TOPOLOBAMPO TO LA CRUZ 2026

 June 25, 2026

S/V Wings
Old Harbor
Mazatlan, Mexico

We wanted to leave at 10:00, but couldn’t get anyone to come to the boat to tell us what we owed for water and power. Just as we were ready to leave, I noticed that the bilge was full of fresh water. The water tank I had just filled had leaked. It took us until 11:30 to pump all the water out of the bilge.

Leaving Topolobampo

Finally, we left Marina Palmira and threaded our way out the narrow and circuitous channel. When we reached the main shipping channel, we decided to turn on the autopilot and raise the main. The autopilot didn’t work. Not wanting to set off on a multi-day passage without an autopilot, we dropped anchor just outside the entrance to the marina channel. It turned out that the plug for the autopilot had disconnected from the power cable. While somewhat awkward to reach, Fred was able to reconnect it and get the autopilot back in service. We raised the main and set off out the shipping channel. Unfortunately, the tide was against us and we had lost track of the channel buoys while raising the anchor. We bounced off the red buoy, scratching the side of the boat.

Working Our Way Out of Topolobampo

The channel into Topolobampo is quite long. It was nearly 15:00 by the time we reached the sea buoy and prepared to tack south toward Mazatlan. It was rough and windy. I had just released the jib and turned to haul in the opposite sheet when we hit a large wave and I was thrown into the corner of the companionway hatch, injuring my ribs and knocking the wind out of me. I lay on the floor of the cockpit, gasping like a fish out of water and trying not to vomit, while Fred kept trying to get me to trim the jib. Finally, I managed to gasp out that I couldn’t breathe and he cut me some slack.

The Hatch That Bit Me

It was time for me to assume the watch, but I needed to lie down. I was in a lot of pain and moving was difficult. All I could do was lie on my back. I lay below until it calmed enough that we had to turn on the motor. I was just able to keep my watches from 21:00 to midnight and again from 3:00 to 6:00. There was lightning in the distance and we could see the chubascos in the dawn. We tacked away from shore and avoided the squalls.

Chubascos at Dawn

It was calm all morning, but the wind came up about noon and we were able to make good speed under sail until midnight. I was in too much pain to sleep, but I did manage to rest when I was off watch. The engine unexpectedly quit in the middle of the night, but it turned out to just be a clogged fuel filter and was soon set to rights.

 

No Seats, No Bimini, No Problem

Sailing to Mazatlan

The next day, I finally managed to sleep a couple of hours in the morning. The wind came up about 10:30 and we once again set the jib and began to sail. We sailed all day until we arrived at the entrance to Mazatlan’s old harbor about 16:30. We were given permission to enter and dropped the hook on the outside of the crowded anchorage. Tour boats with noisy bands onboard were departing from the shore and the racket was incredible. There was a nice breeze and we enjoyed sitting in the cockpit, but the noise was nearly unbearable until the last of the boats finally left.

Each Boat Had a Band on the Bow

It had been a long and sweaty trip from Topolobampo and it felt great to take a shower and put on clean clothes. We raised the forehatch and let the breeze blow through the boat. We cooked chicken cutlets and pasta for dinner and, after a glass of wine, tried to catch up on sleep.

At 2:30, the pitter-patter of raindrops awakened me, immediately followed by a clap of thunder. I painfully hauled myself out of bed and closed the hatches as the rain poured down. We were cool for the first time since I had arrived in La Paz.

Thursday morning, we took the dinghy ashore to Club Nautico. We had been warned that the dinghy dock was in bad repair, but we found it altogether absent. A very helpful port guard met us and directed us to a rusty ladder descending into the water. He helped us scramble ashore and promised to watch the dinghy while we went to the grocery store for a tip.

The first Uber we called never picked us up, so we had to call another. A crippled dog kept us company while we waited and insisted that I throw a rock for him to fetch. We went to the Ley in El Centro. It was a disappointing grocery store with little in the way of produce or baked goods, but we didn’t need much beside drinks, anyway. It had been so hot that we had consumed two cases of Topo Chico between La Paz and Mazatlan.

When we returned, we stowed the groceries in the dinghy and then explored Club Nautico. A little further towards town, there was a tall, but serviceable float where one could leave a dinghy for 100 pesos per day. There was a snack bar there and showers, although we didn’t visit them. We returned to the boat and put the groceries away, spending the rest of the afternoon lounging around the boat.

