Chip & Debbie Willis on s\v Elegant'sea: Sailing from Chacala to Mazatlan

Beginning of May 2016 - Tied up in Marina Mazatlán, Mexico
In Chacala, we left at dawn and headed for Mazatlán. It is an overnight passage and we expected to arrive at Marina Mazatlan about noon the next day. We usually do our route figuring we will do 5 knots. We can motor at 6.5 knots at 2400 RPM's and we usually motor at a bit less. We usually sail from 3-6 knots so it all averages out to about 5 knots for us.

After a hardy breakfast that Debbie made we hauled anchor. This is one of the times we washed off the chain using fresh water instead of salt because we will be going to a marina for several months. It is not likely we will haul all the chain out at the Marina and wash it all off before we leave for my hip replacement. Probably when we come back we will do that and take out the twists.

A turtle with a bird resting on it. These birds are skittish so getting a picture is not that easy.

Roca Blanca (a large rock in the middle of our route) - about 6 miles off shore.

As we got closer to Roca Blanca, we saw some fishing buoys.

This flag buoy was off our starboard with Roca Blanca off out port..

Here you can see the buoy and the fishing buoy - very disconcerting!

And yet another fishing buoy - fortunately we got through this "mine field"

without snagging a net!!

We love when our passage includes a full moon

for our overnighter! This one was out before the sun set.

Almost a sun set - those clouds prevented us

from seeing it go into the water.

Approaching Mazatlan the fishermen

in three pangas - another disconcerting moment.

At least we can see them.

Ferry going into Mazatlan past Stone Island.

The port of Mazatlán.

Ferry going into Mazatlán.

Los Hermanos to the port (the rock sticking up).

Debbie called ahead as we approached Mazatlán so we could get fuel at the El Cid Marina fuel dock. Unexpectedly they said we could not come into the channel for three hours! Till 2:00 PM. Gee glad we called :) They said the dredge was in the channel. That it would move at lunch time to one side for one hour for boats to come and go.

Approaching the three Islands off Mazatlan by El Cid. The one on the port is Isla Pajaros and the two to starboard are Isla Venado and Isla Lobos.

We had three hours to wait and we were tired from the 26 hour passage from Chacala to Mazatlan so we decided to heave-to for the wait. This was not very comfortable so we then decided to go find a lee shore behind one of the islands to get some rest, possibly anchor. Get out of the wind and swell.

We went between the islands and there is a nice beach on the mainland of Mazatlan.

Mazatlán.

Isla Pajaros to port as we pass between them.

We went to starboard and looked at Isla Venado first. There is a small beach here with a few boats anchored. It is shallow here - about ten feet.

Isla Venado beach. We decided not to anchor as we did not have enough time

before 2:00 to anchor and get to the channel. We had to enter the channel

between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

Mainland Mazatlan - the famous nightclub Valentino's.

Mainland Mazatlan.

Entrance to the channel with the dredge in it.

We were approaching the entrance and we got picked up by a wave and surfed into the channel. Surprise! With some frantic steering we made into the channel and by the dredge! No heads up there?