October ‘98

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

October 19, Looking back –

October 16, Friday –
We managed to get through the last day of work for ’98. It turned real cold again and looked like it could snow – which it did in Flagstaff and Holbrook.
We left Lakeside at 5:30 pm with Tom Pearson, Christina, and his new girlfriend, Val following. Val’s daughter C.J. rode with us. We looked like the “Beverly Hillbillies” headed off the mountain. When we left Globe, headed for Tucson, Tom missed a turn – he ended up about an hour behind us. We left C.J. with them for the night, they stayed at a motel in town – we went on to John and Maryann’s. It was midnight before we got to bed.

October 17, Saturday –
Just as we were leaving Muir’s, Tom called from Tucson – someone stole Val’s dog – they said go ahead, they were gonna look around. We got to the border about 8:30 am, the first stop let us go on by. At KM21, we got our FM3s stamped at the check point. They made us unload 5 boxes – looked through those and rummaged around in the van. They even wanted to know how much money we had. Somewhat of a hassle, but not too bad. Come to find out they were making all the others that are already here do the same. Ok, so now we’re clear to go – battery is dead. So we have to push the van out of the stall and out of the way. Another American gave us a jump, so it was around 10:30 when we were finally on our way. It was smooth going after that, although we did stop while Miss Daisy (who we met at the border) stopped to change a tire on the trailer they were pulling the boat on. We pulled into Bill and Trish Gibson’s at 3 pm, visited a while – no real breeze blowin’ there – but at the marina, 25-30 knots. We cleared out the good ‘ole Wandrin’ Star and unloaded the van. Worked at that a few hours, then went to the Gibson’s and all on to Tequila’s for a great dinner. I think it was around 9 pm when we got back – slept like babies tonight.
So good to be home.

*It was always so nice to be home on the Star. 🥰

October 17, Sunday –
I smiled all day as I moved back in. Tom, Val and CJ made it in last night around 10 pm. They never found the dog – they had to unload everything at the border and pay $200 U.S.

*That stinks that they had to unload everything AND pay $. I wonder what made it so different for them.
I remember it always being a bit nerve-wracking crossing the border, even when there was nothing to be nervous about. You just never knew if they were going to wave you along, make you unload a bunch of stuff, or even decide to confiscate something randomly. Most of the time we didn’t have too much of a problem.

October 19, Monday –
I woke up at 7:45 and loved it – Monday morning and I wasn’t at work!
We got the sails up – I cleaned out all the galley cupboards and got rid of stuff that I hadn’t used.
John got the BBQ on – Samie cleaned and put away in her room until 3 pm when her and CJ went to the pool.
Hurricane Lester down below P.V. is still moving north. Hurricane Madaline was supposed to hit Mazatlan today, but turned west and is headed up the Sea.

October 20, Tuesday

Hurricane Madeline fizzled out completely – Lester is currently heading west.
John took apart the engine as much as he can – the rest will be lifted out. I did more deep-cleaning and rearranging.
No real wind today, only an occasional breeze – it was 95° and muggy – I loved it. Samie and CJ have been to the pool every day and are tanning right up.
Val and Tom got a message to call her sister – they found the dog, her mom has him in Tucson.

October 21, Wednesday

John has taken apart the engine – as far as it goes by pieces. He started to take the binnacle apart. I think I’m through emptying and cleaning all the cupboards – except Samie’s room. In a couple more days we’ll have to get school started.
Bill and Trish came by for a bit. It was 92° and muggy as all get out.
Tom, Val and CJ left to drive to Tucson to get her dog.

October 22, Thursday

John got the floor of the cockpit off today. Getting all the bolts out was the hardest, next he found some lumber and a jack so he could jack it up and pop the glue loose. So for now, we have a huge hole in the floor – no cockpit.
Samie and I were bored all day – CJ didn’t get back until around 7 pm.
It was another scorcher today – I saw 96° and very humid. LOVE IT!!

October 23, Friday

John got the engine out of the boat and on the dock. It really had me worried with it dangling from a wooden bar across the cockpit. They hoisted it up with a come-along and it took 5 guys to get it maneuvered onto a plank and slide it off onto the dock. It all looked pretty scary to me.
To celebrate we (Samie stayed here on the boat) went with Bill, Trish, Parker, Jack, Pat and Bill to the palpa for happy hour. We had such a great time; the music was good enough to make me even get out there and dance. In fact, I had too much fun – I was tired and droopy all day Saturday

*The last photo is looking down the hallway from the galley to Mom & Dad’s room. This was the door to the engine room with all sorts of doo-dads and tools spilling out as Dad disassembled everything.

October 24, Saturday

John got the engine hauled over to Jeff’s shop – he spent the day cleaning parts and painting it all white this time. I drooped all day – Samie and CJ spent time at the pool.
We’re gonna have to get school going.

October 25, Sunday

John cleaned in the engine room all day – getting at all the otherwise hard-to-get-at places. It sure looks funny and empty.
Bill and Trish came by in their little boat.
It got up to 104° - no breeze and hotter than hell!
But I’d rather be here than on the mountain where it was supposed to snow.

October 26, Monday

John found out we need different bearings for the engine than we ordered. Abiento, Jim and Kathy are driving to Mesa, so we’ll have them shipped and they can bring down the right ones.
It was overcast and cooler all day, even got a few sprinkles in the evening. Brent said in Alpine it has rained for 3 days.
I went up to the new laundromat they have at the trailer park behind the condos. Very nice - $10 pesos (or $1 U.S.) per load, wash and dry, each. It would have been cheaper to take it into town and have it done.

October 27, Tuesday
San Carlos

Samie and I got school started today. I think she was actually glad to have something to fill her morning.
C.J. has not wanted to go to the pool the last 2 days – so Samie’s been hang’en alone.
We are going to Bill and Trish’s for burgers.
John had to buy a new battery for the van.

October 28, Wednesday

Heard Steve and Molly on the radio – but they couldn’t hear us. They are in San Diego; he’s driving trucks now.
John worked on the floor of the cockpit – scraping off all the old clue and re-taping all the insulation.
Samie and C.J. did spend an hour at the pool.
We bought 3 1” thick New York steaks – all for only $63 pesos or $6.30 in the States it would be $6 each!

2004

*Me and CJ next to Tom’s boat, Christina, with Merlin peeking into the photo to say hi!

October 29 – Thursday

John went into Guaymas to the machine shop and found that in the original parts sent, some of the bearings were too big. So – he made a trip north of the border. Tom followed along in his car – he left it in Tucson and his daughter can go get it. They left here at 1:30 pm and stayed at John and Maryann’s.
I called Chelle, she’s feeling down since she lost the baby.
Samie and I watched a couple of movies. It started blow’en around 11 pm and blew all night, 10-20k. The bar had dropped 5 points. This boat really rocks around now without the weight of the engine to stabilize he

October 30, Friday

The wind blew a cold front through all day, it was cool enough that I baked cookies this a.m.
John and Tom made it back at 3 pm with all the right parts.

October 31, Saturday

Happy Halloween.

The machine shop has the engine all done – John picked it up, now he and Jeff will put it together tomorrow. There was a Halloween party – snacks and some costumes up at the palapa – fun.

November ‘98

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

November 1, Sunday

We’re having those nasty Northers – calm mornings – but 15-20k all afternoon and a better part of the night.
John and Jeff got the engine together – but the crank shaft won’t turn. The holes don’t line up right – so they took it apart again. Not good, but not sure of the next step.

November 2, Monday

John took the engine back to Daniel – or in Español, Danielle – he says don’t worry, he’ll fix it.

*lol Apparently, I didn’t enjoy rowdy kiddos unless I was one of them. 😆
I swear I lived off those cup-o-soups for a while. Jenna and I used to have them all the time for lunch in La Cruz.
I still enjoy both The Gods Must Be Crazy movies. I must have watched the second one more - that’s the one I remember better.

November 3, Tuesday
San Carlos

Engine is still not done, Daniel says the crank shaft has always been too big and he’s line drilling it all out  slowly – John’s worried.
He had a part welded at some shop in Guaymas today – when he asked how much, they (all Spanish, no English) brought out a coke can and said “tres” – so John went to buy them 3 Cokes! – Ah, Mexico!
Tom, Christina, checked out for tomorrow – but tonight when he started up the engine, it was blow’en smoke out the exhaust and racing the RPMs. The kill switch wouldn’t work – he finally cut off the air somehow. It was pretty scary there for a while.
He had the crank-case oil full of diesel – now he has to figure out why and how to fix it.
We went by Bill and Trisha’s for a while. Sure enjoy their company.
Danielle called, in another month of so, she should finally have the settlement from the car wreck in CA, September of ’96. She’ll get around $9,600.

November 4, Wednesday

John went into Guaymas to get the engine – Daniel has got it all like new. He took it over to Jeff’s shop at Dry Storage to clean it all up and paint. It’s now white.

*I was always finding something to daydream about - hell, I still do this!
The 5-book series was by V.C. Andrews and each had some somber notes to them, based on feelings of abandoment and learning how to be resilient and hopeful in a harsh world. I still remember them vaguely, and they obviously had an impact on me. I recognize now that these books were likely the first spark of interest/openness toward adoption, as well as my strutinization of the foster care system, which can sometimes be just as broken as the homes some kids come from.

November 5, Thursday

Tom, Christina, got his engine problem fixed, the seal on the fuel pump had rotted away over the summer and diesel had leaked into the crank-case oil. No one can figure out why he didn’t check the oil before he started it up! Anyway, they went to leave at 4 pm or so, but the tide was so low, he was sitting on the bottom!
It was 9 pm when they pulled out of the slip – but another half hour before he called to say they made it out of the entrance. You got it – he grounded going out, he draws 7 feet. I felt really bad for Val and C.J. – Tom never even took them out for a shake-down or anything. At least they had a nearly full moon. Even though it was colder than hell tonight.

*lol the “very soggy spaghetti” comment cracks me up - sorry Mom! Apparently I have always enjoyed my pasta al dente!
I don’t believe we ever saw Tom, Val and CJ farther south. They headed to Costa Rica where they planned to charter the boat. CJ and I kept in touch and I’m pretty sure we saw each other again one time, maybe 4 or 5 years later. I think she ended up in CA after Costa Rica, but I’m hazy on the details.

November 6, Friday

John had a group of guys over to help him get the engine back into the boat this a.m. – I sat at the far end of the dock where I could not see any of the process! I had made myself sick worrying when they took it out! Anyway, tonight it is in and attached to the transmission. Still a lot to put back together tomorrow. We went out for pizza at Jax Snax – not as good as last year.
It was windy from the east in the a.m. – then turned nice, warm and no breeze.

*Ha! The way I say “treatment” in here had me suspicious when I first read it! That must have been her choice of words, not mine, thus the quotations.
Oh, my little impatient self - I’m sure the “forever” that she took wasn’t more than 15 minutes. Glo was always such a sweetheart to me, that was nice of her to have gotten that shirt for me - I vaguely remember it.

November 7, Saturday

John worked all day on getting the engine back together. He did have to drive in to Guaymas to have a bolt made though. I’m really proud of him – getting it all together and no cussing!
Samie has a “bug” today, not feeling too good. We haven’t done school the last 2 days. It’s too hard when John needs my help.
Bill and Trish came by and, of course, as usual, we only have Corona and very few! They did hang around for a while though – Jeff came by and helped set the timing.
It was calm and warm again today – love it.

*What?! Engine work with no cussing?! Unheard of! 🤪

November 8, Sunday

Happy B-day Janice.

Samie was yucky all last night, the shits and a fever. Neither one of us slept too well. She ran a fever of 102° today – but was pretty much ok by 8 pm.
John worked again all day in the engine room and voilá, at 3:43 pm she fired up!! He ran it for half an hour for today. Another beautiful and calm day.

November 9, Monday

We worked all day on getting things back together. Got the loose valve fixed – got the floor on – the hard part was figuring out the wheel housing and all the gears and lines. We had to take it apart and start again – not an easy process. As I was pulling up the compass line, I snagged the clip that holds the steering chains together, so we have to take it apart again tomorrow.
John’s still trying to figure out what’s wrong with the oil pressure gauge.
Samie felt fine today. Barb and Steve, Blue Chablis, came over for happy hour.
The a.m. was nice, but cloudy, it got windy in the afternoon – 8 pm it’s still breezy and cool.
Oh – Brent said it was snowing pretty hard in Alpine this a.m.

*lol my choice of words crack me up. What a bummer “discovery” to have!
I still love When Harry Met Sally, it’s one of my all-time favorite movies.

November 10, Tuesday

John changed the oil cooler on the transmission and got the steering cable, wheel-housing and compass all put together.
Samie was his helper this a.m. – I was in bed not feeling so good.
He ran the engine about an hour and a half. Bueno!

November 11, Wednesday

John worked on the oil pressure gauge – finally got it fixed. It was the sending unit and the gauge itself. He sprayed down the boat, she’s pretty and clean now. We also hooked the steering cable back up.
Samie and I got back to school – NOT TO HER LIKING!
Cold morning, 44°, but a beautiful day, 82° and no wind.

*Oh, lordy, my first dance! Still months away, but a big deal, nonetheless. Ha - the rumor about being kicked out if you don’t dance - too funny. I’m not sure I remember the actual dance at all - I have one vague recollection of a Jr. High dance and maybe two of the boys who I danced with - one of them, my friend Dave, was very tall and I just remember asking him how the weather was up there - it was a joke I had planned ahead of time and was glad it made him chuckle.

November 12, Thursday

John took off the elbow to the salt water part of the exhaust – it has a crack. One more thing – he took it in to Hernandez to weld, what he did was melt bronze all over it, then John covered that with epoxy. But he’s gonna try and get a new one.
It blew like stink all day – up to 25k in the afternoon - 80°.
Bill and Trisha were supposed to meet us for dinner at Manuel’s Chicken. Can’t wait to hear this story as to why they never made it – something goes haywire every time it involves chicken!
Goon called, she most likely has a job in the Valley at Earnhardt Ford. If that’s the case, she’ll move down and live with Caleb and his brother and sister-in-law, Ben and Janice. She sounded happy!

*I’m not entirely sure what I meant about seeing the resemblance of Shirley Temple - but I do see now that I’ve always been one to do random extra research about people and places. I like to collect more information in order to develop more context about things. It helps me make connections and see a more clear picture of whatever it is that I’m learning about. I did quite enjoy the Shirley Temple movies my grandma had bought for me, especially Curly Top. Baby Take a Bow is the other one I remember.
I was always pretty good at spelling but I love seeing my random slip-ups, like jurnal and bean burrows or my attempts at spelling Blue Chablis.
Tequila’s was our favorite place to go out to eat - whenever I finally get to San Carlos again, it’ll be one of my first stops! We were friends with the employees and owner (I assume) and yes, I always, always got a cheeseburger and fries!

November 13, Friday
San Carlos

Ah, Friday the 13th – nice day, other than the wind howled at 25k and the bar dropped 6 points.
John put the exhaust elbow back on – it’s fine for now, but he ordered a new one. We ran the engine for an hour in the slip.

*I can never seem to make up my mind if a day passed quickly or slowly!
I suppose it’s good that I can admit I was being a brat during school? Mom and I definitely tested each other often enough while getting through my lessons! It usually blew over fairly quickly, though.
It’s funny how now, I’d love to be part of the conversation with Mom and Barb. Would be cool if we could just bounce back through time and partake for a moment with our current perspective, in order to better appreciate what we took for granted in the past.

November 14, Saturday

John dove on the boat bottom and propeller enough to get around to anchor before we haul out. Ran the engine again for one and a half hours, cleaned the boat up and made her ready to go out tomorrow. John and I went with Bill and Trisha to Manuel’s for chicken – as good as ever. Samie is at the age where she stays home a lot.
Wind blew again, 20-25k.

