Adios Mazatlan... we're going south for the winter!

It's time for us to head south. Our time here in Mazatlan has been interesting. Although I really enjoy the south side of town, its historic buildings, quaint store fronts, and busy bustling, I am very eager to move on.

We anchored in the Old Harbor this time in Mazatlan and frankly I don't know that we'll do it again. The cost is now 50 pesos a day to use the Club Nautico dinghy dock. For your 50 pesos you get a tiny dinghy dock that is sometimes too crowded to tie up against, a filthy looking shower (but at least it has hot water!), trash receptacles and internet that never works. In addition, security is not great. I think your dinghy is probably okay left at the dinghy dock, but you can't lock it there because the dock is so small that the dinghies need to be moved around to make room for the fishing boats. However, there is at least one dinghy tied to the Club Nautico dinghy dock that at least one thief has used at least one time to try and steal our outboard. Security says they have no knowledge of it.

When a cruiser anchored in the Old Harbor yesterday didn't secure their dinghy well enough and it floated away from their boat, one of the local cruising boat guides at one of the nearby businesses on EL AMERICANO got a hold of it before Tim could reach it in our dinghy. The local businessman (or employee of the local business) wanted 100 pesos for his salvage and he took the dinghy anchor. I don't know if they got their anchor returned or not. But I do know that this is not friendly. In fact, this is crap.

We know of other cruisers that have cut their stays short at the Old Harbor because of the high fees and low amenities in Club Nautico. We also know of one cruiser that went into the marina on the other side of town and paid more, but then stayed in Mazatlan fewer days. I suspect that if we come here again that we will stay in a marina.

We're off tomorrow for Stone Island around the corner to do a quick bottom cleaning. Then, we're off to start the New Year at Isla Isabela. I can't wait!