Chacala to Chamela: Rounding Cabo Corrientes on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

Date: December 19, 2023

Starting Location: Chacala

Ending Location: Chamela

Conditions: Sunny and zero wind

Miles Sailed: 129 NM

Crew Status: Salty

Leaving Chacala: Flat Seas and Whale Sightings

“Apparently Cabo Corrientes can be a little sporty,” I said, reading from the cruising

guide while we sat at anchor in Chacala. The bay was calm and still, with hardly a

ripple—hard to imagine anything “sporty” about it. “Tomorrow looks like a good time to go.”

We decided to skip Banderas Bay, knowing we’d visit on our return north in a couple of months. Instead, we set our chartplotter for Chamela, continuing our journey south along the Pacific coast of Mexico. With our Christmas plans set for Barra de Navidad, where we’d be meeting friends, we had time to enjoy a few coastal stops along the way.

With one last glance at Chacala’s peaceful anchorage, we raised anchor around noon, planning to arrive in Chamela the next day. The seas were flat and glassy as we motored slowly down the coast. It was a quiet, uneventful day—until we spotted

whales breaching off in the distance. It’s one of the magical things about sailing in

Mexico: the surprises never stop, even on the calmest passages.

Rounding Cabo Corrientes: Calm Seas and Quiet Watches

By nightfall, a light breeze filled in. We took turns at the helm, sailing gently along as one of us rested below. This section of the coastline is known for tricky conditions, especially around Cabo Corrientes, but we were lucky. The wind dropped off just before the cape, and we motored around it with zero drama. Exactly the way we like it.

The next morning, a soft wind picked up again, giving us enough to sail slowly into Chamela Bay. After just over 24 hours underway, we dropped the sails and coasted toward another peaceful anchorage on the Mexican Pacific.

Anchoring in Chamela (Punta Perula): A Quiet Cruising Stop

Chamela—or technically Punta Perula, according to Google Maps—is a wide, open bay with very little in the way of onshore services, which is part of its charm. There are a few tiendas (small shops), a handful of beachfront restaurants, and a small but growing expat community further down the beach. It’s a quiet, no-frills stop that’s

perfect for liveaboard cruisers looking for rest and simplicity.

Quiet streets of Chamela

The anchorage is roomy, with good holding, and there’s a shallow river entrance where you can tie your dinghy to makeshift docks. We arrived to find our friends already anchored, and it didn’t take long before we were ashore, stretching our legs—and Sprocket’s—along the sand.

We wandered the beach, sipped fresh coconut water from a vendor, and headed back to the boat for a quiet evening under the stars.

A Surprise Carnival and a Short Stop in Chamela

The next day, we started looking at weather windows to continue sailing south toward Tenacatita. But we made the most of our short time in Chamela. That night, we joined our friends for margaritas and stumbled across a small local carnival. There were bright lights, banda music, and a handful of kids spinning in circles on slightly questionable rides. It was unexpected and lively—a fun contrast to the peaceful bay.

It wasn’t safe, but it was fun

Cruising Onward: Chamela to Tenacatita

After a couple of relaxed days in Chamela, the wind shifted in our favor, and we lifted anchor once again. With calm seas behind us and new anchorages ahead, we continued our Mexico cruising itinerary, heading for Tenacatita with warm memories and a few new stories to tell.

The beach was never busy in Chamela.