We are still alive and sailing!

Bill at Sea and Fran"s 60th BD party in San Carlos...

Yes we are still alive and well and sailing in Mexico this winter.

We apologise for the long delay in updating our Blog.

It has been a most interesting, eye-opening, expensive

and educational year....

we started in San Carlos with Tom and Joan, to include thew Soggy Peso Bar!

So far, the Sail Log is close to 30 pages long - which I will not post

on the Blog! However, if anyone wants to take a peak at details,

let us know by email and we will be glad to foward a copy as an

attachment. Perhaps if you are having trouble sleeping....

In summary. we left San Carlos in December and decided to head

straight south to Mazatlan and try to get into warmer waters faster.

Our first phase included broken generator, malfunctioning main sail

boom and no engine due to a cracked injector mount. We limped into Topolobampo for initial repairs. On to Mazatlan, we lost the engine

yet again and sailed on jib only for 113 miles and being towed and

pushed into Marina Mazatlan for repairs of everything. Thanks to

s/v's Gosling, Optical Illusion and Java for big time assist... and to Total Yacht Works for allowing us to earn one of their hats....

Feeling good, we continued south toward San Blas and then on to

La Cruz, with a few stops here and there en route. We enjoyed

La Cruz again and had much socialization with cruiser friends there.

While in La Cruz, we did take a two-week hiatus and bussed home

for a few things. The Mexican bus was interesting, not too bad and

we were on the cheapest one due to our route to Guaymas where the

car was. Thanks again to Tom and Joan for assisting us, babysitting

the car, picking us up and providing a bed and a hot shower!

From La Cruz, we took the "new" jump south toward Bara de Navidad

and Las Hades.

Tsunami!

We met up with s/v Gosling in Tenecitata and "rode out" the Japan

Tsunami in the bay there. Saw some amazing surges in out out

with 10' tide changes and 5 minute ins and outs. Felt as if we were

in a bath tub whirling around. We had actually left for the day as

the water surge was due at mid-day. We returned about 3 only to have

the surges strike at 4:30. A few boats had to quickly move as the

water dropped so low so fast. Much debris was washed from the

estuary jungle and the next morning, the bay was full of cactus,

branches, leaves...no crocs or snakes seen. I really worried the

snakes might crawl into the chain locker and rot....nope.

We enjoyed an intersting lagoon anchorage in Barra with Fran

and Jean-Guy (s/v Gosling) touring us around and showing us

the "Barra Ropes". We attended St. Patrick's Day in Melaque nearby.

Their patron saint is St. Pat, so it was a big deal, fioreworks, carnaval,

rodeo and all. We also spent a day at the Grand Bay Resort at the

luxury pool, thanks to friend's in their marina.

From Barra, we headed south toward Las Hades with several

intermmitent stops. Las Hades is a pretty spot and a nice anchorage

under the med-style resort on the hill, where Bo Derek's "10" was

filmed. I did laundry there at $10 a set - yikes! Our only disappointment

there all the air polution from the bay industry in nearby Manzanillo.

It was always smoggy. But we did enjoy the nice pool at the resort.

Heading back north toward La Cruz, we broke an engine mount. Bill did an amazing Mexi-fix and we limped into the marina and got a repair. Coming and going around Cabo Corrientes was pretty good as it goes there. The plan was to head to La Paz and the Baja but with a short weather winow, we ended up back into

Mazatlan after a stop in San Blas for laundry, fuel and showers. I swear, there's a magnet in Mazatlan. We had a little wind on the docking and had to shift slips - but had S/v Seabourn assisting along with the marina crew. Hum, I don't think we had anything to fix there this time, did we? No, we but noticed a tear in our Genoa so we put up our Jib and stowed the Genoa for future repair or replacement in San Diego.

Next stop: La Paz. We decided to go straight to the Baja, through the Cerralvo channel and into La Paz. The trip started with 20 miles of pea soup fog. Used the radar and the foghorn and it was eerie. After that, pretty benign until we hit the Cerralvo channel, north of Muertos. Had 26 knots and some seas at the entry, then it calmed somewhat. But the exit and through the San Lorenzo channel was a hair-raiser. Bill saw 42 knots of winds and we had 8-10' waves crashing the bow. And followed by the Baja Ferry and another large yacht - who both passed us as we tossed along. SLOB. The San Lorenzo Overnight Bash. whew, was glad to get into Palmira and a quiet slip. Then slept like babies t night!!

From La Paz, the plan is to go north to Puerto Escondido and Loreto Fest and then back to San Carlos, then home by early May. What a winter, so far!!

