Playa Bruja

Stretching north of the entrance to the Marina Singlar/Mazatlan/El Cid yacht basin is Playa Bruja (Witch's Beach), a rough stretch of water with breaking waves, surfers, and scattered rocks off which oyster divers harvest their catch or spear-fishers find the occasional yellow-tail (Oscar here!). At the end of the road, panga fishermen roll their boats onshore to rest from the night's work.



Dave, Julie, Marv and I walked a good part of the beach, enjoying the sun and sea, and finding at least one geocache (the water park) along the way. Having the two of them visit is a real treat!!

Artist Studio in Old Mazatlan

Mazatlan boasts a thriving artist community, with intricate work in leather and metals. In Copala we met Luis, a mask-maker who lives in both Copala and Mazatlan; he showed us his huerta (orchard) in Copala and we enjoyed a BIG vegetarian lunch at the yoga center in Mazatlan where his wife, Rossanna, works. The yoga center provides the lunch once a month...and if you are in Mazatlan on the Sunday it happens, don't miss it. Not everyone gets the chance to eat fresh bananas and cream with jaimaca flowers for dessert!

Faro Lighthouse

Climb to the top of the hill. Look out to sea. Listen to the stories of rescues and narrow escapes the lighthouse keeper tells.




The highest lighthouse in the world can be seen from 30 miles out at sea. We were out there at night...watching its flashes for hours as we approached Mazatlan. Click on the photo for an "up close" view.

Concordia

The Cathedral de San Sebastian in Concordia is one of the few baroque churches in Mexico. And the small town of Concordia has a history of resistance against the French invaders in the 1860s. We just missed the celebration of "Concordia Days" by one...

Copala

Copala is a tiny, former mining town in the mountains outside Mazatlan. Tour companies have put it on their lists of destinations and if you come to Mazatlan on a cruiseship you can elect to spend the day here. We rented a car and drove the 65 kilometers up a winding mountain road, nearly missing the unmarked turnoff. Typical cobblestone streets, dirt trails, and dusty roads wend their way through the village. A sign in the small central plaza informs you this is a village of peace, and it is truly tranquil and quiet. A poor village, the restaurants and small tiendas depend on tourists for business...coconut banana pie is a trademark product.




One of the workers at our marina is from Copala, but as he says, there is little work there and what work there is is poorly paid, so he and others have come to Mazatlan looking for more opportunities. He misses his home.

New beginnings

This past year we have been part of an historically significant event...the world will not be the same following the election of Barack Obama, and the hope and excitement his success has generated around the world is tangible. Today, the community of sailors and cruisers gathered in Mazatlan, eager to celebrate the inauguration of our 44th President of the United States, one of the youngest and most inspirational presidents we have had. Obama's speech touched on his commitment to renew respect for and adherence to the US Constitution. He also stressed that he and his administration will begin anew to take a wise leadership role in the world community, negotiating and cooperating with others. A breath of fresh air begins to blow out the corruption, fear, and limitations on freedom of the past eight years of the Bush presidency. We are not blind to the difficulties that lie ahead, but there is such a strong sense of hope that we, too, are optimistic about these "new beginnings."

Touring Mazatlan

Look down into the Old Mazatlan harbor; appreciate the energy needed to climb to the top of the hill where the highest lighthouse in the world is located; enjoy the 80 degree temperatures, moderated by a gentle breeze, and be a part of it all.




Ardy's brother, David, and his wife, Julie, are visiting for two weeks...we have become very familiar with the buses in Mazatlan, have walked extensively, explored markets, beaches, and cathedrals, and are looking forward to two or three days at anchor in the Old Mazatlan harbor. Dave's Menomonie, Wisconsin tee-shirt draws no end of comments from other tourists...Menomonie must be a pretty famous place.

Mazatlán

Some places it is easy to run aground. One afternoon, this boat, "Easily Amused," provided conversation and entertainment for the entire marina here at Marina Singlar in Mazatlan. Coming into the gas dock, they mis-read the buoys and cut inside too early. As the four-foot-plus tide went out, they found themselves with a skewed perspective on the world. They were very calm about it all, and no harm done, the incoming tide floated them off eight hours later.




Chris Bennett, found here in Little Bugger, tender to Ladybug, has become a friend with good ideas about boat repairs, a strong arm in hoisting Marv to the top of the mast, and excellent conversation over dinner or drinks. He and Rani, aboard a Cal-29, Ladybug, are off to see the world. He also knows that, at times, the world is best observed from smaller craft, closer to the sea.

Casa Verde

Five years ago, Casa Verde was an empty sandlot, waiting for the creative hand of David Webb to shape it into one of the most comfortable spots for visitors to La Ventana. We would have never found it but for the fact that David is Linda LaBash's brother...and Linda is one of the best runners on my Hood-to-Coast team, Heart and Sole.

La Ventana

A kite surfer's paradise, La Ventana brings people from all over the world to spread their wings and, quite literally, fly! As we sat in the restaurant El Rincon, enjoying a late lunch, we counted 38 kites aloft and 26 windsurfers skittering over the surface of the whitecaps and swells in Bahia La Ventana.

Los Muertos

Pangas, pangas, pangas, and more pangas. The beach at Bahia Los Muertos is lined with them, waiting for the 25 knot winds to moderate so fishermen can go out on the Sea. Sand blows across the low spot directly into the bay, so the motors are wrapped with blankets or tarps for protection. We spent the day in La Ventana, coming back to find our boat covered with a thin layer of gritty sand.



"That's my Rambo baby," said the truck driver we hitched a ride with. "All the kids want him when they see it." We had scrambled up the three steps into his semi-truck cab, and scrunched into a jumpseat, had told him our story of coming to Los Muertos in a sailboat and wanting to get to La Ventana to see the brother of our friend, Linda, and his bed and breakfast/hotel, La Casa Verde. He shared his story as well...his Rambo baby keeps him safe.

Vamos a Barcelona

New Year's Day was a perfect day for sailing! With our La Paz friends, Patricia and Manuel (siblings of Maripaz), and Fernanda (Patricia's daughter) and friend Aldo, we sailed out the channel and into the bay with plans for lunch in Bahia de Balandra (Balandra Bay). We made it as far as Caleta Lobos (Sea Lion Cove) where we dropped anchor and enjoyed tacos, drinks and good company.




Manuel has a good touch for the helm, keeping us well on the wind. He also has aspirations of going to Barcelona ...where his son will soon be married... It was all we could do to convince him that Spain was really too far away and a bit off our course!

La tripulacion de Odyssey