June 26, 2026

S/V Wings

Old Harbor
Mazatlan, Mexico

The Plaza In Old Mazatlan

After running the motor for an hour to charge the batteries, we took the dinghy in to the float off the restaurant next to Club Nautico and took an Uber in to the plaza in Old Town to get some dinner. We ate at the Gaia Bistrot. I had a nice spinach salad and Fred got short ribs. A woman was singing karaoke for entertainment. After dinner, we strolled over to an ice cream shop near the teatro. Then we took another Uber back to the boat. The driver took the scenic route along the malecon and over the hill and we enjoyed the view.

Old Mazatlan at Night

The gate was locked when we returned to the restaurant, despite Victor having told us it was always open. We convinced the guard at Club Nautico to let us in and then we climbed along the seawall to the other property and got back to the dinghy. The tide was out and it was a bit of a drop from the gangway to the float. We eventually untangled ourselves from the net of painters and motored back out to Wings.  A party boat was anchored nearby, with flashing lights and blasting music.  We sat outside and enjoyed the cool evening.

I had a rough morning due to my sore ribs, but eventually got started. We didn’t have much to do, anyway. I helped Fred hoist the sewing machine onto the deck to repair the luff tape on the main sail. Then, I helped him refold the sail. He put up the awning so I could sit outside in a folding chair while he went to shore to get fuel. I elected to remain on the boat, as climbing in and out of the dinghy was painful for me. I was running out of patience with the constant pain.

I made a couple of egg tacos and read for awhile before I felt the returning dinghy bump into the boat. Fred had taken two jerry cans ashore and, for 100 pesos, Victor had taken him to the gas station to fill them. When he returned, he convinced me to take an antiinflamatory called Etoricoxib that he found very effective. Etoricoxib is banned in the United States because it allegedly increases the risk of stroke or heart attack. It helped the pain somewhat, but did upset my stomach. I usually avoid anti-inflamatories for that reason, but I was at my wit’s end.

We spent most of the afternoon in our folding chairs. Fred transfered the fuel into the fuel tanks. Then we ran the motor for an hour and I sat down to write.

July 8, 2026

Torre Pacifica

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico

We left Mazatlan a bit after noon and headed down the coast.  A nice breeze came up and we managed to sail for about twelve hours, dousing the jib about midnight.  It was perfect sailing for watch after watch.  The moon stayed up all night to light the way.

Full Moom

I decided to cook dinner underway.  Usually. this is not a problem.  However, Wings lacked the usual clamps that keep a pot in place over the burner.  I had planned to make breaded fish with a side of fettucine and some sauteed spinach.  It quickly became aparent that I could only manage one pot at a time because I had to hold it in place continually.  I started by sprucing up some leftover spaghetti sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs.  Then, I set that aside and patiently held the pasta pot over the heat until the noodles were done, which seemed to take forever.  I couldn't let go of the pot long enough to grab the collander, so I pulled the fettucine out of the water with tongs and tossed it into the sauce.  Having finally dumped the hazardous boiling water, I was free to sautee the spinach, but I was forced to toss that in with the pasta, also.  That turned out to be quite tasty.  Lastly, I was able to mix spices with a little flour to bread and cook the fish.  I was a sweaty mess, but dinner was a success.  Fred had to clean up.

Guayabitos in the Rear View

We stayed well off shore and only headed towards land when we neared Guayabitos.  Nayarit looked impossibly green after a few weeks of rain.  Having been in the leafless, dry-season jungle for months and then in the deserts and grasslands of Baja and Sinaloa, I felt like we had arrived in the South Pacific.  We dropped anchor behind a point of land at the south side of Guayabitos where we were protected from the southerly winds.  There was a sandy bottom with good holding and I immediately went for a swim.  The water must have been 90 degrees.  It felt like a bathtub.We were the only boat and there was nothing on the nearby shore.

Our Tropical Anchorage

We were in no hurry to return to La Cruz, so we relaxed in that tropical paradise for two nights.  Fred did some more repairs to the sail and I tried to let my ribs heal.  We barbecued chicken for dinner.

Making Our Way Back Home

We knew that we could easily make it back to La Cruz in one day, but we hauled the anchor about 8:00 and set off down the Nayarit coast.  There was zero wind and we motored along at five knots.  We put up the awning and pulled out the deck chairs.  It was an ignominious way for Wings to reenter Banderas Bay, but we were too lazy to do anything about it and there was no one around to see us, anyway.  Wings was back in her slip before happy hour.

LA PAZ TO TOPOLOBAMPO 2026

LA PAZ TO TOPOLOBAMBO 2026

June 19, 2026
S/V Wings
Pillar Point Bay, Mexico

I wasn’t going to write a blog during my cruise around the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), this year, because we always do the same old thing and it gets rather dull. The islands are beautiful and it’s a pleasant enough way to spend time, but there’s not a lot to say about it. However, since Fred and I were both feeling like a change, we decided to go somewhere different, this year. Hence, I’ve decided to write about our trip, after all.