Fall Escape to Nova Scotia!

Where did the summer go?

Just where DID the summer go?

Between house projects, we made a run to the boat/San Carlos a few times and a trip to Dallas to see kids and grandkids. Linda also attended her annual Take Shape for Life conference. (http://www.cardionurse.tsfl.com/)

We also made a long weekend visit to New Mexico, Albuqureque and the Taos area, to see friends. The Enchanted Circle loop near Taos is gorgeous.

July 4th was fun as we had Cristy down from Phoenix and Marty and Michael Jr. visit from CA as well as Karen from Tucson. We did the fireworks and ate fried chicken, our annual treat.

We just had/are having an exceptionally wet monsoon season in Sierra Vista. A total of 10" so far - and 3" of that was in ONE DAY! We had a lake in the back yard!! Bill has been working his butt off around the yard with lots of mowing and trimming, patio furniture re-painting , inside decor painting, tiling...and all the things that go with that....lawn mower repairs, paint clean-up and beer drinking.... Linda was able to do some sewing for the boat (fender covers, etc) and some intense sorting and cleaning, shopping, planning and seeing Cristy, helping friend Lillian...and started doing some baking, as well.

In Dallas, we had the grandkids, Chase and Amber, stay with us at the resort for a few nights before we went to their house and did "car pool" for the week for Vicky while Lindsey was visiting his mom in CA. We had a surprise (to Bill II) visit from Stormy (aka Bill III) and his girlfriend, Cris, who flew in from NC!

And Linda met up with some Army Nurse friends at conference, too....here's Brenda and Patti with Linda.

We have enjoyed the summer mostly at home, seeing a few friends and working on the house and yard. One more trip south to "strip" Tanque de Tiburon for hurricane season, which has already started on the east coast and one threatened way south of San Carlos. We are making lists and gathering information for this upcoming winter trek, when we hope to get even further south of Puerto Vallarta before Christmas. We have "pretty-sure" house sitters lined up with Russ and Jodee from Smoke-N-Blues, who currently have their boat for sale.

We are in hopes of a mini-family gathering over Thanksgiving and are receiving our "RSVPs" and have the guest rooms already filled. One for Robin's and one for Bill's sister Karen. Hoping for Cristy who celebrates her 30th in November!

Our next trip is north. We will visit Tom and Joan in Halifax, Nova Scotia Sep 29-Oct 15. Looking forward to great lobster and expensive beer. Beautiful scenery and culture.

Have a great fall!!!

Linda and Bill

Sail Finale 2010

See the note below! Just a few pics from our trip back north....enjoy!!! Linda and Bill

So sorry so long in updating but we had some adventures and travels and got busy having fun and..and...no excuses! Our Sail Log is up to date but lengthy, so will NOT add it to the Blog! If you would like to view the Official Tanque de Tiburon Log, we will be happy to email it to you on request. Let us know at sharktank2003@cox.net. We are heading home from San Carlos May 11th, this Tuesday. It's been a great winter! We made FIVE fests! From Carnaval in Mazatlan, to the Boat Show in La Cruz with the Banderas Bay Regatta, Bay Fest in La Paz and Loreto Fest in Puerto Escondido! Met new friends, saw old friends, lost a friend, surfed a wave into San Blas and made YouTube (google San Blas Knockdown...it may still be there). We are tired and ready to go home and rest....Here's a few pics form here and there. I also have more pics on a Kodak Gallery and will also send if you would like to view them! Just know we are fine, boat is fine and we will be back in Sierra Vista soon!

San Blas

Here's Linda and Tanque de Tiburon on our arrival in San Blas and the Marina!

We left Mazatlan and head south on an overnight passage, then spent two "rolly" nights near Isla Isabela. Here's Bill on the bow infront of the Isabela Rocks we anchored near but we were unable to dinghy to shore to tour due to the state of the seas. Th Blue Footed Boobies will have to wait for the next trip - but the Frigate birds were flying all around!

So we went on to San Blas,

have spent a week, touring the city, the jungle and crocodile farm nearby, meeting new friends, eating and shopping and generally doing boat chores.

San Blas is a delightfully sweet town...stone streets abound so the cars have no shocks, many on bicycles , lots of small mom and pop stores, restaurants, bars, people enjoying the plaza (Bill says it reminds him of the play, "Our Town"!) and arts and crafts from the local Huichil Indians.


Think about this picture - could this be Prescott 1956?

The courtyard of the Flamingos Hotel - lovely!




March 4th - en route to La Cruz with several stops...details to follow - stay tuned!!!