Adios, mis amigos...

                                                                              

To every thing there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. I hope everyone has enjoyed the journey as much as I have.

Dockwise Adventure

Captain Dennis and Larry

Yesterday we participated in a new experience. We went along as crew (really, line handlers) on a boat which was being moved to California via its own boat transport, Dockwise. When we first liked, then decided to purchase Milagro, it was suggested by the broker that we have the boat shipped to Florida via Dockwise or Yacht Path.  Now Milagro is a full keel 44 thousand pound boat, and while it is definitely not the biggest kid on the block it staggered my imagination to think of loading that baby onto another bigger boat along with many other boats.  I couldn't imagine how it was done. Yesterday we got to see it first hand. A total of seventeen boats were to be loaded onto the Dockwise ship Super Servant III.  A sailboat which has been docked on our starboard, Sweet Jane, was being captained by Dennis Ross whom we have known both professionally and as a friend. Dennis was actually responsible for getting three boats on the ship so his wife Susan captained one and another couple took care of the third.  Besides the captain each boat needed at least a couple of line handlers on board and Sweet Jane had three.
I set my cell phone alarm for 6 a.m. This is only the third time since our arrival I've used an alarm to wake us before the morning nets, the other occasions being wake up calls for early flights. We sipped coffee as we gathered a few essentials and dressed, then went up on the dock where Dennis had already begun preparation for departure.

We cast off lines and backed out of the slip, followed immediately by Quoddy's Run, our neighbor on the port side.  Quoddy's Run was headed for British Columbia with the captain and first mate, two delightful ladies from Nova Scotia whose company we have enjoyed this past week.  It was a beautiful morning, in the mid sixties, the water was flat and there was just a slight breeze.  We motored out of the marina and into the channel, looking like the mother duck as most of the 17 boats followed us up the channel to the turning basin near the Pemex plant where the Dockwise ship was anchored. As we made the trip Dennis explained how we would enter the ship and what we'd do when we got there.

Boats being loaded...

Now here's captain Larry's explanation of just how the transport ship works: the Dockwise ship is designed such that with just the right depth of water, the ship can be de-ballisted, or in other terms, sunk, so that it rests on preferably a sandy bottom.  The stern of the boat opens up, and all the boats to be transported are brought inside the ship, and very carefully positioned, and tied into place.  Divers are then sent below the boats where they weld, under water, temporary stands to support the yachts to be transported.  Then the Dockwise ship is refloated as the water is pumped out, and the yachts are supported by the temporary stands as the boat lifts out of the water.  When the yachts are stable and all high and dry, additional welders come in and permanently weld the stands under the yachts.  The whole process is computer monitored and is very scientific.  It was also very impressive and fully defines thinking outside the box.

Boats or sardines?

We arrived  with time to spare and just circled for 20-30 minutes.  We were fourth in line, right after Lily and just before Quoddy's Run. As our turn came up the Dockwise loading master called Sweet Jane on channel 17 and gave the captain instructions on where we were to enter the ship, which side we'd tie off to and how many fenders and dock lines were to be in place. Dennis is an experienced and expert captain and he placed the boat beautifully; then we handed over lines to the  Dockwise crew and they pulled and maneuvered the boat into place.  Just to make things interesting the Dockwise crew spoke no English, either Ukrainian or French!

Anyone speak Ukrainian?

We stayed on board adjusting lines and fenders, Dennis closed up the boat and we all left Sweet Jane via a very narrow catwalk which was littered with ropes, straps and other debris.  We were packed in like sardines as we waited for the other boats to come aboard, but Dockwise did host a spread of tea, coffee, cold drinks and water as well as doughnuts and bologna and cheese(?) sandwiches. I turned down the food, despite skipping breakfast, as we'd been told the whole process would only take a couple of hours and I was looking forward to a big Mexican breakfast.
Dockwise arranged for a panga to shuttle captains and crews back to the nearest marina, but we watched two loads leave the ship before we got near the front of the line and that left us standing in the sun in what was, by now, around 90 degrees.
We finally managed to be the last two to board the third panga and arrived at Costa Baja marina around 11 a.m. From there we shared a taxi back to our own marina with the captain and crew of Quoddy's Run. At that point we decided to drive to Rancho Viejo for "breakfast." The six of us shared a table as well as lots of stories and laughter. I was talked into ordering jugo verde (green juice) which turned out to be a delicious combination of pineapple, grapefruit, nopales (cactus), celery and parsley served chilled in a huge margherita glass. Then I devoured the best huevos rancheros I've ever eaten...or maybe I was just really, really hungry.

