The Voyage of Gypsy Wind

2018-01-22T06:01:00.001-08:00

2018-01-09T12:33:00.001-08:00

GONE Sailing

2018-01-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Gone sailing

Or so everyone thinks.....
Were gone from home for sure , no snow, warm sunshine, crevasses, what more can a man ask for.
A 47 ft sailing vessel capable of circumnavigating the world. Lets go sailing.
Wrong, we arrived and Patrick our mechanic had the generator out, from under the bunk and a pile of parts on cardboard on the floor to greet us.The one that was going to be done before christmas.
We can live with that. Just need to put it together and slip it in. 9 days later we have not left, and the gererator has yet to make power. Oh did I miss the juicy parts, well, the machine shop took a week to make us a part, customs in Mexico city have our real brushes, on the good news side we fixed the leeking deisel return line today. Oh sorry Im getting ahead of myself. When we fired up the generator the raw water pump leaked again, but its ok it is In a different spot, the other spot is holding. Its just a seal ,like the one I went to buy for the main engine $44 US, so we will get the Mexican non marine grade one for now. Did I tell you that once the generator is in place you cannot see the pump. By hanging yourself upside down over the engine (make sure its not hot) you can feel it. 4 bolts no, 3 bolts one nut 3 different sizes 2 of which are metric. Oh enough about the generator. Let talk main engine. Went to warm up the engine 90hp turbo diesel, the second time, after 5 min on low revs, big bang followed by knocking, blew an injector.
Now all I know about injectors is when We had them done labout 350 hrs ago, it cost us a lot of money. I was told have them done every 1000 hrs.
Pulled all 4 out with shane, tricky stuff, they are getting redone at a spescialty shop as we speak, very good,but expencive. And then we can do more of my favourite hobby, “turning wrenches”. Well I m probabbly boring you with this engine stuff. Let me tell you that the forward head got rebuilt with spare parts no less them 3 times in three days ,and, on a possative note, is holding its own, so to speak. And for all you sunwarshippers out there, I have been in the hot tub 3 times once with a beer in hand, that’s allowed here. Oh and not to forget we have had dinner out in several reastarunts, just so we can
Have some non boat time.
We hope the mechanic shows tonight and the electrician tomorrow, oh I guess I didn’t tell you about the inverter. Maybe I ll save that for another story.
Gypsywind , laid up in Mazatlan

Back for more

2018-01-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

When sailing gets into your blood it is part of you .you in some way are bound by the law of the sea to return and do it over and over. Sailing that is.
Well we are back for more adventure.Gypsy wind is in Mazatlan waiting for the gen set to be fixed then down to Puerto Vallarta to hook up with old friends Mishack who sailed from HAWAII this fall on a new boat. Probably with a new name that we Don t know. The adventure begins
Gypsywind at marina EL CI'd
MAZATLAN

There are these Islands

2014-03-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get nicer then this .
as we landed on San Jose Island we felt we arrived . we anchored 100 ft off shore and toured the old salt factory. picked up some free sea salt. still working even if no one maintains the ponds.
A couple of rusting pickups and a pieced out D4 cat. Other then the escort off the island from the bees it was a great way to stretch the legs. next the dingy ride through the mangroves Noah on the tiller of the dingy we navigated through the shoals, with everyone having an opinion on which way to turn .
It was spectacular ride Shane could not help himself and took some side routes, many fish.
We spent some time beach combing in the lagoon
We left refreshed, and later after a 2hr channel crossing we were treated with Kim's favourite anchorage the "Hook" on Isla San Francico. other than the 10 or 12 bother boats it is nice and safe anchorage. In the morning 6 of the boats leave, we beach comb and hike to the other side of the Island. We Fish (with no luck) though Kim landed a small Bonitto up by Los Gottos, I think. we pull into Isla Isolates and take a swim with the Sea lines. With great reservation and only after seeing Noah get in, Shane gets in and swims around. The pups pull our dingy ,play tag and have fun with Shane and Noah.
what a beautiful day. We anchor in My favourite anchorage, Ensanata Grande where our Freindship with Mishak, Whatcha gonna do, and Tina mara was solidified 4 years earlier.
We anchored under the cross in the small bay, close to the cliff and small beach. I was uncomfortable with how close we were to the cliff. Nikita looks up at the cross and says no worrys Pop, we are being looked after.
I just love these Islands
Gypsywind at anchor

Wind... Wind and more Wind

2014-03-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Well I guess it was not ment to be. the car rental and trip to Loretto

it was a rough night, with winds gusting . we all slept with one eye open.

