What is missing from this picture? I'll give you a hint, it cost $400. Still no idea? Well, this is where our air conditioner had been inserted for the past 4 months. We ditched it this morning before we left the dock. We couldn't find a buyer so we gave it to a little old lady and racked up 400 karma points, as someone so nicely put it.

I cannot describe how it felt to leave Paradise Village Marina after being at their dock for almost 5 months. Yes, I can. It felt great! Yes, we left behind friends that we had met. The weekly social barbecues and daily camaraderie was welcomed. A few of them we will see in our travels south but some of them I'm not sure we'll ever see again. It's the way it goes when you are cruising.

We are currently bobbing around the La Cruz anchorage in 23 feet of water enjoying the 12 knot breeze and the 86 degree water all around us. Coming out of the Paradise Village marina, we had the wind on our bow and when it picked up, we raised all of the sails. It was a good feeling knowing everything was still in working order after having our rigging maintained and it felt amazing to be sailing again.

Uhuru looks mighty different from when we first arrived here. She's got a dodger, a bimini, new freeboard paint, new prop, solar panels, a new satellite antenna, new stronger davits, a new dinghy, new rails, new swim ladder, new lazy jacks, rail steps on stern, a nice awning for shade and an offshore liferaft. The cockpit that was completely open when we left SD is now almost completely closed in with some of these items on the rail.

There are a couple more sewing projects that need to be completed but that's no reason to stay. We are much better equipped now than before we left San Diego and we're both looking forward to our next journey. A few nights on the hook to make sure all the systems are working and one at the dock to give her a good washing before we take off and buy a few more provisions and then we're outta here!