Hasta la vista Mazatlan; Hola Baja

Finally "escaped" Mazatlan! Left 1030am Thursday and arrived 6pm Friday here in Bahia Los Frailes in Baja Californa Sur. (We were last here in December 2013.)

Arrived just as it became very dark -- lots of other boats anchored -- glad we've been here before and  the weather forecast was benign.

A rocking, bouncy (and sometimes uncomfortable) sail across -- but we sailed sailed ALL the way (well, 150 of 160 nm). Close-hauled upwind, Finn our Hydrovane did a fantastic job.
 

Waiting, waiting, waiting in Mazatlan...

Pelagia is all cleaned up and looking beautiful.

We have been ready to leave Mazatlan for several days. (We have decided
to return to La Paz.) Unfortunately, we have to wait until a cheque
clears (payment for our upgrades/repairs as well as for a survey);
something that is taking far too long!

Then there's the weather. Early next week a "norther" is forecast for
the Sea of Cortez, bringing unpleasant (rough) seas and winds, all "on
the nose".

So, we wait.

Information on sources for charts, guides, and weather for Mexico updated (November, 2014)

The July 2014 post concerning charts, guides and weather for Pacific Mexico has been updated.

http://sailing-pelagia.blogspot.mx/2014/07/information-for-cruising-mexico-charts.html

UPDATE: see also our October 2015 post on sailing down the west coast of Baja and making GPS-accurate Google Earth "charts"   

Pelagia back in the water...

Pelagia "splashed" Tuesday. 

All went well until we tried to start the engine. Nothing. Yet we had brand new batteries. Looked for a loose wire but saw none. So, we called Rafa, who had done all the work on the engine over the Summer and last week. 

Indeed, his shop had left off a wire. Bingo, engine started easily. But, now, no water out of the exhaust. (We had worried about this possibility, and David had looked for any blockages before going back in the water, finding none.) After going through the same things plus a few more, and a lot of head scratching, Rafa and colleague discovered a gear had gone on our just-rebuilt raw-water pump. No problem, it is "guaranteed". All this after we had to be towed over to a dock at the marina.

Next day, re-rebuilt water pump back in and engine running well and spitting out water as it should.

On the positive side, the new windows look great, the welding looks great (new system holding the anchor and additional bracings for the pushpit railings), the hull has a smooth newly painted bottom (all the old bottom paint had been removed and a new barrier coat added), and above the water line nice new blue stripes and waxed hull.

But, elsewhere, Pelagia was a mess, we had a LOT of cleaning inside to do. Decks still need cleaning. And to top it off, David has the flu or something -- and cabin temperature reaches 35 degrees C by mid afternoon.

So, we are working out problems, suffering in the heat. (No, there is no swimming pool.)

Loving the life....

Bus/train trip to Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon)

Posada Barrancas: Michelle loved these dropoffs along the canyon rim

While Pelagia was being worked on, we headed out on the bus to Los Mochis and then to El Fuerte for a trip to the Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon).

Our first stop was the cute colonial town of El Fuerte. Once the capital of Sinaloa, this old town on the river is highly recommended. Unfortunately, we arrived a little late to see much (the main square was quite lively). Also unfortunately, our pre-booked hotel was a bit of a dive.

Next morning, we caught the "El CHEPE" train. The schedule on the CHEPE website was confusing and incorrect. We wanted to take the "economico" train which runs only a few days per week (about 60% the price of 1st class, which runs daily). According to the website, it also came an hour later. NOT SO! The 1st class and economy class "trains" are the same train, same stops (on days when both are running), and same schedule as 1st class. Lucky we didn't arrive at the later, incorrect, time and miss the train.

Sitting in "economico"

El CHEPE chugs north -- one of many tunnels

The "economico" class was quite full but pretty comfortable. Air-conditioned cars and comfortable seats. The "snack bar" car left much to be desired (recommendation: do as the locals do and bring your own food).

Scenery along the way got better and better as went further inland and higher up. Mind you, nothing that "knocked your socks off", but pleasant. At the stop in Divisadero, everyone gets off to see the view of (one of) the canyons, as well as to buy some decent and cheap food ("gorditas"). Pretty decent views here. We stayed on the train until the town of Creel.

Tarahumara woman looking down canyon...

