tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32593073770660560192024-03-13T22:00:42.173-07:00Traveler at SeaScott and Connie pursue a new course. Go now, go cheap. So we shed our belongings, simplified our lives, saved up a little money, and started learning Spanish. After four years cruising Mexico we decided to bring Traveler to the Pacific Northwest. We crossed the mighty Pacific to Hawaii first. Then after cruising Hawaii we crossed over to Alaska, then south to the Salish sea. Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-65274983382334706212024-03-06T20:36:00.000-08:002024-03-06T20:36:35.785-08:00Nepenthe Redux<p>Gosh Howdy, it's been a while since I posted on this blog, almost two years perhaps. When a blog goes silent it usually means that there has been a life change and those people have stopped doing whatever it was they were doing, or they disappeared off the face of the earth, or some other calamity has occurred. And that's what happened to us. Calamity.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gO6PthpYR1V8G4HePEJOsxOT8yL6mBV70yIGrjRd-W8B9B6tLAXltwhDQYWXvQPQruFPWlcChbLsBttUz_g_dQufhbMHVi7mbDqkluf2W8BqwYJld8AlpnkayCEH0QdbjIq3wH72pKHwipMPg1CamLbV-a1M0d_-NAF1NU0E26wjXOxygMwTwB41g9M/s4000/View%20of%20sewer%20san%20carlos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gO6PthpYR1V8G4HePEJOsxOT8yL6mBV70yIGrjRd-W8B9B6tLAXltwhDQYWXvQPQruFPWlcChbLsBttUz_g_dQufhbMHVi7mbDqkluf2W8BqwYJld8AlpnkayCEH0QdbjIq3wH72pKHwipMPg1CamLbV-a1M0d_-NAF1NU0E26wjXOxygMwTwB41g9M/w640-h480/View%20of%20sewer%20san%20carlos.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from boat yard. Looks scenic but that water is mostly sewage.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Our last sailing adventures revolved around the good luck (or misfortune) of acquiring the sailing vessel Nepenthe. When we returned to Washington State in the spring of 2021 after sailing from San Carlos to LaPaz and back, Ms Connie was experiencing quite a bit of digestive discomfort. A colonoscopy found cancer. Radiation, chemotherapy, radiation, chemotherapy. I'll not focus on the challenges and life changing features of all of that because that's not what this blog is about. THAT is another big story altogether which we'll be glad to share in person. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJ_R4Mj6yS4U0DMtSPM8smwNZu9WXb7r-Mxbk6beaD2WjKRkeffLsIjNzoKKhyphenhyphen_NAxy_0bmLrvMSS9ewssJKFpOheoY4MQ2pC1WnpeQi23i48qiG1KmhLBhVg2ZrhEh_NyowJq80yweW-OT1tMt_T-jZB96vzrsakfNSABKcJZ_oUQLx0LmyutxDfKm8/s807/CB%20on%20a%20hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="807" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJ_R4Mj6yS4U0DMtSPM8smwNZu9WXb7r-Mxbk6beaD2WjKRkeffLsIjNzoKKhyphenhyphen_NAxy_0bmLrvMSS9ewssJKFpOheoY4MQ2pC1WnpeQi23i48qiG1KmhLBhVg2ZrhEh_NyowJq80yweW-OT1tMt_T-jZB96vzrsakfNSABKcJZ_oUQLx0LmyutxDfKm8/s320/CB%20on%20a%20hike.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br />Instead, let's talk about the boat stuff. Last November, Connie and I drove to Phoenix from Olympia, taking a week to drive/camp our way south. She had an open ten day period between treatments so she was able to make the drive, taking shifts with me driving the Ford Ranger with the Scamp camper behind, winding our way down the Oregon and California coasts before tacking to port and running downwind to Arizona. <br /><br />In Phoenix, Connie got on a plane to Olympia and I headed south, picking up my buddy Leo in Tucson before heading into Mexico, and then on to San Carlos where Nepenthe had been sitting in the storage yard for almost two years. <br /><br />Poor dusty Nepenthe. We moved her to the work yard and Leo and I rolled up our sleeves and started right in, cleaning the layers of desert dust and sand and testing the systems on the boat. First bad thing.... all the batteries were dead, cooked by the unrelenting heat of the Sonoran desert. Instead of replacing the two big 8D AGM batteries, we opted to get four Group 31 AGMs for the house bank and a separate AGM starter battery. I found Garth Jones, an 80 year old expat who I'd worked with before in San Carlos and who had lots of local connections; he found a good deal for us. In a week and a thousand dollars we had all new batteries. <br /><br /> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hxP-SMSHAY0u5h8nCn4tkdbCdCXOlITph2cleZ0kufTA84LvN0cSEaujiF7j-5QFqb-Pi65JWW_myUbB-GZs8lmCY9HQXv3Sf36jcgh1NQ3FgfnpY4suD3zdfwMHDJbB9XYuzUpIa7djMa6GkvEVgo5wahPJf5T4JXJfgy8j12_Ss4Q2tfnELqlcy6k/s807/Engine%20Out.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="807" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hxP-SMSHAY0u5h8nCn4tkdbCdCXOlITph2cleZ0kufTA84LvN0cSEaujiF7j-5QFqb-Pi65JWW_myUbB-GZs8lmCY9HQXv3Sf36jcgh1NQ3FgfnpY4suD3zdfwMHDJbB9XYuzUpIa7djMa6GkvEVgo5wahPJf5T4JXJfgy8j12_Ss4Q2tfnELqlcy6k/w640-h480/Engine%20Out.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engine is out and I'm out of here.........<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> <br /><br />Batteries connected, all systems go, all connections made. We turned the key and..... nothing. A click maybe. The starter engaged but nothing turned. We put a wrench on the flywheel and a cheater bar and stood on it with my massive 155 pounds, but the engine would not turn. I consulted Google then removed the fuel injectors and squirted lubricant into the head, hoping they would free up a stuck piston ring. We waited a few days and tried again. Nothing. The engine was locked up tight.<br />Garth brought in his 70 year old (youngster) mechanic Beto who removed the head and found the #3 piston seized. A rebuild or re-power was in order. Bummer. We scheduled the engine to be pulled out of the boat. Meanwhile, Garth and his niece replaced four old thru hull seacocks with new ones that I had brought down from Olympia. At least now, we've changed out every one of the old thru hull fittings.<br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5d8Svm30zAgiyHYjvHCteo2Mj54Z9O-kju6TYutbaGCpO8oXVTPPMGwFll3HCeU023UsNVTIgWoDJBeTOfgbHi1meKkW-9neHp_I7x99BOuB2jrgujXxhbN7dKyS0q2-s_ZdccGEDF1PHgysOTptnfQn3ak4f9Mqzx8HbLt6gXxNpttnw-ibcqUVYRU/s807/Leo%20and%20I%20at%20Calaca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="807" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5d8Svm30zAgiyHYjvHCteo2Mj54Z9O-kju6TYutbaGCpO8oXVTPPMGwFll3HCeU023UsNVTIgWoDJBeTOfgbHi1meKkW-9neHp_I7x99BOuB2jrgujXxhbN7dKyS0q2-s_ZdccGEDF1PHgysOTptnfQn3ak4f9Mqzx8HbLt6gXxNpttnw-ibcqUVYRU/s320/Leo%20and%20I%20at%20Calaca.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo and Scott at La Calaca<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br />But all our plans were up in the air. Everything changed. Instead of getting the boat in the water and having Connie fly down for a couple weeks to go cruising, we had to give up and leave San Carlos. Leo flew home out of Hermosillo and I hooked up the Scamp and drove north across the border. Forgetaboutit, I'm going home. Home to Connie where I belong. In Nogales I looked at the road conditions between California and Oregon and saw snow and ice and rain and I became quite disheartened. A winter time drive across Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington would be quite a challenge. Instead of driving home, I found a little place in Picacho Arizona to park the Scamp trailer. Then I drove on into Phoenix to Connie's sister's house, parked the Ford Ranger and hopped a flight home, getting caught up in Alaska Airline's debacle of planes out of service because of missing door bolts and bad weather. Connie picked me up at SeaTac after midnight and we drove home in the cold, wet nastiness that is Olympia in January. She brought a pint of wine and a hot thermos of soup. What a partner!<br /><br />At the kitchen table in Olympia, I spent four days listing out parts to rebuild the Isuzu 4LE1 diesel engine, finding three different sources to get the best deal. Gasket set, rings, a piston, valves, rods, and other parts. We shipped them to a mail drop in Tucson and got them hand carried down to San Carlos. It took three weeks for Beto to have the parts in hand. He disassembled the engine, cleaned up all the parts, and sent the alternator, heat exchanger, and starter out for servicing. Two weeks later Garth sent me a five second video of the engine running. Incredible!</p><p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlrx6xTMN5FHeWZ_U2aL4xzEcKr1lfE3Ua0FhEf-nQ4oHivjSItSQExkLE8lbSzOWJtElWg6F9KlNfN9t6rtP-CXUFCGoACvbQUtXcLfRsNKOj774l3iAo_xKv4km5AN0mDJTct3TwA2e_-RYjVp01ZqMP6Nhzkpjy6_eKiJUiJLFqaecKufDVex5iVw/s634/Diane%20and%20Tom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlrx6xTMN5FHeWZ_U2aL4xzEcKr1lfE3Ua0FhEf-nQ4oHivjSItSQExkLE8lbSzOWJtElWg6F9KlNfN9t6rtP-CXUFCGoACvbQUtXcLfRsNKOj774l3iAo_xKv4km5AN0mDJTct3TwA2e_-RYjVp01ZqMP6Nhzkpjy6_eKiJUiJLFqaecKufDVex5iVw/s320/Diane%20and%20Tom.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diane, Buddy, and Tom<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br />So...... Come mid-February, we're looking at flights. End of February, Connie is getting another PET scan. This one shows no new metastatic growth, just like the previous two. So off we go on the Flix bus to Seatac Airport in the cold 40 degree rain, and then fly to Phoenix to visit sis and hubby, pick up the truck, drive to Picacho and rescue the Scamp, and then stop in Green Valley at the GV RV Resort for the night, treating ourselves to a site with power and water. What a trip it is in an adult RV park. Old folks from far and wide, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Saskatchewan, all packed in tight and semi-permanently in the Arizona sun, walking to the club house to commune with their elder equals. We were a great hit, the crazy young couple in the tiny Scamp trailer, just passing by on the way to Mexico. Was this our future I was seeing? Would we end up in a senior RV park in the desert flats of southern Arizona? Noooooooooo!<br /><br />We had smooth sailing through customs at Nogales and before you know it we were zooming down MX 15, charging along at 60 MPH with Connie playing the uke and singing all the way to Hermosillo. Then on into San Carlos before dark. We booked into the Totonaka campground in San Carlos. <br />I spent the first day down at the work yard watching the marine electrician Salvador ripping out wads of useless decayed wiring and running fresh wires with good connections to the beautiful, freshly painted, sexy, Isuzu 4LE1 diesel engine from the oil pressure gauge, the tachometer, the overheat buzzer, the pre heater and the ignition. When I got "home" at the campground, my dear love Connie cooked me dinner while I sat outside and listened to the doves cooing in the waning light of a very successful day. That was Monday. The first day of the rest of our lives.<br /><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUO4vTbUgWRyiV8MIOxv5nkXM0GjMMN4ZsNgJBF8jaoMs7rWj554c0_bW2q_uWW4eAUBQcs7DHKeQIf-WvErcoXhE5BorrXRZx3nYkTqCCtI9dggqIukP_-YDco0PwncFCzIzw_qh9m0ITjJ6GemwtVAnRMTV3FrqSMw1BR_xiGfyhBpdD2asDZo7p9E/s4608/Nepenthe%20in%20yard%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUO4vTbUgWRyiV8MIOxv5nkXM0GjMMN4ZsNgJBF8jaoMs7rWj554c0_bW2q_uWW4eAUBQcs7DHKeQIf-WvErcoXhE5BorrXRZx3nYkTqCCtI9dggqIukP_-YDco0PwncFCzIzw_qh9m0ITjJ6GemwtVAnRMTV3FrqSMw1BR_xiGfyhBpdD2asDZo7p9E/w640-h480/Nepenthe%20in%20yard%202024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br />Tuesday, day two at the work yard, was a fortuitous day much like when the Moon and the Sun and Mars align. In this case it was Salvador the Electrician, Beto the Mechanic, Garth the Grand Wizard and myself, all present on Nepenthe and a miracle occurred. The engine rose from the dead, it started and roared. The water pump pumped water, the alternator charged the batteries, and all was good upon the earth. I took a video of the water spurting out of the exhaust pipe. Spit, spit, spit.<br /><br />Like the dog that caught the car, I did not know what to do next. Garth gave me a shake, "Did you reserve a launch date and a slip at the marina?" Off I flew to the marina office where the gal toyed with me a bit, seeming to not have space, and then magically finding a slip for me next Monday. Then back at the yard office, Guillermo toyed with me a bit and found a Tuesday launch opening at 1 PM. We settled on next Tuesday when the tide will be just high enough and just before the afternoon winds normally kick up. <br /><br />Back at the boat, with the triad of boat fixers gone, I surveyed the damage. Bits of clipped wire and rusty hose clamps, a pervasive smell of oil, and dark hand and finger prints on the fiberglass. Dust and desert dirt everywhere. But it is ours. Our new home for the next two months. Wish us luck!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTi5w5d2VyiV4yft1VJWeBWp9P01b7vc-9p7eToweM4WnYz_EgzjwjOgTG2DU1gQjPsVTujaVZ9fovv7IvnoL_9Nirx_ng-MLoTxehJB3kQcg0QOPttxdaJluUIp1F9LqFCkusji3RVSPahuEGfq8wGfqTuZRGyiKsG7_-F0BTcJsiJCmHV_QIgMHJDo/s318/Tetakawi%20-%20Goat%20Teats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="318" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTi5w5d2VyiV4yft1VJWeBWp9P01b7vc-9p7eToweM4WnYz_EgzjwjOgTG2DU1gQjPsVTujaVZ9fovv7IvnoL_9Nirx_ng-MLoTxehJB3kQcg0QOPttxdaJluUIp1F9LqFCkusji3RVSPahuEGfq8wGfqTuZRGyiKsG7_-F0BTcJsiJCmHV_QIgMHJDo/w640-h479/Tetakawi%20-%20Goat%20Teats.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tetakawi - also known as the Goat Teats</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-3099473127079947562022-04-12T21:02:00.002-07:002022-04-15T20:19:43.026-07:00Punching North<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnjVr22sFqg389v3cPc9vaP5w4o0SuVDMrNmM7QhLB6YoTNuQSbmnecWijKqhB0cUefbL8S2Py2NGFh7_HOU4QONw0Xf50VJWuuxhZ3VzRz3aXYSd6vd6VjgMuKO5106zxiJQT_1KoA1ym0ERHVrrpIsGIWseyspfeA33Y4DwayTnRjRhljPJ6WjI/s785/Connie%20Out%20of%20this%20World%20hotel%20room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="785" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnjVr22sFqg389v3cPc9vaP5w4o0SuVDMrNmM7QhLB6YoTNuQSbmnecWijKqhB0cUefbL8S2Py2NGFh7_HOU4QONw0Xf50VJWuuxhZ3VzRz3aXYSd6vd6VjgMuKO5106zxiJQT_1KoA1ym0ERHVrrpIsGIWseyspfeA33Y4DwayTnRjRhljPJ6WjI/w640-h492/Connie%20Out%20of%20this%20World%20hotel%20room.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset Inn, Alamo Nevada, The "Out of This World" suite<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Thursday March 10 we left the La Paz anchorage and headed north 43 NM to Isla San Francisco, a long day motoring then sailing then motoring. We anchored in the northwest portion of the bay where we'd be sheltered by the wind. It was a good spot to sit out the next three days of heavy north wind expected. We looked forward to having a few quiet days at anchor.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKuqJmELY9lkyTYQfrcSq0MduoYdomzaZz5HI1Dn6pSg0B5i-WFuZvmvfvVinnBPHbbFvqMJT26w5kMREHxIjaR_cbfsC5dE_99CRjP3gWnGt7CWdXf9a35iEYYxCfwRBa1TGQK29kDREmJB6j0mt-9b16Z3NbnTJkP__-Ajx3bsLgxUh97aRjHBG/s834/Loud%20boats%20at%20Isla%20San%20Francisco.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="834" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKuqJmELY9lkyTYQfrcSq0MduoYdomzaZz5HI1Dn6pSg0B5i-WFuZvmvfvVinnBPHbbFvqMJT26w5kMREHxIjaR_cbfsC5dE_99CRjP3gWnGt7CWdXf9a35iEYYxCfwRBa1TGQK29kDREmJB6j0mt-9b16Z3NbnTJkP__-Ajx3bsLgxUh97aRjHBG/s320/Loud%20boats%20at%20Isla%20San%20Francisco.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Soon after we got settled in, three more boats entered the bay and and set anchor. One was the 124 foot wooden sailing vessel Mezcal. Another was a modern design at about 80 feet, and the third was a 43 foot catamaran. All three were escorted by an inflatable. As soon as they anchored the music started blasting. For two days, every afternoon and into the late night, loud music blasted from one of the yachts. We could see the big speakers on the top of the boats and young people could be seen dancing to rave music. It was so loud that nobody anchored in the bay could sleep until the music was finally shut off in the middle of the night. It was a tense anchorage with about 20 normal sized cruising boats waiting out the strong northerlies. We couldn't go anywhere because of the wind but we could not sleep because of the music. Who are these people who spend all this money to charter these vessels and stay up half the night? Is it the cartel? Is it just rich people? We had lots of words to describe them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw3tJ1_4o4D53hV73E-rbh8bW03pCft1okAcGEOwMDZLagILDNJ0gnuVbggv6q0q87wmu4bmrLsITTB7tZLXqMkjRA_Skm0b0i_rmyGsNbBevx15Fgfc9zGTFCkriuaMLS0OBIPpXRUEyunql86-6Dj0VG0VixlhQJDkXtaBdlohakziHg8JK4jUE/s833/Early%20morning%20departure.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="833" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw3tJ1_4o4D53hV73E-rbh8bW03pCft1okAcGEOwMDZLagILDNJ0gnuVbggv6q0q87wmu4bmrLsITTB7tZLXqMkjRA_Skm0b0i_rmyGsNbBevx15Fgfc9zGTFCkriuaMLS0OBIPpXRUEyunql86-6Dj0VG0VixlhQJDkXtaBdlohakziHg8JK4jUE/w640-h428/Early%20morning%20departure.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Three days later, we watched them motor away south. By that time the wind was laying down a bit so we brought up our anchor and headed north to Bahia Agua Verde, mostly motoring the fifty miles. The next day we ran up to Puerto Escondido, about a 22 mile journey. We took a mooring ball there in the secure harbor and went ashore for pizza and a good internet connection. The next afternoon we motored into big waves to Isla Coronados. Even though the wind was light, the afternoon brought big rollers from the north. We set our anchor and prepared for a long crossing the next day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnur3PR3lVL0LwPS8d73rP6IYpY7A-ed6mZwZaFtpKHaghmfmOjpFTkycVAlkKuY3LTMgCdjSz6KQ4nqES37buPIm2OeqVNPpN99kuaIfmlUPvJW8tvRD3SGJKMUCZRclW6jAK5F5Hrzk7SjurKucfoJxmACwhlx-Hi4j7hHmvk3EOUyR1-wXPjtb/s839/CB%20at%20the%20wheel.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="839" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnur3PR3lVL0LwPS8d73rP6IYpY7A-ed6mZwZaFtpKHaghmfmOjpFTkycVAlkKuY3LTMgCdjSz6KQ4nqES37buPIm2OeqVNPpN99kuaIfmlUPvJW8tvRD3SGJKMUCZRclW6jAK5F5Hrzk7SjurKucfoJxmACwhlx-Hi4j7hHmvk3EOUyR1-wXPjtb/s320/CB%20at%20the%20wheel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For Wednesday the 16th there was light wind predicted all across the Sea of Cortez. We left<br /> at 6 AM and turned on the In Reach transmitter, thinking that our friends would know our progress through the day. Later we found out that it was not transmitting our location. It appears that I've got some things to figure out about that system. <p></p><p>The day was calm and we cranked up the engine to make better than 6 knots the entire trip. Seventeen hours later we made our way in the dark to the anchorage in San Carlos. The noise of the engine drove us crazy, and after hand steering the entire trip, ( no auto pilot), we were pretty tired when we got in. Just offshore of land, the shrimp trawler fleet was going back and forth making it a bit stressful trying to stay out of their way and to see them against the backdrop of the town lights. The GPS way points and harbor entrance buoys were spot on correct allowing us to creep in in the darkness and find a spot to drop anchor in Bahia San Carlos. We were so tired that the next day we tried to take it easy and didn't do any boat chores. Our friends Scott and Karen from Seattle were traveling south on a camping adventure so we had them aboard at the anchorage then went for a boisterous sail in the outer bay. Noreen and Myron who had flown in a week earlier from La Paz passed us as they also set out to test their auto pilot. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfQkiw8bFPQE_NJ4DukaggsxIf7z6ziyfLFepEmGG24UqRHhYpUSss2xuLzut2onAow-fBYmGd7zTGxd6dsVnrusww8EsuDmk1Uh6oIVySbfr9AqilslWJIBky5MfZgqruYOdgEUUS4o3WMB7Wau8h1tbHK1rqs57T-B2_8KMn0pILIzWVVXV5uIC/s1245/SV%20on%20Nepenthe%20-%20we%20made%20it%20back%20in%20one%20piece.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1245" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfQkiw8bFPQE_NJ4DukaggsxIf7z6ziyfLFepEmGG24UqRHhYpUSss2xuLzut2onAow-fBYmGd7zTGxd6dsVnrusww8EsuDmk1Uh6oIVySbfr9AqilslWJIBky5MfZgqruYOdgEUUS4o3WMB7Wau8h1tbHK1rqs57T-B2_8KMn0pILIzWVVXV5uIC/w400-h191/SV%20on%20Nepenthe%20-%20we%20made%20it%20back%20in%20one%20piece.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a sigh of relief we arrive safely back to San Carlos<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>After checking with the marina we found that either we haul out the very next day or we wait five more days for an opening. The long weekend was a holiday for the locals... something to do with Jesus and partying because soon they'd be fasting. We chose the earlier haul out schedule. The next morning we motored into the ways and the big rig hauled her out of the water, ready or not! </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVcvFSUHpiZQQ19rYF4EQFigTQUpmg07Y97SeghoxRt45MZ9W5Tx1MEPp2eHBFbnY5scEwYdy6hAHaPjkrcHARlDe5sqxBxle9TmJdIaK6e5f1-An3IZAVcZQmYUHOlYF1It5TABcFCNjGPWwO3SH6l_K0MSheQhJoRrqGEeWPrmbb8J3mveWdlHP/s788/Connie%20pulling%20nepenthe%20on%20to%20the%20trailer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="788" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVcvFSUHpiZQQ19rYF4EQFigTQUpmg07Y97SeghoxRt45MZ9W5Tx1MEPp2eHBFbnY5scEwYdy6hAHaPjkrcHARlDe5sqxBxle9TmJdIaK6e5f1-An3IZAVcZQmYUHOlYF1It5TABcFCNjGPWwO3SH6l_K0MSheQhJoRrqGEeWPrmbb8J3mveWdlHP/s320/Connie%20pulling%20nepenthe%20on%20to%20the%20trailer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tide was not quite high enough to get the big trailer under the boat so as the tractor inched further into the water, First Mate Connie pulled her forward with the bow line. After a lot of pushing and pulling we finally got her out of the water.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The yard was full so they put us in the back part of the yard, sometimes called the boneyard because of the old beat up hulks that have been abandoned. Right next to us were two commercial boats, both getting fiberglass work done. The grinders and sanders created a thick fiberglass dust that wafted down wind to our boat, covering us with a toxic grit. The new fiberglass resin smell blew down on us with its sweet choking smell. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ8KqxDgsKIxLO4YbJzJuHBLIbzIHRoTuIr9LfQAeKXPmG86DAa2gRvryJ1pYVRDyz7Sn6xh_Qj2MjMf82S902PclZol5CsVMlzNg6BJZ4tgq5SlGXyhRk_AEOIetq0AUnozFZi4sVEP27EOO1LwC5BCmtqOXzN2oIIdWtuUsR3WiPnKJoITs2SpX/s915/Tobiasons%20in%20the%20VW%20%20Olive.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="915" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ8KqxDgsKIxLO4YbJzJuHBLIbzIHRoTuIr9LfQAeKXPmG86DAa2gRvryJ1pYVRDyz7Sn6xh_Qj2MjMf82S902PclZol5CsVMlzNg6BJZ4tgq5SlGXyhRk_AEOIetq0AUnozFZi4sVEP27EOO1LwC5BCmtqOXzN2oIIdWtuUsR3WiPnKJoITs2SpX/s320/Tobiasons%20in%20the%20VW%20%20Olive.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott and Karen in their VW camper Olive.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p>We thought that over the holiday weekend the workers would take time off but we were wrong. I guess this particular work crew were more focused to finishing the job than in joining the party in town. The entire next four days while we prepped our boat for storage, the grit flew upon us and the fresh resin smell invaded our space. We moved our quarters to the Scamp out in the parking lot to escape the grit and stink during the evenings but during the day, we had to tough it out. Scott and Karen stuck around and to their credit, they helped us get through the nasty work, pulling things off the boat and prepping her for storage. Connie sewed a huge cover to shield the teak decks from the summer sun. </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroWobtpwC0oPuVS0ry89z1T1U4tVSjGC2Z1fl3VFSlvl_ypkFetwSiMhZzhmZqsErlNoqy51jO4f7hQ45qEGP-Z75mwdH93kAdvU5XGjesJQ5SluDiziqoZqviDu5ILC3tDeafV17Mo8tBoJ44qudB15HE3kVlsSdneo-KaoBrWpT-IH-ZZ3NRRD0/s608/The%20inside%20of%20our%20rudder.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroWobtpwC0oPuVS0ry89z1T1U4tVSjGC2Z1fl3VFSlvl_ypkFetwSiMhZzhmZqsErlNoqy51jO4f7hQ45qEGP-Z75mwdH93kAdvU5XGjesJQ5SluDiziqoZqviDu5ILC3tDeafV17Mo8tBoJ44qudB15HE3kVlsSdneo-KaoBrWpT-IH-ZZ3NRRD0/s320/The%20inside%20of%20our%20rudder.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rudder has water infiltration issues.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>We hired Francisco and Domingo, a father/son team, to remove the rudder. They will have it at their shop for the summer to open up, dry it out, reinforce and re-glass it . The re-installation will be next fall. Water in the rudder causes corrosion on the stainless steel rudder shaft. The rudder bearing was also worn and will be replaced.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpGTLASB6y4YTQlFESlOx2ay8fNvdHgR_RXJWf7LfMvb-tIHxgyXhMyZlHb1ex5H-MrJh8PTB1SAw-pt5R8uKm1sKs0a2K6a7af_8Aw2hxz1NB9h5Bf4L4cUUWkeq99XbNRG5QFO6ruJSoy2sqo10mUu580o9KV1V436r3QV2tKtdC_xywqLUmuJx/s759/Nepente%20set%20for%20storage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="759" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpGTLASB6y4YTQlFESlOx2ay8fNvdHgR_RXJWf7LfMvb-tIHxgyXhMyZlHb1ex5H-MrJh8PTB1SAw-pt5R8uKm1sKs0a2K6a7af_8Aw2hxz1NB9h5Bf4L4cUUWkeq99XbNRG5QFO6ruJSoy2sqo10mUu580o9KV1V436r3QV2tKtdC_xywqLUmuJx/s320/Nepente%20set%20for%20storage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't Connie do a good job sewing up the sun cover?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Tuesday afternoon, with a sigh of relief, we watched our new old boat being hauled into the storage yard. Looking back, Nepenthe had been a cantankerous old soul trying to get her ready for the water. More than three months of labor almost made us throw in the towel a few times. Our three months of work netted us a fairly nice 21 day run down the Sea of Cortez with nine beautiful anchorages. That was our reward. Time spent in La Paz was full of work, with a bit of fun mixed in. Then the "pedal to the metal" twelve day motor fest north followed by four days in the nasty yard was a bit of life I'd rather just forget. Was it all worth it, you ask? Would you have done it differently if you could do it again? Yes to both questions. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZMJSgBdMC0yVNRmQ1Ll8W1RWqXgL9niR1TJqjvIeJzKhS1lumi6lRe0pB9aPXvPCsfsqEiBAGaCboslaWmlykkHFoOwHIdJTi9ZwtGxD9dKnJ32QOyIX_cjie6uM_gDjQuM7khk98_-xL5R5-1eZmc4S4zVWP9J60Kn0ypchAezj3tV4lwUryrfN/s718/Campsite%20just%20north%20of%20Nogales.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="718" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZMJSgBdMC0yVNRmQ1Ll8W1RWqXgL9niR1TJqjvIeJzKhS1lumi6lRe0pB9aPXvPCsfsqEiBAGaCboslaWmlykkHFoOwHIdJTi9ZwtGxD9dKnJ32QOyIX_cjie6uM_gDjQuM7khk98_-xL5R5-1eZmc4S4zVWP9J60Kn0ypchAezj3tV4lwUryrfN/s320/Campsite%20just%20north%20of%20Nogales.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Connie and I turned our efforts to getting the little Scamp trailer ready for a road trip through Sonora Mexico. On Wednesday we said goodbye to San Carlos and drove north, making it through the border crossing without getting busted for illegal liquor aboard. We did get busted for three potatoes and an apple and got our entire rig x-rayed for illegal aliens. We camped nearby at the White Rock campground near Pena Blanca Lake where we recorded a chill 25 degrees F the next morning. <br /><p></p><p>Because Scott and Karen were having some symptoms ( fever, etc..) we could not stay with Connie's sister in Phoenix because there was a chance we'd been exposed to a virus so we had a brief talk, all masked, across their front "lawn" in Phoenix before heading west out a crazy crowded freeway to the AZ / CA border. Driving that traffic was such a culture shock after spending about six months in Mexico. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBUHq4sDVo44A_O7Ty4Ywi5oNXMByYlJMuivuInT9gG3Wk_yea2XKwuJVtub92Z1URnXRxzxqxcLTIi4ay_AocnvgNQ7yls7prEwEwJrmlzKPYcaCoeveH8GRBQLkXdh5gEylYoRFAzyEFLwVpURC-MrIuDnszYj1zzyz0UEytCJk6cC2vROGlB90/s824/Scenic%20Camping%20in%20the%20wastelands.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="824" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBUHq4sDVo44A_O7Ty4Ywi5oNXMByYlJMuivuInT9gG3Wk_yea2XKwuJVtub92Z1URnXRxzxqxcLTIi4ay_AocnvgNQ7yls7prEwEwJrmlzKPYcaCoeveH8GRBQLkXdh5gEylYoRFAzyEFLwVpURC-MrIuDnszYj1zzyz0UEytCJk6cC2vROGlB90/s320/Scenic%20Camping%20in%20the%20wastelands.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic camping in western Arizona<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The<span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"> Bouse Community Park Campground near the California border gave us a $10 spot for the night and the next day we started the long, dry, journey through Nevada. We experienced the Sunset View Inn in Alamo NV the next night staying in the "Out of This World" room. Ely then Eureka led to f</span><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">ree camping at Hickson Petroglyphs near Austin NV. With it being so early in the season, most of the Federal, state and county campgrounds are closed. We stayed in the parking lot of the Diamond Mountain Casino in Susanville CA with free internet for a night and found the Josephine County Park near Grant's Pass Oregon for our last night on the road. </span></span></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">Not quite April, we pulled into our driveway at home, plugged the scamp into power in the shop and popped the cork on a good bottle of wine we'd been carting around for all too long. <br /></span></span></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">It's been a challenging yet rewarding time as we've taken on way too much, somehow dealt with it all, and have returned home to Olympia. We now have a second boat that seems to be working quite well, and should be ready for us to return to next October for a little bit of work then a nice long run south down the Golfo de California and hopefully the Pacific coast. Waiting for us here is a new-to-us, beat up rental property that needs work before we can turn it into a profitable venture. </span></span></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_nz1XOcaFiCYVA06Tjo23SazPzlk5Bd2eqlBXNpsUnUCa8T4DjWul9QZC0qOTgHHwutOiIdu6sdv6MzT1q_B3pzGDutwLQnZ6Z_wfmOSs3jsYwCrTT1Tm2UfyBEUQurWn6Kuxkn2Fn6fu82PXqkAH7aEBsK7q4E9lBdCuU5MDkN8afy6Crd5cL6e/s705/CB%20i%20will%20scrub%20that%20wall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="705" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_nz1XOcaFiCYVA06Tjo23SazPzlk5Bd2eqlBXNpsUnUCa8T4DjWul9QZC0qOTgHHwutOiIdu6sdv6MzT1q_B3pzGDutwLQnZ6Z_wfmOSs3jsYwCrTT1Tm2UfyBEUQurWn6Kuxkn2Fn6fu82PXqkAH7aEBsK7q4E9lBdCuU5MDkN8afy6Crd5cL6e/s320/CB%20i%20will%20scrub%20that%20wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mess with Connie's walls.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"></span></span></div><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">Somehow, though, the fixing up of the beat up house does not seem as daunting as fixing up the beat up old boat. When fixing up the boat, we're concerned with doing what's necessary to keep us from sinking, running aground, getting stranded, maybe dying in the process. The house... well, it's not life or death by any means. We'll be camping out inside the place while we fix it up. In the meantime, our Olympia boat, Traveler was hauled out today for a new transmission, and drive train work, plus bottom cleaning and new paint. </span></span></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">People have already started calling us about spring and summer charters so the calendar is getting entries and we're looking forward to some time on the water in Budd Inlet. I'm turning 69 in August. Gosh, do you think we should start thinking about slowing down a little bit? </span></span></p><p><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2f6jhNLqp9jhG46T9HnrcFElKm7QnNau70uNQEi9h_oK9MQji00uj9A4YliOzbTwER8HXxQjRwsYv2qN6O25qPYTq1zFtNMmUhbI1vQIodXtjlgkcmiakGmUYnEBG57WqMdmnvzqDi-bAV1e93QyuqrDe9KGOPdww1RZlCx_FkpnUg07QkqBY1r_0/s811/Traveler%20Haulout.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="811" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2f6jhNLqp9jhG46T9HnrcFElKm7QnNau70uNQEi9h_oK9MQji00uj9A4YliOzbTwER8HXxQjRwsYv2qN6O25qPYTq1zFtNMmUhbI1vQIodXtjlgkcmiakGmUYnEBG57WqMdmnvzqDi-bAV1e93QyuqrDe9KGOPdww1RZlCx_FkpnUg07QkqBY1r_0/w640-h476/Traveler%20Haulout.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"><br /></span></span><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading"></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-4735546330084330592022-03-09T20:34:00.001-08:002022-04-09T17:46:21.558-07:00Turn Around Time<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn2SqbD99oBq-r1jMRllVjKMsb8rLeQTE8SJCT9dHYaJ7khpM5-Wu4sz7ne7J6Q3k8vRtvL2RutZYYrXuO_pyvOUGXykkl2j7sSuOVliQim9dXMY-HGBxBo1CH0RLGsWsOApRnybuCViTq1kH36X8RJPZyeaXD786azY3QslpngoZTX9IDZgiBeOp8=s737" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="737" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn2SqbD99oBq-r1jMRllVjKMsb8rLeQTE8SJCT9dHYaJ7khpM5-Wu4sz7ne7J6Q3k8vRtvL2RutZYYrXuO_pyvOUGXykkl2j7sSuOVliQim9dXMY-HGBxBo1CH0RLGsWsOApRnybuCViTq1kH36X8RJPZyeaXD786azY3QslpngoZTX9IDZgiBeOp8=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>The tide comes in, the tide goes out. The La Paz anchorage is a half mile wide, three mile long, entrance to a much bigger lagoon. Four feet of tide running in and out creates a two knot current running east or west, depending on if it is ebbing or flooding. Add to this, a north wind and you've got an interesting anchoring situation where your boat will be facing into the wind but is also all the way forward on the anchor rode. Wind across current makes an ever present chop. </p><p></p><p>It's wise to bring up your anchor and reset every few days as the La Paz Waltz twists the anchor and rode around and around. The rich oxygenated water helps the green slime build up fast on the rode so it is also beneficial to let out 30 feet for a few days, then bring it back in to let the sandy bottom clean the ground tackle. It seems like a lot of boats have been here for a while given the shape of their sails, the growth on the hulls, and the white bird poop on the decks. Sometimes those boats break loose and start to waltz around the anchorage, especially during a good northern blow. It's not the most peaceful anchorage you can imagine.</p><p></p><p>With our starter battery bank low, we needed to come into Marina de La Paz to get a good shoreside charge, and to top off the water tanks, provision, and get the part for the water pump ordered or machined. I called into the marina and the front desk staff assured me they had no availability for the next week. So I pulled the batteries out and took them ashore in the dinghy to get the local electric guy, Victor, to see if they could be resurrected. After some shopping our friends told us that Neil, the marina manager, was trying to hail me on VHF 16. I stopped in to see him and, sure enough, he had a slip for me. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJcly9ktJ2OJ0cU6Ona4L-50Edzl-i5MRloE2sh0QTpucrZQVRBVoFAKx4CCtp7V83mwTSgKX10hEAFil_DU5Zuiszq21gLbshcW2bATD3OJKbsD0PFwCnQ2JQmgLWbgHJs3yIxJCKq08UwviUTtpLpAo58z907KM1e7orW2MBk04NoNom2AzJ1jmM=s817" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="817" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJcly9ktJ2OJ0cU6Ona4L-50Edzl-i5MRloE2sh0QTpucrZQVRBVoFAKx4CCtp7V83mwTSgKX10hEAFil_DU5Zuiszq21gLbshcW2bATD3OJKbsD0PFwCnQ2JQmgLWbgHJs3yIxJCKq08UwviUTtpLpAo58z907KM1e7orW2MBk04NoNom2AzJ1jmM=w640-h324" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepenthe and White Raven, both crews are from Olympia WA<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The boat's at anchor with no way to start the engine and no way to raise anchor with the windlass. But now there is a slip in the marina waiting. What to do? I went to a friend (who I just met) and asked if I could borrow his batteries... his only batteries. Soon I was splashing my way out to Nepenthe with two big six volt batteries aboard. We got them hooked up, started the engine, used the windlass and brought the boat into the dock, where we removed the batteries, and put them back on my buddy's boat. Thank you Cliff and Iris. <br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzC_HNyFYjC8XPFu3CUeHT78M7UcZInDPPn6bXf9a9DQV8_81SSuCX2W9mtdyJeVJvcdznZfqAsZexVQ0HxRbOyOxLO80P3u0Nw34S7HDE1cpmAm_JSSh5tKvuKfFcb8zxh_5hVx7N8mA1P7CJwwmfOv6mSKFZm5iMnVyzIsVJDIK0B7pVqSSCesfi=s777" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="777" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzC_HNyFYjC8XPFu3CUeHT78M7UcZInDPPn6bXf9a9DQV8_81SSuCX2W9mtdyJeVJvcdznZfqAsZexVQ0HxRbOyOxLO80P3u0Nw34S7HDE1cpmAm_JSSh5tKvuKfFcb8zxh_5hVx7N8mA1P7CJwwmfOv6mSKFZm5iMnVyzIsVJDIK0B7pVqSSCesfi=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 recreational pangas tie up at the marina<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We spent four days in the marina and got our alternator and batteries sorted out. I convinced Klassen Diesel in Vancouver BC to make me a new part for the raw water pump and they sent it off via international FedEx to Deko Importers in San Diego who sent it on to La Paz. While waiting on shipping, we said goodbye to Noreen and Myron who caught their flight back to San Carlos and we washed the boat, inside and out. Then we provisioned ( lots of wine ) and went back out to the anchorage and dropped the hook. <br /><p></p><p>Some of the days were so windy that we had to stay on the boat. The dinghy ride to the dock would be a wet one. When the wind is up, the port is closed and all the dive, snorkel, and kayak pangas have to stay at the dock. Occasionally a boat will come into the harbor during a wind event because "any port in a storm" is the rule. But nobody exits during a closure. Two sailboats limped into the anchorage after having a rough go of it in the 30 knot winds, 8 foot waves out beyond the harbor. On had broken steering gear and engine trouble. Another had a broken prop shaft. You really have to watch out for those strong northers and get into a hidey hole before you get stuck in big seas. <br /></p><p>We found some shade fabric in town and started sewing a big awning cover to use in the summer when we put Nepenthe on the hard. Connie played a little bit of music at the Club CucCruceros patio and also was the first act at Capuchino's open mic night. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOkUPdc7_hN9oJraVYAykLFGFwPlVlZT-EBc9XX8-8M7gh2Kqxk2FqV4MAGGnYGXyACXRVh8pyNn5q5FpBYQAR1cWnXqdZT84JRSWhmWTWMVym7t3IERQ4LCABmTXDc0YvEMRSOxAlYahXX6FcDaP6k8E0ViveUxub4eQTXvWUOCZggwBhP4gyae16=s770" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="770" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOkUPdc7_hN9oJraVYAykLFGFwPlVlZT-EBc9XX8-8M7gh2Kqxk2FqV4MAGGnYGXyACXRVh8pyNn5q5FpBYQAR1cWnXqdZT84JRSWhmWTWMVym7t3IERQ4LCABmTXDc0YvEMRSOxAlYahXX6FcDaP6k8E0ViveUxub4eQTXvWUOCZggwBhP4gyae16=w400-h289" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>When our engine part was due to arrive, I again went into the office to see if we could get a slip, and again, I was told by the front desk staff that there was no room. Later, I talked to Neil and he arranged us a spot. Funny how things work here sometimes. </p><p>Part in hand, I compared it to the old part and behold.... they were not the same. The new part was missing a feature that enabled it to straddle a big nut on the pulley wheel. Dang! Foiled again.</p><p>The service manager at Klassen Diesel suggested I take it to a local machine shop so I took it to Malcolm at Custom Fabrication and Machine and he put his machinist on the job. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuN_xiE0Kw5pA1ZNwQ6IFRoVeHk02k4-sZ6OYDxLLsXEhQECv7c8DMH84h1k5bw96PmVnNkDqQd4_Upn_EFZXovGsi0N75xFxXkOjkzyru7EDEvHZlno3ca9H9ux5TQzdaff8VOY9Hfv8M8gx5_hdvjTDXhiV7YHzivsjAip2iFvDbA6HyLmjH78jW=s754" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="754" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuN_xiE0Kw5pA1ZNwQ6IFRoVeHk02k4-sZ6OYDxLLsXEhQECv7c8DMH84h1k5bw96PmVnNkDqQd4_Upn_EFZXovGsi0N75xFxXkOjkzyru7EDEvHZlno3ca9H9ux5TQzdaff8VOY9Hfv8M8gx5_hdvjTDXhiV7YHzivsjAip2iFvDbA6HyLmjH78jW=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Part, New Part. Note the difference.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyJIOOpf4XjQRF9_elbeLQ1AU3TRdpRgKHmM5mvtcMp1wvyXm7PRlTRpa4K-kxuu6XCYqerfeR-QxF7BMRTS43kYO-OrHazp3KWYFCxWiWiVgW8rySCJKvp0AqhwXghP9Qnb_ZDjUYTSdbKs8QVuGlAFxH0SXtfOexXgDuuGhCtqTplkHM1lia8vFm=s722" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="722" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyJIOOpf4XjQRF9_elbeLQ1AU3TRdpRgKHmM5mvtcMp1wvyXm7PRlTRpa4K-kxuu6XCYqerfeR-QxF7BMRTS43kYO-OrHazp3KWYFCxWiWiVgW8rySCJKvp0AqhwXghP9Qnb_ZDjUYTSdbKs8QVuGlAFxH0SXtfOexXgDuuGhCtqTplkHM1lia8vFm=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulley nut sticks out a bit.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0CDx-odzVwLmoCsqv6QCn4kryM-VqCA_E9MOPXQae1DukMQpT2LBTN07Ft6HmGer__fN4F7Y744JGSpAj6gxVIPVNst_okWk7vWYRg25IfZ96Sq54fxPI8A5YWlE2tzjl864bA0Ky3T7AEFIfooPW042ImQOPui5bFvoVIxHZAjt1ZyZGvIi4zusC=s879" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="879" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0CDx-odzVwLmoCsqv6QCn4kryM-VqCA_E9MOPXQae1DukMQpT2LBTN07Ft6HmGer__fN4F7Y744JGSpAj6gxVIPVNst_okWk7vWYRg25IfZ96Sq54fxPI8A5YWlE2tzjl864bA0Ky3T7AEFIfooPW042ImQOPui5bFvoVIxHZAjt1ZyZGvIi4zusC=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the machine shop's magic.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Today I got the part back from the shop and Connie and I installed it without a hitch. We tested it and all looks good. Then we decided to treat ourselves to BBQ ribs in town. Walking through the Restaurant / Banking / Shopping district we were blown away by how far La Paz had come in the eight years since we've been here. Music on every corner. Clean streets and sidewalks. So many restaurants. Art everywhere. The Malecon was full of people roller skating, jogging, walking, biking. Ice creme shops everywhere. Clearly La Paz is a very cosmopolitan place these days. <br /></p><p></p><p>Tomorrow we have one more day of calm winds then three days of over 20 knot winds, followed by three days of calm wind. Our plan is to run as far north as we can tomorrow, possibly to Isla San Francisco, lay low for three days, then run north again, hopefully getting into San Carlos by the 16th or 17th.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL7XEayfkVMYNfydWDfwxG6PEcbrn7rzlAxXP-t3TKOqwQIvqgQUo1qv1KoRq5TlJDpbZQMCR2gPevK9zxOaDvn4oWuAYGt1PxUtozc2QtAo-goWQZHHCDc0eR8pkd5wH-qt_ihP1pZAuaJEj_5A3OMZHzspyEcak04JVO0ZlAFJ1yWiNwfHtI0R1n=s638" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="638" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL7XEayfkVMYNfydWDfwxG6PEcbrn7rzlAxXP-t3TKOqwQIvqgQUo1qv1KoRq5TlJDpbZQMCR2gPevK9zxOaDvn4oWuAYGt1PxUtozc2QtAo-goWQZHHCDc0eR8pkd5wH-qt_ihP1pZAuaJEj_5A3OMZHzspyEcak04JVO0ZlAFJ1yWiNwfHtI0R1n=w640-h612" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If it holds, this could be our crossing weather next week.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> And so we say goodbye to La Paz. We stayed a bit too long but it's a wonderful city to be stuck in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGLmDLM_NPD0ceBJ5EqVeCByhbP5kfMv45GeMQ5jy0fEz8DsDagH6ZqA6hhmxN6k0coqzLXljBb_Xo1hPFO0cVZ5ct9qSxwq3J5riweqVTkynW2qaZwMHuQSLHIvsRMOom8D_ZbE1zgU3KhcFOxGQGvs6EaiEk0oVMEp6KwA85BZGQux_Pr0japCw8=s906" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="906" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGLmDLM_NPD0ceBJ5EqVeCByhbP5kfMv45GeMQ5jy0fEz8DsDagH6ZqA6hhmxN6k0coqzLXljBb_Xo1hPFO0cVZ5ct9qSxwq3J5riweqVTkynW2qaZwMHuQSLHIvsRMOom8D_ZbE1zgU3KhcFOxGQGvs6EaiEk0oVMEp6KwA85BZGQux_Pr0japCw8=w640-h410" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-45724287167532061252022-03-01T11:21:00.001-08:002022-03-01T11:21:00.198-08:00Approach to LaPaz<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWpiFN9cSjOgvKcsIt1QdhSZ1xVjnnZQ6m7F44Ca24BJ23esSEpXP-yyX6lbCDxSvs2yw06K-y8JABZ_jHJ17I0G21kzatkwI4rpKOgQ6q-oLn-3JJVR84SKcdJlEK8TFiRXdL_ifbcoagtg7wVkZSvg416baYyM0K3SX65k7932KZ_v7-W2ifKpnT=s918" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="918" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWpiFN9cSjOgvKcsIt1QdhSZ1xVjnnZQ6m7F44Ca24BJ23esSEpXP-yyX6lbCDxSvs2yw06K-y8JABZ_jHJ17I0G21kzatkwI4rpKOgQ6q-oLn-3JJVR84SKcdJlEK8TFiRXdL_ifbcoagtg7wVkZSvg416baYyM0K3SX65k7932KZ_v7-W2ifKpnT=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>After two days as Isla San Francisco we checked the weather
again using the SPOT device and found that soon the wind would drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That third morning we were the second boat to
leave the anchorage, departing at about 08:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once we got out of the wind shadow of the island the swell hit us from
the north and stayed just off our beam quarter for the rest of the trip, making
it a joyful and painful ride all the way down to Isla Pardida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without wind, we motored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, when Connie took the wheel, we got some
wind and so shut off the engine and enjoyed a slower but more pleasant ride.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we closed with Pardida we were also closing with a big
freighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking bearings to the
vessel, those bearings did not change. We were on a collision course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, we were very close to the island.
