Yelapa!

After a day in the big city (see Puerto Vallarta Walkabout), it was time for a smaller, simpler place – Yelapa! We took the two cats, SNL had Jenn and Jas from S/V Danika aboard and FL, of course, had Tannika and Mathieu. The morning of our departure, we heard on the cruiser’s net that the winds were going to pipe up, so we were expecting some significant wind chop. And boy, did we get it. The anchorage was a rolly mess, but we prevailed!

Upon our arrival, two panga operators battled for our business, but we ultimately went with Edgar, who shuttled us into shore where we met up with the SNL gang for a quick hike to a big waterfall with a small swimming hole. We played in the cool water, drank a beer, took a selfie, and headed back to the beach for an early supper.

We made it back da boat at about sunset, and because of the conditions, we decided to set stern anchor – in over 150-ft of water – which was helpful, but it was still a noisy, rolly night. Mathieu didn’t feel well for most of the sail over and was worried about getting sick during the night, but he toughed it out just so we could go on a longer hike to a smaller waterfall the next day. Yay Mathieu!

The following morning, we arose early to weigh the stern anchor before all the panga traffic started, then we headed to town for our hike. The hike followed the river, where there were surprisingly many small homes and lots of horses and donkeys. Visitors hire them to get up to the falls, which means navigating the piles of poo. Along the way, there were, again, many murals on any large surface that would support this form of art; so curious to know who the artists are! Once to the falls, we welcomed the cool water and all took a delightful swim. It was super duper fun!

Overall, the vibe of Yelapa seemed a little too touristy and the panga operators were chippy and rather grumpy, but the food was delicious, the scenery was lovely, and the company couldn’t be beat. Yelapa is a beautiful little spot and worth the trip.

Check the drone vid made by our very own Mathieu! He captured some of our fun at a waterfall in Yelapa and some of the amazing landscape surrounding us!

Another drone vid by Mathieu! You’ll see Capt. Randy throw aside his Turkish towel and sprint for a dive, but then suddenly remember his sunnies, which then fly off of his head into the drink. Then he’s in to retrieve them. Thank you for capturing the shenanigans, Mathieu!