Pacific Sailing on the Strikhedonia

 My friend Chris sent me an email asking if I would like to join him on his sail boat this winter for a week or two cruise along the Mexican coast.  Oh wow!  Yes!  I have never sailed before and this would be a chance of a lifetime to be able to do this trip.  We meshed our schedules and came up with one week from Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta.  January 26 to February 2nd.

  I was up early and drove up to my sons house to drop my car off.  He wasn't home so I used an Uber. My first Uber ride.  They were there within 5 minutes. The airport was a breeze leaving me with lots of waiting time for my flight. The flight was a breeze until we descended to Mazatlan.  My seat partner nearly vomited on me.  I moved extremely fast and she made it to the bathroom.  Whew!

  I landed in Mexico!  My first visit to this country.  It seems a popular T-shirt design was "Welcome to Mazatlan.  The fun side of the wall!"  Yeah.  The wall is kind of a big joke in Mexico.   Customs went extremely fast. My shuttle was waiting and I was dropped off at Marina De Mazatlan.

   Chris came and met me by the road and walked me down to the Marina.  My first sight of Strikhedonia took my breath away!  Photos do not do it justice.  Just floating at dock it looked fast and agile. Just beautiful! Chris showed me my berth and I unpacked.  I had just a short time before we went to meet a couple of Chris's friends at Casa de Maria.  It is owned by a couple of Yankees that came to Mexico and just stayed because they loved it. Food was excellent and it was good conversation about sailing.  I didn't know anything much at that point so I just listened and learned whatever I could.  Back at the boat a band played on shore. It was very cool to be in Mexico and drift off to sleep listening to a mariachi band.



  Sunday.  I was up early.  Chris had a mechanic coming to look at getting some work done on the swim deck of his boat.  The man said 9AM but it's pretty laid back and his assistant came after 10.  Chris made plans to have the work done on his way back and we prepared to leave dockage. The route for the day was just 10 miles from the northern side of Mazatlan to a bay on the south side of town.  Just enough so Chris could show me how to sail the boat.



  The channel out to open water was constricted by a dredge that shouldn't have been working on Sunday.  As luck would have it a water taxi was on the side and Chris asked him to contact the dredge.  They gave us the all clear and we picked our way between the dredge equipment. Then we were out in the open water!

   The rollers were quite large but not breaking.  I was thrilled at how the Strikhedonia handled the waves.  Chris explained to me the navigation and auto pilot. How to keep on course.  The first landmark we passed was Isla de Pajaros. Island of birds. One side of the Island was completely covered in white bird dropping.  It made for a stunning sight if you didn't think much about it. Next was Reserva Ecologica Islas de Mazatlan.  Then we turned into a protected bay, Isla de la Piedra or Stone Island, for our anchorage. A band played on shore all afternoon.  The plan was to just eat and rest,  We were leaving at 9PM for an overnight crossing to Isla Isabel.  Our ETA would be close to noon the next day.  Three hour shifts sailing the Pacific through the night. Excited?  Damn right I was!