I flew into La Paz on June 14th, after making a very convenient connection in Guadalajara. This was much easier than connecting through Mexico City and faster, too. We immediately headed for the Mezquite Grill after stowing my belongings in the boat. We shared a filet mignon which, this year, came with a bacon gravy. I’m not a fan of gravy, but I do like bacon. It was still a very tasty cut of meat and the dinner was big enough for two. We walked back to the boat and stopped for ice cream along the way. It was rather late by the time we returned to the boat, but it was a warm night.

Monday morning, while running the motor to charge the batteries, the alternator caught fire and melted the battery cables. Fred spent most of the day replacing the alternator and rewiring. Then we went grocery shopping and cooked chicken cutlets for dinner.

Tuesday, we met up with my friends, Sally and Colin, and took an Uber out to D’Thai, a Thai restaurant that Fred had found online. The food was good and spicy. We tried a couple of different curries, the spring rolls, and pad Thai. It was good to catch up with Sally, whom I hadn’t seen since she left me in Ushuaia in February, and Colin, whom I had last seen in La Paz in 2022.

Colin, Me & Sally at Marina La Paz

Wednesday was a very hot day. We left in the late morning and motored down the channel to Marina Costa Baja to get fuel and water. Marina La Paz does not have fuel and, while they have potable water, it is very expensive to get a slip for one night just to fill up with water. We got fuel but, unfortunately, Costa Baja’s desalinization plant was not operating due to a red tide. We had only one tank of water, which was not sufficient for two-plus weeks of cruising. We would have to make as much water as possible and hope we could top up our tanks in Topolobampo.

We sailed to Balandra Cove and arrived by mid-afternoon. It was very hot and we enjoyed a swim. Most boats anchor near the beautiful white beach in Balandra, but we dropped the hook close under the cliff that protected us from the howling Coromuel winds that came up in the evening and blew all night. We passed a comfortable night listening to the wind howl.

Pillars at Pillar Pt. Bay

Playa Bonanza

Thursday morning, we still had decent wind, so we set sail for Playa Bonanza on the east side of Espiritu Santo. I had never been there, before. We hoped that we could get protection from the Coromuels, which usually blow from the west, in that anchorage. Unfortunately, the recent Coromuels had had a large southerly component and we could tell, right away, that we would not be protected. We anchored for a couple of hours to go ashore and explore. The sand was very soft and it was extremely difficult to haul the dinghy up onto the beach, even with big, balloon tires. We climbed over the dune and saw only scrubby desert on the other side. It was difficult to walk in the very soft sand, so we didn’t go far. Instead, we returned to the boat and continued up the east coast of Espiritu Santo to a small bay we had seen on the chart. Few people go this way and there was very little information available on the anchorage. Fortunately, while the anchorage lacked the lovely, white sand beach and turquoise water of the other anchorages on the island, the holding was good. The Coromuels blew as much as 40 knots from dark until about 1:00, but the waters remained calm and we were comfortable. Fred named the anchorage Pillar Point Bay after the rock pillars off the point at the entrance.

Pillar Point Bay

June 21, 2026

S/V Wings
Topolobampo, Mexico

It was dead calm on Friday morning and we lounged about the boat until it was time to leave. The entrance to Topolombampo is complicated and somewhat shallow and we didn’t want to arrive before dawn. We finally left our anchorage about 12:30 and headed off northeast. The forecast was for southerly wind that would have made a nice reach. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough wind to sail and our wind indicator was jumping all over the place with no correlation to the actual wind speed. We had to motor.

We proceeded across the sea at about four knots, making sure not to overheat the alternator. We didn’t even raise the main until the late afternoon and there was never enough wind to bother with the jib. We traded watches every three hours. The weather was very mild. About 2:00, when I was just about to fall asleep after tossing and turning for two hours, the fan belt broke. I got up and took over the watch, sailing very slowly, while Fred changed the fan belt.

Isla Farrallon de San Ignacio at Dawn

I had the 3:00 to 6:00 watch. The moon had set just before midnight and it was very dark. I could see the Milky Way. Early in my watch, I saw lights from a large vessel. I couldn’t discern any red or green lights, so I couldn’t tell if it was coming toward me or not. Eventually, it became apparent it was sitting still. Before we passed it, I started to see flashing lights. They were not readily visible on the chart I was using. Eventually, after going below and zooming in on Open CPN, I verified that there were indeed many navigational lights around Topolobampo. The nearest of these appeared to be too close to be on shore and too high to be the sea buoy. We reached the area about 4:15, as dawn was just beginning to break. The light turned out to be on top of a small, flat-topped island with sheer sides.