We had a mooring ball, which is normally safe but two days before the net had a warning

about them not to be trussed. This was obvious because half the ball were missing from our stop over 2 years ago.

We took one that we may have been on before, it was oversized for large boats, bigger ball, bigger chain and larger concrete block we assume???.

as we finished breakfast,the wind picked up blowing 30 Kts, maybe we should stay with the boat

10 oclock it,s gusting to 38kts. Looking back on shore, one of the other boats on a small ball was on the rocks

people running around trying to get some lines on it, it missed the empty side of the dock by about a 60 ft.

Crap the boat next to us is dragging, into the catamaran just behind it. Oh Oh I think our friends Sunshine is having trouble they are pulling up anchor. 11Am boats have there engines running, we turn our on, just to be sure it starts if we need it, we let it run

Blowing a solid 28 Kts with gusts into the 40s. What is going on here, 20 to 28Kts was predicted, that is why we all came in, but we got 2ft seas in an anchorage, everyone is having trouble, we ourselves are wandering back and forth, straining the mooring, is one of our two lines chaffing? Crap this is not fun. Shane is steering the boat trying to keep it into the wind.Nikita runs a line over our

sail cover so it doesn’t flap so much.

Ok enough is enough, its blowing 36Kts gusts over 50, we seen a 54 on the kt meter, are we goint to hold?

A boat is having trouble with its dingy, oh my God ,it flips over with the moter under water, they are towing it upside down.

Some one anounces the other dingy dock on the other side has parted and the ladder on the wall is now missing. another boat in the waiting room anchorage has broken free and is being rescued from the mangroves.

Its a full on gail we have seen 57 kts twice. our friends Wiz lay out a second anchor, they are just in front of us and were walking back and forth like us. We see a dingy floating towards us upside down, Nikita walks to the bow wanting to snag it . Darral jumps into his dingy and motors out 100 ft and snags it, towing back to his boat Wiz. Man that is gutsy. he flips it over on his thrid try and secures it to the back of Wiz.

The seas are rolling 3ft, everyone is bobbing, and every rope, mast and line are making noise.Everyone is tired from the stress.

4pm it starts to ease back 27kts of wind feels like its calm, all are releaved. we ease back into our normal selves. kims starts on supper, by evening its 16kts, the seas have flatened. The VHF is abuz with other boats reporting missing life jackets, paddles,

etc. 3 dingys have been resqued in the eclipse, one pretty mangled, on the dock.

Gypsywind has faired well, nothing lost,nothing damaged.

We have a good boat that handles herself in big seas, we feel lucky.

Next day it is calm 4kts of wind. we treat ourselves to town and that rental car, yes you guessed it 3 grocery shops and another $400 of provisions. we prepare for our next leg of our journey down to lapaz.

Gypsywind and crew is safe and sound, heading south.

Rough Night ..

2014-03-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Rough

Night And All day....

Well let me see....

First of all we had a rough time gathering the day. We went to the shore to do our laundry but of course a huge Mexican family with a truck full of laundry... no joke the pick up was loaded. They took up the whole area so we had to wait in line and it took so long. The family wasn't even apart of the marina but other then that we had to also wait for the office to open which took forever so the man came to open the bathrooms with showers but it was taking to long for that

so us Ladies had to sneak into the MENS washrooms and quickly have a shower but the other down fall was that the water for the showers where COLD and Shane had to keep an eye on the door so nobody came in and the laundry so he can move are big bag up in the line. After that whole episode we came back to the boat and had dinner and watched a lovely movie and had to hang our half dried clothes around the boat.

during the night the winds were gusting and were so crazy they seemed out of control not even funny.... so big gusts of wind were we were all badly sleeping and the boat kept on rocking back and forth and healing over, we were tied to a bouy ball and the word was they may not be so reliable

{ NOT FUN ONE BIT }

we woke up to 38 knots this morning... thank god dad did not rent a car for the market we where going to go at 10: 00 this morning dad had his name on a car but holy man alive thank god he didn't go get it its out control things where in the water and dinghies floating away gas tanks bobbing around boats one boat broke loose and ended up on the rocks a bit smashed up but okay others were loosing there anchors hold and going all over the place not fun the wind was going crazy and the waves where like a huge roller coasters. I at one point heard someone shout 57 knots on the wind speed indicator

we have never had it that rough in a Anchorage like that it was no fun for the whole boat and it didn't stop all day at all..... even into the evening and then it died down slowly by morning.

