[C320-list] Tsunami report/Mexico

[lrich320 at yahoo.com]

Thought you might like to hear about our tsunami experience here in Mexico. This was Banderas Bay race week in Puerto Vallarta(PV) so there were many boats in the 4 PV marinas esp Paradise Marina the site of the regatta. Much confusion Fri morning as cruisers wanted to head out to deeper water because Harbormaster said on the morning net that the port was closed and we could not leave. Port captain clarified that recreational boats could and should leave.  We left at 11:15 (12:30 was the estimate of waves arrival) It was a beautiful day on the bay with a steady stream of boats heading out in the bay . VHF channel 22 the local hailing channel was constant chatter. We went to about 150 ft of water and had a pleasant day of sailing. At 1PM vhf reports began from folks in the marinas of the surging waters. First report was water rising and falling 2 ft.  Only one marina at La Cruz had an "official" person reporting. The waters continued to surge all day - 2 ft, then 3 ft, then 6 ft ultimately the highest we heard was 9 ft at La Cruz. The only damage was 2 fingers of two docks at La Cruz. They were able to move boats during the slack water off those docks.  At 5 PM people were getting anxious at the lack of info. Paradise harbormaster lost his cool, said to start thinking about where to anchor for the night, screaming on vhf at a boat trying to come in and ultimately had a Mexican Navy boat come at 6 pm to blockade the entrance.
The local net weather guru tried to compile factual info and informed us to anchor out at the La Cruz anchorage or prepare to sail through the night. At 6:30 La Cruz marina attempted to re-open but after a few boats the surge resumed and they halted. About 7:45 we heard a vhf rpt from a friend that the Navy had departed and told a boat it was allright to enter Paradise marina. We motored back asap and entered the marina about 8:30. Friends caught our lines at our dock and we were fine. 

Most boats returned Saturday AM 
The Paradise harbormaster even chastised the boats that left on the Sat. morning net saying that the boats with professional captains stayed in the marina and there was no damage at Paradise marina. This really angered the cruisers who did leave. Interestingly currents still flowed and swirled in the marina into the following day. Racing did resume on Saturday.  

This was our second tsunami exp as last year all boats departed an anchorage we were in after the Chilean eathquake. 

Orlando & Linda Duran
cuba libre 3
Catalina Morgan 440 #36
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