The end is near . . . . . . the sad fact is - my visa expired a couple weeks ago and Migracion was kind enough to let me stay until the 19th so that I could complete the boat projects and prepare to leave. Before I do, let me tell you about that diesel problem. After checking several things, I determined that the source of the leak was the high pressure injection pump - the one I had replaced in Astoria, Oregon in '99. I found a technician in Zihuataneo that could service the pump, so I made plans to remove it (a major chore in itself) and deliver it to his shop. Although I had previously checked with him to make sure he was working during Easter week (this, a notorious problem in Mexico), when I arrived with the pump in hand he was nowhere to be found. Over the next couple of days I became more frustrated as I wasn't able to make connections with him and of course I couldn't run the engine to charge batteries with the pump removed.

At this time there was a gringo diesel mechanic from the large port city of Lazaro Cardenas, about 60 miles north, working on several cruising boats in Zihua. Thinking that perhaps he could help me out I contacted him aboard a friend's boat and he offered to take the pump to a shop he was 'very familiar with' in Lazaro C., have them service it and return it to me within a day or two. He assured me that since Lazaro C. was such a bustling port, there was no taking time off for Easter in the shops there. Surprisingly, after taking the pump that afternoon, he returned the next day with it, as he described, "completely rebuilt and ready to go." The cost was 2600 pesos, and knowing the complexity of the pump, a not unreasonable amount. While examining it, however, I noted one part had been installed reversed and another did not seem right, and pointing this out to him he simply said he'd return it to the shop and they would make it right. I hadn't paid him and he said he would have the pump back in perfect condition and then we could settle up.

Two days later he returned and the pump looked right to me. I paid him - he said not to worry, the shop that did the work would stand by it - and I took the pump out to install it on the engine. The short story is: the engine would barely run at all, and there was really no way I could even determine if the leak had been fixed !! Obviously there was a big problem so I decided to wait for the mechanic to return, afterall he was working on five other boats here in the bay. But after two days of him not showing (and as of now he has yet to return) I became discouraged and went to see the local guy. Easter was past and he was back at work, somewhat apologetic about being gone after he had assured me he'd be working. I arranged to bring him to the boat, where he could listen to the problem, and after finally getting the engine to run he said the pump would have to go to his shop for disassembly. Once again (I'm getting better at this) the pump was removed and I arrived at his shop, telling him in my best halting Spanish that I would be staying there and observing his work. He didn't seem to mind, so I watched as he first ran it on his test equipment for half an hour then mounted it to a workbench and had it totally apart in ten minutes ! As he was removing this part and that assembly, I would try to communicate that I wanted to know if any of the parts, gaskets, seals and O-rings were new, and he would continually reply, "No - es no nuevo". He finally determined that one seal had probably been replaced on the shaft, correcting the leak, but he (and of course I) was dismayed that anyone would completely strip the pump down, and then not replace the seals, etc with new, particularly after charging for a rebuild. But of course I have no way of knowing exactly what was done, or specified, or charged by the shop in Lazaro C., because I had only dealt with the American mechanic as intermediary.

Two days, and 2000 additional pesos later I had the pump back and the technician requested to be with me when I reinstalled it - even coming out to the boat on a Sunday while we got it back in and running. This guy was not only proud of his work, but took an interest to see that everything was reinstalled correctly and the engine was running smoothly. The story of Dennis Doyle, the gringo mechanic from Lazaro C. is unclear. He never returned to Zihuatanejo after collecting my 2600 pesos. The other cruisers he was working for finally hired other mechanics to complete their work and have moved on. The worst situation was a sailboat, it's entire engine Dennis had removed and transported to a shop in Lazaro C. - and the boatowner didn't even know what shop. With the help of some locals, he went to Lazaro C., hunted down the shop, found his engine completely torn down with the prognosis that it was too far gone to repair and further found that the shop had received none of the US$ 1200 prepayment he had made to Dennis !! He returned to Zihua that day with the pieces of his engine and total dismay. As I was preparing to leave, he had purchased a 25 horse outboard and was fabbing a mount to the side of his forty footer and planning to return to Victoria, BC, his cruising plans in limbo. At least I now have a smooth running engine and can make final preparations to head north - which I'm off to do now. The moral: Like everything else in life - know who you're dealing with ! I placed too much confidence in the fact that this guy was working on several other boats.

I plan to leave here around 22 April and head offshore, following the so-called "Clipper Route" which takes advantage first of the trade winds to attain sufficient westing to gain a favorable position with the Pacific High Pressure Center, then hopefully picking up southerlies there to carry north to 40 N, where we can begin to head NE toward Oregon or Washington with westerlies and northwesterlies. The benefit versus traveling north along the coast is a more comfortable trip away from land and the dangers there. Estimated passage time is 30 to 35 days over a course of 3500 - 4000 miles. Destination is Newport, OR where I can leave the boat in the marina and travel to Bend to help my daughter and her family construct their new home. After that, my plans are open and I may stay in the NW for a bit, working to replenish the kitty, or return to Mexico or head to Hawaii and points SW. Que sera, sera.

I hope this finds you all enjoying the return of spring (except for you in the southern hemisphere who are well into fall) and a beautiful summer.

Fair Winds - - Terry and Secret O' Life