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Still Smiling in Mazatlan

"When you ask a dozen cruisers about Mazatlan as a potential stop, the resounding sentiment is ‘skip it,’" writes Tucker Bradford, who’s cruising with his wife Victoria and two small children, Ruby and Miles, aboard their Emeryville-based Cal 43 Convivia. "But I want add some weight to the countervailing position. Mazatlan is a great city to visit, especially if you are following the common pattern of Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mainland.

Ruby and Miles play at will on beaches near Mazatlan.

Convivia
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

"After a solid month of desert landscape and beach towns, the bustle and unique character of Mazatlan has been a welcome change. If I were to equate my two favorite Mexican cities — so far — with their familiar counterparts, I would say that La Paz reminded me of Santa Cruz and Mazatlan reminded me of Barcelona. For sure it has its grime, and apparently it has its crime, though we didn’t see or hear of any directly, but it also has character, a proud congenial populace, and some really great sights.

The colorful, shaded and clean streets of Mazatlan were perfect for exploring.

Convivia
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

"We’d only planned to be in Mazatlan long enough to do laundry and wash the boat down. By day four we hadn’t done the second of those tasks because we’d been too busy exploring. When we went up to the marina office to let them know we would stay another day, they informed us that eight nights cost as much as five, so we happily extended our stay. We got the boat washing done the next morning and spent the rest of our stay riding busses, visiting with and making new friends — both cruisers and land-based — and eating out.

The Bradfords felt nothing but comfortable and safe while exploring Mazatlan.

Convivia
©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

"Mazatlan has a burgeoning arts and culture scene that seems to be centered around the Teatro de Angela Peralta. I stumbled into an awesome gallery after taking the kids out for popsicles, and proceeded to spend the next hour talking with the family that owned it. As we walked home, we passed by the Teatro again and heard band practice in full swing. The kids danced and popped bubbles that two local boys were blowing for them. When we got home we were still smiling."

You can follow the Bradford Family’s adventures on their website.

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We were saddened to learn that circumnavigator and author Diana Jessie passed away on December 15 of congestive heart failure, following a series of strokes.