We Interrupt This Road Trip . . . Off The Dock, 2016!

We interrupt our posts about last December's road trip to Guatemala for the following important bulletin: 

The crew of Abracadabra is VERY happy to report that Abracadabra is OFF THE DOCK! Yes, after 20 months at Paradise Fishing Lodge she has been set free(er). Cue Please Relase Me . . . let me goooooo . . . . 

Poco a Poco (Little by Little)

February 1 we threw off the dock lines and motored the gigantic distance of 5+/- kilometers (yes, that's about 2.7 nautical miles) towards the mouth of the Bahia Jaltepeque. Abracadabra is now at a mooring ball for a couple of weeks. Our plan is to take some time to retrain ourselves to life off the dock - and to see if any other necessary repairs manifest themselves.  

Abracadabra -- Off The Dock

Our New Neighborhood

We were able to change location once the new dinghy arrived and, with the help of our dock neighbor Greg (s/v Eire), was inflated and put to sea.

Bryce and Greg at Work

Captain Bryce Making The Delivery To Our Slip

We were startled by how white the dinghy was when it was first unpacked. But after only a week or so rubbing up against dock tires (tires tacked to docks to avoid chafing) and being insulted / assaulted by birds  . . it's not quite so white.

No New Info - Just A Funny Picture of Neighbor Greg
[Note Paradise Manager Willy Garcia
Busily Supervising In The Background]

So, here we are swaying in the tidal changes of the estuary, re-learning what it's like to be unable to step off the boat and just . . . walk around. What have we learned / been reminded of so far? 

• It's waaaay cooler on a mooring ball. We are loving the afternoon breeze!
• Our bodies have reacted to the motion of the estuary by demanding afternoon naps. We're glad we didn't just jump aboard and try to sail (i.e., stay awake) overnight to our next destination.
• No sport fishing crews arrive at 6 a.m. to wash the boat next door here. But the roosters of the nearby village are louder. So the sleep period is pretty much a draw.  
• Dock power has made us lazy. We are re-learning to turn the power inverter (turns our battery power to AC power for certain appliances) off once the coffee is ground, and to turn off the fans when nature's own breeze is blowing through the hatch.
• The wind generator was a worthwhile expense; it made enough power yesterday to permit us to watch two hours of dvds last night. 
• Not surprisingly, the outboard engine was not happier for having been idle for two months while it waited for a new dinghy to operate (it runs, but needs a new low-speed jet to be really happy).
• Internet is stronger at the nearby hotel than at Paradise, but requires a dinghy ride to access - more planning required to Skype or blog.
• Trash / garbage storage is a drag.

Proximo Lugar? (Next Place?)

Our plan, weather and equipment dependent of course, is to depart the estuary and sail South (which from here actually requires us to sail east-ish) to the Gulf of Fonseca. We are targeting a departure mid-month, which will give our lazy selves a chance to leave when the tide is high at mid-morning (departing at dawn . . why?). This will give us a few hours of sailing before being out over night. 

In the meantime here we sway on the incoming and outgoing tides; watching the neighboring boats engage in the same dance; sharing information and boat parts with neighbors; thinking up a name for the new dinghy. Molly suggested "The Rabbit" (as in "from the magician's hat") until Bryce pointed out that he didn't want to suggest that it might disappear. . . 


We now return this program to the Guatemala channel.