April 26, 2014  San Blas, Mexico

We arrived in San Blas on Easter Monday and headed for the Marina Fonatur in the Pozo River Estuary.  This government run cookie cut marina was built exactly the same as the other three that we’ve stayed in but we don’t like it nearly as much as Mazatlan’s, especially because the little roof top pool is in disrepair.  Having a pool in this heat would be a blessing. Temperatures range from high 80’s (28 C) during the day to mid 70’s (23 C) at night. Humidity hovers around 90% and we feel like we need to shower a couple of times a day.

A map of San Blas we found at the  museum. 
The town is  128 miles south of Mazatlan

Sunset west of the marina

The town itself is a 15 minute walk away, down a bumpy cobble stone road surrounded by dusty fields.  Where we turned left into town sat an old customs building that had been converted to a cultural centre.  An old and new cathedral sit side by side  each other near the town square where the Huichol women sell beadwork crafts that are truly amazing.

The population of San Blas is around 10,000, spread out between two main estuaries and Rio Tovara, which winds to the south. Almost all of town is housed in one storey single family cinderblock homes.  There are dozens of tiny Mexican restaurants, many with fresh grilled fish, lobsters and prawns.

Acres of palms and San Blas from the hilltop fort at La Contaduria

Five grilled fish restaurants in one block!

Dozens of corner stores (abarrotes) sell everything from fruits and veggies to dishes and cement.  San Blas has been designated “Mango Capital for 2014” and a few bakeries or panaderias bake ‘world famous’ banana bread, which is a bit expensive but really good!

This region is well known for its hundreds of species of birds and its crocodile population. Tour companies offer river excursions on two of the rivers.  Friends from Enchante took a river jungle excursion up Estero de San Cristobal and highly recommended guide Chenco to us.  With their directions we were able to find Chenco’s tiny house where three generations lived together.  We easily set up a Tuesday morning excursion and were very happy with our decision.

Covered with bug spray we set off in Chenco’s open panga and headed up the San Cristobal Estuary as the sun was rising. 

Chenco pointed out dozens of birds to us, naming each of them in both English and Spanish.  I wish I had written them down because I can’t remember many of them now.  However, those of you who love birds will be able to identify them if you want to.  Our trip took over four hours and we covered about 10 miles of the 33 mile long river.  At dawn it felt like we were almost in fog as vapour evaporated off the river.

Floating islands of water hibiscus and lilies swirled in the current while we craned our necks to catch the incredibly diverse bird population perched in the tops of the thick jungle trees and brush.

We passed a few small shallow draft fishing canoes pulled up along the bank and waved to a fisherman throwing his net in one of the lagoons.

The estuary opened up to this beautiful lagoon

Spring is in the air as wood storks perch on their nest

Welcome to the world!

Chenco’s keen eyesight spotted well camouflaged crocodiles sunning themselves.  He slowed his panga down each time then cut the engine so we could watch the huge reptiles in their natural habitat.  The longest crocodile we saw was 11 feet!

Smile for the camera!

In one swift action he's plunging into the water.

The word 'lurking' comes to mind...He was big and watching us!

All too soon it was time to turn around and head back to the bridge near town where we clambered out of the panga and thanked Chenco for our once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Jim wants to add his thoughts about other aspects of San Blas, which I know you’ll enjoy....

San Blas is a cool town with a really strong feeling of history.  It has a great connection with Victoria and southern B.C.  Ships sailed to B.C. by Valdez, Galiano and Quadra were built here in the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries.  We went to visit the remains of a fort built by the Spanish and English in the 1700's when they were allied against the French.  Later, the French and Spanish were allies and used the fort to defend the town from the British navy.  Made me think to myself "Now now kids, if you can't play nice together, I'll have to take your silver away".  We met a local history teacher and four of his students at the fort who were happy and proud to tell us all about the history of the area.

La Contaduria, the old fort and accounting house
on the hilltop overlooking San Blas. 

Check out the thatched roof built around the palm tree

A new roof protects the historical site

Close up's of the San Blas mural size photos in the old fort

Jim wielding an antique Chinese sword recovered
from a wreck off the coast of San Blas

Isaac and his students pose in front of portraits of|
Galiano (right) and Bodega Y Quadra (next to Galiano)

We were impressed with how busy the two year old
volunteer-run museum was with Isaac showing us
replicas of two century old charts and photos

Thousands of tons of silver were shipped from San Blas to Europe, and many sea battles took place here as various nations and pirates fought to gain possession of all that wealth.  There are several documented sunken ships off the coast here which have yet to be found.  Makes me want to learn scuba.  What a way to beef up the cruising kitty!

