More About That -- December, 2013

The List -- Is It Karma?

If you don't know what we mean by "The List", see our immediately prior post.  Warning: very little / none of the following will make sense until you have read that post.  

We've learned a little more (though precious little still) about our embargo situation.  We've learned that the marina sweep here in La Cruz was just one of many and that, depending on one's source of information, there are either 300-something or 500-something boats throughout Mexico that are On The List.  The (perhaps) good news is that many of those boats are owned by people who have a greater economic stake in getting cleared from The List than we do; charter captains, mega-yacht owners and such.  

For a relatively accurate press report of the/our situation see the most recent post on 'Lectronic Latitude -- the electronic version of Latitude 38, a widely-read Northern California-based sailing magazine.  [Note:  We think the 'Lectronic Latitude report is slightly hyperbolic when it complains about not being able to "leave the dock".  The boats are not chained to the dock.  In fact, the reporter's embargoed boat was out sailing on Banderas Bay this past weekend.  What being on The List means is that the boat can't be cleared for departure by the Port Captain, which in turn means the boat can't enter any other port in Mexico.  And yes, theoretically one could "make a run for it" in the dead of night and sail out of Mexican waters to the Marquesas and try and enter there as though coming from the U.S. -- but really, let's be serious.]      

The not-so-good news part of what we've learned is that yesterday the managers of several marinas and the head of the marina trade association met with representatives of the federal government to press quick resolution of The List.  The government representatives' position was that by law the government has up to four months to address The List and that the government will take the time needed to do the job right.  Hearing this caused Molly a sinking moment of deja vu. . . .  over her two+ decades as a government lawyer she said very similar words more than once . . .  

Karma.  It's gonna get you.    

So, we're going to write the U.S. Consul in Puerto Vallarta and say that we're one of the many boats that are under precautionary embargo and that we're ready, willing and able to provide any of Abracadabra's documentation to the Mexican government to confirm that we are in the country legally.  And then we'll wait.  There's a farmer's market on Sunday, a wine tasting on Monday night at Yaya's Cafe and a movie in the sailor's lounge on Thursday . . . 

A Final Thought:  Though it's not new information to either of us, this experience has also reminded us that at some point misery does not love company.  The benefits of exercising Our God Given Right as Americans to gripe about a situation has worn thin.  As it turns out no one on the dock really wants to hear about our situation.  They want us to hear about theirs.  

Karma.

But Wait!  There's More!

In our last post we also wrote about boat work done / stuff purchased over the last two months. And, as hard as it may be for you to imagine, we forgot to mention stuff!  

               Galley Fan -- $50.  We wrote about fans in our last post and even about this, Molly's favorite fan.  [A happy cook = a happy crew.]  But what we failed to mention is that this cute little fan is held up by one of the nicest pieces of woodwork on Abracadabra, courtesy of our friend Martin Roysher.  Captain Bryce requested a small wooden base to mount the galley fan on the galley pole and, in true Arts and Crafts fashion, Martin turned that little utilitarian block into art. Thanks, Martin!

Aaaaahh !!

  

               A New Solar Panel -- $400.  We have added a 50 watt panel to our bimini-top solar farm and now have 250 watts of solar.  While there still won't be enough power for Molly to use a blow-drier when we are at anchor, we can watch CD's on our lap top more often!

Our Solar Farm

               Lifelines and Cockpit Railings -- $1400.  All of the old, grungy and about-to-be-safety-hazard lifelines (the cables that run around the deck of the boat and keep people and stuff from falling off) have been replaced by new, shiny, strong stainless lifelines. And Abracadabra's entrance gate, which originally was almost six feet wide - and of zero assistance to anyone trying to get on or off the boat - is now 24 inches wide.  On each side of the entry way there is now a sturdy stainless steel stanchion.  Marian Leonard - you'll be safer now!  (That's a long and scary old story . . . ) 

Welcome Aboard!

Around the cockpit we replaced the lifelines with stainless railing; sturdy, smooth bars to lean on, to catch clumsy crew members and to hold the barbecue grill.  These make our "back porch" much more comfortable.  And they look really spiffy too.    

Porch Rails

  

That's it for this season; not because our ideas are exhausted, but because our budget is.  But every day when we get onto the boat we talk about how we love our new gate or shade or . . .   something.  Thanks for letting us show off!

More on when we're able to go when we're able to go!

Oh Lord, Stuck in La Cruz Again . . . -- December, 2013

Show Us Your Papers

It had to happen sooner or later.  We are, after all, foreigners here.  We've been caught up in officialdom and Abracadabra is now on a list of boats that will not be given permission to leave La Cruz.  Staff at the marina tell us that, because of the upcoming holidays, the likelihood is that if she doesn't get cleared this week, she'll be stuck here into 2014.  Ah, of course - said the former civil servants - The Holidays. 

