Adios Mazatlán

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By Lowell McCulley | January 30, 2026 | Category Sailing 2026

Wednesday, January 28th

Chris was happy with the new canvas work. With the addition of covers for the outside windows, Strikhedonia is now set up for a much easier summer haul-out. We started the morning with a leisurely breakfast at a café near Marina Mazatlán, a perfect way to ease into the day.

By midday, the canvas project was complete, and we hopped on a bus to an upscale supermarket for provisions. Thanks to an Uber ride, we managed to haul everything back to the boat. Where it all got stowed, I’m not entirely sure—Chris seems to have food caches tucked away in every corner of the boat. We’ll figure out his system soon enough. 

Chris also handled the Port Captain paperwork, clearing us to depart tomorrow. The plan is simple: enjoy a pleasant evening in Mazatlán with a nice dinner, then set off south early in the morning. Our first stop will be Dog Island, just 10 miles away—a short “shake-down” sail to make sure we’re ready for Thursday night’s longer night passage to Isla Isabel. 

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Thursday – Departure

We slipped out of the marina channel in the morning. The channel is long and narrow, with Marina El Cid along the way. As we exited, we encountered a steady 3-foot swell.

This area is dotted with shoals, so we wisely headed a quarter mile offshore before turning south toward Dog Island. 

Dog Island lies near the Mazatlán cruise ship port, its long beach lined with restaurants catering to cruise passengers.

It’s a lively spot, and we had plenty of choices for a late lunch before preparing for our 5 p.m. departure. By “anchor up” around five-ish, the winds looked promising for a downwind run under sail alone. The forecast called for steady winds building into the low 20s, so as a precaution for the night passage we set the main with a second reef and flew the full jib. 

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Thursday  – Night Passage to Isla Isabel

The night passage was excellent. We sailed for half the night under sails alone before the winds eased, forcing us to motor-sail and eventually motor the rest of the way to Isla Isabel. 

Chris enforces strict rules for night passages to keep everyone safe. Watches were divided into three-hour shifts: 
– 5–8 p.m. Chris 
– 8–11 p.m. Lowell 
– 11–2 a.m. Paul 
– 2–5 a.m. Chris 
– 5–8 a.m. Lowell 

We all got some rest while not on watch and overall it was great passage. Time to explore Isebel.

Until the next update