Left Connie stateside at her insistence to fly with Misa kitty on the great Jet Blue. Jacksonville to San Juan. $113 plus luggage, plus kitty, who gets frequent flyer miles for the trip. Rental car and an hour or so drive to Salinas, getting lost only once. Promise. Once. Even asked for directions. I had many fears about this return. Last time we left the boat we returned to a rat festival in our boat. It was going on as we stood watching. Made us sell Te Oigo. Time before that it was a bug carnival, sort of like Jouvert. ..bugs everywhere and in everything. So the question in my mind was... what am I coming back to?
While away English Steve was looking after Gitanos. Did I mention Gitanos is at anchor in Salinas. Not on dry land but floating on two anchors near Steve's boat. We've been away for ten months...what could go wrong? He has started the engine and generator weekly, so he said. Checked the bilges and kept watch. When I emailed him to say I was returning he said he'd leave the dinghy at the dock. Paddle back to the boat thought I. Put the engine on the dinghy said he. Started first pull said he. Enormous relief said I. A good sign.
If you own a boat you know what can go wrong. If you don't, think of leaving your home for ten months and think it through. I didn't know if rats, ants and cockroaches had invaded or if anything I'd been told was true. When I saw the dinghy I knew all was right with the world...
So I took Misa out to the dinghy...left the bags in the car. Sure enough, there was the dinghy with the 10 hp Merc sitting ready to go. Got in and actually remembered how to start it. First pull. Good sign. Headed off for Gitanos and there she was with her shiny new tail, er, swim platform. Floating. Even better. Still where I left her. Better yet! Tied up to the platform, stepped out and climbed aboard. Platform, ladder et al was fabricated by Silvio of BluesBreaker, a Swiss/Canadian we met last year. He made the platform while we were gone, though I had no worries about the completion or quality of his work. Still, here I was seeing it for the first time. Couldn't have asked for more. Climbed aboard and see all as we left it. Sails and dodger and bimini intact. Lines in place . Only a small reef growing on the hull. Now all I need to do is unlock the locks and peek in.....
No smell emanating, no piles on the floor. As I look around I see all is as we left it, cluttered but clean. Really. No mildew. Sheets for the bed have no mildew or wrinkles in them...ok, maybe a few wrinkles.
As I turn the batteries on the ship powers up, lights come on, frig starts, VHS radio works, propane on, stove works. No exploded cans, no bugs in stores. Ok. Big one...generator starts!!! Engine too!!!! Thank you English Steve. Money well spent. So far everything's as it should be and I am so happy to be home. Home Home Home.