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Cruising Season Heating up in Mexico

With the Ha-Ha having ended a couple of weeks ago and everyone having had a chance to recuperate, more events for cruisers are coming up in Mexico.

For those in La Paz , the beach party at Papas & Beer Beach Club happened yesterday afternoon, featuring Mexican folk dancing, live rock music, food and drink, door prizes and more. We hope to bring you a full report next week.

As for the new and old boats on the mainland, many skippers are getting ready for the Banderas Bay Blast and the Vallarta YC Chili Cook-Off.

Wayne and Carol will be back for another Blast with Capricorn Cat.

latitude/Richard
©2010 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

The Blast is three days of Ha-Ha style, ‘nothing serious’ cruiser racing on the warm and flat waters of beautiful Banderas Bay, co-sponsored by the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club and the Vallarta YC. The Yacht & Surf Club identifies division winners by picking boat names out of a hat, while the Vallarta YC does it by using Banderas Bay Regatta cruising handicaps. About 30 boats, monohulls and multihulls, are expected. And heck no, there is no entry fee. To sign up, you just show up, or let folks know on the Banderas Bay cruisers’ net on 22A.

Unlike the America’s Cup, there are two starting lines for the first race on Wednesday, December 1. You can either start from off Nuevo Vallarta if you like to reach, or off Punta Mita if you’d prefer a spinnaker run. No matter where you start from, the finish line is off the Nayarit Riviera Marina in La Cruz, which, by the way, will be providing free berthing again this year for all participants. Gracias, amigos.

The volleyball in the Vallarta YC pool after the third race is strictly world class.

latitude/Richard
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Following the first race, participants will meet at the marina’s Sky Bar to trade stories and for the world famous water balloon drop and attempted catch. Yes, it’s that kind of event. For dinner, the fleet wanders into lovely La Cruz for street tacos — yum, yum, yum — and dancing at Philo’s.

Nothing serious Race 2 is seven miles out to Punta Mita, after which the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club will have its annual re-opening. You won’t want to miss that.

The third and final ‘nothing serious’ race is also the Pirates for Pupils Spinnaker Run for charity from Punta Mita to Nuevo Vallarta. That’s right, we raise money for great causes for kids around Banderas Bay. Before the race there will be a costume luncheon at a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, and after the race there will be pool volleyball in the yacht club pool.

It’s lucky that the Blast ends in Nuevo Vallarta because, wonder of wonders, the next day is the Vallarta YC’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Chili Cookoff. About 500 new cruisers, old cruisers, and general riff-raff show up for the annual gas. Don’t miss it. See you there.

It’s true that some of the chili at the Chili Cook-off is hot, but none of it can compare to some of the servers.

latitude/Richard
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

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