Matanchen Bay near San Blas

We left Mazatlan on a high tide about 9am on Saturday, January 23.  Even though all the stars were aligned to have a straightforward and easy breakaway, we still encountered breaking waves in the entrance.  We can’t help but wonder if someday soon it will be impassable.  We hobby horsed up and down through the shallow water and close-to swells until we were past the islands where conditions calmed down considerably.  Mazatlan just did not want to let us go!

Goodbye Mazatlan (photo by Sue)

The night before we left we had had a wonderful evening with three other cruising couples.  We joined Sue and John (S/V Valkyrie), Don and Bobbie, as well as Dean and Cathy (S/V Harmony) and hired a ½ ton truck taxi – remarkably like the “tuk-tuk”’s we used to take to get around in Thailand – to take us into old Mazatlan. 

Not us - this photo was taken from the Net - but you get the idea

We disembarked at the Freeman Hotel right on the Olas Altas waterfront and rode a tiny rickety elevator to the 9^th floor, then climbed three sets of stairs to arrive at the rooftop bar and pool.  OMG!

Freeman Hotel is the tallest building

What an incredible place with a phenomenal view. 

Roof top bar and pool at the Freeman Hotel

View from the rooftop looking north - the third island in the distance is where we anchored on our first day

The point of being here was to enjoy a cocktail as we watched the sun drop into the sea, the full moon rise in the east and the gradual change of light over the city of Mazatlan. 

Sunset from the Freeman Hotel (photo by Sue)

The 360 degree view was stunning as the pictures cannot possibly illuminate. 

Afterwards, we popped around the corner to a little bistro called Angelina’s.  

This establishment is lovely:  creamy stucco walls, tropical plants placed strategically, traditional furniture, gorgeous artwork and golden lighting made all of us look at least a decade younger than we are! We were entertained by a quartet of young people played lovely traditional music on some interesting instruments. We delighted in an elegant and delicious dinner at a very reasonable price.  There was even Negro Medelo on tap! 

Our meal was over way too quickly and we spilled out onto the old malecon to stroll back toward the marina.  There were many young Mexicans gathered along the way, courting couples, guys on bikes and skateboards, giggling girls and older folks keeping a watchful eye.  There were numerous street venders selling popcorn, cotton candy, iced liquados, fruit, hot dogs – you name it – many items to appeal to young and old. The waves rolled in against the rocks of the point and we could see fiery torchlight in the hands of a young man drawing attention to himself as he prepared to dive off a pinnacle into the darkness below.  

by day

by night

 Before long our eventful evening caught up to us and we headed back to the marina.  What a wonderful way to end our visit to Mazatlan – a special thank you to Cathy for organizing this memorable evening.

Cathy and Dean

Our 24 hour passage to Matanchen Bay was benign.  The seas were calm and the winds were light.  We managed to sail for a few hours in the late afternoon and morning, but that was it.  The moon was full and so bright we could almost read by it.  We passed many fishing boats trolling the waters but no other boats.

On the way to Matanchen Bay under the full moon

However, we did see our first sea turtles on this trip – three, to be exact – huge beasts looking like gigantic coconuts, floating along, lazily lifting their heads to stare at us as we passed.  We also saw the most whales in one passage.  We had recorded five individual sightings when we were amazed to see an entire pod of humpbacks leaping completely out of the water and slapping their tails, seeming to be chasing each other around in circles.  There were enormous splashes of water and we could clearly see their breath rocketing out of their blowholes.  Thank goodness they were ½ a mile away!  A school of dun coloured porpoises came to play in our wake and on our bow.  They were a variety of sizes, some not much larger than a large cat, others 5 feet long.  We assume it was a multigenerational family.  Cool.  Of course the seabirds were everywhere – frigates, pelicans and a variety of red beaked seagulls entertaining us with their aerial displays.

When we arrived at Matanchen, for a change, I handled the boat while Doug anchored.  The bay is very large, relatively shallow and well protected from prevailing winds, so it was easy to do. We spent the rest of the day catching up on our sleep and enjoying the sensation of being on the hook again. 

Hills behind the anchorage

Next morning we launched the kayaks and headed over to visit one of the other two sailboats in the anchorage.  Imagine my pleasure at meeting up with Lindy and Al aboard Enchante.  Lindy was one of the Zumba girls in La Paz, a fellow Canadian and a mutual friend of Joanneke.  Al is a gifted artisan carpenter originally from New York City.  The two have spent their last three winters here in Mexico and home to Lummi Island in Washington for the summers.  We have been able to spend many delightful hours in their company while we have been here.

Al and Lindy

Matanchen Bay is lined by beach and outdoor seafood restaurants.  One of them, a little way inside the point, is called Playa Hermosa.  A very amiable man nicknamed “Barra” will watch over dinghies or kayaks while you explore or go into the town of San Blas.  He will also allow you to drop off your trash.  Though he doesn’t charge for these services, having a delicious lunch in his establishment seems only fair. 