Surely that big ship would not cut it that close. We were wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen was at the wheel and I could tell by
the look on her face that she really wanted to turn away,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so turn we did and ran a parallel course to
the ship before getting back on our course by crossing the stern of the
ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes it was a collision course. Yes
we were the stand on vessel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, the
ship was not budging on its intended course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s the first odd thing we encountered as we approached Isla Partida.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtC2BMJfsVbCNAqTOfDlq9q-jmySeLGH0mVjw3Mxq_uuP-Krin8b0WEQBy_sgslUKjd-KnRM26NnKATzXMC_rkEjX1jMl08Bq3UZEsfpLbKt9c0Grexwif4cv48BL2dfZ2x0oa4X_xRyYYaaTs-fPs0SPx48TKSmczC7hNovb-AGHPCZgTRlfivakb=s1051" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="1051" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtC2BMJfsVbCNAqTOfDlq9q-jmySeLGH0mVjw3Mxq_uuP-Krin8b0WEQBy_sgslUKjd-KnRM26NnKATzXMC_rkEjX1jMl08Bq3UZEsfpLbKt9c0Grexwif4cv48BL2dfZ2x0oa4X_xRyYYaaTs-fPs0SPx48TKSmczC7hNovb-AGHPCZgTRlfivakb=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, we started to close in our on our intended landfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had put in waypoints and read all the
pertinent information on a little anchorage named El Cardonicito, but earlier
we had talked about going to a different little bay called Las Cuevitas, and
that’s what Noreen put into her chart plotter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we approached Las Cuevitas, I got confused because of the different
location just when Connie started to turn upwind to furl in the jib.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got the jib in then somehow a white
cushion went overboard and suddenly we were in a cushion overboard drill while
just a few hundred yards from a tight anchorage I knew nothing about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">That’s the second odd thing we encountered as we approached Isla Partida. </span> </p><p class="MsoNormal">At the wheel, It took me four tries to get
close enough to the cushion for us to touch it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Connie took a brave dive over the lifeline with the net and just then,
the lifeline gave away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She plunged to
the deck hitting her knee on the bulwark, dropped the net into the water, and
almost fell overboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen and Myron
were able to coax the cushion aboard and Connie went below to get some ice for
her knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the third odd thing we encountered as we approached Isla Partida.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9grwJNtvJgVpf-uuYaxSODT0RJLl1YHxm_GSRFJvBnePAcRiOBzJiVL_jG3ps26LLQtkW4CtpVIE6lm9SsFNJ_7fNFDnlHvkE35DiFKSFC8-TbhT2964_BlK6mZ_K5bcgd05CdbpBqpUXZVp4KiBPVn5o-XK98-agPm05HRvEYZWuIdO1utmmb0NS=s1084" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="1084" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9grwJNtvJgVpf-uuYaxSODT0RJLl1YHxm_GSRFJvBnePAcRiOBzJiVL_jG3ps26LLQtkW4CtpVIE6lm9SsFNJ_7fNFDnlHvkE35DiFKSFC8-TbhT2964_BlK6mZ_K5bcgd05CdbpBqpUXZVp4KiBPVn5o-XK98-agPm05HRvEYZWuIdO1utmmb0NS=w640-h350" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I looked at that little anchorage and said, “Well this place
is bad luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to El
Cardonicito.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rounding the corner, we
ghosted into the anchorage, having the place all to ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Towering rock walls on either side, clear
blue water, white sandy bottom, and a little sandy beach at the head of the
narrow bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We fussed the anchor and
chain into a good holding, shut off the engine, and took a sigh of relief.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A rough, bouncy crossing, a ship trying to run us over, a
cushion overboard drill, and Connie almost head first into the water, was all
enough to require us to get out the Captain Morgan rum to give Neptune the
first sip and then to share the bottle along with tostados and guacamole in the
cockpit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh the sailing life!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWh2nY0B4OlueobTqHf-ef5j5_q2U2X2FGgxQNwsmU6ubKHRe6kmwcE_ydPciKctRT_LS8IDz_X4KwsJ1memflmzodw_xPHRrl-y6jVw7KLZNimTuI85syxSOBOBVTt_IVRJ10pBD8EFgLhdb2wPXcNMD13NfSVVDKV7RaPszuzF45K-OYJ__CTT4b=s1087" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="1087" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWh2nY0B4OlueobTqHf-ef5j5_q2U2X2FGgxQNwsmU6ubKHRe6kmwcE_ydPciKctRT_LS8IDz_X4KwsJ1memflmzodw_xPHRrl-y6jVw7KLZNimTuI85syxSOBOBVTt_IVRJ10pBD8EFgLhdb2wPXcNMD13NfSVVDKV7RaPszuzF45K-OYJ__CTT4b=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Calm, beautiful night at anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lovely morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I tried to start the engine, the starter
batteries were dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can that
be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got three ways to keep the
starter batteries charged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a
dedicated solar panel and controller for those batteries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also an alternator which is supposed
to charge the batteries while we are motoring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is also a thing called an ACR (automatic charge relay) that senses
when one bank of batteries is low and then pulls power from the other
bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How could all three methods fail, you might ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I found all this out after a few hours of head scratching
and cursing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a bad
connection in a crimped wire connection (That I put in myself) to bring power
from the solar panel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Solar charging…
nada.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evidently the
alternator was not working at all, and maybe had not been working for a long
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later we found out that the
regulator was faulty.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nut on a wire
post on the ACR had vibrated loose and that connection was intermittent,
causing a little fuse to blow and halting any power sharing between the house
bank and the starter bank. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV-1_Q5C6mX74VLShryTqHo1dc_WO5sC1i6Hu6shVtLoS1Fpe97UuJbjXM9sO70hl-N4YT9nvv_Ulir1iQGRtjry7YqeXv6drLo6PJnogZNBVHWIgb091SV-v0FpcYmWawDQQ9I4V51lWHgXYGYYd0QJT0EZnvk3JvaJfBlorxOAAaNnF8mK-V75uU=s604" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV-1_Q5C6mX74VLShryTqHo1dc_WO5sC1i6Hu6shVtLoS1Fpe97UuJbjXM9sO70hl-N4YT9nvv_Ulir1iQGRtjry7YqeXv6drLo6PJnogZNBVHWIgb091SV-v0FpcYmWawDQQ9I4V51lWHgXYGYYd0QJT0EZnvk3JvaJfBlorxOAAaNnF8mK-V75uU=s320" width="244" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After hot wiring the big solar array to the starter battery
bank, we got enough power to get the engine started and the anchor aboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then around the corner we went for a short
anchor and all went ashore to explore the area between Isla Partida and Espirto
Santos where the fishermen have their outposts and the sand spit crosses between
the two islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big rocks, whale bones,
a shrine to a deceased fisherman, shallow blue water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi15w54Uyy_zRm__Gnb9Ya_SwHDI6U1NdUlmI0TLbTEJ3rhobnHP270wZX-mBEHUHRQKGk-AunPTIsQj667TuGd__NweDTrfnto35RY0Odzb2GJpymWwvY_GD7abkh4ulz1ijcW9nWjj3OJhDEF9i3kTqLZE6839_pm8ugF_HuyBDT5pz1G8DBV_jDl=s813" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="813" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi15w54Uyy_zRm__Gnb9Ya_SwHDI6U1NdUlmI0TLbTEJ3rhobnHP270wZX-mBEHUHRQKGk-AunPTIsQj667TuGd__NweDTrfnto35RY0Odzb2GJpymWwvY_GD7abkh4ulz1ijcW9nWjj3OJhDEF9i3kTqLZE6839_pm8ugF_HuyBDT5pz1G8DBV_jDl=w400-h278" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>Later, after giving the starter batteries a little more time
to charge. ….Around the corner we passed Whale Island and dropped the anchor in
Ensenada de la Raza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that night,
strong winds erupted followed soon by big waves from the west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were up much of the night with the boat
bucking at anchor and everyone worried that we’d go adrift on a lee shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The anchor held and by morning, sleep
deprived and irritable, we launched off into the swell and waves and wind,
hauling up the main sail with two reefs in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we rolled out the jib and Connie took
the wheel and off we roared to the south, bucking and heaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later as we approached LaPaz the wind and
waves eased, we let out more sail, and made our way into the harbor of LaPaz
where we dropped the anchor just outside the Malecon (The waterfront
walkway).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfKrqyAEQDnS_zoYBU9T6ylH3K3JwaT0DcvJ4PoFS6EmuJ00Z05FLhYC4cDb7TZxudDqCZMrKLGf52L_DbWFxoaI8No0klwUaQfk7lKS4_h9OWmLs5z38n2UhqcV6DFpjU-r5WIj-G60eXm5q4NacA6mARZhjAU_aU9FxYihzkFH_90T6861FRy7hH=s834" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="834" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfKrqyAEQDnS_zoYBU9T6ylH3K3JwaT0DcvJ4PoFS6EmuJ00Z05FLhYC4cDb7TZxudDqCZMrKLGf52L_DbWFxoaI8No0klwUaQfk7lKS4_h9OWmLs5z38n2UhqcV6DFpjU-r5WIj-G60eXm5q4NacA6mARZhjAU_aU9FxYihzkFH_90T6861FRy7hH=w200-h144" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hey, we made it to LaPaz!, twenty one days out of San
Carlos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were pretty much out of fresh
food and beer and the only wine we had left was a few bottles of the “special”
stuff we bought in Arizona that Scott is not allowed to drink without Connie
getting her share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen and Myron had
already booked their flights out of LaPaz, back to San Carlos so they were busy
up there in the vee berth packing up their stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went ashore and had a celebratory dinner
at Rancho Viejo, the same place we had our celebratory dinner back in
2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That evening the LaPaz “waltz”
began as the swift current pulled all the 50 odd boats first to the west then
later to the east with the wind staying constant from the north which results
in boats going all which ways and round and round, twisting up anchor chains
and occasionally bumping a few boats together in the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p>
<span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unusually high winds were predicted for the next
few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How will Nepenthe deal with
that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will her starter battery bank ever
get fully charged?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the bad
alternator? And how about that jury rigged raw water pump?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will Myron and Noreen get to their flight ok?
And more important, will Scott be able to get ashore to replenish the wine
supply?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxqWg-oUIIWbpKvTXBhImiF49RddcNlvrpm44sMTokT194tK_V8RtfyVxA6-T6n5xBd5DsZ0HXZTsSvICZjJSnlSqhuWrjhMxFSjYUlrNnMG-OXSXz8SzpmEcGmpkdKXhzO1UzaRl48N2suduHf9a8M7KweNiWjOHY2U_PtAtMG2XAhvGUJNxHZ9Nd=s915" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="915" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxqWg-oUIIWbpKvTXBhImiF49RddcNlvrpm44sMTokT194tK_V8RtfyVxA6-T6n5xBd5DsZ0HXZTsSvICZjJSnlSqhuWrjhMxFSjYUlrNnMG-OXSXz8SzpmEcGmpkdKXhzO1UzaRl48N2suduHf9a8M7KweNiWjOHY2U_PtAtMG2XAhvGUJNxHZ9Nd=w640-h366" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepenthe in the slip at Marina de La Paz<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-40429083807674757052022-02-27T11:20:00.000-08:002022-02-27T11:20:27.080-08:00Los Gatos to Isla San Francisco<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZIEbFrrx3Ss0YdwASXjTPWUkX0DxzZRKQ91wy_U5lD2WWquyg9fBWCi94c_cszVwMGIuVd-wnf_JmBF_Zt-IVgGdyrejai3zd-oPXMji83LfYD-oysuv9JQgWgh_akttj8aRttri_p5gAw9Ob8ZfnilJiloV7sFHJQywl3bDYdACAnSVRja7VzdzG=s1002" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="1002" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZIEbFrrx3Ss0YdwASXjTPWUkX0DxzZRKQ91wy_U5lD2WWquyg9fBWCi94c_cszVwMGIuVd-wnf_JmBF_Zt-IVgGdyrejai3zd-oPXMji83LfYD-oysuv9JQgWgh_akttj8aRttri_p5gAw9Ob8ZfnilJiloV7sFHJQywl3bDYdACAnSVRja7VzdzG=s320" width="320" /></a></div>As we headed south, each day was warmer than the next. Not
only were we moving through winter and approaching spring but the latitude was
decreasing every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh so nice to take
off the socks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the morning of the 13<sup>th</sup>
we rounded the corner out of Candelaros Chico and deployed for the first time
our lightweight geniker sail, pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to hoist
with its nylon sock. Way to go, Nepenthe, give us something that actually works for once. <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two hours later we doused the sail and motored toward shore
near Isla San Cosme, anchoring in 25 feet on a sandy bottom and considerable
swell coming down from the north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
all four of us piled into the dinghy and motored to shore to find a hot springs
that Connie and I had visited eight years ago. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZF7ZV6D3Y9D9iY0rT0MVBUnApuIhZOQhW6s_24e01bKGxOtJ-wsiaP6mEwPPTwMSHcEMGShgL7K0OMYmYv84Pw0NC4cflk3Iu706dYO7kcnYpCXxdiiPkU4-9oAMGZg3xtiOYl3xNzj_f07cWk_txU9pHH9vxtX8SVHYoZ79JqowwiOQwrruZOMtP=s822" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="822" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZF7ZV6D3Y9D9iY0rT0MVBUnApuIhZOQhW6s_24e01bKGxOtJ-wsiaP6mEwPPTwMSHcEMGShgL7K0OMYmYv84Pw0NC4cflk3Iu706dYO7kcnYpCXxdiiPkU4-9oAMGZg3xtiOYl3xNzj_f07cWk_txU9pHH9vxtX8SVHYoZ79JqowwiOQwrruZOMtP=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How nice to be in bathing suits lying in a warm pool in the
sun!</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGroH6DjKdZazxwkA1Go8RC6OPvf5pdRF9OC0pdxkqJFxCIZSnmCsl2CW7RvVY0T5KYCsIakOd9_d-IKRd2Spd5hVmsXpInslqhDS79Tczol3LMMMd0hUGCcUUjQnQMknuz6nmbOxDL6i8MVdSvBnXNPyUT5t-k8MNcPbhwGyMlYkL0sptX8gGznny=s604" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="604" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGroH6DjKdZazxwkA1Go8RC6OPvf5pdRF9OC0pdxkqJFxCIZSnmCsl2CW7RvVY0T5KYCsIakOd9_d-IKRd2Spd5hVmsXpInslqhDS79Tczol3LMMMd0hUGCcUUjQnQMknuz6nmbOxDL6i8MVdSvBnXNPyUT5t-k8MNcPbhwGyMlYkL0sptX8gGznny=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Three hours later we arrived in Agua Verde getting into a
little race with another boat as they tried to beat us into the anchorage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Why does this always happen? </span>Nepenthe won and claimed her spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dropping the dinghy into the water, I paddled
around and found some fishermen in a panga cutting up a Mahi Mahi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked if they had any more, one of the
men showed me their fish well chock full of fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I motioned them to come visit our boat and soon thereafter we had two
big slabs of meat aboard and the bony skeleton as well for Connie to make
ceviche out of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <br /><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGfM5tO1hNGW9Dxt9qBolWSrtFmbX_pIuRszYfUGiReGNd8YSq02e8OUQRqqvsouFGLiYHVsYGEiW7G6yXvj3yCo9MFbgquDWSZGpva_J4P9_yv06kHSNh0ULHQLV9ul17BzbvXO9uiGhR2_ZiCtthaVDGMkQYpP98SPZWtTpmBdxboTVr5LOE-vkB=s724" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="724" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGfM5tO1hNGW9Dxt9qBolWSrtFmbX_pIuRszYfUGiReGNd8YSq02e8OUQRqqvsouFGLiYHVsYGEiW7G6yXvj3yCo9MFbgquDWSZGpva_J4P9_yv06kHSNh0ULHQLV9ul17BzbvXO9uiGhR2_ZiCtthaVDGMkQYpP98SPZWtTpmBdxboTVr5LOE-vkB=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Bahia Agua Verde faces north and gets the full impact of the
swell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found that out the next day
when we took the dinghy into town and had to execute a surf landing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to find a place where the surf was
less challenging but the whole beach seemed like a mass of crashing foam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Motoring back and forth just out of reach of
the breaking waves, we looked behind us watching the size of the swells and
finally after one big one, chose to begin the surf towards the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we got into shallow water, suddenly a big
coamer crept up behind us, and slapped the flat stern of the dinghy, drenching
the captain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We rolled the boat ashore
on its new dinghy wheels and set off to explore the village.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two small tiendas in town provided us with fresh vegetables
and fruit plus a chicken for the freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Connie and I then braved the surf and ferried our purchases back out to
Nepenthe as Myron and Noreen stayed ashore at Brisa Del Mar, a small thatched
roof restaurant with WiFi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon they
were head down, noses into the cell phone, lost to Mexico and back in the
information world, along with the other customers who were all doing the same. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny how when you are in cold wet Washington
all you dream about is being at a sunny palapa restaurant with a cold beer in
your hand, gazing out upon a white sandy beach without a care in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the challenge… letting go.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb_8_n59QaGW12CsdH_zLda7hNPgXk84D7-kpM_833FXZDsgSgRf_V9xW_k8Zmul4saL-rzbfYIBbOYflcK9B4Xvx6XLN6weiQvLoiX71O2uGIpBbVd2fIMkxypP1HLwibwkGT2GYPzW6sLnrYsRPq1ARzw_wDxOpFiK07pqzZnqyXP5LLbT9-0R-K=s611" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb_8_n59QaGW12CsdH_zLda7hNPgXk84D7-kpM_833FXZDsgSgRf_V9xW_k8Zmul4saL-rzbfYIBbOYflcK9B4Xvx6XLN6weiQvLoiX71O2uGIpBbVd2fIMkxypP1HLwibwkGT2GYPzW6sLnrYsRPq1ARzw_wDxOpFiK07pqzZnqyXP5LLbT9-0R-K=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Coming back to the beach, the landing was straightforward,
the food at Brisa Del Mar was good and everyone caught up on their email and
WiFi needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mid afternoon large breakers
were crashing ashore on the flat beach as we rolled the dinghy into the
surf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie and Noreen got in and sat
at the bow while Myron and I pushed from behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As waves hit the bow, the women were soaked
as they both paddled furiously to get us off the shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Get in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Get in!” Myron jumped aboard, I did the same and put down the electric
motor and punched it full throttle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
then a monster wave crashed into us, the bow rose up to meet the wave and in a
waterfall of liquid we launched over the top and fell into the trough, then
powered on out into deeper water where we shivered our way back to Nepenthe to
find some dry clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our boat was finally looking like a true Mexico cruising vessel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lifelines were full of salty, wet clothes
and towels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was sand on the deck
and cockpit and the gunnels smelled of fish.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next day we sailed most of the way to Puerto Los Gatos
then anchored and went ashore for an amazing time hiking around the red rock
formations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuvLjbBH1XOphcznzBcL-JXeYCt-o3fnQh8LD6ZkU1_TkWjBw0ru6P64g4-crFo_VkbPbEdBKbsP7uxu1zpWtQUhc16OS3q5rkcxieNAXRYpGVfkWdpNIwzlu58Fti6Orbn33ZAmxd1heWCyqZkHYCeWXiDaRTSmqb2dVvk_dtCOLypGAFGL6ny39w=s1086" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1086" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuvLjbBH1XOphcznzBcL-JXeYCt-o3fnQh8LD6ZkU1_TkWjBw0ru6P64g4-crFo_VkbPbEdBKbsP7uxu1zpWtQUhc16OS3q5rkcxieNAXRYpGVfkWdpNIwzlu58Fti6Orbn33ZAmxd1heWCyqZkHYCeWXiDaRTSmqb2dVvk_dtCOLypGAFGL6ny39w=w640-h358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbwLBc7KxPIdhNX9MPnam-7JIExNZFe8JVOA5b08nW7Qwqqo8RkigK5TZJKzsjpSP2WpbMt6MhkDKigB1QoSvcVeM1qTe3lmktlFx1yx1Vh0oFz2uubMraeWVWCosN6LbS9vzxmbQH2pTEBmlNE9Dmopy9ZK93nU5uxJOOr259C9_Tcgqhu-Bt-7cm=s1086" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1086" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbwLBc7KxPIdhNX9MPnam-7JIExNZFe8JVOA5b08nW7Qwqqo8RkigK5TZJKzsjpSP2WpbMt6MhkDKigB1QoSvcVeM1qTe3lmktlFx1yx1Vh0oFz2uubMraeWVWCosN6LbS9vzxmbQH2pTEBmlNE9Dmopy9ZK93nU5uxJOOr259C9_Tcgqhu-Bt-7cm=w640-h356" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive rocks at Los Gatos look like big fish laid out on the beach.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal">The next morning we prepped
the boat and sailed her off the anchor in light winds that became strong
westerlies soon thereafter, making it necessary to reduce sail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do so, we first turned downwind to blanket the jib with
the main and were able to get it rolled up about halfway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, back on a close reach, with the jib driving
us to windward, we loosened the main sheet, tightened the topping lift, and let the main flog a bit as we tucked two reefs in the main, all without turning on the
engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That went well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, we rolled up the jib a little bit more
as the winds built to 15 to 18 knots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was the most wind we’ve had Nepenthe in and she sailed well with a couple of
scraps of sail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, the wind
moderated a bit and we were able to put more canvas up, arriving in San
Evaristo at three PM after a successful 6 hour sail and 26 nautical miles.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGfk1noOgLtslPOe8lCQ9w7AwVdXa7TaNHrkhnHmg5-twx8Kqh3YGUWbPTVl8DP3GfCAFFRWVuGidNnkbIsqQR-8oOwckdChFRjah-epL8SaSB8dfv6s33reB2L99YRmKvSj0NT85sYP9W27Tif4yZ26_Nlx2_aJzcdEsSefpEI7APlURnAr0mNjy4=s1085" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1085" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGfk1noOgLtslPOe8lCQ9w7AwVdXa7TaNHrkhnHmg5-twx8Kqh3YGUWbPTVl8DP3GfCAFFRWVuGidNnkbIsqQR-8oOwckdChFRjah-epL8SaSB8dfv6s33reB2L99YRmKvSj0NT85sYP9W27Tif4yZ26_Nlx2_aJzcdEsSefpEI7APlURnAr0mNjy4=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anchor down, dinghy in the water, electric motor mounted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen and Myron took the
dinghy to shore to visit the tienda and a little restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time they returned it was dark and the
wind was howling from the West, coming overland from the Pacific Ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sailed off the anchor again the next
morning and entered the San Jose Canal between Isla San Jose and the Baja.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This area funnels the wind and waves from the
north and can kick up quite a mess down around San Evaristo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon we were bouncing up and down with a jib
out halfway and no main but still maintaining over four knots speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the sea state, we headed toward
the sheltered anchorage of Isla San Francisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Connie took the wheel and in true Connie form, opted to run out the full
genoa and soon we were galloping down the sea, pots and pans crashing below and
everything in the cabinets tossing themselves back and forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhazIKuBbuDG0o3Omu0o0_LroaVlUQvLFbuSfbaq8tKqmin_97W89f0fnXngRxLgIW6B6-i1Dt1lugGqBUlgWGRTApUt0CKphxi-1_uiS1XrNVl4mY-DSBJXF3rnRKvsMlS2gAvDyJ2a8vMoEId6XoXEHj43n2HNK3cdXGOnfHZanWe8GOXhpJiTpN=s1087" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="1087" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhazIKuBbuDG0o3Omu0o0_LroaVlUQvLFbuSfbaq8tKqmin_97W89f0fnXngRxLgIW6B6-i1Dt1lugGqBUlgWGRTApUt0CKphxi-1_uiS1XrNVl4mY-DSBJXF3rnRKvsMlS2gAvDyJ2a8vMoEId6XoXEHj43n2HNK3cdXGOnfHZanWe8GOXhpJiTpN=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I left the crew to run the boat and laid down to read, every
once in a while having to steady myself to keep from getting tossed onto the
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sooner than we thought, we
rounded the corner into the beautiful crescent bay on the south side of Isla
San Francisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dropping the hook
in the northwest corner, we were shouted at by a loudspeaker on a big white
catamaran, “ You are over our anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve got 200 feet of chain out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First of all, I thought we were more than 200 feet from that boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second of all, why did he have 200 feet of
chain out in 15 feet of water?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We brought the anchor up and moved
closer to the beach before resetting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi465wSy_0YwFXNa6dWQNH5UDX4PgR-XITjTWd7d1VujPPg6Sbq3AfDuzBqLP0AbnHIPrTHU0QQo7GugOpJZvMLashnswzQdyS7serRKmgQ3IeWZ2LY8idjPeFPQkas4cD2YbHvoHNHaTNVWqV3ju13e3E85cLZbOnxH4efRAsu7Km184Avm5Ff_5pf=s1086" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="1086" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi465wSy_0YwFXNa6dWQNH5UDX4PgR-XITjTWd7d1VujPPg6Sbq3AfDuzBqLP0AbnHIPrTHU0QQo7GugOpJZvMLashnswzQdyS7serRKmgQ3IeWZ2LY8idjPeFPQkas4cD2YbHvoHNHaTNVWqV3ju13e3E85cLZbOnxH4efRAsu7Km184Avm5Ff_5pf=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With lots of wind but no swell and little wave action, the
anchorage was perfect for us to use to shelter in for the next few days as we
waited out another period of strong north winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I clocked 20 knots of wind that afternoon while reading in the
cockpit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The National Geographic ship
“Explorer” was in the bay and we watched her crew ferrying guests to and from
the beach all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone on our boat
got to hike around to our heart’s content and, all in all, it was a very good
two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRb5GMFWyh0c91odfzZUqsFXrmzvrC-agQCVeULqsiQN36ewnjnFhBbN1C52EyDxTg93mdKtJcfijHlKc64EX--bhMrlqZ7CdLJ-UyjBqQNgC1tFYiTzO4FbLmzgBWuMVF6zH9YkaeLYB3gG3Z2QytTehh4yIOoeu2rSUmDHmQujUvS1GEQ4zLKP5N=s763" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="763" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRb5GMFWyh0c91odfzZUqsFXrmzvrC-agQCVeULqsiQN36ewnjnFhBbN1C52EyDxTg93mdKtJcfijHlKc64EX--bhMrlqZ7CdLJ-UyjBqQNgC1tFYiTzO4FbLmzgBWuMVF6zH9YkaeLYB3gG3Z2QytTehh4yIOoeu2rSUmDHmQujUvS1GEQ4zLKP5N=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsUeM0Rc1smk7iK96WLUsTyJvHvgJrb-Ycxkl0ce5Qi-EmruH3kmDzDPR31ylw9OW3gj2xWDEdN1IjEgHxZLMrP1rCdjMf4kCiBvUlLDDcpTk03JTFJCMV9tZhgNagZCXDXkmGolk-5y4jj_vthqHo-684xdModk4K8N-ptdLjCL2dLNZf0vERi9dI=s1075" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="1075" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsUeM0Rc1smk7iK96WLUsTyJvHvgJrb-Ycxkl0ce5Qi-EmruH3kmDzDPR31ylw9OW3gj2xWDEdN1IjEgHxZLMrP1rCdjMf4kCiBvUlLDDcpTk03JTFJCMV9tZhgNagZCXDXkmGolk-5y4jj_vthqHo-684xdModk4K8N-ptdLjCL2dLNZf0vERi9dI=w640-h316" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt Ponds<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-88975956267958868122022-02-25T08:31:00.000-08:002022-02-25T08:31:32.169-08:00The Curse of Danzante Reef / Carnage at Caleta Candeleros Chico<p class="MsoNormal"><br /> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbyfYN7LL_Z9ZIYIQT7yKORhj7TcG-9RoeNjQHLZONmUV9CkUglyb2PcWrV438gNViYBWvIkZj535LjdrSuFd3lunPJjJIdLDzEPd45OyQKMhjpFaCSLDKiiWt45XFssXFYtKycNry95KHXbxgK5-UIXBg8DxRT2M2n9j_DJc61QjZ41TZkJWvwliF=s1098" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="1098" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbyfYN7LL_Z9ZIYIQT7yKORhj7TcG-9RoeNjQHLZONmUV9CkUglyb2PcWrV438gNViYBWvIkZj535LjdrSuFd3lunPJjJIdLDzEPd45OyQKMhjpFaCSLDKiiWt45XFssXFYtKycNry95KHXbxgK5-UIXBg8DxRT2M2n9j_DJc61QjZ41TZkJWvwliF=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">San Juanico, what an amazing anchorage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two large monoliths of rock dominate the
northern anchorage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eastern one is a
succession of spires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The western is a
huge square block tilting a bit to the side, its top dotted with tall
single cacti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call it the birthday
cake because it looks like you pulled it out of the oven and one side fell a
bit and stuck candles in it anyway...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between these two monoliths is the
sweet spot of the anchorage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On shore are
sandy beaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A catamaran can anchor in
the shallow head of the bay near the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then between
the monoliths is room for another boat or two in 20 feet of water and further
out one or two more in 25 to 30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around
the other side there is room for a half dozen more. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg59Lq_1uzyzlilFWvjWLHNzJqag8-72rkttH9uK1kfQ39WEhJAvmBWMOVlLSGv9qay6mQc6wJt9xgCVZPUF0jTKJHSJFZ5r-kiWcYRywQ4P9Rl7YKadiloMYAt6Y9djI46AV-S4Qw49YWJIeMDcAuByRiPt1Kw8ShjCvxgotbeh0cAmswn_MLcUqCO=s1088" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="1088" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg59Lq_1uzyzlilFWvjWLHNzJqag8-72rkttH9uK1kfQ39WEhJAvmBWMOVlLSGv9qay6mQc6wJt9xgCVZPUF0jTKJHSJFZ5r-kiWcYRywQ4P9Rl7YKadiloMYAt6Y9djI46AV-S4Qw49YWJIeMDcAuByRiPt1Kw8ShjCvxgotbeh0cAmswn_MLcUqCO=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The north anchorage at San Juanico is protected from waves
and swell when the northerly wind is blowing down the Baja. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the wind “out there” is blowing at 20 to
25 knots, the wind in the bay can be blowing at 15 to 20 knots as it runs
across a low spot in the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this
part of the sea there is a hundred miles of fetch for the wind and waves to
build as they head south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further down
the coast, where there are more islands to break up the northerly wind and
waves, the sea is calmer and the winds concentrate in the center of the sea and
are lighter on the sides of the sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We hope as we travel south and stay close to shore we will
find relief from the strong northerlies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the meantime, we take care to move about in the morning when the wind
is lighter and to make sure we have a solid set on the anchor with plenty of scope on the
rode to keep our anchor from pulling free during the night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being the last boat to arrive, we were the ones furthest
from the beach, anchored in about 25 feet on a sand bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the late afternoon, when driving the
dinghy from the beach to the boat, the wind was up but the waves were tiny
building to medium then building to about a foot when we finally reached the
boat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One minute all is calm then as we
approach the boat, and turn upwind toward the boarding ladder, the waves start
crashing over the bow of the dinghy and we get soaked trying to get
aboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quickly get the motor off the
dinghy and haul the little boat aboard and the wind howls around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nepenthe yaws first to the starboard, showing her port side
to the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She comes up short on the
anchor chain, heels over a bit, then shakes it off and points into the wind
again only to fall off to port, showing her port side to the wind to come up
short again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In high winds, this goes on
and on until the sun sets and the wind calms down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This area of the Sea of Cortez is constantly battered by the
north wind in winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After looking at
various wind models we decided that as soon as the winds moderate, we’d head
south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile we were able to get to
shore to do a couple of hikes, one north to the next bay and another inland to
a little homestead with mules, goats, chickens, peacocks, and a turkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The family has some greenhouses out back and
sells produce to people camping on the beach and boaters anchored in the
Bahia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgopVMs1PRIGC7P30HdII6yoUWnnukN6gXzEf-m_Mc5s5-7v4OwEP2gq6QBlyTJ4CAC1YUprfC81mBDLin3tgNmMPxpWnc1_OZZUxOLkpJoFiBrNi4wXOTjJpUzcELhGI3mPTb829fVPCGhuVIlIjWfCz2PzDXJq9OUtAWLvHmKsivil8qGvOTp28S4=s1080" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1080" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgopVMs1PRIGC7P30HdII6yoUWnnukN6gXzEf-m_Mc5s5-7v4OwEP2gq6QBlyTJ4CAC1YUprfC81mBDLin3tgNmMPxpWnc1_OZZUxOLkpJoFiBrNi4wXOTjJpUzcELhGI3mPTb829fVPCGhuVIlIjWfCz2PzDXJq9OUtAWLvHmKsivil8qGvOTp28S4=w640-h358" width="640" /></a></span></p><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL0NIjqS646uoHvtPQsjyJc9YE7A9gIfL50l-euRRjQg0kRY3UgbM19_Dy__R4UhrLw1kTRfCM8x8wItgEIB2ScArR3S1vx-f3-H7pWRN3VBcMbfk6d0DkxDXKuxpOId8R23pJnQLitzLSUrwI21av4Xkhgbi5Q9-v9ptgn-ShrrwtGa7EF6RERpO4=s873" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="873" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL0NIjqS646uoHvtPQsjyJc9YE7A9gIfL50l-euRRjQg0kRY3UgbM19_Dy__R4UhrLw1kTRfCM8x8wItgEIB2ScArR3S1vx-f3-H7pWRN3VBcMbfk6d0DkxDXKuxpOId8R23pJnQLitzLSUrwI21av4Xkhgbi5Q9-v9ptgn-ShrrwtGa7EF6RERpO4=w640-h390" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We decided to take the next calm(ish) morning and run south
to Isla Coronados, 20 NM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
concerned that the engine was not starting easily and thought we had a fuel
problem and sure enough, that morning we had to crank the engine for quite a
while before it caught and ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Motoring
out of the bay we soon ran into large swells coming down from the north but not
much wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The strong winds that blew
most of last week left the sea state quite confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the boat tossing about, the headsail
would not stay full so we ran under bare poles with the engine pushing us at
about five knots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the western
anchorage of Isla Coronados we saw the sailboat Krishelle at anchor and it seemed
she was bucking about in the swell, so we proceeded through the channel around
to the south side of the island and anchored a few hundred yards off the shore
in about 25 feet of water with 150 feet of chain out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHt_CFw5IiAYAhDZK3ymQeDvF3Z7xoo7OTM-DS7wVonde8JC0YumK1QRfqYeeNkiO567av8QFCTiBMB2T5YVKk8mOdMvgtawmQUx86WsmQpgJUEUexYFS7bgzlfhd2k_ADP2kOIbwfxvu5E8nCrNZd3jus4OIAje5-YOU62G4hPXqPX8kRByD6j20R=s1014" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1014" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHt_CFw5IiAYAhDZK3ymQeDvF3Z7xoo7OTM-DS7wVonde8JC0YumK1QRfqYeeNkiO567av8QFCTiBMB2T5YVKk8mOdMvgtawmQUx86WsmQpgJUEUexYFS7bgzlfhd2k_ADP2kOIbwfxvu5E8nCrNZd3jus4OIAje5-YOU62G4hPXqPX8kRByD6j20R=w640-h374" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">As the wind built, we took the dinghy ashore, pulled her up
on the sandy beach, and started hiking towards the volcano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After an hour and a half or so we had
attained the ridge of a rocky spine within sight of the summit approach, the
wind was howling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were leaning into
it to keep our balance. Wow, these northers are strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad we anchored in the lee of the
island.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKI0-eqh9HQJmePcVQQyy3oxTeCPuQa9mSARDURIKJ0rw90otUWmoTq5qQ42d_pjdHtHtVpr68dwx7CzfNmCmoOvF8LYLYe62nU2XEMxon105qUf8_W2NlbKu7SlllxB5BLRc2SRYUM5L-AMwt4jAKJLRdI1vusTRHwmSDmSZDXaDHCD3DuiBzibJo=s608" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="453" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKI0-eqh9HQJmePcVQQyy3oxTeCPuQa9mSARDURIKJ0rw90otUWmoTq5qQ42d_pjdHtHtVpr68dwx7CzfNmCmoOvF8LYLYe62nU2XEMxon105qUf8_W2NlbKu7SlllxB5BLRc2SRYUM5L-AMwt4jAKJLRdI1vusTRHwmSDmSZDXaDHCD3DuiBzibJo=w477-h640" width="477" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volcano doesn't look very high in this shot but it certainly is a long slog.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fun factor falling quickly, Connie and I decided to
backtrack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen and Myron pushed
forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back at the landing we found
other cruisers in their dinghies and had some good conversations, nice to talk to
people with much in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later,
Noreen showed up and soon after that, Myron arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d made it to the top. She’d made it to the
final scree slope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie and I had made
it to the top many years ago and had been there and done that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember
it was a long hot slog on that spring day back in 2013.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next day the norther blew incessantly all day long so we
stayed put. We had a good cell signal from Loreto so we downloaded the manual
for the engine and read it thoroughly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It mentioned that the pre heater (glow plugs) should be used in cool and
cold temperatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned the ignition
to the left to activate the heater and counted to five before trying to start it
and, vualah! the engine cranked right up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in
San Carlos, when I asked Omar about using the preheater he said it was not
necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manual said
otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could it be that we were not
having fuel problems and that we merely needed more heat for the compression to
ignite the fuel?</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">'That next morning was calm so we decided to hightail it
south to Puerto Escondido.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the
preheat, the engine fired right up and off we went south down the wide channel
between Loreto and Isla Carmen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tried
flying the jib but again, the sea state would not cooperate and there was
absolutely no wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The motor pushed us
south at 6 knots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later the wind came up
a little…. Right on the nose of course, from the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About four hours later we rounded the corner
into Puerto Escondido, a natural harbor with a world class marina and four huge
power yachts tied up at the big outer dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We found a yellow mooring ball, hooked it, and took the dinghy into
the dock to pay the bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dollar a
foot for a mooring ball seemed a bit steep but hey, we’d been on the water now
for a week without spending any money so why not?</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioJF-mzb5XdbSja42MUQChWgXcNq42VRiKDyPVGDTyytStFkPi0UR3bNp6Ycqhdt1ncZSBUAGHkf6nUJJcO9Ij53dXYh5s1gwqTM0ZjDq6DJ89nApGA2RB9xQ4GvJItYN3SMS9xXVSM98ID0NnYVYxMCTsvAd95b_q9jTcxbXpflE7zlvaxVa0El1q=s813" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="813" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioJF-mzb5XdbSja42MUQChWgXcNq42VRiKDyPVGDTyytStFkPi0UR3bNp6Ycqhdt1ncZSBUAGHkf6nUJJcO9Ij53dXYh5s1gwqTM0ZjDq6DJ89nApGA2RB9xQ4GvJItYN3SMS9xXVSM98ID0NnYVYxMCTsvAd95b_q9jTcxbXpflE7zlvaxVa0El1q=w640-h445" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a mooring ball in Puerto Escondido<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">We were last here in May of 2014 on Traveler without a working
engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back then, Puerto Escondido was
a sad and strange place with crumbling infrastructure and not much of a
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See our blog entry from 8 years
ago <a href="http://traveleratsea.blogspot.com/2014/05/just-when-you-think-you-got-it-made.html" target="_blank">here</a>…. <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsGHM71iFRKp0MoUIRPAxAZKnIv8RQR2QJdIKAX6Isffb3JQadwDbwM3cfrc6Pj3KHBvGPs7KQFQ07MxbxcI7AvMaiL0d8zozOOxnn7n7ONa95aTZSLejQ8JeUXw1D1gLDOIskswgMNun91D1T91TjZQmloEzufU9lafTq_7atGKXmvPFnfYyJfJpq=s581" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="457" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsGHM71iFRKp0MoUIRPAxAZKnIv8RQR2QJdIKAX6Isffb3JQadwDbwM3cfrc6Pj3KHBvGPs7KQFQ07MxbxcI7AvMaiL0d8zozOOxnn7n7ONa95aTZSLejQ8JeUXw1D1gLDOIskswgMNun91D1T91TjZQmloEzufU9lafTq_7atGKXmvPFnfYyJfJpq=w504-h640" width="504" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">But now… the upscale marina complex, now privately owned, has a small grocery
store where we found fresh veggies and ordered a flat of eggs for the next
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rooftop café has good pizza and
nice wine so we spent our pesos with the crème of society and felt pretty swell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX-fCsgAkDMrzB34qDGHYkQF3gSkq_COfLetzHSPpfA33t3yIMEDBgnT8I95JDCJjXxMVhYW0VQT8D3SXr1m71qH-2GVtu37snERjDbmzZnB3qBxxf2MK-H_8H-3dacUg94EVEBid8FP9ZVcVkui0lKi4XfD__AbpWQMj5a2bLz2KrAynv7aI7oKaY=s601" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX-fCsgAkDMrzB34qDGHYkQF3gSkq_COfLetzHSPpfA33t3yIMEDBgnT8I95JDCJjXxMVhYW0VQT8D3SXr1m71qH-2GVtu37snERjDbmzZnB3qBxxf2MK-H_8H-3dacUg94EVEBid8FP9ZVcVkui0lKi4XfD__AbpWQMj5a2bLz2KrAynv7aI7oKaY=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Tabor Canyon, (Steinbeck), a 3km walk
from the marina was a nice diversion; an arroyo with large rocks that become
boulders and eventually sheer walls requiring a short rope climb up to where
the water would fall during summer monsoons into refreshing blue pools. Still,
the shallow puddles remaining provide some water for an occasional dragonfly,
and under the rocks you could hear the trickling sound of a once and soon to be
again raging river. After walking the donkey tracks along the side of highway
12 back to the marina we had hot showers! Making use of the internet, Noreen
and Myron found airline tickets to take them from LaPaz back to San Carlos at
the end of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the morning of
the 10<sup>th</sup>, we called ahead to the fuel dock to see if it was clear
for us to come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we prepped the
boat, let loose of the mooring ball, and powered in to take on diesel fuel and
fresh potable water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fuel attendant told us about the super yachts tied on
the outer dock, the insane amount of fuel they take on, requiring the marina to
bring in extra tanker trucks. The crew works for two weeks getting the yachts
ready for the owner who may or may not show up soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The super yacht dock is specially built with
power and fuel lines to service the massive ships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moonstone was one of the big yachts and it
had a support vessel, Shadow, of almost the same size that was filled with jet
skis, and smaller power vessels on deck with a massive crane to move them into
the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 20 person crew was
working tirelessly getting the two ships ready for departure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out of the harbor we yelled over
to one of the crew, “You should come with us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He replied, “I wish I could, “and turned back to his work scrubbing the
deck and shining the chrome. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj6kKv_JffQpbaxNtXWUMaGlPccCZCP5zgUw0_3Y75BFH9uHZ6doT_qRFsY88w1iXJULce_iF2BoUssSEMGgFxvTuv8wZiQVDcbeaMcKXwhwoZtsqkimFnpz3LhPru5tzCOU7_ZiA5tdXlSh0SrgLdO0NZGLuyU9zJ44_spqjc87PmAOpGZ95qNOdX=s608" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="337" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj6kKv_JffQpbaxNtXWUMaGlPccCZCP5zgUw0_3Y75BFH9uHZ6doT_qRFsY88w1iXJULce_iF2BoUssSEMGgFxvTuv8wZiQVDcbeaMcKXwhwoZtsqkimFnpz3LhPru5tzCOU7_ZiA5tdXlSh0SrgLdO0NZGLuyU9zJ44_spqjc87PmAOpGZ95qNOdX=w178-h320" width="178" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dead flat water found us heading south again towards Caleta
Candeleros Chico, a small cove only 10 NM south of Puerto Escondido. We passed
by the larger Bahia Candeleros where back in 2014 we had to sail in after
losing our engine navigating through Danzante Reef.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back then, our rebuilt Perkins 4108 started
making clunking noises as we approached the break in the reef; these things happen at the most inopportune moments it seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crankshaft was coming apart and that was
the end of that engine...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That experience
has left a scar on my psyche and now I fear this particular area of the Baja,
thinking it will bring nothing but bad luck.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As for little Caleta Candeleros Chico, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie and I had been there many years ago and
remembered it as feeling quite wild and quiet with lots of sea life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found our way into the tight entrance and
anchored in a sandy bottom, having the place to ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away, the dinghy went into the
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away the paddleboards were
inflated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon we were paddling around a
rocky islet and seeing striped fish, sea urchins, and sea stars in the rocky
shallows. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP2cR0tCRw-1mozJsMmRk23AH47zR-XoogyiayZ8MOHeeA-xoT4xyW0m5ACi99jzDNyoVSs5u4pknEvJ6VuG9qUG_-J1xgKzS2DXGAWppJA-3Ck6VDSDIxwOkEWZnAmlXyWYlHKbdngPgz31tWkEargeQB2DKxw0T2hcbgQa3aFtZ1S3nfJ5RurfOH=s612" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP2cR0tCRw-1mozJsMmRk23AH47zR-XoogyiayZ8MOHeeA-xoT4xyW0m5ACi99jzDNyoVSs5u4pknEvJ6VuG9qUG_-J1xgKzS2DXGAWppJA-3Ck6VDSDIxwOkEWZnAmlXyWYlHKbdngPgz31tWkEargeQB2DKxw0T2hcbgQa3aFtZ1S3nfJ5RurfOH=s320" width="179" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I was rowing the dinghy around as Connie and Noreen had the
paddle boards out for a spin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I came
around the rocky corner I looked ahead and saw Noreen lying prone on the paddle
board, her hat shading her face, floating in the clear blue water, in the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behind me, out on the point, Connie was also
lying on her board, gently drifting into the cove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, this is what we came here for. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, in the bottom of the refrigerator, the whole
chicken we bought a week ago was getting stinky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came aboard, rummaged around and pulled
her out, cut open the package and smelled the stink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overboard the chicken went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, when we were pulling up the dinghy,
the gang was peering into the clear water trying to make out what they were
seeing lying on the sandy bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
our chicken, perched on the sandy bottom, waiting for the crabs; chicken of the
sea…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Standing on the bow, I could look down into 20 foot of clear
water and clearly see the anchor chain looping around the sandy bottom and the
anchor itself with one of its flukes dug into the sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A group of striped fish lurked in the shadow
of Nepenthe and a half dozen puffer fish were nosing the anchor chain.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Later, after dinner in the fading light, some pangas came
