In the Marina

Yesterday we moved into the marina, in preparation for an eight day trip into the state of Oaxaca.   When we arrived, the line handlers (the marina employees who are there to grab your dock lines when you pull into your assigned slip) were motioning for us to come parallel to the dock and tie up sideways.  This sounds easy - but there were two boats we were supposed to pull between.  I exclaimed "They want us to parallel park!"

Now steering a boat, especially a big sailboat, is not even close to driving a car, even when you have the engine on.  And steering it into a slip in a marina is very unnerving.  It is tight, and there are a lot of things you copuld run into.  Additionally, it is a spectator sport and everyone on the dock watches to see if you are going to screw it up.  I know this because I do it.  ("Hey Mike!  There's a big boat coming in!  Check it out!  Man, did he get close!")  Because  boats have no ability to steer unless they are moving, if you go too slow you can't control it very well.  And you have to go really show because boats do not stop on a dime (not even on a silver dollar) and you don't want to bash into the dock with the bow.  And backing - well, most sailboats, including ours, has something known as "prop walk."  When you put the engine into reverse, the stern will swing in one doirection  or another.  Magda Jean pulls to the right (starboard).  We can sometimes use this to our advantage, but depending on how the assigned slip is aligned, it can be a real hassle.  So it is a delicate balance, and Mike gets nervous everytime we pull into a marina.

But every time he performs like a champ and this was no exception.  Everyone on the dock congratulated him and said their boats did not back so well.  He backed Magda Jean right along that dock just like parking a car.  It was great.  I was really proud.

Before we left our anchorage, a boat anchored along with us came loose.   It was wandering all over the anchorage, bumping into other boats.  (There was a fair number of unattended boats at anchor there.)  It also hit a buoy.  We weren't in any danger from it, but we felt bad for it and for all the boats it was bumping in to.  So I called the port captain on the radio and reported it (in Spanish I am proud to say) and they thanked me for calling.  Several hours later some guy appeared on the wayward boat and re-secured her.  Now for the best part - the boat's name was Chica Mala.  It means Bad Girl and she was being a bad girl, for sure.     

I was dismayed to find myself yesterday getting way too hot.  That has always been a problem for me - and I know I have gone on and on about that issue here ad nauseum.  But I thought I figured it out this summer.  It bummed me pout to think I would have to start acclimatizing all over again every time I was out of heat and then got into it.  But Mike suggested that perhaps the problem was that I was not drinking enough water and getting dehydrated.  I told him I wasn't thirsty, but he said that you could be dehydrated without feeling thirsty.  So today when we went to walk around this wonderful little town, I made sure to drink water and bring it with me.  And it seemed to work.  I was still hot, sweat was literally dripping off my face onto the ground and my shirt was soaked, but I felt fine.  So simple.  We had a wonderful day just wandering around.  We found the specimen net we want for our on-board science set up (now we need to find a microscope), we found some medications I need, and had a great breakfast.  And we made arrangements to have someone come out here tomorrow and take a look at the fridge.  The little town here is called La Crucecita.  It is one of the cleanest and most well kept places we have seen since being here.  There is a town square with big shade trees, and the streets are wide.   People are very friendly, just like in Sinaloa.  And the mole here is to die for.

Mike cut his hair off.  Even though l liked the hippie look, I must say he looks very handsome.

Here are some more pictures.  This is a booby riding on a tortoise.

Sea Snake!  No swim call for me!

A dolphin - they are so hard to catch in a photo.  I have a lot of pictures of splashes.

This is a sea turtle or sea tortoise.  I do not know the difference, but I am pretty sure there is one.

This is the town of La Crucecita

The picture does not do it justice.

Well, that is all for today.  I will leave you with this for now.





"Doubts of all things earthly and intuitions of somethings heavenly, this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a man who regards them both with equal eyes."  Herman Melville