Chacala

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Contents 1 Port Name, Region 1.1 Overview 1.2 Cruising the region 2 Local Weather 3 Charts 4 Radio Nets 5 Approach and Navigation 6 Check-in facilities (for Customs and Immigration) 7 Anchorages 8 Yacht Repairs and Services 8.1 Marine Stores 8.2 Repairs/Yards 8.3 Fuel, Water, & Electricity 9 Things to do Ashore 9.1 Tourism 9.2 Grocery & Supply Stores 9.3 Eateries 9.4 Internet/WiFi 9.5 Laundry 9.6 Motorbike & Car Rentals 9.7 Garbage Disposal 9.8 Transportation 10 Routes/Passages To/From 11 Cruiser's Friends 12 Forum Discussions 13 External Links 14 References & Publications 15 Personal Notes 15.1 Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here) 16 Contributors to this page 17 Cruising Wiki Navigation

Overview

Chacala is a small town of less than a thousand people, with a beautiful beach, delightful palapas and few good hikes.

Cruising the region

See the Mexico Page

Local Weather

Sources for Weather forecasts:

• Stan's Weather for Mazatlan to PV.  http://www.saildocs.com/maztopvforecast

Charts

Submit the chart details that are required for safe navigation.

Chart Source

Chart No

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

• There is no local cruisers net in Chacala, as in most of Mexico, cruisers monitor 16 and 22A.

Approach and Navigation

There are two buoys approximately 20 feet apart which mark the middle of the bay. One is white blinking 3 seconds and the other is yellow blinking 3 seconds. Neither mark any particular hazard or obstacle.

Check-in facilities (for Customs and Immigration)

The Port Captain's office is located on the North side of the bay East of the doc the Pangas use. He is polite and swift in his process which amounted to no more than completing a new crew list. They seemed unconcerned by the acuracy of our departure date.

Anchorages

• The entire bay is open to the SW and appears to be safe for anchoring with no marked obstacles or hazards.
• A shore breeze is prevalent at nights and can be from varying angles leaving you lying beam on to the ocean swell from the SW. For this reason almost all boats set stern anchors.

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

• There is a Consturama hardware store in town that has basic tools, hardware and fittings which might be of use in a pinch.

Repairs/Yards

• None

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Fuel

There is no fuel available in Chacala, but Jerry Cans can be taken to Las Varas and filled by taking the collectivo. We also paid Francisco the driver of the collectivo to fill two Jerry Cans. Not sure if he does this for everyone or not.

Water

Unknown

Electricity

No dock, no electricity.

Things to do Ashore

Tourism

List places of interest, tours, etc.

• Hiking

1. Hike to the Caldera
   Take the main drag out of town but along the bay (SW). You will come to a parking lot amongst some coconut trees which are surely to damage any any car left there. ;-) At the back corner of the parking lot there is a gate and a 30 foot cement bridge across the creek. The trail leads up and around until you reach a dirt road. Follow the dirt road the rest of the way up through the Breadfruit orchards to the ridge surounding the calder, views of the ocean and bay.
2. Hike to the Cove beyond the Caldera
   There is another beach around the Eastern corner of the bay.
3. Hike to the Surf Beach
   There is a beach suitable for surfing around the West corner of the bay. 

• Surfing
  Around the Western corner of the Bay there is another beach with suitable surf conditions. Ask the locals with the surfbaords about it.

Grocery & Supply Stores

• There are three Super Mercados in town, walk around and see who has what. In particular to see who has the best vegetables. The Joker Super Mercado has ice (una bolsa de hielo) and eggs (huevos)

Eateries

• Chac Mool Cafe
  Great coffee !! Good food. Solid Wifi.
• Las Brisas
  Part of the Hotel Posada this is probably the most expensive place in town.

Internet/WiFi

• Chac Mool
• Las Brisas

Laundry

• Lavandria Laura - Located next to the school behind the church and down a side street. The building has the name in blue painted on it.
• Lavandria Alvarez - This is the easiest laundromat to find and it was never opened. I am not sure if it is closed permanently or not.

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Garbage Disposal

There public trashcans and plastic recycling bins located as you leave the dinghy landing beach by the port captains office.

Transportation

Transportation (local and/or international)

• Collectivo Francisco - Red Van - The van is labeled a Sitio (Taxi) but really it is a Collectivo. A ride to Las Varas is $12 MXN. You can get picked up in front of Chac Mool.
• There are also taxis which come and go during the day dropping off foreign and local tourists.

Routes/Passages To/From

Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

Links to relevant websites.

References & Publications

Publications, Guides, etc.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

• sv Deep Playa - 10-22 January 2012

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Contributors to this page
Names:

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