WHew

Kiya

Islands, Volcanos and Ports

2014-03-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

We raised anchor late 8:00 am. Wiz is a 1/2 hr ahead of us, winds were calm and the seas flat.

We headed for the far shore of Bahia Consepcion to avoid the shoal on the main land side, we read 15ft anyway

we steer to starboard. It’s lovley to leave early with the day ahead of you. The peninsula is so large in Bahia Conseption

it took us 2 1/2 hrs to round, with hundreds of Manta rays jumping ,baby ones, we finally get some wind, but with it comes a 2ft swell

at our back quarter. we steer south east and ease the irritating jolt from behind.We are slowly gaining on Wiz while we motor sail.

We are flying only the Genoa for the main would only blanket the foresail.

We take over Wiz as they try to only sail. then they take lead as we enter San Janico

9 boats at anchor and 2 coming up from the south, and us that makes 13. we try anchor at the south but it doesn’t feel right. we join everyone else in the North west corner, where their are 2 nice beaches . We anchor at the quite beach no campers, and the crew goes ashore for exploring. I stay with the boat, and get some quite time. The crew returns with gealogical treasures and more Hermit crabs for the aquarium which has grown to a full sized tub with starfish and sea snails, a 1/2 doz. crabs and shells and rocks for crawling on. We get a bit of rolly action after diner and Shane and I find ourselves more comfortable in the cockpit.

Wiz leaves at 10:30 as the wind picks up we Loose Nikita and Noah on the busy beach, gone to dump our garbage.

we are 1 1/2 hrs behind Wiz we don’t see them as we enter our next anchorage Isla Corinado 9 km north of Loretto.

we head to the white beach, we are anchored with only 2 other boats , one Canadian “Sunshine” Nikita climbs the Volacno 1 1/2 hr hike, the rest of us chill on the beach. Kiya, Shane and Noah snorkel. We feel relaxed for the first time on the trip. the sun set catches us exploring the north beach. Shane gets the scoop on fishing, we hear of the first 2 Dorado being caught, shane gets exicted for tomorrows trip to Isla Carmen. We pick up Nikita off the beach after talking to Sunshine, from Victoria BC.they have family in Nelson. Nikita feels acomplished., it was a 1000ft above sea level.

Gypsywind relaxing and on the side

2014-03-09T20:49:00.002-07:00

Kiya on Satispac Bay collecting sea creatures for her aquarium on board

Noah and copper from the Boat Wiz goofing off in the bay

2014-03-09T20:21:00.002-07:00

Shane at the Helm during the crossing from San Carlos to bay of conception (doing 7.4 Knots)
11 hour sail /motor

2014-03-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

Nikita up the mast of Good News Sailboat doing some work

Nikita at Carnaval harmonizing with the mexican

No Wind.. No Seas... No Jam

2014-03-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

With a bit more prepration we have the boat ready to go for the crossing on thursday Nikita picked up some work on Good News rigging a triaid { a cable joining the 2 masts at the top } it was strong wind but he loved it. Mom did guess what ?? more groceries.

4:00 AM the alarm rings and the phone, yes the nieghbours phone, Josie is at the gate with our cushons new, chocolate colour, we square up, three cups of coffee

check all systems all running, stern,and mast head lights on. warm up engine and we are off 5:30.Crear the point at 6am. a light beeze not enough to raise sail and 1 ft seas we are doing 6 1/2 Kts. the sunrise is gorgeous over Guyimas a pinkish tone

Shane looks like he is enjoying himself we all take turns napping except kim and shane, who now is steering the boat. Mid way we are in 10kts of wind with our foresail out motersailing at 7.5 kts . Our GPS says we will just make it before dark. as we round Punta Conseption its 5:20 8 miles to go. Up the chanel we are greated by 2 doz. dolphins

who swim with us we have 15kts of wind and are sailing 8 kts .As we weave through the inner islands we mistake one bay for our destination and steer off into El Burro where we have been once before. we swing in between two anchored boats and lay our chain. Reversing hard we set the anchor, and its done, we ve made it, and Shane did not have to use his special stash of Jam ,the one for, just in case. The anchorage is quite except for the odd semi using his Jake brake on shore. Looks like Berthas restaurant is closed, so we cook a nice dinner on board. The boys sneek some fishing in off the boat and land a few. we all head to bed early.

