Time flies while cruising. Writing now from Zihuatanejo, let us not forget about the two-plus months we spent in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. We didn’t intend to stay quite that long, but we decided to fly home for a visit while taking advantage of the plentiful services around La Cruz, chipping away at some ongoing boat projects. After some waxing, varnishing, and fiberglass work, Footloose is looking pretty good if I do say so myself.
Fresh Varnish by Lisa
It’s not all about the boat work though; La Cruz and the surrounding Banderas Bay area was a lovely place to spend the holidays and to jumpstart the year. Here are the highlights.
Marina Riviera Nayarit, A Review
With several Marinas in the area, how do you choose? We decided to stay at La Cruz based on cruisers’ reports and choosing to be off the beaten path of Puerta Vallarta. While I think it was a good choice for this visit, there are pros and cons.
Cons:
Expensive
No Potable Water, no water making in this bay
No Pump Out Service
Poor Dock Maintenance
No Laundromat: not an issue for me, but there is no facility to do your own. There is however a drop-off service at the Marina VIP room or many local lavanderias in town. You can’t beat the price or service.
Location: for some, the location is out of the way. You have to travel by bus or taxi for banking, for large provisioning (Nueva Vallarta), or to visit old town Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, etc.
Poor Wifi: While they provide a wifi password, connection is poor. Most days required us going ashore or the VIP room for internet.
Pros:
The Small Town: I loved being able to walk to the friendly town with many restaurants (a favorite: Masala Bar & Grill), small stores, park, and music venues. Taxis or buses are easily accessible for travel to Bucerías, Puerto Vallarta, etc. We took a taxi to the airport for $350 pesos.
Weekly Movie Night at the Amphitheater: bring your comfy chair, enjoy a hotdog or popcorn and cerveza, sit back and enjoy the show under the stars…
Katrina: Kat is a wonderful concierge for the marina, super friendly and knowledegable resource. She maintains a busy calendar of events and activities for boaters and the surrounding community.
Sailing in Banderas Bay: We went out several times to take care of business (watermaking, etc) The whales were spectacular and plentiful this time of year in the bay. PV Sails organizes weekly beer-can races for those so inclined.
Fish Market and Sunday Market: The fish market is a standout. We wish (still trying) we could catch our own, but grateful to stock up here. Open 7 days a week. The Sunday Market is also a gem. We did our weekly shopping there with fresh produce, french cheese, a real baguette, bagels, spices, and a variety of seafood. It is crowded with tourists, locals, and cruisers, but worth it.
Velmar Professional Boat Care: Horacio and his team provide quality work. Horacio speaks good English and coordinates a variety of boat sevices. He also provides boat care for boats stored in the off season.
Weather and Walks: There is a lovely breeze most days in La Cruz, with average temperature 75-85 degrees F. I enjoyed many sunrise walks around the marina taking in the views of the bay. Easy place to walk dogs too.
Last thoughts
New Years Day on Footloose
As with most places we visit, the people make it. We had a great time catching up with friends in and around La Cruz. This season is a bit different as we find ourselves at a crossroads. Some friends are leaving for the Puddlejump, crossing the Pacific to the Marquesas Islands and beyond. Others are braving the Gulf of Tehuantepec for the Central America to Panama passage. Planning to do this ourselves next season, we have joined the Panama Posse to learn from this season’s travelers. Others will linger longer in Mexico. Cheers to all of you, bon voyage, and thanks for the memories shared.
That’s all for now. Time to go explore more of Zihuatanejo!