Mazatlan, State of Sinaloa

Waiting for the Ferry with all our luggage

Heavy Duty Industrial Construction (the ferry)

Tug Assistance at Mazatlan

One Legged Brenda in the Fog

Barrier Against a 5 Deck Fall into the Water

We took a taxi from La Paz to Pichilingue and arrived at 4.30 PM.  The ferry to Mazatlan was scheduled to leave at 7 PM and we had been advised to be at the terminal 2 hours early.  We need not have bothered because nothing happened until well after 6 PM when we were placed in a shuttle bus that took us to the other side of the harbor to board the ferry.

The Baja Ferries web site mentions several of their modern vessels that boast restaurants and bars but we boarded the Mazatlan Star, built in France in 1984 and purchased by Baja Ferries in 2010.  To Brenda and I it looked a ship out of the 1960's - rough, heavy, clangy steel construction and an ergonomic jungle that would not pass muster in the 21st century.  The entire ship had an industrial feel to it and indeed transportation of heavy semitrailers seemed to be its primary function, with passengers as an afterthought.  The old, sick, or feeble had best take another route to Mazatlan.

Having said that, Brenda and I had a great ride.  We "checked in" at the main desk where I handed in my FM3 card as hostage to the return of the room key.  A member of the staff led us up one deck to level 6 to our room 608.  The room was small, nice, and cozy: twin beds, a twin desk, and a generous en suite with a terrific shower.  After settling in we went down to the cafeteria for our complementary meal.  The cafeteria too had that industrial feel with its large clientele of truck drivers.  But we enjoyed the ambiance and the food was simple but very good.

We had a good night's sleep although Brenda had to get up during the night to put on some warm clothes because the single thin blanket was not adequate.  In the morning we had a stroll around the deck then we returned to our cabin where I resumed my study for the Ham License tests.  Brenda went back onto the deck and was rewarded with her best view of whales in the Sea of Cortez yet.  There was a pair of them, 100 meters off the starboard side, and one of them did the classical dive with its tail completely out of the water.

Misty View from Room

Brenda at Malecon.  Hacienda Hotel Middle Building.

Looking North From Hotel Room

Looking South to Old Mazatlan and Harbor

Panoramic Looking Inland From Hotel Room

Soon after getting up we had noticed fairly heavy fog, which is something that we are not used to in La Paz.  For the rest of the way into Mazatlan the fog seemed to come and go.  The ferry crept into the harbor with visibility of only a few hundred yards and we seemed to pass through a very narrow channel with an island uncomfortably close to our starboard side and a breakwater even more uncomfortably close to our port side.  Two tugs ghosted out of the mist and assisted the ferry to back into position.

Pulmonia Taxi

Sunset in Mazatlan

It took close to an hour after contact for us to get off the ferry.  In the Seattle ferry system the passengers, bicycle, and motorcycle rides get off first.  In Baja the heavy vehicles get off first, then the light vehicles, then the walk on passengers last.

It was 11.30 AM when we stepped ashore.  The duration of the trip had been variously advertised as 12, 14, and 15 hours and it actually took 16 hours.  This presented a problem to us because we figured that we had until 1 PM to board the bus to Tepic if we could not find a hotel room, but we got lucky.

Waiting for us was a small fleet of taxis anxious for business.  One of the drivers approached us and I told him "No hablo mucho Espanol."  He replied "Do you speak English?"  He turned out to be very, very helpful.  He thought that he knew of a Hotel along the beachfront that might have a room at a reasonable price.  Soon we were in his taxi, which was an experience in itself.  Mazatlan has a fleet of unique taxis know as "Pulmonias" which look like large golf carts and from the sound of it are powered by VW engines.  They are light, open air, and extremely efficient.

We walked into the lobby of the Hacienda Hotel and while we were waiting for the desk clerk I balked at the posted price of 1200 pesos a night.  He told me to hang in there because he had just been told that the price was 900 ($75 USD) pesos a night.  And so it was, so I took the room.

I paid the taxi driver the 120 peso fare, having learned the obvious lesson that if you arrive in a strange town and need accommodation (or whatever service you want), tell the taxi driver what you want.

Dancers Giving Demonstration

Brenda and I were extremely pleased with the room.  The 10-story hotel is located half way along the resort beach of Mazatlan, across the road from it so that we can hear the waves breaking.  From our 4th floor room we have 180 degree views of the entire bay, from the old town and port to the left, to the "golden sector" up market hotel area to the right.  The building is one room thick which means that when we step out of the room we have 180 degree views of this side of the city.

We've taken a couple of strolls through the area.  We had lunch at a nearby cafe and dinner at a nice simple place further down.  We've already formulated some impressions of the city.  We've noticed that English is spoken much more here than in La Paz.  Eating out seems cheaper.  The taxis are definitely different.  This appears to be more of a Mexican town than a tourist one, which we like very much.  We strolled through some of the residential back streets and liked what we saw.  Having said that, we were reluctant to walk through Old Mazatlan at night because we just don't know the area and appear to be what we are: semi lost wide-eyed tourists.  Another big impression is the presence of serious armed forces in the area.  We've seen convoys of 4 and 5 small trucks with black masked and well armed special forces on board as well as quite a few army vehicles carrying their brand of firepower.  We think (and hope) that it is a show of force to ensure that order is maintained during the Carnival season.

... Speaking of which, all of the signs are here.  After we arrived a wooden viewing platform was built at the front of this hotel, for the big parade of the Carnival.  Several Mariachi bands were practicing all afternoon at a palapa on the beach.  (After waking up from my nap I told Brenda that somebody should ring the neck of that tuba player whose effort bore no relationship to the sounds emanating around him.)

I'd better explain my reference to studying for the Ham radio license.  The Club Cruceros will be holding examinations for Ham radio licenses on 6 April.  Although having a Ham license will not lead to any reduction to my $250 pa fee for membership to Sailmail, it will open to me other useful HF radio facilities.  I've downloaded study guides for the "Technical" and "General" licenses and my plan is to sit for both on the same day.  To that end I'll  drag out my netbook and study whenever  I get an opportunity that does not detract from our my touring experience.