Written by Marissa Neely | 2024 Summer Issue
In maritime lore, sailors are often depicted as aficionados of the amber nectar, with rum flowing as freely as the ocean tides. From the legendary exploits of silver screen sailor Captain Jack Sparrow to the salty yarns spun by real life seafarers, the allure of the drink has woven itself into the very fabric of maritime culture.
It’s a tradition as old as the sea itself, where tales of adventure are punctuated by the clink of glasses and the hearty laughter of shipmates. And so, it seems only fitting that our dear friends Max and Karen, erstwhile sailors of SV Lusty, would find themselves drawn to the helm of a different kind of vessel—the cozy confines of a local bar, in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico.
In the early spring of 2023, my husband Chris and I fully sacrificed our plans to the wind and tides, opening the door for new opportunities and adventures aboard our 1979 Cheoy Lee 41’, Avocet. Although we had intended on sailing up into the Sea of Cortez, we decided to make a detour to help some instagram friends knock out some projects in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (La Cruz) located in Banderas Bay above Puerto Vallarta. It was there we first met the Lusty crew and what was supposed to be a week-long stay soon turned into a month, then months due to our own unforeseen projects. Almost every night after a long day being upside down in the bilge we found ourselves sitting in Lusty’s spacious cockpit pre-gaming before we made our way to the local rooftop watering hole known as the Green Tomato at the time.
Max and Karen fell in love with the La Cruz area, selling their beloved Lusty that had taken them from California to Mexico and given them a lifetime of memories. Although they have their sights set on a new boat (bigger and better for entertaining) they decided to lay down some roots in the mellow sea-side town for the time being, keeping themselves busy with managing the very watering hole we spent so many nights at. But it is no longer called The Green Tomato, now it’s rightfully named Lusty on Land. So what can you expect from this sailor-ran-establishment? I’m so glad you asked.
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