December10

December 10, 2015,

Mazatlan,

I got up and did my walk and then we got ready for our shore excursion.

The ship came into the harbor just before ten and we were greeted by a full military band playing local music as well as 2 fireboats spraying plumbs of water into the air. It was quite the spectacle.

Then we met our bus and the adventure began. Our guide Paulo explained what we would be doing for the day. After about a ten minute ride we met our boat. It was a flat bottomed boat that could float and maneuver in 5 inches of water. We would need this because we would be travelling up a mangrove lined estuary.

Paulo was very knowledgeable of the flora and fauna of the area. He told us about the different birds and plants and the efforts to save the ecology. Mexico is very aware of the problems and they are doing a great deal to mitigate wherever possible. We were impressed by their programs.

He gave us a check sheet and we were to mark off all of the different species that he pointed out to us. By the end of the adventure we had seen 39 different birds. 

One highlight was visit by what were basically pets. He told us the story of how this came to be. Apparently he came upon a pelican that was soaked in oil and was going to die. He managed to feed the bird and clean all of the oil. In a couple of days Miguel was well enough to fly away but he kept coming back. That was nine years ago and now Miguel and his 2 friends return daily to get fed fish and entertain the people on tours with Paulo.

 As well as the 2 hours spent in the mango forest we were taken for a ride in a tractor pulled wagon. The ride was about 35 minutes long. Paula called this the limo.

 At the end of the ride we arrived at a very nice place to eat. It had a thatched roof and was open air. The meal was authentic Mexican and it was included in the tour. We also had time to walk an amazing white sand beach. Unfortunately there was not enough time to swim. But we did wade in the wonderfully warm water.

Then it was back in the limo, on to a boat and back on a bus. We were delivered to the pier and the Pacific Princess just in time for a very nice evening meal.

The ship was in port until eleven pm, but we planned nothing else for the evening. We just relaxed.

Tomorrow is a big day.