Gypsywind has carried us across the sea safely for the 4th time.

Gypsywind and crew at anchor at El Burro cove.

2014-03-09T18:39:00.001-07:00

Gypsywind Down the road to the water So Thirsty.......San Carlos after 2 long years in the dry

2014-03-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

the Crew of Gypsy Wind 2014 (El Burro Bay Bahia Conception )
Complements of WiZ

Sea legs and jellyfish

2014-03-03T15:57:00.001-08:00

If you ever boated before you will know things take longer then usual on boats. projects seem to take days.Thought we had the heads running ,well the were both leaking. not good in a boat or anywhere for that matter.The forward selinoid vent thing started acting up. this is the supply of salt water to the head inside the cabinet, not exactly where you want salt water. Nikita had worked on it the day before no susses. The back head (thats why they call me the head mechanic)leaks at the back, where you can't see, so I pulled the thing onto the dock and replaced the seals, oh and one of the four bolts (stales steel) had rusted off.after the install it still leaked.One of my lower moments. I think it took 3 Cervazas to cure.After buying a new O ring the forward head was back in duty, the aft took a full rebuild of the electrical moter, actually just a seal on the shaft but took the whole thing apart just cause I enjoy this kind of work. Everyone went shopping for provisions it was the last day for the rental car. With all this fun we had a small weather window on Saterday that we could not make. so we are fixing the last of the little things, including flushing the water maker. Today we went out for our first sail (sunday) after pancakes of coarse. What a lovely time everything worked even though we got out around the point and the wind blew and the seas got to over 4ft, so we turned around and anchored in an small cove. the kids swam, fed the gulls and snorkeled. It was truly beautiful until the discovery of jellyfish. Nikita got stung on the chest and Shane on the leg. I was in my glory for I was making fresh water down below. we needed to make it back in time to meet the upholstery guy, and besides the wind was gusty. Shane steered us in to the Marina where the gusts were over 25kts. I took over to get us onto the dock. I eased off on the throttle but we were doing 5kts so I put it into neutral, still too fast, reverse to act as a brake, now the steering is unpredictable. Crap Our neighbours Good News are on the dock to receive us. we are coming in just a tad off but OK the wind is on the stern pushing us, I need to throw it in reverse again. Dock lines off ,crew off all looks good, we didn't hit. I put it into neutral, just about to shut the key off ,something stops me. I jump off, notice no spring line yet. I ask Nikita for the spring line, he does reluctantly, he was holding the boat, I realize the cleat is not in a great place to retie. the boat travels forward, its now blowing 25kts steady, boat is picking up speed. the boys got trouble with the stern line its tangled. someone yells reverse, we are going to hit. I jump on board but Kiya has put it in reverse already, like a saving angel, I throttle up, we didn't hit but our bow sprint is over the dock and it looks like it. all the lines get fixed, another spring gets put out from the bow. what a scare. everyone is hyped up. Nikita puts a second stern line on. Shane a second bow line. All is good, we thank everyone for being there, as our neighbours walk away I realize Gypsywinds' engine is still running; I reluctantly shut it off. Tied to A17 in San Carlos Marina Gypsywind and crew

Mexico, sun and a dirty boat

2014-02-26T14:50:00.000-08:00

After two nights in Mazatlan (a treat before the work) we have arrived in San Carlos where Gypsywind has been brought to the work yard for us.We are staying down the road in a nice hotel with a pool and a view of the sunsets over the ocean. we were warned that the boat will be in rough shape, so we braced ourselves,only to be surprised she was not all that bad. the canopy was in tact. No roaches living on board, though we found two tiny dead ones, no food I guess. The bad news was the tiny gravel all over the decks and the green stains on the fiberglass both on deck and on the upper haul. We washed and scrubbed all 6 of us but the stains were not coming out. Our neighbours had the same problem but theirs was slowly coming out. Their boat was left only for 4 months , Gypsywind 22 months. We hired the yard to polish out, the guy gave up after an hour.Our last day in the yard we installed all new batteries actually 6, 2 were delivered next day to the dock. We also fired up the Volvo Penta 10 sec. of cranking, stop, three more and she started,what a relief. Nikita had the hose in the intake for cooling.Shane took charge of the top side. In the mean time, Kim had stripped all the bedding,and sail covers, and rewashed them in the hotel(free laundry) and put the place into beautiful order. Kiya and her wiped down the entire inside. the boys had the top side decks booms and ropes clean as well. all done with a 12ft ladder as access to the boat We lost the day for cleaning the stains and next morning we had an 8am splash time. After paying our invoice for the dry storage, the loader/ trailer hauled Gypsywind down the road a 1/2 KM, we eased Gypsywind into her more natural state (floating), going below checking all the trough hauls, no leaks, this is good, this was exiting. Engine turned over, like she can and we backed off the dock, watching the prop walk that pulls to starboard we put her in forward. The girls ran to our slip to receive us. We eased into the slip like we had done it before, no boats damaged and the dock in tact. Gypsywind has got her dignity back.After moving the stored equipment to the deck, we cleaned some more. The crew celebrated, as we settled in for our first night on board. An adventure begins. Gypsywind and Crew reunited.