Goodbye to good people

We said goodbye to our new friends as they were leaving for the airport for 20 hours of travel to Nova Scotia. One aspect of this life that troubles me is that after we meet and get to know and like other cruisers they just sail out of our life.  We're told that cruisers are constantly crossing paths with each other and will meet up again somewhere in their travels. We all exchange boat cards with contact info but for a person who doesn't like saying goodbye.......
Anyway, it was an interesting day, a fascinating trip and a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday in beautiful Baja California Sur.

Ah, yes

If you want guarantees in life, then you don't want life. You want rehearsals for a script that's already been written. Life by its nature cannot have guarantees, or its whole purpose is thwarted.

  Neale Donald Walsch

Mexican Navy Invasion

Some of the guys waved to me after this picture.

I went on deck yesterday to retrieve a tool for the captain and saw this boat from the Mexican Navy cruise up the canal next to ours.  My first thought was, "Wonder if they're checking foreign boat documents?"  but then common sense reigned and I thought, mmm, this is a Kodak moment.
Truthfully, until recently I held a suspicious view of Mexican authority, whether the army ( whose troops ride around in open trucks with men on board holding Uzis), federales, local policia or the navy. My biggest fear was that I would not be able to communicate properly with them if I were stopped for any reason. One of our dock neighbors, a young and attractive female, tried to get cute with the policia one evening when she was stopped for not wearing a seat belt. Using her hands as a push-up bra she tried to indicate, in Spanglish, why her bust was just too uncomfortable in a seat belt.  He was not amused and slapped her with a 1200 peso fine. While I still don't relish the idea of being waved to the side of the road I now feel considerably more proficient at handling such a situation.

Always very serious...

So camera in hand I walked to the end of a neighboring dock and waved to the guys.  I pointed to my camera and asked, o.k.? "Si," yelled the young man standing next to the helmsman.  "Smile," I shouted and did a thumbs up. Some of them looked my way and I snapped a couple of shots, then gave a loud "Muchas gracias, senors," and bowed. At that point some waved and smiled.  I should have left my camera "on."
They left the marina at that point and didn't stop at a single boat.  Just boys out cruisin', I suppose.

Grumpy Old Men or the Curmudgeon Club

I’ve reported in this blog about the regular radio net which comes on our VHF promptly at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. It is filled with serious information about and for boaters and provides a valuable service.  If the VHF has been left at a normal volume for the night one will have an opportunity to listen to, or become involved with, what is known locally as “the other net.”  Somewhere around 7:15 on most days (even Sunday) a personage known as “Shazam” announces on 22, “Turn to channel 21 for some free talk.” And so it begins.

For the next 45 minutes the majority of the speakers, with Shazam acting as net control, speak on a variety of current topics, politics and newsworthy events taking place in the U.S.A. with as much venom and vitriolic as they can muster.  Most of these guys lean very far to the right, and  according to them nothing has gone right in the U.S. since, well maybe, Lincoln (I have heard G. Washington demonized.) The irony is that most live in Mexico and have no inclination to return to America, ever!  It seems such waste of time and energy. And good old Shazam leads the listeners and speakers down a primrose path with a few short, pat phrases. He loves to talk about  Americans as” sheople” and scorns the “silence of the lambs.”  As far as he’s concerned EVERYTHING that is wrong in the world is the fault of the U.S.; somehow the U.S. even came out the bad guy in the earthquakes in Japan. I never could follow the "logic" there.  He has talked for months about what a crime it was that the U.S. hadn’t caught Bin Laden then criticized the SEALS effort in getting him then later charged that was probably all a hoax. The majority of the other listeners just agree with him…or are cut off with a sarcastic comment if they dare to challenge.

So why, you ask, do I listen to what must be a pretty objectionable 45 minutes for this avowed liberal? Good question. I have been known to raise my voice at the radio. I say thing like “What a bunch of idiots!” and “He’s got to be kidding” and “Oh yeah, the entire space program is a figment of Hollywood’s imagination and technology.”  Well, truth be told they do have some interesting call ins like the obviously intelligent (he often agrees with me!) gentleman who does a weekly science report and fills us in on what is going on in that world and another gentleman, a retired attorney, who often counteracts insane statements with common sense rebuttal. I once told him he was the voice of reason on the “show;” he grinned and replied that when he first listened free talk he referred to it as “freak talk.”  And while I think many of the opinions heard on free talk are out in right field and the conspiracy theories reek of paranoia, I find the show stimulating in a weird way.  Sometimes having to defend one’s own beliefs, if only to a patient husband, shines a spot light on those beliefs and puts them into perspective.

