Thursday, January 28, 2016

Book 2-Chapter 1

The Chill Mobile

     We call him, "Willy."  As of today, we are not certain of when our next boating or sea adventure may be. We do know, however, that in April of 2016, we will be making a go to Canada, Nanaimo, to drive Willy back to the States and make him an official citizen of the USA.


Meet "Willy," the Chill Mobile

And Brian and Richelle, Willy's previous caretakers


     Today we are vacationing in PV, staying at a hotel outside of Bucerias, wrapping up some business arrangements.   Our return date for the States is up in the air.  Our plans at this point is a visit to Dad and Mom in Paris sometime in February.  It is likely that we fly from here to Paris and meet our "stuff" back in the States in March. The only day that we have any specific plans for is March 17th, Buckets 6th birthday, we will without question be spending that day with him.  

     I will continue to blog and do my best to keep our family and loved ones up to date on our gypsy-like life style.

Until next time....
Chill

Love to All

Velvet Sky Becomes Cape D

   
     We initially bought 16 tubs at the local Walmart, thinking,  "This should be just almost enough to pack most of the stuff we have moved into the Velvet Sky." Well, it was NOT EVEN close to enough, as it is we have a total of 73 tubs and parcels to have to be hauled back to the States.  How in the world did we get soooo much stuff in such a small space?  We were completely moved out in about 4 days of steady packing, hauling, and cleaning our things off of Velvet Sky.


     I would like to introduce you to the family that now resides on the former Velvet Sky.  Their names are Daryl, Janet, and Julian Swensen.  They made a visit to Velvet Sky late January.  Marshall has been friends with them for a couple of years and brought them aboard because they like the thought of living aboard an Island Packet.  They liked the idea so much, they now call the this one, theirs.  They have renamed her and are moved in and sleeping peacefully on board.   They love her and we are over the top happy to have this family take over the love and care of this Island Packet.



Daryl, Janet and Julian.  Residence of CAPE D (formerly Velvet Sky).

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Paradise Village Nuevo Vallarta

   We have been tied up in the marina at Paradise Village, Dock B-slip 38, long enough to get the boat cleaned up and put back together after the jarring passage north from Barra De Navidad.  Our trip was planned with a 20 hour voyage in mind.  We opted to not get fuel in Barra but rather use our reserve 20 gallons from the jerry jugs on deck instead, heck it was a short run and we would probably sail some of the way….no need to fuel up.  We left Barra with about 28 gallons of fuel in the tank and no reserve.  We left Barra on January 2nd at 09:17 and would anchor for the night in Chamela which was a short 37 miles and 7 hours.  We made good time to Chamela arriving at 16:15.  We dropped anchor and ventured out for some swimming and snorkeling before a pleasant dinner of scalloped potatoes, glazed carrots, a bit of fresh marlin, and smoked pork chops.  We all had a good night sleep in spite of the rolly night on the hook. We pulled up anchor at 11:00 on the 3rd of January and set course for Paradise Village Marina with our ETA looking great for 10:00 on the 4th.

Hitchin' a ride.....

