Checking in from Puerto Vallarta
While this is the quiet season in Puerto Vallarta, it doesn’t mean Paul Martson of J/World hasn’t been busy. Paul and his wife Jennifer took on a pandemic project for their 2014 Wharram Tiki 30, Oleaje. He sent the following photo saying “Ramses of Shaper La Cruz built us a great new canopy/dodger for Oleaje de Santa Barbara.”
Paul sent us this shot of Jennifer resting in the shade of their new hard dodger, which looks comfortable for both people and pets. And as Oleaje is moored at Paradise Village Marina, Paul updated us on the current circumstances around Banderas Bay.
“We all share the same bay, but in La Cruz (Nayarit) the beaches are closed and they have twice enacted la ley seca (dry law, no alcohol sales). Whereas in Vallarta (Jalisco) the beaches are open, the hotels are open and the airport is open.”
Like in Florida, crowds showing up at the beaches appear to be bringing new cases of COVID.
“Our [the Mexican] government is grappling with the same forward/backward word on stay-at-home as in the States.”
“The harbormasters are flying red flags, which don’t mean small craft advisory, rather, ‘port closed.’ But pleasure sailing and fishing are happening out of the marinas, and in Jalisco the official word is charters and tours are allowed to operate but there are few customers at this point.”
Although business is light during the slow season, J/World and other sailing schools are open in both San Diego and San Francisco.
J/World head honcho Wayne Zittel left Puerto Vallarta on Wednesday morning aboard J/World’s DK46 Cazan, for a solo, nonstop return to San Diego. As local shutdowns started in the middle of MexORC, Cazan and her crew had been sheltering in paradise since then.
On the positive side, Jennifer reminded Paul that he has never spent a July in Mexico as he’s always been heading to or from Hawaii in the Transpac or Pacific Cup. They’re now both relaxing-in-place in nearby Conchas Chinas — “which is like the Hollywood Hills of Vallarta” — and enjoying “the daily cumulonimbus show and the evening pressure washes!”
The dodger looks cool but I have a question. Where’s the companionway?
Also, where is “Ramses of Shaper La Cruz” located, and possible contact info.
We are coming back up to Mexico from Panama this next winter and a new hard dodger could be in the plans, especially after seeing yours. Thanks
Shaper La Cruz has a shop in the La Cruz Shipyard. Send me an email and I can forward his tel number. [email protected]
Saw your article/pictures of Oleaje and thought I would add a couple more as she is now back in the marina. Stephen had asked about the “companionway” and there is none. The large round hatches are used for inside access. That said, I have not been able to paste the pictures I had hoped to add into this text box.