aVida

Boatless and Landlocked for Awhile... But With a View to Die For

30 December 2014
rl/ms
People we have met in our voyages and travels over the last 5 plus years have inquired about and have said they missed an update to our blog -
So here it is...

Since Mark sold his business AVID and our boat aVida last year, we decided to become landlocked for awhile - a 2nd home in a warm climate for the winter months.

We travelled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico end of December with no intentions of buying a place, but fell in love with it. We found and bought and furnished a new contemporary condo steps away from the Romantic Zone and the sea, with an extended terrace facing the Banderas Bay. Check it out at http://www.pinnaclepv.com/signature/ . It has truly a view to die for, in a great location. To us this place is magical. The locals, Expats, and tourists are friendly, lots of culture, art galleries, street vendors, musicians, performers, Burlesque comedy shows, Latin music, beaches to explore, watersports, whale and dolphin watching from our terrace, and fireworks nightly... This city is alive, at least in the winter months.

A handful of friends have already come to stay with us, and agree that this city is a gem. We have taken many side trips to the interior of Mexico- what a beautiful friendly country!! A mountain escape to Mascota, a cool hippie surfing town Sayulita, a dive trip to Cozumel, with great friend MarkJ joining us there, and to Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state where we live, no tourists but a dynamic alive city.

For the summer to fall months, we, just as the whales and other snowbirds will move on.

We plan to return to our home base, our condo in OH in June and then travel another 3-4 plus months until our return back to PV in November.

This year we have booked (on our own) a 3 plus month journey to LA, then Tokyo, then a 10 day sailing charter trip around Indonesia's Balinese islands, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Jakarta, Suwalesi), Orangatang trekking in Malaysia/Sumatra and Borneo area, with stops along the way in Singapore, and finally a month of scuba diving around several islands of the Maldives - before they or we disappear under water.

The year after that, we have too many options. Perhaps we summer exploring Alaska or the Arctic/Antarctic, maybe a summer river cruise across Europe, and maybe another safari adventure in Africa in the fall. We say as always, we will see where the wind blows and the seas will take us.

So, now we are boatless and unemployed bums for a while, but perhaps that will again change in the future. Who knows, we may buy another boat, and may return with a new sailblog. There is a big world out there and we still have so many places we want to experience.

For now, we have a new second home in PV. Clearly it is not aVida, but it is not so bad, and with a view to die for.

This is the last entry on this Sailblogs we will post.

We will keep it open for those who want to reminisce, as we do. Thanks to all of the friends and family who have sailed with us, stayed with us, and the many people we have met (many of whom we will see again), who have shared so many great life experiences with us.

What an incredible voyage it has been, with so many very special people.

Adios, Friends and Family... until our next adventure.

Mark and Rita (markarita (margarita) as we are known here ;)

Whale Watching in Mexico!

22 December 2014
ms
A Get Away to Puerto Vallarta for Three Months+

12/21/14

Hello Friends and Family,

We have been in PV for about a week now, and we like it! We are staying south of town in the "Romantic Zone", which is a blend of historic old buildings, cobblestone streets, with trendy new smaller scale condos/apartments, bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, etc. It is not like the cruise ship area or the hotel/resort zone which a friend called "a cultural wasteland". This is the most gay friendly (and safe) town in MX, and the Romantic Zone is the center of that, so there is a lot of art, trendy fashion, evening entertainment, music, and vibe, mixed with Mexican culture.

We just moved into the condo we are renting until April, but we have to temporarily move out for a week after Xmas because it was previously rented. It is brand new construction, with a large in-house gym, a long real lap pool for swimming, Jacuzzi, a great rooftop terrace, in a great neighborhood. And we got a great 3 month price on it. Check it out at Www.vrbo.com/604834

Since we won't have an apartment, for the week starting Dec 26, we will rent a car and explore the interior mountains near San Sebastian, and Mascota, 2 historic 18th century mining towns, 1 mile high in pine forests, now eco-destinations with nature hikes, wildlife, zip-lines, at a relaxing pace.

For NYE will stay at an all-inclusive cultural wasteland resort in PV for the party and fireworks. The International Fireworks competition is here for the holidays, with 6 countries competing for a week straight- should be cool.

We went on a snorkel trip and boat ride watching boobies (blue footed birds that is) and swam to the "hidden beach" in Marietas Marine preserve; you have to swim through a long arch tunnel to get to a beach surrounded by cliffs, like you are in a crater. Tomorrow we go on a whale watching excursion in the bay to see the humpbacks which winter here- lots of them.

Last night we ended up late at a locals club where we mixed our salsa moves and special MarkaRita style with club dancing and we had the crowd hooting and cheering us on- fun! Not bad for old farts.

