Cleanest Boat Around…

As I think I’ve said before, La Paz is a beautiful town with incredible people and breathtaking vistas.  But, it’s time for me to go.  I came back here to put new batteries in Willow six weeks ago.  That was accomplished the first week, and I added a couple of items to enhance the power control issue.  I ordered a battery monitor, more comprehensive than a mere voltmeter; a desulfator, a cleaning kit for the watermaker, and some pump spares for it, too.  Then, my phone went dead.  Okay, it didn’t just go dead, I killed it by testing it’s water repellency…  I didn’t do it on purpose, but discovered it with a bead of water running down the back and no power.  It did dry out and I was able to power it up, but the phone aspect won’t work.  I lost my photos but was able to recover my music.  So, I had a replacement phone added to the mix.

As I wait for this gear to arrive ‘tomorrow,’ I’ve been working in and on Willow.  I’ve pulled anything made of fabric off the boat and laundered it.  I took dental tools to the head (bathroom), cleaning all the nooks and crannies.  I pulled the oil diaper from the engine sump and de-greased and cleaned that area.  The engine looks brand new.  I cleaned, de-greased, and then oiled it as needed to retard corrosion.  Oil and filter change has been done, all the standing rigging inspected and cleaned, all sheets and halyards inspected and cleaned, all sails inspected and cleaned, spares locker cleaned out and organized, lazarette locker cleaned out and purged.  I stay onboard in case today is that ‘tomorrow,’ and my gear arrives.  That way, I can stow the gear, pay up, and take off.

Today, I had to get off the boat.  I took the laptop and walked into town.  I decided to get a cheeseburger and a soda at a SUP rental/bar and use their wireless access.  The music is loud, view incredible, service good, and burger okay.  It’s warm out but not hot.  We usually don’t really heat up until the late afternoon, and we’re lucky to have some high wispy clouds taking the edge off the sun.   The remnants of tropical depression Alvin passed through yesterday giving us a tropical edge to the end of the day.  We really shouldn’t see much action in the way of bad storms until August or so.  The bay is very flat with various hues of blue and green.  The deeper channel is clearly visible as the tide races out.  Everything else is very settled.  Alot of the boats have been put to bed for the summer, it’s owners travelling back to wherever they came from via bus, plane or car.  Some of the boats were hauled out of the water, packaged up tight to protect from the drying heat, hungry animals and creepy crawlies.    The rest were stored in their slip, still sealed tight against the same elements.  It looks like rodents are everythere, and I’m very fortunate to have my own personal rodent preventive devices…

I think I’ll people-watch for a bit longer and then head back to the boat.  I wish everyone all my best.  I’ll finish off the day by washing Willow, again…  Take care!

Hi Everyone!  I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful spring, and looking forward to summer…  I am!

The last time I had my haircut was 3 months ago when I took a quick visit home.  My hair is still short, but as it grows out of the short cut, it becomes quite shaggy and unkempt, driving me crazy and shedding all that extra hair all over the boat.  And I thought the cats were bad…  I asked one of my dockmates, Jeanne, where she suggested getting a haircut, as she lives here full-time and has a pretty nice short cut.  Jeanne told me she was going to Dulce’s that day and I could tag along if I wanted.  Perfect!

We drove way out to the outskirts of town to Dulce’s salon.  It was a small, one room rental that she had recently taken over in order to open for business.  Jeanne and her husband, Tom, had helped Dulce spruce the place up with better lighting and some creative painting.  The small salon has two stations and one shampoo sink, along with a neat waiting area, counter, and rack of donated clothes for sale to benefit the local women’s and children’s homeless shelter.  This beautiful little shop was nothing like what you’re used to in the States, but I think I loved it even more.  The enthusiasm, creativity, and hard work that Dulce shows in order to make this small business successful was beautiful to see.  And even better, she does a great cut!