*We always had to turn off the computer when Dad started the engine. If I remember correctly, it would send a power surge through the computer and turn it off. Pretty sure Mom had been typing something up one time when Dad started the engine, and unfortunately lost all her work. I’m guessing this is how we learned of the problem!
I don’t really remember making this video for the class - I wonder if I finished it and actually sent it to them?

November 15, Sunday

It finally calmed down around 10 pm last night. We pulled out of Marina Real at 7:15 am and headed around to the main anchorage. It was a little sloppy, but not bad at all. It is a hard bottom over here and took a while to set the anchor – finally at 9:15 am. John dove the bottom and got it really good for tomorrow.
Bill and Trish took us to get the van. We had burgers at Jeff and Hilda’s. Nice day today, only a breeze here. John was so tired he was asleep at 6:15 pm.

November 16, Monday

It was as calm last night as being tied to the dock.
Samie took John to Bill’s to get the van, which he drove around to the haul-out ramp. Then she took the dink around and picked him up. We took the boat over to haul out at 8:30 am.
Samie and I took the cold stuff from the fridge in the dink, back around to Bill’s and carried it all over to his mom’s house – that he is so kind to let us stay in again. John worked at wet-sanding down the boat all day. He says next year we will have to leave her out on the hard for sure – she’s got several blisters all the way down.
Samie and I rode into town with Trish – then we all ate a wonderful prime rib dinner over there.

*The TV in this house had satellite dish and we were always fairly stumped while getting used to it.
I think this was the house where I once was reading a Dean Koontz novel and got scared out of my wits with my imagination getting the better of me. I don’t remember what creeped me out about the house, maybe because it was cold and echoey from the tile floors and I think since Bill’s mom wasn’t there too often, it just didn’t have a very home-y energy to it.

November 17, Tuesday

Samie and I are bored in the house – such a big house, no T.V.
John worked on the boat bottom.

November 18, Wednesday

The boat went back in the water at 9, we came back around to Marina Real in no wind and flat seas.
I’ve got everything put away, Samie went up to the pool for a cold dip.
It’s calm and warm – beautiful!

November 19, Thursday

John got a demo GPS at Skip Randal’s Marine Mart – ours has given it up – for some reason it won’t work either, so he took it back and is looking at having one shipped.
It was a warm day until the wind started blow’en from the north around 4 pm.
Samie sprayed some perfume this a.m. and brought in several bees! I killed one on her bed, got rid of him, but later my finger found his stinger still in the bed, ouch!
I spent about a half hour with James from Deva, he is a physiotherapist and works with anxiety and panic disorders. He showed me a very simple procedure that, like magic, gets the panic under control and gets your past it. What we worked on was my driving. I drove from the marina to the far end of town and back. I did have to pull over twice and repeat the procedure, but I did it!! It felt so good and so free!!
John worked on the floor in the bathroom all day. He built a new floor under the toilet. We are using a bucket until he finishes up tomorrow – oh, he finished it up tonight.

November 20, Friday

It started blow’en early today and continued into the night, 20-25k – yuk and cold!
John and I went into Juan’s Fruitaria (I drove again) and got 12 steaks, 12 pork chops and fiesta mix to put in the freezer. We drove over to Gibson’s for a bit.

November 21, Saturday

Not much went on today – John was at Prime Time all morning trying to hook up an inverter for Bill. It sorta went haywire though.
Us girls skipped school. Samie has been watching a lot of VCR movies every day – once again, I’m getting tired of T.V.
Windy again.

*I don’t blame Mom for getting tired of the TV - I was always watching something instead of wandering around the marina finding other ways to entertain myself and getting off the boat for a bit. I’m sure she would have enjoyed a little more quiet on the boat, as well, vs. the constant din from whatever I was watching.

November 22, Sunday

Beautiful day – calm and warm sunshine.
John and John from Telitha tried to get our shaft re-aligned, but couldn’t get it – Jeff will come over tomorrow.
We went over to Bill and Trisha’s for a couple of beers – Cecil and JoAnn flew down from the mountain today – also, Mike and Pat Speers (from Lion’s Den) were there. Laughed my head off.

November 23, Monday

Happy Bday Deb

We drove into Guaymas this a.m. to see if we could turn in our FM3s for a VISA – Hilda went with us – but it didn’t help, Immigration said we have to drive to the border to do that.
John fixed the toilet and both the shower and kitchen faucets.
Another calm day.
So, early tomorrow we’ll drive to Nogales and back. Oh, what fun!

November 24, Tuesday

What a day! We left the boat at 4:30 am, headed for Nogales – it was a 10.5 hour trip up and back to get a VISA that will be good until May when we go back to work. No problems, thank goodness – lots of trucks – we got back to the boat at 3:30 pm – long day.
We stopped at Mike and Pat Speers, Bill, Trish, JoAnn and Cecil were all there. Then we, along with Steve, Blue Chablis went with us to Tequila’s for dinner.
Barb had to fly from Tucson to Chicago to their daughter’s for a while.
Oh, we had a visitor today while we were gone. We didn’t lock up the boat, but the hatches were down and the cockpit canvas snapped down. There were little bird droppings all over in the cockpit. I guess he came in through the windows on the dodger – thank goodness we found NONE down below.

November 25, Wednesday

Shine called this a.m., all is well with him. He’s spending Turkey Day at Duke and Ava’s with the Spears.
John went into San Carlos to check out – so anytime after Friday, we can leave and get this cruising life on the road.
We got the new exhaust elbow in – the tax or duty on it alone was $93 U.S. John got that put on today.
We drove downtown to find Tony, the veggie guy, so I could buy all the fixings for the salad tomorrow. Tony does a real bang-up business.
it was nice (84°) until around 4 pm when the north wind turned cold.
We had a chicken BBQ at Gibson’s, also Cecil and JoAnn, Mike, Pat, Jack and Parker. Nice time, great food.

November 26, Thursday

The weather was beautiful all day!
It was a lazy day.
The Deo gang came by, Lyle, Tony and Dana – they brought our GPS down. We had to have a new one – another WOW, money-wise - $700 U.S., but necessary. This one has the built-in charts on the screen.
At 4 pm was the cruiser’s Turkey dinner at the palapa by the condos. Ema and Dario, who run the marina, provided the turkey and dressing – the cruisers brought all the other fixings. Anyone staying in the marina was free and it was only $5 (U.S.) to anyone else. It was all very nice.
Danielle called – her car is finally fixed, new motor for $1,900.

November 27, Friday

It was cloudy and a cold breeze blowing this a.m.
John got the GPS hooked up and is learning to operate it. We bought the burger (5 kilos, 10 meals), chicken (6 meals), bacon (10 packs), along with a bunch of other odds and ends – only $45 U.S. The 12 steaks and 12 pork chops last week were only $34 U.S. I hate to even think what that would be in the States.
We went over to Bill and Linda Pyle’s in the trailer park for a burger fry along with the Deos and several others. They have a beautiful view from up there.
Oh, today it was so cool – a “ribbon” of fog came rolling over the road that goes up to the look-out. It was just streaming up and over from the anchorage on the other side.

November 28, Saturday

The reports on the volcano 70 miles from Manzanillo  are that it did spit out a little lava and ash, but calmed down again. They say to watch out because it has been dormant for 4,000 years and if it blows, it will be really powerful.
The Deo gang came by for a little while.
It was a strange weather day – cloudy and cool. A front was supposed to go through and give us some rain.

November 29, Sunday

It did sprinkle a little last night and started blow’en around midnight as the front passed over. John said it blew 20-25k. Funny how he was awake and I slept through it. Tied to the dock I’m fine – now 20-25k at anchor, I’m awake and John sleeps through it!!
The Gibsons were up at 3 am watching Prime Time Chico out in the bay at their house. I guess it drug anchor some.
Cecil and JoAnn had to fly back to Pinetop – well, Phoenix and drive home – today.
John helped Bill re-anchor Chico. It was breezy and cool today – 7 pm and it’s cold and still blow’en 10-15k.
I faxed Rosa today in La Cruz – she faxed back that she has to fly to Canada December 17 to January 18th to be with family, said so many of them were either sick or dying.
Samie woke up with the pukes today.

*Dang, I sure was sick or with a headache a lot this month. Wonder what that was about?

November 30, Monday

We took the boat into the bay for a short hop this a.m. We wanted to run the engine up and make sure the prop was aligned right. It was pretty rolly with white caps. We were back at the dock in about an hour, then John and I did the Leys run - $1,700 pesos, and we filled both propane tanks, $43 pesos. In front of Leys, they had real pine Christmas trees – smelled good. Inside the store, they were playing Christmas tunes, in Spanish, but the tune is the same.
Bill and Trish came over for dinner, I cooked up a pot of beans and John BBQed some great T-Bones. Bill got a real good chuckle when John dropped the new tongs – just bought today – overboard while turning the steak!!
It sure is nice having them in San Carlos when we’re here. Hopefully they can meet us in La Paz and anchor hop north with us in April. Nice day, 82° - light breeze.

December ‘98

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

December 1, Tuesday

It was a slow, lazy day. Clouds moved in last night, another front is headed our way. It ended up being cool all day. John cleaned the water maker and got it all ready to go.
Around 2 pm we headed in to Gibson’s and town – I was gonna drive, but there were no breaks in the van. John put break fluid in and in real low gears we made it – John drove though. Tomorrow’s project is fix the breaks.

December 2, Wednesday

John got a ride back from Guaymas where he left the van to have the breaks fixed. They have to order a new master cylinder. Then he spent the morning building a compartment for a CD player that Steve, Blue Chablis, gave us.
Kathy and Jeff, Abientot, brought their laptop computer over for Samie to play some games on most of the day.
The wind started blow’en sometime last night and blew hard and cold all day. I baked cinnamon rolls to warm the place up.

*Yummm! I loved when Mom made cinnamon rolls! So delicious and fresh! I enjoyed watching her make them. 😊
Jeff and Kathy were so sweet to bring over their computer! I think it might have been them who had this cat and mouse game that I loved.

December 3, Thursday
San Carlos

It started blow’en early again today. John worked on getting the tape deck and CD player again – CD works fine.
The van still isn’t done. John washed the decks down and she’s shin’en pretty. He also put lemon pledge on the isinglass for the cockpit canvas to shine them up. The bees really liked that sweet smell. For the most part the bees have not been around as much – but the flies are out in full force.

*I am so grateful for Dad’s many skills and abilities- everything from carpentry to electrical, mechanical to engineering (and a pro on the BBQ to boot!). I realize now as I’m older how blessed we were for all his skills. Looking back, I wish I’d have been more interested and curious to ask questions and learn a little something of these things from him.

December 4, Friday

We had a light south breeze today and flat seas out there. We did get the van back today – new master cylinder and fix a tire that had a nail in it - $100 (U.S.).
We got stocked up and are ready to head out tomorrow. We stopped by Gibson’s for a while then met them at the palapa for happy hour and on to Tequila’s for dinner – late night; it was 11 pm when we got home.

*I remember getting into these tapes and CDs and discovering all this music of my parents’ - it was like a gold mine! Other songs I remember were Crimson and Clover and Invisble Touch, which, for years I thought it was “busy bottom touch” ) lol ! Never made sense to me, but that’s what I thought it said, and sing it that way until I catch myself. 😆
Dad’s collection included The Eagles, Lynrd Skynyrd, Janis Joplin, and of course we had some good ol’ Jimmy Buffett. We also had some comedic tapes from Ray Stevens (Squirrel Goes to Church) and Arlo Guthrie (Alice’s Restaurant and the Motorcycle Song)
*These stories and their timing again! As I’m editing this, after reading about the Doo Wahh Diddy song, I’m watching Home Improvement and Randy just mentioned how his mom was singing the "Doo Wah Diddy” song, and then Jill came in singing it. Can’t think of the last time I heard or thought about that song, and yet here it’s brought up twice for me in the same day. Love it. There was something else that overlapped earlier, trying to remember what it was…

December 5, Saturday

Well, weather, of course, is not favorable this a.m., it’s breez’en up from the north early and cloudy. It was a real yuk of a day. Cold, 15-20k all day! I think everyone pretty much stayed down below today. John did this and that, Samie did some of her testing and I finished a book.
It’s baked chicken and rice tonight – if only to warm it up down below.

December 6, Sunday

Windy, windy – although it did calm down in the afternoon and all night and it was a little warmer. John waxed on the boat. Samie watched movies – John and I found Bill and Trish at Mike and Pat’s. We hung out there for a while. After dinner they all came over for a bit.
I put up the Christmas lights today. As long as we are dockside, I can have the Christmas spirit all the time.

December 7, Monday

Wind started early – cold. The weather reports per the HAM radio are 40k from the north on the La Paz – Mazatlan crossing. NO THANKS!! Snow in Alpine, even on the mountains around Phoenix and Tucson!
Bill and Trish left for Pinetop this morning.

December 8, Tuesday
25k+

We’ve been wondering where the Christina is these days.
This morning was calm and started to get slightly on the warm side – until the wind kicked in – AGAIN! The nasty ‘ole north wind is blowing all the cold stuff down here. I heard it was 38° for a low here at 7:30 am - 50° here and 55° in Mazatlan, so not a lot warmer there.
I’ve been doing all the cooking down below – pretty much impossible on the BBQ in the wind – besides, it warms it up down here.

*There was no kind of heating or AC on the boat. We could use a space heater for few times it was cold enough (but I assume it used a lot of power and drained the batteries) and to cool things down we just opened all the hatches and put up the wind scoops to help funnel any breeze down through the boat.

December 9, Wednesday

Another 20-knot day!
John stays as busy as possible outside until it gets too cold. Then he stays busy down below. Today he was in the engine room changing the cable ties and cleaning all the wires and hoses – he is one bored guy.
We sure are thankful for the canvas that goes up around the cockpit. It’s keeping this nasty wind out – coming right at us from behind – and the sun warms it up ever so slightly. It gets up to 76° or so and is fairly nice. We call it our “Arizona room”.
We had Abientot, Jeff and Kathy and Steve, Blue Chablis over for happy hour.
Danielle called, all is well.

*We were so grateful for our full dodger and canvas setup. I am still amazed to see how many boats out there have so little protection around their cockpit, if any, leaving their sailors exposed and vulnerable to the elements. No thanks!

December 10, Thursday

It blew off and on all last night. Two years ago when we left San Carlos so late in the year – it was on the 10th. That year we managed to always move on calm enough days and then be stuck on anchor watch for 3 days. This year seems to have been blowing without any breaks in between.
Wow! John found a small space heater up under Samie’s bunk – it’s nice, warm and toasty in here. We have the entryway doors and splash boards up to keep the heat in and it is nice in here. Blew 20+ knots all afternoon, 7 pm and it’s down to 12k – for now.

December 11, Friday

It blew off and on during last night. BUT the day was beautiful! Very light 5k breeze and warm! Warm enough to wear shorts and no socks!! We are once again stocked up and ready to leave tomorrow.
Once while I was out soaking up the warm rays, a bee – also out by the dozens today – got me right on the throat.
It was nice enough to BBQ tonight, steak and also shrimp cocktail, yum.

*My journal entry from this day was mostly just 11-year-old jibber-jabber, but I did mention that I was reading G Is For Gumshoe, by Sue Grafton. That was the first of her books that I read and was hooked. She is one of my favorite authors, and I eventually collected her whole A-X series (she passed away before she could write and finish Z). I love her main character, Kinsey Millhone - she’s a feisty private investigator and is always getting herself in and out of sticky situations.