into the bay and the bright orange and lime green clad fishermen hauled out big
manta rays from the boat and tossed them on the beach where they cleaned them
with machetes, tossing the center parts and guts into the water and the meaty
wings into tubs before zooming off into the darkness. We later learned that
these fishermen had caught turtles, manta rays, and hammerhead sharks in their
nets and had come by this remote bay to process the catch out of sight of the
authorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrEVqnOgj-6tqv6o-TNzXCKm11FmRHdfbtMjWEBVCwKvtuAy4Wl1JYeuIyho9fDh6dAWTjjXbh2M2LV1rrAMiU2S74ubKF1gSD2KM-AqtUkZoq2IbZevIeXifB5Va3h8sYUQYfalFJvSUjtR8-mYpZo9rnqoz7v4BOpDjeItG-L7RAYyzi_ZGega_-=s1027" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1027" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrEVqnOgj-6tqv6o-TNzXCKm11FmRHdfbtMjWEBVCwKvtuAy4Wl1JYeuIyho9fDh6dAWTjjXbh2M2LV1rrAMiU2S74ubKF1gSD2KM-AqtUkZoq2IbZevIeXifB5Va3h8sYUQYfalFJvSUjtR8-mYpZo9rnqoz7v4BOpDjeItG-L7RAYyzi_ZGega_-=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manta ray carcasses<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning the carcasses were exposed at low tide and
the seagulls and turkey buzzards were having a feast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The frigate birds swooped around stealing
food from everyone while the pelicans dived for the little fish that were
attracted to all the excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
crew is all in agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the
carnage, we like this place. I think we’ll stay here another day.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_wI6_7YBNpLkwLpswmAadioioQ186A_8qvkJPiSEaPBN3d5TNHcnnWtkTpIkOS5B0atvtAVl6n-3_tuXSXqZp9zBpp2nC4QI-h4nOBnzLw9OKtGKJfjCFP1EXKv5AwFKz5aPsdp1NvNnvij-REngpG986iyK6PtERbzZfpUr-ZFPVFbCRIV84zVSv=s1070" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="1070" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_wI6_7YBNpLkwLpswmAadioioQ186A_8qvkJPiSEaPBN3d5TNHcnnWtkTpIkOS5B0atvtAVl6n-3_tuXSXqZp9zBpp2nC4QI-h4nOBnzLw9OKtGKJfjCFP1EXKv5AwFKz5aPsdp1NvNnvij-REngpG986iyK6PtERbzZfpUr-ZFPVFbCRIV84zVSv=w640-h340" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And we did. And we enjoyed another peaceful day. And the
poachers came back at dusk with another 40 murdered manta rays and cut them up
on the beach.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieyuJ84d-gepUJCnCwotf0Um6_DrQvkq3lCQFUwY5Y8orwOLM497wfDsSsT9Uoc8smi_cGMBXzoRVhNf50duvPTn2LFm5dB2DX_ml_O5BDX2doVCheNtLE-r-CIR2p5RA4MYsnatNn-fb1NNfH0H5rpf1XW9pfbM4Nra1-tL1C0chOQUM22u3OuwE_=s1076" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1076" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieyuJ84d-gepUJCnCwotf0Um6_DrQvkq3lCQFUwY5Y8orwOLM497wfDsSsT9Uoc8smi_cGMBXzoRVhNf50duvPTn2LFm5dB2DX_ml_O5BDX2doVCheNtLE-r-CIR2p5RA4MYsnatNn-fb1NNfH0H5rpf1XW9pfbM4Nra1-tL1C0chOQUM22u3OuwE_=w640-h324" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning after an orange sunrise, Connie bought a
fish off of an old guy and grandson in a panga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We cleaned it on the beach then prepped the boat for departure. Myron
took the wheel and Noreen pulled up the anchor and we headed out into deep
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie popped her head up,
“Something does not sound right down here.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1YfdyfPQSUegDdASWHTURW7NYRAPYh4fWmzMbIHLETJz2gEPkkhdDIduDchTQyQ-1d3iCmLRmQjsORIRweW_E_A5Nai9vn3QnYY03Ig2d-t6gk5gdra0-CHKZ3u5jXfYP1uf4gQ4raLunS9br4Y8laWoxAUyc_bVCj1iQ5WT5scJ85A4fAtVQGBsZ=s1083" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1083" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1YfdyfPQSUegDdASWHTURW7NYRAPYh4fWmzMbIHLETJz2gEPkkhdDIduDchTQyQ-1d3iCmLRmQjsORIRweW_E_A5Nai9vn3QnYY03Ig2d-t6gk5gdra0-CHKZ3u5jXfYP1uf4gQ4raLunS9br4Y8laWoxAUyc_bVCj1iQ5WT5scJ85A4fAtVQGBsZ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I looked into the engine compartment and saw a bit of water
dripping from a raw water hose and below that, I could see the raw water pump
on the front of the engine flopping side to side as if it was coming loose from
where it is attached to the pulley and crankshaft. “Myron, turn the boat
around. We’re going <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>back in to
anchor.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned the boat around and
Connie went to the bow to get the anchor ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Slowly we crept back in and dropped the hook in 25 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The curse of Danzante Reef had struck again!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All day long Myron and I worked on the raw water pump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first we thought the bracket was faulty so
we re-engineered it to hold better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After starting the engine we realized that the pump was still flopping
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we took everything apart
again and removed the impeller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we
attacked the four rusty bolts that held the coupler to the flywheel pulley and
after copious amounts of WD-40 got those off to finally see the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The coupler has a hole with a keyway that
accepts the water pump shaft that has its own keyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That key was worn down and loose and had wallowed out the coupler keyway
so the whole thing was a sloppy fit. We needed a new coupler and key. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRxA2anZRwaU4HvhrbKbqix7reGHgigIfkKiZ_rA4CXKaPWayejGV4FCWDHc1qLC3sdUhzOi1ohd0nqe9NdAAX7EaUWDQCGtgBzt8AAPZP4hvbLKlEqMY5dkcSo-0b5JqzKzr7ZE8kRkoDUTZmNXuatlxcXAMqDT9tzNlt4CFnPyh8aOiZLnV2-0af=s653" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="653" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRxA2anZRwaU4HvhrbKbqix7reGHgigIfkKiZ_rA4CXKaPWayejGV4FCWDHc1qLC3sdUhzOi1ohd0nqe9NdAAX7EaUWDQCGtgBzt8AAPZP4hvbLKlEqMY5dkcSo-0b5JqzKzr7ZE8kRkoDUTZmNXuatlxcXAMqDT9tzNlt4CFnPyh8aOiZLnV2-0af=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>We found a spare key in a toolbox and cut it
to size and filed it down to make it fit, reassembled the whole thing and started the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In seconds, the water pump wallowed its way
off the coupler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, we disassembled
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Connie pulled out the accordion, Noreen pulled out a book. </span>Myron and I set about
re-engineering the bracket that holds the pump from rotating, we found a brass
threaded plug and screwed it in then using seizing wire, wired the thing
together to prevent the water pump from moving forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we took a clothes hanger, ( yes, a wire clothes hanger ) and secured the
other side of the pump so there was no way that water pump could walk its way
off that coupler. By that time it was happy hour so we tested our work and
called it good for the day. Another night in paradise.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwPWQdwTx14HOoxmr2D-89Qxfa_Hi-5jX32nSVhGua98bGm4TjuBFPMYEjDaY1Nzn2KFYJRgwlktLAxByjp2mw164DUWvxUw2plRHDLH3xJJLy-u1lsmqYbDpW8OCp9MXgzbRpGumBahxxVMfwQrHNv1nfhNT9YY88D34Rrup44Kd_nErZxHSFFyeU=s1087" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1087" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwPWQdwTx14HOoxmr2D-89Qxfa_Hi-5jX32nSVhGua98bGm4TjuBFPMYEjDaY1Nzn2KFYJRgwlktLAxByjp2mw164DUWvxUw2plRHDLH3xJJLy-u1lsmqYbDpW8OCp9MXgzbRpGumBahxxVMfwQrHNv1nfhNT9YY88D34Rrup44Kd_nErZxHSFFyeU=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></div>Rounding the corner at Candeleros Chico. This rock is called "The hand of God". See the hand?<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The next morning we tested everything and decided that we’d
just take it a day at a time and head south towards la Paz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If our bailing wire solution would hold out
for a week, then we’d be in la Paz where we could order a new coupler or maybe
have one made at a local machine shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With trepidation we rounded the corner at Bahia Candeleros Chico and
headed south towards Bahia Agua Verde.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe, just maybe, the Curse of Danzante Reef was finally giving us a
break.</p>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-19823683081013541452022-02-07T13:49:00.001-08:002022-02-07T13:49:20.266-08:00Landfall at San Juanico<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0w7hWhJCWW0qPWBnD2bp7i_TuCfKGQcHks8PbWwXEshlbqMFWfkEuHkeL6REBVqW0_BWhm_kaBpJC7XAHWSd6gytY3ToMK1qTQAhgZUCMwO5Cf2LOXpjzvJ81K5MG01oPY-hyphBcudHku31_PUxWGO2E0tR39VC6zbFEHAu5mOcvHk1AXF2hhIQZ=s1098" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="1098" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0w7hWhJCWW0qPWBnD2bp7i_TuCfKGQcHks8PbWwXEshlbqMFWfkEuHkeL6REBVqW0_BWhm_kaBpJC7XAHWSd6gytY3ToMK1qTQAhgZUCMwO5Cf2LOXpjzvJ81K5MG01oPY-hyphBcudHku31_PUxWGO2E0tR39VC6zbFEHAu5mOcvHk1AXF2hhIQZ=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Landfall on the south beach at Bahia San Juanico<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">It was Friday January 28, and we’d been in San Carlos,
Sonora, Mexico for 100 long days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We felt
that it was darn time we went to sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
sure Nepenthe was, but, boy howdy, we were ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d replaced or repaired almost everything
that could or did break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nepenthe had
successfully left the marina and returned safely three times, not a very
extensive shake down but it would just have to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The engine was running properly (for
now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sails seemed to be fine (for
now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The standing rigging and running
rigging were holding their own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had
refrigeration and a working stove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
we didn’t have is a working autopilot. But we did have a wind vane steering
system that appeared to be set up properly.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Noreen and Myron on their 20 foot Pacific Seacraft Flicka,
Sweethaven,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were finishing up last
minute projects and we agreed to take the next weather window opportunity for
both boats to cross over together to the west side of the Gulfo de California,
an overnight passage of 90 nautical miles.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While in the midst of provisioning and doing last minute
checks, the crew on Sweethaven found a thru hull fitting under the port side
berth that was weeping seawater through the seal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A leak
around the bronze base could indicate a weakness in the fiberglass/adhesive
joint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being prudent sailors, they
decided to scrap their plans to cross over with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best course of action was to haul out the
vessel and repair or replace some or all the seacock fittings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a huge disappointment to everyone
and seemed like a repeat of some of the problems we’d had with Nepenthe’s thru
hulls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Noreen came over to break the news to us and after hearing
her story and seeing how upset she was, my suggestion was that she should have
a stiff drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever more practical,
Connie suggested that she and Myron just pack up all their stuff, come aboard
Nepenthe, and cross the sea with us. Connie looked at me and said, “What do you
think?” Her eyebrow went up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen gave
me a look of despair tinged with a glimmer of hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took two seconds then I was sold on the
prospect of inviting them aboard.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then my mind started tallying up the benefits of having more
crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capt. Scott would not have to stay
up half the night hand steering (no autopilot) his six hour shift on the
crossing. We could split it up into four shifts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capt. Scott would now have a Bosn’s mate to
haul on halyards, reef the main, and hoist the dinghy on deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capt. Scott would have another experienced navigator
on board to help keep us on track and off the rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More importantly, Capt. Scott could lounge on
deck while the extra crew did half the cooking and cleaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the invite, Noreen insisted that we sleep
on the decision and wait until the morning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Saturday, Noreen and Myron came over and we signed them onto
the crew roster then all four of us set out on a busy schedule to arrange all
necessary dunnage from Sweethaven to be parceled, packed, and transported to
Nepenthe where we were kept busy reorganizing our storage to accommodate more
gear and provisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myron kept wheeling
over crates of provisions and Connie kept stuffing things in cubby holes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent time figuring out the Fleming wind
vane steering mechanism and running all sorts of lines and pulleys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hoisted the main sail multiple times,
getting the reefing lines set properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The dinghy came on deck and we made ready to sail. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Monday, the 31st, little Sweethaven, robbed of her
provisions was motored to the landing, hauled out of the water with a big
crane, and set on her trailer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
towed to the storage yard and sadly left on her own to think about her weeping
thru hull fitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor Sweethaven,
abandoned and forlorn.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That same Monday, the last day we had reservations at the
marina, Scott and Connie were heading up to the restrooms (in a hurry) only to
find the gate locked and their key cards inactive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the heck?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found fellow B dock boaters to get us
through the gates then I went to the office to pay our bill and complain about
them turning off our card access eight hours before we were scheduled to
leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sorry sir, it’s the way the
system works.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evidently, marina
management has decided that losing your key card access will motivate you to
come to the office to pay the bill. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKrwTE_7aH_m5x91rBAsTZ4SZ-6WCp5hmFPtVXZtAzHPHbuiakCC1PVJXAk-15kZNPm9GhT3Z-N8_riL1vJK1TmVMeTK5n0psZpYCt23-F0sfWSXPf0if65D16jqJv19m4qIdvlhUhTqkNtpmbu34dErw8KjfRR7Fi5rsv-DFQfaLHhRcvuVBYeT-G=s1091" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="1091" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKrwTE_7aH_m5x91rBAsTZ4SZ-6WCp5hmFPtVXZtAzHPHbuiakCC1PVJXAk-15kZNPm9GhT3Z-N8_riL1vJK1TmVMeTK5n0psZpYCt23-F0sfWSXPf0if65D16jqJv19m4qIdvlhUhTqkNtpmbu34dErw8KjfRR7Fi5rsv-DFQfaLHhRcvuVBYeT-G=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myron, Noreen, Scott<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clearly it was time for us to leave the dock, leave the overly
structured environment where if you leave your dinghy on the dock for ten
minutes a guard will come make you move it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If your little boat dog gets off leash on the dock then it’s a $100
fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sanding, no painting, no
grinding, no fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand we
got free loud music Thursday through Sunday nights from Hammerhead’s Bar in the
marina complex.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a whirlwind of activity, the crew of Sweenhaven joined
the crew of Nepenthe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We reviewed
halyards and reefing lines and emergency procedures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this time it was 2 PM and the afternoon winds
where building from the west, roaring through the hills and funneling directly
to our slip on B dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were lucky
enough to have a slip with dock fingers on both sides of the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We threw off the dock lines and I started to
drive forward out of the slip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind
was 10 degrees off our starboard bow so as I tried to exit the slip, the wind
caught the bow of the boat and pushed it into the port side pylon. Myron was
wrestling with the bow line that had the full force of the wind and the full
weight of Nepenthe on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to exit
to port, otherwise I could have just accelerated out of the slip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To port was the parking lot. To starboard was
the open fairway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noreen was pushing off
with all her might and Connie was on the dock pulling the bow line for all she
was worth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bumped her back into the
slip to try again. Second attempt, same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the third attempt we got her bow just to the right of the wind stream
and I gunned the engine and we blasted out of the slip, leaving behind white
paint on the pylons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh my gosh, we were
finally escaping the grip of San Carlos.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that time the sea
state was in white caps and the wind was whistling through the rigging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I clinched my teeth and sphincter and hoped
the engine didn’t die on me while plunging out of a tight marina flanked with
million dollar boats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out in the bay I
worked her windward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now at least if the
engine failed, we could drop an anchor and hope for the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the engine didn’t fail and we made it out
of the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie and crew wrestled
the mainsail off the boom and raised it with two reefs in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we rolled out the genoa halfway,
switched off the engine and started sailing around the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL18ru4u_dS7I4T_Gm4h9bi87VPIaEv5rAcXJ_hQQ-6SiLxAfQG1zGfJsbmAzhDBkm0zxzrfwl8hOK159WV8gh_1VbuSMLg5yYINSZwOed9bvQlZIwNWcHWp1oWFLma5FX1qNQiMFDG5HDlT8dq3Al33j9I8GAV5ZTtJ9167jhGU_dTta2TMypkHXg=s836" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="836" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL18ru4u_dS7I4T_Gm4h9bi87VPIaEv5rAcXJ_hQQ-6SiLxAfQG1zGfJsbmAzhDBkm0zxzrfwl8hOK159WV8gh_1VbuSMLg5yYINSZwOed9bvQlZIwNWcHWp1oWFLma5FX1qNQiMFDG5HDlT8dq3Al33j9I8GAV5ZTtJ9167jhGU_dTta2TMypkHXg=w640-h458" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We finally made it out to sea<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span>Once the full force of the afternoon breeze hit us we were
heeled over fairly nicely and taking three foot rollers on the starboard
bow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After letting the mainsheet out,
she came more upright but still had quite a bit of weather helm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the boat was rigged for three reefs in
the main, this current mainsail only had two reefs installed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right off the bat we were wishing we had that
third reef.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hand sailed for the first
hour and the sea quietened down a little bit as we made six knots heading south
at 180 degrees magnetic. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our first choice of a landfall had been Bahia Concepcion as
it was the shortest crossing at 78 nautical miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time of the year the normal wind
pattern in the Sea is for strong northerlies with infrequent calms that last a
day or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a prediction of two
relatively calm days followed by a week of high winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did we want to be trapped in Bahia Concepcion
for a week or should be try to run south a bit more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We choose to add another 12 miles to our
route and make our landfall 45 miles further down the coast at San
Juanico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is confusing ( how
adding 12 miles will take us 45 miles further south) then you need to review
some geometry of vectors and triangles. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I turned the helm over to the first mate… Connie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tried using the Fleming wind vane to
steer the boat but with the wind on the stern quarter, and too much weather
helm, it was difficult for it to keep a course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We turned over the helm to Noreen and Myron at 6 PM and grabbed a quick
snack as we sailed into the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They took the first two, three hour shifts: 6 to 9 and 9 to midnight and
Connie and I took the opportunity to lie down to rest up for our early morning
shifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie took the helm at midnight
and an exhausted Noreen and Myron flopped down to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the sea state somewhat settled and the
wind calmed, Connie was able to convince the Fleming vane to do the work as she
watched it perform until 3 in the morning when I woke to the sound of the jib
being rolled up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this time the wind
had completely dropped and it was time to motor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my shift and motored into the night
toward Bahia San Juanico, getting startled by the morning star ( a planet )
rising on the port side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it
was a boat headed our way or an island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After checking the chart I proceeded south and watched the dawn approach
in the east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By sunrise, Connie was back
on deck and she sent me below for a nap as she and the rest of the crew motored
to the entrance to the bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 10 AM we
dropped the anchor in the southern portion of the bay and put out 120 feet of
chain in 17 feet of water on a sandy bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Breakfast then naps for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had a lazy day of it, getting our wits together after a rough night. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuoWyTgjlqFXUSWst7C-BSGjdaZZNxep2w2vM2n6PPdRrGbC8_zl4qse15Zip7Iju01E0EJ4b3nlysgYcfCCxjpjquvjOKil3bSVlhBFC7gw0Hro0wwysU620pogEOQzrc7JRbVwDVLLt2M88gTClyK1HOjip8foCLV1kUzZSRIujfLju58Kn-DrwJ=s691" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="691" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuoWyTgjlqFXUSWst7C-BSGjdaZZNxep2w2vM2n6PPdRrGbC8_zl4qse15Zip7Iju01E0EJ4b3nlysgYcfCCxjpjquvjOKil3bSVlhBFC7gw0Hro0wwysU620pogEOQzrc7JRbVwDVLLt2M88gTClyK1HOjip8foCLV1kUzZSRIujfLju58Kn-DrwJ=w640-h556" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking the dirt road above the northern anchorage at Bahia San Juanico<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, refreshed and energized, we launched the
dinghy, mounted the little electric motor and made our way to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a gorgeous place!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocky outcroppings, sandy beaches, blue sky
and clear blue/green water. This is what the doctor ordered. This is why we
labored for three months getting the boat ready. We had arrived.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After our hike the north wind started up, as we knew it
would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were a little late getting the
dinghy launched from the beach so we had a wet slog back to the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing just how fast the wind can come
up and how fast a calm bay can turn into a churning confusion of white capped
waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our south anchorage at Bahia San
Juanico was well protected from the southerly wind but certainly not from the
north wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we were on a lee shore
and needed to move a mile north to that protected anchorage.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Connie turned on the windlass and the depth sounder and I
cranked the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did not start. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cranked again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope. Here we were on a lee shore and a five
day howling norther on the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
those big smiles turned to frowns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We previously had a problem with the engine not being able
to maintain its fuel supply without the auxiliary electric fuel pump running
but Omar finally got the system working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or at least we thought he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remembering that, I popped down below and turned on the fuel pump,
hoping it would prime the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could hear the pump come up to pressure. Then I tried the starter again and
finally she fired up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get off this lee shore.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With Connie on the bow directing me at the helm, we ran up
to the anchor and brought in 120 foot of chain with a big fat 70 pound plow
anchor attached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Into the spray we
plunged and headed north toward a little flock of six other sailboats anchored
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found a spot in 20 feet with a
sand bottom and set the anchor with 150 feet of chain out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the anchor roller about five feet above
the water our total depth was 25 feet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a ratio of 6 to 1, which is pretty
conservative for an all chain rode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
felt safe.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Noreen and Myron had brought along an InReach device that
uses a satellite network to provide text based communications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They set about figuring out how that thing
worked and soon had a weather forecast for the next three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least three days of 15 to 20 knot winds
from the north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looks like we’re staying
put for a while.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieUqtKPr9FGewd_84yB2WYR1p9hfGCbzhds8hWknOxHy7ejPqat75d8MuYiU9kddcz8cPcn5dH81iwfkq1rhX-x18HzsXYMgkQx8BqpgPUHrLFGPjsqpBz-VDvypEjwHkKDe67iOHf3fRVhTRhmofynFM3egc1h0ChqT-C5POUgOlI_nJP9sAagUTh=s1037" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1037" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieUqtKPr9FGewd_84yB2WYR1p9hfGCbzhds8hWknOxHy7ejPqat75d8MuYiU9kddcz8cPcn5dH81iwfkq1rhX-x18HzsXYMgkQx8BqpgPUHrLFGPjsqpBz-VDvypEjwHkKDe67iOHf3fRVhTRhmofynFM3egc1h0ChqT-C5POUgOlI_nJP9sAagUTh=w640-h368" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>Note: Not a lot of pictures in this blog entry. We've got them on various devices but are having problems getting them transferred here. So you get what you get... and don't pitch a fit. SV<br /><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-75248843954759879902022-01-30T19:40:00.002-08:002022-01-30T19:40:41.735-08:00<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7uEUhiVci49admpkGv-4hR5Ktk2sUc9zvKrcE1I5t_oksDD7L88_Bs3uHt3V6t-Eo1-iWoqPfIcEOy6eI2MgiGOutVe1_Q5W1paFuQpoGqm0XUFy7F6V6_YLAM6wU3KAakEPz0dhC0LBZ08PcKZpyL3aJqHJW8GUG2nccBim955CYTQmlj26V3zWq=s1083" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="1083" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7uEUhiVci49admpkGv-4hR5Ktk2sUc9zvKrcE1I5t_oksDD7L88_Bs3uHt3V6t-Eo1-iWoqPfIcEOy6eI2MgiGOutVe1_Q5W1paFuQpoGqm0XUFy7F6V6_YLAM6wU3KAakEPz0dhC0LBZ08PcKZpyL3aJqHJW8GUG2nccBim955CYTQmlj26V3zWq=w640-h330" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bahia San Pedro Anchorage<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To continue with our saga of boat projects we pick it up with our third haul out. It went as planned for once. Francisco Navarez, also known as Coyote or Pancho arrived as agreed and he and his buddy started right in replacing two thru hulls and adding an extra one in the galley. Day one, they removed the old stuff and got the holes in the hull just right. Day two they installed the thru hull mushroom fittings and the sea cocks and connected all the hoses. Since they finished early I had them replace the raw water pump on the engine with a new one that I'd ordered from the states. We stayed in the yard an extra day to give the 4200 adhesive time to cure properly. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-PY1mDa0_0EjRXZPeQdqLxLFY2FvJomqemy4S-VZiA7q1YEFuDuOCvPk3HE5g1lhx8yu_OwuyAep_y3mCPFILJ03kza6yFFtPmloW7NCSSe9bihj4suHjU92oyLTETuMZU_yehlAowCO7lHpyAtyU4G-U3o9hzrw0z7szJio_qhTYthUrOC_PvMLM=s1081" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1081" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-PY1mDa0_0EjRXZPeQdqLxLFY2FvJomqemy4S-VZiA7q1YEFuDuOCvPk3HE5g1lhx8yu_OwuyAep_y3mCPFILJ03kza6yFFtPmloW7NCSSe9bihj4suHjU92oyLTETuMZU_yehlAowCO7lHpyAtyU4G-U3o9hzrw0z7szJio_qhTYthUrOC_PvMLM=w640-h330" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully we are done with pictures of broken parts and nasty work. So all the pictures here are of the scenic beauty of Bahia San Pedro<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>While in the yard we had <span class="JtukPc"><span aria-level="1" id="rAECCd" role="heading">Manuel Reyes come by with his diesel jugs and filters. He removed all the old diesel fuel that had been aboard for years. We could tell by the color of the fuel that it was coming apart... loosing its " juice." With both tanks empty, we decided to just stop using the starboard tank as it has a crack and leaks. That's a project waiting for a future fix. I made a couple of trips to the fuel station and brought about 40 liters of diesel for the port side tank. Clean fuel, new water pump, new sea cocks. We were looking good for a January 21 launch.</span></span> </p><p>No problems at the launch, no problems getting to the dock. Things were looking up!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBcmLp0OGC258K0H0JU0pYIAfTywv9ed86MdFJUnDibP8BWBaSmix63hLF4sKU_Qr4KfF7U5XrWgBe7WoVcR-uGY5NIe9Q4P_ttcV2TugnHP7ilboXFJajauqpR6HGiZdjEVsVZSYdEnmSGTtX0_vr9ZAS8Cge17GFzmxwuXQTXlDUbaZeLiCEvrbB=s1085" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1085" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBcmLp0OGC258K0H0JU0pYIAfTywv9ed86MdFJUnDibP8BWBaSmix63hLF4sKU_Qr4KfF7U5XrWgBe7WoVcR-uGY5NIe9Q4P_ttcV2TugnHP7ilboXFJajauqpR6HGiZdjEVsVZSYdEnmSGTtX0_vr9ZAS8Cge17GFzmxwuXQTXlDUbaZeLiCEvrbB=w640-h358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Launch Friday. Clean up the boat Saturday. Go out on a sea trial Sunday. We cruised around the inner bay, starting and stopping and checking the engine. Then we headed out into the Sea and got the sails up, turned the engine off and IT WAS MAGIC. We tacked back and forth running east towards Miramar. As the afternoon winds filled in the boat started healing and by about 4 PM we were over canvassed. Items below came crashing down on the floor and we hung on for dear life as Nepenthe heeled over, driving through the waves and swell. She held her own and proved she was seaworthy with dry decks in four foot rollers and 20 knots of wind. We fought down the sails and motored back to the dock where our dock buddies helped us squeeze into her slip. </p><p>Sea Trial: Successful <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7buCT6LDTpZpBZSFTmxOjVHrE9o8GSt7PQ-j5gOTOGUDxXLldj6P2Pj0XQkSd3f_NbqgGnZrRbfJS64KBe1bL9HESfrWj1pY1kzRInwWpnugzJzQ1YfIAwlt3tc04Gw-2mJwqH5ZIVGHJHSzijatu2bYbmeVYf2PhRVVbSxuQ7EeKcrrFCQMrvRIJ=s1089" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1089" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7buCT6LDTpZpBZSFTmxOjVHrE9o8GSt7PQ-j5gOTOGUDxXLldj6P2Pj0XQkSd3f_NbqgGnZrRbfJS64KBe1bL9HESfrWj1pY1kzRInwWpnugzJzQ1YfIAwlt3tc04Gw-2mJwqH5ZIVGHJHSzijatu2bYbmeVYf2PhRVVbSxuQ7EeKcrrFCQMrvRIJ=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Haven motoring north to Bahia San Pedro<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>The next trial would be an overnight cruise. Fifteen nautical miles north is a small bay named Bahia San Pedro. After we put out the word that we'd be going there on Wednesday for an overnight, we had three other boats decide to join us. Sweet Haven, Juguete, and Kia Ora. The winds here in the winter blow constantly from the north, often times creating 4 to 8 foot wave trains. On Wednesday, the rough seas subsided and we were able to motor and sail and then motor some more north to Bahia San Pedro. We dropped anchor in 20 feet with a sand bottom and immediately got the dinghy in the water and went ashore. The bay is only accessed by water and has no development so it's truly a wild natural place. Wonderful shells and bird bones on the beach, wind swept rocks and spiny cactus. And quiet... oh so quiet. </p><p>This is what we came here for. This is why we wanted a boat in Mexico. We just want to anchor in a sandy bay, do some hiking, paddle around, sit on deck and watch the sun set. Then sleep in a dense quiet to awaken in a natural place where I can sit with my hot tea and watch the light change on the water as Connie paddles the board around the bay. We have arrived!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7A7gTy3kr2WudtJp3s6LV_mf3XXG30ttbnDCehqi7ShsCSQ-Nj-GSyu8osJGhamLnD9Lb6rFqRIdMUJBIVaxFbZeH-O2h9frFwm9sla4Ki33BVNYE31x2OLyjBrU_Zb6dTgaFd4SHb9KUK4r11-ECTaWDn-8Zr1PgMm3gGtB8CD0OVb55R4fdWZBx=s1086" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="1086" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7A7gTy3kr2WudtJp3s6LV_mf3XXG30ttbnDCehqi7ShsCSQ-Nj-GSyu8osJGhamLnD9Lb6rFqRIdMUJBIVaxFbZeH-O2h9frFwm9sla4Ki33BVNYE31x2OLyjBrU_Zb6dTgaFd4SHb9KUK4r11-ECTaWDn-8Zr1PgMm3gGtB8CD0OVb55R4fdWZBx=w640-h362" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The run south back to San Carlos became a little bouncy as the afternoon winds piped up. We made it back to the dock in windy conditions and I bumped the bow pulpit on the pylon coming into the slip. Little Sweet Haven ( with Noreen and Myron aboard) made it back just fine but had a topsy turvy time of it out there in the big swell. </p><p>Now it's time to think about crossing the Golfo de California and experience the wonderful little anchorages that run from north to south down the east coast of Baja. We checked the wind models and found a two day respite from the north wind on Monday and Tuesday. Tonight we are having our last night at the dock and tomorrow we leave San Carlos and head out into a 20 hour crossing of the Sea, arriving in Punta Pulpita sometime in the morning on Tuesday. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMbjbUgt-oIYvS4ZjrxaLgiHsDXmkZ3EWuR-0FgzgXNq-94pXwc7eTP4K4c3sHUxPyOkvQ5Fas4nqM13282mvl7PuKXW6Y9Z-kYLD8-0ue6mdAzR4JUiGmSNCZqacs096NKmw6y9eT6uFFiwHJLu5yTTaIsNUEKCo4y1YckXiYvGq5zjBWpU5j9SJa=s1036" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1036" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMbjbUgt-oIYvS4ZjrxaLgiHsDXmkZ3EWuR-0FgzgXNq-94pXwc7eTP4K4c3sHUxPyOkvQ5Fas4nqM13282mvl7PuKXW6Y9Z-kYLD8-0ue6mdAzR4JUiGmSNCZqacs096NKmw6y9eT6uFFiwHJLu5yTTaIsNUEKCo4y1YckXiYvGq5zjBWpU5j9SJa=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Sweet Haven has sprung a little leak. We know how that goes.... So Noreen and Myron have decided to haul her out of the water and put her in storage. And now they will be joining us on Nepenthe to provide crew and company. After some hectic packing and provisioning we are almost ready for a 1 PM departure tomorrow. Connie and I are soooo.... ready to get out there on the water. It's been a long slog, getting this boat ready but we are in good spirits and looking forward to having a nice relaxing "vacation" on the water. No mechanics to deal with, no parts being shipped, no boat yoga moves trying to install things in tight places. Just water and sky. Wish us well. And don't jinx it! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEIpdLSweHfgJRK_qP_T-_oE3q2jYk4eOHx-BO9vtX14J7EUGWHT1165dgPiUM796WJoF45XKzOqZwoKr7rN-Hs0TspLypWvB3nSGnUvMcXptH86d2o4p6tbfsSjghATrZQ48e0AfDWduH8ViOXcLOW9lye2fu1eNSQTPSu1Dv_QrPgsLJBqyrkE4B=s1088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1088" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEIpdLSweHfgJRK_qP_T-_oE3q2jYk4eOHx-BO9vtX14J7EUGWHT1165dgPiUM796WJoF45XKzOqZwoKr7rN-Hs0TspLypWvB3nSGnUvMcXptH86d2o4p6tbfsSjghATrZQ48e0AfDWduH8ViOXcLOW9lye2fu1eNSQTPSu1Dv_QrPgsLJBqyrkE4B=w640-h362" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-31736918305594019052022-01-09T17:18:00.000-08:002022-01-09T17:18:58.372-08:00Super Pelicanos<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAt90mMyrexEFueHPXUOVu1OW2f26cN-z2PfPDASXASa_rEAJHeAaITVcpaMcs58mnnra-YjW1vMuzMzMrRxA8BF57mXJbpYCnMed_s_e46J7l9dxaV7pFx8Dk6MLKkuJWslmsmBW-zUt3Ct9R5G6aVL9b8c0JYuPST0ryZZwy-JaI1wEqezUnbmEO=s814" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="814" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAt90mMyrexEFueHPXUOVu1OW2f26cN-z2PfPDASXASa_rEAJHeAaITVcpaMcs58mnnra-YjW1vMuzMzMrRxA8BF57mXJbpYCnMed_s_e46J7l9dxaV7pFx8Dk6MLKkuJWslmsmBW-zUt3Ct9R5G6aVL9b8c0JYuPST0ryZZwy-JaI1wEqezUnbmEO=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Squadron of Pelicanos<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> The marina here in San Carlos provides habitat for little bait fish who swarm under the docks, feeding off the growth on the sides and bottom of the floats. The bait fish draw the pelicanos who soar around the marina, dodging all the sailboat masts. When their keen eyes spot a good sized fish, they turn up for a split second, then plummet down to the water. At the last second the beak opens wide and when the bird surfaces its gular (pouch) is full of air and water and hopefully... fish. <br /></p><p>The little gulls land all around the pelicanos and try to peck the little fish out of its gular but the majestic bigger bird just turns in circles and squeezes the water and air out of its sack, then tilting its head towards the sky, swallows the caught fish whole. The little tail does a wiggle then the big bird leaps into the air with its big wings and accelerates across the water, slapping its webbed feet a few times before gaining altitude. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxziLXHK8H3owGU5M2aDUXJuBM3Gv4QJ40r8ZVABssi6hgjRYlQ6InT8yYajjhkXq4QT5i52kJcHV0GOInCi7TnGv9aVIWe5MMR17Zdqv2h09cHJrWtPi2WccI5cdxjjHDB1LZHL1Hvf2_2fLebtIMoLb7zJ4IWV6IKjBu6nyihMUH41G1z_d-pwnF=s927" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="927" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxziLXHK8H3owGU5M2aDUXJuBM3Gv4QJ40r8ZVABssi6hgjRYlQ6InT8yYajjhkXq4QT5i52kJcHV0GOInCi7TnGv9aVIWe5MMR17Zdqv2h09cHJrWtPi2WccI5cdxjjHDB1LZHL1Hvf2_2fLebtIMoLb7zJ4IWV6IKjBu6nyihMUH41G1z_d-pwnF=w640-h422" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>We sit on the back deck of Nepenthe and watch this drama play out over and over, chuckling each time as the squawking gull's unsuccessful attempt to steal the pelicano's catch fails. Occasionally a big bird will bump into a mast or some rigging and have to go sit on an open dock to recover its wits. More often, the squadron of pelicanos will drop us little white presents that stain the deck and sail covers. And sometimes, they dive so close to the boat that the saltwater splash enters the cockpit. Our friend Myron got his shirt soaked by the dive bombing splash of a nearby bird. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEbtgZGHlX-ziyPjMAlDZOa71ED5tf-ArCMWSC2Lt-kk33fmEqAJlnmeVDvLh-bVf-dEpMA0l3CIrQQRTouX7ff0_G-Tq1bauPa0bHCw5T3ZYN99WZ-DYJOC1iHr-K6hSbu4BvHDXQyAIBlfen722rpDe05hJlZbLkOujoWCVAha_Cy2SQwo0__N4X=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1080" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEbtgZGHlX-ziyPjMAlDZOa71ED5tf-ArCMWSC2Lt-kk33fmEqAJlnmeVDvLh-bVf-dEpMA0l3CIrQQRTouX7ff0_G-Tq1bauPa0bHCw5T3ZYN99WZ-DYJOC1iHr-K6hSbu4BvHDXQyAIBlfen722rpDe05hJlZbLkOujoWCVAha_Cy2SQwo0__N4X=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CB varnished the new cockpit table and the wheel </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>In the afternoon the wind comes up from the west and as the sun sets the air gets chilly and we retreat down below for dinner. Sometimes we have a little dinner party and have Noreen, Mryon, and Leo over to eat and drink some wine and talk about where we'd like to be if we weren't stuck here at the dock in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. But, hey, it's not 40 degrees and raining like it is back home!</p><p><br /></p><p>A week ago we scheduled Francisco Javier Lopez Escalante and his son Alejandro to fill in the holes in the hull where the transducers were leaking. On December 28 we hauled out and put Nepenthe back in the work yard. The next morning Francisco and Alejandro arrived and removed the two transducers. </p><p>They then used a grinder to taper the holes gradually,<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUr-9hzgDrLnDHWtWnCUtzU_JtJsNdIMafvOdur4TMrUN3BOQGh3Tu6HuL1kE-JiVtVW0UjFYPctqc5F16nNN5l6PmY3AE8679tKstVyd70Eg078AhJ1sgquQ3PT-seEcphYgOAinlW2Q7_lrOgcxFGhuRbJJ09lEr6Gyx2vzT-tOTwlcrZcN1XpX3=s468" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUr-9hzgDrLnDHWtWnCUtzU_JtJsNdIMafvOdur4TMrUN3BOQGh3Tu6HuL1kE-JiVtVW0UjFYPctqc5F16nNN5l6PmY3AE8679tKstVyd70Eg078AhJ1sgquQ3PT-seEcphYgOAinlW2Q7_lrOgcxFGhuRbJJ09lEr6Gyx2vzT-tOTwlcrZcN1XpX3=w195-h200" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beveled cut<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> making a cone in the glass hull. Francisco mixed up the West Systems epoxy and cut circles of cloth ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 6 inches. He layered them in with a hot mix and covered it with taped on plastic. After drying it was sanded and painted. A similar procedure was done inside the boat, under the floorboards in the settee. Connie used plastic sheeting to partition off the area so none of the fiberglass dust could migrate into our cabinets. </p><p>The next day they finished and we brought in the big launch trailer and popped old Nepenthe back into the water. When she splashed, we hopped aboard and found no drips. Thumbs up!</p><p>Back at the dock we examined the repaired raw water inlet pipe assembly and it didn't look good at all. Some of the connections were weeping salt water. I ordered all new piping from Defender so we could remove the stainless steel piping and replace with all new bronze fittings. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiage-rBYVXsMz18pjvuE9q3H6vRwh82vKs2mRtNSVxnPERVUnGcRqDlHgmpWcygzF07Rk4qgTTVMpa2BafKJ_PjL-O7WW9AFrwK6Zxr2fGiaCqAS_4MzACShzx3IkZHDKt0mdjIKwHXNW8nx-EXqkOoELgKfEYAoBCh5NTvw8355Y1VqXcd98GvLbd=s729" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="729" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiage-rBYVXsMz18pjvuE9q3H6vRwh82vKs2mRtNSVxnPERVUnGcRqDlHgmpWcygzF07Rk4qgTTVMpa2BafKJ_PjL-O7WW9AFrwK6Zxr2fGiaCqAS_4MzACShzx3IkZHDKt0mdjIKwHXNW8nx-EXqkOoELgKfEYAoBCh5NTvw8355Y1VqXcd98GvLbd=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze fittings and new fuel filters<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>We had problems getting the head to work so I set about running new hoses both for the inlet (rinse water) and the outlet (poopy water). In doing so, I had to fight the old calcified 1.5 inch waste hose, finally resorting to using a hack saw to cut it into sections so that I could pull it out. After all this grunting and swearing and tugging on the thru hull valve, I noticed the valve leaking a steady drip. This old style cone valve is adjustable and serviceable so I loosened up the nut and tried to move the valve hand a little bit to see if I could staunch the flow. That's when I broke the bronze handle. Now I am stuck with an ancient thru hull valve that is dripping steadily, unable to open to flush the head. No open, no flush, no suitable shitter. Expletives occurred. </p><p>Connie reminded me of the advice that our friend Desiree Dun gave us when we talked about fixing up a boat that had been sitting. She said, "Replace every thru hull and transducer, if the boat has been sitting for more than two years." Ok, Ok, Desiree. You were right. Grrrrrr.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVy-tM6hKlN1nFsLkTubEUzTg7Bbs7Kj7NncVjl9IgBjLk0dSDQQz36ADTHUb-OLAIRJvRZWYNGmigjg_YoQW5lOogQ0NZtzhc-ZbWkRKKrYXVcW8C_e3Wza8kWHShHf8heGJW050N0gvh18L22TTJaNcyymlAzOpDcdx3-uEnUSo_KZoEPTbgQ7Jb=s968" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="968" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVy-tM6hKlN1nFsLkTubEUzTg7Bbs7Kj7NncVjl9IgBjLk0dSDQQz36ADTHUb-OLAIRJvRZWYNGmigjg_YoQW5lOogQ0NZtzhc-ZbWkRKKrYXVcW8C_e3Wza8kWHShHf8heGJW050N0gvh18L22TTJaNcyymlAzOpDcdx3-uEnUSo_KZoEPTbgQ7Jb=w400-h249" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat goes in</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy0M2JzXrQkdLH9eAdPGsMrCPxHIyAWItk9J0VKcJnDQtVTiAqwtXdp566PIiN9WCbnzrRC_sFZ4TzQ30EjAxJo2aN4kVqn_i9BwvKd5CyKByZ8c07eVzeEBUw_4duVPfO6_0WZFCNYHrSrImGo-hIclZ_T182e4IxZEv1cZLFvUHHFCWqYBK_-Kmd=s805" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="805" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy0M2JzXrQkdLH9eAdPGsMrCPxHIyAWItk9J0VKcJnDQtVTiAqwtXdp566PIiN9WCbnzrRC_sFZ4TzQ30EjAxJo2aN4kVqn_i9BwvKd5CyKByZ8c07eVzeEBUw_4duVPfO6_0WZFCNYHrSrImGo-hIclZ_T182e4IxZEv1cZLFvUHHFCWqYBK_-Kmd=w400-h209" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat comes out<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p>So now we are faced with doing yet another haul out, our third, or we could give up and go cruising with no head and a steady drip drip drip. The prudent captain would say that you should never go to sea with thru hulls that are leaking. I strive to be a prudent captain so we'll bite the bullet again and haul her out to replace the thru hulls. The parts are ordered and on their way. When they arrive, I've arranged for a new Francisco named Francisco Navarez, also known as Coyote or Pancho to do all the heavy work grinding out two old thru hulls and replacing with new sturdy sea cocks. In addition to the thru hull and valve for the head, we will replace the big thru hull and sea cock for the raw water to the engine.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioucYIlCmB7vTFaLuieoXI40F6nPrLh2VRPMNOjERD4auiH5pLkE2I_TGHNZTJ1Om35jijYDgVfqlGOrsVznHMQVRJSLtw6rWjc9kHfX5IaKjFguWjdPqsb0TSCZuifekfVQC9d_pW4LFKt0aPgvnxoxZVsHp4437yFmZ3M_CgT4H8lmeGGE-rZc0k=s916" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="916" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioucYIlCmB7vTFaLuieoXI40F6nPrLh2VRPMNOjERD4auiH5pLkE2I_TGHNZTJ1Om35jijYDgVfqlGOrsVznHMQVRJSLtw6rWjc9kHfX5IaKjFguWjdPqsb0TSCZuifekfVQC9d_pW4LFKt0aPgvnxoxZVsHp4437yFmZ3M_CgT4H8lmeGGE-rZc0k=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nacapule Canyon hike<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>While we are at it, we've decided to add a new hole in the hull... a galley sink drain. Right now, all the sink drains go to a big sump in the keel. Back in the day, the day of clipper ships and square riggers, most ships had one big salt water inlet, a big square box fitted to the bottom of the ship. From the one box, salt water was pumped up to the deck or into the galley as needed. As for water going overboard, pumps would direct water to a central chamber that was then pumped overboard. As you can see this design is a little archaic. But this is the design of Nepenthe. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWOYqINUV-L3_tIDjy_iKVS2hxbmb5tfDDUmUlXkTlP2WASWpszGtqdI7tR6Jw2im4KgniTG-H1-5QVkba6xqq_R4OVx0BeE1xK0u8znXD5B2L713i54XkUFhXIlZjnvYL7GiIA0brri3w9Us9obI1gQhetWYOeJ5iT3xOVKE556_DxY7MkGUJ_EtM=s1077" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1077" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWOYqINUV-L3_tIDjy_iKVS2hxbmb5tfDDUmUlXkTlP2WASWpszGtqdI7tR6Jw2im4KgniTG-H1-5QVkba6xqq_R4OVx0BeE1xK0u8znXD5B2L713i54XkUFhXIlZjnvYL7GiIA0brri3w9Us9obI1gQhetWYOeJ5iT3xOVKE556_DxY7MkGUJ_EtM=w640-h358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The rationale is that the fewer holes in the hull the better and safer. Nepenthe has basically one hole in the hull to bring in salt water and one hole in the hull for used water to exit.<br /></p><p>That's fine, but then we have grease, and food particles, and soap suds from the galley that go directly to the sump. We have a sump pump that we have to occasionally use to pump the affluent overboard. Some of the detritus gets pumped out but some floats to the top and it seems that it could become a stinky mess over time. With a pipe going from the sink directly outside under water, we can dump all sorts of messy kitchen stuff and it will go straight overboard to feed the fishes, who feed the pelicanos. Circle complete! Modern times, modern methods.