Pay to Play

The day before we left Tucson, October 28^th, we had an appointment with Stewart Title Company at 10:00 a.m. where we signed documents for the closing of our new home in South Dakota.

After that was done, we drove over to an indoor shooting range nearby where we rented a Glock 17 and a Sig Sauer P238 and shot for a couple of hours.

Next we drove to a much nicer part of town in Tucson and had lunch at Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill. We wanted to get into North’s, recommended by Lisa VG, but it was way too busy. 

This lunch was to celebrate a belated wedding anniversary, which was on the 14^th. We had intended to eat out before we left Sacramento but never found the time. Anyway, the meal was very good. We sort of splurged, looking at it as our last American meal for the next 6 months.

After lunch it was on to Trader Joe’s to stock up on my usual favorites. Then our last stop was to a big box store for all other provisions.

I might need another cart...

The next day had finally arrived! The day we drive to Mexico! I had been feeling a little anxious because I had been reading so much negative information about crossing the border in an RV and how dangerous it is, booby traps to look out for etc. I was excited and scared at the same time.

We made calls to friends and family to say our goodbye’s and I love you’s. Because you just never know what Neptune has in store. 

Just as we were driving down the road after a fuel stop, I realized, while looking at the Internet, that we never got Mexican Car Insurance! Fine time to figure that out! I guess I was just counting on our current insurance with Progressive to cover any problems. But this is not the case! So we had to quickly make some calls and find an insurance company to cover us. That was the easy part, the labor intensive part was to go find a UPS store to print, fill out and sign some paperwork then scan and email it all back.  It was quite the production and it postponed our “early” take off for Mexico.  But we can now rest knowing we are insured! Apparently if you are in a car accident in Mexico and you do not have car insurance, you go to jail until the damage is paid for.

The drive to the border, Nogales, was not too far from where we were. It only took us a little over an hour to get there. Once crossing the border, we had to make a pit stop at KM 21, the Mexican customs checkpoint, where we obtained our Visa’s allowing us 180 day’s in Mexico.  We thought this was going to be a painful process and that they would be asking for driver’s license’s, proof of auto insurance, registration, dog vaccination records, etc…. but they never did! The only thing they asked for was our Passport’s and which form of transportation we arrived by…. land, vessel or plane. We paid a small fee and off we went. Huge exhale! I’d been holding my breath for the last 21 kilometers (that’s how far it is from the border crossing to the customs checkpoint).

We drove on, heading towards San Carlos for the next 5 hours or so.  The roads were bumpy most of the time and quite narrow. It wasn’t a particularly fun drive for Rick! Mostly nerve wracking! Our in-dash air-conditioning wasn’t working as usual (when you really need it) and it was 99 degrees most of the way. When we arrived to the Marina in San Carlos, and parked our RV, Rick had to pry his fingers out of the steering wheel and carefully lift his legs from the driver’s seat where they had been stuck most of the drive.

We were so happy to have arrived safely and to be back at the Marina. We took a quick stroll around looking for boats that we knew. There was a nice cool soothing ocean breeze blowing and the sun was going down. A nice moment after a long day.

Harley can't wait to get back to the boat.

After our walk we drove over to Marina Seca (the dry storage across the street) where Notre Isle was. We had been so curious to see what shape she was in since Hurricane Newton! It was late and the office was closed, but there was a security guard at the gate who let us inside to take a quick peak at our boat. To our surprise, we only found one problem that occurred due to the hurricane.  The wire-stay (Gobline) swag that holds the boom-kin down, broke. 

All of this has to be put back on the deck once the outside of the boat is clean
(sails, dodger, spare water and gas jugs and so on)

That evening we parked the RV on a side road that leads to the boat yard. Unfortunately that evening was also a Saturday, which happens to be the night they have wedding receptions right across the street from us right on the beach. The problem was not the reception, but the extremely loud music until 4:30 a.m. the next morning. It’s apparently a really big celebration when someone gets married in Mexico. They want the entire town to know! Along with the loud music were big searchlights that lit up the sky! AND…later they had a huge fireworks display!  That part was actually fun to see.

The next morning after having no sleep whatsoever, we drug ourselves up and out into the heat and walked straight to the office at Marina Seca and asked for a pass to get inside to see Notre Isle. We wanted to do a little more investigating and figure out all that we have to do in the next couple of weeks to get her put into the water. We also looked at our friends, Chris and Shelley’s boat, to take pictures and to show them what shape their boat was in. Besides a little crispy varnish from the heat of the sun, everything on their boat looked just fine!

Harley out swimming biting bubbles

Enjoying the beach from Palapa Griega

Since we could not get our boat moved to the work yard until the next day, we decided to walk Harley across the street to the beach to finally let her do what she loves to do best…to swim in the ocean! Once we got close enough to the beach, we let her off her leash and she made a mad dash for the water.  But just before she went in, she looked back at us as if to get permission. As soon as we told her to “go on”,  she jumped right in and began swimming around in circles chomping her jaws together, trying to catch bubbles. It was so fun to watch her swim again.

After Harley swam and played fetch in the water for a while, we walked further down the beach to La Palapa Griega, a restaurant where we sat down outside and stared out onto the beach and the ocean, drinking Limonadas.  We both felt like we might as well relax for a moment before the work ahead…. getting the boat put back together.

We had a much quieter night sleep that night! It was still hot, but quiet. Then finally a calm cool breeze blew in through our window screens, which made for a much more comfortable sleep.

 

Dia de Los Muertos Altar just off the side of the road near the Marina

October 31^st, Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos, we made an appointment to have the boat moved over to the work yard. It was not scheduled until 3p.m. So, we thought since we had a little time, we’d go back to the beach for a bit. But this time, Rick and I put on our swimwear so that we could enjoy a swim too. 