December 12, Saturday

Ready again and still here! I swear this wind thing is getting real old! It blew off and on through the night – morning was calm and warm until around noon! 20+k and cold again. Some days we don’t even have to buy ice because the temps aren’t warm enough.
Roger and Dareon came across for the Baja today in 25-30k. Slop. They broke a reef line and did not have fun. Another boat left here headed south and blew out their main. Glad I’m tied to a dock.
I killed at least 40 flies down below today and that was with the entry way closed off.
Jeff and Kathy, Abientot and Steve, Blue Chablis and us went to Tequila’s for dinner.

*Getting after those flies was practically a full-time job sometimes!

December 13, Sunday

Once again – it looks like tomorrow! Where have I heard that before? It wasn’t too bad though, we went into Mike and Pat’s but I don’t think it got over 15 in the marina, so it should have calmed down out there some. The weather channel is showing good through Wednesday – let’s hope.

December 14, Monday

Wow! We made it out of San Carlos! Cut those dock lines at 11:30 am. John left the van at Bill and Trisha’s house again this season. Abientot, Jeff and Kathy left with us. It was a light north for the remainder of the day, with a following – confused sea! I had such a bad headache that the sloppy seas made me lose my lunch several times! Wow, I don’t know how anyone that is always sea sick does that – it’s awful. At dark, the seas laid down some and the breeze switched off to a 10k southerly. Go figure a “noserly” going south!
I felt better by morning.

*This was the one time any of us really got sea sick during any of our time down there.

*A Bientot and the Wandrin’ Star underway. 😍

December 15, Tuesday
Agua Verde

We were just off of Isla Carmen at sun up – continued on around the north end and into Agua Verde; nice ride, but long. I always forget how long those overnight passages are. We anchored at 1:30 pm – 26 hours total. Had showers and sat in the 90° warm sunshine; felt wonderful!!
Jeff and Kathy came over for happy hour. Nice, quiet night.

Deccember 16, Wednesday

We left Agua Verde at 8 am headed for Evaristo or Isla San Francsisco, which ever. We had a light east – of all things. In the center of San Jose Channel, we only had 10k north – straight behind us – calm for there.
There is a low parked over the Yuma area – unusual for winter – which is keeping the northers at bay – OK by us!
Today was an 8-hour day, long but nice. We anchored at Isla San Francisco at 4:30 pm.
We left San Carlos with 3 bags of ice and will still have a half bag when we get to La Paz – that’s a first and a fast trip.
The only sea life we have seen at all was 4 or 5 of the big dolphins swimming under our bow – once again a beautiful highlight. Nice, peaceful night.

*The part about HAM radio conversations makes me think of party lines on the phone, back in the day. I was just reading my Grandmother’s life story and she mentions how you often had to wait for another family to finish up on the line before you could make your own call. So sometimes she would just stay on the line so she knew when they were finished. 🤭 The VHF and HAM radios could be quite like that. Especially on the VHF, where you had your main station that everyone was tuned into. You’d hail whoever you were trying to get ahold of: “A Bientot, A Bientot, this is Wandrin’ Star” and when they responded, you’d agree on another station to switch to where you could talk “privately”. But if anyone felt like being nosey, they could surely just tune in and follow that convo. 🧐
Ha! I feel like I was kinda fiesty with Mom about not blaming me if she was tired. I could have said “thanks!” - lol, brat! So I’ll say it now: Thanks, guys, for bee-lining it so I could be with other kids! Love you!!!
Miss Sneaky Peeky over here with the Christmas gifts! I like my deduction skills about the CD. It’s also amusing to tease that Regan thought Justin Timberlake was her boyfriend, when I very much daydreamt about the same scenario for myself! 🤪
I am so baffled by the movie I wanted, Kripendorf’s Tribe - I don’t remember that movie even existing! Even after watching the trailer, there is barely a fragment of recognition.
The extensive CD list exemplifies that music has always been important to me - I believe CDs or tapes have been on all my old Christmas lists I’ve found.
My spelling of Greece instead of Grease and Ritchard has me in chuckles. 😆

December 17, Thursday
La Paz

We left Isla San Fransisco at 7:30 am, made our way with 0-5k of breeze all the way into Marina Palmira, where we got fuel at 2:00 pm. 61 gallons, $586 pesos. We were anchored in La Paz at 3 pm. What an unusual experience – anchoring in here without 20-30k of wind blowing. How nice!
I called Rosa at Cruise Quarters – but she left today for Canada; talked to Blair.
We went into the Dock for dinner. Nice night.

*I have zero recollection of these girls that I met.

December 18, Friday

Peaceful night. Light 10-12k north breeze, we waltzed a little, but not bad.
John worked on an oil leak while Samie and I did 3 loads of laundry.
Goon called; Dave, Dan’s twin, had another heart attack and surgery last Wednesday. She’s pretty upset. We have heard that Christina, Tom and crew are still in Mazatlan waiting for a part.

*There was a full laundromat at the marina where we could go do all our laundry.
I’m happy to report that Dave recovered well and is happy and healthy at this time. Not sure if he had any other heart attacks.

December 19, Saturday

This a.m. is calm as ever in La Paz (Bay of Peace). No wind to ruffle the surface and I can see the bottom 17 feet down.
Oh, last night there was a parade of lights, only 5 boats, but cool. Even though we’ve had the Christmas lights a while – don’t turn ‘em on at anchor – so Samie got out the other decorations and I got out the tree. It can ride in the drink holder just fine for the ride down to La Cruz and Christmas.
John worked on putting a fiberglass patch in the back bilge, where it had worn loose, I guess. He had patched it after the cutlass went out 2 years ago. So anyway, we are here in La Paz again. It doesn’t matter what it is – we always end up in La Paz longer than planned.
Samie went to shore to see Mia from Imoni (sp) that she met 2 years ago in La Cruz.
It was warm today as long as you stayed out of the breeze. Only 5k, but cold. I was so bored that I baked chocolate chip cookies. That’s bored for me!!

*Makes me chuckle that the “Bay of Peace” was nutoriously chaotic with the clashing wind and currents. La Paz was one of my favorite spots, hands down, but I do not associate the bay with enough peace or calm to have ever given it such a name. 🤪
Our Christmas tree was quite small - probably the size of a Stanley cup, if not smaller. lol.

December 20, Sunday
La Paz

Well --- we are still in La Paz! We did leave at 6:45 am – even had dolphins in the channel going out. We were just entering the San Lorenzo Channel when Tom gave the weather forecast. A front is moving through tonight or tomorrow, then northerlies building all week. Our options were being stuck in Los Muertos or La Paz for Christmas. So we headed back to La Paz and had the hook back down at 11:45 am. Oh well – Jeff and Kathy, Abientot, will be here tomorrow – that’s good.
We just had the anchor down 10 minutes or so when Barb and Richard Flores called. It was so good to hear their voices – miss them a lot. They are going to the Valley to Jeremy’s for Christmas.
It only blew 10k, warm and cloudy.
There was another light parade tonight.

December 21, Monday
La Paz

Really cloudy all day today. Abientot came in today, they anchored for an hour, then went into a dock. John went to town to check in. I took Samie in to the Dock and she met Gabrial, Mutton Noir. They took the shuttle to Marina Palmira. Then, she shuttled back at 5 pm. John and I visited with Jeff and Kathy at the Dock for a while. Back on the boat around 2 pm, the wind picked up and the anchorage is waltzing. Four wonderful days in a peaceful bay was nice while it lasted. Two boats had anchored a little close and almost bumped up – 5 pm, the tide turned and we are now sitting with the wind and current in the same direction. At midnight, when it turns again – I sure do hope the wind is only 5k and not this 15-20k!!
Chelle called, they are going to Rick’s mom’s in Snowflake for Christmas. Talked to Schyler – miss him!
It blew 10-15k all night, but no more waltzing. John slept after about 10 pm – I was up until 2:30 am. Just a worry wart.

*It sounds like I took the shuttle back from Palmira alone - I don’t remember that at all! Mom and Dad really never let me go anywhere into town alone, aside from maybe walking around La Cruz with Jenna or Tarn. But the shuttle would have been going straight from marina to marina, so that’s a different situation, I suppose. Just seems like something I would remember better, being a kind of rare freedom for me.

December 22, Tuesday

Still cloudy in the morning, but cleared out by afternoon. John was right yesterday when he guessed this was a low sitting over us. It sure is taking its sweet time to move on out. Frailes and Ceralvo Channels had 40 plus knots yesterday – so glad we came back here. We were supposed to get on an end-tie today, but the huge boat is still there. The crew does have to leave tomorrow, though, to pick up the owner in Loreto. He’s Mexican and owns Isla Carmen.
John stays busy with anything he can find to do. Today he did the windows! Samie and I are bored crazy and pretty much at each other’s throats!
We did spend a couple hours at Abientot, on the bouncy dock. It’s blown 10-20k all day again.
John has the anchor watch alarm on the GPS turned on. It’s pretty cool – gives us a drawing of our waltzing. Didn’t know we moved that much.
One good thing about here – we left the flies and bees in San Carlos.

December 23, Wednesday
La Paz

No, this wind is not from a front or a low – it’s just a yucky ‘ole north blow. It was fairly calm – 10k until around 3 pm – and that blasted big power boat didn’t leave the dock until 4 pm – by then, it was blow’en 20k. At least it was sunny.
Samie spent a few hours – after school – in at Abientot. Her and I are really at each other.
It blew all night long.

*Awe, sounds like Mom and I were having a pretty rough go of it. I wonder what had us all riled up? Maybe just our own version of cabin fever.

December 24, Thursday

Christmas Eve – and we’re all trying to make the best of being on the anchor – when there’s an empty dock waiting. It’s howling at 20-25k today, how pleasant! Ha! Ha! – or should that be, Ho, Ho, Ho!
Bill and Trisha Gibson called; no snow and no business at the restaurant.
Samie and I went to CCC with Jeff and Kathy this a.m. I had to get off the boat before I went nuts. We found canned ham for dinner tomorrow. I still have yams from San Carlos – so we’ll get candied sweet potatoes. I truly hope we are dockside for that. Although they are predicting this 20-30k for the next 2 or 3 days – oh, lovely! Cold and cloudy, too. Not too bad through the night, but I couldn’t sleep very well.

*Even just seeing this photo of us so close to this trimaran during the La Paz Waltz has me stressed out!
Ha, Mom and I both were a bit resentful of the big ol’ power boat holding up the dock space we were trying to get. Even though it was an end dock, the wind and currents made it all too difficult and risky to maneuver in, so we still had to wait it out after they left.
The stick of gum and “week’s worth” of tissues as Christmas gifts cracks me up. So does the little cow I made.
The radio stations I’d hear at 1-3 am really were wild, which makes sense, as late-night entertainment typically isn’t exactly family-friendly. 🤭

December 25, Friday
La Paz

Merry Christmas

It was an off and on morning – 10k then 20-25k within 5 minutes. We let Samie open her gifts about 9 am. We finally decided to go for it (the dock) – engine won’t start. So, start the gen-set, change battery, start engine! We ran it for 40 minutes or so and finally hauled in the anchor. John has learned to do amazing things with the boat and marinas. We are tied to the outside dock. With the wind 20-25k and the strong tide both going against us (in our face), we slid right in. It was a little tense when the front line came untied from the boat, but we got it back ok.
Next, the spring line came off the boat, easy enough to grab again. Jeff, Kathy and the 2 fellows on the tri in front of us helped grab our lines. It is rougher here than on the hook, but don’t have to be on watch. John washed the boat down – Samie watched cable T.V. I started the candied sweet potatoes on their slow cook.
Jeff and Kathy came over for dinner at 3 pm – ham, 2 kinds of potatoes, broccoli, homemade rolls and cookies. Best Christmas dinner since we’ve been down here.
The wind finally calmed down to 5-10k around 4 pm and stayed calm all night.

*Ooof, even just reading about the front line coming loose stressed me out - with the wind blowing against us, that would have pushed the bow away from the dock while the aft was still tied to it and could quickly make for a problematic situation, or at least having to bail out and come back around to dock a second time.
Christmas photos! 📸 My gift haul, some guy playing guitar on the dock, everyone in SOCKS due to the cold, and a wildly off-centered photo of Jeff and Kathy. 😆

December 26, Saturday

Man, did I ever sleep good last night! John adjusted the valves and retorqued the head. Samie, Kathy and I walked downtown so Samie could spend some of her Christmas money, $400 pesos. She bought a dress, hat and nail polish, which all were on sale. The wind only got up to 15-18k a couple hours in the afternoon. The 5 of us walked up town for ice cream after dinner.
We called Schyler, he got a puppy for Christmas, named her Pouy. He was trying to say Feliz Navidad, so cute. Miss that kid!

*Ahhh, my beloved walks to town for ice cream at the Polka Dot place (there was a polka dot painted tree outside the building). 🥰
Schyler would have been 3 years old at this point. ❤

December 27, Sunday

It was calm all morning, the tide went slack at 11 am, so we moved the boat again. We can stay here as long as we need or want. Right after we moved, the wind kicked up 15k.
Jeff, Kathy, John and I tried to find a T.V. with the Az Cardinals game on – no luck.
The days lately have been warm at 84°, but the nights are a cool 55°.

December 28, Monday

John replaced 2 bad batteries today, $265 U.S.
Not much else went on today. 15-20k here, Partida had gusts to 45k.

*Ah-ha! Here was the other timing overlap. Saturday Night Fever came on a couple days ago and I let it play in the background while I worked on stuff around the house. I can’t say I actually watched it, but I’ve probably only seen it twice before, the first time being the above entry. Again, what are the chances of these kinds of timings? Cracks me up!

December 29 & 30, Wednesday
- Somewhere I missed a day. –
John changed the oil, we went up to The Penthouse for burgers, beers and the Holiday Bowl game – U of A 23 / Nebraska 20, although we didn’t watch the game that closely, we were visiting.

December 31, Thursday

John polished this and that. He fixed a shrimp cocktail for the last 1998 sunset.
Jeff and Kathy brought her mom and dad by to see our boat.
Beautiful, warm, calm day.

*Ruh-roh, Samie has a new crush!
Happy New Year! Don’t forget to party like it’s 1999. 😉

January ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

January 1, 1999 – Friday

Samie was through with school by 10 am. What a difference it makes when there are kids around that she wants to get together with.
We had Jeff and Kathy over for dinner.

January 2, Saturday
La Paz

Lazy day; cold, cloudy and 10k breeze.
Jeff, Kathy, John and I went up to The Penthouse to watch Az Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys, 20 to 7.

January 3, Sunday

John has been trying to match the paint to touch up where the ladder has rubbed down to the old brown. Getting the new sea foam to match the 2-year-old faded sea foam is proving to be a real back and forth project. At least the DuPont store is only 4 blocks straight up the road. Another day of football playoffs.

January 4, Monday

It is really rolly next to the dock and there is a good swell coming in – even the big ‘ole Scott Free is rocking and they don’t, usually. John has gotten a tour of that boat – he was impressed with the engine(s) room.
Kathy and I went to CCC. Another game at The Penthouse, while we visited with Lighten Up, Cindy and Baker. John found that Baker also grew up in Tucson. They had a lot in common.
15-18k, warm, lumpy. Danielle called to say hi.

January 5, Tuesday
La Paz

Rolly last night, blew 10-15k and up to 20-25k all day until around 4 pm when it calmed down to 10k again.
We paid for another 4 days dock-side, thank goodness. But like John says, one of those boats out there waltzing on a wind-blown hook is wishing we would get off the dock.
We have been STUCK in La Paz for almost 3 weeks now. Nothing unusual, it always happens. Time for the wind to lay down for a week so we can get down to La Cruz.

January 6,  Wednesday

It calmed down some today, but was cloudy and cool, so I baked cookies.
Goon called, she moved back to the mountain. She’s at her Grandma Spear’s in Clay Springs for now. She says Caleb has decided not to go on his Mission, but hasn’t given her the ring yet because he can’t get up the nerve to tell his parents.

*It’s crazy reading this now, all these years later, when two of Peg and Caleb’s kiddos are now married themselves!

