Places We’ve Been: Bahia Chamela, Jalisco MX

Let’s get this out of the way first:  Use this post for information or entertainment only, please do not use this post for navigation.

After leaving Ipala in late 2021 on the way south, we skipped Chamela to do a long day run into Tenacatita.  But we had gone into Bahia Chamela heading back north over the past two years and loved it, which is why I’m writing this post about it.

Heading north back up the Gold Coast of Mexico from our most southerly turn around point Manzanillo (Las Hadas), we were moving back up to La Cruz in Banderas Bay to wait for March….when we could start heading of the Sea of Cortez again in spring.  This was the middle of Covid, so we were all very blessed that Mexico allowed us to move around freely….like the sea gypsy cruisers we were (are).  After coming back north in hops into Tenacatita and now up to Bahia Chamela, we were at the mercy of the weather and when we could round Cabo Corrientes once more.

Coming up the coast and into Bahia Chamela, we found following seas and some wind that allowed us to motor sail nicely.  We also found several nets we had to navigate through….and the engine sounded a bit funny after one of them but we kept chugging along.  Getting into the bay, we were greeted by several large Humpback whales showing off….enough to get everyone excited.  Coming up close into the bay, we did our usual and anchored a bit deeper and farther away from some of the other boats….we were the boat with the quiet kids and small dog of course.  My log says we anchored over sand in 33 feet of water….with 12 knots of wind coming at us….letting 175 feet of chain go and digging the anchor in deep.  I took the opportunity to try to dive the anchor but there were too many swells churning up the water….but I did dive the rudder and prop to check it out.  I found an enormous piece of fishing line/gear stuck to the prop.

We stayed here this time for two days before we tried to get around Cabo Corrientes, but after doing a whole 13 miles in four hours in evening swells and winds that were not predicted and getting the boat thrown around badly, we followed our buddy boat back to Chamala to wait it out.  Our other buddy boat turned around about 1/2 an hour later…..gliding by us about 1 in the morning as we sat on our deck having Tequila shots and giving them a big noisy cheer.  The next day….our friend Mike from PV Sailing told us to wait for the four more days as Cabo Corrientes was in a loading phase, but he found us a window in four days.  We made that run, detailed in the store below about “Running Route Booty Shaker)….my route name for this one cause it make my booty shake alot!

We fell in love with Chamela during this visit.  We were able to get Quincy the sailing Great Dane to shore to run the long white sandy beach and we learned to go up the canal to the dinghy docks on the river to walk into town for provisions….even finding a great place along the way for breakfast.  Here’s my map with the river, dinghy docks and route to provisioning….we walked.  And the channel entrance doesn’t have any waves in the morning, but don’t get caught there in the afternoon or you might get wet.

Here’s more info:

Ease of anchoring:  We anchored over a sand in 33 feet of water, with 175 feet of chain out.

Noise at anchor:  Not much…nothing like Las Hadas.    

Provisioning:  Yes.  It’s not Costco or Walmart but there was good access to basic provisions.  No fuel.  

Cellular reception at anchor:  Yes.

Wifi in the anchorage:  None

Water Clarity:  Not much, perhaps early in the morning when it’s flat. 

Protection:  Protection from the north.  This is a known place to hide from Cabo Corrientes.  No protection from the west unless you hide behind an island or tuck behind the headland, but there’s panga moorings in that close.  

Bugs:  No.  

Beach:  Yes, long white sand beach.   

Would We Go Back:  Yes

So we stayed in Chamela, then left to round Cabo Corrientes and got turned back…then left again and made it round Cabo Corrientes in one very long day.  These thing happen when sailing….weather and schedules are unpredictable.  After turning back and coming back into Chamela….we had a F—k The Weather party the next day.  We blew up the inflatable dock for the kids and drank the last of the Panty Dropper Rum in toasts to Poseidon.  Then we waited another four days for weather and took off, making it this time to pull into the anchorage outside La Cruz about midnight.  Thank God for nav tracks to follow.

Still with us?  Here’s some good stories related to this one:

Weather Windows and Wind Whispers:  Runnin Route Booty Shaker Round Cabo Corrientes

Places We’ve Been: Punta Ipala (Tehuamixtle)