Above you see her. No, not my crew on the left washing the side decks. Look on the right side: there lies S/V Ubiquity in her berth at Marina San Carlos, just as we left her.

Ubiquity looks good, as she must for what we want to do. We intend to further explore the Sea of Cortez, and then try to sail her back to the Pacific Northwest.

Although more patient and dependable than her human female counterparts, Ubiquity is still demanding. She demands attention, time, work, and expense, manifesting an eerie similarity between nautical and human femininity.

To satisfy those demands my crew and I will spend days of labor, even though we worked hard on the boat in the Spring and in the Fall. My crew cleaning the side decks above is just the start, followed by running lines (jack lines, preventers, running rigging), bending on sails, hoisting sails and inspecting them, replacing some lines, inspecting and tuning the standing rigging, servicing winches, and more. There's mechanical work for me, including replacing some engine parts, inspecting and lubricating steering cables and pulleys, and attempting to fix an hydraulic leak in the hydraulic autopilot. Then there's aesthetic's, including painting, staining, polishing.

Before leaving San Carlos we must provision the boat plentifully for exploring remote parts of the Sea of Cortez, requiring self-sufficiency for extended periods. Only the careless end up anchored at a remote anchorage on a beautiful evening, after a hard day of sailing, but without provisions for a happy hour. So you see, preparation is important.