January 7, Thursday
La Paz

Calm, sunny morning – we should get out of here now, while we can. It stayed calm all day. I had a terrible headache all day – the bar is falling.
At sundown we had 5 frigate birds sitting on the line that runs between the main and mizzen.
The big boat, Scott Free left today for Barra – they figure 40 hours. Ha, too bad they can’t tow us behind.

January 8, Friday

Happy Birthday Danielle

We tried twice to call Danielle, she ended up getting ahold of us. She got her $9600 check for the settlement on the car wreck in ’96.
The frigate birds are making a shitty mess on the deck. Don’t know why all of a sudden they have invaded the marina?!
Beautiful, calm and warm! I had that headache again all night, bad enough that it made me throw up. What happy fish that made, I could hear them surround the boat.
The northers started at 1 am – 20-25k.

*Poor Momma, I think this is the year her migraines really started taking over. She didn’t have any medicine strong enough to even touch them, so she often had to suffer through them until they ran their course - sometimes lasting days and making her sick like this. 😢 It was terrible. Big changes in the barometer have always been something that set them off for her. Thankfully, she now has medicine that knocks them out before they can take her out.

January 9, Saturday

It blew 15-20k all day, calmed down to 10k around sundown. Again with the headache.
We were gonna leave today.

January 10, Sunday

Calmer today, 10-15k northers are supposed to knock off for the next 5 days or so – let’s hope so.
John watched the Az Cardinals vs. Minnesota game – AZ lost.
Hunter Star and Free Run had cake for Samie leaving tomorrow. It’s really nice to hear what a neat kid she is from so many others.
My head was ok today.

*It makes me happy to know that Mom and Dad got such good reports back from the adults. 😊

January 11, Monday
Los Muertos

Well, after 3 weeks, we finally got out of La Paz. Remember we only intended to stay 1 night! Oh well, the oil leak, fiberglass and 2 new batteries all got tended to. Abientot and their friend went out to the island – they don’t know if they’re gonna cross or not.
We left the dock at 8:15 am – weather looks good, light and variable for the next 5 days. The most we had today was 12k. The swells that were still in the Ceravo Channel were rolly though. We had some just after we anchored. Craig, one of the linemen from NEC called to say he’s flying into P.V. on Saturday. We were anchored in Los Muertos at 5:15 pm.

January 12, Tuesdady
Baja to Mainland

Ok – weather is still looking light and variable for the next 5 days. 8:45 am we have the anchor up and are in flat seas, 5k of breeze on a 109° heading for the next 248 miles to Isla Isabela. It’s farther to La Cruz from Muertos than it was two years ago from Cabo to San Benedicto, Soccoro.
9:00 pm – The day was calm, flat, and 80°, but still cool in the shade and the 5k breeze. Currently – 0 wind, glassy sea and 68° and so it stayed all beautiful night. One freighter, one cruise ship and no sea life.

January 13, Wednesday
South to P.V., out in the middle

Still only 5 to 7k of breeze, mostly on the nose – glassy seas, no sea life. The radio skip has now been really long – we could hear San Carlos and Mazatlan. Once we got more or less south of Mazatlan and north of Isla Isabela, we had 10k NNE for a while with a following sea.
Came within 2 miles of one cruise ship headed south and one headed north.

*I swear, I remember this exact magazine - I must have read through it so many times! I can still see the cover in my mind, but couldn’t find it online to share (you know I looked for it!). I still have the notebook - I wrote poems in it. Also, those Alanis (Jagged Little Pill) and Jewel (Pieces of You) albums were CLASSIC 90s. I especially loved the Jewel album. I actually found out recently that she actually wrote some of the songs for that album while hitchhiking through Baja, from Tijauana to Cabo. I think it’s really neat that Baja is exactly where I fell in love with those same songs, just a few years later.

January 14, Thursday
La Cruz

At sun-up we are just about directly off of Chacala – getting close. The night skies have been so pretty with the stars so bright. The only moon is a crescent that rose around 3 am.
Once we rounded Punta Mita, the north breeze played with the sails at 10k. We came on in and anchored at 1:30 pm – 52 hours after leaving Los Muertos, Baja.
We talked to Jim and Kitty via radio – see them manaña. Saw Don and Judy, Loon, Harry and Ellen, Prelude.
Had dinner at Bob and Deann’s place, La Luna y Sol. Good Italian. Saw Blair; Rosa and Jena will be back Monday the 18th from Canada, where they’ve been for the last month.
I’m putting this braindead body to bed. – Oh, big ‘ole red tide coming in the bay.

Mom at Dos Felipes, where they hosted movie nights

*Lol, me and the puberty debate. 🧐😆 Yes, little me, as a matter-of-fact, you were both going through puberty at the time and were probably equally surprised to see the changes in each other!
Dos Felipes had turned into a type of theater for the locals and cruisers, they’d play new movies for everyone to enjoy there, just off the beach. I don’t really remember the TV setup - they must have had a big screen. Actually, I found a photo of Mom at Felipe’s (above) and I think the TV is in that big white box propped just off the brick pillar. I definitely remember going in to watch Armegeddon there when it was new on VHS!
Oh, goodness me with this boy-crazy age! Oy vay!

January 15, Friday
La Cruz

It was December 14 when we left San Carlos and January 14 when we anchored here in La Cruz.  Of all that time, we were only on the hook 10 days – not to mention the 2 months in San Carlos Marina. Now, being on the hook in La Cruz feels pretty good – but I have gotten pretty used to having shore power. Microwave, hair dryer, curling iron, hot water anytime. We are also spoiled in being able to put up the cockpit canvas to keep the cool wind out. So it’s wonderful now, warm and all open. Reports from La Paz this a.m. were 40° - here it was 68°!! (84° afternoon.)
Jim and Kitty drove over today, they are in Nuevo Vallarta. They sold Summer Wind and are in the final stages of paperwork. They’ll sail her to Mazatlan, then truck her to Toronto, Canada. Woo, sad – but they plan to be back in a motorhome.
Samie stayed ashore with Tarn for a couple hours.

*Tarn and I always had a lot of fun together, seeing what we could get into. I can still see him clearly with his blonde hair and rattail; usually in a t-shirt and cargo shorts and velcro strap sandals - and don’t forget some miscellaneous bit of “weaponry” like a slingshot, folding knife, or (only at his house) his machete.
😆 The “stupid bird” comment has me cracking up. For some reason, I don’t remember the bird - was it a parrot, maybe? They had a really cool house down there, with two stories and a little courtyard, if I’m remembering correctly.
Awe, Mom and I were apparently still at it! I’m sure I was a real peach with whatever new hormones I had going on in my little pre-teen body.

January 16, Saturday
La Cruz

It looked like the California coast here today – all overcast with a marine layer and calm.
We took a bus into P.V. Marina to bring Meghan, Shadowfox, back to spend the night. There is construction everywhere – roads and buildings.
John had to replace a burnt wire on the on the gen-set tonight. The first year he would panic if it quit – now he knows what to look for, no problem.
Shine called, he is now driving a truck for Pepsi making $8 an hour.

*Meghan and I always got along so well. She was a couple years older than me, so I just thought she was the coolest and very much looked up to her. Sometimes I thought of her like a big sister that I didn’t bicker with. She would impart her wisdom, encourage me, help me with makeup and clothes, etc.

January 17, Sunday

Samie and Meghan spent the day on the boat being girls while we spent the day watching football games ashore.
Nice day, oh! I lost one of my crowns today.

January 18, Monday

Craig Blackburn from Navopache Electric is down here and called on the radio from Dos Felipes using “Wandrin’ Star – 451.” 451 is his radio # for NEC – good one. Him and his father-in-law came out for a bit.
Samie was at Tarn’s while John and I took the bus into Provanier to the dentist. She filled the tooth right next to the one that lost the crown and stuck the crown back on. Filling, $500 pesos ($50 U.S.), crown, $0.
Samie rented the movie Something About Mary – ok, I guess.
Goon called, Caleb still hasn’t told his parents he’s not going on a mission; they want to get married in August.

*Omg I remember vividly when Something About Mary came out. I remember going to the video rental place with Tarn and picking it out. It was just in its own category of slapstick comedy, if you ask me. It for sure wasn’t exactly Mom’s cup of tea, but I remember watching it with her and Dad because Dad got a real kick out of it. He laughed so hard at the whole “frank and beans” part. There are exactly three movies I’ve seen my dad really laugh at: Son In Law, Something About Mary, and The Nutty Professor. I love seeing my dad really get a kick out of something, it’s the best. 🤗

January 19, Tuesday

At 8 am, John brought Craig Blackburn, his wife Paula and her dad, Bill Beecroft out and we motor sailed out to the island. Paula’s mom, Jo, doesn’t like the water at all. We saw several humpback whales on the way out, so we headed in their direction. Got some pretty good video shots of one breaching and slapping their fins.
Craig and Paula were so excited – I’m glad we saw them. We anchored at Tres Marias in 10k of wind and kinda rolly. Craig, Bill and Samie all swam for a while. Samie was full of questions about Bill’s nephew, Clayton, who is 12. We never caught any fish. On the way back in, we had 10-15k and sailed for a bit – Craig even took the wheel. We anchored in the same spot at 3 pm. Later we took a bus out to Rancho Banderas (now that’s a scary ride) where they have time shares in a condo (nice) and Bill bought us dinner. By then there were no more busses running, so the condo van drove us back to La Cruz.
Enjoyable day.
Oh, found out that this month and March there will be 2 fill moons in those months. That hasn’t happened in the last 81 years. So, January 1st, 21st 1999 and March 2nd and 31st, 1999. This is known as a BLUE MOON.

*This results in February having no full moon at all, and technically it’s called a double blue moon. The next time this would happen would be 2018.

January 20, Wednesday
La Cruz

Happy Bday Janelle

Lazy day – John has been jerry-jugging fuel out to top her off, may take a while after motoring 52 hours to get here. We all went ashore. Talked to Abientot, they are gonna stay on the Baja. Since we left, it hasn’t had too much wind like before. Such is life.
Danielle called, her and Ben are flying out Feb 9-14.

*I don’t seem to have video of this whale sighting, and I never saw anything that I recorded for my class from San Carlos - I wonder if we lost a video tape somewhere?
Ahhhh, good ol’ truth or dare! 😂Oh, to be a kid again.

January 21, Thursday

Samie is studying and testing.
We went ashore for a bit. The breeze was a light 10k but out of the south all morning, so it was kinda bouncy. Mail call – took 3 weeks to get here this time. Rob and Grace, Nanamuk, are in Vancouver working – boat is still in Australia.
Arne and Janice, Renegade, are engaged after umpteen years. Samie watched the movie Armageddon at Dos Felipes, John visited – I stayed home and wrote letters.

*Oh, Armegeddon. I remember this movie being such a big deal when it came out. Great cast - I might have to watch it again, sometime.
!! I don’t know if I caught it back then, but I just spotted one of the extras in the trailer is the brother of our friend, Laura Richmond, who we met in San Diego. We had kept in touch with her and Steve for a few years after we parted ways and I always recognize her brother, Patrick, when I spot him in movies.

January 22, Friday

Rosa gets back today!
Poor Craig is back at Navopache Electric today. Hopefully he tells Richard Flores to get their butts down here!
Samie is still doing tests. We went in to see Rosa, but she missed her flight and the next one didn’t get in until 7 pm, so we’ll see her tomorrow.
Beautiful day – 10k, 84°. The barometer is down 9 points today.

January 23, Saturday

Chelle called this a.m., her and Rick decided to get married on February 27th. We won’t be able to make it, but she’s gonna have Richard Flores give her away (good choice).
We finally got in to see Rosa, I’m so glad she’s back.
Blew 15-20k out of the bay. Tonight the wind is light and we are sitting sideways to the swell. It’s starting to feel like last year. There must have been some good storms in the northwest.

January 24, Sunday

Kirby and Suzie, Lena have a friend flying back to the States – so Samie and I sent several letters.
Goon called wanting to know where and when to come down.
Barb and Richard were supposed to call us with a date for them to come down – but haven’t yet.
Spent the afternoon at Cruise Quarters and finally had ribs – yum.
Calm morning – noon starts the 15-20k out of the bay – normal, calm night.
The Sea of Cortez finally calmed down again after 3 days of 30-40k at the anchorages where Blue Chablis and Abientot were.

January 25, Monday
La Cruz

We went into the dentist 1st thing to see if she, Gina, could fit Samie with a retainer and fix her underbite, but no. I didn’t really think so. It’s gonna be braces for her, too. Only her, I have no insurance on. We all went into town later. I’m so glad Rosa’s back. The swell was getting bigger today.
Calm and warm.

January 26, Tuesday

Normal day. John is still jerry-jugging fuel. Jim and Kitty, Summer Wind, are still in the marina working on their boat. I had 2 yams still from La Paz, so I fixed candied sweet potatoes, pork roast, potatoes and gravy. No special occasion except I wanted candied sweet potatoes. Yum. Calm 15k – warm 87°.

January 27, Wednesday

Another beautiful day, only it was cloudy.
Barb called today, her and Richard are flying out March 1st to 6th – cool!
Danielle also called, she’s coming Feb 9th.
We ran the engine for an hour to charge batteries. You need that every once in a while.
The Sea of Cortez around Isla Carmen had 35-45k today, it took a boat 4 hours to go 6 miles. Why anyone chooses to stay on the Baja in the winter is beyond us.

January 28, Thursday

Unusual day – 10 am, 18k from the west, died off, then 20k from the north at 10:30 until 2 pm or so. Then light and variable. Strange.
Samie rented My Giant which was good.

*This is movie totally escaped my memory! After watching the trailer, I do remember it, but probably have not seen it since this day in 1998. I’ll have to see if I can stream it and watch it again. Can’t go wrong with Billy Crystal!

*I found the girl Sonya was telling me about, her name is Tamara Savage and it looks like her career was just kicking off in 1998, when she was just 19. She even wrote a couple songs for Whitney Houston and TLC. I don’t remember hearing that Sonya was ever in any music videos, but I may need to do some additional research! 🧐 (who, me?!)
My “I don’t know what to do”s about Gareth are cute. I think I liked liking boys but was overwhelmed with anything beyond that!

January 29, Friday

John finished a boat bottom that he started yesterday. It was really overgrown with barnacles. He broke 1 scraper and lost the new one he bought.
Normal weather.
Oh, Samie called up the boat Morning Star in the anchorage. These new people bought the boat from Wendy and Chelsea that we met last year.

January 30, Saturday

John and Samie went out for a day-sail to the islands on Kia Ora with Neal. They took out some tourists and were gone from 9:30 am to 4 pm. I thoroughly enjoyed the day by myself.
Jena is spending the night.

January 31, Sunday

We all went in to shore around noon, just hung out until Super Bowl. Not a very good game, Denver 34 / Atlanta Falcons 19.
Baker and Cindy, Lighten Up, joined us for the evening. They came in around 8 pm last night – about on empty.
This is the 2nd full moon of the month. February will have no full moon and March will also have 2.
Oso was telling me tonight how much they all like John. He visits all the Cruise Quarters help every day and makes them laugh.

*We all adored the staff at Crew’s Quarters. We had our own little family there.

February ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

February 1st, Monday

John cleaned another boat bottom this a.m. The hookah just might end up paying for itself after 3 or 4 years if he can do enough bottoms! Went ashore; normal day.

February 2, Tuesday

We made a day of it today. Samie stayed in La Cruz with Rosa while John and I went into Nuevo Vallarta to see Summer Wind, Jim and Kitty. Jim was in the process of having the prop and shaft pulled so he can have it all fixed. We took that in to the mechanic – via one of Jim’s van rides.
They took us to Ernesto’s for lunch – really wonderful tortilla soup. Also stopped at Gigantes for just a few things. It was a nice way to spend the day. Jim and Kitty are in the process of a lot of work to get the boat ready for the truck/trailer trip from Mazatlan to Toronto. They have to follow the boat as far as Nogales, Az.