Our posada in Creel (Posada del Cobre) was a nice little hotel. The town had a decidedly frontier/western feel to it: dusty, with men on horseback and many indigenous (Tarahumara) people. The high-plateau terrain seemed very much like the interior of British Columbia. Weather was fantastic: sunny but not too hot (in the low-mid 20s Celsius, and quite cool at night). The next day, we rented mountain bikes and made a long but enjoyable (albeit tiring) ride through Tarahumara lands, seeing the "Valley of the Mushrooms and Frogs", the "Valley of the Monks" (used to be called the "Valley of the Penises", for obvious reasons), plus some overland single-track mountain biking (easy riding; flat terrain) to Lake Arareko, then back to Creel. When we first arrived in Creel, there was a lot of pressure to sign up for tours. We're glad we did this self-guided "bike tour" instead, rather than sitting in a van on a tour. We decided to stay a second day in Creel, to recover, and to do a little walking.

Valley of the Mushrooms ("Hongos")

Valley of the Frogs (but we could only see one. Climate change?)

This used to called the "Valley of the Penises"... wonder why?

... now it is called the "Valley of the Monks" ... hmmm

Next stop was a short (1 hr) bus trip back through Divasadero to Posada Barrancas, where we had reserved a room in the very expensive "El Mirador" hotel. It would have been nice if the bus driver had remembered to stop and then let us off, but he was too busy chatting up a female attendant, and went several kilometres past our dropoff point until we figured out something was wrong. Bus driver then flags down a passing "bus" and we transfer into it. Only, it is not a public bus, it is a "personnel transporte" bus for a mining company. I think we made their day -- they certainly had a good laugh at and with us. They then missed our stop, but turned around when this was realized. It was funny to see the miners all pile out of their bus to take pictures of the canyon -- something they could not have done if it wasn't for the detour they took to help us. Mexico is full of such nice people!

Posada Barrancas El Mirador Hotel, at C$240 per night (including meals) was a little pricey for us, but the view from the room balcony, hanging over the canyon was indeed "knock your socks off" material. We enjoyed our one night there. The food was pretty decent ('til we saw that the meals were the SAME each and every day, with NO choices...) although the staff, at best, unenthusiastic and the hotel totally lacking in any amenities (WiFi? forget it). A real treat, though, was the excellent hiking on top of/around/ down the canyons (one does NOT need to stay at the hotel to access these trails).
Many other guests took tours, went on the world's longest ziplines, took the ($65) cable car into the canyon, or went horseback riding. We simply hiked -- and enjoyed ourselves.

Looking up at El Mirador Hotel

Sunset view from our hotel room

Next day, we caught the CHEPE ("economico" class again) back down to El Fuerte, staying in a better hotel ("La Choza"). Unfortunately, the train was late arriving, so we only had time for dinner, no sightseeing. (Too bad -- it is a nice town.) Following morning, we took a local bus to Los Mochis (another act of kindness: the attendant and bus driver drove out of their way and dropped us off at our long distance bus depot) and then a first-class bus back to Mazatlan.

All-in-all, a good trip, albeit a little long on the land travel. Almost all travel was comfortable and, except for the bus driver missing our stop at Posada Barrancas (and that led to a fun experience with the miners), essentially hassle free.

Highlights were: mountain biking around Creel; the view from our room at El Mirador Hotel; hiking the canyon, and yes, the miners.


We have posted many photos for this trip on FLICKR:

Pelagia's FLICKR photo album for Mexico's Barrancas del Cobre

Wednesday morning: VANCE fizzles out just before Mazatlan

As predicted (and as hoped for),  conditions were not conducive for Vance to remain a storm.  It fizzled to a tropical depression by 2am.

Go to here to see Vance's history:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2014/graphics/ep21/loop_5W.shtml

The heavy rainfall,  however,  sure didn't fizzle!  Camaron Sabalo,  the main street here in the Zona Dorada,  had many parts that resembled lakes or rivers. 

Quite a bit of water leaked into Pelagia yesterday before they put new tarps on her.  Hopefully they did the job for last night's heavier rain. (Update: the new tarps did their job.)

Hurricane Vance watch: as of Monday morning

Vance is now a Category 1 hurricane and headed straight for Mazatlan.  However,  Vance is forecast to rapidly decrease so that,  hopefully, it will only be a tropical depression (winds less than 35kn) by the time it reaches Mazatlan

Tropical depressions still bring A LOT of rain.  And Pelagia still has her windows out.  Hopefully they will go in today - -  fingers crossed!

Hurricane Vance watch: Will he stay or will he go (away)?

Returned last night to Mazatlan (more on Copper Canyon trip to come).  Currently watching (and, of course, worrying about) Tropical Storm/Hurricane Vance.  Predicted to head right at Mazatlan,  but hopefully, by then, diminished to a "tropical depression".  

Pelagia still on the hard....