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyc3ErFn1hv9bChp7Vak6hPIyJVYl1rh7ZfekhK1B2r5FK8m2g4VSjOURI3k1KS01dNnmBmPeAZyATq515VG2Vp7ZTb4jAz4ABnc8WAWFyrONnDvfoaGT0-eZXaJ9smCcjgdCq1pEmA-bvrvstvu1ofrqNjDLOgzp9wMAfWgSoXXni19-jkWqbtek=s968" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="968" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyc3ErFn1hv9bChp7Vak6hPIyJVYl1rh7ZfekhK1B2r5FK8m2g4VSjOURI3k1KS01dNnmBmPeAZyATq515VG2Vp7ZTb4jAz4ABnc8WAWFyrONnDvfoaGT0-eZXaJ9smCcjgdCq1pEmA-bvrvstvu1ofrqNjDLOgzp9wMAfWgSoXXni19-jkWqbtek=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaking water pump<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>"Meanwhile", as Stephen Colbert says, the raw water pump which has a new seal in it has started leaking again. How wonderful. We had Omar come re-seal it and it still leaked. I ordered a new pump from Fisheries. This drives home something we are in the process of learning, over and over again. If a part is broken, don't try to fix it, replace it with a new part. It will cost more, but will take much less time and save money on labor. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVqr0hOJqk0ZyY-uzeNx1VjPKXv6YTHQForz5AXsWc5ShNLJHsfymjTUUMMsVp4p3kGlwUB27WQCCi03DLAfcdLaAq5tataG5Pa2AXPQPKx2XneUWXw1U3O6OT0iu2T8_Xyx3FaQFqc6NMTv-dLcSauTfhWGa9HBmQh7Q8wHSqpE8GPEsZU7hWVmgF=s610" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVqr0hOJqk0ZyY-uzeNx1VjPKXv6YTHQForz5AXsWc5ShNLJHsfymjTUUMMsVp4p3kGlwUB27WQCCi03DLAfcdLaAq5tataG5Pa2AXPQPKx2XneUWXw1U3O6OT0iu2T8_Xyx3FaQFqc6NMTv-dLcSauTfhWGa9HBmQh7Q8wHSqpE8GPEsZU7hWVmgF=s320" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alternator mechanic<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Now that the boat is floating, we had Omar come by to re-check the alignment. He moved the engine around a little bit and surprise! found a motor mount where the lag bolts had come loose. In fact they are stripped out. The bed mount must have had some water get inside and the wood has deteriorated. Our next project was to jack up the engine, taking the weight off that one mount, remove the motor mount, drill out the holes and fill with fiberglass. Then we re-drill the pilot holes and refasten the mount. Simple! Ha!</p><p>One thing leads to another. Pull the string and you get more string. When, oh when will we run out of string?</p><p>Meanwhile, Connie has a birthday. January 4th. We start with birthday muffins from Leo. Connie and Noreen go for a nice hike up the beautiful green Nacapule Canyon. Then we all go out for dinner and have shrimp and fish. The waiters sing Happy Birthday and bring CB a piece of cheesecake with dollops of whip cream and chocolate! She gets a lovely multi colored solar powered luci lite and cards and well wishes, conversations with her loving adult children from afar! It's the perfect day...even learning the boat needs to be hauled out one more time will not deter her reverie!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHegYwovYrQT52aubos6Zzpq-GV_6hzxeefRJI89v7bvaeSQSW-rHQ3sUpr42jng1u2TIfqHhMkX6z-4KkocmAx3I2SeEJIQZfCEhEIqB5FGJbVPGG5oaBcAqlFR4zHhUbQd191JossKEcaHHfnrtcDLvCrGvRSKVV1qQp7ima6Owlkq-nXZkMiphO=s552" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHegYwovYrQT52aubos6Zzpq-GV_6hzxeefRJI89v7bvaeSQSW-rHQ3sUpr42jng1u2TIfqHhMkX6z-4KkocmAx3I2SeEJIQZfCEhEIqB5FGJbVPGG5oaBcAqlFR4zHhUbQd191JossKEcaHHfnrtcDLvCrGvRSKVV1qQp7ima6Owlkq-nXZkMiphO=s320" width="233" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>As the days go by and we advance into January it is becoming more apparent that we might not get to the Mexico Riviera this year. In fact, we may not even get to LaPaz this year. With this information, Leo decided to book a flight and head south to the warm waters of Puerto Vallarta. We got him to a flight out of Hermosillo and now he is happily basking in 80 degree temperatures in the land of sunscreen and margaritas. </p><p>You might think that our simple little boat renovation project has gotten completely out of hand and you might be right. But our little human minds can find lots of justifications and rationale so as to be comfortable with our lot in life. </p><p> </p><p>I still think that Nepenthe has been worth the effort and that she will see us through thick and thin and provide a good platform to explore the Sea of Cortez and points south. Maybe not this year, but next. Meanwhile, our compatriots in the Pacific Northwest are experiencing heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, and now intense flooding. Up north the Omicron variant is raging and people are trapped indoors. Here in San Carlos the sun shines every day. We are mostly outdoors, people wear masks in public places, we're eating well and staying busy. I could not think of a better place to be, in the present moment. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5WWkJ2HGuEqUoXESaidtA3zwU5J-Z6L_vONUrv9B6JTo1ZdNgV_ML-AwWusbk1TaQAxgX70PfD5hBL5ejYJjN0mEGfdTsSeBW4_8YdGNM6dOudISYNzRMdoN526TJ55bG8vtqXstu9rz7CyuGW9AqcDyBcqGxkb6ztxHpxXapCTgHXRk9jBIm1UxY=s612" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="459" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5WWkJ2HGuEqUoXESaidtA3zwU5J-Z6L_vONUrv9B6JTo1ZdNgV_ML-AwWusbk1TaQAxgX70PfD5hBL5ejYJjN0mEGfdTsSeBW4_8YdGNM6dOudISYNzRMdoN526TJ55bG8vtqXstu9rz7CyuGW9AqcDyBcqGxkb6ztxHpxXapCTgHXRk9jBIm1UxY=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp Crema<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj20mGepqfvC2rRAnJ3BUiOWwzmZKNNk9iBUA0Vo6Rq-HZMhpiHdx-D1DT-AN_NmvPUkgSP7MJ09ic2eD9mrjY5OM2I2Dczm30CPOxEI067XeFphTZcQTCz43l5Gr7zvWlA3Y0Xd8y5uUlVcUG_Mmi8fsUO3hUul1VZXV6pcFJF5IsWKm-3ICi6JWra=s528" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj20mGepqfvC2rRAnJ3BUiOWwzmZKNNk9iBUA0Vo6Rq-HZMhpiHdx-D1DT-AN_NmvPUkgSP7MJ09ic2eD9mrjY5OM2I2Dczm30CPOxEI067XeFphTZcQTCz43l5Gr7zvWlA3Y0Xd8y5uUlVcUG_Mmi8fsUO3hUul1VZXV6pcFJF5IsWKm-3ICi6JWra=s320" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly leaking head seacock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirK7LZFwTHMPd5-mSuKimvuH7UXdSS_jMRQsAFFfOUBLidxzfBMT9O2gCKMhRBaiVMx3OsuDv7lNymlAJPtbDrnx3v6A9yUPF9JBoISjQAGwQfKbMBvyOqPUBUw3yY26CAtD5VSl4GXRZENJ3yp6NN0gA1Iz-UaD43FndsN7NgxG7F5A20f7XBW8Hm=s471" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirK7LZFwTHMPd5-mSuKimvuH7UXdSS_jMRQsAFFfOUBLidxzfBMT9O2gCKMhRBaiVMx3OsuDv7lNymlAJPtbDrnx3v6A9yUPF9JBoISjQAGwQfKbMBvyOqPUBUw3yY26CAtD5VSl4GXRZENJ3yp6NN0gA1Iz-UaD43FndsN7NgxG7F5A20f7XBW8Hm=s320" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly leaking raw water inlet<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-59433580985183237342021-12-25T19:52:00.000-08:002021-12-25T19:52:10.845-08:00The Boatyard Blues<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ7zWNhsNMeYxm6DizBhkR5OT3uCyIrTWNZpFTaaMch6dSmOgJDygHf3_RnGEOiHUNzW4vaEoo3elqbLiMMQImkO2Fnu5DcwNW3dwWdBkWfxRdaagkG-gGeuSGBrenZ6uHK79dhOUmsT7G3o3XPy0JXns8xxsPKJ8ixi2HLwrZsPW2p9TF7NRephJP=s876" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="876" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ7zWNhsNMeYxm6DizBhkR5OT3uCyIrTWNZpFTaaMch6dSmOgJDygHf3_RnGEOiHUNzW4vaEoo3elqbLiMMQImkO2Fnu5DcwNW3dwWdBkWfxRdaagkG-gGeuSGBrenZ6uHK79dhOUmsT7G3o3XPy0JXns8xxsPKJ8ixi2HLwrZsPW2p9TF7NRephJP=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div> Life in the boat yard continues. We were sleeping and making our meals in the Scamp parked outside the work yard in the parking lot. Each morning we'd walk through the gate and the same guard would check our passes. We've gotten to know the guard... but still he checks our passes. In this manner we spent another three weeks working on the boat and waiting on Omar to get parts. Then Leo came back from staying in Tucson and made his home in the Scamp while Connie and I stayed aboard in the construction site that is the boat yard. <p></p><p>The workers brought in a Hans Christian 38 the other day that had a cracked diesel fuel tank. The owner turned on the bilge pump and pushed all the diesel stink onto the ground which flowed in our direction and made a nice smelly lagoon right next to our boat. Then the other neighbor scrubbed the blue paint off his bottom and all the blue stuff went into the same toxic lagoon. So.... we have the pleasure of having a toxic blue pool of gunk at the bottom of our entry ladder. Such is the joy of the boat yard. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsI7wRQ9aze8TXSmZuH0tcAamF34RKDBc8oYMFbeQt1KgUD5dYbOozIvcBpgIVy_jREqGMdn4TO5vsukLXXOe84HRnXQrFdalD_jbQ-PLUnLBEolb-8wCv95c1Np34KHelWcYgOm1h2sjm0toSLX0PZoAYCn-bpujuPZxBGvXmQN2C8luqqyYwLnXk=s545" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsI7wRQ9aze8TXSmZuH0tcAamF34RKDBc8oYMFbeQt1KgUD5dYbOozIvcBpgIVy_jREqGMdn4TO5vsukLXXOe84HRnXQrFdalD_jbQ-PLUnLBEolb-8wCv95c1Np34KHelWcYgOm1h2sjm0toSLX0PZoAYCn-bpujuPZxBGvXmQN2C8luqqyYwLnXk=s320" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connie in the starboard cockpit locker<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>When working on a boat, you find a problem and in the process of taking care of the problem you find yet other problems. It's like peeling back an onion. After dropping the anchor and chain overboard onto the pavement, we examined all the chain links and marked them every 30 feet. We tried bringing the anchor back up and the windlass slowed to a crawl and finally gave up the ghost. While Connie used tubs of vinegar to remove the rust from sections of chain, we ripped out the ancient windlass and ordered a new Maxwell 1000. We've taken possession of the new windlass but are still in the process of drilling holes and making backing plates for the unit. As of now, anchoring is not an option.<br /></p><p>Omar tried using many of the old parts of the fuel delivery system of tubes, valves, and filters only to find that some of that stuff was faulty and leaking. Getting ready to launch, we used the parts we could and cobbled something together that we thought would work until we are able to get more parts delivered from the US. The lesson here is, if you find a broken system, replace everything with new. Act as if money is no object. <br /></p><p>The prop shaft and new coupling went in just fine but we had to get creative with the zinc mounting. The shaft is in for now but will need further alignment after the boat has settled in the water. Because the boat is made of fiberglass, she flexes differently when in the water than when she is up on stilts in the yard. This difference in flex can effect the prop shaft alignment. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEichvcr0iddJaTziZb_Z8nsBFs721T-Oq7__uvzhhzz36lMP8Aim_rotRfBU03jnAdZvslsE1VYsLm_GdZAl7UtRy5dyv1CvLkusAKAP1aJ0B9ubbpP8w7UH6x9I1ytYBEa8CA1CfiLSZE6u65HWNg8qDlALGMPl_EnKJBdzlEOXh6lGpFrdY65Ve_m=s463" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="463" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEichvcr0iddJaTziZb_Z8nsBFs721T-Oq7__uvzhhzz36lMP8Aim_rotRfBU03jnAdZvslsE1VYsLm_GdZAl7UtRy5dyv1CvLkusAKAP1aJ0B9ubbpP8w7UH6x9I1ytYBEa8CA1CfiLSZE6u65HWNg8qDlALGMPl_EnKJBdzlEOXh6lGpFrdY65Ve_m=w283-h271" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noreen in the port cockpit locker<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I tried to replace the cap on the incoming water stainless steel tube and must have crossed the threads. When we tested it under water pressure we had a leak. Later we tried again and hoped for the best for launch day. </p><p>The heat exchanger came back from the shop with the rear connection rotated 90 degrees, so back to the shop it went to be cut and re-welded. Finally, it got installed with some new hoses. </p><p>We had fun installing new 12 volt light fixtures and have added various hooks and do-dads to make life more comfortable. We have a little cabinet that I've specified as the special place that has lots of little project items we hope to install once we are out cruising. I've got more lighting </p><p>fixtures there and other gizmos. <br /></p><p>On a windless morning Myron, Leo, Connie and Scott bent on the sails, rolling up the big genoa and getting the battens into the main sail. Connie figured out how to rig the main sheet through the blocks. We still do not understand how the lazy jacks work. The mainsail slugs kept popping out of the access gate which was rusted and inoperable so I ordered a new knurled nut to hold them in place, using a big hose clamp in the meantime to keep the slugs in place. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEh7cvWTF3dq5x0Ofnns-ntnsoJmh4Y9Ohjbgcx9ObLhTVuXpdSuglnaQYlTjgmW7b7oJ54PxzN3gQgsxRTGgRMW28lmMUbRMFVO2AeHQf2paFrTAvFg5GZ5BgxSKt497iE-lyb0uwjm_9_2c4uSJvlVXY2QxHs6oVFFNb6bwyAYtPBDhaCTNJUZi4=s775" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="775" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEh7cvWTF3dq5x0Ofnns-ntnsoJmh4Y9Ohjbgcx9ObLhTVuXpdSuglnaQYlTjgmW7b7oJ54PxzN3gQgsxRTGgRMW28lmMUbRMFVO2AeHQf2paFrTAvFg5GZ5BgxSKt497iE-lyb0uwjm_9_2c4uSJvlVXY2QxHs6oVFFNb6bwyAYtPBDhaCTNJUZi4=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chewed up impeller<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Omar's assistant dropped a hammer into the bilge. On the way down, it slammed into the bilge pump float switch and broke it. Leo fished out the hammer and a chisel we didn't know was down there...with a magnet and I bought a new float switch. In the meantime, the sump pump self destructed in a loud clatter and it stopped working. Here we were, two days from our splash date and I didn't have one working bilge pump. Omar was waiting on parts for the fuel system so we didn't have fuel to the engine. In fact, we didn't even know if the engine would start. And the incoming coolant raw water was leaking profusely. It was a tense time.</p><p>Come splash day, we had some of these things working and in a big rush of activity we launched at 10 AM on Wednesday December 22nd. Oh happy day! We followed the tractor, trailer, and boat to the launch site. Everyone was excited. The boat was backed into the water and we hopped aboard to go below to see if any water was coming in. The packing gland was leaking hugely. Myron set about tightening that gland. Then we saw that the raw water stack was leaking in two places now. Not good. Going forward we saw that my new depth sounder transducer was holding it's own but the old transducer for the knot meter was dripping at a steady rate. Not good. <br /></p><p>The air went right out of our euphoria of being launched as I signaled to the tractor driver to come back and haul us out again. Tails between our legs, we followed Nepenthe down the street back to the diesel blue lagoon cesspool in the boat yard where the crew put us back on stilts. Omar set about his plans to fix the leaks and I opened a bottle of wine. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRWdXRA7YTwkniM5HUJgftu603uo9Ii49d-93UARdFXlzWXN-eO9nML3HWbuAv26z1aM0IVCPwqSNKJ7RErxEkYH668_PB6PpeU4ZRPs4vBeO7_uaNGdlmpnMAi2U4sTQzR-dKHWngTu61c0l-BghTy8q4HhqAlpNJHbmB_3npGSU1VvuNn11f2vGp=s465" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="389" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRWdXRA7YTwkniM5HUJgftu603uo9Ii49d-93UARdFXlzWXN-eO9nML3HWbuAv26z1aM0IVCPwqSNKJ7RErxEkYH668_PB6PpeU4ZRPs4vBeO7_uaNGdlmpnMAi2U4sTQzR-dKHWngTu61c0l-BghTy8q4HhqAlpNJHbmB_3npGSU1VvuNn11f2vGp=w335-h400" width="335" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's floating, but not for long<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>The next day, Omar arrived with a newly welded raw water stack and a new plug for the transducer. At 11 AM we had Nepenthe back on the tractor trailer rig headed down the street to the launch site. In she went and we again dived down below to look for leaks.</p><p>With some added packing gland material, we staunched that incoming water flow down to just a slow drip.. as is how it is supposed to be. The newly welded raw water stack was slowly leaking. What the heck? Oh well. The new plug on the transducer was holding it's own but was now leaking on the outside diameter of the hole. And a second, unused transducer was dripping ever so slowly. We had more leaks than before. <br /></p><p>With that knowledge, I popped my head up and gave our entourage on the dock the thumb down. Connie's face dropped into sadness. The haul out and the splash cost us $420, and our problems were not yet solved. Back down below Omar and I had a discussion. The bilge pumps were both working well. The yard was closing for Christmas. Let's just keep her in the water! We can haul her back out to fix the two transducers after the first of the year.<br /></p><p>I went up top and gave the thumbs up. We waved at the yard guys as they backed their launch rig up the ramp. Starting the engine, we saw some water spurting out of the water pump. That's nothing the bilge pumps can't handle. Connie, Leo and Scott got aboard and backed the boat up into the fairway. Then we headed west towards our slip at B-21. I passed the slip then started to turn the boat around when the diesel engine failed. We drifted east towards A dock and I tried to point her into an empty slip, just missing by a few feet. Luckily there was a nice shiny sailboat there next door that absorbed our impact, Connie and Leo pushing like crazy to fend us off. A friendly guy on the dock helped us wrangle the beast that is Nepenthe into the slip. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqdp1rQG2zkj7keY-zu5bp-oWIC6xgDImFk9KJ8tXdwtkWMAzkZiU5pXqipj0yviRvfXFJuZisXWspOHYmS8Q833K6OhQoHduON4nEorr1Tyn5iLyOi__IWFpwjydxyM8gQAoDdO7p-GnG_WU4kw8E77r7471CEcWsEKcGWbuzLoneeRc21_uUcpwI=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqdp1rQG2zkj7keY-zu5bp-oWIC6xgDImFk9KJ8tXdwtkWMAzkZiU5pXqipj0yviRvfXFJuZisXWspOHYmS8Q833K6OhQoHduON4nEorr1Tyn5iLyOi__IWFpwjydxyM8gQAoDdO7p-GnG_WU4kw8E77r7471CEcWsEKcGWbuzLoneeRc21_uUcpwI=w548-h640" width="548" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Omar jumped aboard and checked the fuel system. He determined that the new location of the filters, above the tanks and engine, made it difficult for the little engine mounted fuel pump to draw the fuel all that distance to the injectors. As soon as he turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, she cranked right up. We inspected the nice shiny sailboat for damage and found two little indentations on her aft cockpit seat coaming. "Cast off the lines. We're getting out of here."</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJV6AibEZFOVr3wmdVlOr9hsvv40KWiHcuMr73JfPsFTGE9D7GJyOkgqlDLSHviVQpsEA4Wagq4pH01olT3Ij85FaBIkxJ8bH7BptPTjuwlrjFOQuliNCjLNEqqR-PctzV2AOcLXOmY3mACSaJhIHV_Yj-mWK00hrIgDGUG1d10uHTAkKXvpx41JCU=s439" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJV6AibEZFOVr3wmdVlOr9hsvv40KWiHcuMr73JfPsFTGE9D7GJyOkgqlDLSHviVQpsEA4Wagq4pH01olT3Ij85FaBIkxJ8bH7BptPTjuwlrjFOQuliNCjLNEqqR-PctzV2AOcLXOmY3mACSaJhIHV_Yj-mWK00hrIgDGUG1d10uHTAkKXvpx41JCU=s320" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aires wind vane<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I backed the beast out of the slip and proceeded down to B dock where an anxious crowd waited to take our lines. Barely missing a beautiful Island Packet, I drove her into B-21, then slammed her into reverse to stop our forward motion. We had arrived! We were floating! No lives were lost!<br /></p><p>Now it is Christmas and everyone is home celebrating. The marina docks are quiet. We have more parts on order and our plan is to wait a week then haul out again to completely replace the raw water stack and have a fiberglass expert remove the two old leaking transducers and glass them over permanently. We've come to realize that any plastic or rubber part on a boat that has been on the hard, exposed to the Mexico heat for two or more years has suffered damage and needs to be replaced. Electronic systems that might have been working a few years ago will not be working now. <br /></p><p>We've got more work to do, but hey, at least we are in the water. Our next $420 haul out will be only for two or 10...days then back to the dock we go. Wish us well.</p><p>The adventure continues.</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Meanwhile, in Mexico, life goes on. Here are some of the latest headlines for today. </span></b><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9KMfRlQywSXgOvPU_R30d1qBX89SJGY8hVflACSdJZbV-wTi-0119BMgmhRAYdNrll_X2t5u2kTY3pneLiJTvEAtbST3Y8j9yyjm0zn8u-fe9MJshZw0ylsKPH6yjtdb5aQJjlHLvUaQAMT2_tRvwT-Sr3U9JpW8feDfOpvNxC4eObQmafmjEIB3w=s341" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="285" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9KMfRlQywSXgOvPU_R30d1qBX89SJGY8hVflACSdJZbV-wTi-0119BMgmhRAYdNrll_X2t5u2kTY3pneLiJTvEAtbST3Y8j9yyjm0zn8u-fe9MJshZw0ylsKPH6yjtdb5aQJjlHLvUaQAMT2_tRvwT-Sr3U9JpW8feDfOpvNxC4eObQmafmjEIB3w=s320" width="267" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlE-GC-MGDTOglU9szib8_J7FWpmIbg6IdY3ynatSrjQfYtZq-ALzDaen76oiKD0wyjMFSgbDviT10JR3o-x6TBQ_8GJlWDUqs3X8TIrd8doif-pZaoSPvhtghKQfUPn4-GhVwuqZFD66shjeu88EmAOqR9Y8SAIddwaba29YQlPHGfRoSdqQOt5BQ=s387" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="292" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlE-GC-MGDTOglU9szib8_J7FWpmIbg6IdY3ynatSrjQfYtZq-ALzDaen76oiKD0wyjMFSgbDviT10JR3o-x6TBQ_8GJlWDUqs3X8TIrd8doif-pZaoSPvhtghKQfUPn4-GhVwuqZFD66shjeu88EmAOqR9Y8SAIddwaba29YQlPHGfRoSdqQOt5BQ=s320" width="241" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKi2Vl1Wb4hsfdwlR_IoDmyxl2mOqWe8MM0o7_FgX1wiZiUM3Ar0ZMLKcPWCEgksUTJUheB0lrzzfjsdig5GJv6kDifb6ncms8Rvb2y2ibR7DEB-08S4vrKhAf3idNhIloc5ClY1G2l48A7gdfenFWzweXScuKo3S3UNpGJfexaHVj5xwyMQMnMH1P=s380" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="291" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKi2Vl1Wb4hsfdwlR_IoDmyxl2mOqWe8MM0o7_FgX1wiZiUM3Ar0ZMLKcPWCEgksUTJUheB0lrzzfjsdig5GJv6kDifb6ncms8Rvb2y2ibR7DEB-08S4vrKhAf3idNhIloc5ClY1G2l48A7gdfenFWzweXScuKo3S3UNpGJfexaHVj5xwyMQMnMH1P=s320" width="245" /></a></div><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-53696584368566329242021-11-24T20:45:00.000-08:002021-11-24T20:45:58.875-08:00Refit in San Carlos<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0A1cAMReeWEilSpiZouJW7WNts0J7w3ulveY7rrmo0hlpBdWKba3Xs7rsOfGBvRLAQBYpqc0ZEqY0xopo7CPKvTi14MLKjy1TPpBR8TkS7nKVMluqKXuOrWMTBmAqDFxb0iYvDu-rn4/s589/CB+and+EZ+out+camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="589" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0A1cAMReeWEilSpiZouJW7WNts0J7w3ulveY7rrmo0hlpBdWKba3Xs7rsOfGBvRLAQBYpqc0ZEqY0xopo7CPKvTi14MLKjy1TPpBR8TkS7nKVMluqKXuOrWMTBmAqDFxb0iYvDu-rn4/s320/CB+and+EZ+out+camping.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>What a hectic summer! The charter business wouldn't stop, the phone rang and rang. In the spaces of time we had left, we concentrated on planning our September escape; flee to Mexico and get acquainted with our new boat in San Carlos. <br /><p></p><p>Throughout late summer we bought a bunch of boat parts, and found that delivery schedules were not to be trusted due to Co-vid related shipping problems. After getting skunked a few times, I figured out how to assure the part I ordered would actually show up. First, find the part. Then call the company on the phone to make sure they could actually place their hands on it, have them hold it in my name, and finally I'd place the order. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aYGImAfDLqWmVqHqGagt1qjN63Bcv3HQTcaZ5fdg5RgN2lm8s39UXOANM5I2Snc4z2nVpkIzxCNTX9LaM9FyOoy14oIeYFrwtQSocUhDX9QPacvHu5AK2Evw0CoCiuthpFeG__MIJNg/s1083/Bear+Creek+Trail+Colorado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1083" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aYGImAfDLqWmVqHqGagt1qjN63Bcv3HQTcaZ5fdg5RgN2lm8s39UXOANM5I2Snc4z2nVpkIzxCNTX9LaM9FyOoy14oIeYFrwtQSocUhDX9QPacvHu5AK2Evw0CoCiuthpFeG__MIJNg/w640-h358/Bear+Creek+Trail+Colorado.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>To this day, I might have some solar panels, and some stainless steel bimini parts trapped offshore on a container ship waiting to dock in Long Beach. </p><p>Well, we hooked up the little Scamp trailer and left town on September 22, crammed to the gills with stuff. Stopping in Portland to pick up two gallons of tax free bottom paint we drove south through the NE California forest fire devastation, another stop in Reno Nevada where we picked up two solar panels and continued through the endless beauty of Nevada and Utah and finally arriving in Palisade, Colorado to stay with Damon and Desiree who sail on S/V Gaia, presently in the Pacific Northwest. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJJs875kJ0cyHo5uWyh6fotkqWJzKSpMbbxA1ah8iiLkGp54XXbeE0p3xnxN4B7nelDjDMKvY4JakLAcVNZGjAZCZCGrCmRLAee9fhGx2z5xemRM7UFQbPpXQ5ZT-VJSrOFNfT_AY4ng/s605/CB+at+Meow+Wolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="605" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJJs875kJ0cyHo5uWyh6fotkqWJzKSpMbbxA1ah8iiLkGp54XXbeE0p3xnxN4B7nelDjDMKvY4JakLAcVNZGjAZCZCGrCmRLAee9fhGx2z5xemRM7UFQbPpXQ5ZT-VJSrOFNfT_AY4ng/w400-h339/CB+at+Meow+Wolf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The next week we met up with Connie's son, Ezrah in Denver and toured the newly opened MeowWolf complex where he works now. Then the three of us set off to central Colorado and some high mountain passes and high country camping, finally getting run out of the altitudes by the approaching snow.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW6t_d8wqTGB4Nw3PQ1rj29_LtZRffVt5AJ3iFYGbowMTdzle_-UlmArOzYUCD343Lt7TgfrlBm5CXd6S77fi41A-71qJWTaaXXWMj9q8__ap5PrC5YVpYA1I7q0GnjdSMwS5wlVT_Jw/s1050/Ez+and+Sv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1050" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW6t_d8wqTGB4Nw3PQ1rj29_LtZRffVt5AJ3iFYGbowMTdzle_-UlmArOzYUCD343Lt7TgfrlBm5CXd6S77fi41A-71qJWTaaXXWMj9q8__ap5PrC5YVpYA1I7q0GnjdSMwS5wlVT_Jw/w400-h229/Ez+and+Sv.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Ezrah drove back to Denver to work and we continued on to Telluride. Our journey continued south to Albuquerque where we stayed with Barb before dashing south to Phoenix for a visit with Connie's sister's family there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRhyDNSywDCj6lMaC_flqyDXhfdQjxrpoP7hKi13cBwYIMyZXJ-NBx5g7HB-G0hIiiUrLX2S1L_hA0ouRS2ZhRpONwqVrg7J51YQeQR0kosu_fj1dGu63FPMD4yN7uOfZE_f1j57WnIY/s1016/Riding+the+lift+at+Teluride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1016" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRhyDNSywDCj6lMaC_flqyDXhfdQjxrpoP7hKi13cBwYIMyZXJ-NBx5g7HB-G0hIiiUrLX2S1L_hA0ouRS2ZhRpONwqVrg7J51YQeQR0kosu_fj1dGu63FPMD4yN7uOfZE_f1j57WnIY/w400-h233/Riding+the+lift+at+Teluride.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONAPLaHo_HhxGoi5vei9RyGNr-aL0T8BppMaatug4PKQuld0UbRExB5U58FaEctivYUPxYpdydNqhQO1c15x4U2cY11zjVw7cx0KUcpWFE-Hup2dfJLS1zu-b5K8yY974yRRvURCXb24/s616/Teluride+gondola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="616" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONAPLaHo_HhxGoi5vei9RyGNr-aL0T8BppMaatug4PKQuld0UbRExB5U58FaEctivYUPxYpdydNqhQO1c15x4U2cY11zjVw7cx0KUcpWFE-Hup2dfJLS1zu-b5K8yY974yRRvURCXb24/w400-h280/Teluride+gondola.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>After stuffing the truck with more provisions we finally crossed the US/MX border and made our way to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico to pick up our friend Leo who flew in to meet us. Then we made our way to San Carlos where Leo had reserved a condo on the water for us all to stay in while we refit the new boat that was waiting for us in the San CarlosMarina Seca. After camping for a month, it sure was nice to be in a comfortable condo, right on the beach. To the west, loomed the "Goat Teats" that appear in countless photos of San Carlos. We'd sit on the balcony and watch people on the beach taking selfies with the Teats in the background. </p><br /><br /><p></p><p>Our friends Noreen and Myron joined us in a few days towing their 20 foot ocean going Flicka, a Pacific Seacraft cutter. Now we have an entourage of five persons. In two days, they launched their flicka and are living aboard at the marina. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOGVs5AG8jYBxagLD0DfJi-t-ER7TGqsrytMMSMcSjS-BWS9IvjOVxyfGwdD0W1I-TWVMnBQ4Ca7DSHev5J6Qs-Y0Bu0WYAEosFSUFylhjJsPdGw86IUeHrzx3USczEneUj4v9F8Ixf8/s730/Sweethaven+launch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="730" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOGVs5AG8jYBxagLD0DfJi-t-ER7TGqsrytMMSMcSjS-BWS9IvjOVxyfGwdD0W1I-TWVMnBQ4Ca7DSHev5J6Qs-Y0Bu0WYAEosFSUFylhjJsPdGw86IUeHrzx3USczEneUj4v9F8Ixf8/w640-h498/Sweethaven+launch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>We had Nepenthe moved from the storage yard to the work yard. Once we found a tall enough ladder we were able to climb aboard and start going through the boat to determine what gear was useful, what gear was old worn out junk, and what work we had to do to make this boat seaworthy. The task was daunting. </p><p>In the meantime, back in Olympia, our friend Peter, who had been telling us for a year that he wanted to sell us his house so he could retire to Hawaii, decided to seal the deal. So now, once we were in Mexico, we were facing the "put up or shut up" moment and had to decide how to buy this house. Somehow we were able to send paperwork back and forth and make a quick trip across the border to visit a notary and now we own a second house, almost next door to our current house. We've got a temporary renter in place and it will wait for our return in April when we will do a complete remodel and turn it into a rental/investment property. No shortage of work for us!</p><p>Back in San Carlos...<br /></p><p>First we removed everything from the boat that wasn't bolted down and piled it on the deck and on the ground below the boat. Then I started going through it all, rescuing what was useful and throwing away or donating everything else. The useful items we either kept or gave away. Meanwhile, Connie and Leo started with a deep cleaning inside the boat, a process that would take a week to complete. </p><p>Nepenthe has been neglected. We found tons of "deferred maintenance" that needed attention. While the engine, hull and superstructure were quite sound, there were lots of systems on their last legs and a quantity of badly wired components. My list of to-do's grew and grew. After three weeks working on the boat we had a good handle on the existing systems and had made good progress ripping out old systems and installing new. I took great pleasure in tossing parts, wiring, and bits of junk over the side. I was ruthless. I was cruel. </p><p>The yard maintenance guy liked me because I filled the trash can with interesting, and maybe useful, things for him to take home and ponder over. Because there were three of us, we made good headway. I was sometimes challenged to keep us all busy and on track but we shouldered through it and kept up the pace for four weeks. Thank goodness (Leo) we had a clean place to come home to at night.<br /></p><p>Here is a project list of what we've accomplished so far:<br /></p><p>Removed old hot water heater and old refrigerator compressor. We took delivery of a new refrigerator system and Leo finished installing it along with retrofitting the box with more insulation.<br /></p><p>Removed an ancient battery trickle charger and replaced it with a modern Blue Sea multi stage charger.</p><p>Installed a new AIMS Solar controller for the house bank and a smaller controller for the starter battery. Added a small inverter for charging our laptop and phones. Thank you Leo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfup1Hj3UVZZt4PsB52I3JyyE1w9vE5Tjbxsm8DlDhherh0kDCWshRS6zyQfsUKBqQ9ugX0nRb4SEqoQnFeZy4hbDGtMrf0dsSl-to55TUHTUcga58tTB5NJy77fBoVzJkBDz7kUnXppM/s570/Charging+systems.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="570" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfup1Hj3UVZZt4PsB52I3JyyE1w9vE5Tjbxsm8DlDhherh0kDCWshRS6zyQfsUKBqQ9ugX0nRb4SEqoQnFeZy4hbDGtMrf0dsSl-to55TUHTUcga58tTB5NJy77fBoVzJkBDz7kUnXppM/s320/Charging+systems.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Ripped out miles of wire that went nowhere and was connected to nothing. I keep finding more.<br /></p><p>Built a solid Bimini frame out of stainless steel to hold our two new solar panels.</p><p>Sanded and painted the bottom. Thank you Connie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9azcxkH6u1GUGInnytWYLqO0HSC-xxv28ydrkgXJq1C2eniqCouJJQ1dfOmIPmfuftysDQas_CCQ-1vcAccMKPqeK7Y0zLEdBg2jQZNJePUrvaNbZ2295IHDYc_64pFpvhSYedt8TIE/s713/Connie+Painting+the+Hull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="713" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9azcxkH6u1GUGInnytWYLqO0HSC-xxv28ydrkgXJq1C2eniqCouJJQ1dfOmIPmfuftysDQas_CCQ-1vcAccMKPqeK7Y0zLEdBg2jQZNJePUrvaNbZ2295IHDYc_64pFpvhSYedt8TIE/s320/Connie+Painting+the+Hull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Replaced the windlass solenoid system with new and disassembled, lubricated, and reassembled the windlass. Thank you Leo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsT1QfXjZaqLttHWVPnr9oXRcVS-Obzl7cbn_YirVGkUguAnW5M6g50hvmEl4i7DjlJRQSNWm3BPHKVWRoywCscIsJxC_jN51_v4F5I7rWuIkzweBxmeq_HvtHOgsZ6k39Gari7uAtss/s789/Leo+in+Cockpit+locker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="789" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsT1QfXjZaqLttHWVPnr9oXRcVS-Obzl7cbn_YirVGkUguAnW5M6g50hvmEl4i7DjlJRQSNWm3BPHKVWRoywCscIsJxC_jN51_v4F5I7rWuIkzweBxmeq_HvtHOgsZ6k39Gari7uAtss/w400-h297/Leo+in+Cockpit+locker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Inspected the sails. Cleaned all the interior cushions on settees and bunks. Thank you Connie.<br /></p><p>Made new screens for all the port lights and the companionway. Thank you Connie.<br /></p><p>Hired a carpenter to give us better access to the area under the pilot house where the fuel delivery system resides so we could refit that system. </p><p>Lacking any way of measuring the amount of fuel and water in the tanks, we ordered a new Tank Tender system and are in the process of that installation.<br /></p><p>The depth sounder readout is unreadable so we've ordered, received, and installed a new depth sounder system. I was pleased to see that the hole in the hull I drilled brought out a plug that was 1- 1/16 inch thick. That's a bullet proof hull!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWS3fLJfivSpW9WLVEpQSI2MkpbDgPU3UcoxkJgLtzSlLH7QsT2D_BWjJBFhQr2KYpNuLe6qpkiigatqGHc5B_TLLpwCu7SHP62dS84gvx4zLfK7lgGBHVSPPGM5gfoUZ-0sdwDNzslFQ/s591/Thick+Hull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="591" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWS3fLJfivSpW9WLVEpQSI2MkpbDgPU3UcoxkJgLtzSlLH7QsT2D_BWjJBFhQr2KYpNuLe6qpkiigatqGHc5B_TLLpwCu7SHP62dS84gvx4zLfK7lgGBHVSPPGM5gfoUZ-0sdwDNzslFQ/s320/Thick+Hull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>We checked all the thru hull fittings. There aren't many, and they are very very beefy items, all in good working order and all solid brass. <br /></p><p>Installed a new GPS. <br /></p><p>Connie finished making new dinghy chaps and dinghy fenders so we can hang the dink off the side of the boat.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEwV4loCGZlYmeZ1Gb33ChdkkZ_TWZFvN-1UpwazMwYIlLWuCRRfUeTnsV2B96ZXPTwm9TavJNzxQZK0IpqlpzDSrA-GIdg5f0CtQqKGbB22u_0G5MOL9MKopciloYswkZMbxSupDXW0/s506/chaps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="431" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEwV4loCGZlYmeZ1Gb33ChdkkZ_TWZFvN-1UpwazMwYIlLWuCRRfUeTnsV2B96ZXPTwm9TavJNzxQZK0IpqlpzDSrA-GIdg5f0CtQqKGbB22u_0G5MOL9MKopciloYswkZMbxSupDXW0/w341-h400/chaps.jpg" width="341" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>After finishing the bimini, Connie made more shade, converting our old shade trees from Traveler to fit Nepenthe. We were surprised to find that these shade canvasses fit Nepenthe without much adjustment. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3OkXiq0DtNMynBW6BasZmg6XoigCnWFjVC4GPJMmQ_fK113ZEcJR-DrWApO1wbWuaR2K-pVbd4AoFrJ-ISUhlUkDobLpSxoxRtDZeYIQd7egaV6bopDuzZJUj-mdzGF7Ckw9Lt2sqMQ/s629/Nepenthe+with+sun+shades+up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="629" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3OkXiq0DtNMynBW6BasZmg6XoigCnWFjVC4GPJMmQ_fK113ZEcJR-DrWApO1wbWuaR2K-pVbd4AoFrJ-ISUhlUkDobLpSxoxRtDZeYIQd7egaV6bopDuzZJUj-mdzGF7Ckw9Lt2sqMQ/w640-h358/Nepenthe+with+sun+shades+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>We replaced a halyard and jib sheets.</p><p>Replaced the on demand water supply pump for the galley and head sinks.</p><p>New LED fixtures and bulbs are going into the salon, galley, pilot house, and vee berth.</p><p>Hired Omar to come help. He has removed the fuel delivery system and with new valves and tubing will be installing a system to handle two tanks and two Racor filters.</p><p>Two more items on Omar's list is to replace a cracked prop shaft coupler and inspect the heat exchanger for pinhole leaks. This project is taking awhile because Omar is in high demand here in the yard. Merely replacing the coupling might result in some vibration so we're removing the entire shaft and prop and sending it out to be balanced with the new coupler.</p><p>This part of the process is depending on Omar, our marine buddy mechanic. The problem here is that he rarely shows up at our boat... because everyone wants Omar. It's a waiting game. We wait for Omar.<br /></p><p> Our friend Myron went into the bilge and replaced the packing in the stuffing box on the prop shaft. He is the one who found the cracked prop shaft coupler. Good eye... Myron! Noreen weaved us up an anchor snubber / harness for the big CQR on the bow.<br /></p><p>So as you see, we've been quite busy these last weeks. It was nice to be able to go to work on the boat in the morning and then return to a nice clean condo in the afternoon where we could have a relaxed dinner, hot showers, and time to get ourselves organized for the next day. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagXtco-4tlKiVjRCNsr9xIz_UDHIbjAyeSBHyk8uI7agXMpG5ROXHgNhxj6IOVm3tLNfjDEsrDLySBXnPMAGhFmTfggFBxq7SY9Pqx_nOKUgSPmGaO0-Cac2XMmp7N8EEQapzK_k3t2A/s734/Connie+in+Condo+doing+floor+exercises.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="734" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagXtco-4tlKiVjRCNsr9xIz_UDHIbjAyeSBHyk8uI7agXMpG5ROXHgNhxj6IOVm3tLNfjDEsrDLySBXnPMAGhFmTfggFBxq7SY9Pqx_nOKUgSPmGaO0-Cac2XMmp7N8EEQapzK_k3t2A/w640-h458/Connie+in+Condo+doing+floor+exercises.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> We are slowly figuring out where in San Carlos and Guaymas to get supplies and provisions and tools and parts. More importantly, we now know where to get the slow cooked whole chickens and the Negra Modelo. Recently we found the pork carnitas place where we can get a half kilo for 130 Pesos. (About $7)<br /></p><p>After a month in the condo the reservation ended, Connie and I moved into the Scamp and Leo took the bus to Tucson to spend time with friends there. We set up camp in the parking lot at the yard and stocked the refrigerator in the Scamp. Nice view to the north.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9iY6uzckyxJt9FDH4up6eCm6gNT0bUpCuOh8uAz_lAr71gFtiROKzWaXBXciL7L2vaaGbhLLgezjJQeBkZRXIWkcXRgppyF8HQY1AJApObPOcYarSMF0uwBEW0qnIZLNmq6KUYyC8xo/s892/Our+Campsite+at+Marina+Seca.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="892" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9iY6uzckyxJt9FDH4up6eCm6gNT0bUpCuOh8uAz_lAr71gFtiROKzWaXBXciL7L2vaaGbhLLgezjJQeBkZRXIWkcXRgppyF8HQY1AJApObPOcYarSMF0uwBEW0qnIZLNmq6KUYyC8xo/w400-h211/Our+Campsite+at+Marina+Seca.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>In the meantime we've ordered a windex, 30 feet of port light gasketing, a fresh water foot pump for the galley, and a few other parts. There is a woman here who drives back and forth between Tucson and San Carlos every week and many of the boaters arrange with her to bring parts across the border. </p><p>Now, with the luxury of a little time, we're finding space inside the boat to store items and getting the galley ready for cooking meals. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzELK2z9OYGtQocYaMEyOIReQlFcERSxt7h-jM7Mm1ZN4WuVmwmi3Q9wfTt_hwI0mWMlkG3ruLnDWV63uBOz1gotP0zyqjDNjQtMWSILgSNM1SxQk7S3ApJE8xoejkDWwgQ5USx6Pxnw/s702/Galley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="702" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzELK2z9OYGtQocYaMEyOIReQlFcERSxt7h-jM7Mm1ZN4WuVmwmi3Q9wfTt_hwI0mWMlkG3ruLnDWV63uBOz1gotP0zyqjDNjQtMWSILgSNM1SxQk7S3ApJE8xoejkDWwgQ5USx6Pxnw/w400-h224/Galley.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> The boat yard here is very busy as people constantly arrive and move their boats out of the storage yard and into the work yard. We see them washing the boat, painting the bottom, doing some refits, then BAM, the launch trailer shows up and the boat is whisked off to the marina where it splashes into the water and off she sails into the sunset. We sure wish that would happen to us. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqVOl4x-iTjYLZZQPzN2gA3zK-iITw6m-IhU9I9xGaotQi3oZY-fm-1Gcx7EZTZy1poDt2dV3nbrnUX2YKGX-4BzLboei3r9XvCsYogcjaoQCzI3mmijno3wij9OutQmUFMaPLJBlQ0g/s634/Goat+Teats+CB+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="634" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqVOl4x-iTjYLZZQPzN2gA3zK-iITw6m-IhU9I9xGaotQi3oZY-fm-1Gcx7EZTZy1poDt2dV3nbrnUX2YKGX-4BzLboei3r9XvCsYogcjaoQCzI3mmijno3wij9OutQmUFMaPLJBlQ0g/s320/Goat+Teats+CB+picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We hope to splash the boat in about two weeks, but that all depends on Omar's schedule. After we splash we will spend a week at anchor and do shake down cruises before heading west toward San Felipe. But however long it takes, and however much it costs, we will make sure our vessel is seaworthy and the crew is ready for the crossing. <p></p><p>In the meantime, Noreen and Myron are happy in the marina doing tasks on their boat getting her ready for the crossing. It's nice to have their company. When we do get into the water, we'll all cross together.<br /></p><p>Again, we knew that Nepenthe was a fixer-upper and she has proven to be just that. But her hull is super solid, the sails are good, the engine runs well and she's a big comfortable vessel. I think we made a good choice and look forward to sailing off into the Sea of Cortez soon.... er or later.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3gBA8dpChTkI8_FU9H2JrrJh2icBpkzg8AMyxND3UT1YcThfRnxUleZu29OloE5o4Uh0XL67TYJ5xKcmhZlABmpoh_1aTbZnUDGFimRrpEm3OQo3BDcco61mTI0uKhL6m5Lc6vOQuE/s610/Monkey+and+Minke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="455" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3gBA8dpChTkI8_FU9H2JrrJh2icBpkzg8AMyxND3UT1YcThfRnxUleZu29OloE5o4Uh0XL67TYJ5xKcmhZlABmpoh_1aTbZnUDGFimRrpEm3OQo3BDcco61mTI0uKhL6m5Lc6vOQuE/w478-h640/Monkey+and+Minke.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-22722428489815470022021-06-27T10:04:00.000-07:002021-06-27T10:04:08.130-07:00Nepenthe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjh82_MOTz3hJjLC7D1PwIGxmMHJmvhOapf9afOlm4W1s6Pk-2QvNFqd1YVrSHnaBS05SJMIJL-6wBsNlSx8V7IGX3onqx_Rn1oL3FzekwciuO6pEUf5nTfvqmtUocZGCAECVRXbXaKY/s807/San+Carlos+Anchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="807" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjh82_MOTz3hJjLC7D1PwIGxmMHJmvhOapf9afOlm4W1s6Pk-2QvNFqd1YVrSHnaBS05SJMIJL-6wBsNlSx8V7IGX3onqx_Rn1oL3FzekwciuO6pEUf5nTfvqmtUocZGCAECVRXbXaKY/w640-h334/San+Carlos+Anchorage.jpg" title="San Carlos Anchorage" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico anchorage<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Olympia is a beautiful place with beautiful people, a nice place with a diverse population. But the winters suck. For at least six months of the year it is 40 degrees and drizzling. When we remember the glorious winters we spent in Mexico aboard Traveler and compare that to our Olympia winters we thought, "What are we thinking? We should be in Mexico." But how can we be in Mexico in the winter on our limited budget? We are enjoying having Traveler here in Olympia and she's finally paying for her keep for once with our summer sailboat charter income. Can't take her all the way to Mexico and back each year. Hmmm, maybe if we had a second boat in Mexico. That's the ticket! But how?<br /><p>1. We could partner with another couple and split the costs: It would have to be a strong relationship to survive all the unknowns. And who would be in charge? Na... Forget that one.</p><p>2. We could take out a loan: No way. That's playing into the hands of the MAN and the insurance companies. <br /></p><p>3. We could search for a bargain boat and settle for something a little less than S/V Traveler: Good idea.</p><p>I sat in our little, dreary mini-kitchen and started a boat search Craigslist and Yacht World:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarG9y6DpE2Q0GmkkLeyC4-Q1HxipBrACuh0T67wjzhGfxJNzuY-cicWZOx5RDvxnuy-QW9RBgQ7I0Ucy5TF5E5zfrEnv5rYvijkcUhK4nlrQgKDR4Veg9PNs1RGMYXmJ8CN8kEoO89ys/s888/Yachtworld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="888" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarG9y6DpE2Q0GmkkLeyC4-Q1HxipBrACuh0T67wjzhGfxJNzuY-cicWZOx5RDvxnuy-QW9RBgQ7I0Ucy5TF5E5zfrEnv5rYvijkcUhK4nlrQgKDR4Veg9PNs1RGMYXmJ8CN8kEoO89ys/w300-h137/Yachtworld.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>-Year: 1975 to 1990<br /><p></p><p>-Length: 35 to 45 ft. </p><p>-Price $15k to $30K</p><p>- Location: Washington, Oregon, California, Mexico</p><p>What other prerequisites? Well, it has to have standing headroom and sleeping room for me, at 6 ft 2 inches. And it has to be a solid, well built boat that we can be proud of in a traditional sense. </p><p>It took me two months to compile a list of boats that fit our requirements and I include that list here:<br /><a href="http://traveleratsea.blogspot.com/p/scotts-sailboat-list.html">Scott's Sailboat List</a> </p><p>I talked to someone with a Downeaster 38 that sounded promising. At the time it was too far away and "Covid" was keeping us from traveling.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6qotrtz618otyU4mQx9OHmoO0tv7va0GT4frqNbXvaKcH32-sfu9R61NtUU7nw28P2h2moGVuBK64jevUQrgpJMeFQbOc2Zm1INtHhc-arDR85qtF71yx-eyu2zRnXs5Nf1JoepKwTU/s641/CT+for+sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="641" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6qotrtz618otyU4mQx9OHmoO0tv7va0GT4frqNbXvaKcH32-sfu9R61NtUU7nw28P2h2moGVuBK64jevUQrgpJMeFQbOc2Zm1INtHhc-arDR85qtF71yx-eyu2zRnXs5Nf1JoepKwTU/s320/CT+for+sale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There was a Hunter Cherubini in California and an Islander Freeport 36 in Texas. There was the occasional Morgan Out Island 41,but if priced right, it was a mess. Pearsons galore but I wasn't sure about those as to the standing headroom. Union Polaris, Hans Christian, Mariner Polaris, Tayana, all very similar but usually too pricey for me. And a ton of Yankee Clippers, CTs, Formosa, Sea Wolf 41s, all the same mold but usually a little long in the tooth and a major refit project. <br /><p></p><p>And then, while perusing the "What's Up, San Carlos" online magazine, I found a Pan Oceanic 38 for sale by owner. "<a href="http://whatsupsancarlos.com/" target="_blank">What's Up, San Carlos</a>" is a local online magazine for the ex-patriot little town a day's drive south of Nogales, Arizona. It's a retirement and boating community full of gringos from the US and Canada. A couple from BC, Canada had this boat up for sale with a few pictures and a short description. I began an online search to find out more about this boat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUsI34m1Ym0-EUISq0CD2tKV0syYzvL4-czl_CU8TB4e-NcjoJ5iGPFCP7YZGKhBaiolSOCwRSRN_UBl9LiWFipJ7D9G3f4ZwQliJmCqunzkFjmOC0QThRRrQiRl2mMFe1ZA4Yisck5c/s940/oceanic_38_drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUsI34m1Ym0-EUISq0CD2tKV0syYzvL4-czl_CU8TB4e-NcjoJ5iGPFCP7YZGKhBaiolSOCwRSRN_UBl9LiWFipJ7D9G3f4ZwQliJmCqunzkFjmOC0QThRRrQiRl2mMFe1ZA4Yisck5c/s320/oceanic_38_drawing.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It was designed by Ted Brewer. Ted designed the Aloha, Brewer, Cape North, Goderich, Mariner, Morgan, Oceanic, Three Seas, and Whidby sailboat lines to name a few. He's known for designing heavy built, ocean cruising vessels. His Pan Oceanic 46s number about 50 hulls shipped, and about 15 of the Pan Oceanic 43s and only 6 to 10 of the Pan Oceanic 38s. What we had there in San Carlos was a limited version of an ocean crossing designed vessel that had been shortened to 38 feet. That pedigree was enough to make us want to go see the boat.</p><p>Sadly, we were in the depths of a pandemic. But fortunately, I was able to score an early vaccine treatment. ( My young wife, unfortunately, could not...) I contacted the owners and made a tentative offer pursuant to inspection. Then, I got online and started searching for airline deals to get me from Seatac to San Carlos. By pushing the calendar a month out, I found a cheap flight and booked it along with a rental car and an Air BnB. All masked up and nervous I boarded a crowded American Airlines flight at Seatac. Thank goodness I upgraded to a seat at the emergency exit so I had some legroom and space away from all the other passengers. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10wt1Z4U_NlsAR2cC2MC4-IRMprbLppLa7QCK_xOgcocFTTO0UKpM0VsHQyaLb0HMGewtnVi3BuMoNt4D9GgD5n9wcJ3e0Cy9njlsDnXo4uBKmTzJ1Btro3OQ7eKiTzgUlPcEea0CQV4/s567/Airport+Mob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="567" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10wt1Z4U_NlsAR2cC2MC4-IRMprbLppLa7QCK_xOgcocFTTO0UKpM0VsHQyaLb0HMGewtnVi3BuMoNt4D9GgD5n9wcJ3e0Cy9njlsDnXo4uBKmTzJ1Btro3OQ7eKiTzgUlPcEea0CQV4/w200-h141/Airport+Mob.jpg" title="No social distancing here" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No social distancing here</td></tr></tbody></table><br />At Phoenix the crowd stormed the door and I sat waiting behind my mask as everyone mobbed their way off the plane. I caught a second AA flight to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. There, in the airport, everyone was very polite and went to great extremes to socially distance and be safe. My little rental car was waiting and I drove south down highway 15 towards San Carlos, 139 KM of straight, flat, Sonoran desert road. I bought a Bohemia beer at the OXXO and rocketed south with the mariachi music blaring. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6nQzk7_5fj4oJe8dhrWdQ4cdLUliAzqFz4Zh28eXEjGDdClWJkmmbcP6uJof63bPe1PMBqVwL8AzwWi2MCZ3VO7Hew4IYNj5Dg9hZHqrqRiWVAWuxcWGum8aXjU9wTfdrie7lvT-HuE/s414/Mex+Hwy+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="345" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6nQzk7_5fj4oJe8dhrWdQ4cdLUliAzqFz4Zh28eXEjGDdClWJkmmbcP6uJof63bPe1PMBqVwL8AzwWi2MCZ3VO7Hew4IYNj5Dg9hZHqrqRiWVAWuxcWGum8aXjU9wTfdrie7lvT-HuE/w167-h200/Mex+Hwy+15.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>In San Carlos I found my "romantic" Palapa AirBnB and did the self-check in. Later at the Super LEY I bought provisions for my three day, two night stay. The next morning I met a friend of the owner at the San Carlos Marina Seca. Marina Seca means Dry Marina. Charles and I got through the gate at the storage yard and found the Pan Oeanic 38 named Nepenthe. <br /></p><p>Nepenthe: A<span><span> fictional drug described in Homer's <i>Odyssey</i> as banishing grief or trouble from a person's mind.</span></span></p><p><span><span>Kind of a strange name, but whatever...</span></span></p><p><span><span>One thing that struck me was the high </span></span><span><span><span><span>freeboard</span></span>. Freeboard: T</span></span><span><span><span class="ILfuVd"><span class="hgKElc">he distance between the waterline and the main deck. </span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="ILfuVd"><span class="hgKElc"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjBBUESsL_xtw6Cw7iazPreofF-fI8wBz0qLIwPlz2LS-6_s61bnjrEd3qac2ycAtNBr_bkndsXZMcNnONBeQ2PUZPhWT_3-Lffnfec8AcHhq9rIiOSVfghcQh9apgSzwf6ItfegjpRY/s2508/IMG_20210316_092636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjBBUESsL_xtw6Cw7iazPreofF-fI8wBz0qLIwPlz2LS-6_s61bnjrEd3qac2ycAtNBr_bkndsXZMcNnONBeQ2PUZPhWT_3-Lffnfec8AcHhq9rIiOSVfghcQh9apgSzwf6ItfegjpRY/w640-h320/IMG_20210316_092636.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></span></div><span><span><span class="ILfuVd"><span class="hgKElc"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span><span><span class="ILfuVd"><span class="hgKElc"> </span></span>She towered overhead, with a huge hull, rudder, and keel and from below she looked like a 38 foot, short, fat, round stern bathtub. I was in love. This was not your sleek, fleet of foot, cruiser/racer. This was a sturdy, stumpy force to be reckoned with; Galaxy Class star ship, capable of crossing oceans and protecting its mariners from every source of calamity. <br /></span></span></p><p><span><span>Normally, when a boat is sold, she is moved from the protected storage