The Prisoner

How did this happen?  We're not entirely sure, but here's what we know:  

Mexico has a new federal administration.  Our experience as State of California civil servants taught us that a change in administration always means that Stuff Will Happen. Sometimes even important, relevant stuff.  

          Instituto National de Migracion  (INM)

First came a surprise visit from the Mexican federal government's immigration branch (INM) to see if any among the motley crew of mariners in La Cruz were without proper immigration documentation.  [As Homeland Security will tell you, it's best not to give notice of immigration searches.]  Fortunately, Molly was on board when they arrived and produced our passports and tourist cards. Score one successful encounter with officialdom.    

          Servicio de Administracion Tributaria (SAT)

Unlike most tourist card holders (the tourist card is what each tourist coming to Mexico gets when he or she gets off the plane) we have a boat in Mexico.  And as humble as she may be in the world of yachts, she is our home.  When we brought Abracadabra to Mexico we obtained a "temporary import permit" (TIP) which allows us to keep her here for up to ten years without paying import duty.  That's a big break for us - try bringing a boat into California and staying for ten years without paying "use tax" - ha! 

Apparently someone at the Mexican government's tax branch (SAT) recently thought about the many foreign yachts in Mexican marinas (some of which are very fancy) and wondered if all of them had proper TIPs.  And as any tax inspector will tell you, if you're inspecting movable property you don't announce that visit in advance either.

So, as we were busily giving thanks in The Greater Los Angeles Area, SAT came calling.  SAT saw photocopies of Abracadabra's TIP and related documents at the marina office - but they didn't see us. Abracadabra was put on a list of boats that either didn't have proper documentation or whose owner or manager wasn't on board at the time of SAT's visit.  

The List.  

SAT then told the Port Captain that boats on The List are not to be given permission to depart for another port until cleared by SAT.  As to which government entity trumps in this situation, for SAT, think: IRS.

Our first reaction was that this was not a problem - Bryce was still busy installing stuff, and a return visit by SAT had been scheduled.  Last week we spent three days tag-team boat sitting so that whenever SAT arrived on our dock one of us would be aboard.  As it happened when they arrived we were both on board.  We waved the original TIP and other documents at them but they were not interested in any of our documents.  By the time they arrived at Abracadabra the issue had become whether our hull number matched the hull number on our TIP (apparently another boat had this problem).  So we showed them that it did.  Smiles all around.  Assurances that all was well.  Ah, score two successful encounters. 

But no.  

We have now learned that, as congenial as the encounter was -- it wasn't successful. What has happened is the worst of all possible governmental things: The List has been kicked upstairs for clearance.  It's in Guadalajara.  

Today a very polite, intimidatingly militaristic looking young man at the Port Captain's office confirmed that Abracadabra is on The List and won't receive an exit permit from the Port Captain until cleared from The List.  He suggested Aduana (Customs) in Puerto Vallarta could clear her from The List - but he can't tell us what Aduana will want to see from us, or whether Aduana in Puerto Vallarta (though part of SAT) has the authority to clear a boat from The List that is now in Guadalajara.  The staff of the marina (a private business that is most closely associated with the government's tourism office) assure us they are working on our behalf, but suggest that we prepare to enjoy Christmas and New Years in La Cruz.  

The disconcerting thing for a former government lawyer like Molly is that we haven't received anything in writing - nothing that prohibits us from leaving or explains how we might get Abracadabra off The List.  Regulations and process; they're really a good thing.  

What would happen if we just sailed away, as some of our more aggressive sailing compadres have suggested?  Or, as others have suggested - is this the time to ask whether there is "a way to bring resolution to this" and offer someone some money?  Aside from the fact that we're just plain too timid to bet our house - literally - on a positive outcome of either of those approaches -- have we mentioned we're former civil servants that think that governmental process in general is a good thing?  Sigh - we only hope that there is a process and that it will play out soon!      

Bottom Line:  We are free to move about the cabin, but Abracadabra is in La Cruz until "Guadalajara" decides that we've done what we need to do (whatever that is) to clear her from The List. 

And, for perspective:  As Molly's brother said:  Oh gee, stuck in Puerto Vallarta - boohoo." 

Nifty New Stuff

So since we're stuck here, we thought we'd take some time to show off our boat projects and purchases.  They range from pretty things that cost from $12 to $1,200 and safety related things that you can't really see that cost, well, a lot.  

Here they are, listed from least to most expensive because that's how we search all internet sales sights . . . 