We're Back 2014

2014-02-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hey all you gypsy wind followers brace yourself for our new adventure. after 2 years of land lobbering we return to gypsywind who her self has been on the hard. not to sure who has been living on board but are bags are packed and here we come just past the the avalanche snow removile aquipment we have made our way though the kootneay pass this time we come with a new crew member Shane kiya’s partner. it has been a test to live with 5 family members in a large home lets see how we do in tight quarters .Shanes' last boating exsperince didint go so well . Calgrey here we come, Mazatlan well be a 2 day stop over and then on to San Carlos where Gypsy Wind awaits our splash date is feb 25th ,we expect a bit of work for we have not been back for 22 months. Crew of GypsyWind { Boatless}

Leaving Lapaz

2012-03-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

We have not blogged for a long time .
we crossessed thesea to LAPAZ in December and came again Just Kim & I on a work trip in Feb.
We have returned and just picked up crew (Josh Hall) yesterday and are leaving for the Islands on a 10 day cruise. 6 people on board we will report from Puerto Escondedo ( by Loreto) in 10 days
first stop San Gabriel on Isla Espiritu Santo
Gypsywind on channel 16

ONE Fine Lady

2011-02-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

I arrived Feb. 14 Valentines to find 7 people living on board. Don't worry, Kim, Kiya, Noah, Mechelle, Rob, and 3yr old Hania. Gypsywind was in dissrepair, mainly the heat exchanger was missing. So much for preventative maintainance.In November we commissioned some service work mainly, new injectors adjust the valves and timing. oh and clean the heat exchager core.

Well....... the core could not be removed from the housing, so as a last ditch effort I gave the OK to drill out the core to save the housing which is worth $1500 alone. The core is $1750. Its like getting a cavity filled, next thing you know you are paying for a root canal and a crown. Welcome to the reality of boating.

Our dear freind Jay back up Marina Del Rey was the first to ask me "Do you know what Boat stands for?"

B.O.A.T= Bring On Another Thousand.

Harvey

Sharing Gypsywind with family

2011-02-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

When we were living on Gypsywind more full time we longed to share our experiences with family and friends and to share a tid bit of lifestyle with them.
My opportunity came when this past month We had the honor of my sister Mechelle and Niece Hania stay aboard with us in mazatlan Elcid marina for 3 weeks and having her husband Rob join us for the last week.
It was interesting to arrive at the boat without Harvey and just us girls with all kids in tow I had my start the boat list ready and was pretty excited, breakers, water pressure, battery checks, refrigeration start up, check the dry goods on board make sure no bugs then bedding and cleaning unpack and then the Margarita! It was sure nice the first few days, Mechelle took to the VHF right away and at times was up before me with receiver in hand ready to check in, she was also busy converting temp. from Fahrenheit to Celsius to try and understand why we were so cold, she claims as true we were at one point 1 degree above freezing and she saw her breathe in the morning. It was true it was the coldest weather that Mazatlan has had in 55 years , and low and behold there we were with Margaritas and bathing suits in mind!!!
Well despite this we had some days of sunshine and that's when we headed to the beach , Mechelle eager and excited forgot to put her bathing bottoms on and when we arrived she then realized and whatever sat in panties regardless who would guess these days anyway,
so we celebrated with the Happy hours at each pool site for a few days! this is where she figured out that knitting and Margaritas are not good together.
The wind blew like snot for a few days and I was preoccupied trying to keep the boats Sun shade on. It felt like we may parachute off the dock any moment that's when i decided to climb onto the boom and rebundgy all around,the old ones were literally fraying apart very fast .Mechelle held my legs. it must have looked weird. We were boatbound!! thank god for Mechelle eager teaching techniques we survived and did lots of homeschool to free up some days when the sun would shine. Markets, and restaurant hopping, once the wind calmed down,. we still froze at Plaza Machado . I had to buy Kiya a scarf so the complaining would stop.