yard to the work yard where the prospective owner can have her surveyed
and test out all the systems, hook up the batteries and even run
the engine, using a water hose to provide cooling water. Then she is
moved to the water for sea trials. We were skipping all that and thus
saving all the money spent on a surveyor and yard charges for moving the
boat from storage to the yard to the water and back. Those costs could
mount up to $1500 to be paid out of my pocket. I foolishly chose to do
my own inspection and forgo the sea trial. Smart eh? (fingers crossed)</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JIMfWaV9jvW9WMSJF6BHVfKDiQR3vvYSju9Y7SBUVMCCZoffU74VjkZpkDJYN1wntAKnIhrX0TvsUxmxu5Y6M4ErFuZYH16SEjTTOCZQgLPRKVKuiVSSzqKE5VhniWBGA4LwoGXqqlk/s2508/IMG_20210316_092729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JIMfWaV9jvW9WMSJF6BHVfKDiQR3vvYSju9Y7SBUVMCCZoffU74VjkZpkDJYN1wntAKnIhrX0TvsUxmxu5Y6M4ErFuZYH16SEjTTOCZQgLPRKVKuiVSSzqKE5VhniWBGA4LwoGXqqlk/s320/IMG_20210316_092729.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>Anyhow, she seems like a sturdy craft. Her teak decks look great. All the teak topsides have Cetol coating on the wood, not the most beautiful finish, but one that protects the wood. The original owner back in 1987 bought her in the Philippines and sailed her to Turkey and had teak decks installed, glueing them down instead of using screws. This is a bonus. Most teak decks are screwed down and have hundreds of little screw holes in the fiberglass that eventually start to leak. This deck has no reason to leak, nor did I see any signs of leakage below. The engine (a 50 HP Isuzu) had been rebuilt recently by our Mexico friend Omar who installed our Beta engine in Traveler a few years ago. I called Omar and he vouched for the reliability of the engine. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCvAf2wFueWGHW5FnVTfvDYXhDnM5qZIRijUUzQf_uGFc_6kTzEIHVTGbvoJ3DMVQnoDiOQYqqHL6IpfjPVBGIGW0KBtAPDOI4Dk26OBTbgtqVv_y9Vpr37hmuKOiGBslXNx6CvR6hSw/s833/nepenthe+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="833" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCvAf2wFueWGHW5FnVTfvDYXhDnM5qZIRijUUzQf_uGFc_6kTzEIHVTGbvoJ3DMVQnoDiOQYqqHL6IpfjPVBGIGW0KBtAPDOI4Dk26OBTbgtqVv_y9Vpr37hmuKOiGBslXNx6CvR6hSw/s320/nepenthe+.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>We found two 8-D batteries with quite enough capacity to power the systems and their voltage checked out, so I think they will last the summer heat until we get there to recharge them. The refrigerator compressor looks good but time will tell. <br /></span></span></p><p><span><span>The boat has a smallish cockpit with steering pedestal. Forward of that is a pilot house with a second wheel and instruments so you can drive from inside. Then down a few steps is the galley, head, settee area and a vee berth. For a 38 foot boat, there is a lot of livable space. The galley has a big refrigerator and gimbaled stove. I measured the berths and headroom to make sure that I fit and, sure enough, I do.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruJDV_GoD8tgZBFOGSyBUOw5xtzUab_1HeApPyNjeVkpCf_VrCXts0MtMH9qA4efnntBCeOTXg6IIzab6Filu_1diYtTGxJdiFGLK3QsXHaQ7ddCEFMNcRDL4SlHhtn8To2wtvq6984M/s808/Down+Below.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="808" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruJDV_GoD8tgZBFOGSyBUOw5xtzUab_1HeApPyNjeVkpCf_VrCXts0MtMH9qA4efnntBCeOTXg6IIzab6Filu_1diYtTGxJdiFGLK3QsXHaQ7ddCEFMNcRDL4SlHhtn8To2wtvq6984M/s320/Down+Below.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>The sails are packed into their bags and stowed away but their fabric looks good and there is a lot of gear stowed in the many cabinets and lockers. She's built like a brick shxt house with room to store tons of provisions and many cases of wine.... and accordions and ukuleles. </span></span></p><p><span><span>Outside, the hull looks solid with some new thru-hull fittings. The cutaway fin keel is much like the one on Traveler with a skeg hung rudder just aft of the propeller. Just forward of the pilot house is a huge flush deck running to the bow with room to lounge about and stow a dinghy on passages. Forward is an electric windlass with a heavy CQR anchor and lots of rusty chain. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWweInHMiEylhiq0lW0x9rVdFIdxowObNNL703r94f6CGvxdzzDq_K0TLK12CVEJx4AcTLUZ2iLLBhb2kR0VYo1tC3v9UCDMLc8yon6n7-S68e_11blc5Gl_mHqPQMQ9VFUM_okZXaADo/s2048/20210212_132812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWweInHMiEylhiq0lW0x9rVdFIdxowObNNL703r94f6CGvxdzzDq_K0TLK12CVEJx4AcTLUZ2iLLBhb2kR0VYo1tC3v9UCDMLc8yon6n7-S68e_11blc5Gl_mHqPQMQ9VFUM_okZXaADo/s320/20210212_132812.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>I spent another night in my romantic palapa and sent lots of pictures to Connie back in Olympia. We decided to make the deal. The next day I found a doctor to give me a 'Covid' test so I could get back into the US, and another doctor to prescribe some antibiotics I'd been having a problem getting in Olympia. For some reason the antibiotic I take for my skin problem (Rosacea) costs $125 in Olympia but $25 in Mexico. </span></span></p><p><span><span>I then bought some tacos carnitas at a stand, drove back to </span></span><span><span>Hermosillo, and rented a room at the IBIS hotel. Everything was locked down because of the Coronavirus, but I finally found a place to buy a sandwich.So far I had avoided any restaurants and had masked myself whenever in public. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI3uA1tXWFpRbInpky57vH3b74VL0kWQNkKHlO4jUtSqDViVjbp1XFmmVhSyk14UqG6Io_C9OhIqhvOOXt8rdMs76O-oGGK8slLjmms7VyjR_-lfnOoQmo99BBwjAfauueQvBFbklA3w/s2048/IMG_20190317_125057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI3uA1tXWFpRbInpky57vH3b74VL0kWQNkKHlO4jUtSqDViVjbp1XFmmVhSyk14UqG6Io_C9OhIqhvOOXt8rdMs76O-oGGK8slLjmms7VyjR_-lfnOoQmo99BBwjAfauueQvBFbklA3w/s320/IMG_20190317_125057.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>Returning the rental car, I caught a Volaris flight to Guadalajara where I had a long layover before finding my Volaris flight to Seattle. I noted that when the Volaris flights arrived at the airport, the passengers waited patiently in their seats for the flight attendants to release everyone five rows at a time. It was all orderly and seemed like the safe thing to do to maintain the little distancing available on a full flight. And again, on this flight, I scored the emergency exit seat so as to have space and leg room. </span></span></p><p><span><span>Connie met me at the airport with a jar of wine and a dinner snack and we talked excitedly about our upcoming purchase of a Pan Oceanic 38.</span></span></p><p><span><span>Asking price: $29,900. I made an offer of $26,000. They countered at $28,000. I accepted. We are so jazzed!</span></span></p><p><span><span>We own the boat now. It sits in the San Carlos Marina Seca waiting for us to show up in October. In the meantime we are preparing a load of boat supplies to bring along. We've got hoses, clamps, tools, wiring, rope, instruments, and all sorts of stuff. There is a new Achilles </span></span><span><span>LEX-96 hypalon dinghy and an ePropulsion Spirit 1 Plus 1KW electric outboard ready to load in the pickup truck. We have two new Tower Yachtsman paddleboards ready to go. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hBVgODwSGTBrKzCwcnAl1E-SAJPFxwYdygMM4PxSSsxOrbsJ2IWHCuVcLt26McO0o9wyO9eKjzkx7boyEOlRpwuVDcBcE23eu5_G3XfEfYdUhR5OIBYYpHAiWwwcV7LKCEXrXmhPVUM/s615/Mast+steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hBVgODwSGTBrKzCwcnAl1E-SAJPFxwYdygMM4PxSSsxOrbsJ2IWHCuVcLt26McO0o9wyO9eKjzkx7boyEOlRpwuVDcBcE23eu5_G3XfEfYdUhR5OIBYYpHAiWwwcV7LKCEXrXmhPVUM/s320/Mast+steps.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span>This weekend during the "heat dome" emergency I'll be spending time ordering stainless steel tubing and fittings to take to Mexico to make a bimini stand that will hold two new solar panels that will connect with a new solar converter. I'm shopping for an inverter to bring along to provide 110 volt power for cell phones and the laptop. </span></span></p><p><span><span>It is our hope to leave here in October to make our way south with a few stops, bringing the little Scamp trailer along with the truck full of parts and provisions. In San Carlos we'll meet up with our friend Leo who has an AirBnB reserved where we can enjoy the comforts of a home while working on the new boat getting the refit done. He is excited about joining us on our next big adventure costal cruising! We hope to splash in November and head south down the Sea of Cortez to many lovely anchorages where we have good memories of clear warm water, sandy beaches and good friends. Ain't life grand?</span></span></p><p><span><span>Wanna come visit?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jGmy4-IrkI29tjIPVOUvdV7jHCZ5eLxlDb_5Qa69XHtggmlDUFLoSXPNgAvNuF8FKMHH3tYvhTzDUaG1vFjyL-T-nUTyUSWncx87aRi7H6NuAJ1oBwUfqKTsAJKjQUpBT4yUK815n6A/s802/Romantic+Palapa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jGmy4-IrkI29tjIPVOUvdV7jHCZ5eLxlDb_5Qa69XHtggmlDUFLoSXPNgAvNuF8FKMHH3tYvhTzDUaG1vFjyL-T-nUTyUSWncx87aRi7H6NuAJ1oBwUfqKTsAJKjQUpBT4yUK815n6A/s320/Romantic+Palapa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My romantic palapa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17wCpf29eH1sOT51I6mtFOjilC6cyNsUdH1pFrJSKyRRxGbi-FIKjhSKZ0giHUkHlL7culQT38Qm1IzFKYv8Z-osO_w80EhegRqX458VKJ61d4ZANxbQwiSov4bNzNE1LAyvKwd8s544/s782/Provisions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="782" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17wCpf29eH1sOT51I6mtFOjilC6cyNsUdH1pFrJSKyRRxGbi-FIKjhSKZ0giHUkHlL7culQT38Qm1IzFKYv8Z-osO_w80EhegRqX458VKJ61d4ZANxbQwiSov4bNzNE1LAyvKwd8s544/s320/Provisions.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Provisions</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span> </span></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-83817296628401180012021-06-11T18:15:00.001-07:002021-06-11T18:25:16.477-07:00Deferred Maintenance on Traveler<p>On a wet, chilly day in January, I visited the boat and got a vibe from her that it was about time she got some TLC. There were multiple deferred maintenance projects that had been put on the back burner. Time to get to work! --- <span style="color: #cc0000;">Warning: This article is full of boat tech stuff</span> ------<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxygqAcuoHCHWFvtjPzRVNk25YG54GDAAuVF5Y_7VvOd4icphEj64Gc2IULfimDXL4ItQIa-udw4-SxvZtC15oXEI8Vl7bX7hYKtFK5LoDSA9JiMpKL_crjS6FYjv3xeNzTm-_zvgJtko/s1007/High+Voltage+System+with+charging+units.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1007" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxygqAcuoHCHWFvtjPzRVNk25YG54GDAAuVF5Y_7VvOd4icphEj64Gc2IULfimDXL4ItQIa-udw4-SxvZtC15oXEI8Vl7bX7hYKtFK5LoDSA9JiMpKL_crjS6FYjv3xeNzTm-_zvgJtko/w640-h382/High+Voltage+System+with+charging+units.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Wiring: </p><div class="nc684nl6"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/53390094856/user/547965575/?__cft__[0]=AZXhM6x-3SVw0aY4Okf4NMD5ECOzmISP57yhE0d4ngm2SwF8TAxNJVZWThc2-lUYaCLBdIj6nO0p_PZGrGtm6dMD1GwibJ3uAwLx0B69WU_6-8PVHHntokS_d-uNth3mdVz08mV7SK6NEdwe9AWxU6p_&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span></span></a></div><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">A few years ago I had Jason from Aloft Marine aboard to install a new windlass. He saw some of the wiring in the battery compartment and said,
"You really should do something about that." A few months ago I had Meredith Anderson, our diesel mechanic, </span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> aboard to check my Beta / Kubota diesel and she saw a corroded bus bar and covered her eyes. "I don't want to see that!"</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">After that abuse, I decided to take action. <br /></span></p><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">In February I pulled up the floorboards, got out my yellow legal pad and set about drawing how the batteries connect to the starter and the alternator. I traced the shore charging circuit and the solar array charging circuit. I found multiple buss bars for both positive and negative with a shunt to track amps in and out. There are also the big power users, the windlass and the refrigerator. Measuring the wires with my digital calipers, I found that most of the large power wires are 1 or 1/0 AWG. After measuring all the runs and figuring out what size terminals they needed I went online and ordered all the parts. Of course, being me, a computer nerd, I used a spreadsheet to track the 40 connectors on 20 fat wires, with varying wire thicknesses and connector hole sizes. Once I got the deliveries, it was really fun making new cables with my new heavy duty crimper then shrinking insulation on the connections. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBbua9rV_J-xlkHrQ9SJpBgYhu9NS9fo7O-j8yPiXYp0sNy8yTR2AtZ8mMSTGQfkabhHNp52DyxI9tvz_sp6DQDs6T8mV-miXELqP3RPFzU9QhKEQfxXWMUXerhRoKn1198fHBvg41ZY/s814/Wiring.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="814" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBbua9rV_J-xlkHrQ9SJpBgYhu9NS9fo7O-j8yPiXYp0sNy8yTR2AtZ8mMSTGQfkabhHNp52DyxI9tvz_sp6DQDs6T8mV-miXELqP3RPFzU9QhKEQfxXWMUXerhRoKn1198fHBvg41ZY/s320/Wiring.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br />After installing the big stuff, I did some rearranging of the system and tracked down a couple of circuits in the ceiling where lights and fans were starting to get a little frisky. Those small wires are much easier to deal with than the big stuff, but still require quality connectors and crimping tools. By the time all the electric work was half done, the boat was totally torn apart with ceiling panels out, floorboards up, cabinet doors removed and all manner of tools, parts and junk littering every available flat surface. 90 days later it was all back together and all working like it is supposed to work, all except that one ceiling light switch that suddenly went on the fritz. </span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">While removing ceiling panels we restarted our "replace the headliner fabric" project. Getting fabric swatches from Seattle Fabric we found a match and ordered a few yards, then used contact cement to put the new marine vinyl on the ceiling panels. <br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Diesel Tank Replacement:<br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">During this same period we decided to replace our diesel tanks...again. Years ago, when we first tried to cross the Pacific Ocean, the port side black iron diesel tank split and we were forced to return to port at San Jose del Cabo. That year, in Guaymas Mexico, I had two new tanks built of plastic and those worked well the next year as we completed our Pacific crossings. However, last year, one of those plastic tanks split a seam and spilled diesel into the bilge. That story is not for the faint of heart, nor shall I address the details here. I figured that it was about time to do the job right. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">We spent a few days hauling out all the gear stowed in the two cockpit lockers and the lazerette. Somehow, every time we had a full dock cart the tide was out and the ramp was at a 30 degree angle. Puuuuush.... I rearranged the shop at home to make room for loads of rope, anchors, buckets, and storage containers. Dropping down into the various lockers, screw gun and socket set in hand, I disassembled the wood partitions, exposing the two 60 gallon plastic tanks that sit directly under the cockpit sole. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdE5wpCMvrjXROuaEM0tKAflNADLLS7SitN46evxvZDuOhLCW2XvBJnzcjJm_RtbTbFjc9mLB7A35LWUZVxe1cMDIj67YzZ2HTKiMWs_eZo8FY-gOmsk6E-SJV__zDhj8hu-P-gUNMdg/s730/pumping+diesel.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdE5wpCMvrjXROuaEM0tKAflNADLLS7SitN46evxvZDuOhLCW2XvBJnzcjJm_RtbTbFjc9mLB7A35LWUZVxe1cMDIj67YzZ2HTKiMWs_eZo8FY-gOmsk6E-SJV__zDhj8hu-P-gUNMdg/s320/pumping+diesel.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br />Next, I disconnected the fuel line in the engine compartment, just downstream of the little electric pump that I put in a few years ago to make priming the system easier. It took four diesel fuel jugs to hold the fuel from the starboard tank. The port tank, I'd already emptied last year. Of course, the tide was out when I tried to push a cart with 70 pounds of diesel up the ramp. Of course, I spilled a little into the cart, and on my clothes. After washing the cart I brought up another 70 pounds of fuel. </span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Disconnecting the supply, return, fill, and vent hoses, I set about removing the frames that hold the tanks in place. Connie arrived in her dungarees and we set about scooting the starboard tank up and away from the center line, tying it to starboard with some line. I had to drill some holes in the tank to pass through some small line so as to get handholds in the right places. We also plugged the threaded holes in the top of the tank so as not to spill any leftover fuel. <br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">We freed the port tank and passed it through the special door into the aft cabin. See how this was done in a post from December 2015: http://traveleratsea.blogspot.com/2015/12/home-at-last.html . And again, I thank Stan Huntingford, the designer of our boat, for making it possible to remove the fuel tanks without having to destroy any bulkheads or woodwork. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO50WT14B35EJ9YFqZFCte1C0S2IyX9w6PHXaKrmwjjAdah7AL59XtakGqtPPtcMV63zYza-Yq-9ZBTxLuCqhfVXFKR252Y-o05RobDldkNHkUQrTsWUbCEqjD5iA54v6UmV_kI7FsDc/s617/Moving+old+tanks+in+cart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="617" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO50WT14B35EJ9YFqZFCte1C0S2IyX9w6PHXaKrmwjjAdah7AL59XtakGqtPPtcMV63zYza-Yq-9ZBTxLuCqhfVXFKR252Y-o05RobDldkNHkUQrTsWUbCEqjD5iA54v6UmV_kI7FsDc/w400-h311/Moving+old+tanks+in+cart.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Up the steep ramp we pushed our way to the pickup truck, then returned for the starboard tank and finagled it out of the vessel. </span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Of
course, in the process of getting the tanks out, we spilled a little
diesel on ourselves, the cart, and the pickup truck. And again, I had a
dock cart to clean. I must say, in my defense, not one drop of diesel
fuel went into the waters of Budd Inlet. </span> </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Back at the slip, our dear traveler looked sad with her stern in the air, a full four inches above the waterline. I set about cleaning the bilge and inside the hull throughout the rear lockers, everything aft of the cabin. Simple green and diesel smell... yum. Using a small vacuum, I removed multiple gallons of stinky bilge water and brought it home. Then I rinsed again, and again. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">When I called the work yard and asked about how to dispose of bilge water that had a slight smell of diesel residue they had no good answer. Once at home, I laid a diesel fuel absorbent pad on the surface to draw off any sheen then started wandering around my yard trying to figure out where to dump my five gallons of tainted water. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_NXud48rYuWOKmG9jGTRy0QsNaAsI6EA-wBB_Unhe42xfJ0tJru9vU4OnZqgZqmga5yUQ7YyP14uwf6d3VA6BPsW_w6Zrn7_FgcQY0oq12MkeWj1iE8xZVehoFScCnFg_9DOKw2n75Y/s630/Plastic+tanks+are+out.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_NXud48rYuWOKmG9jGTRy0QsNaAsI6EA-wBB_Unhe42xfJ0tJru9vU4OnZqgZqmga5yUQ7YyP14uwf6d3VA6BPsW_w6Zrn7_FgcQY0oq12MkeWj1iE8xZVehoFScCnFg_9DOKw2n75Y/s320/Plastic+tanks+are+out.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">"Get out of here with those stinky clothes!" Connie banished me from the house. I reeked from diesel smell. Leaving my clothing on the door stoop, I jumped into the shower to try to get the smell off my body, out of my hair, and from under the fingernails. After washing my clothing twice and accomplishing nothing other than stinking up the washer, I finally just chucked my work clothes into the trash can.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">After removing the tanks from the pickup truck and power washing the pickup truck bed, we measured the tanks and I started calling around to find someone to replicate them in aluminum. Back at the boat, I donned a respirator and painted the entire inside of the back of the boat from deck to bilge with a oil based enamel. Shiny! From there on out, instead of getting smacked with a strong diesel smell, you got smacked with a strong enamel paint smell when stepping aboard. I'm reminded of the story in The Cat in a Hat Comes Back where they can't get rid of the pink ring in the bathtub. That's how the diesel smell was to me.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Back at home, in the shop, I cleaned up all the partition boards that I'd removed from the lockers and put a few coats of enamel on those as well. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLcX2F2kMdPZ6v-X0yIX1B3yuYRRR2jtxqrGHNgqiWsuMJ_6BNUqLPiAXUaGd-pp1TYKs7129lAUGv0XyOtbX8WjyFBSDK_FZH_Zbzxk8LR1Tg5qlnmyV4fqv6_Mgm2taKZN1nV-4BTo/s732/New+Aluminum+Tanks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="732" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLcX2F2kMdPZ6v-X0yIX1B3yuYRRR2jtxqrGHNgqiWsuMJ_6BNUqLPiAXUaGd-pp1TYKs7129lAUGv0XyOtbX8WjyFBSDK_FZH_Zbzxk8LR1Tg5qlnmyV4fqv6_Mgm2taKZN1nV-4BTo/w640-h524/New+Aluminum+Tanks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Meanwhile, the two new aluminum fuel tanks took five weeks for Coastline to weld up for me. The tanks look great and have the necessary pressure testing procedures done. All in all, I'm pleased with the quality of work at Coastline. However, the fittings are not what I asked for, and they put in two floats for fuel gauges that I didn't ask for. In addition, nobody I dealt with there ever wore a mask when meeting with me. ( note: future readers, this is in the time of Covid. ) </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Back in Olympia, we threw the two plastic tanks into the marina dumpster and brought the new tanks down the steep ramp to Traveler. They went into the boat almost as easy as they came out and soon I was siphoning my 140 pounds (20 gallons) of diesel back into the tanks. Getting the hoses onto the new bibs was difficult as the rubber had hardened and didn't want to stretch. The heat gun helped. New hose clamps all around, 20 in all, gave me the confidence to keep that pink ring out of the bathtub. It took a good ten minutes for the electric priming fuel pump to clear the lines of air but soon, the engine started and we were ready to go on to the next project. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY0szo2TKLlVhn4oDXM5oLPZNbitqHZ_R8co5FDLi84i6BtwQrkox7UbC-Db27aEQh-8cKcL1EurRVV_vhAWz1hrbMaY-FtO3nd20pC_iYJyOFv4ci4tRUz3pLiLj_f3xWXIBdBXn0UU/s500/Pelagic_Controller_Power_Supply_Cable_6.Enhanced_Test_11d7175d-7963-49b8-babf-c6ec71ac7c0e_250x250%25402x.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY0szo2TKLlVhn4oDXM5oLPZNbitqHZ_R8co5FDLi84i6BtwQrkox7UbC-Db27aEQh-8cKcL1EurRVV_vhAWz1hrbMaY-FtO3nd20pC_iYJyOFv4ci4tRUz3pLiLj_f3xWXIBdBXn0UU/s320/Pelagic_Controller_Power_Supply_Cable_6.Enhanced_Test_11d7175d-7963-49b8-babf-c6ec71ac7c0e_250x250%25402x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Autopilot: <br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Our autopilot head had gone on the fritz two years ago and I never got around to replacing it. In the meantime the company who made the Alpha 4404 closed their doors so the option of just buying a new Alpha head was gone. I researched a few other models and found that Scanmar has a line of Pelagic autopilots that would work with my existing linear drive and clutch. It was pretty straightforward mounting the control head in the cockpit and the brain in the cockpit locker and doing the wiring connections. Now we have a new autopilot to figure out. On our first outing, she yawed back and forth so I think I'll need to do some fine tuning.<br /><br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEbk9mylJNpvuPVYsd4_Ad1IkFo5WtbfXanue-_8LMfOtnm3jftysgpFZUri_bZanuJLXzVJdXxnIS4YlnW4ohR8IIkvTZ8LxM6XXFdx7GeSTI8jzsWdnQZCGUgCnpS_yvoJvqoLu5LA/s2048/CB+Varnishing+cockpit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEbk9mylJNpvuPVYsd4_Ad1IkFo5WtbfXanue-_8LMfOtnm3jftysgpFZUri_bZanuJLXzVJdXxnIS4YlnW4ohR8IIkvTZ8LxM6XXFdx7GeSTI8jzsWdnQZCGUgCnpS_yvoJvqoLu5LA/w640-h480/CB+Varnishing+cockpit.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Varnish:</span></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Since the cabin top varnishing job of last summer went so well, Connie decided she'd varnish all the teak in the cockpit. Wash, strip, sand, varnish. Then sand and varnish again. Seven coats took an entire month. But now it looks wonderful, just in time for our charter season to get cranking.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> Transmission:</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qvI20K_OzmPZHwCLL8DCBf09ylInVaaJXFBI3TNWx38WBEfaMtvkuMBMScZwRdJNiNdfZyaFEmpLMVCr0gxcnHkLZbny8zBbgDNiJ6rN79-dO3u5c1CJvcRQDm_F8zDdeK0r4wtul9E/s500/Old+Tranny.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="462" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qvI20K_OzmPZHwCLL8DCBf09ylInVaaJXFBI3TNWx38WBEfaMtvkuMBMScZwRdJNiNdfZyaFEmpLMVCr0gxcnHkLZbny8zBbgDNiJ6rN79-dO3u5c1CJvcRQDm_F8zDdeK0r4wtul9E/w252-h273/Old+Tranny.jpg" width="252" /></a></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">This one was a surprise. After changing out the transmission fluid we took a spin around Budd Inlet. When engaging the forward gear, the transmission jerked a couple of times when we accelerated the engine from idle speed. This happened twice and we began to worry about the transmission going out on us mid-charter. After some consults, I decided I would remove the tranny and have someone look at it. The go-to marine transmission shop is Harbor Marine in Everett. In a call to them, I found that my little ZF 15M was not something they were interested in rebuilding. "Just buy a new one."<br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">I jumped into the truck and drove two hours to Everett to dump two thousand dollars on a new ZF 15M. Back on Traveler, I set out trying to remove the old unit, disconnecting and removing the control cable and bracket and loosening the six bolts on the forward side of the tranny and the four bolts on the prop shaft coupling. After that knuckle busting, back aching, lie on the floor with my hands in the bilge, effort I realized that I was not up to the physical effort of pulling that tranny out by myself. Miraculously, I found a mechanic ( In high season!) to come aboard. I cannot reveal the identity of this person because all marine mechanics have a huge backlog of work right now at the beginning of the season. Sneaking me to the front of the line could hurt some feelings. We wouldn't want to do that now would we? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, kind mechanic person.<br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Getting ready for the professional to come work on my boat, I felt like I do before visiting the dentist. I usually spend a couple of days vigorously brushing and flossing so as not to look like a slacker. Likewise, I looked around the engine compartment and cleaned up loose ends and replaced a dozen rusty hose clamps on the verge of failure.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcekgfdXclQ6M-ADhi1rq0YsIRwqbh4mZ3QzALuguxh-zJflGkzUhD0Q2nFz9sKgWINjIjzZLEYhvTQl5FidG6ep-02IjcMwV0Uc-oA_w-MSOq0Cme6R9j39gpS-ltV0yO14hILcLkZ5o/s595/New+Tranny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="595" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcekgfdXclQ6M-ADhi1rq0YsIRwqbh4mZ3QzALuguxh-zJflGkzUhD0Q2nFz9sKgWINjIjzZLEYhvTQl5FidG6ep-02IjcMwV0Uc-oA_w-MSOq0Cme6R9j39gpS-ltV0yO14hILcLkZ5o/s320/New+Tranny.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br />My guy/gal/they arrived and went to work. He/she/they loosened the dripless collar and shoved the prop shaft aft, then re-secured the collar to stop the volumes of water rushing into the bilge. The bilge pump clicked on just like it is supposed to and I'm proud that there was no oil sheen on the water outside. Pulling the shaft back gave us about six inches of clearance to pull the tranny off the engine. BAM! She was out. Thank you, person with strong arms and hands, ( who asked to remain anonymous.)<br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Soon we had the new tranny ready and while the mechanic positioned the unit in place, I was able to lie on top of the engine and sighting down the gap between engine and transmission, guide the spline into the plate on the flywheel. Lots of grunting and then it slid into place. An hour later, we were operational. What a sigh of relief. All in all, we only lost five days on the project and cancelled just one charter. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Denouement: </span><i><span>noun </span></i><i><span>The
final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the
plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.</span></i></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">With the pandemic coming to some sort of resolution, people are starting to call and make reservations for us to take them out on the water. We've got quite a few on the books for June, July, and August and it's starting to look like we'll have a record summer. That's good. We need the money because..... we just pulled the trigger and bought another boat.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">I am not kidding. </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">This one is in San Carlos, Mexico. She's a sweetheart and a sweet deal. The question is.... what's the catch? Stay tuned. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi8bmhoALmVSNhk933YJ_9z-eG4nTF36w2xHLTt8iz5So-UIZZAJff22H_kzKK0mx66J7ual9sPeQYsMoNvb8a200hCb331nztSQg-d9W_gr03cTtHj9tQuKl7WxejICwPsySkAX5RDI/s2508/IMG_20210316_092636.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi8bmhoALmVSNhk933YJ_9z-eG4nTF36w2xHLTt8iz5So-UIZZAJff22H_kzKK0mx66J7ual9sPeQYsMoNvb8a200hCb331nztSQg-d9W_gr03cTtHj9tQuKl7WxejICwPsySkAX5RDI/w640-h320/IMG_20210316_092636.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> </span> </p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-90347211694830759042020-12-11T09:48:00.002-08:002020-12-13T18:43:45.418-08:00Groundhog Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhqNuYueFR_eXA76e8jA5q754JxV12RUNYO885z3aRRlDzpl60dSfIwnwQuw2lTErcQU0VR9ayVL7kymKN0aP-iQXbKzeHGOAWssJYD6VpGrRbiQQpHi7Qxg6BkneK6LXOsILKGyJDJI/s777/Sanding.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="777" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhqNuYueFR_eXA76e8jA5q754JxV12RUNYO885z3aRRlDzpl60dSfIwnwQuw2lTErcQU0VR9ayVL7kymKN0aP-iQXbKzeHGOAWssJYD6VpGrRbiQQpHi7Qxg6BkneK6LXOsILKGyJDJI/s320/Sanding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>What gets us through the day, and into the next? Why, we've got things to do! That's what. For instance, today Connie and I went to the outbuilding and took turns sanding 24 inch fir flooring boards. Each layer of the pile has ten boards. Each board has to be stripped of the old varnish and then sanded smooth. Ten boards takes about an hour. We need 300 boards for the new floor of the music studio. That goal provides a purpose to our day. <p></p><p>After sleeping in late, we have breakfast, then I head to the shed and do my floor boards while Connie practices her music. I come back inside for lunch then she heads to the shed to do her trick at the sander. Later, after dinner, Connie turns to her task of constructing a new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekere">chequere</a>, a large beaded gourd. Her goal for the evening is to add another row of beads. There are 40 beads per row, all needed to be tied, Macramé style. I busy myself at the computer. We might watch a movie or show on the laptop, read and go to sleep. Like the movie Groundhog Day, we get up and do the exact same thing the next day. It seems like we've been doing this forever. We don't see friends. We don't go anywhere. We construct our day so as to get it done.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0bW4f3CMfNtymjgWGfFMTe-VXmd4IiSNYsjFaaTshCBPDKnBdpp7ZRZLr_E8sbw_Fl5ybHayA91xRCWibdT0fiv_bShjz1CLXEv_SgS_suXpPtL6DHQ3UTdAcWaJw8t5Dy2jILIyKUk/s695/Music+Studio+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="695" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0bW4f3CMfNtymjgWGfFMTe-VXmd4IiSNYsjFaaTshCBPDKnBdpp7ZRZLr_E8sbw_Fl5ybHayA91xRCWibdT0fiv_bShjz1CLXEv_SgS_suXpPtL6DHQ3UTdAcWaJw8t5Dy2jILIyKUk/w400-h353/Music+Studio+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Our days have been like this for about nine months. To keep from going crazy, we've been conjuring up plans of action, marking up the steps involved and proceeding with it. In the spring and throughout the summer it was us hacking a big garden out of an overgrown plot of land behind the house. Then later, scrounging canning jars and putting all that produce away for the winter. Alongside that task was the building of a small structure that is to be a music studio. We can't just build a shed, or an outbuilding. It has to be a full blown mini-house, built to standards with insulation, electricity, studs and beams, tongue and groove paneling, and soon, a clear fir floor salvaged from a 40 year old addition. Who knows, someday we might have to live in that little space.<br /></p><p>Last year we gutted the back third of our house that had housed a garage and loft bedroom and created a small apartment for ourselves. In that process we removed a lot of material, mostly wood product, which we saved and now are using for the music studio. While buying new material for the project would certainly save time, cleaning up the old material not only saves us money but gives us something to do during these long Covid days. We must stay busy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZw5j5zie_1BeZ729023orYdnhtXb2SGpxdAakrexJetumZchWjecZHcZd1HuMF74beuLvUrBWlUkVYzN0EOl76nu4ZT-3qwpSuKadEFSje0_uA7nYl5WAb5VLagAg2U1gbuuT5Vqwfc/s837/Beading.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="837" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZw5j5zie_1BeZ729023orYdnhtXb2SGpxdAakrexJetumZchWjecZHcZd1HuMF74beuLvUrBWlUkVYzN0EOl76nu4ZT-3qwpSuKadEFSje0_uA7nYl5WAb5VLagAg2U1gbuuT5Vqwfc/w200-h149/Beading.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>We were lucky to have bought this old house just before the Covid hit. And we were fortunate to have remodeled and rented out our main house in time to weather the pandemic without going broke. We're thinking that this is a time to retrench, economize, and make plans for the future. This is a time to go it alone, keep friends at a distance, to stash cash and canned goods. Under the house, in a cold concrete half-height cellar we built shelves and filled them with the bounty from the garden and other purchased items that would get us through an extended time of need. </p><p>This pandemic has us thinking like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivalism">preppers</a>, survivalists, those people who stock up in anticipation of hard times. I think this pandemic has brought out the best in people and the worst in people. It's been a wake up call reminding us of the extreme levels of kindness and cruelty that we are capable of. <br /><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWaDGnGeYv__ohYmwl0724DOWzd6OKFO_RYh3TBrlQwnZ5oQcWj5Fpyny1zN1LSGoZBUGxsb-vsGHsRev4oHW7ZbXYK20JrA0uNId2L7kcxdeZIaDndGk-kvHljoo8os7XeO5IBkdV5g/s509/CB+sketch+of+Scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="269" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWaDGnGeYv__ohYmwl0724DOWzd6OKFO_RYh3TBrlQwnZ5oQcWj5Fpyny1zN1LSGoZBUGxsb-vsGHsRev4oHW7ZbXYK20JrA0uNId2L7kcxdeZIaDndGk-kvHljoo8os7XeO5IBkdV5g/s320/CB+sketch+of+Scott.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connie's sketch of Scott<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>When I was younger, I thought the population explosion was going to bring our society down. After that, I thought the concept of Peak Oil was going to be the death knell of our society. Now it seems like both of those have spawned a larger threat that is climate change. Even while we see that train wreck approaching, the people in power do next to nothing to slow it down, and others deny that there is anything to be concerned about. This pandemic gives us a taste of our future and tells us that we cannot depend on anyone else to do the right thing. </p><p>And so we continue our Groundhog days. I toss shelled peanuts out the door for the squirrels and watch them run off and hide them in the dirt. They watch me building away, adding another structure, planning an acquisition, and stashing food and booze in the cellar. We're getting back to basics, fortifying for our future, waiting out the pandemic. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduJ6VR21URcIeML-ePbVRnTvTe58HpdcoZZL-SxVKuhYpD9LHJWCc1LmMt2tk_JQTXq4KW7zKjzyDuaGkC8UqIfV0BPGlcsmPfV4Yh98mTaFlD5lk6_dkpIiOA9gCp5ZjtUR__zlu3V4/s1074/Canned+goods.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1074" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduJ6VR21URcIeML-ePbVRnTvTe58HpdcoZZL-SxVKuhYpD9LHJWCc1LmMt2tk_JQTXq4KW7zKjzyDuaGkC8UqIfV0BPGlcsmPfV4Yh98mTaFlD5lk6_dkpIiOA9gCp5ZjtUR__zlu3V4/w640-h346/Canned+goods.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-8538795130794356492020-11-11T20:36:00.018-08:002020-11-11T21:05:22.504-08:00A Much Needed Nautical Break<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJx71hlhHzg6dd8ii5C3z7SEQybk5xyku15U-wWwikA2FlCZ-PV3MZS5SUDcR3aAVOCocGOI1L4X9QP0my5rT32ZYLXX9HwZGUyAqD-pKw2gCiv3bXkHuH97hNd-hGVu02PnmY_7_7c3o/s606/Scott+and+Connie+nice+pic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJx71hlhHzg6dd8ii5C3z7SEQybk5xyku15U-wWwikA2FlCZ-PV3MZS5SUDcR3aAVOCocGOI1L4X9QP0my5rT32ZYLXX9HwZGUyAqD-pKw2gCiv3bXkHuH97hNd-hGVu02PnmY_7_7c3o/s320/Scott+and+Connie+nice+pic.jpg" /></a></div>Since Traveler was raring to get out on the water, we decided to pack her with 21 days of food and beverage and bug out of Olympia. The day before we left, Connie gathered up twenty pounds of greens and beans, tomatoes and carrots to carry along with us on our journey. We loaded up the refrigerator on the boat as well as two big coolers, thinking that it would be best to provision for the full three weeks so that we could avoid stores in Seattle, Sequim, and the San Juan Islands.<br /><br />Rumor was that boating destinations were getting swamped with vacationers desperate to get out of the house and on the water. Our thoughts were to avoid towns, avoid people, and avoid crowded anchorages. We armed ourselves with a state park mooring pass, our South Sound Sailing Society reciprocal membership, and three cases of wine. By the way, we stored the wine on the port side of the boat and that helped keep her on her lines. Otherwise she has a slight list to the starboard.<br /> <br /><br />August 4th we cruised out to Penrose Point and found a mooring buoy for the night. The next day we caught a bid ebb tide that swept us through the Tacoma Narrows, and into Colvos Passage. There, in 300 feet of water I spotted a crab buoy swimming its way north up the channel. It was clear to me that someone’s trap had fallen into deep water and was lost. I know that you are not supposed to pull up a crab trap that you don’t own, but when a trap with 100 feet of line is in 300 feet of water it’s in no one’s interest to have it bounce along until it hits bottom again. And then, the lost trap could continue to catch crab for months, crab who would not survive that small prison. We spun around, scooped it up and got the name and address of the owner written on the float. I phoned the owner in Tacoma and told her that her crab trap will be spending its vacation with us in the San Juans until we returned back south in a couple of weeks. She was delighted.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi5vo5SsIPt_lL24QSkybiHD_dv9OVKDc3Kr6zVIUenO8WfY7feW_KB9ALyLrdqpBhdFSlKtPTWIQFGAuVvlak0vrbaqLzugjNdbI47M14guy2FciQ43Tr88VL_OC1f8aCFbWW8oZYh0/s935/Seven+crabs+in+a+pot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="935" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi5vo5SsIPt_lL24QSkybiHD_dv9OVKDc3Kr6zVIUenO8WfY7feW_KB9ALyLrdqpBhdFSlKtPTWIQFGAuVvlak0vrbaqLzugjNdbI47M14guy2FciQ43Tr88VL_OC1f8aCFbWW8oZYh0/w400-h269/Seven+crabs+in+a+pot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br />The big ebb pushed us all the way north past Blake Island (crowded), through Rich Passage to the park dock at Illahee, a nice long run for one day. We watched the kids jumping into the water over and over all afternoon. I had a bee fly into my shirt and got stung twice for a nice surprise “hello” from nature. The next day we shot through Agate Pass in a driving rain, to arrive later in the day at Port Ludlow and a quiet anchorage. <br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAtXOLnoLSRukvdJPZ9kjpYk0H6GuZ1RVaTDlnC535ei49JhvhuXWP-dnOPXvbr36bxplEtotFgGpjfSVR43oBwOg62vRKWdpW-uZVTQpnpQeO-QNxsCS_1dRPAMSVwXPebWzy5cpjPY/s678/Island+Spirit+and+Traveler+in+Sequim.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="678" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAtXOLnoLSRukvdJPZ9kjpYk0H6GuZ1RVaTDlnC535ei49JhvhuXWP-dnOPXvbr36bxplEtotFgGpjfSVR43oBwOg62vRKWdpW-uZVTQpnpQeO-QNxsCS_1dRPAMSVwXPebWzy5cpjPY/w400-h334/Island+Spirit+and+Traveler+in+Sequim.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island Spirit and Traveler at Sequim Bay Park<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br />Day four we rode the next strong ebb through Admiralty Inlet and around the corner to the entrance to Sequim Bay where we soaked a crab trap and caught our dinner. We reset the traps and continued on into the bay to find dock space at the state park float. Our friends Rick and Ada were there on their new boat Island Spirit.<br /><br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4_OuirioMSvOIJ5Qy4sI9_wP-_vdE14Ugy79WNLFry6STlvrygAh7Tm9WyqvS8461G4aVhfuzK8PQs0yGJ0ZGzCs_LdSEyjvd07KjlqDc4OUbOEOWkzfUIWljzB4IresWfs0vsXjKnw/s620/Scott+Eating+crab+for+his+birthday.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="462" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4_OuirioMSvOIJ5Qy4sI9_wP-_vdE14Ugy79WNLFry6STlvrygAh7Tm9WyqvS8461G4aVhfuzK8PQs0yGJ0ZGzCs_LdSEyjvd07KjlqDc4OUbOEOWkzfUIWljzB4IresWfs0vsXjKnw/s320/Scott+Eating+crab+for+his+birthday.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Day five was my birthday; sixty seven is the magic number now. Rick and I took his dinghy out through the bay entrance spit and found my two crab traps chock full. We sorted out the little ones and the females and still came back with a big haul. As the wind was building and the chop getting high, we brought the traps back into the bay where it is calmer. Don’t want those traps taking a hike on us! At the dock I had the pleasure of showing Rick how to murder crabs and rip their bodies apart. I don’t think he enjoyed it ever so much. Ada, on the other hand, couldn’t keep her fingers out of the steamed crab picking dish that evening. <br /><br /><br />We had crab out our ears on my birthday and for subsequent days after that. Three days at Sequim Bay and it was time to push north. Our crossing of the Strait of Juan de Fuca was a little bouncy and the wind was not quite strong enough to keep the sails full so we ended up running the motor the second half of the crossing then found pretty Aleck Bay on the south side of Lopez Island for a calm night at anchor. From Aleck, we sailed around the corner to Spencer Spit. I spied fourteen boats on buoys and anchors on the south side of the spit, quite a crowd. Just as we were headed toward the north side to count all those boats, a mooring buoy opened up and we had the good luck to snag it. If you see it, take it.<br /><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7HZPN0QdwisG3tUk8G0AXT_UQfqfxwXcY83O9KTof7jQpueS-x9We_97yVI5E0i_LNOPlK43iL3LQ2PZzHiLpmKHPrHqD32KQLxPSp5vy6A7uGs5xjotpsoSBXe0pwav2TH22duEecc/s615/Traveler+Anchored+off+Spencer+Spit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7HZPN0QdwisG3tUk8G0AXT_UQfqfxwXcY83O9KTof7jQpueS-x9We_97yVI5E0i_LNOPlK43iL3LQ2PZzHiLpmKHPrHqD32KQLxPSp5vy6A7uGs5xjotpsoSBXe0pwav2TH22duEecc/s320/Traveler+Anchored+off+Spencer+Spit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br />We rowed ashore and met Jane and Richard, our friends who live on Lopez, and had a nice social distanced chat amid swarming bees. One of the bees got into my beer and I got bit on the lip when I spit it out. Connie sucked the venom out and I was fine, but shaken. That’s when Connie told us the story about when her daughter Tesla got stung on the buttocks as a small child. Connie’s friend told her to suck that venom out. She did and soon Tesla was back at play. Connie has lots of interesting talents, I have found.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSbGhrokD7QPnycUfQKXZHcnt_oibi45O6yQTNvhRksQCBoK1ZxesCa-a2fk_w2PqP67eMftWt-56DEuacXG9cES5kytXzDjQAAi1ruBjxIVoJ5x0G5Wd6TcG115gIQ7QjzMmBhwtOgs/s855/Obligatory+sunset+picture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="855" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSbGhrokD7QPnycUfQKXZHcnt_oibi45O6yQTNvhRksQCBoK1ZxesCa-a2fk_w2PqP67eMftWt-56DEuacXG9cES5kytXzDjQAAi1ruBjxIVoJ5x0G5Wd6TcG115gIQ7QjzMmBhwtOgs/w640-h446/Obligatory+sunset+picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /> <br />From Spencer Spit we sailed through Peavine Pass out into Rosario Strait and made our way to Clark Island for a hike and a paddle and a bumpy night on a mooring ball. We re-learned the rule that you do not leave kayaks or a dinghy in the water where a confused tidal situation exists. Traveler was swept down current but was pointing the wrong way, trying to chase her tail. The dinghy was trying to move to the front of the boat and the two plastic kayaks played an endless drum solo going all night. The mooring buoy tried to keep the beat on the nose of the boat. I awoke sleepy eyed and tired. Always bring the kayaks on deck. Always secure the dinghy so it can’t dance against the hull. Always bridle the mooring buoy so it cannot bump the bow. How many times have I got to tell you?<br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyl0kdY68lAX3CDgjgBLPy8crUFf56cqeyWaIwCfyiqRmW-DC69dcyR-_96PbFur-ax-xOPM2rKDe9I9q9AKld7rLEwTphnT9OtdBdPaV44ntofGLp-3BCdP5KXQr-lQe70c_HtY88tNo/s914/Clark+Island+trees.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyl0kdY68lAX3CDgjgBLPy8crUFf56cqeyWaIwCfyiqRmW-DC69dcyR-_96PbFur-ax-xOPM2rKDe9I9q9AKld7rLEwTphnT9OtdBdPaV44ntofGLp-3BCdP5KXQr-lQe70c_HtY88tNo/s320/Clark+Island+trees.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clark Island<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> From Clark we motored over to Matia and found a quiet spot on the southeast corner in a small cove full of puffins. We hiked the beautiful island amazed at the old growth trees preserved there. The shoreline rises steep on both sides with wonderful scooped out ovals and caves in what appears to be sandstone. <br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8WBdexwu4SKJ16zG6lCQraruJ9q_AwEPrri0ZVOThVTd09iBIebzKQR5txeIydREO2CXrtaoyN0yjYH-2ax0LGNBh3Lt1LVYsPWIMTYuLZdZHEJciPAjsJfyTuW0aTav3StgFtVD7ik/s905/Matia+Island.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="905" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8WBdexwu4SKJ16zG6lCQraruJ9q_AwEPrri0ZVOThVTd09iBIebzKQR5txeIydREO2CXrtaoyN0yjYH-2ax0LGNBh3Lt1LVYsPWIMTYuLZdZHEJciPAjsJfyTuW0aTav3StgFtVD7ik/s320/Matia+Island.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Across the water at Sucia Island we saw dozens of boats anchored in Echo and Fossil Bays so we decided to stay a second night at Matia. Connie had a chance to put the fourth coat of varnish on the top deck and I was able to drop a couple of crab traps at the cove entrance in about 70 feet of water. <br />Check traps, no crab, means chicken sausages for dinner. I placed two traps, two sets in different places, and still no crab. That evening at twilight we watched three sleek otters snacking their way down the cove. I bet they know where the crab are.