Vomit Rocket Rides Again: Banderas Bay and Family Visits

Date: February 24 – March 20, 2024

Starting Location: Tenacatita

Ending Location: Punta de Mita

Conditions: Rolly seas and light winds

Miles Sailed: 155 NM

Crew Status: Tired, seasick, and over it.

Leaving Tenacatita: The Long Journey North Begins

It was time to kick off the spring and summer season aboard Raicilla, which meant beginning our long northward sail, about 1,000 miles, to our scheduled haul-out in Puerto Peñasco at the end of June.

Of course, we had a lot to tackle before then. First stop: Banderas Bay. We had family visiting in Puerto Vallarta in March, so we planned to arrive early. We were a little nervous about being on a schedule. It had been eight months since we’d followed one. So we figured it was best to give ourselves some buffer time before family arrived.

Gonna miss these waves.

Northward to Banderas Bay: Seasick and Running on Fumes

We set out early for the first overnight leg to La Cruz in Banderas Bay. Winds were light, about 10 knots, and surprisingly, from the right direction (for once!!). We were hopeful. But the wind soon dropped off, leaving only leftover swell and rolly seas. We ghosted along at a painfully slow speed, and I (Jaclyn) got seasick almost immediately in the rolling motion.

The sail stayed uneventful until around 3 a.m. as we approached Cabo Corrientes. By then, we were motoring - tired and a bit queasy. We rounded the cape without issue, the breeze had died, then instantly came back and switched to a 15-knot headwind. At that point, we were too tired to tack back and forth for the next 4 hours. The motor stayed on, and we just pushed through.

Naturally, that decision came with a few hiccups. We ran low on diesel, which meant a late-night (or very early morning) top-up. That led to diesel on the deck, a slip, and someone (Mark) getting absolutely covered. Then, we broke the whisker pole attachment while trying to take it down. Morale was sky-high by the time we dropped anchor in La Cruz around 7 a.m.

Paradise Village Marina: A Luxury Pause

We spent a short time bouncing around La Cruz’s famously bumpy anchorage before giving in and calling Paradise Village Marina to ask (okay, beg) if we could start our stay early. Fortunately, they had space, and we gratefully tied up for a two-week break.

Marina life was a welcome change. Our stay included access to the resort’s facilities, so we soaked it all in: poolside lounging, visits to neighboring towns like San Sebastián del Oeste, and some long-overdue family time. We’re not usually marina people, but after weeks of rolly anchorages, it was a well-earned break.

San Sebastián Del Oeste

Dinghy Wheel Drama and 25-Knot Chaos in La Cruz

Eventually, it was time to head back out to the La Cruz anchorage. Of course, that short trip came with drama. What started as a calm sail quickly turned into a full-on retrieval mission when our dinghy wheels went overboard. Of course, the wind decided to ramp up to 25 knots just as we tried to fish them out. Yes, we had all the sails up.

After 45 frantic minutes, we managed to retrieve the wheels—along with the realization that if either of us ever goes overboard, we’re probably not getting rescued.

We finally anchored near some friends and waited for the wind to settle before heading ashore. A few boats we’d gotten close to were leaving soon, some for the South Pacific, others back to California, so we spent a few days saying our goodbyes.

Punta de Mita: Surf, Stillness, and a Northbound Wind

When we couldn’t take the bouncy anchorage any longer, we sailed over to Punta de Mita, where we waited for a southerly breeze to carry us north again. The bay was calm, and we squeezed in a few days of surfing and relaxing before the wind picked up. With the wind, we picked up our anchor and headed north to Chacala.