03/13/2010
This morning we turned the boat around and Rudy cleaned the bottom. In the process, his suction cup that he uses to stabilize himself and apply pressure, got away from him. Since it floats he launched the dinghy and went on sucker patrol down current but came back empty handed. Visibility for bottom work is not good, apparently you need to be close enough to the barnacles that you could lick em ... if that's your kettle of fish.
We hiked over to the YC after lunch to send e-mails, then took the bus to Wally Mart but ducked the big guy in favor of a nearby local mercado where we bought fish, pork loin, chicken, pork tenderloin and beef. According to our purchasing manager, it is so much better than Wally's and who am I to know any different. Certainly the fish we had for dinner was ocean fresh.
After stacking the freezer with today's spoils, we added up the meal count and concluded that there were four 5-person meals in it. We plan another sortie just to make notes of what is available, then we will get our heads together to plan actual menus for the Marquesas leg. Rudy is sure we will catch fish and will not starve.
Tomorrow, Angus joins us for the sail to Punta Mita and the spinnaker run back. This is not a race (but wherever there are two boats...) you know how that goes. It is a fund raiser for local schools. There is a potluck dinner at Vallarta YC following.
More later
| Leg 05: Banderas Bay Regatta |
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03/12/2010, Nuevo Vallarta
Here the weather is . Well, different from what everyone expects...cooler and more cloudy, but for me it's fine. Beautiful blue sky, nice temp right now.
Wind Child looks pristine. Obviously Rudy has not been sitting idle. There is much talk of the upcoming regatta, seems like a bigger deal than I had thought and we are taking on a couple of extra crew making seven.
Yesterday Rudy and I went shopping, first to Plaza Caracol looking for some small wattage halogen bulbs (no luck) and then on to Walmart for food shopping. We loaded up with as much as we could reasonably carry back on the bus.
In the evening we hosted Angus and Rolande Ramsey from s/v Periclees for dinner on Wind Child. Rudy did his now famous Nasi Goreng. They are here from Vancouver and are hoping to do the Puddle Jump next year. We learned that Angus is a budding author, about to publish his first novel set in the ship building and trade era between Mexico and the Philipines in the 16th century.
On Sunday we are sailing to Punta Mita to join in the Spinnaker Run back to Nuevo Vallarta. While there we will clean the bottom, all the way to the keel with help from Angus who is bringing his scuba tank. There is some other activity involving decorated dinghies that sounds like fun.
| Leg 05: Banderas Bay Regatta |
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03/07/2010
Didn't have time to figure out how to make this work in SailBlogs so please Click *here* to see some of the pictures taken during the Cruising the Mexican Gold Coast leg of Wind Child's voyage. (Note: At the web site, click on the top left picture to enlarge. Arrows allow you to go forward/back or start a slideshow)
| Leg 04: Cruising the Mexican Gold Coast |
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03/06/2010, Paradise Village Marina and Sequim, WA
Wednesday, March 3 - Friday, March 5, 2010
Well, one of us is still in Paradise...I arrived home at 12:30 this afternoon to riotous color in the front yard - the daffodils are in full glory. It was fun making a list of signs of spring as I rode home with Rocket...there's always such promise in spring...for which I'm trading the warm sunshine I was feeling on bare arms and legs two days ago...
Both of the last two days in paradise were quiet - kept deliberately that way in an effort to slow time. It didn't work.
Wednesday we went over in the morning to pick up the painting - a beautiful basket of oranges (representing the boat and crew) with one out of the basket (yours truly). It's really a delightful painting and brings bright color and wonderful memories of Nuevo Vallarta to our home. We ran into Angus and Rolande who had moved their boat to the slip right below Estudio Cafe...we spoke of coming there for dinner later for our ending meal and instead they invited us over for a delicious pork roast complimented with mediterranean vegetables and topped off with dessert (cheesecake) at the cafe. We had a great time visiting and eating under the shade of their bimini - wrapped in the cocoon of a warm evening and equally warm company. Wednesday was also propane day - we took the empty tank to the harbormaster's office on the dingy ride over and picked it up after our swim and on our way to dinner...what fine planning!
Thursday - time to leave. We got laundry done and I finished the fine art of packing many too many things I'd purchase into a small suitcase and bag that could just do carry-on. (Rudy thinks the bag I left on board has gotten a lot fuller!) I fit in that last swim while the clothes were drying and got back to the boat with two hours to go. Rudy'd stayed back and cleaned up the dinghy and put the engine away for awhile. We lunched and left at 2 for the 4:10 flight...got there in very good time (because I'm getting even more spoiled chose to taxi). Check in was really fast in the 'carry-on' line - and it was really short...we parted soon after when we got to the security checkpoint. Me on to the wait ahead and Rudy off to Costco (my fingers are crossed and prayers are said that he's watching where he's walking!). The flight was uneventful and timely, passport check was the only line, at customs I was the first (I had 3 agents to choose from - the wonderful part of no checked baggage!), the night at Seatac went smoothly as did the ride home.
This is Jean, signing off of WindChild until mid-May, somewhere in the South Pacific...(Dave will be back on board next Tuesday)...hasta luego - it was lots of fun! (now it's off to the STACK of mail and details that need attending to...)
| Leg 04: Cruising the Mexican Gold Coast |
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03/02/2010, Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
Suddenly it seems we have too many interesting books to read - and time is evaporating. Today I finished one then got in an earlier than yesterday swim. After lunch I downloaded photos from the memory sticks I have while Rudy read and then we dinghied over to Estudio Cafe to pick up my painting and get a few food items at the OXXO there (like a 7-11). Fedrico was not there, so we intended to get back over after 6pm in the evening. But, it was awfully warm this afternoon, we took the long way home to the boat, read awhile, then went up for a late afternoon swim and then up to the yacht club for Rudy to check and answer emails and me to visit with their commodore, Linda Green. We had a good visit with her and her husband, Dan. They have been an important part of getting the club and junior program started and prospering down here with similar but also very different circumstances and problems. They've got a big regatta going on right now for the juniors with 75 boats involved - one several years ago had the North American race with close to 200 boats - busy times. It was a very nice visit and we exchanged club burgees for display. We returned to the boat for a late dinner and will try tomorrow to connect for the painting. We'll be over there for dinner for sure later in the evening, but it would be nice to figure out the packing before then...Rudy's still reading away - as I will be in a few minutes...only 1 1/2 more days in paradise for me...
| Leg 04: Cruising the Mexican Gold Coast |
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03/01/2010, Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
We were much busier today. Rudy got busy making a beverage tray to fit near the chart table so it will be easier to fill mugs with coffee - meaning they won't be tipping over. I was off swimming and returned to the sounds of the drill and grinder as he worked away getting the holes big enough. I did laundry in the afternoon - all the things I don't want agitating in a machine - and, of course, it's tons of fun decorating the lifelines with all the finery!...it makes Rudy so proud...
We met Angus and Rolande at the pool at 4pm, swam awhile, then dressed and went up to the yacht club for drinks and dinner. We all had a good meal and a nice visit - in fact, Rolande and I were quietly dressed and waiting while Rudy and Angus talked and talked about sailing.
| Leg 04: Cruising the Mexican Gold Coast |
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