Bahía Banderas

As our chosen destination point on our trip south on the mainland this year, Banderas Bay and the area around Puerto Vallarta was a great place to get some work done in the boatyard, sit out the 7 weeks Colin had committed to working back in the U.S., join the Banderas Bay Regatta (see separate blog post), and of course, just enjoy all the area has to offer.

DAY TRIP WITH REUBEN

DATE:	8 March, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Marina Riviera Nayarit, La Cruz
DESTINATION:	Marina Riviera Nayarit, La Cruz
TRIP:	20nm
GUESTS:	Reuben Bullock, Carly & Eder

Following a road trip to Sayulita the day before, and a bit of texting with Colin’s sister, we had established that his nephew, Reuben was in Sayulita, and had by chance booked a day trip on a sailboat from La Cruz the following day. The tourist trip cancelled, Reuben, together with Carly, and their friend Eder arrived with the high expectation of seeing whales. We had a very pleasant sail, flying the spinnaker on the way back, and the group was rewarded with a great show from a number of whales, and even some dolphins.

It was really great to have some family on board for a trip. A first for well over a year.

GENOA TEST AND TO ANCHOR

DATE:	17 March, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Marina Riviera Nayarit, La Cruz
DESTINATION:	La Cruz Anchorage
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°44.967N 105°21.925W
TRIP:	8nm
ENGINE HRS (at Destination):	487.34

When we first got the genoa out of the bag we realized it needed some repair, so taking advantage of the shaded courts at the La Cruz Marina, pulled out the SailRight and did a quick repair along the leech.

With the (big) Genoa for the first time since Turtle Bay on the Baja Haha, we took the boat for a spin, on our way from La Cruz Marina out to the anchorage. It definitely (that day?) seemed to have a bunch more power in lighter airs and we were flying along feeling ready for the Banderas Bay Regatta.

DAY TRIP TO PARADISE

DATE:	19 March, 2021
DEPARTURE:	La Cruz Anchorage
DESTINATION:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°39.597N 105°14.836
TRIP:	8nm
ENGINE HRS (at Destination):	487.34

We left the La Cruz Anchorage and had a swift sail over to Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. Sailing over, with Puerto Vallarta getting closer was quite the event for Colin and I, who had been to Puerto Vallarta on our first vacation together 20 years previously. We had also enjoyed two weeks here in 2008, and it was a good feeling to be coming back together after so much time, on our own boat. Who’d have thought in January 2001, that we’d be doing this?

Paradise Village was to be our home until the end of May, when Colin had returned from the U.S. We pulled into slip C23, met up with Bohemia, and were introduced to pools, and Happy Hour at the ‘all-inclusive’ resort.

TO THE BOATYARD

DATE:	5 April, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION:	Centro Marino Opequimar Marina Vallarta
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°41.566N 105°17.602
TRIP:	7.95nm
ON BOARD:	Tom and Peter (sv Bohemia)

With Colin working in the U.S. it was time to get some work done on Boundless. The paint on the bottom had done well … 3 years, but needed doing. Also it was time to finally address the engine shaft/alignment/prop issue that had plagued us since we had the new engine installed. Lastly, the rudder had complained a bit on recent passages, and it was time to check/replace the bearings.

Fortunately Tom and Peter from Bohemia were happy to help move the boat to the yard, and we left at first light, the boat damp with dew, but stocked with coffee and a banana loaf.

Arriving at the Opequimar, we met with Alvaro Bello and took him and his ‘helper’, Santos for a ride, after which Alvaro announced he was going to remove the shaft and propeller, add a second cutlass bearing at the front end of the stern tube and align the engine again. The work began.

AND BACK

DATE:	12 April, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Centro Marino Opequimar Marina Vallarta
DESTINATION:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°41.566N 105°17.602
TRIP:	8.0nm
ON BOARD:	Renate & Martin (sv Taiko)

A week in AirBnB’s with the boat at Opequimar and it was launched. One quick trip with Alvaro and Santos proved their work had indeed fixed the problem (I owed Alvaro a bottle of Tequila), and they were dropped off at the fuel dock.

Martin and Renate of Taiko had met Julian at the boatyard for the trip back to Paradise Marina, and as soon as we left the harbor entrance the sails were up and we had a swift sail home. Chatting and enjoying the trip, we almost sailed right by the entrance to Paradise.

AND TO THE BOATYARD AND BACK … AGAIN

DATE:	20 May, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta – Opequimar
DESTINATION:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°41.566N 105°17.602
TRIP:	12nm
ENGINE HRS (end):	496.25
ON BOARD:	Charlie (Juliet)

Not entirely happy with the last minute installation of the rudder – it had been a rushed affair with the boat in the slings, waiting to launch, We had booked time to have the boat lifted again at Opequimar, and Alvaro and his team remove the rudder and properly seat the middle (of the three) rudder bearings in the stainless steel lining tube (the two were not aligned well the first time around, and the steel liner had ended up slightly out of the top of the fibreglass rudder tube).

Charlie (Juliet) came for the trip and we arrived early around 2:45pm at Opequimar, so filled up with fuel, and then waiting for the call to come into the slings. The boat was hauled out at 3:30pm, and stayed in the slings while we all worked to complete the procedure, and the boat was back in the water at 6:30pm. Nicely done!

Charlie did a great job cleaning a surprising number of barnacles off the hull. The paint job was only a month old, but the water in Paradise Village in an unpleasant swamp soup, and although there was no other growth, the barnacles had flourished. Oh to be back in clean water!

DAY TRIP WITH LUIS AND CHARLES

DATE:	20 May, 2021
DEPARTURE:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION:	Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
DESTINATION LAT/LONG:	20°41.566N 105°17.602
TRIP:	29.3nm
ENGINE HRS (end):	497.2
ON BOARD:	Charles Evans & Luis, Julian & Colin

With us both now vaccinated, and others in the U.S. getting vaccinated and ready for their first vacation, we are sensing things are freeing up a bit, and we may find ourselves with the occasional visitor. It was great to hear from Charles, who we know from the AIDS Lifecycle days, and Luis, that they were visiting Puerto Vallarta and we would have the opportunity to share a day with them.

We often remark how guests on boards have varying degrees of interest in the actual sailing of the boat, and Charles and Luis were definitely in the ‘very interested’ category, which we absolutely enjoy, and we were blessed with just about perfect sailing conditions. It was a great day’s sail, and an enjoyable evening at a restaurant close to Paradise Village , and wonderful just to feel like we had a legitimate pre- (or post?) Covid experience with friends.

AND WHILE IN PUERTO VALLARTA …

We spent a day walking around Puerto Vallarta old town, the ‘Zona Romantica’, visiting the places we spent alot of time at on our previous trips to P.V. Much reminiscing!

ROAD TRIP TO SAN SEBASTIAN DEL OESTE

May 17, 2021 – After Colin returned from a 7-week work stint in the U.S. and Julian had taken two trips back for Covid jabs, we were feeling good about both being fully vaccinated, and ready to take a trip away from the boat to see San Sebastián, which had been highly recommended (by a cab driver).

It certainly deserves it’s ‘Pueblo Magico’ designation, as it is extremely picturesque. We enjoyed a pleasant lunch in the plaza (tried cuitlacoche), and went off to rent a Quad for the ride up to the high viewpoint (at 7,500 ft) at Mirador La Bufa. Much fun, although dusty!

With Carlos as our guide, we stopped on the way down at the church at Real Alto, very pretty indeed!