Our trip is complete. We're eating potatoes purchased in Cabo San Lucas. I'm drinking the end of the tequila and Cointreau in a Margarita.

We called the marina this morning as soon as they were open and were told to pull our hook and get moving. Well, OK! We started the Honda (remember that our damned regulator is out) so that we'd have plenty of juice to start the engine and pull the anchor, and did both with only minimal difficulty. We managed to move past Na Maka, the big catamaran near us, without touching her, although we spent a lot of time last night making sure that the wind didn't move us around and cause a collision. Conni led that charge, staying up many hours and placing fenders on port side to cushion a blow if it happened. We and Na Maka were in luck and there was no collision but we got only disturbed sleep. Conni gets stars for her work.

We motored to the marina, eased through shallow water and into the slip. We waited only a bit and a Travel Lift rolled up. They took good care placing the lift straps, even having the lift driver diving under the boat to place the slings without damaging any underwater parts. Whenever people dive on the boat to make sure that there's no damage, we're sure that we're in good hands. At the last minute, they requested that we remove the jib and release the forestay. That was a challenge and we just dropped the jib on deck, and then worked with the crew to pull the 5/8-inch stainless steel pin that connects the forestay to the stem fitting. The Travel Lift was small enough so that they needed to move further aft than the forestay would allow. We've done it before but not at the last minute.

The lift was completely uneventful and they skillfully placed us on a cradle rather than separate stands. A cradle is a steel square and the boat is place in the middle, with the boat supported on the upright corners on pads of plywood. It's a very solid way to store a boat since the support does not depend on chaining individual stands together. It's a better mousetrap. Our Warren Buffet-backed cruiser's insurance will be happy.

During the hustle of the day, we got the engine cooling system flushed of salt water and antifreeze in the system. That should stop any incipient saly damage until we effect a repair. I also used Corrosion Block to spray over the entire engine, hoping that it will reduce damage from exposure to salt water from the cooling system. I hope that it works. I also changed the oil and the oil filter. The engine is in as good shape as we can make it for the layover.

The dinghy is already stowed. The dinghy motor, our SeaCow, is ready for storage. We stowed all of our extra lines today. I wrapped the two GPS mushrooms (AIS and Raymarine) in foil against UV, and then in plastic bags for waterproofness. Our wonderful Hydrovane is ready. When I swam and captured the lost fender yesterday, since I was in the water anyway, I removed the Hydrovane rudder. Later that afternoon, I noticed a few sharks prowling around boat. And I jumped in after the fender? Holy smokes!

We finally got our electricity going from the yard, so we're living on enough power to make everything run. We're both packed, for the most part. I think that we'll get out of here with one "blue box" and each with a single big bag. We're traveling home with much less than we had as we came down. That was in Mexico, and it's hard to imagine. Mexico seems a world away.

I've got the re-built injectors out on the table, along with the special socket and my engine log. I'll try to have out all of the stuff that might be needed out where a mechanic can find it.

We're sorting stuff in every drawer and locker, making sure that we'll carry stuff home that we won't need in the next few legs and that we will need as reference for work. Float coat? Goes home!

For those of you who are following this, we've decided that we'll go no further west than Rarotonga and no further east than the Marquesas. We've decided to stay a few years in French Polynesia, the government allowing. We'll apply for an extended visa as soon as we're home. We'll fly back and forth, learning and speaking French, eating baguettes, and enjoying the incredibly beautiful islands of the South Pacific. We worked so hard to get here and we're going to enjoy the place for a while.

Interestingly, one of the problems that we identified was our schedule! From Alaska to Raiatea, we've been on a schedule: we've had to be somewhere at a specific time. From here on, we'll move when we feel like moving. We're both so relieved to have realized and made the decision!

As the sun set today, we got the jib packed and into its bag, and got the main furled and stowed. Whew! If we had to leave at dawn tomorrow, we could. We have the cover to erect, lots of odds and ends to complete, but we'll make it.

Tomorrow, on the last flight, of the day we leave for Papeete's airport. We'll just sleep in the airport until our Air France flight to LA. I intend to catch a buzz and keep a buzz on that lovely French wine that they just set out for passengers. We land in LA and then fly to Oakland and stay with Conni's dad for a day. I'll disassemble another engine like ours and scavenge some much needed used parts and then we'll fly home.

A word about this local radio station that's caught our attention. I found it accidentally but it's French popular music. Some is Rap in English, but most is catchy "world music", most in French, especially the North African musicians. If it's an American Rap artist, it's the "explicit" version since, presumably, the local can't interpret the words.

Rain comes from nowhere here, but one can hear it coming and it's a downpour. We've been chased below decks several times tonight.

This is our last night on our girl. Wings has brought us, safely, across the Pacific Ocean. It was costly to her, but she didn't fail us. We love this boat.

See you in the USA!

I did get some photos of the pull posted.