As always 0200 arrives early. This morning finds us both bustling around the boat preparing thermoses of hot chocolate and coffee to warm our bellies in the damp, cool, darkness. All the safety gear is brought to the cockpit, life jackets and harnesses are donned and jacklines are strung along the length of deck. The engine thrums as we sip steaming coffee while we make our underway preparations.

True to our plan the anchor rolls onto the bow rollers at 0300. I take the helm, steer us out of the anchorage and point south while Joe finishes the stowing. Destination Ipala, a tiny fishing village just a few miles south of cabo (cape) corrientes . Having never traversed it we approach with utmost respect.

As we make our way across Banderas Bay we spot a speck of light off our starboard bow. We continue on course keeping a close eye on the ever growing light til we're pretty sure that it's a cruise ship going in to P.V. and that we are indeed on a collision course. Joe goes below to hail "cruise ship, cruise ship this is Pacific Jade off your port bow do you see us?" " Pacific Jade, this is the cruise ship, yes, we have you on radar" "Cruise ship are you heading into the bay?" "Yes Pacific Jade we are heading to Puerto Vallarta" "Thankyou cruise ship we will alter course at this time and pass on your stern, Pacific Jade clear" "Thank you Pacific Jade, Cruise ship clear"

We make a slight course change to avoid colliding and the enormous, brightly lit ship passes harmlessly within a mile of us. Two very different ships passing in the night.

A pale glow in the east heralds the beginning of daylight as we approach the cape and the sea, although a little choppy and rolly, is really quite friendly. As the day moves toward us we stretch out in the cockpit, the sea's motion has tipped Joe into a doze and lulled me into a trancelike state. Pitch, roll, up, down, pitch, roll, up, down, nudge.........Nudge? Wait a minute! That's not right. The break in the monotony wakes Joe and brings me to attention and we both kneel looking over the stern in time to see the giant wing of a manta ray stroking the air as he rolls out of the way.

Manta rays grow to as big as 20 feet across and carry enough bulk to render a noticeable nudge to a 36,000 pound boat. He must have been dozing on the barely lit surface when we hit him. Hope we didn't hurt him.

Just as planned, we round the cape at sunrise before the wind wakes and makes the rounding less than pleasant. late night or early morning passages generally make more pleasant roundings and some sailors pay more attention to the time of day than the weather when planning .
Once clear of Cabo Corrientes the wind picks up and we sail downhill toward Ipala in the bright sunshine. Congratulating ourselves on a relatively uneventful passage around the cape we glory in the freedom of having made it to Mexico's Gold Coast area. The scariest part of the trip (or so we think) safely behind us for now. It's all downhill from here. Til we have to go back that is, but we won't think about that now.

Where is it? It's supposed to be here Joe says after checking the charts and our position. We find ourselves facing what appears to be an unbroken line of reddish bluffs. Joe takes a reading from the GPS and determines a course " the GPS says go 046". I alter course to 046 on the compass and we proceed as the bowsprit proudly points the way to a break in the bluff that forms a small anchorage. A cozy little fishing village unfolds as we round the rocky point.

There are no other pleasure craft anchored in the small bay although there is room for 5 or 6. The first boat to arrive, we drop the anchor in 33 feet of water and survey our surroundings. Fishing buoys strung along the left side of the bay hold nets afloat and a number of pangas bob, riderless, among them. Fishermen, their morning catch cleaned and stored, sit in small groups on a jetty laughing and drinking beer or coke while mending their nets. Their children, happy to be near them, playing at their feet. A handful of adobe and cement houses lie scattered along a red dirt road that winds up a dusty, cactus dotted, hillside. Primitive, open air structures serve as restaurants close to shore. Between the rock and dirt bluffs a patch of sandy beach glistens as the surf slides back toward the sea.

"Catch the Wind", with whom we made radio contact when we were about 8 miles out comes in 30 minutes or so behind us. By mid afternoon there are 5 boats anchored in the bay that offers good holding and shelter from the north.

Ipala is ideally located between Cabo Corrientes and Chamela (the next good anchorage) for sailors to wait out weather when going around the cape and to take stock and rest when going south. Some 20 years ago, the story goes, the residents discouraged sailors from taking refuge here by opening gunfire on the boats. Yup, that would definitely be a deterrent.

They're much friendlier these days and by the time 4 boats have dropped anchor a panga full of children came alongside each of the boats. Juan, the swarthy fisherman who is driving offers to pick us up later and take us to his family's restaurant on the beach. Yay, that means we can go ashore without unloading the dinghy. It's been a few days since we've been off the boat and we'd really like to stretch our legs. We make arrangements to have Juan pick us up in an hour so we have time for a walk on the beach and a little exploring before supper.

Below, we find some pencils and paper and distribute them to the thankful children before they make their way to the boat next to us. School supplies, clothing, ball caps, small toys and candy are all coveted gifts among the villagers. Next time we'll be better prepared.

Along with our 3 new friends Sam and Suzie from "Catch the Wind" and Vic from "Procrastinate" we have a fabulous fish supper and swap tales 'til after dark. Our bellies full and weary from a day at sea, Juan deposits us at our respective boats in the starlit anchorage.

Chamela is our destination tomorrow and we intend to spend a few days there. We make preparations for an early departure. It's been a long, wonderful day.