<br /><br /><br />On that second night in the southeast cove of Matia, we welcomed in a small boat with two women aboard and an Irish setter. The setting sun at the head of the cove blinded them as they cautiously made their entrance. “Come on in, there is plenty of room.” I said. They glided on into the cove and dropped the hook in twelve feet of water. The moon rose but we couldn’t see it, it was a new moon. The next morning we had a ten foot drop to a minus one foot tide and they were aground. Oops. We considered ourselves lucky to have three feet under the keel. We all know that new moon and full moon means big tides.<br /><br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis553pHRbHxy-eyHKgTlzVnEvjMUQl4oNKZn3DvNpFvHfAgoY4lOLzEida3RKWTMm4idWAalhxNLp4YSI3wF8CPzOYatd4_ASSK9V3Vc_QDk7zLSOz_mE4lH7O_EIdxQoAnsLjR0JZm7A/s488/Boat+Aground.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis553pHRbHxy-eyHKgTlzVnEvjMUQl4oNKZn3DvNpFvHfAgoY4lOLzEida3RKWTMm4idWAalhxNLp4YSI3wF8CPzOYatd4_ASSK9V3Vc_QDk7zLSOz_mE4lH7O_EIdxQoAnsLjR0JZm7A/s320/Boat+Aground.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br />That morning we watched that little sailboat go from full tilt to floating then we headed out into deeper water, motoring and sailing around the north end of Sucia Island. Echo Bay is the largest anchorage. I counted ninety boats there, an amazing amount. All around us were recreational fishing boats, crab floats, shrimp floats, paddle boarders, and kayakers. It was a piloting nightmare. Evidently Sucia is very popular, especially in a Covid summer.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOr15JwXDAy19buG142kTsL1JXNyBUm_wBjlNF_0b3jUAD19RZf8FkZupQf5BtrKGf8wtQTQgc2fgD57iSBaDyASznqlIUvqTWdA315RkQ3ZmP-CzEdk-ug2mbkonAaPznO1RU23bRVxk/s784/Anchorage+at+Matia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="784" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOr15JwXDAy19buG142kTsL1JXNyBUm_wBjlNF_0b3jUAD19RZf8FkZupQf5BtrKGf8wtQTQgc2fgD57iSBaDyASznqlIUvqTWdA315RkQ3ZmP-CzEdk-ug2mbkonAaPznO1RU23bRVxk/w400-h264/Anchorage+at+Matia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br />We decided to give Sucia a pass and headed around the north end of Patos, running through tide rips at the tip of the island with its scenic lighthouse. We found Active Cove with its two buoys taken plus a few more boats anchored leaving a small space for us to squeeze in and drop our hook. Going ashore in the dinghy, we avoided the people camping (no masks) and took a nice walk out to the lighthouse and back. Normally Patos is a quiet place. Not that day. Anticipating another minus tide, and having an uncertain amount of swing room, we pulled up our anchor (in twelve feet of depth) and ventured out into deeper water, sailing then motoring over to Waldron Island. Waldron is not a destination Island. There are no facilities, no parks to speak of, no mooring balls and no protected anchorages. On the positive side, there were no visiting boaters. With light winds from the north, we were clearly in a period of hot, calm days so we felt comfortable anchoring on the unprotected south side in Cowlitz Bay. We had the place to ourselves and a wonderful evening with a bright sunset and dinner in the cockpit. How well it pays to get off the beaten track.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hFZzTqSSrB3_bCbK766DgdT2snAWd1GwJYEBebu2N8xs-1onZyYDtdYgLYJu0m2FiZtG1Y2A18PNgJKRrZoA-MX4varjhVAbljCkRFwAqn7XcoJxZu89tyial_uM1BFuaLF7LK-t1bo/s589/Patos+Island+Light+station.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="589" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hFZzTqSSrB3_bCbK766DgdT2snAWd1GwJYEBebu2N8xs-1onZyYDtdYgLYJu0m2FiZtG1Y2A18PNgJKRrZoA-MX4varjhVAbljCkRFwAqn7XcoJxZu89tyial_uM1BFuaLF7LK-t1bo/w400-h296/Patos+Island+Light+station.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> With spotty cell service, we finally confirmed with Connie’s son Ezrah that he would be flying into Friday Harbor at 3:25 so we sailed south past Flattop, Jones, and Yellow islands. As we approached Friday Harbor the boat traffic got heavier and we had some close calls with power boats as we entered the harbor. Everyone seemed to be in a big hurry. Sea planes were landing. Ferry boats were embarking and debarking. Dogs were barking. Music was blaring. The guest dock was full and the area near the docks was crowded with boats at anchor. Dropping the anchor in 50 feet, we mounted the outboard on the dinghy and headed to town.<br /><br /> The Friday Harbor market has a huge wine and beer section – clerks were stocking nonstop and customers were loading libations into shopping carts. We grabbed two dozen eggs, fruit, and some double AA batteries and checked out of there. The cashier said the real estate market on San Juan Island was booming as city dwellers were suddenly seeing the upside to living on a quiet island.<br /><br /><br />Ezrah joined us fresh off a 30 minute seaplane flight from Kenmore (his first!) and we headed off around the east side of Shaw Island, crossing through Peavine Pass to Pelican Beach recreation area on the NE side of Cypress Island. The mooring balls were all occupied and another half dozen boats were anchored. We tried three times to get an anchor to set in the rocky bottom before giving up and motoring over to Guemes Island where I found a shallow flat area between Guemes and Jack Island that gave us a nice safe anchoring spot in 25 feet of water, 300 yards from shore. Again, we found a place with no facilities but wonderful anchoring and we had the place to ourselves.<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGo5tlpbEawY2lt7FNjwehWjcknEKF-LT9YHmuHJ04i65jMtgo0n798hays1Sl8iFZlOIdn74nTGOP46Kzd6HBqlGYCMCp-iL8qQli4BMCu76qR9_vFWz-38krw6Dyocl5SSYMXlm7Qw/s899/Cypress+Island+View+from+hike.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="899" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGo5tlpbEawY2lt7FNjwehWjcknEKF-LT9YHmuHJ04i65jMtgo0n798hays1Sl8iFZlOIdn74nTGOP46Kzd6HBqlGYCMCp-iL8qQli4BMCu76qR9_vFWz-38krw6Dyocl5SSYMXlm7Qw/w640-h430/Cypress+Island+View+from+hike.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /> <br /><br /><br />The morning of Day 15 Connie saw some boats headed east and surmised that some of those boats on Cypress were heading out. We brought up the anchor and motored back over to Pelican Beach on Cypress where we found an open mooring ball to hook onto. Taking a kayak and the dinghy ashore, we skirted the group of old guys who were camped on the beach with their fleet of little Pelican sailboats. A Pelican rendezvous! The trail from the beach climbs to Eagle Cliff above Foss Cove where we had wonderful views of the Islands all around. Back aboard, we set out crab traps and caught two rock crabs. This was Ezrah’s first time crabbing and first time murdering a crab. Yum.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToKPtw_dqk0qNJtHQr9d_WUIYcdUJ6L9imfZGHoxbClgSB_4aO5QfURdBjoYDHRtnSM8XR1GUpkc5HQ4yWYLd5-MNpeoA8OdXRsx0foRIWA5T4huTAAKnjL9Vin4olvjJTR2aZCOTRhU/s489/Ez+Rock+Crab+catch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToKPtw_dqk0qNJtHQr9d_WUIYcdUJ6L9imfZGHoxbClgSB_4aO5QfURdBjoYDHRtnSM8XR1GUpkc5HQ4yWYLd5-MNpeoA8OdXRsx0foRIWA5T4huTAAKnjL9Vin4olvjJTR2aZCOTRhU/s320/Ez+Rock+Crab+catch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br />Day 16 Ezrah realized that he had to be home early so we made a group decision to make a run for Puget Sound, leaving at 06:30 and motoring south with the stiff current and straight into a strong south wind. A small craft warning was in effect in the eastern entrance to the Strait, set to expire at 08:00 so we figured we’d catch the tail end of that event. Sure enough, down near Deception Pass the going got pretty rough as the current against wind brought up rollers and chop. Luckily, we were able to get some breakfast down before we hit the bumpy seas. Going into the galley to cook would be a bad idea at that point. We’ve learned that lesson.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglT_GpwPSoL7vm5bjDUm-et_SztrCHOCh6MCToGkNzvH3GVKFl2LzGse8byC-kV90stXKe5s0A1iSX3Oce5TqdU1rz5bvTwufUZoUcTf6syTyc_NJkLu-ZQGwFOfAmLowzaZY5e8-HSIc/s906/Rough+Seas+off+Whidby+Air+Station.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="906" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglT_GpwPSoL7vm5bjDUm-et_SztrCHOCh6MCToGkNzvH3GVKFl2LzGse8byC-kV90stXKe5s0A1iSX3Oce5TqdU1rz5bvTwufUZoUcTf6syTyc_NJkLu-ZQGwFOfAmLowzaZY5e8-HSIc/w439-h286/Rough+Seas+off+Whidby+Air+Station.jpg" width="439" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /><br />We had water over the bow and water running down the decks and all manner of things crashing down below. But still we were keeping up a good five knots of headway. Having had enough of the rough treatment, we turned to port to get closer to land where the going was somewhat smoother as the wind didn’t have as much fetch, being blocked by the land and the Whidbey Island Air Station. I realized that we were in a cautionary zone for the Air Station but…. Oh well, what could we do now? We kept a watch out for marines coming to run us out of their restricted waters. It took us six hours that morning to get into Port Townsend and a couple more to wind our way into Mystery Bay between Marrowstone and Indian Islands. Our lowest depth in that winding channel was 9.5 feet. We draw 6.5. By that time the sun was shining, the seas were calm, and the beleaguered crew was able to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. That meant that the captain got to take a nap. I love napping.<br /><br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUtJhDQd-FlGhC9sV7RwGwOvkBzSAjHxMpepFoAVg4-WLuU4ThyMski6yQHAOpCFyOodtBBT9hraxbrOJurXrQVcB6qeFH304b5zazIKJCHJQ1vS0mU-C8Zqh7jQ-9fPRaHGBg2t6WQc/s845/Big+Seas+at+east+entrance+strait+of+juan+de+fuca.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="845" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUtJhDQd-FlGhC9sV7RwGwOvkBzSAjHxMpepFoAVg4-WLuU4ThyMski6yQHAOpCFyOodtBBT9hraxbrOJurXrQVcB6qeFH304b5zazIKJCHJQ1vS0mU-C8Zqh7jQ-9fPRaHGBg2t6WQc/s320/Big+Seas+at+east+entrance+strait+of+juan+de+fuca.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Consulting the charts and the tide and current tables we planned our next day’s run to Edmonds. Along with the rules about bringing kayaks and dinghies aboard at night is the rule that says to never enter shallow passages on a falling tide. If you run aground, you are stuck as the water retreats around you. We set our departure time to 2:00 PM just an hour after a minus 1.5 foot low tide, still pretty low but if we struck, we’d soon float off. <br /><br /><br />Calling ahead that morning I found an open slip at the Kingston Marina. Now that we had a reservation, we knew there would be a place for us when we arrived after the office closed. We’d been away from services now for 17 days and were looking forward to washing down the boat and getting ready for the predicted rain showers coming in with a low pressure system from the south. <br /><br /><br />On the way out of the bay we spied two sailboats, both stuck in the mud. They had tried and failed to negotiate the shifting channel earlier that morning. However, as we made our exit, both boats started floating. Rounding the north end of Indian Island we watched the submarine pen and found an actual submarine inside with a crane loading something. The young sailors in the patrol vessel saw us looking through the binoculars and started coming our way. I checked the chart and it appeared we were in legal waters so….let them come! I notched up the throttle and got the heck out of there. Ezrah took the helm and brought us through the narrow Port Townsend canal and out into Admiralty Inlet where we caught the significant current that sweeps down towards Hood Canal. Being that we were crossing a large flow, our boat was crabbing sideways and forward at seven knots. Rounding Point No Point we flew south, letting the wind vane self-steering do the work. Eventually the wind disappeared and we finished the day’s run under engine power. At Kingston we took our reserved moorage slip but then moved over to a reciprocal slip that happened to be open. Ezrah left the boat and took the ferry across to Edmonds. The almost free slip at Kingston was nice to have as we were able to wash the salt off the boat, top off the water tank, grab a head of lettuce and catch up on a bunch of email. We spent two nights at Kingston. <br /><br /> The following day we sailed into a southerly predicted to be 10 to 15 knots. After getting the main hoisted the wind increased so we put out about half the genoa. The wind built and so did the seas until it felt like 25 knots directly from the south with four foot wind waves. Now we were stuck with a strong southerly and a full main that we’d have to fight to get furled. Crossing over to an indentation in the shoreline just north of Shilshole bay, we were able to get in close enough to blanket the wind a little so the main could come down without incident. Arriving at Shilshole marina around 3 PM, our friends Scott and Karen took our lines and we settled into a nice afternoon catching up with them. Their Catalina 42 was there right across the dock. Drinks. Dinner. Dessert.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBelgkA5_ZWQTH9z6cISA56KRHIN2SKrweIZ26ClIW0Y7zXWJJLkl3XsStkkJgsf_xKC8sN5yAdnRFq5u9rnjl8Dc2ZG_z84dm2LWJNBEZUMphKMlHbYrHC31z7PbKuc_Hv-8qGpyO1A/s3264/IMG_20200812_092903828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBelgkA5_ZWQTH9z6cISA56KRHIN2SKrweIZ26ClIW0Y7zXWJJLkl3XsStkkJgsf_xKC8sN5yAdnRFq5u9rnjl8Dc2ZG_z84dm2LWJNBEZUMphKMlHbYrHC31z7PbKuc_Hv-8qGpyO1A/s320/IMG_20200812_092903828.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br />Trains rumbled through the night, waking us up. After being in quiet anchorages for three weeks, the city seemed overly loud to us, and felt very busy. That next day we crept out into the sound and hoisted the geniker in the light winds, ghosting along at 2 knots for a while, then increasing to 3 knots off Blake Island. At Vashon we were at 4 knots building to a screaming 7 knots by the time we made Three Tree Point. As we made the turn around the south side of Vashon Island the wind came on the beam and Traveler tilted over sharply. And now here we were again, over canvassed… but having a great time. Right at the entrance to Quartermaster Harbor is Piner Point with a good sized vertical wind block. We took advantage of the lull to pull the geniker into the sock. Motoring into the harbor we found anchorage at Dockton in 30 feet of water. <br /><br /> <br />The following day we caught two crabs then sailed south and west to Gig Harbor where we anchored in 40 feet of water along with a crowd of boats and crab pots. I got two more big rock crabs that ended up as fried crab cakes for dinner. In the morning I caught two more in the morning and reloaded the traps with the remaining stinky bait. On the way out of Gig Harbor we pulled up the traps with one good sized rock crab and we headed south, steaming, picking, then freezing the crab harvest. Now that we were in the southern waters all we found were rock crab. Up north we caught Dungeness Crab which are larger, easier to crack, and have a lot more meat. <br /><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rv0KZ7oUZW41oJ057HzFq2IrRR1BT2Jkp6sXCJgEAMGFb-grXqqLkR8JAEHCEPi7dRw15q1l2UXgR-kdKUezgdcORaUztSVmQP168OQweXFgX3e0EeLCxumKdr7D3eskXrzE35AgkDI/s876/Rainier+from+Patos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="876" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rv0KZ7oUZW41oJ057HzFq2IrRR1BT2Jkp6sXCJgEAMGFb-grXqqLkR8JAEHCEPi7dRw15q1l2UXgR-kdKUezgdcORaUztSVmQP168OQweXFgX3e0EeLCxumKdr7D3eskXrzE35AgkDI/w640-h394/Rainier+from+Patos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br />After passing under the Tacoma Bridge we were in the south Puget Sound fishing area where the crab season is closed so our crab fest was over… at least for this year. Oro Bay is just north of the Nisqually Delta. We found anchorage there in 20 feet and a quiet night with few sounds and fewer boats around us. Back in familiar waters, we found our slip at Swantown Marina the next day and made multiple runs with the dock cart, emptying the boat of provisions. After buttoning up the boat I gave her a last look and noticed a slight list to the starboard. <br /><br /><br />Thank you Traveler. Thank you for getting our minds off the issues of the day and setting our minds at ease for a much needed recreation. And thank you, dear reader, for staying with us through a very long blog post.<p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NFZBmq6St6j72gI4WFy6ehVnnR8h1X0mqsUyBvVKsRL04NgcrKuqMMgwXy3QBlK5UmgyHLs24w_ejE_BWA_oXacDSgFT_fTeMM7-gJ8Q_i643sdmRW7eP3mxsPvd6WOrSm9m62QZ08k/s543/Sea+Lions+at+entrance+to+Admiralty+Inlet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NFZBmq6St6j72gI4WFy6ehVnnR8h1X0mqsUyBvVKsRL04NgcrKuqMMgwXy3QBlK5UmgyHLs24w_ejE_BWA_oXacDSgFT_fTeMM7-gJ8Q_i643sdmRW7eP3mxsPvd6WOrSm9m62QZ08k/w320-h400/Sea+Lions+at+entrance+to+Admiralty+Inlet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-64205684832971098252020-11-10T19:05:00.002-08:002020-11-11T21:09:51.460-08:00Staying Sane: Spring<p> This last spring, summer, and fall has been a strange one. Connie and I kept as busy as possible, taking on lots of projects and doing everything we could to escape the viral and political drama unfolding. In August I found myself aboard Traveler, anchored at Matia Island in the San Juans and decided to pound out some blog entries. Once home, I let them sit as we were preoccupied with getting the garden straight and watching our democracy fail. Today I find myself sitting in our little Scamp trailer in the rain at Pacific Beach State Park and decided to pull out that blog work, push a few sentences around and push the PUBLISH button. Here is the result of that work……..<br /><br />July 2020:</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjUJHvsUYDPLwu-gLORpd-FsGpcab2oZesIfmcgge0nRDe1Rd58UUz5p6xoXyF2vJlHlE1buvy5tKfUpQtEinhG_guTcbKAHwXt_NHBMHjIv0oIyepUi3LJPf6kZpvvoQD8_0RWVr96s/s147/Cascadia+Flag.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="93" data-original-width="147" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjUJHvsUYDPLwu-gLORpd-FsGpcab2oZesIfmcgge0nRDe1Rd58UUz5p6xoXyF2vJlHlE1buvy5tKfUpQtEinhG_guTcbKAHwXt_NHBMHjIv0oIyepUi3LJPf6kZpvvoQD8_0RWVr96s/w224-h142/Cascadia+Flag.jpg" title="Cascadia Flag" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cascadia Flag</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Everyone on the planet is dealing with this insidious virus in one way or another, some struggle to put food on the table and a roof overhead, others are challenged with being estranged from friends and coworkers or the activities they love. After returning from our winter travels we, like many others, decided to pull our heads out of the daily bad news cycle and start a garden. Behind our house is a vacant lot -- been vacant since it was orchard land in the 60s. Connie bought a Cascadia flag and we stuck it on a pole, marched out back, and planted it in the ground, claiming the spot as our neighborhood guerilla garden. The whole plot was overgrown with grass and weeds, but underneath that cover we knew there lay rich loamy soil.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwAdD7iTfF5_vXGmBNMBiotJ4nKYi9i42K05yOC9K3F_cfqd33Y6jxsymMVSZT5hyphenhyphenMVzdXpvKBOD-DMQR42TzskZ_ej8fPegn9a-ks6xBVfNPeSSecBVQszxzaefxy3lfLDt6Jy6hMb8/s844/CB+in+Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="844" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwAdD7iTfF5_vXGmBNMBiotJ4nKYi9i42K05yOC9K3F_cfqd33Y6jxsymMVSZT5hyphenhyphenMVzdXpvKBOD-DMQR42TzskZ_ej8fPegn9a-ks6xBVfNPeSSecBVQszxzaefxy3lfLDt6Jy6hMb8/s320/CB+in+Garden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Our friend and neighbor Bill to the northwest had gardened there for years, with the permission of the landowner, but he’d given up on that venture, moving his plants to a friend’s house. The landowner, whose family we bought our house from two years ago, is now deceased. Instead of asking the heirs for permission, we decided to wait and ask for forgiveness instead. Scheming with our neighbors Stella, Zoe, Ray, and Johnny to the east, we cleared the land and put up an enormous deer proof fence. Ray built a beautiful garden gate and some trellises. There is nothing like physical labor and the process of building something to take your mind off the troubles of the world. We spent a couple of weeks ripping up sod and sifting it through a screen, adding supplements, and creating wandering pathways and beds. <br /><br />Once full summer was upon us, the tomato crop flourished, the beans were getting canned in their jars, the carrots and beets stuffed the refrigerator, and we found ourselves in a land of unending greens. <br /><br />With Covid having its way all around the country, we gave up on the chartering idea to take a three week vacation on the boat, heading north. While away, we had our neighbors collect the tomatoes and watch the greens bolt. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6jFYL6ukmzRcQ5600JKnEJTSFleuhQfdzOje2p0yYdAeYovUoU-KNEd1oAZ4Zs6xj9bSob6PAX6cOy_B-9dbVPmrj29rz92JOTUYbPqQosXCy_AEcY-IAkd2Gdcdtww7lfk9z0ZeafQ/s597/Magical+Music+Palace+2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6jFYL6ukmzRcQ5600JKnEJTSFleuhQfdzOje2p0yYdAeYovUoU-KNEd1oAZ4Zs6xj9bSob6PAX6cOy_B-9dbVPmrj29rz92JOTUYbPqQosXCy_AEcY-IAkd2Gdcdtww7lfk9z0ZeafQ/s320/Magical+Music+Palace+2.jpg" /></a><p><br /> <br /><br />As if the garden was not enough, we took on another spring project… a music studio for Connie. We carved out a space in our small back yard and built a ten by twelve structure with a mono-pitched (or skillion) roof. The east wall is 14 foot tall, the west wall is 6 foot tall. Ezrah joined our “herd” for ten days, getting tested for the virus beforehand, and he was a bundle of energy. By the time he left, we had floor, walls, and roof in place. Now the shingles, facia, and soffets are done. The door and five windows arrived from Home Depot so I could place them in the Tyvec holes the first week of September, bringing the studio mostly to weather. There will be a little loft inside with a napping bed and have wood paneling throughout. The goal with the music studio is for Connie to have a space for all her instruments to live without her having to stow them after each use. There should be enough floor space for stretching and body work and a small table for writing and composition. I’ll be posting some pictures of the project here on the blog.<br /><br />We’ve had very few calls for the sailboat charter business this year and so have had some time to do some deferred maintenance on our dear Traveler. We finally finished replacing the teak side decks with non-skid and Connie has been going gangbusters on varnishing the remaining teak. It’s about time our boat got a little attention. Like with any boat, there is a long list of projects that remain.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_FbfwTlz4qlBsLih2QnehebS8AW8qDhz2D4E4je2dYXOY0bGwoiqWPUY5PFaE-_5JUIK53i_bM7e5X6wE-2q7_YCnqvfSqA_eNy-C5jHJmC2E8Si8LDE3diy1goRXzYeOKkTXc__BN4/s918/Deckwork+on+Traveler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="918" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_FbfwTlz4qlBsLih2QnehebS8AW8qDhz2D4E4je2dYXOY0bGwoiqWPUY5PFaE-_5JUIK53i_bM7e5X6wE-2q7_YCnqvfSqA_eNy-C5jHJmC2E8Si8LDE3diy1goRXzYeOKkTXc__BN4/w640-h416/Deckwork+on+Traveler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /><br />How fortunate it was that we were able to qualify for unemployment these past months, but sadly the $600 extra per week expired. The SBA grants and loans were helpful as well. We are fortunate to have savings to live on during this rough time. I feel for those people who were living paycheck to paycheck. I sure wish we had competent leaders on the federal level with the ability to help everyone out but those we had ( In the summer of 2020) could not seem to do the right thing in this stressful time. I’ll not get started on that whole mess here as you are probably tired of that drama. One thing I will say is that I’m happy that we live in a progressive state with Governor Jay Inslee steering us a course through the pandemic.<br /><br />That wraps up our spring/summer projects that kept us sane. Next up on the blog we pick up the story in early August as we head north by water for a much needed nautical break.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTw-iU78ZwIQAq4rEkCOv0Aaj5AinNxZ6xUFrE47hwU38xpXAFma-GCpA-ZdSu4r5rivQOu3NyCrAh-2MhaS_s7XMUkSzzK1P9Pg7yOK5jY2SDsyWx3aJ0iAUVjcn73iJjHyq0AhwdXo/s726/Canning.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="726" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTw-iU78ZwIQAq4rEkCOv0Aaj5AinNxZ6xUFrE47hwU38xpXAFma-GCpA-ZdSu4r5rivQOu3NyCrAh-2MhaS_s7XMUkSzzK1P9Pg7yOK5jY2SDsyWx3aJ0iAUVjcn73iJjHyq0AhwdXo/w400-h341/Canning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><br /><br /><br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-69497637381190750032020-03-30T15:11:00.001-07:002020-03-30T15:11:24.061-07:00Thirty days and countingThirty days ago while traveling the southern states, we were in Tumacacori, Arizona and the coronavirus situation finally got fixed on our radar. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssFUgOo-vCb9fi4En7XC56QdbzatJzyDD7dM01PWeash3u0oN5wTdcdgCBqF9xr-OHjzMkB72Xio5pDnb5GHCPJV4WBCNZxvNYpTdpEFSayh_ayGEO6nFJOIO9vV_j7l1F-WU1aYMsG8/s1600/Out+of+stock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="530" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssFUgOo-vCb9fi4En7XC56QdbzatJzyDD7dM01PWeash3u0oN5wTdcdgCBqF9xr-OHjzMkB72Xio5pDnb5GHCPJV4WBCNZxvNYpTdpEFSayh_ayGEO6nFJOIO9vV_j7l1F-WU1aYMsG8/s200/Out+of+stock.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forgot what I was looking for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
We were staying with our
friend Leo and had a strong internet signal for the first time. We spent hours poring
over news from around the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Phoenix we shopped for masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and zinc lozenges finding
next to nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such was the same as we
made our way west, staying in Joshua Tree then the central valley of
California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was pretty easy to
maintain our distance from people as we were staying in remote campgrounds in
our own little space and we limited our visits to the facilities to one per
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
North over the Oregon state line we landed in Medford,
Oregon and bought dry goods, toilet paper, and 16 bottles of wine. Driving
through the snow and sleet to Olympia, we checked into our boat at the
marina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our house had tenants until
April 1<sup>st </sup>so we opted to stay on Traveler for the remainder of
March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14 days later our wine supply was
dwindling as was our fresh fruits and vegetables. We still have plenty of
TP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to resupply. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got ourselves organized and set off for Grocery Outlet
and the COOP to replenish our fresh veggie and dry goods supply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got the list, got our bags, got a plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At Grocery Outlet there was not much of a crowd and we found
what we needed and some things we didn’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the cookie aisle we both fought the urge to
rub our eyes or touch our face. I’ve got this one wild eyebrow hair that likes
to curve into my vision and that has proved to be my biggest challenge to leave
alone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZUxcVa6hcipGsknfu0Qhw2fPVSrOja-KFLs92_LQxaefukQTblSSWDV0TzKx1EdQreHjRHZrDRZ2d8MBOGYQgmJV7C1KuN6DpqALFfW6cIRZrLMhv_7Sgzb-MybKV_miZRT3ZYFz2ko/s1600/Scott+Writing+blog+with+protective+gear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="916" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZUxcVa6hcipGsknfu0Qhw2fPVSrOja-KFLs92_LQxaefukQTblSSWDV0TzKx1EdQreHjRHZrDRZ2d8MBOGYQgmJV7C1KuN6DpqALFfW6cIRZrLMhv_7Sgzb-MybKV_miZRT3ZYFz2ko/s640/Scott+Writing+blog+with+protective+gear.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author writes in his mobile office / navigation station aboard the escape pod, Traveler. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the front of the store was a stand with spray bottles of
bleach and hydrogen peroxide and some towels to use to wipe off your cart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the checkout, there were no lines on the
floor to mark where we should stand apart in line and the checker didn’t seem
to be taking the distancing thing too seriously… but we did. We got our case of
wine and other sundries then drove to the COOP. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I loved how seriously the COOP was taking all this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the board members met us in the
parking lot where we waited in a short marked line - six feet apart - for our
turn in the store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He explained how we
would shop while he was sanitizing the shopping cart for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be organized, move quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are waiting. Then we were required to
wash our hands in an outdoor sink singing Happy Birthday so as to get the
required time with soap to kill bacteria and viruses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the next person exited the store, it was
our turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only seven customers were
allowed in the store at one time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdURZGvJELi2G_iJCUeE1_tKWPJQwhEr8H4Yet4imdOauffsn_6NnzpL6yJV6TiceLKSCqxAZzjse7TGSAu6EXVtEqZ5Q6hEY9AlXwXM22srqYG0AdkQV0baiPYASCnI2RqD2jpBZCys/s1600/View+sunset+from+the+dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="919" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdURZGvJELi2G_iJCUeE1_tKWPJQwhEr8H4Yet4imdOauffsn_6NnzpL6yJV6TiceLKSCqxAZzjse7TGSAu6EXVtEqZ5Q6hEY9AlXwXM22srqYG0AdkQV0baiPYASCnI2RqD2jpBZCys/s400/View+sunset+from+the+dock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blood red storm clouds overhead at the marina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember those little clipboards with paper and pencils at
the front?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nada. Grab and Go. Nope. We
made our way through the fruit and vegetable line, Connie finding produce and
telling me the bin numbers and PLUs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
we were buying a lot of food, a woman needed to get by us but she asked
permission before moving swiftly by, her head ducked to the side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The produce stocker patiently waited until we
were gone before she resumed her work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Usually we would bring our own plastic bags for produce and bulk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We felt like environmental sinners using fresh plastic bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the checkout we piled our food onto the conveyor belt
then had to stand three feet away so the checker could scan everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I needed to scan my membership card, she
stepped back to allow me to come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
self-bagged and used a credit card so as to avoid handling cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we left, the store locked its doors to
take an hour to restock without having customers in the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our parking lot buddy took our cart and
started wiping it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We loaded our groceries into the back of the pickup truck
then used a spray hand sanitizer before getting inside for the drive home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the marina, we got a dock cart and loaded
our groceries to take to the boat. At the boat, I handed each bag to Connie
down below who set them on one counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we took about an hour to wipe every single item down with a bleach
solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My last job was to stow the
case of wine in our deep dark wine storage locker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twelve more bottles… twelve more days till
our next shopping adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less days
if we “lose track” of our wine bottle count.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When hearing about the spiraling number of cases in New
York, I’m glad Governor Inslee has put in place strict distancing
measures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad the COOP is going
above and beyond to protect us and their employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m glad that after fifteen days social
distancing in Olympia, we are still symptom free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>world is burning down around us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqTIIzA1LozYv92D4imoCDuNBvRUOaKKUyXePNjGFQpSTywcTuUv6NsRqhZ_Qu8efggdfMC0l6GTYzqpxjfks26fzMf2QmSUpn3LKkQUzz_hU48gqgB8wAsVI4ss5SQmmfvT8O_-fwVVQ/s1600/Looking+Up+out+of+the+abyss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="910" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqTIIzA1LozYv92D4imoCDuNBvRUOaKKUyXePNjGFQpSTywcTuUv6NsRqhZ_Qu8efggdfMC0l6GTYzqpxjfks26fzMf2QmSUpn3LKkQUzz_hU48gqgB8wAsVI4ss5SQmmfvT8O_-fwVVQ/s640/Looking+Up+out+of+the+abyss.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up out of the abyss, there appears to be a blue sky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-5631360041178828422020-03-22T10:39:00.000-07:002020-03-22T10:39:54.692-07:00Homecoming<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB56zmE2K0SrK3wNPTWvgt7AwM6nEyGxA8sU2_hK6mxW8VJdMHlz_2BioRl5zM2yk1YLvZYNS1Eany3ydOUrGlMS-spjyplFoo26RJMYORkjVySECMMzKaiDjxR7gWd5NoL9LyJQumjBs/s1600/Lake+Shasta+with+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="910" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB56zmE2K0SrK3wNPTWvgt7AwM6nEyGxA8sU2_hK6mxW8VJdMHlz_2BioRl5zM2yk1YLvZYNS1Eany3ydOUrGlMS-spjyplFoo26RJMYORkjVySECMMzKaiDjxR7gWd5NoL9LyJQumjBs/s400/Lake+Shasta+with+bridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Shasta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Picking up where we left off in northern California..... <br />
<br />
To escape the noise at the Buckhorn Recreation Area, we drove north into Redding and talked to the staff at the ranger station who advised us about camping just north of town at Lake Shasta. We checked out one of the undeveloped lakeside camping areas then opted for a facility with bathrooms. We pulled into Antlers campground with plenty of time for a relaxing afternoon in the semi-quiet park. Through the night we could hear the freight trains carrying supplies north to the besieged cities of Portland and Seattle. I imagined freight cars full of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, rice, and beans.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkCWaHZWyk92YjnbX7y5L2bA9FQCM9vqxuvt_vQxraPt2B0i4Iy_AYv3UhYa46YolgIguBT_Ztik3IlpCR2GkgzO4pU3qea0Zgai1iDxyI71H9DVLbeANEqq0i1rr6kefSMVC3V9wrow/s1600/Mt.Shasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="342" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkCWaHZWyk92YjnbX7y5L2bA9FQCM9vqxuvt_vQxraPt2B0i4Iy_AYv3UhYa46YolgIguBT_Ztik3IlpCR2GkgzO4pU3qea0Zgai1iDxyI71H9DVLbeANEqq0i1rr6kefSMVC3V9wrow/s400/Mt.Shasta.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Mt. Shasta in Weed, CA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our days of sun and warmth were coming to an end as a storm front was approaching from the south. We followed the Sacramento River north to Shasta and the lovely town of Weed. Up and over <span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">Siskiyou Pass before the expected heavy snowfall later in the day, we dropped into the Rogue River watershed and found a Grocery Outlet store in Medford Oregon where we stocked up on canned goods, dry goods, toilet paper, and wine. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17q0ebB66hNcWnHJrfPXWZ1wg5nXOqjfmRuUX3iC6M3_koBSXcc_90nZv4La7RDf4OjvG6LZO74tl0Podh9W9py6a602gP_I9K4hlS_aPoDLLs58OzSlRXDG9rsZqXX8tatpcD-qKNoM/s1600/Coming+over+the+pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="491" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17q0ebB66hNcWnHJrfPXWZ1wg5nXOqjfmRuUX3iC6M3_koBSXcc_90nZv4La7RDf4OjvG6LZO74tl0Podh9W9py6a602gP_I9K4hlS_aPoDLLs58OzSlRXDG9rsZqXX8tatpcD-qKNoM/s320/Coming+over+the+pass.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siskiyou Pass</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">With a cold snap expected, we treated ourselves to an Airbnb room which turned out to be just the right place for us at the time. Normally we don't go for the Airbnb rooms in a house where the owner does not actually live. Sometimes people buy a house for the sole purpose of Airbnb-ing the individual bedrooms inside. It's a way to gain equity while maintaining enough income stream to keep everything afloat with some profit on the side. Anyhow, this house was a new one on the Airbnb site but the host had another property with lots of great reviews. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">Having the house to ourselves, we sanitized the door knobs, bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Then we unloaded the truck contents into the house and set about sanitizing every item we'd just bought at Grocery Outlet. Sometime in the night someone (or two) came in and occupied the back room. We packed up the next morning and left without seeing our fellow tenants. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41FoDA782fnSugIRRu0UMni_gYjonyOEYBCpiYNeO30FGEjQTxeNR6Mt0gbfEMgFO9Xkciq7yqdKFVlqys08tjI4drLl2RPB3P4MMeeJUcR5-NHY-DhUG4UxeY-PuPlEfPoLEDivIgX4/s1600/Connie+sanitizes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="916" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41FoDA782fnSugIRRu0UMni_gYjonyOEYBCpiYNeO30FGEjQTxeNR6Mt0gbfEMgFO9Xkciq7yqdKFVlqys08tjI4drLl2RPB3P4MMeeJUcR5-NHY-DhUG4UxeY-PuPlEfPoLEDivIgX4/s320/Connie+sanitizes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd"><br /></span></span>
<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">Driving north, the storm front brought rain, snow, and hail. We pushed on through Portland, and made it to Olympia by late afternoon. We'd been gone about four months total. The town looked deserted. It seemed as if an epidemic had come to town... and it had! Being that we were early getting back, our home, the one at 1910 Giles Avenue still had tenants in it for the next two weeks, so we trucked our gear down the ramp of Dock E at the Swantown Marina and thankfully collapsed into our dear boat, Traveler. Our friends Noreen and Myron had turned on the heaters for us so we had a nice cozy place all ready. I selected one of the 18 bottles of red wine we'd bought in our provisioning extravaganza and we settled in for a completely different kind of existence, one of social distancing; worried about the future, worried about our friends and family. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnVAda4BI0uML6YaMuMBUH1nxciYa5PulVxg05y8FvLV8GMN9j48CeQ3p4ehVNdnFvtZiEwWSJc7wV2oMbsT-oyoFmlRDztzqG4WpHE8_aK8tjMlQfFa2UuHZZBauS9itD95nTLRE174/s1600/Oly+-+Cb+headed+out+on+the+boatr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="888" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnVAda4BI0uML6YaMuMBUH1nxciYa5PulVxg05y8FvLV8GMN9j48CeQ3p4ehVNdnFvtZiEwWSJc7wV2oMbsT-oyoFmlRDztzqG4WpHE8_aK8tjMlQfFa2UuHZZBauS9itD95nTLRE174/s320/Oly+-+Cb+headed+out+on+the+boatr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">A few days later we couldn't stand the endless hours holed up on the boat, reading the news, and letting the events of the day swallow us whole. We cast off the lines and motored north out of Budd Bay, rounding the point at Boston Harbor in the bright sunshine. Off the east shore of Harstine Island we had dolphins playing off our bow wake, a sea lion raised it's huge head up out of the water, (at first we thought it was a whale!) and Bufflehead ducks diving the crisp green waters around us. Today we are at the Jarrell Cove state park dock. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxLzpROTqvfFoTBVvOhP5iRT8fzsBvvmsu26Frl7YJHRUihlmANEboLuVqaslZ9cwnO7nOyEgJqko9iJGT72YCqQ71rssUcEvgRl7S_wI3xDjThrexi1yg23_LvsV8Zy5N3xdprNbMoI/s1600/Traveler+at+Jarrells+Cove+dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="668" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxLzpROTqvfFoTBVvOhP5iRT8fzsBvvmsu26Frl7YJHRUihlmANEboLuVqaslZ9cwnO7nOyEgJqko9iJGT72YCqQ71rssUcEvgRl7S_wI3xDjThrexi1yg23_LvsV8Zy5N3xdprNbMoI/s320/Traveler+at+Jarrells+Cove+dock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">It's been fun restarting our blog for this winter trip. It's given me some focus and provided an outlet for occasional frustrations. We've come off this adventure knowing better how we'd like our future winters to unfold. But gosh, now that we have that figured out, here is this whole other thing right smack dab in our face. If it ain't one thing, it's another. Thanks for listening.</span></span><br />
<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd"><br /></span></span>
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<span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd"><br /></span></span>Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-80426154772007889952020-03-21T13:27:00.002-07:002020-03-22T10:01:51.896-07:00Human Interactions On The Road<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Note: As we publish this blog we are
actually back in Olympia. Since then, we're dealing with "you know what" just like everyone else. No matter, let's get
back to our journey..........................</span></div>
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Over the last month, I had been boat shopping online and trying to arrange
appointments to see boats I had found in Mexico and southern California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were excited about making the run down to San Carlos to see a Cooper
41 sloop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we approached Arizona we
found that someone had just made an offer on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would have been a great boat for
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a very reasonable price of ~37k,
she has two separate staterooms and all the gear we have on Traveler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, we missed out on that one. The lesson
learned is that if you find a boat you are interested in and it is a good price
then you’d better get there fast and take a look.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I was also chasing a 1986 C&C Landfall sloop in San
Diego for 39K, a Bob Perry designed Polaris 43 in Long Beach for 39K, and a
1980 Cheoy Lee Offshore in San Pedro for 29K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Over the course of a week, the Polaris got an offer, the Cheoy Lee got
an offer, and the agent selling the C&C Landfall could not seem to commit
to an appointment with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgTGfVxeVhFEj_sVqRijAy_Qsbgn_NvyP53R1KSnBAxNTK6NEx_ssnjgyI6g0ZI0uPONyJ3r1JHBvit0WYvjtra9F-PzpBNK9A9XYooQhdsxiloRxa_sbB2dxPVe0tn4WTEE53OdoAqg/s1600/Col+W+state+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="900" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgTGfVxeVhFEj_sVqRijAy_Qsbgn_NvyP53R1KSnBAxNTK6NEx_ssnjgyI6g0ZI0uPONyJ3r1JHBvit0WYvjtra9F-PzpBNK9A9XYooQhdsxiloRxa_sbB2dxPVe0tn4WTEE53OdoAqg/s400/Col+W+state+park.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonel Allensworth Park. Note the leaning shelter supports.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All this was happening as we drove across the country. The
coronavirus outbreak was getting more and more serious and the stock market was starting to tank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Switching gears again, we
decided that it was not in the cards for us to be boat shopping in an uncertain
market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it was time to go
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed north through the
central California valley.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park we found an
interesting campground ($18) at the site of one of the first black American
settlements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surrounded by endless flat
farmland, we slept to the sounds of coyotes and freight trains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half of the camp/picnic sites were roped off
because the prairie dogs were busily digging holes around the shelter posts and
paved drives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shelters were leaning
and the pavement was collapsing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those little
dogs were taking back the park!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From Allensworth, we ran north to the town of Colusa a few
miles east of I-5 and grabbed a night at the city campground there ($34),
taking advantage of their electrical to charge our house battery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An hour west of Colusa we drove the
beautiful highway 20 into the hills, the same highway we used to drive to get
over to Potter Valley where we helped out with the seasonal marijuana
harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Off of highway 20 is highway 16 and the free camping area of
Cowboy Camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we drove in, we found
the south camping area closed until April 1<sup>st</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the north loop we found a pitched tent and
two camping vans so we decided that camping here was allowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we pondered where to park the rig we
saw a hunter appear from the direction of the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a youngish man in full camouflage brown
and green pants and jacket, knee high waders, and a small backpack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was carrying a big rifle. Scraggly bearded
and curly haired, he had a fierce look about him and we kept our distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened his truck and sat on the tailgate
eating an apple, staring out into the distance, paying us no mind.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORHM1o_nLk6wYJ7GnbTLH6zwfu8QtS7eImrvJ8ElygEgN7AhuUyJiRHWZ2y2J6SCHvOYSouNFkPXc_a6FY-ct8z8Sr65DmMM79tNZ1aqCox4Z6DCa-hcyKwSJNRIsiSujijX16EKXCvA/s1600/cowboy+camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="924" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORHM1o_nLk6wYJ7GnbTLH6zwfu8QtS7eImrvJ8ElygEgN7AhuUyJiRHWZ2y2J6SCHvOYSouNFkPXc_a6FY-ct8z8Sr65DmMM79tNZ1aqCox4Z6DCa-hcyKwSJNRIsiSujijX16EKXCvA/s640/cowboy+camp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a great spot there at the edge of the turnaround
that would give us a good view of the valley below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trouble was, this fellow’s big truck was
blocking our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hitched up my
courage and approached the ruffian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Find anything?” I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Saw
some sign down below, but no deer.” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Hmm”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What a beautiful spot,
huh?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he told me about coming over a ridge and
finding 20 or so Tule Elk staring him in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a wonderful conversation about his
work with the California Fish and Wildlife Services and his job prospects
working on his uncle’s tuna boat out of some place on the east coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This crazy looking hunter turned out to be a
complete sweetheart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him over
for dinner but he had places to go and people to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t judge a book by its cover…right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We set up our rig looking out to the west across the
river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At sunset we saw the herd of Tule
Elk settling down across the way in the shelter of some oaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzKYLbEnZAxVhSvHnwYn3Yyc0vWUBxQgI3zymie0u80BeKQ_v-7vsrh67sfDLsmFQqzqfB0Nj_1MnVlCrCkaWoRrMOn-B_OYxjUNL4HzNC-IuLYaPeKEvdzGzDbfdG1c_7TEjVR_tXPs/s1600/cowboy+camp+running+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="917" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzKYLbEnZAxVhSvHnwYn3Yyc0vWUBxQgI3zymie0u80BeKQ_v-7vsrh67sfDLsmFQqzqfB0Nj_1MnVlCrCkaWoRrMOn-B_OYxjUNL4HzNC-IuLYaPeKEvdzGzDbfdG1c_7TEjVR_tXPs/s320/cowboy+camp+running+water.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The next day we hiked around and tried to cross the little
river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time we found a narrow spot
that looked like we could jump across we hesitated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would we be able to jump back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off in the distance the golden hills and oaks
beckoned but we were stymied so we settled in at our campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched a couple in the tent and wondered
if they were homeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man loaded
the family (him, her, infant, and three year old) into the car and off they
went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later he came back with the
kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After being buoyed by the
conversation with the hunter, I ambled over to talk to the man and found him
speaking Russian to his small children and his service dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about camping on BLM land, which he