When we first got into the water, we just floated around, enjoying the coolness and the weightlessness.  Then we swam around, dunking our heads into the water, then doing a few freestyle strokes and breaststrokes here and there. It felt really great! So refreshing! As I was swimming, all of a sudden I felt my arm stinging. I pulled my arm out to take a look at it and realized I’d just been stung by a Jellyfish! My arm was red with a rash from my wrist to my elbow. It was not too painful; it was just a constant prickly stinging sensation. I quickly swam to get out of the water. A few welts started appearing along with some swelling.  I rinsed my arm in the salt water but figured we better get back just incase there was some other weird reaction I might have.  Fortunately, nothing more happened and the swelling and redness went away within the half hour. All that was left were a few tiny welts.

Half an hour later after my first Jellyfish sting of the season. Hoping it's my last. 

After returning from our swim and changing into work clothes, we went to make our 3p.m. appointment to watch the boat move to the work yard.  And promptly at 3p.m, maybe a few minutes prior, the boat was being placed into it’s new home in the yard.

Notre Isle moving into her spot for the next couple weeks in the work yard.

As soon as the transfer was done and the tractor that was pulling Notre Isle drove away, we got a ladder and climbed up into the cockpit and went inside the boat. We got busy hosing down and scrubbing away the dirt and debris on the deck and inside the cockpit.  The inside of the boat was filled with all the things that belong on the deck, but we cannot take any of it out until the topsides are clean and all wood has been sanded and brushed with 3 coats of Cetol (Cetol is a translucent water-repellant wood finish). Then we can start unloading the inside of the boat! We did some other fiddling on the boat, but that was enough for one day.

 

Before

After

The next day, November 1^st, we got started early on sanding all the exposed wood on the boat. That was my job along with washing off and the taping around the sanded wood. Rick went up to the top of the mast to pull the lines through for the sails. I had to help hoist him up in the Bosun’s chair, which is always a little scary for me! Way too much responsibility!

Rick at the top of the mast.

Rick sanding.

More sanding...

After another long day working on the boat, we cooled off in the public showers and got cleaned up for dinner out. We walked over to Tortuga’s to meet our friends Kirk and Heidi Hackler that we met a year ago last season in Santa Cruz, CA, as we were both on our way sailing to Mexico. And, we had not seen them since last April. So we were so happy to see them!

Dinner at Tortuga's with Kirk and Heidi

Tortuga’s was a really cute restaurant with a big menu. Lots to chose from. But we were dying for Taco’s Pescado since it had been a long time since we had them. So we all had 3 Taco’s each. We also had a nice time catching up and talking about our plans for the season.

The morning of November 2^nd, I woke up to a bout of Vertigo. Rick said good morning and as I lifted my head up to reply, I felt like I was on a Merry Go Round! I quickly put my head back down on the pillow. My head was still spinning.  Rick immediately walked straight over to the boat and got me my pills for dizziness, Meclizine.  They’d been sitting in the heat of the boat for almost a year and I wasn’t sure how they would work, but took one anyway. Well, it was hours before they took effect.  I stayed lying on my side, eyes closed and didn’t move for hours. I couldn’t. I felt like I was going to fall every time I lifted my head up. It wasn’t until about 3 p.m. that I could open my eyes without feeling awful. But hallelujah I said to myself when the spinning stopped!

Rick came back around lunchtime complaining that he was feeling ill. So he took a nap on the couch while I laid spinning in our bed. Once I started to feel better, I was able to help him, and get him water and fix him some soup.  The rest of the night he was under the weather and I was wide-awake from sleeping all day.

Today I felt 100% back to normal but unfortunately Rick did not. He took it easy most of the morning until it was time to take Harley to Alberto, the dog groomer at 10 a.m. After that we did a few errands while we were in the RV.

Now we are parked in an RV park for the night to make use of the electric, water & septic. Oh…and to run the air-conditioning, which is always a treat!

Nice pool at the RV park we never made it to.

Harley getting a trim by Alberto the Dog Groomer. 

So, the “Pay to Play” title on this post has to do with all of the work and preparations that one has to do after you return from putting your boat “on the hard” for the summer. It’s not like you just arrive and jump on your boat and sail off into the sunset!   There are plenty of breathtaking sunsets to see once you are on the water, but there is work to be done first.

 

After sanding and taping…next for the Cetol

Lines are amuck while Rick is up the mast sorting them out.

For us, besides the cleaning and sanding all of the brite work we have already done on the topsides, we have to sand and paint the bottom of the boat (toxic paint at that). Then we have to piece together all of the things we took apart and put down below, like all of the lines, sails, dinghy, dinghy motor, surf boards, SUP board, Dodger, stack pack, flags, barbeque, spare water & fuel cans, fenders and so on. Rick has to check the teak decks and replace any bungholes, and go around and tighten every little screw that needs tightening. We have to put the Jacklines back on (for safety when the seas are rough), take off the brite work around the cabin top, sand and put new caulking in and put the wood piece back on. There are a list of little gadgets and doodads that need to be looked over as well.

 

The rudder after scraping the rest of the barnacles off

Where the new Zincs will go

Then we need to find a home for everything we brought with us, once the inside of the boat is cleaned out….like clothes, food, books, spare boat parts etc. Then we need to fill our water tanks, check oil, and change filters. You get the idea. It’s a lot of work.

We plan on getting everything done if there are no surprises, within a week or two at the latest.

One of my favorite stores in San Carlos that Cyndi from SV Rebecca took me too last year. Unfortunately it was Sunday at it was closed.

Harley taking a break from a long walk in the heat.

Random door I saw on our walk. I love the Doors/Doorways in Mexico!

Blooming flower from a prickly little Cactus.