We stumbled across this beautiful historical church while walking back from the fort on the east side of the hill.  It was built in 1769 and used until 1872 when the bells were removed.  Our guidebook says that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem "The Bells of San Blas" to honour this once famous church. 

Templo de la Virgen del Rosario church 1769 - 1872

We also met a cool couple, Eva and Salvadore, who run a tiny tienda, or convenience store, here.  The store has literally about 60 square feet and they have been running it together for the last 51 years.

Our new amigos, Salvador and Eva.  Salvadore dug out their
old globe so we could show him  where Victoria was. 
He's been to the US 22 times to visit his many kids!

He is 80 and she is 77 and they have nine kids aged 35 to 59.  Here they are, still working full time and we're retired...made us feel a bit guilty, but they had nothing but joyous delight to learn of our lifestyle.  We've gone to visit them a couple of times and it's amazing how our Spanish has improved just from talking with them in that short time.

We spent most afternoons having a siesta because of the heat.  I usually lounged in the cockpit while Jim hung out below deck with the fans going, playing solitaire or reading.  The other day we were both lounging around mid-afternoon when we heard the most awful noises coming from our boat near the waterline.  I thought we had a loose line on deck that was flapping in the afternoon breeze that came up.  Jim thought it might be wood inside the boat flexing in the intense heat.  The sound had a definite 'whack' to it over and over but with no distinct rhythm.  At one point Jim was laid prone on the sole (floor) with his ear pressed tightly to it trying to locate exactly where the whacking/cracking sound was originating.  After a couple of tense hours of speculation we were still scratching our heads.  We wandered over to another cruising boat next to us and asked them if they had any suggestions and Ed did.  Sure enough, it turned out the whacking was the product of parrot fish attacking our hull while eating weeds and algae.  Apparently they really throw themselves into their meals!  We were happy to realize there was nothing wrong with out boat!

We’ll be leaving San Blas on Monday morning at high tide and heading a bit further south to Chacala then on to Bahia de Banderas where Puerto Vallarta is located.  Until then…

April 24, 2014  Isla Isabela, Mexico

We’ve been on the move since leaving Mazatlan a couple of weeks ago. 

Mazatlan at dusk from the anchorage at Stone Island

After spending two nights at anchor in the harbour south of Mazatlan we headed for Isla Isabela, a National Wildlife Preserve approximately 18 miles off the Mexican coast.  This small island, visited by Jacques Cousteau 39 years ago, is world renowned for its blue footed booby colony as well as the majestic frigates and other seabird species.

Dolphins playing in our bow wake en route to Isla Isabela

Falcon VII at anchor off of Las Monas spires

We anchored off of Las Monas rock spires for four days enjoying the wonderful warm water where I cooled off with a daily swim. We had time to snorkel along the reefs and enjoyed the fantastic birdlife.  The day after we anchored Rob and Debra on Avant arrived from San Blas en route to the Sea of Cortez.  Through email we had been tracking each other with the hopes of connecting again, having not been together since New Year’s Eve in La Paz.  Our visit was too short but we’ll see them in Vancouver this summer.

Avant and Falcon resting at anchor off of Las Monas

Isla Isabela is a popular destination for those heading north or south as it is only 81 miles from Mazatlan, a day sail away to the north, and only 40 miles away from San Blas to the south.  Another cruising boat, Hotel California, arrived towards evening.  We met Pam and Rick in LaPaz back in December but hadn’t seen them since.  The next morning the six of us decided to go to shore together to explore the island.

Las Monas Islands at dawn

Seabirds perched like sentries on the pinnacles

A small fishing camp was perched on the shore of the south anchorage with a dozen rustic houses squeezed tightly together.  Fishing pangas took up most of the rocky beach as fishermen cleaned and mended nets and unloaded their catch.  We pulled up our dinghies and set off on one of the trails that led behind the camp and into bird territory.

Early morning at the busy fishing camp

Immediately we found huge frigates perched in trees above us, aware of our movement but unperturbed.  The island was home to blue footed boobies, red footed boobies, brown footed boobies, brown pelicans, sooty terns, Heerman’s gulls, and brown noddies.  In addition to spotting hundreds of birds we passed by lots of bold iguanas as they sunned themselves and little lizards as they scurried out of our way.

Puffed up male frigate taking its turn on the next

You can look but don't you come near my baby!

