Many years ago, when a few families settled in this beautiful little cove, rich with fish, they couldn't have imagined what would take place here in less than a life span. I am sure they were attracted by its natural beauty and the bounty of the local food supply of fruits, vegetables, and fish.

Like so many people in Mexico, they were resourceful, had the initiative to try something, and families worked together to support each other.

Many years later, surfers discovered the easy, consistent waves they could ride, and a laid-back atmosphere that suited them to a T.


Then along came the travelers, the people who preferred to venture beyond the obvious tourist towns, and live a more Mexican life style. Some of them stayed, built houses, and became part of Sayulita.

It was during that period, in the sixties and seventies, that I was brought here by a friend, to spend the day at an uninhabited beach, which took my breath away with it's fine sand and soft waves, fringed by tropical jungle.

When we stopped in town to buy beer, I saw a few dusty streets, one store, a scattering of houses, and a tortilla factory, in front of which, sat a wizened old gentleman, astride his burro, buying tortillas for the day. I couldn't believe I was only about an hour drive from Puerto Vallarta. There were no phones,
street lights, utilities, or any infrastructure at that time, and the government of this country was too far away to pay much attention to this little puebla.

I remembered this spot, and returned in the eighties for a vacation, and fell in love with Sayulilta. Since that time many others have done the same and we have transformed this village into a thriving tourist destination, which I sometimes refer to as the Malibu Colony of Puerto Vallarta.

All of this change did not come without a price, however, and there have been many growing pains along the way. At one point, there was no real sewage system, and money was raised and stolen twice, before we were finally able to build one.

Since there were no street lights, everyone carried a flash light at night to find their way around.

An enterprising family installed two or three telephones next to their ice cream store, with a black board on the wall where messages could be left. We would line up outside and eat homemade popsicles while we waited to make our calls to the "outside world".

This was idyllic to many of us, and the type of people who seemed to collect here loved this place enough to give back to it and try to preserve the charm.

A man named Peter Porter saw that the beach was littered with debris, and polluted water ran into the bay from several points. He shared his good fortune with the town by cleaning the beach, building Don Pedro's restaurant, and the malecon that runs between Don Pedro's and Costeño's beach restaurants..

Adrian Adams, a former California Realtor, who was referred to as "Tia Adriana", built a bed and breakfast in the center of town, which was a great place to stay. I will write her story in full on another day.

This atmosphere continued until a reporter from the New York Times came for a visit and wrote a glowing article for his paper, and the town exploded in development, speculation, and tourism. There were few rules, and regulations, and keeping up with the rapid growth was overwhelming.

The good news was that the kind of people who lived here and those who moved here were a special breed. They didn't HAVE to help. They didn't HAVE to roll up their sleeves and pitch in when
something was needed. They didn't HAVE, to donate, contribute and give of themselves to Sayulita, but they did, and they still do.

I have watched, in awe, as I have seen projects and programs developed year after year. Our garbage system before Sayulimpia was a dump truck with a cow bell on it, and if you didn't hear it coming and run like crazy with your garbage, you missed it until it returned again on its irregular schedule.

There was no recycling, but there is now, and it is working. The animal situation was out of control, with packs of wild dogs roaming the streets attacking people, and each other. The beach and streets were a minefield of animal waste, and the suffering from disease, neglect, and starvation was visible everywhere. After many years of volunteer, spay and neuter clinics ,held wherever we could find a place, we now have a permanent home at Sayulitanimals. The picture has changed, yet there is much
more to do.

Mark (Alberto) Holt, the owner of Sayulita Fish Taco, has established and sponsored an annual surf contest for children, which has become a popular event, that has inspired many youngsters to become involved in competitive surfing, and has brought new business to our local surfing community.

The real estate developers of Punta Sayulita, and the tireless work of Jose Louise Caselin, have brought the local Mexican and ex-pat communities together in an enthusiastic, regular beach cleanup program.

They also sponsor free cultural events at their lovely center on the beach.

Our public schools were in need of everything, and the teachers were trying to educate the future generations of Sayulita, with next to nothing. We now have more supplies, expanded programs, new classrooms, computers, and better conditions. Many people contributed to this, but I must mention Gina Portillo and Cheryl Vaughn, who have worked tirelessly to improve our schools.

We also have Costa Verde, an internationally accredited private school, and many young families are moving here to live permanently and raise their children in our environment. I also see these young people volunteering their time and talent here every day.

Last Sunday, I was privileged to be a guest at a celebration for the impending birth of the child of Damien Porter and Christina Palle. The party at Don Pedros, was a joyful event, but more than that, the couple requested donations instead of gifts, and divided it between Sayulitanimals and an orphanage in Bucerias, this incredible gesture is typical of the generosity of the people of Sayulita.

We are all aware of the fragile world economy, and the devastating effect it is having, on communities everywhere, but complaining, blaming, and whining won't solve anything. Only, hard work, commitment, and fearless involvement, by groups of inspired, people, will.

Sayulita isn't perfect, but we are making progress, and I am humbled by the spirit of our people every day. if this can happen here it can happen anywhere.

Remember, generosity is not about how much you have. It is about what you do with what you have.

Source:
The Sayulita Son
By Cherrie Alson