Dulce first asked me what I liked and wanted out of the cut.  Then she told me she has “magic hands” and would take good care of me.  She wasn’t lying.  In about 20 minutes, I had a really nice cut evidenced by the smooth way my hair laid when I ran my fingers through it.  Then, I got a shampoo.  This is kinda a fun process, with a little information thrown in.  In La Paz, the residents and small businesses get water from the city every other day, from sunrise until about 1400.  And sometimes, depending on infrastructure issues, the water only comes every three days.  This is for everything, including toilets.  That’s why as you are travelling through Mexico, you’ll see the small houses with huge barrels on the roofs.  This is a cistern, and the water is then gravity fed down to the structure upon demand.  Okay, explanations aside, Dulce has another 55 gallon drum of fresh water inside the bathroom of the salon so she can always be able to shampoo a client’s hair.  But, this was done with bucketsful of water carried from the bathroom to the shampoo station.  Jeanne and Tom to the rescue!  They took one of their non-essential water pumps from the cabin of their boat and wired it in on a board above the drum of water, and now Dulce has plumbed freshwater to her shampoo station!  She still has to dump the grey water from the station, as the water drains into a bucket.  But, this water she uses to mop up the sidewalk outside or water down the dust when it’s really hot.  She’s found a use for everything!  I got a great cut for 100 pesos ($8 US), and a fun opportunity to learn some new Spanish words.  It was really a fun afternoon!  (Sorry there are no photos.  I need to take my camera with me to more places!)

Responsible for her own kids, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews, Dulce’s a hardworking woman who, after all is said and done, still finds a way to donate time and funds to the shelter.  The next time someone disparages a culture as “dirty or lazy,” please consider the source and, the individuality of the statement.  There are always exceptions, but again, all of the stereotypes I have been exposed to here have been shot down.  I have met beautiful people and consider myself so fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so.

Peace!

Up the Stick Without a Paddle…

I’ve been here in La Paz for a month now, and never planned on being here so long.  When I arrived, I needed new batteries, and I was quick to replace them.  I was advised to get a battery monitor, one that shows with great detail my charging efforts, battery use, what gets put in,  what I take out, and overall health of the system at any given time.  At the moment, I have only a voltmeter which gives general information.  In order to prevent the drastic discharges that led to the early death of my old batteries,  understanding what happens with my batteries can only help.   A boat neighbor offered to bring down the monitor and needed wire in order to save me the $200 mark up for importing at the local chandlery.  In return, while he was away, I’d arrange to have the bottom of his boat cleaned.  Very fair trade.

Additionally, another item for battery health, a desulfator, I ordered from a local boater/ electrician who, after explaining its workings, suggested it for my system.  It works by intermittently sending a high current of electricity through the batteries, preventing sulfur buildup on the plates.  I still need to equalize monthly, but this should cut down on the time it takes for this process.  This item was to be expected around the 21st of April, and the monitor in the last week of April.

This is Mexico, a place where manana (manyana) doesn’t really mean tomorrow.  “Sometime soon” is more accurate, and once you get that through your brain, you will not worry about the ETA of stuff.  The desulfator is now due sometime this week, and the monitor due around the weekend.  I’ve stopped worrying about the “when,” and have just gotten things ready for a quick install whenever the “when” arrives.  People go to alot of trouble getting things here, and if they are kind enough to volunteer for the effort, I am happy.

I have spent the time here, apart from the batteries and their upkeep, doing boat chores that’ll only keep Willow healthy and happy.  I spent 2 days up the rig in the bosun’s chair, inspecting and cleaning the standing rigging and all its parts.  I noted my downwind pole to be frozen on the mast fitting, and today will see me back up the mast trying to unfreeze those parts.  I’ve changed the engine oil and all filters, topped off the tank with well-filtered fuel, filled up my spare jugs with fuel, tuned up the watermaker, cleaned out all clothes and food lockers, waxed the cabin and topsides (actually, Richard Rodriguez did that beautifully), and checked out the windvane.  I wired in a small light to shine on the wind indicator at night, and cleaned all cushion fabric.

Willow’s almost ready to go, and I am more than ready.  I’ve been blessed with helpful expertise from Glenn on Beach Access and Tom on Eagle, and for that, I’m very thankful.  I’ll get Willow finished up as soon as I can so I can hit the water running.  I’d like to explore Islas Partida and Espiritu Santo more, and then move up to the islands off Loreto.  I haven’t been there yet.

I’m sending everyone my love and good wishes.  For those of you in Ventura County, I hope you are able to take a full breath of clean air soon.  Thanks to the firefighters up there, and good work!  Take care, Everyone, enjoy this spring, and best of luck to my Hokuloans as they hit the water for the first race of the season this weekend!  Best Fishes, All!