February 3, Wednesday

John cleaned the lines that run in and out of the refrigeration, he also cleaned out the inside zincs. Afternoon ashore. Oh, it blew up to 23k out of the bay. Most we’ve had so far. Lite N Up was dragging – John went over and threw out his other anchor before he could make it out from the beach.
Shine and Goon called last night, neither one of them can afford to fly out, but all is well.

February 4, Thursday

Slow day – Samie wasn’t too anxious about getting school over with as early as normal. So it was 3 pm before we got to shore.
Well, I guess the “season” has arrived – the last 2 days the Banderas Bay breeze has hit 20k. It has been really nice up to now – only a 10k afternoon breeze.

February 5, Friday
La Cruz

Samie went in early today. It’s yet another Mexican Holiday – Constitution Day – so no school for Jena. Her sister, Laura is down from Canada and took the girls in to P.V. to the water park and shopping. Samie bought a new swimsuit and sun glasses with the last of her Christmas money. John and I spent the day ashore. We even had dinner at Cruise Quarters. Lupe had made chili rellenos and the guys shared; Simon and Oso gave us one of theirs – such neat guys. Samie spent the night with Jena.

February 6, Saturday

Happy Birthday Mom

Tried to call her, but the phone has a problem!
Spent most of the day ashore.

February 7, Sunday

Normal day in Paradise.

February 8, Monday

At 10 am, we pulled up the anchor and headed over to Marina Paradise Village in Nuevo. It only took half an hour – 10k and slightly swelly, we just motored.
Dick Markie, who used to be harbor master at Marina Mazatlan, is now here and he talked us in through the entrance. This one is also being dredged and can be real surgey and breaking swells – but nothing like Mazatlan. He put us in an “easy-in-easy-out” slip – thank you! We have no power or water, but we do have access to the really neat pools and great beach. This is a neat spot. Danielle will love it. We dinghied over to Summer Wind, they are in Nuevo Vallarta Marina, which is really falling apart. He is still working on getting his boat all back together.

Walking toward the "zoo"

Tiger at the "zoo"

I had to include the classic 35mm finger oopsie

Toucans

*I vaguely remember this trip to the water park with Jena and her not wanting to do the tube slide. That thing could be pretty gnarly!
I tell you what - I got so many busted lips during these years before I got braces, while my eye teeth were still up high in my gums, protruding out a bit. It’s a good thing our mouths are one of the fastest-healing parts of our body, and my lip would usually be healed up in 1, maybe 2 weeks.
Oh my goodness, me and my boy-crazy eyes, scanning for cuties everywhere. 😍🤪
I still tend feel this way about zoos in general. 😕

February 9, Tuesday
Paradise Village

John washed down the boat and polished some – I cleaned below – Samie cleaned her room and put everything away for Danielle and Ben. Wow – there is a bed under all her stuff! Kitty came over for a while – Jim dropped us off at the airport. Danielle and Ben arrived at 3:15 pm. Jim wasn’t back (another errand), so we got a taxi. Well, taxis only take 4, no room for 5 – so John stayed to get the bus. In the meantime, Jim came back.
Jim and Kitty came over for happy hour. The 5 of us had dinner, then the kids went swimming – John and I walked on the beach. Then we watched the comedy show put on by the hotel – really funny.
Oh, everyone but me walked up to look around and the spider monkeys got Ben’s glasses and destroyed them. They also took a chunk of John’s hair.
Danielle brought Samie some shorts and tops, John and I beach towels with pillows attached.

*Jim was so great to give us so many rides into and around town! I’m sure glad Dad hadn’t caught a ride on the bus yet when Jim came back for us! Without a way to contact him, I can imagine him looking around for us at the airport and I wonder how long he’d have stayed, in case?! That man was such a treasure - him and Kitty both! I can hear him now, that big bundle of energy and joy that he was, all 6 foot + of him: “Oh HEY there!!” He used his arms a lot while talking, the way I remember, and could be so animated and had a great laugh and was, as far as I ever saw, always in a great mood. Awe, we sure did love those two. I’m so grateful we had the pleasure of knowing them. 🥰

*😂 I know it sure wasn’t funny to the guys in the moment, but the whole spider monkey fiasco cracks me up. There was only fencing between us and the monkeys, thus the warnings. The guys were close enough for the monkeys to grab at them, and I swear it wasn’t but 5 minutes after Danielle said that when we heard Ben cussing after the monkey that snatched his glasses and took to destroying them! I remember the monkey grasping one temple/earpiece in his hand and the other in his opposite foot and pulling them apart. Dad and Ben were all fired up and trying to grab them back from the monkey, which was just out of reach, maybe even taunting them a bit. 🐒 Definitely didn’t get the brand new prescription glasses back and the monkey sure had the last laugh getting a handful of Dad’s hair when he was still grabbing after him! 😬Danielle and I were like, “well, the sign said….” 🤷‍♀️
The comedy shows they had at the amphitheater were so much fun. They’d get the crowd involved and people were such great sports. One setup I remember was getting couples up on stage and doing that game where they have to pop a balloon between each other, no hands allowed. I remember one couple running “full speed” at each other, and another where the woman was comically and frantically trying to hop on her husband’s lap and pop the balloon. 😆
Honestly, all this recollection is making me want to look into a trip to Paradise Village!
Ha, sleeping arrangements got tight pretty quickly on the boat when we had company. There was one long bench/couch and two smaller ones, I probably just curled up on a small one until Dad moved to his bed.

February 10, Wednesday

The kids piddled around in the morning. When they all went to the beach, I ended up staying here to keep an eye on Coral while Stu helped John set the timing on the engine. Everyone else rode into town to get beer with Jim, Summer Wind, and had a “typical Jim outing”. After dinner, we all walked up to the hotel to watch the fiesta dancing and bull riding.

*Awe, bummer! I don’t remember the dancing or bull riding!

February 11, Thursday

John’s been working on the gen-set, changed oil, etc. Spent a couple hours at the pool – oh, big exciting day for Samie. Her and Ben went parasailing from the back of a boat. They went up 100 meters – 7 minutes, $65 U.S. Danielle and I took pictures from the beach. They both liked it – but Samie was high on the rush all day. We took a bus out to La Cruz for dinner.
John and Ben hit the taco stands – 10 tacos each and 2 scoops of ice cream, each. Us girls ate at Cruise Quarters. Taxi back was 90 pesos. I had a terrible headache again.

A great view of Paradise Village

That's Mom and Danielle in the middle

Helloooo from some kyakers below!

Coming about to head back

I really was hyped for the rest of the day!

*Ben and I had an absolute blast parasailing! Danielle had done this when she came to visit us on our first year down, but she had to get a running start on her own from the beach! It was much easier to simply be lifted off the platform at the back of the boat the way we were. They took us up along the coastline a ways and back. It was so cool to see everything from high up and was one of the coolest little excursions I got to do on our travels. I would definitely do it again!
I seem to remember Dad and Ben raving about their taco feasts. Yummm!
Poor Momma with those damned migraines - especially with company and being out and about! I seriously don’t know how she did it. Especially now that I have had my fair share of them - you just don’t know how bad they are until you’ve experienced it. And even then, there are so many different kids of them and they effect everyone differently. There’s a general consensus that you wouldn’t even wish them on your worst enemy!

February 12, Friday

The kids all took a bus into old town and spent the day spending money. John worked more on the gen-set – I tried to get rid of my headache.

February 13, Saturday

It was a beach and pool day. Such a hard life.
John fixed the gen-set, it needed a new fuel pump. We took the bus into La Cruz again – Ben wanted another taco night. Still have the headache.

*That was sweet of Ben and Danielle to take me to town with them - I’m sure they would have also liked some time off to themselves. Thanks, guys! 🥰

Laundry time...

Danielle's inevitable sunburn!

I loved that Bite Me poster.
I still have that whale’s tail etching that Danielle made in high school.

February 14, Sunday
Paradise Village

This week has gone by really fast. Danielle and Ben have pretty much entertained themselves and we’ve tagged along. Being in a marina makes it easier to have company and this is a neat spot to be.
We never did get out to go sailing, though.
Jim drove the kids to the airport and they flew out at 4:39 pm. Danielle wasn’t as sunburned as usual – Ben was pretty red, though.
It’s been really warm – hot even, in here, all the hotels block most of the breeze.

*It made for a real treat to have full access to the resort when staying in the marina! Lucky ducks, I tell ya! Luck-y ducks! 🦆✨

February 15, Monday

I could live here – permanently! I’ve come to like marinas – but this one is by far the best. Especially for now, until they get the power and water to this dock. I think it’s only $12 U.S. right now, per day. We can use the pools, great beach, and they supply boogie boards and towels. We have a reservation for March 17-21 for the regatta fiesta. Although the only reason I want to be here for that is if Angela is here. So, we’ll see.
Samie met Rachel off of Marara, who is from Ventura, CA and is best friends with Sonya, Hot Toddy. Sonya has even written to Samie about Rachel. Small world.
John went into town with Jim this a.m.
Samie used the $130 pesos that Ben and Danielle left her to buy a dress on the beach. Her and I spent several hours at the pool.
Michael and Peggy both called – Shine to say that they took Grandma Davis to the hospital, she was bleeding internally. She’s 95 and has been in bed totally unaware for the last 4 years.
Goon said she is now officially engaged. Caleb finally told his parents he doesn’t want to go on a mission – but get married instead. Now she’s moved their date up to June 19th. She’s happy.

*I loved that sun dress! Wore it all the time. Kinda wish I still had it, haha. It was a black spaghetti strap with big purple flowers.
I was so excited to hear that Peggy was getting married!

February 16, Tuesday

We left the Paradise Marina at 8 am, high tide. We were anchored out in La Cruz at 10 am. It’s pretty swelly out here now – the beach landing and take-off had to be timed just right. Oh, the 8 days in the marina was only $87 U.S. Of course that will change big-time once the power and water gets on the dock.
We went into town a little early and took Meghan and Bridget from Shadowfox in, too. They are only anchored here for today. On the way in, the bees were swarming. Cool looking, but we wanted to stay away.
It’s Rosa’s birthday, I gave her one of the lion’s paw shells that I varnished and a pair of earrings.  Juan, the waiter, brought her flowers and Blair brought a cake.
Chelle called to tell Samie Happy Birthday early. She’s getting things ready for their wedding.
Baker and Cindy, Lite N Up, came by for a while.
After being in the marina where not too much wind makes it in, so the boat gets really warm and stuffy – now on the hook again, it was cool with the 20k breeze and somewhat lumpy.
I hope I can drag myself out on deck in the cool breeze to keep up with the beautiful tan I got poolside in the marina.

February 17, Wednesday
La Cruz

Happy 12th Birthday, Samie!

I can’t believe she’s 12 – I don’t have a “little” girl anymore. She got mostly money and is having fun spending it. We went in to the flea market early this a.m.  and she bought a backpack, shirt, nail polish and 2 t-shirts for Jena. Since they always get Samie something and we are never here for Jena’s birthday, we got her something this year. Kathy, Abientot, had bought Samie a cake mix and icing when we were still in La Paz, so she mixed it up and baked that today. We took it into Cruise Quarters to share. She had a nice day.
Grandma and Grandpa called. So did Shine and Goon.

*The cake mix had all these pretty blue, pink and green swirls in it that I didn’t want to cover all up with frosting, so I just frosted the outskirts. 🙃

Me and Jena!

Rockin my new favorite dress and swimsuit

Shenanigans!

February 18, Thursday

John cleaned Majoon Rick’s boat bottom, also Walkabout Jerry’s prop. Samie and I had to get back to school. A week and a half for “spring break” – so we need to hit it hard and do 1.5 lessons a day – once Barb and Richard get here we’ll have another week off. It was 2 pm before we headed in to shore.
The wind blew 15-20k for a couple hours, but calmed to 10k around 2 – early. The swell has been running big and makes the beach landing tricky. Especially the take-off when it is a low tide. John and I both got wet up to the waist today. Samie was lucky and got in the dink soon enough.
We rented The Wedding Singer; really cute movie. – Oh, we talked to Sea Witch on “Norm’s” net, they were buddy-boating with Tom, Val and CJ on Christina. They made it through the Tehuantepec ok, but had to try twice to get through the Papagayos. Right now they are in El Salvador – getting close to Costa Rica. We sent a message: “See you this summer in Lakeside” – their reply was “Maybe, maybe not.” Good to know all is well.

February 19, Friday

Beautiful day, only a light breeze, warm sun. The surf is still up though. We got a fax today from the Gibson’s. They went to Europe, France and Spain. It was the coolest it’s been in Spain in the last 50 years and snowed while they were there. Lakeside, on the other hand, is pretty nice. He says the ski run is going to close down and the businesses are in deep do-do!

*I completely forgot about this friend of Sonya’s and that whole thing! It really can be such a small world sometimes! It makes me wonder about the people we come across daily with whom we probably have shared connections, but will never know about. Like on Facebook when you see someone’s mutual friend list and you realize you have some totally random person in common for this reason or that.
Ha, Stu and the other guys I mention were part of the entertainment crew. They’d get everyone amped up at the pool, I think they’d get us dancing to some music, playing some sort of games with the group and I think I remember water polo or volleyball at some point, as well. I’m sure there were crushes aplenty on those guys. At one point, I had totally intended to go work at that resort after graduation. Dick Markie had told us that I’d have a spot there as long as he was still running the place. I thought about it in 2005 - but I stayed in Lakeside, partly for …a BOY. Oy vay. 🙄🙃 Can’t help but wonder who and where I’d be today if I’d decided differently… I guess that’s for another timeline!
Happy Birthday to me and Rosa! That was so sweet of everyone to have gifts for me, especially the crew from Crew’s Quarters. They were so much like a second family. 🥰

February 20, Saturday
La Cruz

Happy Anniversary Mom and Daddy

John talked to Steve and Molly, Star Song, this a.m. on the HAM radio. They are still in Chula Vista on the boat, but Steve drives truck now, long hauls.
We only went ashore for a bit today. Jim and Kitty, Summer Wind, came out and anchored around noon. They sure looked pretty under sail. They have another boater, Gordy, who also sold his boat, he’s crewing with them up to Mazatlan and will help with the process of taking her apart to be trucked up to Toronto to the new owners. We spent a couple hours visiting over there. They gave us their ships bell as a gift. John is going to polish it up and have Summer Wind, Jim and Kitty / Wandrin’ Star, John, Julie and Samie – engraved on it.
The thought of giving up the cruising life is too sad to think about – even though they will be back in an RV, it won’t be the same.
The wind blew 20k from 11 am to 4 pm – yuk. Swell was also running still – but at least the sunshine is getting warmer.

*That bell was such a beautiful feature in the cockpit! Dad did get it engraved, and it was still on the boat when we sold her in 2008. I tried to convince Dad to dismantle it so we could keep it, with all its personal touches and everything, but for whatever reason, he didn’t. I wonder if the current owners kept it?

February 21, Sunday

School and off to shore – John polished the bell from Summer Wind and mounted it on the inside of the dodger. Looks really good.
John was reading, Samie and I were watching a movie around 7:30 pm when Judy on Loon came on the VHF radio with a call for help. John and Jerry, Walkabout, were over there in a flash.
Jerry didn’t tie off his dink very good and someone else had to go out and rescue it. They got Don stabilized and John went to shore to wait for the doctor that Bob and Deann had called. Doc said pneumonia. It was 10 pm before John got home – thank God Don’s ok.

