Mike & Julie
12/13/2009, San Blas

Well true to our name, Slacker, we are still here in San Blas. Its just too warm and nice to leave. Right now its 81 degrees and clear. Our plan is to leave tomorrow for Punta de Mita which is about 60 miles down the coast. From there its about 12 miles to Puerto Vallarta. We will spend Julies birthday and Christmas there then head further South. Well, that's the plan this minute. Monday we hired a panga to take us and some of our friends up a river to do some bird and wildlife watching. Amazing. When we get to Puerto Vallarta we will post some of the pictures. Zillions of birds, turtles, crocodiles and iguanas. At the end of the river is a fresh water pool that is fenced off from the crocodiles. We spent an hour swimming in the fresh water. It was a nice change from swimming in the ocean. That's all for now. More to come.

Season 2009-2010

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Mike & Julie
12/13/2009, San Blas

On the road again

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After a week in the boat yard they put us back in the water late Monday afternoon. We immediately began cleaning the inside and outside of the boat. While the yard was nice it was dirty. Tuesday we began to stock the boat with provisions and finish up some little projects. On Thursday we cast off the dock lines and headed out to Stone Island. After a nice 2 hour sail we arrived and dropped the hook. The following morning we left for San Blas, about 130 miles down the coast. It had been an uneventful trip until about 0300 in the morning when we discovered some long lines. For those of you that don't know about long lines let me tell you. First you take a 3-5 mile long piece of 3/8' polypro line. Polypro floats you know. Next attach a huge hook to a 6" piece of 100 lb fishing line and attach the fishing line to the polypro every 20 feet or so. To help keep things floating tie an old 1 or 2 liter soda bottle every 50 feet. Attach one end of the long line to a styrofoam block and the other end to your boat. To help you find the end of the line shove a 6 foot stick through the styrofoam block and tie a garbage bag to it. Now, it's best to run out your lines just before dark and about 20 miles off shore. As soon as you have the lines set pull a blanket over yourself and go to sleep. No need to keep a watch as who would be stupid enough to be out this far from land. Meanwhile back on Slacker we suddenly slowed from 6 knot's to less than one. I grab a flashlight and looked over the stern and sure enough there was a long line around the rudder. I woke up Julie and she came out to help. To get off the line what you have to do is use the boat pole to grab one end of the line and pull it up enough to cut it with a knife. Sounds much easier then it really is. So, finally we get loose and continue on to San Blas. Julie was going back down to catch some sleep when we slow down again. Crap! We had only gone a quarter of a mile and were on another line. Repeat as needed. For the next hour we dodged lines and managed to clear the fishing grounds. They really should put up a sign. For those of you that think its terrible of us to cut these fishing lines let me tell you something. First of all they are illegal. Secondly they are indiscriminate killers fish, shark and sea turtles. Thirdly, they don't light or keep watch on their lines. That makes them a hazard to navigation. Enough said. We got into San Blas just before 0900 Saturday morning. Man, its great to be out of the slip and cruising again.

Season 2009-2010

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12/09/2009, Marina Mazatlan

This is the boat on the travel lift getting back in the water in Monday.
We are planning on leaving on Thursday morning to Stone Island and then to Matachen Bay. We are totally excited!!! After spending last year here in the slip we cannot wait to get back out to sea, and start cruising again!! We will update the blog as often as possible, (or as often as something noteworthy happens). The boat is ready with about 12 cases of beer on board and tons of other less important stuff. I don't think we can put anything else on, so it must be time to go.

Season 2009-2010

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12/05/2009, Singlar Boat Yard

the prop after one month in the very warm water of Marina Mazatlan

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12/05/2009, Singlar Boat Yard

And the prop after the Total Yacht Works guys scrape and grind it

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12/05/2009, Singlar Boat Yard

We arranged to have the boat hauled for bottom paint and a new thru-hull on Nov 30th. We got to the yard and into the slings and then the sky over Mazatlan opened up. It rained until about 1:30 and the boat sat in the slings until the rain let up enough to get us on the jackstands. I have never seen so much rain come down in such a short period of time. What a wierd day.

Season 2009-2010

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11/18/2009

We made our annual pilgrimage to the baseball game. The Mazatlan Venados vs. the Navajoa Mayos. All 28 gringos arrived in 3 fashionable red trucks and had a great time. The game was a close 2 to 3 with the Venados coming out on top. Some of the highlights of the game are the food and the Venados Mascot. The food ranges from hot dogs and burgers to ceivche and pizza. Of course the beer and peanuts and peanuts are always a hit.

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11/12/2009, Deer Island

Sometimes you need a break from your vacation and yesterday we had it. A 15 mininte dingy ride to a great beach and an afternoon of playing. What fun!!

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11/12/2009, Deer Island

The girls are excited

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11/12/2009, Deer Island

The Deer Island Sun and Swim Society

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11/12/2009, Deer Island

Micheal enjoying the water

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11/11/2009, Marina Mazatlan

The first Two for Tuesday Pizza night of the year. 27 people, 8 large pizzas delivered to the dock, 35 pesos a person, What a deal!!

Season 2009-2010

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11/09/2009, Marina Mazatlan

At least 5 or 6 (or more) times a season, we like to play a game called "everyone out of the pool" . It's a really fun game where you get to pull out all the stuff you have in the cockpit locker on a boat, spare parts, kayak paddles, life vests, lines, and assorted other crap and put it on the deck. Then you get to crawl into the locker to repair or replace something that has broken. sounds like fun? weeee

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11/09/2009

Mike playing the game very well!

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11/06/2009, Downtown Mazatlan

We got together with about 12 other cruisers to make one of many trips to Dunia's for fresh shrimp!! The deal is you buy the shrimp off the street from one of the many shrimp vendors, a kilo for large shrimp sell for 90 pesos, and then take them to Dunia's where they boil it for free. If you want garlic and butter it is 30 pesos extra. Well 12 gringos get there kilo of shrimp and turn around to go to Dunia's and the door is sealed up tight!! What to do? Well you walk down the street and find another place "Anchor del Oro". These are not your typical Mexican restaurants, they are Bars. All of the customers are men except for the group of gringos, and there are lots of "working girls" looking for a short time position!?! But the food is great and the beers were ice cold and the music is VERY loud, so its no more Dunia's, its Anchor del Oro from now on!!

Season 2009-2010

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11/06/2009

John and Deb of Lovely Rita

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11/06/2009

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11/06/2009

the group, and way too much shrimp!!

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11/06/2009

the fried fish yummy!!

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11/02/2009, Mazatlan, Sinaloa

Dia de los Muertos 2009
For the third year in a row we were able to make it to the parade, and it never fails to amaze us at how much fun the Mazetleco's have.

Season 2009-2010

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