Fledglings.

24.2N 110.3W. CostaBaja, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico.

We came across a pair of juvenile Osprey with their mom on their first "fly about." It looked like she had chummed them out with a fish perched on a power pole near their nest. We caught them and they weren't too happy with our presence. Not wanting to spook them, we decided to take off after only a few minutes. They were spectacular!

Haul Out Hell.

24.18N 110.3W. Atalanta Astilleros, La Paz, B.C.S. Mexico.

To make a long story, short, it should have taken only a few hours, however….

For those of you not familiar with the haul out process, here is a brief overview. The boat is tied up to the dock. Line handlers use the dock lines to pull the boat into position as a trailer is launched down the ramp. The handlers float the boat unto a trailer. Once in position, the keel is set on a foundation with the boat kept upright with the use of four padded supports. Once the boat is securely set on the trailer, the trailer is hauled out of the water and the boat moved to its space in the yard. From the trailer, the boat is put is put up on stands and the trailer removed. Relatively simple and easy…right….right?....???...

We scheduled our haul out date – our first haul out date, as it would turn out – in a week of relatively low tides. Our boat drafts six feet and we need a high tide high enough to allow the boat to float onto the trailer. Steve spoke with the yard boss and, while he was concerned with the tides, he thought it might be possible to haul the boat out. So….we let loose from the marina and headed over to the haul out yard. The crew lined up in place, the dock lines deployed and the trailer launched. Yet, two hours later, the boat was still in the water and the yard boss finally conceded that it was a “no go” for the day. So…we pull in the dock lines and head back to the marina. It was a bit of a nasty bash back as the wind had picked up and the boat got a nice salt water shower for its efforts.

Dejected, we tried to put a best face on the situation….while we would have to reschedule our flight reservations in addition to the new haul date, we were staying at a nice marina and had been enjoying our early morning workouts at the gym.

Eight days later, with the high tides higher, we once again set loose from the dock and head over to the haul out yard. On our approach, we find no line handlers and the gate is stilled closed. uh oh… We land the boat and head in to the yard to try to find out what is going on. We finally find one of the line handlers and he says that there is “no one here.” what?! He goes on to say that the yard boss’ mother had died the night before and he was not there. We had to wait for the secretary to show up to find out more information. She said only the yard boss could haul out boats…and he would be gone for over three days…too bad for you. Steve told her that the delay would cost the yard at least $200 to change our flight reservations again…oh….well…she will talk to her boss and see what can be done. Interesting enough, within fifteen minutes there was a new story. Mauricio could haul out the boat as he had been trained to do so. However, this would be his first boat that he would haul out on his own…but no worries…he was trained and he can do this. ok…. so let’s get going… On second thought, so much time had passed this morning, the tide is now too low, so we have to wait until the next day.

Come the next morning, we meet up with the young crew. They are excited, nervous…acting as if they have done this a thousand times before….but numerous signs of the cross and edgy laughter give us a different impression. Finally the dock lines are freed from the dock and in the hands of the handlers. The trailer is launched down the ramp. Gitano is guided to the trailer bed and...stop… start… stop… start… stop… The tractor is moved. The lines are pulled. The boat is moved this way and that. The captain dives to check the underwater clearance and position of the boat on the trailer. Levers are pulled. Lines pulled some more. The boat is rocked. start… stop… start… stop… The green crew is having problems…taking their time…being very careful with each step. The slowness is wearying. This is taking a lot longer than normal. Other boaters are coming by…eager to hear that all is well as they are hauling out tomorrow or some later date…not happy to find out that the captain is away for days…not happy to find out that this is the first haul out for the crew. The boat is finally positioned on the trailer and the crew starts to pull it out of the water when….stop!... The constant start and stop action on the cable has fouled it…now this needs to be relieved before we can proceed. The crew pulls out hammers and probe bars…all looking at the problem…all trying to come up with a fix…and heaving and hammering and pulling to get the cable back in place. Three hours into the beginning of the task…the boat is still in the water. The nervous crew – now under the watch of the owner – works to release the fouled cable. Finally, it is back in working order. It almost noon and Gitano is finally being hauled out of the water. Finally, she is trailered in to the yard and the crew spends the next hour settling her on supports freeing her of the trailer. What a long morning! What a relief!