               Cushions - $12:  Two cushions rescued from S/V Lanikai's "getting old stuff off the boat" pile + canvas left over from a prior project on Abracadabra + $12 paid to a tapiceria (upholstery shop) in Mazatlan = two comfy tushes:  

One of Two Comfy - and Cheerful - Cushions  

               Fans - Can't Have Too Many -- $100 each:  When we left San Diego equipped with two fans in Abracadabra's little salon, our friend Terry Heil, a veteran of several seasons in Central America, told us we didn't have enough fans.  And after two seasons in the heat - we knew he was right.  This year we have four in the salon -- including Molly's favorite: one pointed right at the cook.  

Aaaaah . . . 

               Galley Faucet - $150:  One new faucet with easy-operating lever and spray that - added bonus - doesn't leak = one happy cook and one happy dish washer.

It's The Little Things

               Shade, Glorious Shade - $1200:  This is our best shade system yet - Shade 2.0 (season one was Shade 1.0 and season two was more like Shade 1.5).  Designed by Captain Bryce, and created by Tapiceria Upholstery Works in Mazatlan with additional side shades by Sea Mar Canvas in La Cruz.  With this shade system the cockpit is a breezy "back porch". There are see-through side curtains that can be taken down to increase airflow and put on to block the sun, as required.  We had the top shade off yesterday for a minor adjustment and can attest that without it Abracadabra is at least 10 degrees warmer below!  Central America would be unthinkable without this addition.

Bedouins Afloat

               AIS - $1700:  There isn't much to look at here - it's electronic equipment and software.  But an important safety feature.  We can now see not only that a ship is near us (which we could see before with the radar) but know it's "call sign", which direction it's headed, and how fast it's going.  And we can hail that ship directly rather than send out a general call on the radio.  It turns that middle-o-the-night call to a big scary bunch of lights from a radio message that says something like "large ship near Latitude X and Longitude X we are a sailing vessel approximately X miles on your port/starboard - please don't run over us" into a direct call to that ship's bridge with an identification number that will record on the ship's navigation system (like an airplane's "black box").  They're more likely to pay attention to our call and tell us how to avoid them -- and if they don't our heirs will have a better chance of knowing who hit us.  

Automatic Identification System

So - that's our cool (ha - pun intended) new stuff which we hope to take South with us as soon as Abracadabra is no longer On The List!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Yes, we know that we're a bit slow in posting Thanksgiving Thoughts since everyone in the U.S. was thankful over a week ago and the Canadians are way past that.  But hey -- we're retired.  Which, of course, is one of the things we're thankful for.  But this post is about some things that we became more aware of - and thankful for - as a result of our recent holiday trip to El Norte.  Such as:

• Family:  So, okay, this is the time of year everyone is supposed to be thankful for family because so sayeth every television sitcom and Wal-Mart ad.  But we just spent a week with Molly's brother Rob, his husband, Tom Reynolds and everybody's favorite standard poodle Bravo during one of the most stressful events in anyone's life: a move to a new house.  And as a result, we're really thankful that they are part of our family because even during a house move - including a massive computer crash, a refrigerator that the movers couldn't fit into the kitchen and ceiling light fixtures with impossible-to-find bulbs -- they were hospitable.  And that's the best kind of family to have: kind, thoughtful and generous New York Times subscribers that serve Peet's Coffee and watch Turner Classic Movies. 

A Restaurant Thanksgiving Dinner -- 
No One Was Brave Enough To Try Roasting A Turkey In The New Stove!

• Abracadabra:  As we arrived, the mover was leaving.  After a week of trying to find cereal bowls and toilet paper and the right light switch . . . we felt pretty good about returning to Abracadabra.  As a "house" she's really small -- but we know where the light switches are!

• Friends:  We joined friends from Molly's university days for tea at a tea shop with a daunting sixty-some page menu of teas.  Fortunately a nice waiter helped guide us through it -- but really, it's all about the scones and the people that you like to sharehem with.  Thanks for hosting us, and being our "hub", Judy!  

• And Helpful Friends:  Because we were afraid to ask Rob and Tom to undertake their usual chore of acting as the package depot for our internet orders of boat bits -- even people that can remain hospitable during a move have their limits -- we imposed on friends Anne and Jim Coleman to act as our mail drop.  And they even fed us when we came to pick up our nine packages!  It doesn't get much friendlier than that.  We will think of you all when our newly strengthened bimini holds firm in high winds! 

• Living in Mexico:  We often stock up on things that are either difficult to find or very expensive in Mexico when we return to the States (see above re: nine internet orders).  For example, this trip we bought a new camera (watch for - we hope - better blog pictures), a solar panel, some stainless steel bracket thingies and a 5-inch chef's knife.  And because our time in the States was short we ended up shopping on Black Friday.  Being among our countrymen and women at their best made it much easier to return to shopping in the smaller choice marketplace of Mexico!  