Sharing living and lifestyle I think Mechelles a natural although she read ADRIFT the novel (about a man lost sea for 72 days and all he went through she could not do it she said, She questioned me on all the things i have in our ditch bag, and she was so friendly with the dock folks for the last weeks on my own there were cruisers saying oh I met your sister, yeh, she was staying with you. Had she been there for the swap meet on Saturday she would have sold Hanias holey souls for 50 pesos.
Hania and Noah had amazing bonding time and today she asks for him daily, Her fist comments come out as oh my god this is so cool! it was like a fort for her. Mechelle and Hania shared the forward bunk and had their own head. She was amazing for the 3 weeks and not once wanted to go home. She has that adventurous spirit in her. extremely curious and asks a thousand questions, I loved it! and she is only 3.

Any way Sharing and living bring out the best and other stuff in all of us , we had fun we laughed and cried and did stupid stuff just as sisters should, thank-you Gypsywind.

all about the birds and the bees

2010-12-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

It's funny about the crusing life, the things you learn, the things you wished you didn't have to learn.
Like someone said ,"well at least you don't have to mow the lawn" well... if you haven't cleaned the bottom of your boat in a while, it is scarry what you find growing there. If you scrap it yourself, it kind of feels like mowing the lawn in a kind of aquatic sort of way. if thats too wet for you well then you can tend to the tidying of the decks, wrapping up the sheets (ropes) kind of like the hoses off the lawn, then watering the lawn, I mean the deck to wash all the dibree and salt off the wood. and the satisfied wife after its all done, just like when the lawn is freashly cut. Pride then the cerimonial beer. Except in Mexico you probably have one going since noon.What has this all got to do with bees you ask.
I was hoping youd ask. I ssems that a small colony of bees living under the sail cover,don't like the sail cover moved when you are cleaning the decks. We have some expertise here, though techically it's with wasps and they were Canadian. These bees were, well, mexican and short honey bees 2/3 the size of there northen cousins.
All my years of experiance tought me 2 things, wait till it's dark and let someone else to pull the trigger. It does not sit too well being a pacifist, vegetarian, don't hurt the animals sort of guy, and then your seen killing bees in a masacure.There could be female bees in there with babies. So, I got Nikita to do it! He knew the old man doesn't have the stomach for it. He opened the sail cover sprayed RAID, they all died fell onto the deck end of story. Next day we are putting up the fore sail, the one we took down in May so it would not look tatered like the one in Mazatlan harbour, left out one season too long. Things go smooth as the sail reaches the top of the mast, I'm on the haulyard, the rope feels funny, thicker and waxy. About 2 feet of the halyard is in wax. I look up to the top of the mast and a swarm of bees are buzzing the topof the mast head, with the odd one diving to the deck. We all run aft and down below. What the....
Well that turns out to be my entertainment for the next few days, I go to the Halyard, a different one, the one that really makes them pissed off. now the mast is about 50 ft tall and by the time they figure out what the hell is going on, Im at the back of the boat. Then there was this one time they came after me I thought I got away as I turned around this one lone bee does a kamakazi on me and hits me right between the eyes. It hardly hurt,a 2 out of 10. just a bit itchy. next day a little puffy, next day very puffy,on the bridge of the nose. Next day my under the eyes are fat, por puffy, yet droppy just like an old man.this gave me a long time to think. We need a plan.
We will send Nikita up the mast,at night of coarse, with a garbge bag, cover the mast head, poke a hole in the bag and gas the bast...Except that he is my first born, what if they swarm, and that girl by the pool, he would never forgive me.
Plan B the mexican on the dock says they make smoke on deck with news papers vacumn up the smoke and send it up the mast briliant! though a fire on deck did sound risky. Ran this past our nieghbour (Moondance, what a nice couple) Doug says thats how they put them to sleep, the bee keepers that is, it does not kill them.
Plan C We are going to spray RAID into the vaumn and force it up the inside of the mast. but what if the spray doesn't reach the top ,50 ft you know.
Kim says something so stupid, Why don't you tape the can of Raid to the halyard. Man! Women!. the more I thought about it the more I could see it working.
Plan D tape the can to the halyard that goes into the back pully, only the bottom half of the can so the top can rise over the pully. Tape the can so that when it stops at the pully it is pointing right into the mast head, instead of flapping around. we taped on a band of duct tape over the nozzle and wraped it in the spraying position. Up went the can 3 seconds flat, acually it was only a half a can. It locked in perfectly and sprayed into the mast head for over 2 minetes . a coulpe of bees cam out and started falling. the foam built up and started dripping on us so we moved to the bow. Soon it was all over, then Nikita notices bees crawling out of the bottom of the mast ,stunned and soaked, what to do? he finishes them off with our second can of Raid next day we counted over 100 dead bees on the deck.
Us humans can be so crule, and thats why I don't eat bees
GYPSYWIND on standby just waiting for something else to happen
a good sailor is always prepared

