Settled into our Slip
09 April 2015 | Tortugal Marina, Rio Dulce, Guatemala
Beth / sweat dripping down my back
We spent Sunday swimming and visiting while most of the neighbours went to the Round House to play pool volleyball. While we had a great time when we went last season, I felt a need to spend our last afternoon in quieter pursuits, and Jim being the agreeable sort of fellow he is, went along with it. So we had a lovely visit with Sarah – who was enjoying a quiet afternoon too – admiring the progress and the new additions to décor in the house she and Tim are building in the aldea. We managed to find Annie and Tom at home in Texan Bay and it was just wonderful to have a short quick visit with them while Annie is here for a visit. We blew kisses to Jennifer as she chatted with a boater on one of her moorings.
And then it was time to move on up the river. We would have been really morose about leaving our bit of paradise for the season if it weren’t for the fine Gringo Bay Fry Up we enjoyed on Martin and Karen’s porch Monday morning. Our plates were heaped with homemade sausage, badu, (a root vegetable we have discovered this year. Boil it, peel it, then slice it, fry it. mmmm) scrambled eggs with homegrown basil, fruit salad and scones with their own special marmalade. Oh such a feast.
We couldn’t grumble and be sad as we waved goodbye and sailed around the corner. How lovely to be able to say, “See you next year” as they go off to Alaska and England, and we go back to Canada knowing that we’ll meet up again here in the next winter. (This woman and her children paddled by as we left.)
Our docking at Tortugal Marina went smoothly. Jim called ahead to let them know we were coming, and Manuel, Byron and Dave (Ten Years After) were on the dock to help us in. Byron looped our long stern lines around the posts from his dinghy - so much easier than trying to throw them over as we pass by. And every time we do this, I am SO grateful that we bought heavy 60 and 75 foot lines back in Ontario. We used them in the locks of the St Lawrence seaway, on Nova Scotia docks where the tide dropped and lifted us, and in marinas like this where there is no side tie up and we need to be securely tied to posts behind us. We step very carefully over the bow pulpit onto a plank that sticks out from the dock to get ashore. (Remember that, Sue?) There are times when a swim platform on the stern would be oh so convenient. I like being bow in while we are here though – it means that as we sit in the cockpit, we face out to the river and not to the dock.
Many of the regulars are still out cruising, but there are lots of folks to share morning coffee and end of the day food and drink with. We met with Byron, the marina manager, for and hour and a half today while he went over their contract with us and took detailed notes about our boat and what we want him to take care of over the summer. We feel we are in good hands.
The sails are down now and stored in their bags; the sun cover goes on tomorrow; cleaning and sorting and packing continues. We nestle ourselves in between bags to stay and bags to go when we sit in the salon. The parts Jim ordered to repair the windlass arrived today so he will see if that will work. Fingers crossed that it is not a bigger problem. Three more days till we catch the bus out of town. And we are seeing pictures of snow at home. Oh dear. It’s going to be hard to go from barefeet to boots!