While still in Alaska, we had been in touch with the Atalanta folks where Wings is on the hard. It requires a lot of water when they pull or return a keel boat into the water and our planned boat insertion next week was one of those odd weeks during which tides did not permit our splashing the boat. We either splashed her a week late, making preparation for our first guests difficult, or splashed her early: hence, we interrupted the Playa Grande week. Since we have so much stuff to take to the boat, we decided to take the solar panels with us and get them to Wings to relieve our hauling some of the mountain of gear that we have to haul to La Paz. At 5 feet long, 2 feet wide, 40 pounds each and MADE OF GLASS, they were something to deal with.

We were up at 6:30 AM, hauled the panels to the taxi, and got them to the bus station. From there, we boarded a bus to La Paz and enjoyed the ever-changing vistas of the desert as we rolled along. Most riders napped, probably because they wanted to make their dry, dusty environs disappear from view as they dreamed of more verdant places. Hot and dusty it is, too. Cactus, barbed wire, and tiny dry outposts of humanity filled the three hours: well that and a few road detours onto dirt roads. Several times, some old guy wearing a cowboy hat and wrinkles would disembark in a totally desolate location. One almost thought he was going to the desert to die what with the location and his gloomy visage, but some tiny home would pop into view as the bus moved away revealing a different sightline. More surprising were the nicely dressed young people who also disembarked in the middle of nowhere. It must have been difficult to dress and prepare for the trip when accessible water is so totally absent.

In La Paz, we found a compliant cabby and tied our two panels to his luggage rack and hoped for the best. Arriving at Atalanta, we stacked the still-intact boxes containing the panels against a wall and went to see our girl.

Man, she was dusty! Rain? None, but plenty of wind and blowing dust. I never appreciated the cold Alaskan rains more than yesterday. How do you wash a mast if not for rain? With rain as infrequent as it is here, we depend on a desperately scarce commodity: clean water.

We hurried about and accomplished all the chores that had to be completed prior to slipping her back into her element. We greased the feathering propeller and replaced the zincs on the prop and prop shaft. We replaced the main ground zinc, luckily too, since it was totally gone, although enough remained to fight the removal. We also greased all the sea cocks, or at least all that we could get to move: close the valve, from outside swish in some grease with a brush, then work the valve handle a few times.. Jeez, we greased all of them in San Francisco but this time I couldn't even move one! Late in the afternoon, the Atalanta crew pulled the trailer around us and got the boat ready for an early morning splash.

At 8 AM sharp, the Atalanta crew arrived, took some time to align things a bit, then lifted the boat. After a short carry, they backed us into the water with no problems. Having seen them work while they removed Wings from the water, we weren't worried at all. All went well. On several occasions, they showed their professionalism and experience: check for leaks as she goes in the water, start the engine and put her into gear before they cast off lines. Well, duh!

We moved Wings to her temporary home until we return on Sunday, Marina Palmira. A 30 kt wind had picked up during the night, making sleep impossible and making navigation in close quarters a bit nerve wracking since we had not been on the boat in three months! With our experience, some dock help, and some luck, we were able to guide her into her temporary slip with no problem and no hull dings.

We quickly buttoned her up and headed back to Cabo, traveling lightly, and arrived in time for Happy Hour at 3PM! The same crew of old and young slept on the bus as we careened down the highway. A few left us, a few joined us from the desert. I'm not sure that they were the same, but there was a similarity. Those joining us looked less dusty and a bit happier than those who left us. Perhaps it was just my imagination.

We'll stay until Sunday, then join Wings for the spring. So much work to do, but I miss her a lot.