• Car-less-ness:  We sold our car this year which puts us in a small minority of U.S. residents.  Yes, we are car-less.  And a week of driving a rented SUV around the LA area has relieved us of any concern we may have had about the social stigma of car-less-ness.  True, trips to government offices in Puerto Vallarta (a one-hour bus ride on what are at times sketchy buses) and big grocery shops (a half an hour ride on the same bus line) are difficult without a car.  But walking from the marina into the village to pick up vegetables at the local market or for a late-night taco is a joy compared to driving to the mall. 

• Spanish Language Skills:  Bryce frequently complains that the service people we meet in coastal Mexico prefer to speak English and ignore the fact that he speaks Spanish quite well.  Fortunately, Spanish speakers in LA County are quite proud of their ability to speak Spanish!   During The Brothers' Great Move Bryce spent a day working with a local handyman, disassembling and reassembling two refrigerators and moving the newer one into the house and the older one into the garage -- all transacted in Spanish. 

So, here we are - back in La Cruz and, though we miss our family and friends in the States, happy to be here.  Soon we'll post on how our boat projects are going and what our plans are for heading south this season. 

* * * * * *

Random Unsolicited Thoughts on Learning Spanish:  On  more than one occasion English speakers have congratulated us on trying to learn Spanish, and have added that they think it's sad that so many people that immigrate to the U.S. / Canada never learn to speak English.  We appreciate their support of our attempts to improve our Spanish.  And after struggling for two months to improve our Spanish skills we have some thoughts about why some immigrants have difficulty learning the language of their new country:

• First - it's really hard to learn a new language!  Bryce speaks Spanish well, but he has been studying Spanish for decades.  Molly can barely make a full sentence after two months of study.  See our posts from Guanajuato about how hard it was, as mature students, to go to school for three hours a day.  And . . . we're not also busy working multiple jobs to make ends meet and/or raising children.
• Language school or tutoring can be expensive.  We are able to pay for first-rate language instruction.  Some immigrants may not be able to.  And even if they find free instruction it may be difficult for them to travel to class (see above re: car-less-ness and buses and such).
• We'll all use the language that's easiest when that option is available.  Immigrants often settle among people from their home country - and like the snowbirds that migrate together to the Mexican beach they can often get by using their home language.  We know Canadians and people from the U.S. that have lived in Mexico part-time for years who can't speak Spanish.  
• Not everyone is kind to someone struggling with a new language.  Molly is constantly amazed that (for the most part) Mexicans remain polite as they listen to her butcher their language.  But it's still embarrassing to feel sub-adult when trying to communicate.  And our experience is that English speakers are not always so kind to people that butcher our language.  

In sum, we have found learning a different language to be intellectually interesting - but also, very humbling.  Our request is that anyone that has not mastered a second language refrain from judging anyone else who has not been able to.  And add to your thankful list:  the I-Translate app and the ability to buy the product that runs that app! 

San Blas to La Cruz - November 15 - 19, 2013

San Blas -- November 15 to 18


We've visited San Blas on two previous occasions as day-trippers from Matanchen Bay (see our November 14, 2011 or March 26, 2012 posts for information on local tourist activities).  During this trip we spent three nights at the little local marina waiting out some weather, which gave us the opportunity to spend some less-touristy moments in this sleepy little town. 

The town of San Blas is a fishing and beach tourism town, with heavy emphasis on the fishing. 



The Fleet

And More Fleet. . .



And The Smaller Businessman

Even the tourists fish: 

Celebrating Revolution Day

We ate out a couple of times while we were there, and recommend breakfast at the municipal market over dinner at the venerable tourist restaurant "McDonald's".  Breakfast can include a liquado or some fresh-squeezed juice and the world's largest piece of banana bread for about $3.  Dinner at McDonald's is okay, but just that.  In general, we confirmed our recollection that San Blas is not a gourmand's paradise. 

Our previous visits had also left us with the impression of a town that is hot, dusty, and not very tidy.  This trip we confirmed that after a rain it is hot, muddy and not very tidy.  And while San Blas deserves its reputation as a place where jejenes (no-seeums) can be found, our experience was less buggy than that reputation would lead one to expect.  Maybe we're just more liberal in our application of deadly bug repellant than others???

Lush Vegetation Can = Jejenes (No-Seeums) at Sunset

While San Blas may never thrive as an international tourist destination, as a weather watching port it was a great place to hang out.  The municipal market carries everything one needs for provisioning (including some yummy little pork chops to grill . . . ).  Though we were reminded that shopping in the Mazatlan mega-market had made us lackadaisical about exercising "provisioning best practices" when we found that a box of juice purchased at the San Blas market had expired several months before. 

