Puerto Vallarta, February 18-22, 2026 - the first trip of 2026

[MarkT]

I was hoping you'd be able to stay on one of the boats if you were going to be stuck for a few days. Much better than the floor of the aeroporto!

[Dominick]

Well that's working out ok.  Now it probably feels like an extended vacation.  Still, keep a low profile and get out safely.  Dominick

[jurelometer]

The shelter in place recommendation has been lifted by the US Embassy and things are getting back to sorta "normal":

https://mx.usembassy.gov/security-alert-update-6-ongoing-security-operations-u-s-mission-mexico-february-24-2026/

There sure was a lot of non-helpful propagation of misinformation and fake or misleading video and photos going around the internet. It must have been even worse for affected folk that were getting their "news" from their social media feeds. 

Hope that the rest of the trip for Alan and crew is uneventful.

-J

[Keta]

There sure was a lot of non-helpful propagation of misinformation and fake or misleading video and photos going around the internet.

On THIS the Canadian news has been better than the US news.

[alantani]

So, on Sunday,  we were back from our fishing trip on the NTNC with the Osuna family and Marlas Sportfishing.  The taxi driver told us that there were fires on the highway headed south to the Puerto Vallarta airport.  A quick check told us that the flights were still on time, so Danny Osuna made the call to load us onto the fast panga and run us down to the harbor at Puerto Vallarta. He called ahead for a van to take us to the airport. From the harbor, we loaded into the van and it was there that I found out that my flight had been canceled. When we got to the airport, I had a porter take my two 50 pound fish bags to the Alaska Airlines ticket counter.  No one was there at 11:30, but that was normal. While I was waiting,  I heard a "pop, pop, pop," and saw people running.  The Aero Mexico staff started running to the back and motion several of us to follow. I wound up in a back office with two very nice ladies from Chicago,  Ruth and Robin. The staff tried to barricade the door, but they were poorly prepared.  After about 10 minutes,  they called an "all clear" and we came out of hiding. After milling around the lower level for another half hour,  we were told to head upstairs.  The restaurants and shops stayed open for a while,  but the all closed quickly.  Only the pizza place, Sbarro, reopened.  Worst pizza ever, but no one complained.  We slept on the floor that night. Kudos to our friend, Steve Banks. He's had experience the homeless and knew to grab pieces of cardboard from a shop that was still open. It was great insulation from the cold floor. I slept well. Others did not. In the morning,  we start trying to get flights out. Three in our party got out, three of us were stuck.  Around noon, Danny Osuna called. He picked us up at the airport. Then he drove us back to La Cruz, we stopped for lunch, and then he dumped us on the Pacific Slayer.  The Slayer is Danny's brand new boat. It's like a private yacht. I'm telling you, it's nice to have friends.  Danny really came through for us.

[alantani]

Here's the panga. Fires were visible from the water. These turned out to be mostly cars, trucks, and busses. There was one gas station.  Few buildings. There was a semi-truck and trailer rig at the Costco that burned, but not the building itself. The news inflated everything. 

[oldmanjoe]

   Glad to hear all is well with the crew .   Are you going to do any "Maintenance runs" on Danny`s boat .        The sand creeps come in handy , Had to smile when I saw the pictures .

[Joel.B]

Is the tuna OK?

[steelfish]

.. The news inflated everything.

     

[oc1]

If I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?

[steelfish]

If I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?

C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers. 

[Joel.B]

Mexico shaped like a funnel, coke flows one way, money the other.   Its a real bad funnel that physics gave up on years ago.

On the US end of the funnel are all of these coke-heads and this tremendous vacuum for the cocaine and all of this cash that needs to go back through- so inside the funnel you have this big mess of cash/cocaine like the Money Booth in The Price is Right- and cartel people fighting over the little bit of space inside the funnel

Meanwhile people like Alex just want be left alone to loot little old ladies 

The solution is to round up all of the coke-heads and just move them directly to the country where their cocaine is being cultivated . Let ICE do it.   I dont think masked men raiding Wallstreet would be as funny for some as it is when they do it at Home Depot

[Keta]

If I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?

C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers. 

Yup.

Meanwhile people like Alex just want be left alone to loot little old ladies

Alax does not break laws, play nice.

[Benni3]

If I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?

C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers. 

I was at a Mexican restaurant yesterday and my friend said,,, there's to much money they supply the whole world even Europe,,,,someone else will step in place,,,, 

[steelfish]

Alax does not break laws, play nice.

it all good Lee.

Joel is a good friend