kept referring to as BML land and he told me about their most recent month long
stint on land just outside of Las Vegas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I asked if they were living in the tent. “Yes.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked if he needed anything and for a moment
he looked sad, then he told me they were OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then he asked ME if we needed anything, which I thought was very sweet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later that afternoon, he piled the kids back into the car
and I presume he was making the drive down to the nearest town of Williams to
pick up his spouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, a white forest
service truck pulled up and yet another scraggly bearded young man got
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put on some bright blue surgical
gloves and approached the tent, knocking on the frame and announcing
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting no answer, he unzipped
the fly and looked inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then got a
camera from the truck and took some pictures before writing some notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ranger drove up to us and I approached
the vehicle to talk to him through the passenger window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry sir, but you cannot camp
here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> he said. </span>We discussed why and where and
had a short pleasant conversation the gist of which was that Connie and I were
going to have to pack up the rig and move on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-iI2IXzstULo25NQDr0ExWudD90FjqZLtRuvX_SGVDw8ryWgY77TRJ8Vi5IMvA-xtR2wv9RBG7Lr6sZPIs3XVIMNm4HG2T0BinJ7wHunIg-7cpLi1aNYEfmuuTCB4Ro4Lqzs_VvwGVg/s1600/Cowboy+camp+field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="856" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-iI2IXzstULo25NQDr0ExWudD90FjqZLtRuvX_SGVDw8ryWgY77TRJ8Vi5IMvA-xtR2wv9RBG7Lr6sZPIs3XVIMNm4HG2T0BinJ7wHunIg-7cpLi1aNYEfmuuTCB4Ro4Lqzs_VvwGVg/s320/Cowboy+camp+field.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I told him about my conversation with the man with the
kids and what I thought might be their situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face brightened up when he heard that the
tent was occupied and thanked me for telling me the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had seen the tent one week ago with no one
around and seeing it vacant now, assumed it was abandoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was preparing to take it down and cart it
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him where the family could
legally camp and he figured that they could park the car in the upper lot and
walk into the lower campground which was closed to vehicles <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but not to camping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then asked if he was going to leave them a
note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think I’ll do that.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later, after we had our rig all packed up and ready to go, I
asked Connie if we should leave the homeless couple something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first she said no, that we didn’t know
what their real situation was and that we would not want to assume anything or potentially enable a
bad situation… A few minutes later she came up to me, put her arm around my
waist and said, “If you want to leave something then you should go right
ahead.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dropped a twenty into an
envelope with our boat card and a short note and placed it inside their tent
next to the note from the forest service guy’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His note kindly explained how they should move their tent down to the
lower campground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good people abound.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we got into our truck ready to drive away, a car with two
women pulled up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver rolled down
her window and asked if we could get our rig out if she pulled into the handicap
parking space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No Problem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we drove out I shouted out, “Look across
the valley and see if the Elk are there.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She replied, “That’s where they usually are, but usually at sunset or
sunrise.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We smiled, they waved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled herself out of her car, grabbed
her walker and proceeded to the overlook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Evidently she’d been coming here for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d come back here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a good place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After getting skunked out of our site at Cowboy Camp we
drove north to provision at Orland then headed west to the Buckhorn / Black
Butte recreation area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a national
rec area, we qualified for half price camping at $10 per night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the loop we found the best
campsite ever, overlooking the water to the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set up the rig, paid for three nights, and
set out our solar panels to catch the last bit of energy from the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above us, across the drive, a large couple
sat at their picnic table outside their trailer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we settled in we could hear the rock music
station they were listening to, much too loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were blessing all the other campers with their music selection as
the sun was heading toward the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
a long time of putting up with it, I finally, went around our rig and looked up
at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pointed to my ears, made a
gesture like I was turning down a very large dial, and then raised my hands
asking WHY?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stared at each other for
a few minutes then the lady went to the trailer and turned the music off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Connie was playing the ukulele while I started the coals on
the grill to make dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One of our favorite things to do in camps with built in grills is to start a small wood fire, get the coals going, then lay in some charcoal. Once the wood burns down, the charcoal is lit and we can grill corn, veggies, and chicken. After dinner, we toss more sticks onto the glowing charcoal and we've got a nice fire to cozy up to. </span><br />
<br />
We had the
wine in the glass and the flame to the fire when the man in a camper to our
east started up his generator; a loud generator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie switched to the accordion so as to drown
out the sound as I grumbled, and started to make the lamb patties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two hours later, after dinner, as we were trying to watch
the remaining sunset, I could not take it any more so I approached the man’s RV
and could see him sitting inside watching television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knocked on his door. He answered and I
asked him if he could turn off his generator. I had to shout over the din of
the machine which he had covered with a blanket to muffle the sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His immediate reply was that the campground
rules said he could run his generator until 10 PM, 30 minutes away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I protested, his reluctant reply was just,
“OK, I’ll turn it off.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I
had more words to say about just how long it should take to charge a battery,
was he leaving tomorrow, and other such niceties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kept repeating, “We’re done talking now,
good night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked away part of me
felt that I should not have said anything at all and should have just waited
for him to turn his generator off at 10 PM.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPo7CbPaoEYLw6hXg9l7rrFTeieqK0hIc9M4Ml5Uq6d6ysi9PVYhPtHbnkvNFYdQtzxz6AIV4Ys0cqbgC-mUzRNrKvdCWzLx7kOmTsT__pkNoP3Pr_6ML9z21nx8tY8l4n1GCcMi0YL8/s1600/Low+Water+Buckhorn+Rec+Area.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="920" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPo7CbPaoEYLw6hXg9l7rrFTeieqK0hIc9M4Ml5Uq6d6ysi9PVYhPtHbnkvNFYdQtzxz6AIV4Ys0cqbgC-mUzRNrKvdCWzLx7kOmTsT__pkNoP3Pr_6ML9z21nx8tY8l4n1GCcMi0YL8/s640/Low+Water+Buckhorn+Rec+Area.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the lakes, everywhere in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California are low now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back at our campsite we watched the moon rise and then
cleaned up the dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After stoking the
fire we settled into our folding chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just then a car pulled into the lower lot between us and the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The car radio was up full blast and we could
hear them scanning through the stations; car idling, lights on, radio
blaring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the final straw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start to march down the hillside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie comes with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blocking our way is an older couple out
walking their dog and as we start to converse, the little car down below drives
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Vancouver couple thanked me
for talking to the generator guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
wish I’d had the balls to say something.” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well now I’m feeling better about my rash
actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about camping on BLM
land (a common subject) and about boats in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The full moon rose, the clear sky brought in
cold air and we retired for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
lay awake for a long time thinking about all the people we’d recently met and
had interactions with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off in the
distance I could hear the coyotes yipping and yapping.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At 7 AM we heard the first generator start up, coming from
somewhere up the hill far away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 8 AM
the rock music people camped above us started up their generator and we spent
our breakfast hours grumbling about things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But then by ten o’clock the only sound in the campground was from Connie playing
away on the accordion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTi_twCceYlAcVrzUMDLo6GWrn6AMjAq8K0eIZwxtJ9vEeIDabc5et2aNUfP7pNAqtSDMA4OjuwYqY1IJDjPcnhyphenhyphenDFPSTkfKKCLldadiV1U3nE878GvyUZ2U8ZdpZ_bsWxmB_Bh0DhhU/s1600/Connie+practicing+inside+trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="881" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTi_twCceYlAcVrzUMDLo6GWrn6AMjAq8K0eIZwxtJ9vEeIDabc5et2aNUfP7pNAqtSDMA4OjuwYqY1IJDjPcnhyphenhyphenDFPSTkfKKCLldadiV1U3nE878GvyUZ2U8ZdpZ_bsWxmB_Bh0DhhU/s640/Connie+practicing+inside+trailer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connie playing accordion in our Magical, Mobile, Monkey Palace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-78750244288174663352020-03-19T17:20:00.000-07:002020-03-19T17:20:05.919-07:00Joshua Tree<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Note: As we publish this blog we are
actually back in Olympia. Arrived six days ago to a very strange place and
we're dealing with it just like everyone else. No matter, let's get
back to our journey.......................... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Our story left off with us headed toward Lake Amistad near
Del Rio Texas We chose one of the northern campsites there and spent two nice days
dry camping and having fires at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
drove to town and found internet at McDonalds so we could make an Airbnb reservation in El Paso, our next destination to the west. As we head toward higher
altitudes and gorgeous mountains we'll find freezing cold temperatures so a warm room was a good plan. We were driving down Highway 90 the next morning when the tire blew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boom! Flap, Flap, Flap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie pulled the rig to the side of the road
and we had a wonderful hour playing with jacks and tire irons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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The end of the day found us 400 miles
westward in El Paso where Bill, at Marten Tire, fixed us up with a new trailer
tire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Airbnb was a private room and
bath in a small apartment up in the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The young couple, trying to make ends meet, were actively renting out
their master bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We self-checked
in, showered, watched a Netflix movie, slept, and the next morning, cooked
ourselves breakfast in their kitchen, which they so graciously offered per a
note on the guest info board, never once setting eyes on our super hosts. She
works nights at Walmart, he works construction in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our paths never crossed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left a tip to compensate for the
unexpected, free breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you,
nice people!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxFSVr8NubVGLnZp8R5vdFTHbS624Re5oqc3KoITsYnuWr0A26JxWTCp3ktHXwh8dnKzNd3AWQfOLEHNBgEV76yB9qkv_kNAd3ThdoNM0RKMuk9JZjJ4Jy2m-QXMK3HBQqrbfVTVfncE/s1600/Chef+Leo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="760" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxFSVr8NubVGLnZp8R5vdFTHbS624Re5oqc3KoITsYnuWr0A26JxWTCp3ktHXwh8dnKzNd3AWQfOLEHNBgEV76yB9qkv_kNAd3ThdoNM0RKMuk9JZjJ4Jy2m-QXMK3HBQqrbfVTVfncE/s320/Chef+Leo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Chef Leo in Tumacacori</td></tr>
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A long day’s drive took us across New Mexico and into
Arizona, landing just south of Tubac in the village of Tumacacori where our friend Leo was staying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent three nights there, got in some good
hikes, bird watching and enjoyed one evening out listening to live music, and
of course, Connie sang a few tunes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Leo always cooks up a storm in the kitchen so we always eat well when visiting.</span><br />
<br />
Next
up was two nights in Phoenix with Connie’s sister, Diane, and her family.
Brevin, Connie’s grandnephew, had a swim meet so she spent Sunday pool side. I
caught up on some business at their home with endless internet.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Another long drive took us into California where we
were lucky to find the last available campsite (#13!) at the Belle campground
in Joshua Tree National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky 13
is right next to luckier 12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky 13 is
always the last to fill because it has a ten degree tilt to the south and its
right up next to #12’s parking space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
strong north wind blew all night and kept us awake as we kept sliding down our
tilted bed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FJZ_EKUMrLi0aEAJn2WthfKxSUECZNfub572mqHgFffy5BJE1W7nEB5gve93enjZLk2g72Wf9DFzBn-18nO9OkaV9WbEgGFFnHJ6RFZ9fTDLdEgRlKGm9WtDTTX1xoQo9TeEB5SgCLc/s1600/j+tree+dinosaur+bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="916" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FJZ_EKUMrLi0aEAJn2WthfKxSUECZNfub572mqHgFffy5BJE1W7nEB5gve93enjZLk2g72Wf9DFzBn-18nO9OkaV9WbEgGFFnHJ6RFZ9fTDLdEgRlKGm9WtDTTX1xoQo9TeEB5SgCLc/s640/j+tree+dinosaur+bones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Planning on staying four days at J Tree we were up roaming
the campground the next morning looking for a more sheltered and level
spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the rig pulled out of site #
10 we moved ours over there and tucked the tent trailer into the south face of
the three story pile of rocks; a beautiful campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that evening, right at dusk, we watched
a pickup truck with a small R-Pod trailer circle around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the sites were full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver, a single California woman, stopped
and I had a talk with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tired
of driving and didn’t really want to drive another hour south to the overflow
camping on the southern border of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had an idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both walked
around to lucky 13 and 12 where each site now had one car and one tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We approached the two young women in #12. I
made the suggestion that since each site could have a maximum of two vehicles,
there was room for the California woman to park her rig there just for the
night if they didn’t mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
immediately agreed and approached the single man at #13 and before we knew it,
our California woman was backing her trailer into the sloped Lucky 13
spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then got to spend the night
sliding down her tilting bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All was
quiet that night at Belle campground, except for the yips and yaps from the
coyotes as they frolicked in the night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKgmBJ9XP7V7jzmKmMw8uf6ZRK4bVU60RbXTO8Gzoz1dJHPzt9aWp79JETpthqfp2bNv7McoDjICvHzoSNb-i01odZOpysADzFl7-VyRkn7kUW5RxOEcDFrcOf1UmChrV6sSK36yu79nY/s1600/j+tree+campsite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="813" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKgmBJ9XP7V7jzmKmMw8uf6ZRK4bVU60RbXTO8Gzoz1dJHPzt9aWp79JETpthqfp2bNv7McoDjICvHzoSNb-i01odZOpysADzFl7-VyRkn7kUW5RxOEcDFrcOf1UmChrV6sSK36yu79nY/s320/j+tree+campsite.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Early the next morning the California woman moved her rig
and the two car campers left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she
pulled her rig into #12 and went to the pay station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later we saw that she’d payed and reserved
both spots…. even though she was there by herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we talked with her again later she said
her friend was coming out to join her that evening or the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, that’s why you are taking up two spots.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned like the cat that got the mouse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That day we had a nice hike or two and all the time I had a
little sadness in the back of my mind about how we helped that woman and now
she was taking more than she needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess my thoughts finally filtered over to her camp because that night at 7:30
she stopped in on her way to drive to 29 Palms in the pickup truck to make a
phone call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know, I’ve thought
about it and if you see someone who really needs a spot, feel free to let them
know they can stay in #13. My friend isn’t going to make it tonight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All afternoon people had been driving around
trying to find a site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the waning
light I saw a white SUV circling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
stepped out of our tent trailer and flagged them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first the driver drove past me but then
stopped and backed up. “Are you looking for a place?” I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes! We’ve been through every campground
between here and Black Rock and there is nothing open.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ve got a place for you.” I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young man driving smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His girlfriend actually started to cry with
happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got them settled into
Lucky 13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later the California woman
returned and met them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I happened by and
approached her and told her that I could see her Karma aura spreading up from
her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed. I laughed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s talk about Joshua Tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to write this down because we’ll be
back and I’ll want to remember the lay of the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are eight camping areas in the park.
Four are reservation sites that can handle small and large vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other four are first come, first served
spaces and meant for smaller vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We could not get a reserved site online because they book up early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even trying a month ahead of time, we could
not find a reservation spot for four days in a row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the south side of the park the Cottonwood
campsite is reservable but, of couse, was full when we arrived except for
single nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just south of the park is
a large area of BLM land that is designated as overflow camping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw about thirty rigs parked there as we
approached the park.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQJupcuLISqNXNTNrr2Ok6bMxaliW269DeP9bZdUGXXauh5x_mBEFUFtAcA7ustxHoVg5UU4kOVa9VWEVFxPRrAwCn4A5cJ4aRZR0TaV7pKlRI_2AQo0J-nb-ugZRQs49Y_seFwyuFAo/s1600/j+tree+scott+on+the+rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="905" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQJupcuLISqNXNTNrr2Ok6bMxaliW269DeP9bZdUGXXauh5x_mBEFUFtAcA7ustxHoVg5UU4kOVa9VWEVFxPRrAwCn4A5cJ4aRZR0TaV7pKlRI_2AQo0J-nb-ugZRQs49Y_seFwyuFAo/s400/j+tree+scott+on+the+rocks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used to be a rock climber and always wanted to climb at J-Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We drove 30 miles north through the center of the park on a
smooth winding road to find the White Tank campground, a first come first
served place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The campground loop runs
amid large boulders with little sites tucked into the rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a beautiful spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Length restrictions were at 25 feet so we
were too long to stay there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw lots
of tents and four wheel drive vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rock climbers like staying at White Tank.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next up the road is Belle, also first come first
served.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the length limit is 35 feet
so mid-sized vehicles fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where
we found Lucky 13. Like White Tank, Belle is an amazing place with the sites
grouped around massive rock structures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fifteen miles up the road is the park boundary and the town of 29
Palms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The park visitor center there has
good wifi, cell phone coverage, and drinking water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a young couple there with backpacks
and gave them a ride into the park, saving them the entrance fee since they
were with me and my senior access pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They got out of the truck and started backpacking into the hills for a
few days of primitive camping.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading west from Bell, the first campground is Jumbo Rocks,
a reservation site and it is chock full of RVs big and small, all crammed
together in the scenic boulder field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clearly, this is the favorite campsite in the park for the big rigs that
need to reserve a space ahead of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jumbo Rocks is a busy place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskA9USOuFTOVGSdH8VMPA2pI80DygTmEuL4e1B2GuS48_amF0p9OqdtQpbKDFLKp-U-focWCL9gMoZUJ7dWuiHAl_eS34aIgQ1-ZZQLWRuotMDAICZDglDLO6EH-g43R6mCUwrnGRPbc/s1600/j+tree+view+from+the+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="920" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskA9USOuFTOVGSdH8VMPA2pI80DygTmEuL4e1B2GuS48_amF0p9OqdtQpbKDFLKp-U-focWCL9gMoZUJ7dWuiHAl_eS34aIgQ1-ZZQLWRuotMDAICZDglDLO6EH-g43R6mCUwrnGRPbc/s640/j+tree+view+from+the+top.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key's View of pollution rolling in from L.A.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Further west is the first come first served camping area
named Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sits just below Ryan
peak, a popular hike in the center of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>West of that is the last first come first served area of Hidden Valley
where 44 sites sit among the rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
there you can take a seven mile drive south to Key’s View at 5,185 feet <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>elevation where you have an amazing view a
hundred miles to the south and west from Salton Sea to Palm desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people arrive at the overlook, their cell
phones start chirping as they pick up signals from the valley below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, you can see the pollution pouring in
from Los Angeles to the west.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9jsh51d4A-jHzFbVD3IieEXuqqamwnLI7KGv90bHR0Su_qbCsbHEq6M02rVwWOQeOSfFL-brCd2Yu1-HDSIoWQ4g_J0qJgVvdZwRt0nHUQWwjiN-TpGIth0DlV75HpxFvwPg6WbGYS0/s1600/jtree+head+and+couch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="920" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9jsh51d4A-jHzFbVD3IieEXuqqamwnLI7KGv90bHR0Su_qbCsbHEq6M02rVwWOQeOSfFL-brCd2Yu1-HDSIoWQ4g_J0qJgVvdZwRt0nHUQWwjiN-TpGIth0DlV75HpxFvwPg6WbGYS0/s320/jtree+head+and+couch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the head?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The remaining two campgrounds that take reservations are on
the northern border of the park at Black Rock and Indian Grove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stayed four days in Joshua Tree and enjoyed
the scenery and the hiking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had no
cell service and had to bring in all our own water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We liked the smaller campgrounds because they
were quieter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People tenting don’t
usually run generators</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our next time through our plan is to reserve ahead of time
one night at one of the big sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
we’ll break camp early and watch for people leaving the first come first served
sites. That’s how you get a site there, we’ve learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, who knows, a smile and a conversation
can often get you squeezed in even when there is no room left in the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUfkVDzfvU15ThBP_c-Vsi2uXwFN0sMeTvQnn7Nua0qsWt0vb7BIwI4rnM34-DfjHA0jVSdr7QbnL-QlhZzLCV1p_7mfIiq6L0AJ19bPhOcXUdRAgLTeWX6kYDnjsZ1RiHwe8plSYvAo/s1600/j+tree+a+big+jtree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="832" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUfkVDzfvU15ThBP_c-Vsi2uXwFN0sMeTvQnn7Nua0qsWt0vb7BIwI4rnM34-DfjHA0jVSdr7QbnL-QlhZzLCV1p_7mfIiq6L0AJ19bPhOcXUdRAgLTeWX6kYDnjsZ1RiHwe8plSYvAo/s640/j+tree+a+big+jtree.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
</div>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-1284212855417775762020-03-16T18:53:00.001-07:002020-03-16T18:56:02.202-07:00We Join the Birders of South Texas<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlC6r0X4gK9blPmiYEvN5BTcCAL9orlYDuOF-EXNg58Sbc574V1kRSJ5u_CaBJFPNBmkcaDQyqEu_0R7W12ebQMyJ8iw_U3oVFjc8vgnZFoaIGAk-cW8Vo3kXpuHUNM_Cwc0CLVas4Bs/s1600/Texas+-+Carved+captains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="613" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlC6r0X4gK9blPmiYEvN5BTcCAL9orlYDuOF-EXNg58Sbc574V1kRSJ5u_CaBJFPNBmkcaDQyqEu_0R7W12ebQMyJ8iw_U3oVFjc8vgnZFoaIGAk-cW8Vo3kXpuHUNM_Cwc0CLVas4Bs/s320/Texas+-+Carved+captains.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've got a carved captain just like this one on the boat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Note: As we publish this blog we are actually back in Olympia. Arrived Saturday to a very strange place and we're dealing with it just like everyone else. No matter, let's get back to our journey.......................... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Taxi!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stood blinking in the sun at San Antonio
International Airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While loading our
bags into the trunk I gave the taxi driver the address of the storage yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As normal, in Mexico, I asked, “How
much?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed at the meter and said
he was not sure, maybe $25 or $30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Pesos?” I hopefully asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Connie said, “We’re in the US now honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Put on your seat belt.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not yet noon, we
had time to hook up the rig, air up the tires, eat a sandwich, provision at the
store with food, wine, water, and ice, and point the rig southeast towards
Corpus Christi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humming “On the Road
Again” we fled to the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Corpus,
just to make a long, complicated day a little easier, we found an Airbnb king
size bedroom in a family house and a place to plug in the battery charger for
the tent trailer’s house bank so as to give it a good topping off after sitting
in a dirt lot for 50 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Thai food
restaurant was quite a treat, after eating Mexican food all that time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Padre and Mustang
Islands are thin strips of land separating the myriad coastal passages from the
Gulf of Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took the bridge out
to the island and found Mustang Island State Park where we just missed out on
grabbing the last camping spot available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was just as well because a strong wind was coming ashore from the
southeast making it pretty uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just off shore we could see the line of oil rigs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just inshore we couldn’t miss the miles of
refineries dotting the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
same refineries have polluted Corpus Christi bay to the point where people are
advised not to swim in those waters.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvOT9Ks20wI52WcpqOO58eayCN0g3fhvKqabB7iEfGS_9C4GKy5bcUZpGEmVL1VxMR_65pjXOzFYedlXvHhbCooXEiyfAzaV_DVajeA7nLqiw7VwrtDn6oa1GppBSPBfGGTT-8BizSjQ/s1600/Texas+-+aarons+ass+oil+rigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="915" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvOT9Ks20wI52WcpqOO58eayCN0g3fhvKqabB7iEfGS_9C4GKy5bcUZpGEmVL1VxMR_65pjXOzFYedlXvHhbCooXEiyfAzaV_DVajeA7nLqiw7VwrtDn6oa1GppBSPBfGGTT-8BizSjQ/s640/Texas+-+aarons+ass+oil+rigs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port Aaron's Ass</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We drove up
island to Port Aransas, which we kept calling “Aaron’s Ass”, saw the sign that
said they were taking no RVs on the ferry because of extreme low tides,(it was
the full moon), and got in line anyway. We made it on. The tide cycle was at
the high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A set of five small ferries
plowed across the 100 yard wide body of water called Humble Basin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Towering oil rigs sat waiting to be towed
out to sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across from Port Aaron’s Ass
is Aaron’s Ass Pass, a town still suffering from hurricane damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made our way up through Rockport and
across the bridge to Goose Island State Park.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nothing
available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you like to stay in our
overflow parking lot?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reluctantly, we
set up the tent camper and got our nest organized after being away from the rig
for almost two months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the night
we heard huge engines pushing a barge (or oil rig) out to sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trains, trucks, and in the morning, jet boats
and the early morning garbage truck attacking the dumpster just steps away from
our sleeping quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeqk_h9swy00L9fLrQFGd0VYIcNS90-jn2iGonDBX0zTGjB4jgEj1srlyrOhbX1tQXIQOvg00kRjfDdciIWQBGiLYDC0y7mOWkQRRcct5d5m6AXhPQyspixZc5tKw7K6SoF4CTbYnFA4/s1600/Texas+-+welcome+to+goose+island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="782" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeqk_h9swy00L9fLrQFGd0VYIcNS90-jn2iGonDBX0zTGjB4jgEj1srlyrOhbX1tQXIQOvg00kRjfDdciIWQBGiLYDC0y7mOWkQRRcct5d5m6AXhPQyspixZc5tKw7K6SoF4CTbYnFA4/s320/Texas+-+welcome+to+goose+island.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Being told that
we could only make reservations online, I went to the park office and found
internet and was in the process when I got a cell call from the agent in that
same office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think you are standing
outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somebody had to abandon their
reservation because their rig was too big to fit in the space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Badda badda boom, we had a spot for two days.
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Goose Island is a
good birding area (86 species spotted in January) with nice hiking paths and we
enjoyed our two extra days there and wanted to stay a couple more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to the office to sit out front and use
the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got online and found
another available site for Monday and Tuesday but there was a glitch with my
Texas park pass and I could not book with my discount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The web site advised me to call the
reservation line to sort it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
reservation line is closed on weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The attendant at the office could not help me because all future
reservations have to be made online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
the online booking service could not process my pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to wait until Monday and hope for
the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Texas, there’s gotta be a
better way!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwX_AqNA7BMQJa7Msmzz_RO4__j87Dmaq8sozngj4OpYGiZq5euh9s28sXTjvgmHG0IzCOhltjaymGQSr6GVyArvvnXY6VWK0U7JkpwJb2fEUwH6F_LqyJinzRAqMRONNyWtPxmaMR4w/s1600/Texas+-+windy+water+at+goose+island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="849" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwX_AqNA7BMQJa7Msmzz_RO4__j87Dmaq8sozngj4OpYGiZq5euh9s28sXTjvgmHG0IzCOhltjaymGQSr6GVyArvvnXY6VWK0U7JkpwJb2fEUwH6F_LqyJinzRAqMRONNyWtPxmaMR4w/s320/Texas+-+windy+water+at+goose+island.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We now realize
that we should do our research and book our stays ahead of time so we’re not
stuck in a parking lot with nowhere to set up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went back up to the office to research our future stops in south Texas
and the internet was down and stayed down all weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, this is a game we are playing and we’ve
got to get better at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come Monday, we
sorted out the problem with our park pass (The parks department had installed a
new reservation system), got our next two days reserved, then I drove to the
nearest McDonalds to find reliable internet to start working on the next three
weeks of reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While trying to
book at Big Bend National Park, that booking site went down and stayed down for
two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looks like the feds are taking
Texas’s lead in how not to run a reservation system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our traveling in
Texas now goes like this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have our
tea and breakfast and watch the wildlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then Connie practices her music while I go off in the truck to find
internet or water or propane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spend a
few hours researching and booking camping spots and catching up on blog
entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We join back up around 1:00 PM
and have a light lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we go for a
long hike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the afternoon we find
firewood and get the fire ready for starting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At 5:00 PM we have a glass of wine and watch the birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just before sunset we might take another walk
then we light the fire and sometimes add some charcoal so we can cook on the
grill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner we sit around the
fire for a while, and retire to bed with a book or a movie on the laptop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s our life right now in South
Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not bad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After Goose
Island we went to Laredo and the International State Park there where we camped
among some odd vehicles which we finally figured out were rigs used by workers
in town for the big carnival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
living with Carnies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had brightly
decorated trailers advertising candy corn and funnel cakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d see a picnic table full of dumpy guys
drinking beer and cooking on the grill, waiting for the weekend and some
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d whoop and holler in the
evening then quiet down pretty quick and get up early the next morning to drive
to town to do their shift setting up the midway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were surrounded by clowns!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We felt right at home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the weekend
the sleepy park came alive as the locals arrived en masse with beer, BBQ,
fishing poles, and kids on bikes, kids on inner tubes, kids in strollers, kids
playing in the mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saturday evening was
joyfully active, Mexican music everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By Sunday night, all was quiet again, except for the clowns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ll say this for
Laredo, it’s a pretty good provisioning town. Shrimp and crab at the H.E.B.
store, cheap wine, and some organic produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Driving through downtown, we made it to the border park that sits at the
Rio Grande.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not climb the fence!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People poured across the bridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Border Patrol
trucks hovered. We noticed a pair wet under wear and pants on the USA
riverbank… hmmm… potentially swimming illegals?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our next stop was
Falcon State Park, about two hours south of Laredo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We provisioned well, knowing there were no
good markets close to that lonely area of the border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here at Falcon we have good trails and many
birds and many people looking at birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This whole area of South Texas
near the Rio Grande is a wintering destination for hundreds of species. This is
the point where I’d normally insert a beautiful picture of the colorful birds
that frequent our site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess we just
don’t have what it takes to take a proper picture of a bird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All our shots are at the tail end of a bird
making its way out of the frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zoom in
and you’ve got a smudgy blot that only we know is a very attractive bird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ve got a nice
little quiet camping spot where we do our daily routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An extra treat here is watching the banded
peccaries root their way through our campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These look a little sleeker and cuter than their Javalina cousins we saw
in Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being bigger and slower, we
have a few pictures of these.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day one and Day
two the afternoon temperatures soared to 90 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lay in the tent camper trying not to move,
following the Mexico example of taking a siesta when it becomes overwhelmingly
hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wake to the sound of a mighty
diesel pulling up alongside us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
truck stops and idles… for a long long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The wind is coming from the south and waifs the diesel exhaust right
into our sleeping quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, we
accept the fact that HE is not going to turn off that engine any time
soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get up, get dressed, then
approach the gentleman who is chatting away with my neighbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was curt and to the point, asking him to turn off the rig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked forlorn, sad that he had offended... didn't realize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Connie had given
up and was walking to the restroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
got in his truck and left… and evidently went up to the same restroom where Connie was, where he
let that rig idle while he was doing his business there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie returned feeling pursued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt guilty for a while for jumping on the
guy’s case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, we googled the
phrase, “Why do men let their diesel truck engines run too long?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The simple answer is that there is no good reason, it’s a manly thing
to do. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbZRYn6vU6XGkxp-g1UQAdoFMdIDEc5BQkzRojEVqnEJCxfWIrN1jG7JdAO8xDXgFlhBIoGHTDYFOiKRyHoXmWe49ZGT76_y9aoTpkGUD1OYeSeiEjntxlMFP283vNw0G74ujo2rWF68/s1600/Texas+-+scott+no+climbing+on+the+fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="769" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbZRYn6vU6XGkxp-g1UQAdoFMdIDEc5BQkzRojEVqnEJCxfWIrN1jG7JdAO8xDXgFlhBIoGHTDYFOiKRyHoXmWe49ZGT76_y9aoTpkGUD1OYeSeiEjntxlMFP283vNw0G74ujo2rWF68/s640/Texas+-+scott+no+climbing+on+the+fence.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is the border fence at Laredo Texas and that is the Rio Grande</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After sweating it
out for two days, the rain came and the temperatures dropped from 90/70 to
55/42.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we’re huddled around the fire
and running the heater nonstop inside the camper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fearing that we’d run out of propane, I
decided to make the run south 20 miles to the town of Roma Texas to
provision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only propane store in
Roma was closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove east another
ten miles and found a farm store to top off our propane tank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way back we found a water kiosk and
filled our drinking water jugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we
looked for and finally found the one liquor store in the town of 10,000 people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of dozen dusty bottles of liquor, in
a small shop that had to be unlocked by the clerk in the adjoining convenience
store, was the extent of the city’s liquor supply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Any place to buy wine here?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Walmart is 20 miles down the road.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Inside the
convenience store we met a Hispanic man. We did the usual,“Where are you from?”
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had come here from Appalachia
eight years ago and was working putting up wind mills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wind turbines, I call them. Yes, the horizon
is beautifully scattered with them, something that makes me feel better being
that the rest of the state is stuffed with oil derricks and pipelines. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Yep, we’re
putting up more windmills every day down here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can’t wait, though, for the border wall to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That will be a good job.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie couldn’t help but say, “Isn’t Mexico
going to pay for that?” “Oh no. WE aren’t going to pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Cartel is going to build it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to extract Connie from the conversation
so we could choose our dusty bottle of liquor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pulling her away, I noticed the guy’s cap with the words, “Fuck You”,
surrounded by five point stars. We tried to sort out his logic on the drive
back to the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after numerous
swigs from our dusty bottle of rum we could not figure it out. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s cold on our
final day at Falcon State Park and it’s 11:00 AM and time for me to go in
search of internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie is already at
it with the accordion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our next stop
will be at Lake Amistad near Del Rio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> There is good birding there.
</span>Then it’s on to Big Bend where we hope to luck into a “first come first
served” site for about four days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that, we’ve got three nights at Hueco Tanks, just east of El Paso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we’ll be done messing with Texas, and it
will be about time! Time for Cool Breeze to hit the road. </span></div>
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<br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-74563749445061415332020-02-19T12:07:00.003-08:002020-02-26T07:22:31.681-08:00Adios Means Hello<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkYIsV4xRpTgEQvksWRBJxRTNdJHf9gxmbwkar_rX06e-QPNcfBgJE6N7SHg9i_41hHJXkXEvGX4wbYjj6zvWWZKr7T9Xh9kIejkG-0uLG7c_XvWe4GAgy-5wRq8FgplNkSw-5_zhlpc/s1600/Telaquepaque+-++ETN+bus+on+side+of+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="794" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkYIsV4xRpTgEQvksWRBJxRTNdJHf9gxmbwkar_rX06e-QPNcfBgJE6N7SHg9i_41hHJXkXEvGX4wbYjj6zvWWZKr7T9Xh9kIejkG-0uLG7c_XvWe4GAgy-5wRq8FgplNkSw-5_zhlpc/s400/Telaquepaque+-++ETN+bus+on+side+of+road.jpg" width="400" /></a>Leaving the warmth of Colima behind, our journey continued
as we rode the ETN bus to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Guadalajara.
