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.