Race For Z Beach

Due to the lack of docks, moorings or even a public boat ramp, many of Zihuatanejo's commercial fishing pangas beach themselves when not in use. Usually in our bay there is little to no wave action at the section of the Playa Principal they use, much different than the open ocean waves that panga fishermen must face along much of our coastline from Petacalco to Puerto Vicente Guerrero. So the fishermen batten down everything on their panga and wait for a clear spot on the beach then they open up the throttle and race ashore at full speed, hauling up their prop and shutting down the motor at the last instant as they slide up on the beach. They make it look easy but I assure you it takes quite a lot of practice. And if you're in the panga and you aren't bracing yourself and holding onto something sturdy you can be thrown right out of the boat. Been there done that.