During our three nights at the Fonatur marina (Fonatur is one of the entities that operate the government owned marinas and boat yards in Mexico) we had sailboat company only one night - other storm watchers that departed early on the day the rains came.  We hope they enjoyed their trip.  

A Sleepy Day At The Marina

Local Wildlife, Hanging Out On the Dock Lines
of A Neighboring Sport Fishing Boat

Our Telcel Internet connection was fast and on the day of rain we sat in the cabin with the fans whirring and caught up on some boat-bit Internet orders for our upcoming Thanksgiving visit to California.

The weather passed and the storm didn't develop - so . . .


Happy Anniversary To Us! -- November 18, 2013

On the morning of the 24th Anniversary of The Happiest Day of Our Lives (as Molly reminds Bryce from time to time . . .) we woke to beautiful weather and a prediction of good sailing conditions.  We decided that Twenty-Four was The Canvas Anniversary, and that we'd make the most of it by sailing to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.  

The Lucky Groom

La Cruz is too far from San Blas for a day sail during the short-light winter months so we decided to motor to near-by Matanchen Bay, anchor for the afternoon and sail to La Cruz over night, arriving mid-morning.  Not a bad plan - but we didn't stick with it. 

As we left San Blas the weather was so perfect and the winds so nice, light and from our stern, that we decided to just keep sailing and not stop at Matanchen.  Abracadabra sails so well using only our smallest (80%) jib -- why do we lug around that huge 140%-er anyway?  Within an hour the wind rose enough that had we been using the larger sail, we would have been furling it to a smaller size.  Our little jib proved to be perfect for the job at hand.  

We sailed the whole 62 miles to La Cruz.

Our anniversary toast was with Diet Coke and Coke Zero, and our anniversary dinner was a lentil and sausage salad.  We were accompanied by a 92% moon (according to our navigation system) which looked full to us.  Sometimes it was rolley.  Sometimes it wasn't.  We had 25 knot winds, and we had 4 knot winds.  All in all it was a great sail.   


La Cruz --  November 19

We set anchor in the La Cruz anchorage at 03.15 in the light of the almost-full moon.  There was very little breeze, so we were able to sleep the deep and dreamless until about 07.30 (08.30 in La Cruz as we had crossed into another time-zone).  By mid-afternoon we had entered the marina, fueled the boat and were tied up to the dock; shaded, napped, lunched and showered -- and signed on for Year Twenty-Five.


  

  

Holy Crow, What A Way To Start The Season -- November 12 - 15, 2013

Caveat:  This post contains no pictures, so if what you like are the pictures feel free to go on about your day and check our next post!


Predictions and Expectations:  Like good (read: cautious) little sailors, before we decided to depart the comfort of Muelle 4-46 in Marina Mazatlan, we checked four web-weather-wind prediction sources.  That's FOUR -- two paid services and two free services.  The highest wind predicted was 20 knots (Predict Wind).  The general consensus was that we would have to motor more often than we like.  We can't even remember the highest swell prediction because it didn't register as anything to be concerned about.  A "no sweat" trip -- perfect for sailors and a boat that have been tied to a dock for more than five months.  A great way to put our toes in the water, so to speak.

But of course, they're called weather PREDICTIONS.  And after this trip - we're considering hiring a psychic for the rest of this season. 


Mazatlan to San Blas -- 131 nautical miles -- November 12 - 13

Merrily We Motor Along:  We departed around 0900, motoring out of the marina estuary and past Mazatlan's marine traffic in (as anticipated) a northerly breeze that wouldn't support a sail.  The swells were a bit uncomfortable, and we were sad to be motoring -- but we were looking forward to some sailing in the afternoon.  Abracadabra's motor was purring happily.

Sailing:  Mid-afternoon the breeze filled in just in time to prevent Molly from screaming "I can't stand this motor any longer!" and we were able to put up the spinnaker.  For an hour we sailed happily along, watching our lovely blue and white spinnaker pull us toward our destination.  Watching a spinnaker is sort of magical, and somehow connects one to the first human to figure out that if she just put up a piece of cloth the wind could do most of the work.  It's truly wonderful.  We congratulated ourselves on the perfect start to Sailing Season Three.

Alas, about an hour later, the breeze rose to over 15 knots -- the highest wind we like to subject our light spinnaker to.  So, we furled it and continued on with our small jib - watching the winds climb to 20 knots, just in time to make dinner a gymnastic event.  Clouds were forming over the land, and from time-to-time the clouds would glow with lightening.  We put our hand-held GPS/radio in the oven in anticipation that the lightening might move off shore, and sailed on into the night.

