2013 was a year of transition for us as we completed our sailing voyage of Mexico’s Pacific coast and returned to RVing full-time.
During the Winter and Spring we cruised up from Huatulco in the southern part of the country to Puerto Vallarta. We lived aboard at the swank Paradise Village resort for three months as we waited for the winds on the Pacific Baja coast to turn in our favor for the infamous “Baja Bash” north to San Diego.
We left Puerto Vallarta in July and made a mad 1,300 mile dash north, arriving in Ensenada, Mexico, in just 8 days and 7 hours. Staying in Ensenada for 3 weeks to wrap up our life aboard in Mexico, we finally sailed to San Diego where we spent the final four months of the year stripping the boat, selling everything we owned, and moving off the boat.
At the end of December we moved back into our beloved fifth wheel trailer to resume our lives as full-time RVers.
TRAVEL POSTS:
- Huatulco’s Playa La Bocana – A visit to Huatulco’s Wild Side 01/04/13 December, 2012 – We discovered Huatulco’s wild side at Playa La Bocana, where the breakers thunder and the birds soar.
- Huatulco Holidays – Delightful Seaside Christmas & New Year’s Celebrations in the Tropics 01/11/13 December, 2012 – Huatulco’s towns of La Crucecita and Santa Cruz come alive with tourists and holiday celebrations.
- Huatulco Underwater – Snorkeling with colorful creatures 01/13/13 We snorkeled with spotted eagle rays. sea turtles, and lots of colorful fish and coral in the Bays of Huatulco, Mexico.
- Huatulco on Wheels – The fun and funny vehicles of Huatulco Mexico! 01/24/13 Huatulco’s warm climate and small size brings folks out on all kinds of crazy wheeled vehicles!
- Huatulco’s Villa Escondida – A beach bonfire with new friends 01/31/13 We returned to La Bocana at the invitation of local property brokers and found true luxury at Villa Escondida.
- Huatulco – Las Palmas Villas on picturesque Playa Violin – Gorgeous! 02/03/13 Returning to Las Palmas Resort, we enjoyed breathtaking views, great snorkeling and gracious hospitality.
- Huatulco Farewell – Fabulous Memories of a great stay 02/07/13 After 3 months we finally said “goodbye” to Huatulco — and departure day came much too fast.
- Huatulco to Zihuatanejo – Nature and solitude on a peaceful coastal passage 02/15/13 Sailing from Huatulco to Zihuatanejo we saw breaching whales, leaping manta rays, beauty in Acapulco and a night at sea…
- Zihuatanejo – Nautical moments with Sail Fest and the pretty schooner Patricia Belle 02/19/13 Zihuatanejo’s Sail Fest and a tour of schooner Patricia Belle were highlights during our stay at anchor off Playa Las Gatas.
- Morelia Mexico’s Magnificent Cathedral & Aqueduct – Awe-inspiring! 02/27/13 A whirlwind tour of Morelia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, blew us away with its gorgeous cathedral, churches and antique aqueduct.
- Monarch Butterfly Migration at El Rosario – A Fabulous Daytrip!! 03/02/13 High in the Michoacán mountains near Morelia, Mexico, we hiked into the forest at El Rosario to see millions of monarch butterflies.
- Pátzcuaro – A “Magical City” with a colorful outdoor market 03/05/13 With Groovy safe at anchor in Zihuatanejo, we explored Pátzcuaro, a “Magical City” in Mexico with a vibrant outdoor market.
- Zihuatanejo – A place people keep coming back to… us included! 03/14/13 Zihuatanejo has on-the-water action, a lively fish market, pretty sunsets and some very interesting characters…
- Costalegre: Manzanillo’s Las Hadas Resort – The Med in Mexico 03/23/13 Visiting Las Hadas in our third season aboard Groovy, we were charmed by its picturesque beauty once again!!
- Costalegre: Santiago – Brilliant sunrises every day! 03/31/13 In Santiago Bay we bolted out of bed every morning to watch the gorgeous sunrises, each more beautiful than the last.