*I seem to vaguely remember this about Don - so glad Dad and Jerry were able to get over to him ASAP and that whoever else spotted Jerry’s dinghy slipping away was able to catch it - he probably didn’t tighten it enough in his hustle to get on board. I’ve said it so many times before, and I’ll say it again - our cruising community was the best! And having everything up on the VHF and HAM radios where everyone can listen in enables so many more people to help. With phones and whatnot, everything is direct and private. For a modern comparison, I’d say the VHF was like a group chat can be these days. Everyone’s tuned in and can either participate or keep quiet.
Anyway, super grateful they were able to get a doctor out to Don and take care of him. I don’t remember much about him except that he was one of the first cruisers we made friends with in Ensenada our first few months in Mexico, and I liked him, he was always nice to me. To this day, I still think of him whenever I see a loon (or a grebe, ‘cause they’re pretty similar).

February 22, Monday

Rosa called around 11 am to ask if I would go in and watch the bar while she cooked today. Blair was in town, it’s Oso’s day off – (he did go in, though, for the dinner hour). Lupe and Simon - neither one showed up, so it was just her and Juan, who wasn’t due in for a couple hours.
Just before we went in, Juan and Oso came by in Juan’s boat to say Hola. So I worked – if you can call it that – for our dinner tonight. I sure didn’t do much and it was fun to help out.
It's Blair’s 58th birthday, Mike and Diane (locals) planned a “wake.” Everyone came in with candles and a coffin. Diane had written a cute poem and a “last will and testament.” I was left the cash register; they may be surprised at what is or isn’t in it. It was real nice and Blair was surprised.

*Rough day for Rosa! The bar was downstairs and the kitchen and restaurant upstairs - definitely impossible to run solo. I hope Lupe and Simon were ok, but also that they weren’t just playin’ hooky. 😕 I’m glad Mom was able and willing to go help out and that Oso did go in to help for dinner.
I do seem to remember this party theme for Blair - I think he got a pretty good chuckle out of it. He was one of those types that has a pretty stern look about him most days, so when he would crack a smile, it was the greatest thing ever! I miss that guy, he was good people. ❤🪽

February 23, Tuesday

Quiet, cloudy, breeze (20k) day. I was sick last night, so stayed home all day. John and Samie went in as usual. John was gonna take Felipe out for a taco stand feast tonight.
I talked to Shine, Grandma Davis is home and just the same. Goon said her and Caleb are planning a “civil” wedding first so we can be there! I guess it’s selfish on my part, but that made my day better – I’d been missing them.

*Peg and Caleb are LDS and were originally only planning to have their temple ceremony. I remember raising a stink with Peg about how sad Mom and I would be if we couldn’t attend her wedding (we wouldn’t have been able to enter the temple).

February 24, Wednesday

John did his usual net control on the Sonrista HAM net this morning. Then he helped Jerry, Walkabout, fix his dinghy motor while Samie and I did school.
Afternoon ashore. Today was cloudy, warm though and not too much of a breeze. Samie has been renting a lot of movies here – big selection, too – tonight we watched G.I. Jane, better than I thought it would be.

*You bet yer booty I was renting all the movies I could! I’ve always enjoyed me some stories - whether they’re in the pages of a book or flashing across the television screen.

February 25, Thursday

John cleaned our prop, Loon’s prop and Adios’s bottom. Samie is studying and testing.
Town, home, spaghetti, cloudy but warm.

February 26, Thursday

Another “normal” day – normal, what’s normal?
Samie spent the night at Jena’s.

February 27, Saturday

Chelle and Rick got married today. I tried calling – but only left a message. I’m sad that we could not be there. Since John’s not there to give her away, Richard Flores is. And he and Barb are bringing a video with them here on the first.
Rosa, Samie, Jena and myself went into PV to Commercial and did a little shopping. It was nice to go together.

February 28, Sunday

Same ‘ole, same ‘ole. Partly cloudy, warm and muggy. For a while, we could see all the way to PV beach, then the clouds set in again. Big ‘ole cloud bank on shore – looked cool. Moon is getting close to full again. Another beautiful sunset. Went to town for a while – same ‘ole, same ‘ole, never boring! Always a new beauty.

March ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

March 1, Monday
La Cruz

Sunny and warm today.

March 2, Tuesday

We left La Cruz (Samie stayed with Rosa) at 8:30 am, took a bus in to PV to the Holiday Inn to get Barb and Richard. In the meantime, they went in search of us. It was noon before we found each other. We took a taxi to old town. I even bought me a new sarong for my b-day. It was 3 pm when we all got back to La Cruz, had a beer at Cruise Quarters and TRIED to take the luggage out. The surf is really up. Big swell and low tide. After 10 minutes, we gave up and went back to eat first. We had ribs. Rosa, Samie and Jena brought up a cake and a dress. All in all, was a really nice birthday. We finally got out to the boat with Baker’s help in his dink.  

*Happy Birthday #44, Momma!
Too funny that they were both wandering around trying to find each other. It is so easy to take cellphones for granted these days!

March 3, Wednesday

After John did the Wednesday Sonrista net, we up’ed anchor and motored out to the island. We did spot a couple whales. We anchored for a couple hours in lumpy seas. We did get a little wind on the way back in, in fact, we anchored in 20 knots!!
John, Richard and Samie went into shore for a bit. Barb and I stayed on board.

*What a fun day with Barb and Richard. I’m surprised I don’t remember going in to shore at all. I do remember the birds, though. We didn’t normally feed them like that, I think it was just something to do that day for entertainment.
I’m so glad they got to come out to see us and visit - they were such good friends of my parents. My dad spent so much time with them during the summers, helping out at their house with various projects and this or that. They were really good people. Sadly, they have both passed away since, and are dearly missed by their friends and family. 💔

March 4, Thursday

John and Richard went in to look at some property and brought Pete from Foxen out to the boat. He flew down to help crew a big 57 foot race boat back to LA. It was great to see him, he bought us all lunch at Cruise Quarters. Tracey is in California teaching first grade. Samie stayed to help keep Rosa company again while the rest of us took a bus into Bucerias so Barb could shop. We found one really neat shop.
Dinner was at a taco stand and hot dogs. So we hit the local “Taco Bell” and “Der Wiener Schnitzel.” Then Cruise Quarters for karaoke. It was fun – I even danced with Simon and Oso – I’ve never danced to Achey Breaky Heart in English, but Oso and I danced to it in Spanish. Very enjoyable day!
20k in the afternoon, calm night.
Oh – John bought Oso a little chicken toy – you pull the string a certain way and it sounds real. They had a ball with that. Someone ordered chicken for lunch and Oso made his toy sound like they were just killing the poor chicken.

*What a fun time with our Crew’s Quarters family! I love that Mom had fun dancing and letting loose - she loves her country music!
I’m bummed I don’t remember hanging out with Rosa while waiting for Jena to get out of school - I hope I was helpful and not in the way, lol.
I DO remember this chicken toy, though! They had a lot of fun joking around with that. 😆

Fun with the Cruise Quarters crew!

Oso, Dad, ?, Lupe, Mom, Pete and Gabrielle (I think that was her name?)

Dad, Mom and Pete

Mom, Dad, Richard and Pete

This was the upstairs portion of CQ, you can see the Cruiser’s Wall and the kitchen behind them.

Mom, Dad, ?, Pete

Richard, Dad and Barb with the view of the bay from Crew’s Quarters

March 5, Friday

We walked around town in La Cruz, then down the beach to the palapas. Samie stayed with Jena tonight. I made enchiladas and rellenos for dinner. I was sick all night with one of those headaches.

*😩 These damn headaches sure did kick Mom’s butt this year. This is already her 10th day with a migraine in 4 months! I didn’t remember her getting them this often while we were in Banderas, but I was preoccupied with friends and all the goings-on. I must not have been as tuned into it as I was later, in Baja when it was just us. Over time, she learned what tended to set them off, sometimes it was due to the barometer dropping, other times certain food or drink, or real strong smells. These ones seem to be tied to when we have company (the boat gets cramped quick and hosting can be a lot of extra work with cooking and cleaning!) and heightened activity like being out and about all day and maybe more drinks than normal.

March 6, Saturday

It was a lazy morning on the boat, then we all had lunch at C.Q.s before Barb and Richard took a taxi to the airport. It sure was fun having them here.
They had brought a video of Chelle and Rick’s wedding and photos. Really pretty. Also brought mail, got a photo of Janice and Arne and Janice and Cheryl from True Blue. We re-anchored closer in.   

*The photos of the wedding were real sweet, we were grateful for them, although obviously bummed not to have been there for it.

March 7, Sunday
La Cruz

I took it easy all day, the headache is mostly gone. John and Samie spent time ashore. It really blew out of the bay today – 25k – YUK!
Mom and Daddy called, said Peggy’s wedding dress is really pretty.

March 8, Monday

We re-anchored again this a.m., we had gotten too close to Mädchen, so we’re way outside again – ok by me. Afternoon ashore. Light and variable winds today, warm.

March 9, Tuesday

John dove on the boat bottom of Elegate again. Barb and Steve on Blue Chablis, who are out at San Benedicto at Isla Socorro – they caught a huge wahoo, but a 12 foot dusky shark got all but the head, then tried to bite the outboard motor on the dink – scary!
Really calm day – it almost didn’t even blow at all.

March 10, Wednesday

John did the Sonrista net. Baker, Lite N Up, climbed our mast and fixed the bent wind direction indicator that a bird bent in La Paz last January. Then John and Baker used the hookah to clean Lite N Up’s bottom. The breezes have been somewhat unusual this season. The normal 20-25k out of the bay are few. For the most part, it blows 10k, then switches to blow 10-15k from the land. It is also getting warm and we have a few flies – which is better than the bees. Angela is supposed to be leaving Mazatlan in a day or two.
Oh, I forgot, one day last week, while Barb and Richard were here, we were all at Cruise Quarters and John had asked me something for the 3rd time – normal – when Oso says, “She already told you 3 times; you are like Teflon – nothing sticks!”. We all cracked up and now we call John “Señor Teflon”.

*Dad never liked climbing the mast - I’m glad Baker was able to help us out!
😆 Dad had that nickname for quite a while. Too funny.

March 11, Thursday

Happy Bday Cammie

John is sanding the cockpit grating. He is always doing something to keep this boat beautiful! Otherwise, a normal day in La Cruz. It is getting warm, people.

March 12, Friday

Jena spent the night on our boat. We had just finished dinner and Angela called from shore. They drove their van-camper down. So we went ashore for a couple hours, so did Cruising Time, we all visited.

*Lol, of course they didn’t come JUST for Megan to see me, but it was good to go welcome them back and enjoy our time with them.
I like my note of: “once we all got used to each other” about me and the girls. I’ve always found it an interesting dynamic when introducing my friends to each other. I’m always myself with my friends, but slightly different versions of myself, so sometimes I feel odd when those aspects intersect. And of course, there’s always the possibility of the two being introduced not getting along for whatever reason. Thankfully, that was not the case here!

March 13, Saturday

We went ashore early and spent the day with Angela. After some gen-set time on the boat (gen-set is getting sick), we went back into town for a taco feed with Angela and Cruising Time.

*Ah, yes! Jena and I watched our fair share of the scary movies that were popular at this time. The one I remember most was I Know What You Did Last Summer. Especially on her massive TV screen with surround sound, the suspense really dug in and those big GOTCHA! scenes were something else. I don’t blame Megan for her jump scare!

March 14, Sunday
Paradise Village

Because the gen-set is “sick”, we managed to come in to Marina Paradise 2 days early. We were tied up at 10 am – only it’s not ideal – we are side tied to a 65 foot sail boat. No one is onboard – but we still have to climb across their boat to get to ours, which I don’t think is right, but that’s where Dick put us and that’s what he’s doing to get everyone in who wants in for the regatta.
John washed down the decks, I defrosted the freezer, first time this year. Samie and Megan, Angela, who drove over here now, both went up to the pool.
Goon and Shine called this am. I feel so bad that I’m not a part of all her prep for the wedding. I’ve missed the excitement of all her proms, etc. and now this. But at least we’ll be there a little ahead of the date. She asked Samie to be her maid of honor! Samie was so excited. Her colors are lavender, green and yellow – we’ll have to make Samie’s dress and I have to get one.

*I don’t remember this boat being between us and the dock!, but Mom’s right that it wouldn’t have felt right. Like having strangers traipse through your back yard all willy-nilly, without you knowing. I know we were respectful and very careful, though, so at least there’s that.
Mom did have a real hard time missing out on so many of those big events for Peg. It was not easy for her, at all.
I can’t tell you how excited I was to be my big sister’s maid of honor. I was so happy and proud and couldn’t wait!

*It cracks me up how unnecessarily detailed I could be about certain things, but then there are other things I skip over entirely and wish I would have explained even a little about. Like, what is the Lazy Game? I don’t remember at all, and I mention it a few times.
If it were me now, I’d have been way more interested in the dancers - I believe it they would have been based on the Aztecs.
There’s the balloon game I talked about last month! So funny!

March 15, Monday

Cold this am - 60°. John is working on the gen-set, brushes look good – so now what?
Blue Chablis made it in to the bay this am, they left San Benedicto Friday night, so they made good time. Barb and Steve are here in Paradise Village. Samie and Megan spent the day – after school – at the pool.

*😆The obviously not Canadian comment cracks me up! Wonder where I got that from - too funny. I swooned over that boy for however long we were both at the resort - we exchanged lots of glances and smiles but neither of us ever made “a move”. Funny enough, I still think of him every now and then when I think about this year at Paraadise Village. I used to daydream that one day I would run into him again and finally have the courage to talk to him.
The TWO M&Ms also cracks me up. TWO. Enough to know how good they are, but not enough to satiate any want for more. lol
Lastly, these entries were all catch-ups that I was remembering from clear ahead in April. Considering sometimes I can’t remember details from two weeks ago, I’m shocked at how many details I remembered a full month back!
I added some photos I found online of the pool we were always at.

March 16, Tuesday

Samie did most of today’s school last night. I got my hair cut here in Paradise – but I didn’t get it all cut off like last time. It’s the same cut, but short at my shoulders. I like it.
Meghan, Bridget, Caitlin and Tracy, Shadowfox, and Lexy, Odysseus, who flew down to visit, all came over to the pool – Meghan is spending the night. Angie and I also are spending time pool side.
It was breezy but really cloudy today – no sun at all. At one point, it even looked like it really might rain.
Oh, Megan and Meghan were called up on stage for a part in the comedy show. 

March 17, Wednesday

Everyone was pool-side again. Samie is tanning nicely – I’m staying in the shade mostly. Damn headache again, but not as bad. Mostly cloudy.

Alec, Meghan and Shaun coming into the hotel from the pool area.

Looking down into the little hotel room where Meghan and Shaun were.

Meghan and Shawn at the amphitheater

*Shenanigans with the other kids, for sure. Kids being kids.
If you are unfamiliar with or don’t remember the Something About Mary scene, this should refresh your memory. lol

March 18, Thursday

Sunny today, warm, with a breeze. Barb, Blue Chablis, and I went on a walk. John was cleaning the dink on the dock and knocked the motor off into the water. It took probably 5 minutes or so to get the hookah and everything ready to dive and pull it up. It was covered in slimy, thick, sandy mud – gross. But he got it all cleaned off and running.

*Oh my! I think I remember this happening with the engine - let’s just say Dad was less than stoked about it. I bet that was a nightmare to clean all that sludge off. Glad he was able to get it all cleaned up and working again - that would have been a costly mistake, otherwise. That Mariner was a good motor!

It’s hard to tell from this photo of a video of a photo (lol) but this was right after Dad got the motor back up from the bottom.

*There are so many things I don’t remember! Like the peacocks roaming around? Nada. That sucks that Puddin’ got them booted out, but glad he didn’t actually get the peacock!