There is a Lot to do here in PV. Open invitation to join us if you can. We have a full private 2nd bedroom and bathroom, so all you need is airfare to get here, and a swimsuit. Already taking reservations. It may not be aVida or even a boat, but it's not bad.

Happy Holidays and a Healthy Prosperous New Year to All!

With Love,
Mark and Rita

Christmastime 2014

12 December 2014
rl
Our Holiday Greeting to Family and Friends

As we reflect on past years of our lives, we are grateful.

Building, growing, and selling AVID.
Creating, voyaging, living aboard, and then selling aVida.
All bittersweet moments,
like closing one page of our lives, yet opening a new one.

We thank you, family and friends, for your encouragement, love, and companionship.

Merry Christmas to you and yours and have a Happy New Year,
filled with building new experiences with many fond memories.

With our love,
Mark and Rita

Bittersweet Again, But a Time to Say Goodbye - to aVida

17 November 2014
ms/rl
Bittersweet Again, But a Time to Say Goodbye - to aVida
11/17/14

Hello Friends and Family,

What a year it has been!

Selling AVID in April was a huge effort, and emotional strain. But we got it done.

Now we are selling aVida. We did not plan to sell her, but in our blog when we returned to Panama from Caymans after some great voyages with great friends aboard, Rita mentioned our future plans might be to go through the Canal and sail to the Sea of Cortez, or sail the Carib some more, or "maybe sell the boat".

Within a week we had 2 guys we don't know come out of the woodwork and were making offers to buy aVida. It seems the Atlantic57 is a highly respected boat and not many were produced, and these guys were following the boat more than us- a good formula for high demand and good price.

In Sept the Buyer came to Panama and we did sea trials, surveyor inspections, etc.

Then we went to Africa for a 7 week safari, and the process was put on hold because we had no email or phones in most of Africa where we were, deep in the bush much of the time.

Africa was fantastic- S.Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Mozambique. We had more animal interactions, killings, sleeping under the stars, wildlife walks, than on any of our 7 prior safaris.

A selection of pictures is in the gallery.

Upon return to Panama over a week ago, we had a flurry of documentation and work to do to get the sale of aVida moving. Then the Buyer had a personal crisis in his life, and the deal was off. 6 days later the deal was on again. What an emotional roller coaster ride!!

One minute we were lamenting the loss of aVida in our lives, the next we were joyous and had a big party because we got her back, then we lost her again. Truth is, it is the right time for us to sell aVida, even though we have mixed feelings about it. We certainly completed our 5 year vision and goals of sailing her (almost) around the world, about 25,000 miles. aVida has been a Great boat and has given us the world, and we love her for it. Now, another family will get to enjoy all of that.

So we have been scrambling to pack up all of our personal belongings preparing to ship it all to Ohio. It's amazing that all of our clothes, scuba equip, electronics, memoirs and stuff of 5 years fits in about 12 bags, but we can only check 4 each as luggage- the rest we will have to ship somehow- and nothing is easy in Panama.

All the documents are done, and the deal is just about closed.

We will return to USA in late Nov for a while, just long enough to plan where we will fly to for our next adventure. We have many ideas, but no firm plans yet. We are talking with a few wildlife conservation groups in Africa exploring if we can live in Africa and make a difference; for example there is a program to move 500 rhinos form SA to Botswana, where the poaching is much less.

We will take it as it comes, and see which way the wind is blowing.

Now we are unemployed bums and soon to be boat-less bums.
We hope to see many of you while we are back in USA, and on the many future adventures to come!

Love and Best Wishes and Happy Thanksgiving! We, as you all, have much to be thankful for, both for our past positive experiences and for the new ones to be made. We say we are just closing one page in our life, and opening yet another new one hopefully filled with more positive and exciting experiences. Bittersweet, but it is time, to move on.

Goodbye aVida... you will always remain as a special page with special memories in our lives.

Mark and Rita

7 Weeks on Safari in Africa for Mark's 60th Including Sand, Sun, Snorkeling, and Scuba

07 November 2014
rl
South Africa, JoBurg, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique.
Our 8th time, and certainly not our last.
Lots to share.
A few pics in the gallery - to give you just a taste.

Back in Ohio for 3 Weeks, 1 Week Retreat to Big Sur, CA to Celebrate Our 25th Anniv, and Then Back to aVida in Bocas, Panama

26 August 2014
rl
Back in Ohio for 3 Weeks, 1 Week Retreat to Big Sur, CA to Celebrate Our 25th Anniv, and Then Back to aVida in Bocas, Panama

20140717 - 0816

Text and Pics on Request
Vessel Name: aVida
Vessel Make/Model: Atlantic 57
Hailing Port: Akron, Ohio
Crew: Mark Sinreich, Rita Leone
Extra: text...
aVida's Photos - Main
117 Photos
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Start of Voyage
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LiveAboards for 1 Week
30 Photos
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18 months in labor at Alwoplast
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