Today I celebrate my 61st birthday but that celebration will have to wait until after the funeral of Mary's mom.

After a long illness of nearly three years - on and off - she passed away on January 3rd and the ripe old age of 88. She lived a full and eventful life. She raised Mary and her sibs on a John Alden schooner for about four years in the early days of San Diego harbor when Shelter Island was but a spit of sand. Mary used to row her skiff over to the spit and play in the holes dug for the upcoming palm trees that now line the streets on the Island.

We hope to return to Mazatlan and Carpe Vita on January 11th or 12 th and resume our cruising. Until then, warm following winds to all!!