As much fun as we have had here, it is time to head north. The tropical storms south of here are beginning to threaten this area, and September is the worst month for that sort of thing. The further north one goes, the better. I am sorry to leave our friends on Sundancer, but we have reservations for a kick-ass trip with them in mid-October to the Copper Canyon area of Mexico, which is inland and a bit north of Mazatlan so it is not good bye, merely see-you-later. I have wanted to go there since I saw a travelogue about it on TV about four or five years ago. We will spend six days riding trains and visiting gorgeous places.
We also signed up for a criuser's rally to El Salvador. It starts in March and ends in April. Again, we will have our friends with us. We all work our way down the Mexican coast, and end up in El Salvador at what looks to be a fabulous resort-type place with plenty of anchorage and a marina. Since we wanted to go there anyway, and have never done a rally, this looks like a lot of fun. So far there are 22 boats signed up. One of the problems with the Baja Ha-Ha (which we signed up for last year but did not make because the boat wasn't ready) is that it has something like 150+ boats, which actually makes it harder to meet people, as there is always just this big crowd at the events. These rallys have organized stops different places, where there are parties and barbecues and things like that. With less boats, you can get to know people better. I have discovered I like a balance of being alone with just the boat and Mike in a deserted anchorage, and being with other boats in a marina or a more populated anchorage. Marinas are a double edged sword in that you have power, dockside water (although often not really drinkable, but good for washing the boat), laundry, and restaurants and plenty of cold beer. But the water is always dirty so no swimming off the boat, and you are cheek-by-jowl with all your neighbors. Anchoages almost always have woinderful clear water for swimming, but you can't use your AC and stuf like that. So a balance is nice to have.
I hope my nephew decides to come back - I sent him an email about El Salvador.
I have not done too much off-the-boat exploring here because it is simply too hot and humid. Our thermometer has registered temperatures like 109 and 107 at the warmest times of day, and even allowing for thermometer placement issues, that is damned hot, especially with high humidity. Even a short walk to the store leaves me so sweaty it is like someone poured hot water over me. I could almost wring out my shirt. North of here it is still hot, but without the humidity. I always used to think that hot was just hot, whether it was dry or humid, but I have come to the realization that is not so. Dry heat is better - at least your sweat dries. Sometimes I feel like there is a bug crawling down my back, and then a realize it is just a big drop of sweat. Trust me, there is not one inch of one's body that does not generate sweat if conditions are just right. I was trying to read something on a piece of paper, and wondered where all the drops of water on it were coming from, and I realized I was dripping all over it. So when someone says "Yes, but it is a dry heat" I will know what they are talking about.
When we leave tomorrow, we will have about 80 miles before our anchorage, which will be the longest sail we have had since leaving Mazatlan for La Paz, or maybe Ensenada to Turtle Bay. It will be at least two days, and maybe longer depending on the wind. I am looking forward to it - I do like my 2 am to 6 am watch so I can see the sunrise. Both our autopilots are working well, and I have had some helm practice now so I am doing way better with that. I don't feel panic everytime I have to take the wheel now. Steering a boat is different than steering a car - the response is not immediate, and it is very easy to over steer, and then over steer trying to get back to where you want to be. If you hold the wheel all the way over until the boat actually turns, it is likely you will turn way too much, and then have to veer back again. Plus even if you hold the wheel perfectly straight, the boat does not usually go straight, because you are being pushed from side to side by waves or currents and things like that. So in order to just maintain your course (nautical lingo for steering straight) you have to be turning gently from one direction to the other. The electronic chartplotter helps, because you can see where you are going on the screen. You can also steer to the compass - meaning you keep looking at the compass and make sure you are going the right way. If there is no land visible to measure your course against, you would not believe how easy it is to get turned around. At times, in the beginning, I almost reduced poor Mike to tears.
The general area we are going to has a "hurricane hole" that is supposed to be one of the best, but we heard that there are 50 boats up there, and I don't want to play bumper pool with that many boats, especially since that many boats means there will be some people who have no idea what they are doing, and others who don't care and expect everyone else to just stay out of their way. There is another hole further north, so we will likely head for that if anything kicks up. The good thing about hurricanes is that they do not sneak up on you - we will have plenty of notice from the short wave radio weather reports to get the hell out if necessary. The thing is to make sure you are no more than three days from a proper hiding place. And the truth is - you are probably better riding the storm out at sea since there is nothing to bump into, and the boat is not likely to sink. It will be awful and scary and horribly uncomfortable, but land and other boats are your worst enemy in a storm. Or so "they" say. I am not in a hurry to find out.
Well, it is time to wrap this up. I have to finish up my re-provisioning, pay up at the marina, clean and straighten up the boat, and in general get ready for getting underway tomorrow. Until next time . . . have a great week!
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