Matanchen - up and close with wildlife
We arrived at Matanchen after a pleasant day of sailing. Here we explore the jungle by the river and see their mighty inhabitants. We also sample local food.
Yesterday we arrived at Matanchen. We had a pretty pleasant trip, an excellent re-introduction to sailing outside of protected Banderas Bay. We had a gentle swell from the southwest and initially almost no wind from the north, gradually changing to northwest and west and progressively increasing. It reached about 9-10 knots, enough for us to raise sails. We managed to sail the last 20 miles of our trip and arrived in Matanchen Bay a few hours before sunset. Upon arrival, we were surprised again by a time zone change. This time we gained an hour.
The anchorage is vast, and the depth gradually changes for miles ahead. We found a spot about 0.7 miles from the shore, and it still had only 25 feet of water underneath. The swell is coming from SW, so we are slightly exposed to it, but it is gentle. The boat is rolling side to side, but we can somehow tolerate it. There were two other boats when we came, but one left soon.
Today we landed on the beach and went to explore the bay. One of the main attractions here is a guided panga tour through the river estuary. The tour meanders through a mangrove forest and a jungle, offering many wildlife sightings. We spotted many birds, turtles, and sun-bathing crocodiles. Our panga driver has been very skilled at locating animals hidden in the jungle and pointing them out to us. The crocodiles are magnificent. They blend well with their environment and usually sit very still. Most of them seem to be waiting with their mouth wide open for something to walk right into it. The tour stops at a crocodile refuge where you can see big ones up close. There is also a section where you can swim, but we decided not to. A small metal fence of questionable quality separates the swimmable area from the rest of the estuary and the crocodiles. We had lunch and watched others swimming. Everyone survived this time!
On the way back, we got the local delicacy - banana bread. It was so good that we ate it whole already. Then, we had an early dinner in a palapa restaurant on the beach, where we left the dinghy. It was surprising to see so many restaurants lining the shore and able to accommodate hundreds of tourists, but there were only a few people present. Where we ate, we were the only customers. Perhaps after the festivities of Semana Santa, everyone takes a break from eating out and staying at the beaches.
In Mexico, it is common in touristy places to see many vendors selling local crafts, food, and sometimes some surprising items. When we first came to Mexico, we thought this was done only for Western tourists in places like Cabo. But no, it is common in any vacation spot, and vendors approach Mexican tourists equally. Here in Matanchen, it was no exception. However, because there were so few visitors this time, we got approached by all vendors wandering the beach, and somehow we ended up with many things - empanadas, more banana bread, and mango-on-a-stick. We refused to buy pizza, bracelets, have our hair braided, or listen to a mariachi band. Maybe the next time!
This area is infamous for hordes of mosquitoes and little no-see-ums (jeejee-nes), so we decided it was safer to stay away from the shore and inside the boat. We returned to the boat, driving the dinghy through the increasing surf and getting all wet in the process.
We plan to stay here for one more day and explore the nearby San Blas area. It is an old Spanish town that supposedly still retains its charm. We will see.
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Matanchen River tour
Matanchen beach