</span>On the loop road on the outskirts of the city the bus suddenly pulled to
the side of the road and stopped, dust billowing forward on the busy
highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door to the driver’s
compartment slid open and, being the closest to the door, I saw the driver
appear with a strange look on his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was saying something I could not understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked across the aisle at the woman sitting
there and said to her, “I don’t speak Spanish.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“He’s saying ‘Help.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood and
looked at the driver who was certainly in stress then I turned to the bus full
of people and said in my captain’s voice, “We need a doctor or nurse up here!”<br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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A woman quickly approached. “I’m a nurse.” I got out of her
way and she went forward into the driver’s compartment and talked to the driver
who had a severe muscle spasm in his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had him stand and lean against the wall and then manipulated his
left arm while pushing on the muscles of his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face showed pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she carefully led him outside the bus to
walk him down the side of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went to the middle of the bus where there were some people I’d talked to
earlier and explained that the driver was having some sort of health
emergency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A man nearby said, “I’m a
doctor. I’ll see if I can be of some help.”, and joined the driver and nurse
outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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I looked back at the people on
the bus and they all sat in silence, just waiting patiently, staring straight
ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could see the nurse outside
giving the driver a pill, and him swallowing it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully this was not a heavy narcotic. Presently,
the doctor, then the nurse, then the driver got back on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver kept his compartment door open so
I could see him and we drove off to our next stop at the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqYmSTJyW0M-1c9AAiChHg7RSXtl6dqCDqFhYkCUVyH_j0uinCcRrf_M8S6xCPvUXSLvlr5sJXUmcv4Fe6hHg7P8bQ1ZXbJOVprGsrS6h-STuiORculzlWBIyO3EOdPxgy9HNJCjiY0E/s1600/Telaquepaque+-++Colorful+Neighborhood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="867" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqYmSTJyW0M-1c9AAiChHg7RSXtl6dqCDqFhYkCUVyH_j0uinCcRrf_M8S6xCPvUXSLvlr5sJXUmcv4Fe6hHg7P8bQ1ZXbJOVprGsrS6h-STuiORculzlWBIyO3EOdPxgy9HNJCjiY0E/s400/Telaquepaque+-++Colorful+Neighborhood.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I watched his feet so that I knew which petal was the brake
and prepared myself to go for that petal if the driver passed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had it all worked out how I’d push him
aside with my body, go in with my left foot on the brake and grab the
wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, none of my commando
preparation was necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver
successfully negotiated the tight quarters at the airport, brought the rig to a
halt, and discharged all but four of us passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would we get another driver?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The driver talked to the personnel on the ground and didn’t seem to
mention the incident to anyone. Then he came back onboard and drove us to our
destination at the central bus station in San Pedro Telaquepaque.</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m supposing he did not want to jeopardize
his job standing by admitting that he had had a medical emergency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the coach used to say, “Just walk it off.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQErukWsZrQKzH0zm9d7PwW2bNYu5E_hb8t1V6TTdMUWRi5hzQava21fF3FWjbR3UuaJB4r6Lo8iqUu4EcGrq4-aq1eYx0E92s5awwkAdz1flwLF4ChBaAOscfc4OtMb7LNlMVQqs0Z4E/s1600/Telaquepaque+-+Tuba+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="470" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQErukWsZrQKzH0zm9d7PwW2bNYu5E_hb8t1V6TTdMUWRi5hzQava21fF3FWjbR3UuaJB4r6Lo8iqUu4EcGrq4-aq1eYx0E92s5awwkAdz1flwLF4ChBaAOscfc4OtMb7LNlMVQqs0Z4E/s320/Telaquepaque+-+Tuba+man.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="ILfuVd"><span class="e24Kjd">Tuba is fermented coconut palm sap, sweetened with fruit and topped with peanuts</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Carolina’s Airbnb was in the midst of construction but she
had a nice clean room for us and we settled in with our luggage, retrieving the
Pythagorean harp and our extra bag of winter clothing from their storage
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days later, after some careful
packing, and some nice walks around the neighborhoods, we set our alarm for
5:30 AM for our trip to the airport. We checked in with Carolina who promised
to arrange an Uber for 6:00 AM. I awoke to the sound of a little beep, like a
text notification on a cell phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I
really hear something?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s still dark…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the alarm going to work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worried, I got up, found my headlamp and
shined it on our digital alarm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A blank
face!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Batteries dead!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaZxzhHotFEoIW15ZZwEGl8YlmQEA2LwVsY1IbZuIA5VlCeumEoBfYU238euJO8clVrTeEW9PFPJ7mHbeEhqxwjeQazKsRj4rtQoFU-zfUHKJETSUI9DTxdUh79UKwa-WKPtIgPjHY4c/s1600/Telaquepaque+-+Tuba+drink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="756" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaZxzhHotFEoIW15ZZwEGl8YlmQEA2LwVsY1IbZuIA5VlCeumEoBfYU238euJO8clVrTeEW9PFPJ7mHbeEhqxwjeQazKsRj4rtQoFU-zfUHKJETSUI9DTxdUh79UKwa-WKPtIgPjHY4c/s400/Telaquepaque+-+Tuba+drink.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like Tuba. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I checked the phone, which said 6:00 AM and read Carolina’s
text asking, “Are you ready?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To Connie, “We gotta get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s 6.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shot out of bed like
a rocket and went into mama rescue mode, which means, she was moving fast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I texted to Carolina, “Our alarm failed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ready in 10 minutes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shoots back, “Perfect.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No it’s not perfect. We overslept, the Uber is waiting, and
we’ll be late getting to the airport.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before you could say, “Telaquepaque” we pulled on our
clothes over our PJs and started carrying bags downstairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minutes later, Connie was forced to speak
Spanish with the Uber driver without the benefit of caffeine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hair in tangles, we counted our bags, came up
with the right number and rode the Uber through the dark and quiet streets to
the Guadalajara International Airport. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Half asleep, we contemplated our next challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d been worrying about how to get all of our
oversize and overweight baggage onto the Volaris plane to San Antonio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d had problems on the Interjet airline flights
with overweight carry-on luggage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
this flight home we were bringing even more weight in the form of a big conch
shell, more books, clothing, and a big Pythagorean harp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An attendant, roaming the mezzanine looking
for confused travelers,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>checked our
papers and noted that we didn’t have boarding passes printed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pointed out the harp and all the Fragile
stickers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She scooted us over to the “special
needs” line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There we met Juan, smiling
Juan, our savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He arrived to his
shift and opened his station just when we arrived at the head of the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good Morning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…English, a good sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lugged our heavy bag onto the scale; half a
kilogram under the limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pointed to
the harp while hiding the accordion behind us, using the art of
distraction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s fragile. It can’t go
under the plane.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Juan looked very
serious, checked his computer, then his face brightened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No problem.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Holy Cow, he’s going to let us carry that big thing onto the
plane, along with the oversize ukulele case, the overweight accordion stuffed
into a carry-on bag, and our two “personal” bags stuffed to the gills?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No argument here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed out that we could go print our
boarding passes at a nearby kiosk for free or pay him 200 pesos each for him to
print them out at the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked
across the rapidly filling concourse at a sea of people and choose the former.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, our Mexico money had begun
the transformation to being funny money, colorful but not legal tender in
Texas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s just pay the man.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69-arBCDQTKEEqJ-jvEJuPd9vxKBWxep3UwpnWNZDXz2xUNjPrCYVEqct_aV8zhvnrLAPgv2fhRPSSigcjCJKYORNwtNOhLN-j_EYSQAID9eUGdrb85mE1Hozab0IFuwZYScEUIskMuo/s1600/Telaquepaque+-++Volaris+jet+named+Julian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="1115" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69-arBCDQTKEEqJ-jvEJuPd9vxKBWxep3UwpnWNZDXz2xUNjPrCYVEqct_aV8zhvnrLAPgv2fhRPSSigcjCJKYORNwtNOhLN-j_EYSQAID9eUGdrb85mE1Hozab0IFuwZYScEUIskMuo/s400/Telaquepaque+-++Volaris+jet+named+Julian.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julian had plenty of room for us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before Juan could call us back we rushed our five carry-on
bags toward the security checkpoint where we filled up the conveyor belt with
all our stuff, got ourselves xray’d, struggled our cabin ready possessions down
a quarter mile of hallways and found ourselves in a towering atrium filled with
brightly colored breakfast opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There we had our most expensive meal in Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, at gate 23B we got in the wrong line,
were corrected with a smile, and ushered into a bus that took us out to the
plane, where we climbed the stairs with a couple of dozen other
passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ah Ha! That’s why Juan was
so unconcerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at all those empty
seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was plenty of excess
overhead space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our seats were at the
emergency exits and I was so very pleased with the extra leg room and being
able to cross my legs comfortably for once. We settled back in our seats, holding
hands with smiles on our faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF_MjNV_v2sEE2YwMdWScLts6CVuGxU5Ei9u-y77WYEEQxQDxqBS1QXl6T7Ni_obMaovJ_1bneQiiQ9k6a_ci3U-cfhifNQY-cblO2vlxLV-dMLXO7GEjaNn_Li6LjHyMFugL-jSteYw/s1600/Telaquepaque+-+most+expensive+breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="852" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF_MjNV_v2sEE2YwMdWScLts6CVuGxU5Ei9u-y77WYEEQxQDxqBS1QXl6T7Ni_obMaovJ_1bneQiiQ9k6a_ci3U-cfhifNQY-cblO2vlxLV-dMLXO7GEjaNn_Li6LjHyMFugL-jSteYw/s640/Telaquepaque+-+most+expensive+breakfast.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our most expensive meal in Mexico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our fifty days in Mexico this winter started with a month
long, simple stay in a small town and ended with a flurry of activity as we
flew, bussed, and taxied to the coast in pursuit of some quality sea and beach
time. We’ve seen ten different destinations, three flights, six long distance
bus rides, and twelve taxis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our housing
averaged $19 USD per night, which is a good number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But somehow we managed to spend another $58
USD per day on food, wine, airline tickets, bus tickets, car rentals, taxis,
musical instruments, clothing, gifts, and tips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most notability, we had fun and we wandered where we wanted, opening
ourselves up to last minute changes and interesting opportunities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had three things to accomplish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One: we escaped the cold and wet of an
Olympia winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two: we celebrated
Connie’s 60<sup>th</sup> birthday in a setting of her choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three: we explored various possibilities for
winter snowbird living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say
that the central highland of Mexico is not a place I’d want to settle down
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The air quality and the population
density proved to be a challenge for us as we tend to enjoy quiet, nature
filled spaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two things we grow tired
of are barking dogs and church bells.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The coast has much cleaner air and wonderful scenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the cost of living is higher than
inland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the small towns on the
coast are fun for a while, the tourism gets to us pretty quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found ourselves looking for restaurants
and hotels not populated by large, white English speaking persons from Canada
and the U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is nothing so
jarring as being assaulted by a booming, male white voice rattling on about
nothing of importance, while seated near you in the palapa restaurant. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WYlSmojR5-hQdlzjrrjnvXW8GeHgULWB_G2NVqkJonF-aOHjjDjsRfDzODqLkfnshiac4OsFAsFzonkSkoPE0yy3-pN1X6OWe9PH3IKZx54Uv0MCDPTdRVZWiC4TaJjrc8ZpDf7Hqpw/s1600/Telaquepaque+-++Boat+for+sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WYlSmojR5-hQdlzjrrjnvXW8GeHgULWB_G2NVqkJonF-aOHjjDjsRfDzODqLkfnshiac4OsFAsFzonkSkoPE0yy3-pN1X6OWe9PH3IKZx54Uv0MCDPTdRVZWiC4TaJjrc8ZpDf7Hqpw/s1600/Telaquepaque+-++Boat+for+sale.jpg" /></a>And so we’ve gone full circle, realizing that the Pacific
coastal cruising life that we pursued eight years ago truly was the perfect
blend of nature, quiet, climate, adventure, and people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While coastal cruising, we had plenty of
interactions with the local population without living in close, constant
contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, barking dogs and church
bells get old fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When at the
anchorage or marina, the gringo ex-pats are there when you want friendships but
you can always retreat to the boat for peace and quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we get the itch for a change of scene,
it’s easy to up anchor and move on to yet another clear blue water, sandy
beach, salty air, wild life filled destination.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A new plan has formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ll probably take a road trip next month from Arizona down to San
Carlos, Sonora, Mexico to look at a boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are sailboats a plenty down there, left behind as older cruisers
decide to take their lives back to land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our journey continues.</div>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-78340948923194205082020-02-11T10:53:00.000-08:002020-02-11T10:53:49.581-08:00Costalagre - Cuyutlan and Beyond<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKk0au7Qwfckpfi8gvQYSGC3qa2BZZiWJeJjULte0A58cvyRCm1-mR6NHKwAvdS3LI-NdQlYJBXuZUK95SekUg8rpHlPNH4WeFWKciXawjWQ0-oFe0eRw0X_a8-grDxN9AnYJ5kKFJzI/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+From+Balcony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="916" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKk0au7Qwfckpfi8gvQYSGC3qa2BZZiWJeJjULte0A58cvyRCm1-mR6NHKwAvdS3LI-NdQlYJBXuZUK95SekUg8rpHlPNH4WeFWKciXawjWQ0-oFe0eRw0X_a8-grDxN9AnYJ5kKFJzI/s400/Cuyutlan+-+From+Balcony.jpg" width="400" /></a>Cuyutlan is a sleepy little town just south of Manzanillo in the state of Colima.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time has not been kind to Cuyutlan as there
is evidence that it once was a booming beach town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Closed hotels, abandoned buildings, empty streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hotel San Rafael<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>stands one block off the main (paved)
road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fairly impressive entrance leads
to a white adobe walled complex and a large palapa area with tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chose an ocean view room on the second
floor with a west facing patio with chairs so we could sit and watch the people
walking on the malecon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shared that
patio with four other rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
neighbors heard Connie playing music and they applauded so she came out on the
patio and did a quick Spanish set for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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That first day, there were no people walking on the malecon,
in fact there were few people visible anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The room was sparse but clean, no screens on the windows or doors, and
no way to secure the window or door against intrusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s OK, we’ll take our wallets and passports
with us when we go out. They can have the accordion if they dare take the karma risk.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBujFcjAnslug-S6t0kCxXFkiFkvlRfz7fk2i4fbU5AXUtcYLh_t1Z2Y5BKNEdtPHNlPOtLAeYIhUP5gKmVzxQzcnipPl78t7Tplbo5sEgHrw8umT-kzxRNEACvdi113JwYnsEbEgSSc/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Kids+in+the+pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="897" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBujFcjAnslug-S6t0kCxXFkiFkvlRfz7fk2i4fbU5AXUtcYLh_t1Z2Y5BKNEdtPHNlPOtLAeYIhUP5gKmVzxQzcnipPl78t7Tplbo5sEgHrw8umT-kzxRNEACvdi113JwYnsEbEgSSc/s400/Cuyutlan+-+Kids+in+the+pool.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On the sea side of the malecon, numerous palapa
restaurants advertised with faded signs a multitude of fresh prepared
seafood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By late afternoon there were a
few people on the beach but not enough to provide any sort of business for the
dozen or so seaside restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can
the food possibly be fresh if there is nobody here to consume it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem, we realized, was that it was
Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait until Friday, then that’s
surely when the hoards will arrive from Manzanillo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went out in search of food and wine.<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are four small tiendas (small groceries) open in
Cuyutlan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Thursday, not one of these
had a bottle of red wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Friday, a
shop opened that advertised itself as a Vinateria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had one bottle of Runite Lambrusco which
we’d seen around the corner at another place but had rejected because I just could not bring myself to drink Lambrusco at that price.. or really, at any price. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The vinateria lady was asking 180 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I offered her 100 pesos and she lowered her price to 150.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No thanks…. We’d seen that sweet wine in
Manzanillo for 85 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And also, we
realized that she had upped the price on us because of racial profiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This happens to us on occasion in Mexico
where we are charged a higher price because of our skin color and height.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjarbJXXbDfPIAzKg2WRkKfL73eEX_QVlQfNwLv-G_8WJA_XkD5LPcC1AnwY63yY6WiZdQoi9LXqxzV0SrkHLP6eTAspI20USRHZ18n31TBc0ymluN2hF0j91V1ORsw6Ikb3slNBF8Ksc/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Connie+in+the+BIG+surf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="763" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjarbJXXbDfPIAzKg2WRkKfL73eEX_QVlQfNwLv-G_8WJA_XkD5LPcC1AnwY63yY6WiZdQoi9LXqxzV0SrkHLP6eTAspI20USRHZ18n31TBc0ymluN2hF0j91V1ORsw6Ikb3slNBF8Ksc/s640/Cuyutlan+-+Connie+in+the+BIG+surf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The surf is steep</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
While I’m whining about inconsequential things, let me
comment on prices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing how
often the price of an assortment of vegetables or a taxi or a meal is an even
amount, often rounded to the nearest 50 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We go to the store and whatever it is… the total is 100 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or 150 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can understand this because nobody has any change and ... we are rich gringos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we get money out of the ATM we get a
stack of 500 peso notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we wait
for a big purchase such as a dinner or a bottle of wine and we try to use that
500 note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way we get some
change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned to always offer the
large note and see if they can make change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Often, they don’t have the change and we have to dig into our little
stash to come up with smaller bills and change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes they take the large bill (100, 200, or 500) and run down the
street to a friend who might have change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Picture us surrounded by a bunch of people all opening their wallets as
they try to help make change for a 100 peso note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the upside to all this is the
exchange rate and the low cost of everything in Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>100 pesos is only about $6 dollars and for
100 pesos we can have breakfast or lunch for two at a cocina economica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9110hOYGAt4FhoWhXdz4Cu2w7V9WNMgFke2NhS9jv4HJfE8Htj0J6DiyzmUYCLJRF0VFNNhvo0oKcPShVdFOSo_DniHPlsjnH_wkViih0MWOQgL_WIJUl7U_DSB6LqbLFFfANXZJqO74/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Mariscos+El+Chino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="746" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9110hOYGAt4FhoWhXdz4Cu2w7V9WNMgFke2NhS9jv4HJfE8Htj0J6DiyzmUYCLJRF0VFNNhvo0oKcPShVdFOSo_DniHPlsjnH_wkViih0MWOQgL_WIJUl7U_DSB6LqbLFFfANXZJqO74/s400/Cuyutlan+-+Mariscos+El+Chino.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seafood restaurant named after Steve Lucino</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is our recipe for success:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you find an ATM that issues 200 peso notes
instead of 500 peso notes then use that ATM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Take every opportunity to break larger bills and hide those smaller
bills (20s, 50s, 100,s) in your wallet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t let anyone see those or they will point at the small bills with a
smile of their face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Ah ha!" When getting a ride
in a taxi always ask for the price first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes a “taxi” is not a taxi but somebody’s buddy, and that’s
perfectly fine as long as they give you a good rate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a price seems high, say no, then offer
less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s smart to ask a local how
much a ride should cost before you hail that taxi. That way when
the driver slyly tells you it is 70 pesos, you say no and hand him a 50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shrugs, you laugh, he laughs, he takes the
50. Then I tip him 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes we tip the taxi,
sometimes not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think they expect
a tip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the restaurant we tip about 10
per cent, which is normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if we
really enjoyed the interaction we lay a fat propina (gratuity) on them and get a big smile and a thank you
have a friend for life…. Or the duration of our stay.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_iacCIa9WcRLB9rduKBhD3TZMrgteVU25OobsH5FTrSnzvSNux7LhyMw2cxKQBIIkDgS6WfOqId-uwWMwR1wqiRdUJMvqFry_bv8vaFZoRKbBGuSSxocR8QsOIm8DkmZi2OmdkvTJBc/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Bacardi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="893" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_iacCIa9WcRLB9rduKBhD3TZMrgteVU25OobsH5FTrSnzvSNux7LhyMw2cxKQBIIkDgS6WfOqId-uwWMwR1wqiRdUJMvqFry_bv8vaFZoRKbBGuSSxocR8QsOIm8DkmZi2OmdkvTJBc/s320/Cuyutlan+-+Bacardi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Back to Cuyutlan, we found a little street cocina run by a woman I call Aunt Tito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it’s 7 PM and everyone else in town is
closed, she can make you some enchiladas or soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first she had a stern, severe, no nonsense look on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, after I ordered more
food, then thanked her profusely and gave her a tip, she finally broke out the
smile. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A serious woman and a successful
entrepreneur. Giving up on finding wine, we bought an old bottle of Bacardi Carta Oro we found on a dusty shelf in the tienda. The screw cap was somewhat rusted and we had to clean the bottle off with soap and water but the rum inside was just fine. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Friday night we expected more people and more food choices
but ended up wandering down the deserted street to Aunt Tito’s again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saturday afternoon saw a few more people
checking into our hotel and by Saturday night the place was full of families
with kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chose that night to have our special palapa
restaurant seafood dinner, thinking that now we might be getting fresh
food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shrimp was fantastic, the
margaritas not so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we enjoyed
sitting at a table in the sand, under an umbrella, watching the ten foot high
waves crashing ashore, scaring all the brave young men who were trying to swim
out beyond the break.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFFKGi4vF9gopN4n1gzPkqzn-jX9J8aoYbSZvLnpDGqfM-yLlhQHG3fpBmibgR8Xw8HyCz5QXy7diUqFqP8gcU1NkV7s-ZOseb3LasUWJpDHIZyJpy7eF1K-tT4WnW2rajp_T8uWkfT4/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Big+Tortuga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="911" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFFKGi4vF9gopN4n1gzPkqzn-jX9J8aoYbSZvLnpDGqfM-yLlhQHG3fpBmibgR8Xw8HyCz5QXy7diUqFqP8gcU1NkV7s-ZOseb3LasUWJpDHIZyJpy7eF1K-tT4WnW2rajp_T8uWkfT4/s320/Cuyutlan+-+Big+Tortuga.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6MXHhorG2lAnkfRukKMF24t86NRVMgI84n6a-7CUtn8oK4wS62b-N7wawvB-RlZuF7JhM5kscITHwWJonSZb14leBZH1ANFIJ_2m-tXswEEoa_ZyO-qmbNtC8_cIpPv1UVPrjP8PAdc/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Little+Tortuga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="654" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6MXHhorG2lAnkfRukKMF24t86NRVMgI84n6a-7CUtn8oK4wS62b-N7wawvB-RlZuF7JhM5kscITHwWJonSZb14leBZH1ANFIJ_2m-tXswEEoa_ZyO-qmbNtC8_cIpPv1UVPrjP8PAdc/s320/Cuyutlan+-+Little+Tortuga.jpg" width="320" /></a>On Saturday, we had the front desk call a taxi and a guy
named Mario showed up in an aging unmarked Nissan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much? 80 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
took us down the road to the Tortugario where we saw iguanas, crocodiles, and
two species of ocean turtles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
research center’s job is to find turtle clutches on the beach, dig up the
eggs, bring them back to the Tortugaio for hatching, then monitor a controlled
release into the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The center adjoins a huge lagoon complex, the largest and most diverse on Mexico’s west
coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only recently became a
protected area in 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before that it
was well on its way being developed for salt harvesting and clearing for
coconut and banana farming.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
Sunday, the day we left, we finally found bottles of Concha de Toro
vino tinto (wine, red) in the local tienda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Evidently, the long awaited delivery had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Now that there was wine, sadly it was time to go. </span>We hired Mario to take us 45 km to the bus
station in Manzanillo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>500 pesos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got lost but didn't hesitate to pull over and get directions from a group of guys on the sidewalk who all pointed in different directions.<br />
<br />
At the bus station, the ETN attendant was rude to us when we
asked where the bus would board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some
people who just don’t care about their job and others who approach their work
with a happy attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More often or
not, it’s the young people who are rude, and have no patience with older
gringos like us who struggle with the language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I must say, though, the majority of the time, we are treated
respectfully and cheerfully here in Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hey young woman/man, put down the cell phone and be civil, por favor?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQYx-QfK192gL4-AGfXV4scPTDZOrzsqVImL_ftZy7oSAYNG5MMZYcYDJblGQt3Ij1lKsGW4ShZpBkz9glklddDAcnuexfW4p9CuzU336INmBliDlNKz5pGxIdmHEqG8I_KQbmwPcPlA/s1600/Cuyutlan+-+Mr+L+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="888" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQYx-QfK192gL4-AGfXV4scPTDZOrzsqVImL_ftZy7oSAYNG5MMZYcYDJblGQt3Ij1lKsGW4ShZpBkz9glklddDAcnuexfW4p9CuzU336INmBliDlNKz5pGxIdmHEqG8I_KQbmwPcPlA/s320/Cuyutlan+-+Mr+L+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An L7 at the El 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Our luxurious ETN bus took us smoothly across the coastal
plain and up into the mountains to the plateau where the capital of Colima
state, Colima City resides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Another </span>old
yellow Nissan taxi took us the short hop to the center of town for a mere 25 pesos and
we found our nice room at the La <span id="goog_2115569633"></span><span id="goog_2115569634"></span>Merced Hotel, right on the square next to the
La Merced cathedral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we were in a
town that would have wine, and restaurants that were open, and fresh fruit and
vegetables!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Maybe a salad. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXk2TmQ-vNURaIjuIIsSVONptOeTKZpuDXibfpq3_qvA6CXNcJIFrp2Vypo32WZ0a_d9YBq91pJh-_zro9BpIQFYgCOD9gGRyeUE2EcT41A6WytZN19g2zrcBWzs9QgmnUX0V-HavayI/s1600/Colima+%253D+Bierra+de+Chivo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="689" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXk2TmQ-vNURaIjuIIsSVONptOeTKZpuDXibfpq3_qvA6CXNcJIFrp2Vypo32WZ0a_d9YBq91pJh-_zro9BpIQFYgCOD9gGRyeUE2EcT41A6WytZN19g2zrcBWzs9QgmnUX0V-HavayI/s320/Colima+%253D+Bierra+de+Chivo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found Bierra de Chivo. Goat soup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went right out and bought
a bottle of Concha de Toro, Camenere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we walked to another square where we found a huge event going on
with wine tastings, food tastings, and big screens showing the Super Bowl
football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Goofballs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ordered two giant salads!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gosh we miss salads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKHN44vgZJSc22d9UPC_tXAugDKlfJy3OtyFtTWARzT7mG-uWF3PuWSPWxvZticSRTWB6VvM0J3dZ8eCh7mta_475uVHSaxmv7E2daCrkdszMInTL8QRY5j2bGaqmvX89kawK-AiH8do/s1600/Colima+-+Doing+the+booty+shake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKHN44vgZJSc22d9UPC_tXAugDKlfJy3OtyFtTWARzT7mG-uWF3PuWSPWxvZticSRTWB6VvM0J3dZ8eCh7mta_475uVHSaxmv7E2daCrkdszMInTL8QRY5j2bGaqmvX89kawK-AiH8do/s200/Colima+-+Doing+the+booty+shake.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
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We saw J. Lo and Shakira dance and sing the halftime
show, shaking everything in every which way and sliding up and down poles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While those two icons of the music industry
were making young and old men’s eyeballs pop out, right next door the cathedral
was packed with supplicants asking for their sins to be forgiven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They should have gone outside and
dragged those heathen party goers inside for their just deserts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That poor priest, trying to remember his Latin
while the boom, boom, boom was going on outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>J. Lo and Shakira showed us their posteriors
a final time and the third quarter began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We got the heck out of there, jinxing the lead that the 49ers had going
before the halftime dance fest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "I knew we shouldn't have left!"</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_fLmWUHSWrX8Xc7kg4G72ukzXjFw_Xi7p5WvJ7RDfAkizPBYtwiwQgaOEyXy15Y9Pj9clVGjYcy5VErBMKTLJPc-V8IZoNWJhd9Wzj12Hg4WTkeRB5f7_muP8bUDl4Old04ZG6djHxM/s1600/Colima+-+Colonial+City+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="913" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_fLmWUHSWrX8Xc7kg4G72ukzXjFw_Xi7p5WvJ7RDfAkizPBYtwiwQgaOEyXy15Y9Pj9clVGjYcy5VErBMKTLJPc-V8IZoNWJhd9Wzj12Hg4WTkeRB5f7_muP8bUDl4Old04ZG6djHxM/s640/Colima+-+Colonial+City+view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Two nights and two big salads later, we brought our luggage
to the front desk and asked for a taxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bright yellow taxis kept stopping at the hotel entrance but the concierge
kept waving them off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally an
unmarked white car pulled up and we were told that he was our ride..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well… OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we forgot to ask him the price!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a round-about route to the bus station, he dropped us off, not at
the taxi zone but at another curb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Cuanto cuseta?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked, handing him a
50 peso note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“150 pesos.”, he
answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d been charged only 25
pesos for the same ride just two days ago so we knew the fare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clearly, this was a special ride, in a special car, arranged by a
"special" concierge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told the driver a
firm NO. Told him it cost 25 pesos in a regular taxi and that’s what we asked
the front desk for… a plain old taxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
left him standing there complaining with the 50 peso note in his hand and we
marched into the bus terminal hoping he would not be coming after us with hate
in his soul.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFApA9X5sTzgKXdOMetwlLd9qGP9lIozplDs13agqY-tHsZciMjGFNZClahdi89aVD_fyjxSDzzcksqpKW85IW3tMCKLfsiqB2ytZiNE9V50krbOFdFoO8zhsPwEm96H4US48LJT54ak/s1600/Colima+-+Hotel+La+Merced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="914" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFApA9X5sTzgKXdOMetwlLd9qGP9lIozplDs13agqY-tHsZciMjGFNZClahdi89aVD_fyjxSDzzcksqpKW85IW3tMCKLfsiqB2ytZiNE9V50krbOFdFoO8zhsPwEm96H4US48LJT54ak/s320/Colima+-+Hotel+La+Merced.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Later we called the La Merced and complained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connie went on a rant. They listened
quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked if they understood
what she had said. They said yes and she said Thank You Goodbye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out on the bus departure platform, the attendant was very pleasant and the guard
most friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither one was hypnotized by their cell phone at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Colima was a good stop for us, a colonial town, clean and rich with history. Not one stray dog was heard or seen. Church bells aplenty, though. I know a certain concierge who could benefit with a little time in church.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1-JRp59VFhdJtoiHx9dff50w5WxyIFs01jZNPTdQQxOSqc8sk0qNawHn0JBf96GhpMSSSC3Qg7aGdkIV2oT8j2MldcV9qqhSiTxrCRp-c4_9D19Shn45BuJ_naIcPcUzWni5_EajM6Q/s1600/Colima+-+Drug+store+guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="717" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1-JRp59VFhdJtoiHx9dff50w5WxyIFs01jZNPTdQQxOSqc8sk0qNawHn0JBf96GhpMSSSC3Qg7aGdkIV2oT8j2MldcV9qqhSiTxrCRp-c4_9D19Shn45BuJ_naIcPcUzWni5_EajM6Q/s400/Colima+-+Drug+store+guy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We kept seeing this drug store guy. Would you trust this pharmacist?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-68230964969413458662020-02-05T17:35:00.001-08:002020-02-18T09:12:49.875-08:00The Costalagre - Two Towns on the CoastEarly in our winter journey we visited central interior Mexico towns: Tepoztlan, Puebla, Cuernavaca, Tlayacapan, and Guadalajara/Tlaquepaque. Now we wanted to sample some Costalagre (Happy Coast) seaside towns. Since we know the town of Barra de Navidad pretty well already we booked an airbnb in nearby La Manzanilla for four days staying with an expat woman named Annette in her rental house four blocks from the beach.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqqtACRyBlymdv8HMgZAus_q4VvzAI-5JeaZWTN6W-vo4nuqsbeHt4bRwigolcB5vaEYdi9VHPYxicQ_a-BfsxIczp07TcPG2kOnDpTUOdWdgUWwgDyWWc2NPkTrYnrzNxxc2BBocZm4/s1600/La+Mans+Airbnb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="745" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqqtACRyBlymdv8HMgZAus_q4VvzAI-5JeaZWTN6W-vo4nuqsbeHt4bRwigolcB5vaEYdi9VHPYxicQ_a-BfsxIczp07TcPG2kOnDpTUOdWdgUWwgDyWWc2NPkTrYnrzNxxc2BBocZm4/s320/La+Mans+Airbnb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playa Careyes 81</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our taxi from Tenacatita arrived in La Manzanilla mid day and we tried to locate our accommodations using google maps on our smart phone, getting dropped up at the top of a steep hill which was a block away from the residence down below. Not knowing where we needed to go, we talked to a gringo couple living at the top of that hill and they only scratched their heads and wished us good luck before they shut their big metal garage door. Well, that was not helpful. Then the door across the drive opened and revealed a younger Hispanic man getting into his car. I asked him if we could get a ride down the hill. " Sure!"<br />
<br />
He asked us what we were looking for then volunteered to help, spending a half hour driving us around before finding the location of our airbnb at Playa Careyes 81. He was pleased with himself for finding the address. He said he thought he knew Annette. We thanked him profusely. Isn't it interesting that the gringo couple, our compatriots, were no help, and the Mexican national was nothing but helpful. Different cultures!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRC3NRQCeEbjdbmBIYtx18_Oej8I9e6XAAFt4MYo2wYFHmTq9ABSqPQU76i1KHNVc75pyWZPc2XRIsYyi-GxWxGhuFshbXaIU2aUs8Pn-Debrgv9alz1ufhLpi3LcGw-LnQRm0M1EEbs/s1600/La+mans+-+music+at+crocodile+bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="1267" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRC3NRQCeEbjdbmBIYtx18_Oej8I9e6XAAFt4MYo2wYFHmTq9ABSqPQU76i1KHNVc75pyWZPc2XRIsYyi-GxWxGhuFshbXaIU2aUs8Pn-Debrgv9alz1ufhLpi3LcGw-LnQRm0M1EEbs/s640/La+mans+-+music+at+crocodile+bar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile Cafe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At Annette's, the time was well spent washing the salt out of our clothes, walking the beach, planning our next legs of the journey, and having plenty of time for Connie to practice her music. While Barra de Navidad seemed to have a good number of large, pale US senior citizens, La Manzanilla was favored by slightly more tanned large, Canadian senior citizens. With my fledgling tan I felt a little more at home in "La Manz", as the boaters call it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhTEpfcHFqsYA6chZM-lTcA0sCKqjWJPQcSyzkGxH6rlknWIUG9k6u8Bv6YmZZXbg7lEIy-aFmUmnha8cI95t1zym9imThcmGInMtzLBMEK9QVHMwlaPgPhZ7OSgGLptKSrVDaiV7YMQ/s1600/La+mans+view+west+from+crocodile+bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="907" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhTEpfcHFqsYA6chZM-lTcA0sCKqjWJPQcSyzkGxH6rlknWIUG9k6u8Bv6YmZZXbg7lEIy-aFmUmnha8cI95t1zym9imThcmGInMtzLBMEK9QVHMwlaPgPhZ7OSgGLptKSrVDaiV7YMQ/s400/La+mans+view+west+from+crocodile+bar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the West</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We shopped our food locally and cooked most of our meals at Annette's. The Crocodile Bar was one of our favorite places, right on the beach facing west. We met some musicians there playing Gypsy Jazz and we had quite a fun happy hour dancing and talking with new acquaintances. On our last night, Annette threw a party, inviting some musician friends and some music appreciation friends. I watched and admired how Connie interacted with the local gringo musicians. It was a nice variety of instruments: an autoharp, 2 ukes, guitar and harmonica, accordion and, of course eveyone's voices! <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMSA_w9JaO8rgXW3rgiFH2gkHCECC-Cy3Jl3okjNzfU2s4qIq9G1xGJIhVpXtvNnD5UJH1pqZ4xAQfmXNLxqUixWZueK_-5AhfBwuT_HgY7CT9VVdcBavqV0D3JtY2RJyZM0Q1qdIhTQ/s1600/La+mans+party+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="848" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMSA_w9JaO8rgXW3rgiFH2gkHCECC-Cy3Jl3okjNzfU2s4qIq9G1xGJIhVpXtvNnD5UJH1pqZ4xAQfmXNLxqUixWZueK_-5AhfBwuT_HgY7CT9VVdcBavqV0D3JtY2RJyZM0Q1qdIhTQ/s400/La+mans+party+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It didn't take long before they were passing around sheets of music, (and libations), and swapping the lead. The non musicians started dancing, a great time with great folks. Personally, my appreciation for my lovely wife only increases when I watch and she draws everyone together in harmony. What a nice evening it was. <br />
<br />
The next day we packed up our bags and got the heck out of there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manzanillo is the busiest port on the west coast of Mexico</td></tr>
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To make our exit we needed a taxi. The two phone numbers we had for taxis didn't connect us with anyone so we walked down to the town square and woke up this old guy who had an ancient bright yellow Nissan cab parked at the curb. He was happy for our business and we had a nice bumpy ride up and over the hills and down into the nearby town of Barra de Navidad where there was a small ETN bus station. We checked in there, were told (by a young man) that all was well and that our seats were reserved. Later, once the bus was present and ready we were approached by the station boss woman who wanted our printed tickets. We don't have printed tickets. We do it all online. So I fired up our big black laptop and found PDF evidence I'd stashed on the desktop to prove that we paid for our two seats on the outgoing bus. This is a normal Mexico thing we've found... one location or one person will tell you things are one way then the next time it will be all different. We just smile and show them whatever we have and it usually works out just fine.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vida del Mar</td></tr>
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The two hour bus from Barra to Manzanillo was 200 pesos (~$10 USD) for the two of us. Then we got a taxi (30 Pesos) at the bus station to take us to a nearby Walmart where I guarded the bags while Connie did a master shopping job buying just the right amount of food and wine to get us through four days at the Vida del Mar condo resort. (Look up Airbnb - Condo Los Chatos in Manzinillo) A woman named Mirlo Berenice picked us up at the store and carried us to the outskirts of town to our luxury Airbnb accommodations overlooking the blue Pacific.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So nice to have a fully equipped kitchen in a nice condo for a while</td></tr>
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The big complex was built in the 70's and is as beautiful as ever with manicured lawns, flowering shrubs and trees, and palms, palms, everywhere. Our porch faced south with a full view of the wide pacific. We had a really nice kitchen to cook in, a large shaded porch facing the ocean and a big soft queen sized bed. Now we're really coming up in life! About $50 US per day, our most expensive but well worth it stay. We swam in the ocean, sunned and read at the pool, hiked around, and visited the nearby La Boquita beach where we'd anchored our boat many years ago.<br />
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The four days flew by and soon we were in a VW diesel driven by Mirlo's friend Victor who for 600 pesos ($35 USD) took us 67 kilometers down the coast to Cuyutlán, Colima, to the old seaside hotel San Rafael. During the ride we talked a little politics, all agreeing that our president was crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Victor seemed reassured when we told him that
most people in the US also think Trump is a criminal... and crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We learned that their new president,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="st">Andrés Manuel López Obrador</span>, had suspended tolls for passenger vehicles on the Colima-Manzanillo highway. Hooray! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love watching these banana boats at the beach</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He's also in the process of raffling off the presidential Jet, a Boeing 787. </span>Like many of the ways Mexico
controls traffic, there was a simple solution to implement the toll removal,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>make a portal at the toll booths restricted in height and width.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the car fits through, there is no toll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another smart (but annoying)
thing they do with traffic is they install topes (speed bumps) everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the US, we put up signs, install MPH
readouts, and have police with radar guns to keep people from speeding <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Mexico, they engineer the road with topes
so that if you speed, you’ll tear your vehicle apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simple, but effective, no cops, no equipment to fail, no speeding.<br />
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In Mexico, there is so much that makes sense, and so much that doesn't. We continue our coastal hopping in the next episode. I can't wait.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big White Belly</td></tr>
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<br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259307377066056019.post-26411748631748269582020-02-03T12:39:00.003-08:002020-02-03T13:53:53.100-08:00The Costalegre - Boats and the Beach<br />
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After arriving in Barra de Navidad, we can't wait to get on the boat! After a quick breakfast snack in the hotel room at Cabo Blanco, we lugged everything downstairs, had the front desk call us a taxi , (500 pesos)and off we went, up and over the hills to the north to the beach town of La Manzanilla. I sat on our big pile of luggage in the center of the little town while Connie went off to look for Robert and Virginia. They had brought their sailboat, Harmony, (an Islander Freeport 41) over from the anchorage at Tenacatita, a place full of memories for us as we'd spent many weeks there over a four year period when we had Traveler in Mexico.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumgRAJ5v9-GkG_pYjWKbqUyV0sLYlwL9zjZO86pgpy2ZJ3SGMQDVrBKf23mxRKhKtUxfmWVURX1PqoXKsQLDdzTGiWd4Cyc59xf7mSElHH0GVEcBp32kO0Y_ltjHWNgledu_KqaPrd9w/s1600/Barra+-+Robert+and+Virginia+in+the+dinghy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="607" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumgRAJ5v9-GkG_pYjWKbqUyV0sLYlwL9zjZO86pgpy2ZJ3SGMQDVrBKf23mxRKhKtUxfmWVURX1PqoXKsQLDdzTGiWd4Cyc59xf7mSElHH0GVEcBp32kO0Y_ltjHWNgledu_KqaPrd9w/s320/Barra+-+Robert+and+Virginia+in+the+dinghy.jpg" width="320" /></a>Connie spotted Harmony, as Robert and Virginia were landing their dinghy, and helped them roll it up on the beach. It was Friday, which is the day of the local outdoor market and a great day to shop for vegetables, which we did. Our hosts are vegetarians (actually pescatarians) so we loaded up about ten bags of fruits, vegetables, tortillas, eggs, and wine and lugged it all down the street to the dinghy. Being early in the day, the breakers were fairly mild. With the food and all our luggage and musical instruments, there wasn't enough room in the dink for us all so Robert and I made a delivery trip out to the mother ship, then came back for Virginia and Connie. We decided to stay ashore for a little while and treat ourselves to lunch on the beach at one of the Palapa restaurants.<br />
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After a relaxed meal we rolled the dinghy to the water. Robert said, (as he always says when launching the dinghy) "Now when I say get in the dinghy, what are you gonna do?" And we all chimed in, "Get in!" Connie at the starboard bow, Virginia at the port, Scott at the starboard stern quarter, Robert on the port, we got her afloat and started walking her out into the waves in about two feet of water. "Wait for it. Not this one. Not this one. Pull up the bow to take this little one. This looks good. Let's go..... Connie, get in the boat. Virginia, get in the boat. And with that the ladies jumped in, Robert and I gave it another push, then "Scott, get in the boat", we jumped in and Robert quickly started the motor and off we went, cresting the next wave with nary a drop of water on board.<br />
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We stowed things below on S/V Harmony, Robert went to the bow to start pulling up the anchor with the electric windlass, and Virginia took the helm, chasing the anchor chain this way and that. Soon we were motoring across the big bay with Capt. Scott at the helm. "You know where you are going, right?" "Yes Sir." Then I found myself doing what I've been wanting to do for about four years, piloting a boat across Tenacatita Bay!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDMoxQzKm2kHf9AfKxfA81YmcgStp5Bi2lYnoMOuyBWgwTxWh4ZtubTFzz0dXmKh522fuhIJAv00vhbT3Hh8VRfqll4Z1p3RkFREgyU-GNqvGQMQ48vUFcI-JiMfROPJJgyiUVOEySpo/s1600/Barra+-+tenicatita+anchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>With the anchor down, amid about 25 other good sized sailboats (and two power boats) we got on our swimming suits and wow, my pale white belly was shocking to behold. The air was 80 degrees, the water 80 degrees and so clear you could see the anchor sitting on the bottom on the sand. We swam. Then we all went ashore, the ladies swimming all the way and the men rowing slowly alongside to watch for fast running pangas who might not see swimmers in the water. All around us people were getting into their dinghies and coming ashore. It's the two oclock hour and time for swimming, bocce ball, a walk on the beach, followed by beers in the palapa restaurant, La Vena.<br />
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Coming into shallow water, we put down the dinghy wheels and circled, waiting for a big swell to appear. When one came along, Robert accelerates just ahead of the curve as if trying to outrun the wave, then the swell lifts up the dinghy and we roar through the water to shore. As soon as the wheels touch down and the crashing water starts to recede, we jump out, grab the bow of the dinghy and walk it ashore before the next wave comes tumbling down upon us. It's an art form.<br />
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Like I said... bocce, walk, palapa, beers. Later in the afternoon we do a beach departure in the building surf, getting a little soaked but no harm done, and head back to the mother ship. Our first night was a special night being Friday night when the Mayor (as Robert is called) organizes a dinghy raft up. Robert and Virginia take the dinghy over next to Good Dog beach and drop a little anchor. Then other dinghies from the anchored fleet come over and raft up, all in an ever growing circle. For this particular raft up, the topic was one that Connie thought up. It was much like the topic we use at our winter Solstice group circles around the fire pit. " If you had the opportunity to welcome something new into your life, whether it be a character trait a physical thing or whatever, what would that be, and why?"<br />
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While passing around food we took turns, telling our names and the name of the boat, before revealing something personal or not too personal. We were surprised to learn that multiple people expressed dissatisfaction with a son or daughter in law who was making their family life uncomfortable. The reason for this seems to be that older people in the cruising community miss their grandchildren and want them to come to Mexico and visit on the boat. The in-law might be too cautious, afraid of the stories out there about crime in Mexico. There were some funny comments and some serious ones, then Robert announced Connie and off she went with the ukulele with some songs of the sea. The accordion made an appearance and so did the little <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coati" target="_blank">coatimundis </a>on shore. We all had a great time until the mosquitoes came out. The the raft broke up and everyone zoomed home to their screened in cabins on gently rocking boats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oJBSg91mCRrjUvoRGii16_tBA_9Zo98zowgJBGxDuZ7sN3QCJ6e_AQfPfhIHi1sJedIU7at2PXyVLFrRCnSk-RZPenNsRhJI2KlYxwlI_T8_BhYYeuBvZRv3aZZlmyN9tSOfmCFwDQU/s1600/Barra+-+Harmony+an+Islander+41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="631" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oJBSg91mCRrjUvoRGii16_tBA_9Zo98zowgJBGxDuZ7sN3QCJ6e_AQfPfhIHi1sJedIU7at2PXyVLFrRCnSk-RZPenNsRhJI2KlYxwlI_T8_BhYYeuBvZRv3aZZlmyN9tSOfmCFwDQU/s640/Barra+-+Harmony+an+Islander+41.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ui51OUKfcmNPtNEsdiorKSoQ3Y2RmrA592SZZQwfcQlkHo-3tgRSlZPhtbf79ooBvq3ad50iE8JvbkMXJCP4qtbu_l7g0UanSFOB9bJ6xW7K1Kr9T8uVAn0uYlZ21CbDHzvm5Dzapv0/s1600/barra+-+our+cabin+on+Harmony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="893" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ui51OUKfcmNPtNEsdiorKSoQ3Y2RmrA592SZZQwfcQlkHo-3tgRSlZPhtbf79ooBvq3ad50iE8JvbkMXJCP4qtbu_l7g0UanSFOB9bJ6xW7K1Kr9T8uVAn0uYlZ21CbDHzvm5Dzapv0/s320/barra+-+our+cabin+on+Harmony.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br />
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And so we spent five days aboard the sailing vessel Harmony, eating huge portions of fruits and vegetables, making guacamole, visiting the beach, snorkeling, paddle boarding and playing cards (Oh Shit) into the night. <br />
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We talked of love and life, future plans and the past. Robert and Virginia are people who have gained wisdom as the years march on and our conversations were often meaningful and rewarding. We talked about wanting to get back to winters on the water in Mexico and discussed various ways we could do that. We talked about the concept of a boat share. We talked about trying to charter in Mexico. We talked about many options.<br />
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One thing we came away with is that if we want to get back into boating in Mexico in the winter then we can certainly do so. As you know, if you set your mind on something and follow it through, it will happen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI_MBhyphenhypheniUnknNEw0Gam2dkdbKcaBTwn3Lthvfvla4yQe0HfgrHKhEGtRh4dELt20IhZ_10jdCtiwPDVwtINHDUmQi5ODudN2TbfvakPdXZyjASeALzPV2-AAkMdRBBsmpV24sQ45o_hk/s1600/barra+-+Cb+Paddleboarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="656" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI_MBhyphenhypheniUnknNEw0Gam2dkdbKcaBTwn3Lthvfvla4yQe0HfgrHKhEGtRh4dELt20IhZ_10jdCtiwPDVwtINHDUmQi5ODudN2TbfvakPdXZyjASeALzPV2-AAkMdRBBsmpV24sQ45o_hk/s200/barra+-+Cb+Paddleboarding.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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On day six, we brought our luggage through the surf to La Vena. As everyone assembled on the beach for the bocce ball game, we said goodbye. All these tanned retired couples shaking our hands and giving us hugs. I looked at my white belly and noted that it was well on its way to a much darker shade. We called a taxi and rattled down the cobblestones bound for our airbnb in La Manzanilla. We'll be back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQbqSErvfN9GEyYJuIkLEZ6zO2_cNyFgjv4C_Dsu4rcSFVFPQoPHiYqH0oDTEb_Hc7q6gBo3faMQm7rm2GUv5d2mOS6EPZHeqxdmAl61UFx-gU8n6bx7U6F-KnpigOSKKXvbPtfbLAjk/s1600/I+love+Barra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="956" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQbqSErvfN9GEyYJuIkLEZ6zO2_cNyFgjv4C_Dsu4rcSFVFPQoPHiYqH0oDTEb_Hc7q6gBo3faMQm7rm2GUv5d2mOS6EPZHeqxdmAl61UFx-gU8n6bx7U6F-KnpigOSKKXvbPtfbLAjk/s640/I+love+Barra.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Guido Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680532731177895954noreply@blogger.com0