- Costalegre: Cuastecomate – Exploring a “Secret Anchorage” 04/06/13 On our 2nd visit to the “Secret Anchorage” of Cuastecomate, we got ashore to the cute village behind the beach bars.
- Costalegre: Paraiso – An Unexpected Tropical Oasis! 04/13/13 Paraiso is a tiny gem of an anchorage where we found clear turquoise water, thick swarms of fish, and a gorgeous beach.
- Costalegre: Careyes – The most colorful anchorage in Mexico! 04/20/13 Wow, talk about color! The tiny anchorage of Careyes is hard to park in, but the colorful views make it worth the effort!
- PV: Chamela to La Cruz – Dances with Whales at Cabo Corrientes 04/27/13 Breaching humpback whales delighted us on our passage from Chamela to La Cruz in Banderas Bay.
- PV: La Cruz – A Fun Artisan Market & Cruiser Hangout in Mexico 05/05/13 La Cruz is a favorite cruiser hangout and when we went to the Sunday farmer’s market we understood why — it’s fantastic!!
- PV: 2013 Kiteboard World Cup – Here on the beach! 05/14/13 The 2013 World Cup Kiteboard competitions took place right on our beach. What a thrill!
- PV: Paradise Village Marina – A Resort Vacation! 05/25/13 At Paradise Village Marina we found ourselves vacationing at a high end resort filled with pools, beach bars, and exotic animals.
- PV: Paradise Village Estuary – Birds, Iguanas, Crocs…and Dolphins? 05/31/13 Taking an estuary tour behind Paradise Village Marina, we found exotic birds, iguanas & crocs…and dolphins too!
- Guanajuato – Colors, stairs, tunnels and characters! 06/14/13 Guanajuato amazed us with its vivid colors, steep hills & deep tunnels. It’s a fun town with lots of character and characters!
- Guanajuato – Full of Song and Spirit! 06/24/13 Guanauato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not only colorful but a place where street music is elevated to high performance art.
- Costalegre: Casa Maguey – Kindred spirits in a beachfront villa 07/17/13 During a fun week at Casa Maguey in La Manzanilla, we met kindred spirits and discovered our host grew up in an RV!
- Costalegre: La Manzanilla – Exotic animals & RVing Copper Canyon! 07/25/13 At Casa Maguey in La Manzanilla, we had fun with the locals and learned about the first RV train tour of Copper Canyon!
- Baja Bash (1) – Sailing on the Coattails of a Hurricane! 08/08/13 July, 2013 – We started our Baja Bash in Puerto Vallarta by sailing on the coattails of Hurricane Dalila to Cabo San Lucas. Yikes!
- Baja Bash (2) – Chased by a Hurricane! 08/28/13 Our Baja Bash excitement continued as Hurricane Erick chased us out of Cabo and barked at us all the way to Ensenada.
- Ensenada – A Triumphant Homecoming! 09/23/13 July, 2013 – Our return to Ensenada in northern Baja at the end of our Mexico voyage was satisfying in ways we never anticipated.
- The Baja Ha-Ha 2013 Sails South! 10/29/13 After a great kick-off party, the 2013 Baja Ha-ha cruisers rally set sail from San Diego on their way to Cabo San Lucas.
- Taylor Guitars – Where Passion Fuels Success 11/24/13 Our visit to the Taylor Guitars factory in El Cajon CA was awe inspiring because of the unique philosophy of its founder, Bob Taylor.
- San Diego’s Shelter Island – Safe Haven! 11/29/13 San Diego’s Shelter Island offered an ideal oasis of tranquility where we slowly readjusted to the breakneck speed of life in America.
- San Diego’s Shelter Island – A Lively Waterfront! 12/05/13 Shelter Island delighted us with a Porshce car show and a tall ship parade, all of which happened right in our front yard.
- On San Diego’s Shores – Dolphins and more! 12/11/13 On San Diego’s shores we got glimpses of distant voyages from other cruisers, but the leaping dolphins stole our hearts.
- San Diego Treats – Balboa and Sunset Cliffs 12/20/13 In San Diego, we were enchanted by both Balboa Park’s manicured gardens and lily pond and by nature’s raw beauty at Sunset Cliffs.