March 19, Friday

I patched the dink cover – patches on patches – need another new one.
It’s little Hal’s (Angela) 7th birthday, so there was a little party.
The regatta races started today – I guess some are out for blood and taking it all too serious. We ate a chicken and pizza with Barb and Steve, Blue Chablis, up at the deli. We had quite a time finding somewhere cheap to eat – no one wanted to go into P.V.

March 20, Saturday

We took the motor off of the dink so Samie and Megan, Angela, could have less weight on it for the races, and they did great as a pair. They raced, one blind folded with the other telling them which way to go – quite funny. They won one of those with Samie rowing. Then Samie won all of the others for her class (inflatables). She was really a power rower! At the awards that night though, they only mentioned the adults names – no kids and there were several.
It's been sunny and hot lately. The phosphorescence in here is still as amazing as a month ago when we were in here. It’s downright pretty.

*I had such a good time at the races. For the relay race, the “baton” was a bottle of beer. I seem to remember part of the goal keeping it full, but I could be making that up entirely, because I remember one of the men taking a quick break during the relay race to take a swig. 😜I still love rowing. If I lived on a lake, I would totally have me a little setup to go out rowing and get me some good, regular exercise.
Just want to give my parents a shout out and a thanks for letting me have so many friends over when I had friends in the marina - I’m sure we were a handful in such a tiny space, but it really meant a lot to me! Love you both!

March 21, Sunday

Megan, Angela, spent the night last night – she’s one girl that I really like a lot. It was pretty much a slow, lazy day. Angie and I walked down the beach. Later, we all loaded into Hal and Angie’s van to take the kids to the go-karts for the prize tickets they won at the dinghy races. There was a big mix-up with that – too much to write.

The Shadowfox crew

*lol, The Craft really was an odd movie.
The go-kart mix-up is a bummer - the people passing them out had to have known that wouldn’t work! 🙄I don’t think we ever actually got to go.
Awe, the hardest part about cruising was the goodbyes. A 14 page note! Sheesh. 🤪

March 22, Monday
La Cruz

We left Paradise Village marina at 10 am – last time it cost $87 – this time it was $169 – what a difference in cost it is with power and water – oh well. We had fun. We had 20k of wind and it was a wet dinghy ride in. we put 6 kilos of burger in the freezer. 20k wind.

March 23, Tuesday

A no breeze day, but the swell is building again. The Angela van pulled in today, we all had tacos tonight – also, Cruising Time and went in to Bucarias to hear the band KiaCalli play at the pizza joint. Good music, with flutes and the little wind pipes – what ever they’re called.

*That’s a bummer that Mitch felt the need to poke fun at everyone. That’s still a peeve of mine.

March 24, Wednesday

Peggy called early this morning, they are waiting to have her bridal shower until we get back. Light breeze day and mostly off shore, very warm.
John brought Oso out to see the boat finally. Spent the afternoon between Rosa and Angie. Blair bought a new car – beautiful, Rosa is like me, scared of driving. We are finally all stocked up and ready to leave in the morning. This is a hard place to say goodbye to. The whole town knows John by now – so we walked around to say hasta luego.
Big ‘ole swells rolling in today and we are rocking around tonight.

*That’s our Wandrin’ John. ❤

The view of the bay from upstairs at Crew's Quarters

Looking down the street toward Felipe's from CQ

Felipe's main restaurant, which was kitty-corner from the outdoor area

Looking up the street from Felipe's, toward town

Our beautiful girl, The Wandrin' Star

Full moon magic in La Cruz

Peaceful La Cruz evenings

*Megan and I made these cute magazines for each other. We made up quizzes and little articles, cut out all kinds of things from other magazines we liked, etc. I still have the one she made for me. It is 96 pages, complete with a dedication, multiple quizzes, embarrassing stories, celebrity highlights, a “Dear Megs” column, and an article about boat kids in Mexico (i.e. us and our cruising friends). Omg I haven’t looked through this in years, I’m loving it!
Oh wow, I totally forgot about Blair and his egg-laying! 😆I still don’t remember it entirely, but it seems like we could get him to do this whole chicken “bk-bk-bkawkk!” dance and performance which would, I assume, have us in a laughing fit. I wonder if he produced chocolate eggs for us after the whole production, or something along those lines. Too funny. Love that guy! ❤🪽

March 25, Thursday
Jalatembra

We left La Cruz – been here just over 2 months – at 6:30 am. It was somewhat lumpy going around Punta Mita – but otherwise a nice, calm day.
Nothing over 5k and warm. No fish, no whales, only birds and some small rays.
Bill and Trish Gibson called twice today – trying to figure out when and where to bring Prime Time across to the Baja and meet us.
We anchored behind the island at Jalatembra at 1:30 pm – pretty back here, a first for us, but Blue Chablis has been here many times.

March 26, Friday
San Blas

We left peaceful Jalatembra at 7 am under cloudy skies. Nice, quiet, smooth motor on up to San Blas. It was 11:30 am when we were anchored just outside of the estuary entrance. John took the dink in and did the check-in routine. Once the tide was high enough (4:30 pm) we came on in to the estuary and anchored. I immediately put up all the bug netting.
We paid a man on the beach by all the pangas to watch the dink while we were ashore.
We had pizza – a good one – with Steve, Barb, Angie, Hal Jr. and Sr., and Megan. Norm and Jan plus a slew of others came later. John had ice cream, but no rum-raisin.

March 27, Saturday

Back to school – John went in to Norm’s house. We all have to go back tomorrow morning. We did go in for a while this afternoon and found Angela down at the trailer park. Megan was asleep. John found his rum-raisin ice cream. It was cloudy all day, even got a few sprinklers this a.m. It was cool all day and chilly tonight – no bugs to speak of either.

*Poor Megs with the migraine! I know Mom could surely relate. It sounds like she had an aura migraine - I experience these right before my migraines when I get them - mine gets this sort of kaleidoscopic effect in my vision that grows from a line or two into an arch across my vision - making it difficult to see clearly. Once that goes away, I’ve usually got about 15-20 minutes before the pain starts kicking in. Mine are nothing compared to what Mom used to get. Mom’s tend to start as a normal headache and at some point she can tell that it’s turning to a migraine. Thank goodness she has medicine that works for her now, or else she would be down and out with these suckers way too often.

March 28, Sunday

10-15 k NW all day, which is nice here, it helps keep the bugs down and cooler in the boat with all the netting up. We all went in to pay “homage” to Norm and Jan. Whoops, that sounds mean.
Otherwise, just stayed on the boat – long day. Hopefully the weather will be right tomorrow and we can get on up to Mazatlan.

March 29, Tuesday
San Blas to Mazatlan

*Catch up time, it’s actually the 31st, but I got busy*

We left San Blas at 9:30 a.m. – we had 15-20 k WNW all day with a Pacific swell and a good wind chop. Also a good current against us, cuz we could only make 4.5 knots boat speed.
John caught a huge tuna. Around 5 pm or so, we lost the raw water pump on the engine. Luckily we had a spare! It took 2.5 hours to get all squared away and going again. In the meantime, the wind died down to 10k so we just rolled around in the slop for those 2.5 hours. We got underway again right at dark. The night was calmer and eventually smoothed out.

Me “helping” Dad reel in the tuna.

March 30, Tuesday
Mazatlan

Never even saw any shrimp boats until the sun came up – and then only 3 – very unusual. When we were just half a mile or so off of the light house at Mazatlan, the belt slipped off the pump – so we were “adrift” again – but only for 10 minutes or so, thank goodness. We came between the mainland and the islands and anchored at Deer Island for a couple hours waiting for the dredge to move. We came in around 1 pm – Angela is on the next dock. Megan and Samie are having a great time. Samie spent the night at Angela. It was an early night. Tired.

March 31, Wednesday

It’s a lot cooler up here than in La Cruz. Cloudy all day, even looked like rain.
John worked on rebuilding the pump – so we still have a spare.
Samie and Megan made a video tape of - whatever, themselves – it’s nonsense, but cute! It got really cold, so I baked a cake.

*We had absolutely the most fun making this video. Just two silly girls being goobers and capturing it all on tape. Long before TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat or any of that. Back when most people were incredibly shy around cameras in general and usually suspicious of why you would randomly be filming anything. It was a new way for us to express ourselves and be able to see ourselves in a new way, via playback. Mom and I still make references to some of the jokes in this video. 🙃

April ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

April 1, Thursday

Blue Chablis came in bright and early this am. It was cool and cloudy all day.
John worked on the water pump some more – also found a connection on the fuel line going bad and put in 54 gallons of fuel via jerry jugs.
Samie and I played Boggle with Angie and Megan. Watched Home Improvement in Spanish.

April 2, Friday

John worked more on the fuel line. Cloudy again. Dock party, Megan spent the night.

April 3, Saturday

Well, now John found an oil leak under the head gasket on the engine – shit! Cloudy again.

April 4, Sunday

Happy Easter – or Feliz Pascua

Hal and Angie hid all the easter eggs for the kids (Angela, Wand’rin Star, and Cross – they came back with a broken motor mount). Barb, Blue Chablis was decked out as the easter bunny.
John finished taking the engine apart. We had Dominos Pizza delivered for dinner. Talked to Mom, Dad and Angie.
Mom said it snowed in Scottsdale, Four Peaks and Roosevelt Lake got 8” – Taylor got a foot, I think she said. Weird.

*😆Maybe I couldn’t find any Easter eggs ‘cause I was too busy looking for cute boys!
I’m happy to say I’m still in touch with Barb, and that she has been enjoying these recounts as much as my parents and I have. 😊 Love ya, Barb!

April 5, Monday

John had Bear, Oceana, take the head into the shop. Samie went with Angela and Cross to the water park. Sunny, but cool 10-15k breeze.

Back to front:

Megan, Zac, Me, Katie, Sam and Little Hal.

Me and Megan

*Poor Lil’ Hal! He must have bumped his noggin’ on the way down the slide or something.
Ewww! Thankfully I do not remember the bathrooms at this place! 🤢
Translation for “swing-slide thing-a-ma-bobber” would be a zip-line. 🙃
What a fun day for us!

April 6, Tuesday

Talked to Goon, they got 2.5 foot of snow in Pinetop yesterday. All is well, her and Caleb are looking at buying a house in Show Low.
We got the head to the engine back $60 US. It was tweaked and bowed. How is a good question?! $60 US also for Neal to help put it back together.
Samie and I were at Angela most of the afternoon. All the kids, also Cross played charades and had a good time.
I sent the laundry out, fast service. It was warmer today until around 5 pm when it cooled right off. 8 pm, it’s still blowing 10k and pretty cool. We went out with Angela and Cross. Hal drove, for a taco dinner and a walk down to McDonalds for a long wait in line for some 3 peso ice cream.

*Fun fact: Peggy and Caleb ended up buying that house from my dad, Sam and his wife, Rane. So I knew that house well for over a decade.

*That sounds like a fun game of charades. I’m glad we let our parents talk us into it.
I remember this night going out to eat.
That poor guy who’s stand we wandered into and out of! Watching 11+ people come in would have been a promising sight - only to have them move next door! 😩
I still remember when my knee did this - it was so bizarre. It just kind of gave out from underneath me for no apparent reason. We weren’t being rambunctious or anything, just standing and chatting when whoop! It buckled. It has given me trouble since, but for logical reasons when that joint twisted in an unfortunate way, and always recoverable. But this first one will always be a mystery!
I love that Megan and I had our “secret channel” and that we still had so much to yap about, despite having been together ALL DAY. Cute.

April 7, Wednesday
Mazatlan

Samie is really working good at school so that she can get with Megan, Angela. Angie, myself, Barb and Leslie, Cross, all went to Gigante for a little shopping. It was the 1st and only place I’ve come across that wouldn’t take a traveler’s check – so I had to use the VISA. Later, Angie went with the girls to the mall – Samie used some of her money and bought a cute sundress for $70 pesos (&7 US).
It was nice today – again until sunset when the wind picked up to 15+ and cold. Strange for April – more like December.
John ran the engine, all is well.

*I don’t remember anything about this game Lemon. I feel like it was some sort of modified version of truth or dare, but I could be making that up, entirely.
What I DO remember is Where in the World is Carmen San Diego!! I loved that game!

April 8, Thursday

This a.m. was unusually calm, I trimmed Samie’s hair. By noon it was howling 15 to 25k. Seems like the last few days boats leave here to cross to La Paz, but turn back. Samie even heard that Shadowfox had left PV for the South Pacific and they turned back – don’t know for sure. Tim, Scallywag had a 30+ and broke a back stay – so he’s here. And the storms on the US west coast are one after another. COLD, too!

*Whew! Sounds like a doozy out there in the Pacific! Glad everyone we knew of was safe and ok.

*Whoopsie daisies on the grounding! Glad she was able to get herself “un-grounded”. 🙃

April 9, Friday

Warm today, not nearly so windy in here, but still 20-25 on the crossing.
Samie is testing – doing good. I looked at another Islander, it’s a ‘81 ours is ’76 – I like ours much better.
It still gets pretty cool at night and early morning. I baked chocolate chip cookies – Samie was grounded all day. John had to get in the water and look for 3 cleats he was polishing. They were on the dock box until he opened the lid and they went flying.

*Wait, why did I get grounded?! 🤔‍ ‍

April 10, Saturday

Barb and Richard Flores called this am – the storm a few days ago that dumped 2.5 ft of wet snow on them has all melted – but part of that system was 105 mph of wind in Springerville and St Johns!
Boats out in the middle between here and Baja are reporting 30 to 50 k  - NO THANKS! It looks like still more time stuck in Mazatlan.
Samie got Bs on all her test – except grammar was a D! Whoops, better learn those sentence diagrammings – yuk! Another cool day, cold night.

Zac, Megs, Me, Katie, Sam and Lil' Hal

Our little group

The kids in the cockpit of Angela

Megan

Zac

Sam

*I’m not sure where or when these were, so I’ll add them here, figuring this must have been outside or near the Aquarium. There were bungees we strapped around our waists and then ran as hard as we could before it bounced us back.

April 11, Sunday

Some boats left today and reported ok conditions until sunset to midnight when they had 30. It was the normal NW 10-18k in here. We had Dominos pizza delivery at Angela tonight.

*That El Cid pool was a lot of fun. It was always great to find a pool that was more than just a tub of water. The waterfalls, the caves and little nooks and crannies to explore were lots of fun.

April 12, Monday

We almost left today but are waiting till tomorrow. We did move over to dock 4 while the wind wasn’t blowing so that we can get out easy now. The slip fee and fuel came to $258 US.

April 13, Tuesday

This am looked like we would go on across, leaving at 3pm – but as it turned out, the low stalled and an off-the-wall high moved in and Cuckoo’s Nest is out there in the middle with 30-40k. They tried to cross over to Cabo last week and had 40-50k!
Anyway, we are sitting this out next to a dock.
Samie has had laryngitis for 3 or 4 days now.

*Look at me being melodramatic about not getting to go. How quick I was to take for granted all the outings I’d been able to go on this year! Tsk, tsk!

April 14, Wednesday

Happy Birthday Chelle.

We are still in Mazatlan, waiting for weather – now it looks like Friday. Not an exciting day; I’ve got one of my headaches. Samie and ALL 6 of the other boat kids spent the night on Angela.

*What a fantastically disgusting recipe for a drink! Funny that Zac went along with it to get Murry.
This sounds like we had such a fun time, just being crazy kids. That was nice of Zac and Sam’s mom to make breakfast for all the kiddos, and for Angie and Hal to have all the kids over to spend the night. What a packed boat! Having to wait for a proper weather window was surely to my benefit!
Hal and Megan’s beds were below the cockpit, on either side of the hull. So there must have been portholes into the cockpit where they were reaching across to pass the notes through. 😆
I’m not sure how the solution for Katie to sleep on the floor was any more fair than me being on the floor, but ok. 🤔She was smaller than me, so maybe it was a little less cramped for her.