Around 2000 the wind and swell dropped to 12-knots-ish.  There was a rain shower around 0100.  And we had lots of company.  We dodged shrimp boats and several smaller fishing boats.  At one point near dawn, on Molly's watch, Abracadabra was completely surrounded by the lights of shrimp boats and fishing pangas.  What could have looked to the fanciful like a "ring of faerie fyre" felt more like the encircling of malevolent aliens . . . all waiting to bump into or be bumped into by Abracadabra.  But the lights proved to be those of friendly aliens and with the dawn they had disappeared to deliver their catches to market in Mazatlan. 

As dawn lightened, the night's north breeze that had been a delightful boost to our trip south became a blast from the east.  We sped through the morning's oatmeal breakfast and around 0900 began to see sustained winds into the high 20's.  By noon the winds had climbed into the mid-30's and the swells to over two meters (for those in the U.S., that's six feet . . .).  A big day on San Francisco Bay. 

Our original destination - San Blas - is a port inside an estuary with a bar entrance.  This entrance can become dangerous in high swells, so we decided to go a couple of miles further and anchor in Ensenada de Matanchen (Matanchen Bay).  

Carnival Ride:  Entering Matanchen Bay required us to go directly into the then-30 knot winds, and we knew we would never make it before the early winter dark without motoring.  The winds remained (too) strong and for about an hour we were seeing winds over 35 knots on our nose.  One gust read 40.  The swells were at a sustained two and a half meters (seven and a half feet) and some were three (nine feet).  A really uncomfortable motoring experience and quite intimidating for those of us that hadn't sailed in several months. 

And then -- because it's always when things seem bad that they get worse -- the bimini (back shade that - most importantly - supports the solar panels) began to come apart and wobble wildly.  So there we were (as all good adventure stories say . . . ) bashing around in 35+ winds, lashing our bimini back together.  

Heading For Cover:   We bashed into Matanchen Bay around 16.30, prepared to have to anchor at 35 knots and spend the night on anchor watch.  Fortunately we found that in the bay the winds were about 20.  We anchored easily as the winds continued to drop . . . and after a shower and a make-shift dinner of cheese and crackers washed down with a rum-and-tonic, we fell asleep on our sea berth.  El Capitan was up and down several times during the night, but each time he peeked out, the water was flat and Abracadabra was swinging gently in about four knots of breeze. 


R&R -- November 14:  Matanchen Bay is a very pretty place and there are lots of things to do there -- see our posts from December 24, 2011 or March 26, 2012 if you would like to see pictures of the Bay and read more about the vacation options there.

But, well, we were tired so we spent the next day doing non-touristy things.  Bryce bolted the bimini back together and assembled a kit of screws and bolts for things on the deck that may come flying apart in the future.  Molly cooked a few items for the next leg of our trip.  We both enjoyed our new sun/rain shade (more on that and other nifty things we did in Mazatlan in another post) and read (read: napped).  We grilled steak and vegetables for dinner and - since the wind hadn't come back up - treated ourselves to a nice split of Chilean red wine.  Other than the jejenes (in Canadian that's "no-see-ums") that Matanchen is famous for, our stay was perfect.


Any Port When They Predict A . . .  -- November 15:  We woke this morning with plans to head south to one of our favorite bays - Chacala.  But as we were taking down shades and stowing things away below, we heard a radio weather forecast by he local Capitania de Puerto predicting 20-knot afternoon winds and 2.1 meter (7 foot) swells due to a tropical depression that is forming to the south and reporting a 30% chance of that depression becoming a cyclone. 

So, being (as we said in the beginning) cautious little sailors, we motored north a few miles and entered the San Blas estuary (now free of swell and quite safe).  Abracadabra is now tied up to a marina dock, and we are rapidly running through our pre-paid allotment of Telcel internet connectivity checking all the weather sites we can find.  But if you know of a good weather psychic, we'd appreciate you sending along his or her number!   


And because it's what we do when we have time -- we think we'll go out for dinner. 

Dia de Muertos, Mazatlan Style -- November 1, 2013

First, the Weather

As we write (mid-afternoon, November 3) eastern Pacific Depression Eighteen-E has been named Tropical Storm Sonia and NOAA projects that she will be coming to visit a coastal area near us some time early tomorrow morning.  The current model anticipates landfall north of Mazatlan at about 4 a.m. tomorrow, winds up to 45 miles per hour and 2-6 inches of rain (localized amounts up to 10 inches). 

At the moment it's raining steadily and the skies and occasional rolls of thunder are a bit ominous.  El Capitan has been out to check on Abracadabra to see if anything had changed since he checked on her last night. 

