November 10, 2004
La Cruz, (Puerto Vallarta 20o 44' N 105o 44' W)
We dropped anchor in the La Cruz anchorage of Banderas Bay at 10 PM last night after a three day passage from Cabo San Lucas. The trip was nothing special sailing wise( we motored 52 of the 60 hours it took us to get here) but we did have some interesting events in any case.
The weather was hot and humid, so much so that at noon on the second day we stopped for a mid ocean swim break. I set a fender off the stern on a long floating line and we took a dip in the 83 degree water. I can't say it was particularly cooling, but it was better then the humidity we'd been having until then. I thought I would be creeped out by the fact that I was swimming around a boat floating in 10000 (yes ten thousand) feet of water 150 miles from shore but in truth it wasn't that bad. It was like being at the top of a really tall building, it didn't really bother me until I looked down. The water was extremely clear and you could see the rays of the sun penetrating deep into the abyss.
Of course we dragged our fishing lines all the way from Cabo to PV and only caught one Dorado. Unfortunately we hooked it after sunset and it got off while we were in the process of bringing it aboard.
We did manage one other catch, a Blue Footed Boobie. It's clear to me now why these birds are called boobies because they really aren't very smart. One decided our fishing lure looked like lunch and managed to get the hook caught in its bill. I dragged it up to the boat and tried getting the hook out but the bird wasn't cooperating. In the end it took three of us( one holding the wings, one holding the head and me manipulating the hook) to free the boobie from it's mistake. The bird flew off after the operation with nothing more then a pierced lower lip to show for the ordeal. (I'm sure he'll be the envy of all the young birds).
About 50 miles out on our final day we had another visitor: a Brown Noddy. This is a small bird about the size and shape of a tern with brown feathers and a light grey cap. It was incredibly fearless and landed on the BBQ less then an arms length away. It looked so comfortable with us that I decided to see if it wouldn't mind sitting on my hand, so I put my hand slowly under it's breast and it hopped up on my hand like a trained parrot! It sat there and had it's picture taken, then I placed it back on the BBQ where I gave it a bath with a fine mist from our garden sprayer. It flew off after sighting land; I'm sure to go describe its experience to its buddies and to show off its extra clean plumage.
Getting into La Cruz was a little hairy. The chart for this area is pathetic (imagine having to anchor at Angel Island with a chart drawn on a cocktail napkin showing the entire SF bay). Thankfully a large Mexican fishing boat passed us and anchored in the general area we wanted so we could follow his lead. We were able to find water shallow enough to anchor in after only a little nail biting.
Today we move to Paridise Village Marina, only 6 nm away, for a week in Puerto Vallarta. James and Diane will be leaving NAKIA, and plan on taking a trip inland.
John, Linda, James and Diane
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