Dinghy parking at  Playa Hermosa - boats at anchor in the distance

But before we indulged, we had some fun in what Al describes as the “bunny hill” of surfing.  We discovered fairly soon that our kayaks were not made for surfing!  Doug figures there are 131 pumps to draw the water out of a swamped kayak!  Nevertheless, the bay is large enough that we got a good workout from paddling around.

Kayaking at the point on Matanchen Bay - surf hasn't come up yet

We had been to San Blas on our previous trip five years before and had taken Ka’sala through the very shallow breakwater to stay at the Fonatur marina on the outskirts of the town.  We spent about a week in this handy location where we were able to explore, experience the local culture and take the jungle tour.  Although not as convenient, it is possible to land the dinghy at Barra’s, walk a kilometre to the crossroads and pick up either an inexpensive taxi or bus for the 7 kilometer ride into town.  We felt no need to do this, but other cruisers at the anchorage have and have not found it a burden.

The insert map shows the San Blas/Matanchen area - the larger map shows the coastline we would sail  down to Punta de Mita and Puerto Vallarta.  El Cora is also shown on the larger map.  Our friends, Phil and Jan, are staying at Playa San Francisco just north of Sayulita

Unfortunately, this area is also famous for its jejenes (the Mexican version of no-see-ums).  On our previous visit here we didn’t seem to have any problem with them.  However, they have been a real plague this time - perhaps because it seems to be so much warmer than it was five years ago.  Anyway, we had lunch at Playa Hermosa’s on our first day and Doug was devoured by them - despite bug dope and smoking coconut husks. 

Lunch was great, the jenenes were not!

The bites, combined with a little too much sun, seemed to set off a terrible allergic reaction and the poor man has been plagued with itching and hives that have just about driven him crazy.  The tiny beasts find us on the boat as well.  We have screens on all our port lights and hatches, have been burning citronella and spraying, but nothing seems to deter them.  Although I have also been bitten, they don’t seem to have caused the same reaction.  Guess I am not as sweet!

Hermosa was surrounded by gardens such as this - the large leaved plant is a papaya

One day, Al and Lindy suggested we join them to find and explore the waterfalls they had read could be found nearby.  Unfortunately, Doug was so under the weather with the dratted insect bites he was unable to come.  Instead, Mary Alice, Rick and Harley, their dog, from S/V Notre Isle, joined us.  We dinghied ashore and a passing half ton truck gave us a lift to the crossroads.  What a thrilling ride standing up in the back, wind in my hair and clutching the rails above the cab!  We encountered several taxis and settled our destination and the price on Elias of Red Line Cabs.  Al had written out the name of the waterfalls and the directions and the cabbie seemed to know where to go.  Unfortunately, as we got further along in our trip, we realized he did not!  He asked along the way and, after about an hour, brought us to a place Al knew was wrong.  Thankfully, Lindy and Al speak enough Spanish to sort it out and we were eventually taken to where we wished to go. 

We followed the main road out of San Blas to Tepic, then turned off and followed a winding road into the hills and along a ridge draped with mango and jack orchards to a small village called El Cora. 

Along the ridge to El Cora - Mango orchards in the background, ocean in the far distance

 There the pavement ended, the cobbles started, and then, they too, ended in a dirt track. 

End of the cobbles - notice the cement sidewalk - it ran for several kilometers through the village of El Cora to here.

By this time we had re-negotiated with the cab driver to stay with us and take us home afterwards.  He was happy to do so as this was a place he also had never been.  The six of us followed along the track until we came to a pointed crest from which we could look across a chasm to the waterfall cascading over a cliff in the forest.  

We descended about 400 meters down a switch-backed rock and cement path to a gorgeous emerald pool filled by the shimmering cascade. 

Lindy descending the path

 It didn’t take us long to don our bathing suits and dive in.  (Well, the dog just jumped in!) I could have spent hours there as I found it a serene and inspiring place. 

 I longed to just sit and breathe – to let the place unfold around me - to watch the butterflies flitting around - to see the light change as it dappled through the leaves and branches - to really hear the song the water was singing.  But time was up, our clothes were back on and before I knew it we were back at the taxi. 

Elias looking over the pools - we could not entice him to swim

On our way back, Elias suggested a small restaurant in the village of Aticama called Cenaduria Lucy to stop for lunch.  Inexpensive and delicious, I enjoyed shrimp tacos with a cold Pacifico.

Lucy's

Time flash forwarded again and we were back at the dinghies, then back on the boat.  Someday I will return to that magical place and bring Doug with me.

Originally we had expected to stay at Matanchen Bay for a night or two, but remained for five days.  We have seen a steady procession of sailboats come and go while we have been here.  Some stay to check the place out and others use it as a convenient and easy anchorage as they make their way north and south.  If the jejenes were not so bad, this quiet anchorage and its surrounding area would be a wonderful place to spend a lot of time.  

Enchante at sunset in Matanchen Bay