Frustration or Life on a Sailboat

My sister, Lynn, gave me the encouragement to begin writing again. I had said I didn't want to write unless I could be cheery. Well, we've been doing a lot of sitting around waiting for workers to show up. Somehow the picture of the Wicked Witch of the West in Wizard of Oz skywriting "Surrender Dorothy" keeps coming to mind. I think I've finally gotten it. Suffering in paradise has become easier. We are still in the Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (pictured here the day we came in). Phew, AKA Marina La Cruz. The last three weeks have been filled with racers from all over the world competing in a race from San Diego to Banderas Bay, then smaller boats, sail boards, and kite boards racing, then a boat show (nada for us cruisers), and now the Banderas Bay Regatta (a cruisers rally). So, all work on our boat came to a halt, but some were still saying manana, which I've learned means "not today and God only knows when".

So, here is a picture of our bow with half of our anchors and bow rollers missing, plus the bent anchor that gave it's all trying to hold us into place as we got smacked. One also might notice the line holding the remaining roller in position.

This is what was ripped off. It was hanging by the wire line with another anchor on banging against the hull of the boat with each swell.


This is the break in the primary anchor roller along with where the other one came off. Impressive. We were just glad to be able to get the primary anchor back up. Many people lost their anchors that night. See, no matter how bad things may be, the could always be worse. Not to mention no lives or boats were lost. Only bruised.

I could show pictures of the bimini that was ripped, the roller furler, etc etc., but they are more subtle. Hopefully insurance will reimburse for all this. Getting estimates is impossible, so we've had to just wait until the work is done and get receipts and pray it all works out.

Oh, by the way, we aren't the only ones who have to wait. Even Jason, our main man (a great guy and skilled worker and his equally enjoyable helper, Ernesto, had to wait on the stainless guy to show up. They just know how to do it in style.

Okay, I do not know how to account for all the time that has slipped by. We've experienced swap meets, market day, great food, I've been leading yoga in the mornings atop the yacht club at the "Skybar", learning to cook Mexican food, racing on a catamaran, meeting up with another cruiser from Gold Beach (friends of Jeff & Janice and Frann), a great chiropractor (from Oregon!!), saying good bye to new friends,and we've been attending "Puddle Jump" seminars, not to mention fixing other things that have broken while we sit here. We signed up for the "Puddle Jump" as did over 200 other boats who all plan to go to the South Pacific. The seminars have been informative and scary. I think I like being ignorant rather than informed. I've learned that cruising is definitely repairing one's boat in exotic places and involves learning more than I ever thought possible about every system that is in our boat. Please God, help these little gray cells to retain what I'm learning. We've discovered tacos on the street from a cart are so much more tasty than those in restaurants and taking a bus as far as it will go gets us to places away from other gringos. Now, if I could just learn more Spanish and remember what I've learned. Have we really been down here 4 months?
A bracelet I purchased from a Houichal woman who does incredible work and sells it at the swap meets in Nuevo Vallarta.




Two of my regulars at yoga, Naomi from Campbell River, BC on my right and Liz from Seattle on my left. Naomi and husband John have left for the Galapagos and Marquesas. Liz and her husband Michael have left to go back up to the Sea of Cortez where their boat will be hauled out for the summer and they go back to work. The marina is in the background as is the village of La Cruz.

The 17 year old Mexican girl who arrived here in this little boat (laser) from Cabo San Lucas and is now in the Guinnes Book of World Records.

Getting ready for the President of Mexico to arrive in his helicopter. This is the dock we are on.





























A bit of local color for when the President came and the big boys racing.

Josie continues to be the most perfect cruising cat, staying onboard and not complaining. I guess that gets you up to date. Hopefully it won't be another month before I post again. And hopefully we will have made our minds up as to which way we are heading.

Love to you all,

D & P