April 15, Thursday

I was sick all night with that headache. It is mostly gone now.
This is it, the weather window we have been waiting for. I even called Bill and Trish Gibson in San Carlos at 1:30 pm and it was flat flat there.  Also called to tell them that we had been stuck in Mazatlan and were not anywhere near San Juanico, as we had figured.
It was a mass exit today for the Maz to La Paz crossing. Ourselves and Blue Chablis left at 3pm. We are having (at 6pm) 15-18k NW and going into some leftover bumpy seas 2-4’ I guess. Wind on the nose and I’m a little queasy if I’m down below. We heard Shadowfox once again is headed back to PV. Now the plan is to summer in the Sea of Cortez – they blew off the South Pacific. Cross left for the SP again today.
It remained calm and uneventful through the night. There was no moon – but the phosphorescence on the water surface was pretty amazing. The little bit of chop and the boat wake was all aglow.

*More goodbyes. They never get any easier, no matter how many you’ve been part of. They’re definitely one of the hardest parts of nomadic life.
Me and my crushes! 🤪

April 16, Friday
Maz to La Paz

It’s 4pm and has been a beautiful day – the VHF range is amazing – San Carlos, Mazatlan, PV. There are 10 or so boats on the same passage as us and several long line tuna boats, but at least we passed three of them in the day and not night. One huge tanker. The only wind really was blowing off of Isla Ceravo at 20-25 for a couple hours around 10 pm to midnight.

April 17, Saturday
La Paz

We lucked out and had a beautiful and peaceful crossing. On watch last night (or early this am). John had a whale coming and going directly under the boat. The whale was a light-up green with the phosphorescence. It got his attention for sure.
We only had one ferry in the channel, just ahead of us. We got fuel (62 gallons) at Marina Palmaria and were anchored by 8 am.

*Aw, man! That would have been so awesome to actually be able to see the whale all lit up under the boat like that!! 😯

April 18, Sunday

The morning started out like it was going to be a disaster! There is water in the engine oil. At first, John thought it was fresh water and anti-freeze – which would mean a cracked block or head. It turned out to be salt water, which is not so bad. One of the petcocks to “bleed the engine” was plugged up, therefore water in the oil. It was a long day – but all is well.
The fridge was also acting up – but now all is well. Beautiful day - 90°, only 10k of breeze. It’s actually rather warm after the cold mainland.
I’ve got the stuffed head and nose with the sore throat that Samie had last week.

April 19, Monday

Time is flying by so fast! Only 2 months until Peggy and Caleb tie the knot.
It’s warm – hot – enough to put away all the blankets and put up sun shades and wind scoops. John changed the engine oil, I did laundry. Samie got together with Natalie from Night Owl. Blue Chablis went out to Isla San Fran.

April 20, Tuesday
Isla San Francisco

We left La Paz at 6 am for Isla San Francisco. I don’t know how – but we managed to miss all 3 ferries by a good distance. We had 10-15 k of southwest breeze from behind so it was a real nice ride.
7 hours later, we were anchored. We managed to get a spot inside the hook, so when the nightly south cornells blow, we don’t have any fetch. But we are only in 9 feet of water!
Barb and Steve, Blue Chablis came over for a chicken and fresh fish BBQ. I had another headache – I think from too much sun.

April 21, Wednesday

Beautiful, warm day. I’m telling ya, we went from winter to summer in the 40 hours it took to get from Mazatlan to the Baja. John and Steve went out of the hookah.

April 22, Thursday
Los Gatos

It blew a little from the south again last night. We and Blue Chablis left Isla San Francisco around 8:30 am headed for San Evaristo – where we anchored for 10 minutes, then hauled it up – too crowded and too rolly where we were – at 4 pm we were anchored in Los Gatos. We had anywhere from 15 south, north and 25-30 west wind today.
It must be really blowing on the outside of the Baja to come over the mountain and still hit 25-30. Anchored it’s only 10-20.
Bill Gibson called, they MIGHT bring Prime Time across.
Barb and Steve came over for dinner.

April 23, Friday

John and Steve went out around the north point and came back with scallops. Samie swam around the boat – cold water. Barb and Steve came over for BBQ, bacon-wrapped scallops and fish dinner. Some rain looking clouds moved in from the southwest just before sunset. Really pretty sunset and an amazing ranbow – brilliant pink in the dark blue clouds!

April 24, Saturday

Happy Birthday Grandma Davis - 90 something?

John and Steve went out on the south point with the hookah and came back with more scallops. Put these in the freezer for future reference.
Bill Gibson called this am and said it was windier than shit there, so they’re not crossing over. We should have moved more up, inside earlier but oh well. It feels like San Benedicto again – rolling around in the slop coming in from 10-18 N all afternoon. It calmed down for a nice night.

April 25, Sunday
Escondido

We left Los Gatos at 6:30 am and made it all the way to the “waiting room” at Escondido. Calm, nothing over 12k – but mostly on 5.
Blue Chablis went to Isla Catalina, we had dolphins for a while – love it!! Anchored and off to the tienda, luckily we were able to grab a taxi both ways – and we were back on board in nothing flat. The not so good part was that it was $700 pesos ($70 plus) – pretty expensive.

April 26, Monday
San Juanico

We left Escondido after a peaceful night, at 7 am and made it all the way to San Juanico at 1:30. It was calm all but the last 2 hours when it kicked up to 12-30 NNW – not too bad. There are 4 sails and 3 powers in here. Calm again by 4 pm.

April 27, Tuesday
San Juanico

Strange breeze today, 10-12 k from the east. That’s the only direction that could be a hazard if it blew long and hard. East wind is very strange and seldom but we always seem to get a light one when we’re in here. Anyway, it is dying off now at sunset. We may or may not cross over to San Carlos tomorrow.
Shine called – all is well.

April 28, Wednesday

For 2 days now, they have been predicting big north wind from a front going across the north baja. And for 2 days, the outside of Baja all the way down to Cabo has had 25-30k. However, here we sit in San Juanico, for 2 days WAITING for the big north wind to blow. And for 2 days now, all we have had is a light east breeze. Would’a, could’a should’a gone across. It’s very frustrating to sit with nothing to do, knowing we need to be in San Carlos, getting ready to head out in 2 weeks!
There were millions of small bait fish in here today. The water was black with them and the birds were having a feeling frenzy!

April 29, Thursday

*Oh, dolphins playing in the bay early.*

Well, guess what?1 For 2 days we waited for the strong wind to come and go! In San Juanico it only blew 10-15k today – outside from the looks of the white caps, maybe 20k. It calmed down, seas outside laid down to only bumps. So we had dinner and left at 5 pm. All is well only 5k and not too bad.
Full moon is up, sun goes down behind the baja mountains. Wind picks up, but only to 10-15 – still ok.
John slept for an hour or so. 10 pm. 20-25k, getting lumpy. We were off the wind just a bit, but are now going straight into it. It’s much more comfortable – if that’s possible. We are still really banging hard sometimes. The anchor chain is banging in the locker, and a few things that never move have flown from their shelf!
The ships bell that Jim and Kitty, Summer Wind gave us has rung itself after, or as we fall down a wave. For the most part, we are only doing 2, 2.5 knots boat speed, with 1800 rpms on the engine. In 8 hours we have only gone 34 miles. If it was a smooth ride, we should be in San Carlos around 11 am – the way it’s going now – it would be around midnight. Yuk, another 11 hours of this, with seas building even bigger. No thanks! We bought that t-shirt 5 years ago!

April 30, Friday

Well, it’s now 5:45 am, sun is coming up and the moon will set in a while. We’ve been out here in a bunch of slop for the last 12 hours . No, first 2 hours were ok. The last 10 have been 20-30k and were going nowhere fast at 1-2 knots boat speed.
Right now we’re holding at 3.7k – if we can at least maintain that we’ll get there just after dark. 7:15 pm.
Samie slept most of the night on our bed, it’s more stable than hers up forward. It’s easy to be “airborn” now and then.
Noon now, for the last 3 hours or so, the wind has dropped to 15-20 k and the seas have also smoothed out some. We are now able to make 5+k boat speed.
Talked to Trisha Gibson in San Carlos by phone around 7 am. Right after that, John looked forward and luckily saw a white bouy just ahead in all the white caps. We were able to dodge it and not wrap the prop. Lucky again, day light, etc.
Goon called around 10am wanting to know how many wedding announcements I need.
It smoothed out considerably and the wind dropped down to 18-20k. Made a big difference for the rest of the trip. An hour or so out we plugged up a fuel filter. Probably due to all the bouncing and sloshing with only a half tank of fuel. Anyway, John changed it real fast and all is well.
It was 3 pm when we sailed in to the catch 22 bay to drop the sail and went inside where it was nice and calm. It was cold when we left San Carlos in December and it’s still cold!
We stopped by Bill and Trisha’s for a bite on the way to Tequila’s for dinner. We were in bed at 7:45.

May ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

May 1, Saturday
San Carlos

Abientot is 7 miles out at 6:30 am, they left Conception last night and had glass seas until 1 am when they had the same snot that we did. Anyhow, 7 miles out, the wind died and their transmission is broken. Luckily, the wind came up again and they sailed into the bay and anchored. It’s too windy to tow them in today.
John worked all day out in the cold wind washing down everything.

May 2, Sunday

We washed and folded up all 4 sails. Samie and I have only been doing math, spelling and grammar, but 3 lessons each, every day. She just tested at got 90% in math, 92% in spelling, and 88 % in grammar. That’s actually better than she’d done with it all spread out.
We got some wonderful New York steaks at Juan’s for dinner. It was heaven.
Watched 6 Days and 7 Nights – good movie.

*Time for a little “over the years” photo series, recreating a “famous” photo from our first year on the boat, in 1995. I had been watching Mom do this or that in the kitchen when Mom said “wait, stay right there!”. We recreated it again this 5th season in 1999 and again in 2008, the last time I visited my parents in the WA/Vancouver area and the last time I spent time on our beautiful Wandrin’ Star.
Ages 7, 12, 19 and 21.

May 3, Monday

Happy Bday Janet.

I washed out (in a bucket) all of the clothes that got salt water wet up in Samie’s locker with this last “water over the bow” crossing.
John fixed the seat in the hard dink – our garage – Bill Gibson is going to buy it.
Bill and Trisha came over for dinner, she brought shrimp, so we BBQed those with the scallops from Los Gatos. Also made a crab dish and chili rellenos. Nice time, sure do enjoy their company.

*I thought we were done with the leaks in my locker? Interesting. 🤔

Tuesday, May 4

John changed all the oils: engine, transmission and gen-set. I wet-sanded all the outside woodwork.
Took the van in to the shop and had brakes repaired and a new carburetor – only $788 pesos ($80 US). John says it runs like a champ now.

May 5, Wednesday

Happy Bday Schyler #4!

Sure do wish we were with Schyler today. 
Samie stayed home today, but John and I went out on Prime Time with Bill and Trish out 15 miles to the island. It would take our boat 3 hours – Prime Time, 50 minutes. We left at 8:30 am, fished the north end for yellow tail. John brought in two, Trish got one up and he broke loose. Trish and I both brought one in, me on the reel and her holding the pole. It was a ball and a good laugh. John also brought in a cabrilla and Bill brought in a white sea bass – by the TAIL! Then on the south end, we bottom fished, anchored in about 250 of water, bringing in 30 or so ocean whitefish or simon, as the Mexicans call them. They come up so fast that their guts pop out! The yellow tail were all 36”. We got back at 3 pm. Great day!
Rick and Brent Garsha, Lakeside, are down here for a few days.

*Mom and Dad had a blast on this trip! They always had a good time with the Gibson’s.

May 6, Thursday

John cleaned and serviced the hookah and dink motor. I’m going through some stuff.

Monday 7, Friday

John is painting all the white woodwork.

Monday 8, Saturday

John is still painting, also the top of the dodger. I’ve had a terrible headache. Samie also was down and sick with one. John and I went to Piccolos with Bill and Trish for dinner, they are leaving for Pinetop in the morning. I’ve had so much fun with them. This year we’ll have to get together in Pinetop.

*Seems like Mom and I both had more sick days than normal this year. Her’s were mostly the migraines. I don’t know that this day was a migraine for me - I am not aware of having one until I was in my mid-twenties, when it was undoubtedly more than “just a headache”.

May 9, Sunday

Mother’s Day

John is still painting – I still have a headache.
Danielle, Shine and Goon all called. Chelle called Monday am.
Blue Chablis came in to Marina San Carlos this am.

May 10, Monday

John has been working his butt off. We drove into Guaymas to find Louis and look at upholstery, but – mix up in translation, he was here at the boat.
John and Samie (I stayed home with a headache), Blue Chablis, and Abientot all went to Tequila’s for dinner.

*Mom’s 17th day with a migraine for the season- more than two weeks’ worth of our cruising season! 😵I truly don’t know how she did it.
As far as things that trigger her migraines, I notice this one was after another big day out, and also that Dad had been painting for 3 or 4 days (potent, concentrated smells), so those combined could have been a double-whammy to set this one off and keep it going.

May 11, Tuesday

We all drove back into Guaymas, found Louis and picked out some fabric for the cushions. The whole thing should be around $600 US.
Abientot hauled out today.

May 12, Wednesday

John did his last net control this season for the Sonrista net.
More serious work and pack’en. Got fuel – 70 gallons, $107 US to get from La Paz to San Carlos.

*Every time I read about the nets, I get the urge to purchase a HAM radio just so I can listen and reminisce. 🙃

May 13, Thursday

Busy, busy day. Pack this, load that. We met Barb and Steve, Blue Chablis, at Manuel’s for a chicken dinner.

May 14, Friday

The wind blew all night from the SE, only at 8-10k. Funny thing is, we took down all the rope lines and have thin mill tape in its place. The sound it makes is so different from the normal lines. Only 10k sounded like 20-30k, really weird.
We got an early start at finishing up – had the van loaded and everything put down below for storage on the boat.
We left Marina Real at 8 am and motored around to the bay to haul out. It’s been blow’en 10-15 k for the last several days from the SE, today 15-20 – so we had a good swell to bounce us around. A couple of them got the decks wet – even the dodger! Poop – on John’s beautiful, clean boat.
We picked up a mooring ball so as not to get the anchor and chain wet.
At 11 am we went on over to the dock and hauled out. It still gets me when we have to leave the boat for the summer, our home, and Mexico, too.
We are staying at the Creston Motel for 2 nights and will head to Az on Sunday after John sees how bad the blisters are.

Peep Jax Snax across the street on the right, one of the restaurants we frequented.

*Looks like the hotel is still there. It was a nice stay for the couple nights we were there, I remember watching some telenovelas which had me pretty entertained, despite not understanding 99% of what they were saying.

May 15, Saturday

They got more sand blasting done, there really aren’t as many real blisters as we thought. Most of them are paint blisters. That’s good.
John and I ran fresh water through the engine and the gen-set. The poor decks on the boat are already so dirty – it’s sad.
Samie and I walked to a couple of tourist shops nearby, mostly to pass the day. Then we got in the pool for a while.
We went out to Tequila’s for dinner. Later, we sat on the patio at the motel and visited with a couple from Culagon, very nice. They even gave us their address and phone number so we could come to their casa next year.

*I remember this little shopping excursion. I got myself one of those striped, woven Mexican blankets (blue and white) and some trinkets.
Mom and I can’t figure out where those people were from, can’t find Culagon on a map, unless she meant Culiacán, but that’s a 3-hour drive north of Mazatlan, so, no idea! Mom thinks she remembers them and how nice they were.
One of the frustrations of having the boat hauled out and “on the hard” was how dirty everything got. Dirt and dust from the yard would kick up and settle on the decks and get inside if you didn’t have everything buttoned up well enough.