The Dinghy

2010-11-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

Well the most unfortunate thing that happened while we were up in Canada Our Dinghy was being used and abused by the Fellow looking after our boat. Now As all cruisers know The Dinghy is our car, Our means of travel to and from shore, it could dub as a life boat in a real pinch, One would have difficulty without one in the cruising world, Nikita Babied this rubber dinghy, it was his skurf machine and Kiya had dinghy driving lessons on it,She loves speed and its a bit unpredictable to go with her. Noah has driven it and feels huge when he is given the tiller to take charge.

anyway we arrived to find it deflated and severly damaged from the barnicles and ocean life attached on the bottom, this guy used it the whole time and at one point it was reported to the marina office as sinking. we spent hours restoring and trying to cliam it to some state of dignity.

Friends

2010-11-28T00:26:00.000-08:00

The next few days we spent with Barb and Micheal Harrison and Daniel, There is something mysteriously bonding between sailors, perhaps a common behaviour out of the everyday norm, it even gets deeper as time goes on, i thought bout it alot and i think, when we spent the days in the beginning right after the Ba ha ha the Bay of Muertos, several boats there had an interesting bonding and after a few days there, some of us sailed a very rough passage together to anchor in the nick of time,( before dark,) i recall whatcha gonna do, Gypsywind, and Theaopholis, babeze and a few other quietly being grateful that evening, tucked away in a breathtaking anchorage and feeling safe, boat people bond quickly and deeply in these moments , we have endured together and we understood each other. We have had many of these times with Watcha Gonna Do. Our Children have become best Friends, and this fluke meeting in Mazatlan after 8 months was not just by chance, it was a happening!!
We arrived to find Babeze 3 slips down from us docked at the El Cid for the last few months
last year on my birthday Barb and Tanya (Meshach)spent the day with me doing yoga and going for coffee and doing women things. This year for my birthday, who would have guessed i was doing yoga with Barb who has become this most amazing instructor. and out for dinner with the watcha gonna do crew and gypsywind crew (thank-you Micheal for the sweet Caroline in open market Plaza Machado)!!

FRIENDS

2010-11-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

waiting for Watcha Gonnado's arrival

dinner together with best friend Harrison

when our paths shall cross

2010-11-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

On our forth day here, working on the boat, what else do you do in paradise? ( inside joke) the VHF is on.
A familiar voice on the radio is asking for conditions to the enterance of the channel at Mazatlan. Could it be; it is "Whatcha Gonna Do" is an hour out and coming in. now the channel is 100 ft from our dock they will have to come past us to go up the channel. Our dear dear friends we cruised with for 6 months last winter. Noahs' very closest friend, Harrison, is coming to Mazatlan; What are the chances, us down for only two and a bit weeks, we heard "they" were in La Paz, with Micheal in the States. We gave them a hoop and a holler welome as they entered. Kim in her usual way Invited them for spagetti when Barb hailed us. Kim says who wants to cook after a 36 hr crossing. It was great seeing Harrison, Danelle, Barb and Micheal. It was beautiful to catch up on the last 8 months, what a nice supprise for every one. With some needed servicing they are preparing to head south to Huatulco (south of Acapulco) and then prepare for the puddle jump, into the South Pacific. Well it,s great having friend the kids have been in the pool together every day, Kim, Barb and the girls are doing the Yoga thing, most mornings. Life has a way of unfolding before us like a big blue sea,with a sunset on the horizon, and wind on our backs, one needs to stop and enjoy the moment.
Gypsywind with dock lines still tied.