December 20, 2013 – February 7, 2014
When we left Chacala, we knew the winds weren’t going to be quite favorable for our passage around Punta de Mita and into Banderas Bay. The forecast was for SW winds, so we knew we would be beating. However, we didn’t account for just how much the wind would pick up around the point. It was late afternoon, and the rate we were going we weren’t going to make it to the anchorage by sundown. Plus, with the wind direction, the anchorage off Punta de Mita was bound to be a bit on the rolly side. Steve spotted a potential place to drop anchor on the north side of the point. It’s not listed as an anchorage in the guidebook, but we agreed that was probably our best option. It was nice a calm and we got some rest until, oh, about 11pm when the wind shifted. By daybreak we were getting bounced around like crazy and got out of there as quick as we could. I talked to Steve on VHF, and he had to net control for the Sonrisa net, so they would raise anchor as soon as the net was over. But then as we were leaving, I looked back and saw them not far behind, so Carolina clearly modified that plan. It really wasn’t an anchoring situation you wanted to stay in for very long.
We finally rounded the corner of Punta de Mita the morning of 21 Dec, and we arrived in La Cruz just a few hours after that. We stayed a couple days in the anchorage and then moved into the marina in order to do numerous boat projects that had built up over the last few months. We originally planned to stay in the marina just 2 weeks, but we ended up making it 3 weeks until we left on 12 Jan to go to across the bay to the marina at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. We spent 10 days at at the typical tourist resort known as Paradise Village, where my mom came to visit for 5 days. We also spent the first 2 days of a 10 day visit from Gary and Marsha there. We (finally) left Paradise Village on 22 Jan and went back to the La Cruz anchorage for 1 rolly night. While we enjoyed the hot tubs, wifi, high pressure showers, and easy access to shore that marinas provide, it was really nice to be back out on the water. Next we spent 1 night at the anchorage at Punta de Mita then went back to the La Cruz anchorage after a day stop at Tres Marietas for some snorkling. After Gary and Marsha left, we hauled out Exodus at the La Cruz boatyard for a few days. (Why yes, it’s not even been a year since our last haul out in La Paz.) Once back in the water we spent a couple days out in the La Cruz anchorage, then went to Punta de Mita for the night. Finally, we made it out of Banderas Bay on 7 Feb to head south and once again, even if briefly, live the cruising lifestyle that we’ve grown to love.
To summarize: North side of Punta de Mita –> La Cruz Anchorage –>La Cruz Marina –>Paradise Village Marina –> La Cruz Anchorage –>Punta de Mita –> La Cruz Anchorage –> La Cruz Boatyard (haul out) –> La Cruz Anchorage –> Punta de Mita
Gresham Family Exodus 