as far as the eye could see along the bay.
Richard’s Visit
When we were in La Paz, a device we use for downloading weather information through our satellite phone ceased to operate and the final fix was to replace that piece. My lifelong friend, Richard O., is a retired commercial pilot who may now fly at much reduced rates and he had expressed an interest in sailing with us. I e-mailed him saying that we would be very pleased if he could join us here in the Puerto Vallarta area, carrying a replacement part and go sailing with us. He agreed that, once the part arrived at his house, he would catch a flight from Phoenix to Puerto Vallarta. I ordered the part on Dec 30. It was shipped December 31 via UPS Next Day Air Saver and it arrived at mid-day on January 5th in Tempe, AZ. Rich flew on Jan 6th and we met him in Puerto Vallarta the morning of the 7th treating him to an authentic 45 minute bus ride from Puerto Vallarta to La Cruz, Tacos on the street in La Cruz and a visit to our boat. We had decided to spare him the joy of a dinghy ride to the anchorage and to experience sleeping at anchor in the ever present ocean swells by bringing Jupiter's Smile into the marina and taking a slip for five days. Unknown to us, Rich had reserved a room at a B&B and elected to avail himself of that opportunity even though it turned out to be only a B. No breakfast.
Rich slept well, then joined us aboard and we headed out into Banderas Bay to spend the day on the water. There was little wind while we motored past the sights of Nuevo Vallarta and the beach front of Puerto Vallarta. Around noon the winds picked up a little so that we could sail at as much as 6 knots toward and past the city before turning back to La Cruz. The wind was variable as we headed back and finally it picked up as we approached the anchorage. It was time to call it a day, however, and we motored back to our slip. We dined at the Red Gecko and that seemed like a good choice until a band assembled and we knew from the sound check that the conversation was over. Loud rock’n roll is not our idea of dinner music. Richard demonstrated ear plugs for us and that seemed to allow him to enjoy the rest of his steak. We departed Gecko Rojo as soon as we could.
A short stroll brought us to Philo’s Bar where we knew a less amplified and more mellow band was playing. We sat down to beers and enjoyed Philo and his friends playing while patrons danced to soft country and mild 60’s fare. We especially wanted Rich to see Leon, the 80+ year old, thimble fingered washboard, bike horn, cymbal playing percussionist. The day before, it had been our good friend Viva Bob’s birthday. About fifteen years ago Bob sailed into La Cruz with a woman named Peggy. Bob sailed on but Peggy stayed, eventually learning to play the bass guitar in the band and marrying Leon. I asked her if she had remembered Bob’s birthday and she said she had and had spoken to him recently. Small world.
Richard came down to the boat on Friday morning for breakfast and we had a nice chat. After lunch, we escorted him to a cab at the marina gate sending him back to the airport and Phoenix with our thanks for a nice, albeit short visit and acknowledged that he did us a big favor by bringing the electronic part that got our devices operating again. That afternoon, we checked out with the Port Captain, fueled up at the marina fuel dock and headed out to the edge of the anchor field in preparation for a 2 am, Saturday morning, departure southbound to our first anchorage, Bahia Chamela, 96 nm away.