We fly out the next day. We have only an afternoon and morning to get our final chores completed and the boat closed up for the season. We don’t panic as we have done most of the work already…but the day-and-a-half delay on getting to the yard is significant. So, we set to work, relieved that we are finally on the hard…unbelieving at all that went wrong with this task.

…

Apr2009 Haul Out

Last Call.

24.2N 110.3W. Marina CostaBaja, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico.

Monday is our last day in the marina as we haul out Tuesday morning. We are sure going to miss our early morning workouts in the little gym and the endless supply of fresh water for Gitano. We will make the most of our day running errands and doing a few more little chores...

Cheers!

Artisan Festival.

El Triunfo, B.C.S., Mexico..

On Sunday, we took a run in land to the old mining town of El Triunfo to check out an Artisan Festival. The festival was small but the music and the dance troup were fun and we enjoyed our dusty day in the sun amongst the ruins.

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Apr2009ElTriunfo

Marina Life.

24.2N 110.3W. Marina CostaBaja, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico.

We tried to haul out on Monday, 13 April, but found the high tide to be 2” too low to do so. So…..we bash back to Marina Costa Baja for another nine days of marina life.

Our typical routine these easy days include early morning workouts, listen to the local radio nets starting at 0800, do a few boat chores here and there as most of the work has already been done in anticipation of the earlier haul out…and, then….

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Apr2009 Marina CostaBaja

"You Know You Are A Cruiser When...

1) People offer you food they were going to throw away — and you accept.
2) You take a shower, then put on the same clothes you were wearing before the shower.
3) A swim in a pool or a hot tub counts as a shower.
4) Your friends try to nail you down on a time and place to meet, but you just can't commit.
5) You feel proud when you serve drinks that have ice cubes."

-- www.zialater.com

We could easily add to this list....

Crossing Back.

20.8N 105.5W to 22.9N 109.9W. Southern Passage, Sea of Cortes, Mexico…aka “We Should Have Waited Another Day” Passage.

It is the second day of March and we are hauling up our anchor and heading across. We had to bide our time, waiting for a Norther to blow its way through…but, finally, we think it is time to get going. We depart at dawn with winds from the Northwest at 10-12 knots. The going is smooth…IN the anchorage. However, once we pass through the rip outside of the bay, we find ourselves in confused seas with some pretty prominent cross chop. The time is now, though, we say…with more northerlies predicted in less than a week. We need to get going…giving ourselves a buffer of time to deal with some potential transmission issues that might make us divert to Mazatlan.

Oh…what a mistake. There should be a cardinal rule in cruising that says something like “though shall not manhandle your boat.” OK, there already is probably a rule…but we were thinking “wind” and not “boat”…so we kept going. We got slapped around pretty hard and to add insult to injury ended having to head up to Mazatlan…because we did, indeed, end up needing more ATF. The passage was rough. Gitano’s decks were awash the entire way…the boat leaked...when we could rest, one at a time when the other was on watch, we did so in a wet birth…we bumped, we groaned, we cursed, we ached...that was just us...who knows what we really put the boat through.

To sum it up…we should have waited another day!

The transmission is leaking oil…and our supply is almost depleted. We decide to change course for Mazatlan in order to restock and head out the next morning. What a difference a day makes! The seas have calmed way down…and, while we will have to motorsail across the Sea…it is a much nicer crossing than the past two days.

Another overnight passage and we begin our approach towards Ensenada de los Muertos in the early afternoon. Steve puts out a line and catch a nice fat little male Dorado. Ten pounds of fresh fish meat. Wonderful!

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Apr2009 Crossing

Lifeboat.