I used to think there were only a few talkers on this free talk and fewer listeners.  But the longer I am here and speak with other boaters the more I realize that many, many others enjoy a bit of bitter chat with their morning coffee. Occasionally people will admit that they, too, listen to free talk and do a bit of shouting and fist waving at the VHF too.
Sometimes a woman will call in with an opinion and, at the risk of being labeled sexist, is more likely to offer calm reasonable views. Uh, with the possible exception of B who comes on a couple of time a week with bizarre and rambling comments, usually having absolutely nothing to do with the subject at hand.  I have to admit I admire the grouchy guys for being respectful, not cutting her off and offering an “any comments?” at the end of her speech.  There never are any comments and it is probably just as well.

So I raise my cup of coffee to the grumpy old men with a thank you for a stimulating start to each and every day. I have to admit (I don't really want to admit!) that I've enjoyed listening to you. I’ll miss you guys. Salud!

Musings of an aging hippie

So, we talk for weeks and weeks, come to certain, mutual conclusions and make a huge decision. First I announce it to family, knowing they will understand, then to friends and write about it on my blog. Without trying to be melodramatic, sigh...then it's back to life as usual. 
I still wake up with the birds, read a little, then get up to change the radio to channel 21 for "the other net (more on these guys later)," make coffee and take Buddi for her morning ablutions then climb, literally, back in bed to share a lazy early morning with the captain.  We sit up in our bunk with Buddi snuggled between us and listen to our early net guys rant and wait for the 8 o'clock net to hear the marine news and what's happening in La Paz.
Then on to today's project which includes rearranging nearly the entire contents of the boat while the captain installs wiring and hoses for Milagro's air conditioning. I still do the laundry, cook the meals, fill the water tanks and clean..when there is actually a space available to clean.
We still get together with fellow cruisers for dock parties and enjoy wine and cheese on the deck with a couple of friends who returned recently from the mainland.  But nothing is really the same.  This past weekend we spent some time with a very special couple who live in San Diego and visit their boat, White Cap, when they can.  As we enjoyed a great dinner at a new favorite place I thought that this will most likely be the last time I ever see them.  The captain will probably meet up with them somewhere in the South Pacific but the chances of my seeing them again are slim. There is a litany of places and people I will most likely never see again. And I will not see my friend, my partner, the person with whom I chose to spend my life, for a very long time. And that makes me sad.
Yet I will get to see "new" grandchildren and renew acquaintances with the ones growing up way too fast. I will revisit my children who are not children at all and learn to love them as adults and friends, as the truly astonishing and interesting human beings they have become. And I will take the opportunity to search for, as Curly said in the film "City Slickers," One thing. Just one thing. Stick with that and the rest of it don't mean____."

I believe my life is a gift to experience, and I want to be able to experience it on my terms and from my perspective. I will recycle even though people tell me it's a useless endeavor. I will again ascribe to the theory that if I couldn't kill it I won't eat it.  I will meditate and exercise and and practice yoga. I will practice what I preach, that we are all one and what I do for another I do for myself and what I do for myself I do for another. I will search for and find that "one thing" that can make this 4th quarter of my life something for which I can be proud.

It will be hard to leave these nightly beauties, too.

Andrea Carolina

Andrea takes Buddi out to lunch 

For some time now we have been looking forward to meeting the nine year old daughter of our friend Jose Gracia.  Jose and his wife have been apart for awhile and he has missed his little girl terribly. Now she is back in his life for nice long visits and he is a very proud papa.
Jose knew we wanted to spend some time with her so he brought her out to the boat for a "grown-up" afternoon. I've been a vocal fan on this blog of Mexican children with their cheery dispositions and good manners: sweet nine year old Andrea Carolina Gracia Enchova was not an exception. We sat and "talked" for awhile.  My Spanish is still poor and her only English phrases are "hello", "bye" and Dad had taught her "thank you, Larry and "thank you Edie."

We four went to The Dinghy Dock Restaurant for lunch and after consultation she ordered broiled fish with vegetables and rice. She was a serious eater and did a good job on her lunch but was light on the veggies. After a brief conversation with Dad she began to eat them without complaint.  I told Jose that I had eaten that same meal and frankly the veggies were of the frozen variety and I didn't much care for them either!

After lunch and a pitcher of limonda we should have been full, but the grandpa in the captain wanted to buy the little girl some ice cream so we hopped in the car for a ride down the malecon and a visit to a newly opened frozen yogurt store.  The owner was behind the counter and reported that all of the yogurt was made by her husband with fresh fruit.  We each chose a favorite flavor and added toppings. As fresh and delicious as this yogurt was the toppings were overkill.

Ms Pac-Man skips a generation...and switches countries

By now we really were full, so back to the boat we went where the captain challenged Andrea to a Ms Pac-man tournament. Andrea made a good showing and all but beat the captain.  We lent her the game for the duration of her spring break visit and sent her home with peanut butter fudge and a big smile.

Jose came by yesterday with M. Pac-man and thanks for the day; truly, the pleasure was all ours.