The Entrance to Topolobampo

Just before the end of my watch, we broke a second fan belt. We raised the jib and, while Fred worked on replacing that, I sailed the boat in the light breeze that came up at dawn. By the time I was free to go below, we were moving along at 2.25 knots. We had enough wind to move the boat and were in no hurry. Fred had determined that, when we replaced the alternator, the fan belt was rubbing on a hose clamp. We hoped this was the reason for the failures, but we were out of replacements and didn’t want to take any chances. We slowly sailed all the way up the main channel and only ignited the motor when we turned into the narrow channel that ran across a shoal to the back side of the peninsula where the marinas were located. I called ahead to reserve a slip and we arrived at Marina Palmira in Topolobampo about 11:30.

Sailing into Topolobampo

Marina Palmira in Topolobampo

Everyone at the marina was very friendly and helpful. After checking in, the staff advised us where to go in Los Mochis to get fan belts. We folded our sails and got the boat squared away and then called a taxi to take us the seventeen miles for Los Mochis. We started at Los Munecos, the auto parts store that everyone recommended, but they didn’t have the right size fan belts. We bought a couple that were slightly wider and a little shorter than the originals that we thought might work. Everyone in the store was curious about us and wanted to know where we were from. They gave Fred a free hat.

AI suggested that Autozone would have the correct sized fan belts and there was one only about 450 meters away. It was very hot, but we walked over there. They didn’t have the right size, either. We bought another couple of belts in a different size and then went looking for somewhere to have a beer.

Sculpture Near the Marina

There were a lot of taco stands, but none sold beer. We stopped at one to ask where we could get food and beer. After answering their queries about our origins, they directed us to a nice restaurant a few blocks away. We were very hot and thirsty by the time we found the restaurant. It was then 13:00 on Saturday afternoon and the restaurant was packed. We had to wait some time for a table. When my family came to Mexico in 1913, they settled in Los Mochis. I struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to me in the waiting area. She was a native of Los Mochis and her family had been there for several generations. She recognized our family name. Los Mochis was founded by gringos around the beginning of the 20th century, but we were definitely a novelty in the present and everyone wondered what we were doing there. What gringos they see stay on the toll road and are not out wandering around, buying auto parts. After a very nice lunch and some cold beers, we took an Uber back to the marina.

It was hot in the boat and, having only slept a couple of hours in the morning, I slept most of the afternoon. We tried to sit outside around sunset, but there were too many bugs. We were ready for bed by 21:00.

Having slept for seven hours on top of a good afternoon nap, I was awake by 5:00 on Sunday morning. Around 7:00, I tried to go take a shower, but the water was turned off. I came back and showered on the boat. After what seemed like a very lazy morning, we finally left the boat about 10:00 to walk into Topolobampo in search of a little produce and some totopos.

Colorful Houses in Topolobampo

Topolobampo is a very colorful place. The town is built on a hill and the hill is covered with pastel colored houses and colorfully painted retaining walls. To get from the marina to town, we had to cross the access road to the port and a set of railroad tracks. Close to the marina was a statue of Albert K. Owen, the American who envisioned building a railroad from the United States to a port at Topolobampo. He also tried to start an agricultural commune in Topolobampo that ended up failing due to conflicts over water rights. A few years later, Benjamin Johnston built a big sugar mill and developed the area for agriculture. My great uncle and his wife came to manage the sugar mill. Later, two more of my great aunts and their husbands came to raise tomatoes. When I first came to Los Mochis, I was surprised to see that the land looked very much like Ventura County in California, where my family had lived previous to immigrating to Mexico.

More Colorful Houses & a Tabachin Tree

We wandered around Topolobampo, in search of a grocery store. Fred didn’t want to drag groceries around town, so we explored the malecon before going shopping. We stopped at an Oxxo for iced coffee. After we bought a few items, Fred wanted a hamburger, so we stopped at an air-conditioned restaurant. Then we walked back to the boat and relaxed for a few hours.

The Topolobampo Malecon in the Afternoon

Topolobampo Scenery

About 19:00, we headed back into town in search of dinner. The mariscos stands we had seen during the afternoon were then closed. We walked all the way into town and ate at a roadside carne asada stand near the malecon. Then we followed the malecon back to the boat. It seem everyone in town was out strolling along the malecon and it was crowded. Cars were cruising slowly along the shore and blasting music. There were a few mariscos places open on the malecon, but we had already eaten. We followed the malecon all the way back to the port entrance, crossed the access road, and returned to the boat.