Struck By Lightning, and Other Misadventures

Donna Kawakubo · Post by **Donna Kawakubo** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:53 pm

First let me say that our first trip to PV last week was actually quite wonderful, and I'll say more about that on other parts of this site. But I want to let others know that if they are going to PV during the rainy season--meaning this month, or next year late summer/autumn--you may want to stick to morning activities if you are thinking of going on a Vallarta Adventures tour. Our family--all 8 of us in some cases, or sometimes just a few of us--signed up for 4 activities. The Las Caletas day trip was fabulous. The weather was great, the trip well organized, and everyone was happy. But there were real issues with the other 3. You see, even in a hurricane, V.A. doesn't give a refund unless you attempt the trip with them. In one case, my sons (all in their 20's) were on a sailboat in the evening and it was struck by lightning. There was a lightning rod, no one hurt, but for goodness sake, it was a storm and the boat should not have sailed. Instead, it came back early. Rhythms of the Night--usually very well reviewed in good weather, and part of it was great--but again, it started as a storm, and although they had told us a wheelchair could go, now they said it wasn't safe. But they wouldn't give us a refund, we were leaving to come home the next day, so rather than eat $600+, we went. Our daughter was nearly thrown overboard before she finally told them herself that they needed to get a rope and tie her to one of the posts! Once we got to Caletas, the storm ended and the show was good, food okay, and my family happy, but I was really fuming over the lax safety standards and the company's failure to take responsibility for it. (The crew director told me that I was wrong to blame him for the weather, when I told him he should have had the chair tied up before the boat took off). The Outdoor Adventure, finally, took place, partly, the day of Hurricane Norbert. My sons boarded the boat, took the 4x4 out to the site, rode the mules up the hills, and when they got all the way up there, the call came from the director saying the ziplines were unsafe and to go back. The roads were washed out, so the mules couldn't carry anyone back down, and the guys had to struggle through the mud. For that one, at least we got a refund! Stick to day activities in the rainy season.

As a positive, I would note that Wildlife Connections, which is a nonprofit organization, was extremely safety conscious, and did a fine job on the dolphin excursion, which they chose to postpone for a day after the hurricane was expected. Nice folks, conscientious, and not mercenary at all. In fact, I couldn't even find a tee shirt to buy from them!

smitty · Post by **smitty** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:41 pm

Geez , I'm glad all of your family survived the trip ! Sounds very dangerous that a boat tour would be conducted during a storm . Isn't Gilligans Island shown in PV ? I like your attitude and appreciate the info you passed on . Mother Nature is a tough old gal .

Post by **webmaster** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:48 pm

Sure doesn't sound like something one would expect from Vallarta Adventures... shame on them for being so hummm... for lack of a better word... dumb. Sail in a storm, in my windsurf years I learned not to fool around in a storm, specially hanging on to a 4 meter lightning rod in the middle of a flat lake or wherever I was...

Good to hear things weren't worse than they were, VA should refund anything else is shameful.

Greetings

Mogens

katnsocal · Post by **katnsocal** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:53 am

VA would not have been out there if the harbor had been closed. Every boat has to report when they leave the harbor where they are going, how many people are on board and how long they will be out. They go by whether or not the Captainia (Harbor Master) has closed the harbor or not. He is the one that is supposed to monitor the conditions and close the harbor accordingly. Sounds to me like he dropped the ball.

teatrolimon · Post by **teatrolimon** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:24 am

or kat the harbormaster might have turned a blind eye because of the amount of money the boat might have missed out on and ( no acusation just a thought) maybe he might once in a while recieve a gift or two

katnsocal · Post by **katnsocal** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:22 am

I doubt he turned a blind eye. The marina is governed by Mexico City (Federal zone) and his rear end would be in a sling and VA's business would pretty much be toast. The captainia is new to PV, the other old one was transferred to another port not too long ago. Not that it is any excuse, but I highly doubt VA would risk the publicity by attempting to pay off the captainia to let them go out when the harbor was closed. If something tragic had happened to that boat their business and the captainia would have both been toast.

I have seen the bay turn in a heartbeat from calm to crazy with no warning at all. The boats will usually radio when this happens but remember they were out in the evening when all but the evening tour boats were back in for the day so I very well could be is snuck up on them.

Again, I am not making any excuses for them, no one knows what the captain was told when he left the harbor but obviously he was not told to turn around and come back.

Donna Kawakubo · Post by **Donna Kawakubo** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:30 am

The sailboat adventure did end early, after the lightning struck. I do not know whether this was by the captain's choice or the harbor's command.

As for the Rhythms of the Night, the storm was in full swing when we got to the window and were told this was not a safe night to have a wheelchair on board, but unfortunately "there is a problem with getting a refund." The boat ride was the roughest I've ever been on, and being from Seattle, I've been on plenty of boats. We really didn't want to do this thing, we wanted to get our money back and head for a nice, dry restaurant near where we were staying. I have a photo that shows the nice, empty space down the aisle--maybe 12 feet?--where my daughter's wheelchair was trying to roll right off the end of that vessel, and I was very worried. Good thing she is a smart cookie and told them to tie her down. But to me, this was the height of irresponsibility. Even if it was safe-but-really-uncomfortable for able-bodied people, our group with the wheelchair should have received a refund.

katnsocal · Post by **katnsocal** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:41 am

Donna,
I totally understand all of your concerns. I am not trying to make any excuses for VA and their handling of the situation. How frightening that must have been for all of you but especially your daughter.

Again all I can say is....that's why I prefer my own boat. You would not have found me out there!!

Chevy Man · Post by **Chevy Man** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:50 pm

Don't know how bad the weather was when you got on the boat, but unless its sunshine and less than one foot waves I ain't going nowhere.

Thats why no cruises for me. Glad everyone was OK.

Struck By Lightning, and Other Misadventures

Tour Troubles

moolah