February 16 to 22, 2009; return to San Carlos

FEB. 16, Monday, Sightseeing in Mazatlan

We went to visit “STONE ISLAND”, a small community just outside Mazatlan. We took a taxi to Mazatlan Port, took a small ferry boat across the Bay and walked the Beach. STONE ISLAND is actually a Peninsula near Mazatlan yet isolated from the big city. There is an RV Park which we visited and got some prices then walked the beach some more and went for a bite to eat at a local beach restaurant. While there, we saw people we had met in San Blas, Patrick and Bonny, so invited them over.
This is a very nice little place and very quaint. We walked the village and found the people very friendly. The RV Park has 50 amps power and is very clean and don’t seem to miss anything. We walked back to the ferry and went back to Mazatlan where we walked the “Malecon”, a boardwalk jetty along the ocean. It was a very pretty and impressive walkway with beautiful statues which I capture in my photos. We took another “pulmonia” back to our RV site. When we arrived, we found a note from friends we met back Lo de Marcos, inviting us over to the park for happy hour so we drove over and joined them. We had a good time, came back home and after a quick dinner and a relaxing evening, it was bedtime!


FEB. 17, Tuesday, Mazatlan

Another quiet day! Rick came over and he and I went for a bike ride along the “Malecon” In the afternoon, I read and Val went for a walk with Charlene on the beach. I got propane at 175 pesos (approx 15$ cdn)
In the evening we went for a walk along the “”Strip”, listened to some music then came home.


FEB. 18, Wednesday, return of my laptop

Val went with Rick, Judy and the Kirkby’s on a mountain climbing adventure. It is actually a light house built on a knoll and is the highest lighthouse in North America, if not the world. I sat around and waiting for my laptop to return which finally arrived at 6:30 that evening, so I wasted a whole day but at least Val had a good time. It cost me 2400 pesos (approx. 230$cdn) for a new hard-drive and the labor of reloading everything.


FEB. 19, Thursday, packing day

Our last day here! We loaded all our stuff, filled the water tank, fuelled up @460 pesos. Val went for a walk on the beach then we all had happy hour and a couple of neighbours came over to say their goodbyes.


FEB. 20, Friday, to Los Mochis

We left at 8:10 a.m. after saying our adios to our neighbours and new friends. We headed north on Hwy 15 libre which was excellent and little traffic. We crossed Cuiliacan city without any incident then we came onto Hwy 15 cuota (toll) We arrived in Los Mochis around 4 p.m. and parked at a Pemex to spend the night. We had happy hour, supper then got together again and proceeded to drink too much wine

We travelled a distance of 408 KM (267 miles) at an average speed of 40 MPH
N 25* 49’ 53”
W 108* 58’ 12”
Alt: 108 feet


FEB. 21, Saturday, in San Carlos

We left at 8:30 and with a bit of a hang-over for all of us. We topped up on fuel and headed north on Hwy 15 Cuota (toll). In Navajoa, we stopped for lunch and top-up then went on. Our total cost for toll was 351 pesos or approx 33$ cdn which we resented considering the state of some of the road…it was pretty rough in some spots.
We soon arrived in Guaymas then San Carlos and Totonaka RV Park and set up at site 88 and paid 1925 pesos for one week.
After setting up, we went to Froggy’s for a pizza dinner but the Kirkby’s stayed home as Lynden is not feeling well. Steve from the “Lot” met us at the pub and we had a nice visit. The rest of the gang went to Guaymas for the Carnival.

We travelled 370 km in 7.5 hours at an average speed of 42 mph
N 27* 57’ 52”
W 111* 01”27”
Alt 20 feet


FEB. 22, Sunday, San Carlos

I finished setting up, met some of our neighbours, visited with Joyce and Bill whom we met last year and saw Dennis who we also met last year. Peter and Marg came over for a visit and also Cathy and Craig.
I spent the day setting up our satellite and catching up to my blog.
We went to the “Lot” at 4 p,m. for happy hour then came home for dinner. It’s great being here! We are here until the 10 of April when my obligatory 3 months stay for insurance purpose back home is complete. That’s Easter week-end.