Well camouflaged lizards ranged in size and colouring

One of many iguanas we encountered, about 2 feet long

The island was only a mile or so in length and a gentle climb led to a trail through the sparse forest then onto an open stretch along the eastern shoreline.  As this island is an important bird sanctuary it has continued to attract researchers since Jacque Cousteau first introduced it to the rest of the world.  The formerly abandoned research station is once again in use with its covered outdoor space being utilized to house researchers’ perched tents.  On the east side of the island another smaller research camp was nestled in the bush close to the booby colonies.

Heerman's gull

We were very fortunate at having arrived at nesting time.  We kept our distance but captured on film a few fuzzy frigate babies still in their nests in trees above us.  Further along the trail boobies nested on the ground and were quite vocal as we cautiously passed.  They were just hatching near other nests where gulls kept a careful eye on us as we tiptoed by their unhatched speckled eggs.

Heerman's gulls guarding their speckled eggs

Blue footed booby

Brown footed boobies - male in front, female behind

None of the chicks were flying yet

A shallow booby nest in the gravel and dirt  

The north shore was rugged but beautiful and from there we returned inland through a prehistoric looking forest with frigates watching our every move.  How fortunate we are to have something like this island still in existence!

North shore - Punta Rocosa

Can't get a bunch of cruisers to pose for anything!

After our three hour hike we all returned to our boats for a siesta in the heat of the day but Jim and I decided to take a few school supplies and bubbles back to the fish camp.  It was Easter break and a dozen kids were hanging around the beach and using the jagged rock outcroppings as their diving platform.  When we arrived with the school supplies and bubbles the language barrier made no difference. 

Happy kids with their bags of school supplies and bubbles

We knew that the Mom we met was most appreciative and the boys on the rocks were clapping their hands and laughing when we returned by dingy with another bottle of bubbles.  We left the bay feeling good about our little effort and are glad that many other cruisers do the same.

The boys hanging out - see the mid air jumper to the right?

On Good Friday we set sail for the coastline and enjoyed a beautiful spinnaker run the whole way, anchoring in Matanchen Bay just south of the estuary that led to the San Blas marina.  Easter is a big deal in Mexico with an entire week, called Samana Santa, set aside as time off from work and school.  It is a time when families flock to the sandy beaches in both Matachen and Chacala to the south.  We arrived on Good Friday so the 3 mile long beach was full of families. 

Trish diving into glorious warm water of Ensenada de Matanchen 

We dinghied to shore and manoeuvred around loads of kids and parents enjoying themselves in the water.  I wish I had my camera with me!  A half dozen thatch roofed restaurants lined the beach, each with expanded covered outdoor seating with tables set up everywhere to accommodate the three generations enjoying Easter together.  Grandmas crocheting, teens walking the shoreline together, little kids making sand castles and parents involved with it all.  In between the restaurants were sections of beach where other families gathered. Cars and trucks were parked next to the beach sticking out of bushes, many with blasting music, which didn’t seem to bother anyone.  A dirt road ran along the length of beach on the other side of the restaurants where merchants tried to sell everything from bathing suits to beach balls.  As well, a handful of enterprising locals wandered throughout the area with armloads of beaded necklaces and bags of plastic beach toys for sale.  We were serenaded by a handsome young man, aged around 20, who played the guitar beautifully.  This, in itself was a treat, but the fact that one arm was much shorter than the other, ending around the elbow with five tiny toe-like fingers, made it even more amazing.  That’s one of the things we love about the Mexicans. They never seem to dwell on their poverty or circumstances but figure out a way to survive with dignity and a smile.

On Easter Sunday morning I was making breakfast when I heard someone holler “Falcon VII are you up?”  I looked out to see Alison and Randall on Tregoning arriving at the anchorage.  They were heading north from Chacala and made the run at dawn. We have been cruising off and on with Tregoning since leaving Neah Bay in Washington State, keeping in touch via email.

Randall and Alison on Tregoning

We were thrilled to see them and happily accepted their invitation for an Easter potluck on their boat.  We had noticed another boat when it anchored the night before but didn’t realize it was Al and Lindy on Enchante.  They had been buddy boating with Randall and Alison and even took a side trip to Guadalajara together a few weeks before.

Al and Lindy from Enchante

The six of us had a great time catching up and enjoying a sushi and chicken potluck dinner together before saying a fond farewell.

Happy Easter!

The next day Tregoning left before dawn heading for Isla Isabela and we departed for San Blas, leaving Al and Linda working on boat projects.  What a great way to spend Easter.  I’ll continue San Blas on the next blog entry….