El Capitan Departing the Marina Gate of the Apartment Complex.
First Mate Photographer is Snuggly Indoors

Bryce reports that Abracadabra is still tied to the dock, her hatches and ports are still closed and El Capitan is soaking wet, but feeling confident that she will weather the storm.  Molly has declared the coming storm a sign that it's a day for a big breakfast, drinking a lot of coffee and reading our electronic New York Times. 

More on Sonia when we know how tough a broad she is. 

Dia de Muertos -- Estilo Mazatlan

Last year we wrote a lot about Dia de Muertos, it's significance and how it is celebrated here in Mexico (see our November 5, 2012 post if you're interested in that) so we won't go through all of that again.  This posting is about the public celebration here in Mazatlan. 

As background, it's important to know that Mazatlan is the home of Cerveza Pacifico Clara - the beer of Mexico's Pacific Coast.  This beer is one of the cultural impacts of the wave of German immigrants to Mazatlan in the mid 19th Century.  [Another is an annoying screeching clarinet sound that can often be heard in Mexican banda music . . . ].  Thus it shouldn't be surprising that the public Dia de Muertos celebration in Mazatlan involves a big parade featuring donkey carts filled with barriles (beer kegs) from which beer is dispensed for free.  What better way to honor the departed?  



Donkey Standing Patiently, Screen Left

Gracias, Camarero!

Una Mas, Por Favor!

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, we went downtown with the plan of sitting at a table at a restaurant on Plazuela Machado -- the starting and ending point for the parade.  It became clear that all the good restaurants around the plazuela had been booked for some time, but we knew we were too old and agoraphobic to join the parade and try for free beer, so we took an available table. 

As we waited for our first round of sad adult beverages (possibly the worse margarita in Mexico) to be delivered, sailors from Calliope and Grasshopper walked by.  They were looking (in vain) for a place to sit so we invited them to join us.  Six of us crowded around our little table and made it a party. 

The Crews of Abracadabra, Caliope and Grasshopper
(Photo by El Capitan)

Our little party was only one of many taking place along the edges of the parade route.  It was a night of excellent people watching.  Many were painted up to honor the presence of death in every day life and, as a result, to celebrate life itself. 

There's Death Within Love . . .

Within Youth . . .

Within Beauty. . .



And Within Those Too Young To Truly Understand.

A Favorite Mask -- Life and Death Together.

With our compadres we celebrated life and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the evening.  As is often the case when talking with other sailors in Mexico, we marveled how a mob scene with free beer still managed to seem a joyful, family friendly event.  Noisy and chaotic, yes -- but not a single staggering drunk or fist fight was observed.  And this is in Sinaloa, which is deemed to be such a dangerous state.  Close your eyes and imagine a free beer parade in a large city in the US or Canada . . . .

We left the scene early, and our table was avidly snatched up by a Mexican family way too large for a table for four.  We decided not to try warning them about the bad food and drink they were going to be subjected to -- the seating and dining choices were even slim

We took a "red truck taxi" (exactly what it sounds like: a communal taxi that is a bright red truck with some benches built into the back) home, happy to be alive - and not just because we'd ridden in the back of a pick-up truck!

It's Mostly The Weather - November 1, 2013

The Weather: 

For sailing, the weather's not so great - or at least potentially not so great.  Yet another disturbance in the Pacific is threatening to become a "Named Storm" (a Tropical Storm or Hurricane that is named by NOAA) and the computer models suggest she (she will be "Sonia" if named) could head toward Mazatlan.  We're not sailing away until that weather threat is resolved! 

For boat work, the weather's not so great either.  For example, today it's 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) with 92 percent humidity.  Our readers in Oklahoma and Ontario can imagine what that feels like.  And while that's not a really bad thing for a day in the shade by the beach catching a breeze, it's pretty brutal for working inside a boat with only very small windows and four 7-inch fans to create a breeze - or even outside in the sun.

The Glamor of Life In The Sun . . .

 
So, we've delayed moving aboard.  To quote Molly's mother Patti:  We're too old and too rich for that shit. 

We will be staying in our little marina-side apartment and enjoying the 6th floor breeze, ceiling fans, nighttime air conditioning and swimming pool for another week.  

Morning From Our Window - Abracadabra Off Screen Left

Abracadabra Jobs:

We're also waiting on some new canvas shades to be completed by Tapiceria Upholstery Work's (sic).  This is our third shade design, based on what we like/don't about our last two attempts and what we have seen that works/doesn't on other boats.  Ruben Najera, the talent behind Tapiceria, is a real craftsman, and has helped us adjust our design.  This just might be "it".  We will share pictures when the shades arrive.

