Another year down
05 April 2010 | Marina Fonatur, Mazatlan
Sunny and hot.
Well, it's been a year since we set out from Port Townsend, Washington on our new adventure and what a year it has been. We've traveled over 6,000 miles since we left.
People told us we would never make it to Alaska but we did. More told us we would never make it to Mexico, but we did. It's been a big learning experience for us both. Not only systems but learning about ourselves and each other. Sure, we have been married for 38 years, but for the last two years, we have been just about inseparable. It's that way when you live on a boat. Where the heck can you go? Unless you are at a marina or close to shore, you must deal with the everyday events that shape our lives. The highs and lows. The good and the bad. We had to face what ever came our way and we have.
One of our strongpoints is that we complement each other. When a question arrises, we can talk to each other and one of us will normally have the right answer. When we were pulling out the black water tank in the stern head, I got stuck as to how to do it easily. Tracy took one look at it and came up with a solution. When I go crazy, she is sane and vice versa. One of us is always grounded in reality(more Tracy than me). It is truly one of our strong points. This past year has been tough on both of us. The learning curve has been extreme. Many cruisers we talk to have had their boats for years, not just the few we have had Zephyr. Many have even built their own boats so they know all the ins and outs of what is where and how it runs. We jumped from a nice 26 foot boat to a big complex 45 footer that was going through midlife crisis. But we worked at it sometimes getting frustrated and down right mad but we fixed what needed to be fixed and made it to places people told us we would never make it to.
We're now down in Mazatlan, planning to head North for San Carlos for the Summer haulout and storage while we are back in Denver for a few months. Then, back to Zephyr for more projects and travels.
It's been a fun year with plenty of ups(Juneau, Alaska & Mexico) and downs(two more transmissions rebuilds) but here we are. Still ready to go and see more of what the world has to offer.
While in Marina Fonatur, we have flushed the outboard motor, marked the main halyard and reefing lines with whipping thread, cleaned and oiled(yes, that's right--oiled) the teak on the small rail that runs around the upper section of the deck and in front of the dodger. We've washed with fresh water and lubed all the deck hardware so it will run properly once we set off again. It helps to get all the salt out of the blocks. Cleaned the cockpit and straightened up all over Zephyr and met lots of new friends here and at another marina. It's been a busy week and we expect to be here till Thursday. The winds will hopefully change to be out of the West by then. At least that is the forecast.
So the jobs continue as does the fun of the cruising lifestyle. The good and the bad. It's what makes life out here so interesting and fun.