Tuesday, December 16, 2008

La Paz 2008 - 2009

December 5-11


A note: Some communications are limited when we are out to sea. When traveling by sailboat, we cannot always say when will be in or out of a given location (that may or may not have internet connection) due to weather and tides, etc. Therefore, although we had reservations in La Paz for Dec 1, we arrived the fifth as we had several longer lay-over for winds greater than we want to travel in - or Thanksgiving. For those who have asked, we have lots of radio, position location, etc., “stuff” - from radar to GPS(s) to VHS(s) to SSB (Ham).


On our first morning and after breakfast on the Dinghy Dock restaurant at the hotel, we took a nice stroll around another dock and looked at some real Yates (yachts)...wow and whoa! There is a cool pirate boat near us (Haley’s Comet) - apparently owned by a American movie star (Kansaas City Chiefs fan) who takes underprivileged kids out. He was eating breakfast near us and commented on Bill's Redskins t-shirt. He was on Family Ties and some Die Hard movies, I think - a big black guy. I'll get his name later. did recognize him. A boat near us, Lance and Jo on Milagro, know him; they also knew our boat well from Earl and Maria. Milagro’s little dog, Rocky, (a little terrier) also seemed to know our boat.

Most of the days work was cleaning off the two weeks of salt spray and sand from the decks, washing the ports and general cleaning in and out. Several trips were made to the marina office for some supplies (does cold beer and ice count as supplies?) and questions for the marina office manager, Barbara.

Later in the week, we contacted Ginger’s friends, Ana and Steve who have a winter home here. During the summers, they live on their boat in Alemeda. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at la Fonda, very reasonable and great food.

Friday 12 December

Friday was busy and a delight! Bill got the wood sanders/potential painters started and we caught the free shuttle to town at noon. I attended a Sisters Acquiring Sailing Skills meeting at a local restaurant. I would say 20 ladies showed and another cruising nurse, Julia, (I found out later that she is on a 90 foot yacht near us!) gave a talk on basic first aid. Others pitched in local information from where to get a $35 mammogram, which pharmacies are legitimate and emergencies on board. When Julia asked, I volunteered some CPR updates. Some new information was new to me but also nice to meet new cruisers - and a few I have known from San Carlos.

Then we met three other couples for a drink/lunch and Ana led us to the local weavers. There were interesting rugs, shawls and table runners. We went back to Ana and Steve's cute casa and sat on the patio and chatted, sharing funny boat stories over a cerveza and cacahuates (peanuts). After, we walked back to our marina along the malecon after dark, grabbing a wonderful street restaurant burrito for $3.... loaded. It was a long trek back and took almost an hour. The malecon was busy, lighted normally and with Christmas lights on the palm trees, now. There was much activity as Friday was a Mexican holiday - Our Lady of Guadalupe. Bill purchased a package and wouldn't tell me what it was. Hum. Christmas?

Total, we did over 14000 steps! Glad I brought my pedometer. Highly recommended; kind of fun to see what you can do in a day. I was pooped last night! Showered on board and we sat up top and watched something creeping/swimming about the marina - jumping and flapping and appeared to be either seals or really big flying fish....

Saturday, December 13, 2008

I met two or three women for a walk back in to town, meeting Ana to show us the wonderful local ceramic pottery place and I found the American bookstore, several gift and craft shops and a lunch stop for shrimp tacos – and cerveza and ice tea. (I have found the ice tea here us usually sweetened, as it is in the south – so will have to carry my own or skip it for beer….) I was tired by the time we returned! I awoke at 0430 with the headache I went to bed with. I think I was probably a little dehydrated. Well, I did bang my head into a sign as we walked back at night, too. I will carry water in the future, duh.

I usually wake early on the boat – unusual for me! Up with early hot tea in the cockpit, watching the marina come alive is very pleasant. The sun is rising over a hill to our east is pretty. I have some Christmas candles for burning, too and they smell good.

We had a nice dinner back at La Fonda Saturday evening and met Ana and Steve, Carla and Doug – all friends of Earl and Maria’s. Also there, a young family cruising with little kids, also from the Alemeda area – The Griffins on s/v Totem. They are just the cutest family, a boy 9 and two girls 4 and 6. Can you imagine the challenges at sea with little ones? Their stories are interesting. Very well-behaved, smart and sweet children. That was a nice dinner and we shared a cab back to our marina.

Sunday and Monday, December 14, 15, 2008

Not much to report as we puttered with boat stuff and email, downloading pictures and starting the blog site both days. Still have work to do on the picture downloads to my Kodak Gallery site – but can also put a few on the blog. We didn’t walk as much…to the marina office and the Dinghy Dock Bar….Perico Loco. Nice and balmy, a few clouds and breezes - paradise!

Bill stripped and oiled the aft swim ladder; he had to use his dremmel to get the rust off the ladder before he polished it. It looks like new – very pretty! A local dock worker, Javier, and his crew have been helping Bill strip and sand the boat wood, too…and almost done. Instead of paint, we will probably try just a monthly teak oil coating. It looks so pretty just oiled!

Off for a walk to town and to find the post office today. And just explore a little more on my own. Will get the good walking shoes on!
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