From time to time, we come across an article or letter that speaks to our own spirit...here is one we thought to share with you all.

SHE'S THE LIFEBOAT OF MY BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT

As I watch the value of my investments wither, lament my diminishing net worth, and listen to news of worse to come, I am gladdened to remind myself that, among my many ventures, I deigned to own a little boat. Though her value tallies poorly on my accountant’s balance sheet, whenever I cast off from the dock under a press of sail, the dividends come tumbling in. The follies of greed, avarice and envy vanish in her wake. I am lifted free of all petty concerns. She is the lifeboat for my body, mind and spirit. As for the accountants, financial advisors and other bean counters, I say damn their eyes! She is my one truly recession-proof investment.

Marc Hersch
Songline, J/42
Santa Cruz / Ventura

Marc — We know what you mean. Latitude 38.

Cazar Ballenas Canción.

20.7N 105.3W. La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico.

We often are treated to humpback whale songs...especially at night while in the berth...with our ears at the water line. Last night's experience was profound. Early one morning, Steve noted the whales...as he often does. I was also awake listening to the distant songs. It sounded to us like three whales...each taking a turn at answer-and-call. As time rolled on, the whale songs continued...progressing, in sophistication and nearness. At one point, we felt that we were surrounded by the whales...one calling from one side of the boat...another answering for the other side. It was truly incredible. We kept awake for hours listening to their songs. Before dawn, the whales had moved on...our experience, however, held us in awe. Amazing.

Come morning...and the morning boat chores...it was interesting to hear one boat to another hale each other, asking if they had heard the whales. Yes, yes...was the answer...all over the anchorage....of fifty or more boats at anchor. Yes!, we heard them. I had an image of the whales singing along the bahia...hearing the voices of mariners tucked in their berths...asking each other if they heard the whales...the buzz from the anchorage enticing the whales to swim closer....sounding along...more voices...more songs...more voices...for hours...

I will never forget this experience. It was magical. There was one sailboat, however, that had an even closer experience with the whales in the anchorage. Interesting enough, the boat hails from Arcata. You can read about their Ballenas Interruptus if you are wish.

La Bahia de Banderas.

20.8N 105.5W. Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico.

…surf…whales…warm water…more surf…more whales…good home-cooked food…tropical air…waking to whale songs at night…a few worrisome mechanical problems…problems fixed…more surf…

…

Jan2009 Banderas Bay

The Crossing.

20.8N 105.5W. Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico.

We begin our passage on New Year’s Day. The Sea is in chaos – roiling with wind waves and chop from a near week of northerlies. We leave the anchorage under power but are able to shut down the iron genny and enjoy being under sail for as long as it lasts. Unfortunately, favorable sailing conditions last for only a few short hours. The wind fades by late morning and Gitano gets slapped around smartly. We decide to suck-it-up and keep moving on, expecting the seas to smooth out over the next few days.

Morning turns to afternoon…turns to night watches…to morning…to afternoon…to night…and, come sunrise, days later, our eyes are greeted with much-appreciated glassy seas. The sea is pocked with turtles slow in awakening to the sounds of our passing. Signs of a groundswell grow as we approach land and we glass the shoreline looking for surf. By mid-morning, we are at anchor at the point of Punta de Mita.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Morning.

23.5N 109.5W Ensenada de Los Muertos, BCS, Mexico.

We are free. Free of dock lines, free of the several-times-daily-made-stations-of-the-cross-type-walk (marina version), free of the much-too-enjoyed high-speed internet, free of shore power, free of endless hot water, free of easy access to land and stores.

Gitano slips out into the Sea with a sprightly step. The air smells fresher. We feel younger. The sun rises and we are underway, once again.

We shut down the engine and hoist our new main, testing her out in the light Northwest winds.

We enter the Ceralvo Channel under dolphin escort...lovely!

We set anchor by early afternoon with the expectation that we will spend some time at anchor here as Northerlies are predicted to commence soon and last for most of a week.

Feliz la pura vida!