Other than the shades, Abracadabra's pretty much ready to go.  Molly has purchased $200+/- of additional plastic boxes and bins (one can't be too organized in a small, moving space), washed them and stuffed them full of food staples.  Bryce has done his favorite jobs (engine leaks tracked down and eliminated; head (toilet) re-plumbed (ugh)).  We're so ready that if the potential Named Storm gets a name and moves into Mazatlan there will be a lot of things to undo for storm preparation!   

Frivolity:

While not sweating it out on Abracadabra we've managed to engage in some frivolity.  Halloween was celebrated with the crew from S/V Lanikai (Mike an Leilani). 

Los Cuatro Diablos!

After a fabulous dinner at Water's Edge Bistro in Viejo Mazatlan we attended a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show - complete with prop bag (rice, toast, flashlight . . . ).  This cult classic is usually shown at midnight in the U.S. and Canada -- but here in Mexico it was shown at 7:30 in order to get all the retired ex-patriots home shortly after "Mexican midnight" (9 p.m. . . . ). 

Tonight is the Dia de Los Muertos parade in Viejo Mazatlan.  We'll report in on it and the potential named storm soon!

Splashdown - October 15, 2013

Abracadabra's Spa Visit 

When we arrived in Mazatlàn on October 2 Abracadabra was already out of the water and in the boat yard ("on the hard" in sailorspeak) perched on stands that - no matter how many times we've seen her up there -- makes those of us from earthquake country a bit queasy. When we first saw her on her tenuous looking perches, the craftsmen at Total Yacht Works had already scraped several years of paint from her hull. 

Sadly, the next time we saw her, she sported many scary little "x's" - marks identifying blisters in her fiberglass.  For non-boat people, blisters are just what they sound like: little pockets in the fiberglass that, if left untreated can allow water to seep in and create big pits in a boat's hull, ultimately turning a hull quite spongy.  In Abracadabra's case, these baby blisters are suspected to be the result o taking a cold-water boat to the warm waters of Mexico. 

Fortunately all of Abracadabra's blisters were very shallow and the crew at Total Yacht Works opened, scraped, dried and filled them within a few days.  Next came two coats of epoxy to prevent future blisters; two of anti-fouling paint to avoid turning Abracadabra's hull into a floating biosphere; and a pretty new boot stripe.  The boot stripe (the little paint strip about two inches above the antifouling paint) is ornamental - but in our case a new one was required because we had "raised the water line" a couple of inches -- put anti-fouling paint higher up the side of the hull.  Abracadabra is a heavy girl when she's fully loaded, and more of her is below the water than ever before!  

Finally, the Total Yacht Works guys gave her a beautiful polish job and -- after 12 days of work, she looked like a sweet young thing!. Molly's now interested in seeing what a two-week spa stay can do for her . . . 

Splashdown

The most dramatic part came next -- getting the pretty baby into the water, and back to the dock, without scratching the new paint! 

First  came the big monster lift . . .   

Dwarfing Abracadabra



Miriam - The (Fortunately) Cautious Lift Driver!



Five Foot One Inch (On A Good Day)
Model Next To A Lift Wheel

which picked up Abracadabra . . .

The Dark Blue Bottom Will Lighten Upon Contact With Water We're Told

for a last little dob of anti-fouling paint on the bottom of her keel which had been resting on a wooden support . . .

The Last Minute Finish

and then took her to dangle her over the ocean  . . .

Nervous Captain Following Closely

and sloooowly began to lower her . . .

Down She Goes

Once the deck was flush with the top of the pier, we stepped over the transom and joined Abracadabra's slow descent.  The Fonatour line handlers kept her from swinging into the pier, and dooooown we went:

Picture taking time was over when we got to the water.  The Captain checked for leaks - a bad thing on a boat.  Finding none, on came the engine, and away we motored. 

Happily, we docked without scratching her shiny new self - and sighed a sigh of relief. 

Now all we have to do (ha!) is move all the things stored inside to the outside, clean it and bolt it on - and we can sail away.  But that's another post. 

FYI Re: E-Mails of Blog Posts

Several readers that signed up to receive blog notices haven't been getting them.  Blogger Help says this is because we've been drafting in Word and due to Word's heavy programing content making a file that is too big for Blogger to e-mail.  (Why this has become a problem almost two years after we started this blog - go figure.)  This post was drafted on the blog itself and therefore should - if Blogger Help is correct -- go through as an e-mail.  If you have signed up for e-mails and you actually get one of this posting - we'd appreciate you letting us know!

And, FYI, there are several posts about our summer inland sojourn you may have missed due to this e-mail glitch.  Check them out if you're interested.