A view of Chacala from the boat
After leaving Mazatlan, we sailed overnight to Isla Isabel. We anchored for the day on the eastern side of the island, just off a beach with nesting blue-footed boobies and other sea birds. It was my first opportunity to snorkel since leaving San Diego. The water was clear with lots of reef fish. There were no other visiting boats.
That evening we sailed overnight to Matanchen Bay, south of San Blas. Matanchen is a large, shallow bay with very little activity, except for fisherman and their nets in the middle of the night. There was one other boat anchored in the bay when we arrived. After resting up, we took the dinghy up to San Blas. It was a long, wet ride but it was fun to check out the town and the marina. The next morning a couple of us took the dinghy up a nearby river on our own personal meandering jungle tour. We saw crocodiles and a variety of birds. That afternoon, Don and Anne arrived in the bay on Redwood Coast II. To celebrate Thanksgiving we had dinner together at a palapa on the beach. We were the only customers.
That night I stupidly failed to lock the dinghy to the boat, and someone cut the line and took the dinghy with motor, anchor, wheels and fuel tank. Don and Anne and I cruised the bay the next morning to see if the dinghy had been abandoned, but we saw no sign. We then pulled up the anchor and went into San Blas to make a report with the port captain and the police. After spending the night in the San Blas marina, we headed to Chacala and spent a couple of nights enjoying this small but vibrant beach town, popular with Mexican families. It was fun to sit under a thatched roof with dozens of families enjoying their beach day. Don and Anne were there as well and loaned us their spare dinghy.