     We had a pretty good start….anytime we start out sailing it is a pretty good start even if the current did push us back about a half a mile as we sailed to our first waypoint.  Then we made the starboard tack….now the current and the wind was directly on our nose.  Start the engine. We will motor sail.  Very well, this is becoming the norm for us.  So, I opt to take the noon to 16:00 shift, I don’t know why I offered, honestly this is the worst shift, what was I thinking?  Sometimes I am just too nice even for my own good.  This shift is straight, hot sun, and blech!  The time is around 15:30, I look up at the boom and I see a block dangling from the end and I can only imagine the look on my face.  I imagine my head moving back and forth in wonder, you know, like a confused puppy.  “What the hell is that,” I am thinking.  Then I look a little higher and notice a line swinging aimlessly, twisting itself around the back stays.  “This is not right,” I say to myself.  “Hey Scott! You better get up here!”  Scott comes up from his nap, I say not a word, just point.  The topping lift has come apart.  The pin in the shackle came loose and is lost in depths of the sea, never to be found.  After several attempts of catching the line intending on replacing the shackle, we face the fact that we were just going to have to rig a makeshift topping lift until we have a little less wind and movement of the boat is a bit more calm.  Scott is able to rig a spare halyard to the boom….we have a good temporary fix.  The winds start to pick up and the seas start to get a little more rowdy.  It feels like we are warming up for a huge, rockin’ ocean party.  We put in a double reef and start closing the hatches, only we don’t get the hatches closed quick enough.  We get hit by a huge wave and I guesstimate five to ten gallons of ocean come spilling into the boat.  The main cabin gets half and our bed gets half.  Grant is rushing around trying to close hatches as he is trying to not vomit.  He is sea sick in a very bad way.  I come down below to help and he informs me that he is blacking out.  I have him sit on the floor while I continue to close hatches.  In the meantime, outside in the cockpit, Scott and Marshall are also getting splashed.  The ride had gotten so rough that the auto pilot was not an option and we were down one crew member.  Grant was instructed to go lay down on his back, breath deep, and stay that way for a while.  Scott, Marshall, and I were it.  We agreed that one hour at a time would be our due.  Then it was my up.  I was 2 minutes from my hour of being up, it was 16:58, *SPLLAASH!*  I just got drenched with what I would say a small swimming pool full of water….drenched…yes drenched!  I start to whine….”I just want my shift to be over!”  Scott says, “Well move over, I will take the wheel.”  Of course I have to finish out my last 2 minutes, and I do.  I go down below and change into dry clothes.  Just as I was thinking Karma had just got back at me for something, I look out in the cockpit and see Marshall get drenched.  Five seconds later he gets drenched AGAIN!  And then yet again after another five seconds.  Okay, so it wasn’t Karma….the ocean was just being a bitch today.  

     Marshall sat out his entire hour dripping salty sea from every ounce of his being.  He left the helm in Scotts hands and low and behold….sheet after sheet of ocean was poured over the Captains head.  Oh…we were not happy sailors.  Scott asked me to bring him him a towel and in the transition of towel from hand to hand I was thrown across the cockpit.  I had a firm grip on the binnacle with my left hand and did not let go with enough grace to save myself from being injured.  I tore or strained, or tore and strained several muscles in my left arm.  We were down to a crew of 2.  Captain Scott sent me to bed and instructed my to stay there until further notice.  I obeyed, not only out of respect for the captain, more because I had no choice….my arm was inoperative, I could not move it, though I knew it was not broken. 

     With our crew count down to two, Scott and Marshall were getting tired.  They were wet, salty, and exhausted from hand steering against the power of the wind and the sea.  At 21:00 they opted to heave-to.  We all needed a rest from the banging, crashing sea.  The boat was a mess inside.  Things had been thrown around like the Velvet Sky had a temper tantrum.  Flour in the galley, dishes on the floor, dirty laundry strung about, wet sheets, throw pillows, carpets, it was just a mess.  The six hour break of being hove-to was much appreciated and savored.  Grant came around at about 02:00.  The winds were a consistent 29-30 knots, and the sea state was completely undesirable with 6-12 feet waves on the nose about every 6 seconds.  03:00….things felt calm again.  We could breath deep and we could walk without falling.  We started the engine and and found our course for Paradise Village Marina.  Grant took the helm until 09:00 while Scott and Marshall caught up on some much needed rest. I stayed in bed with my arm in a sling position.  The guys brought us in and tied us up to the guest slip on A-Dock at 22:16 on January 4th.  I am so glad to be here.



     We have been here and tied up on B-Dock slip 38 for 10 days.  We have got Velvet Sky back into shape and beautiful as ever.  She has been washed and waxed on the outside and cleaned and oiled on the inside.  I love this boat.  We have done all of our laundry, sheets, towels, cleaning cloths, even the hatch covers.  it seems odd to say that having the ability to do my own laundry is a luxury, it is!  We have had a shower every day, many times twice a day.  We have had happy hour on the beach under a palapa with friends, both new and old.  Last time we were here we didn’t leave the resort.  This time we have traveled to PV three times, once to BucerIas, once to LaCruz.  We have been to the market twice.   Watched two (not so good, not terrible) movies at the cinema.  And we have only been here for ten days.  We will likely be here until the first week in February.


Laaaaaaaaa......They made it to PV!

We took a walk on Olas Altas

Dad, Mom......Does this look familiar?
We found the smallest McDonalds ever! Desserts only.

Friday, January 1, 2016

Barra Navidad -- Happy 2016!

     Awwwwe…..Paradise.  Well, it feels like paradise.  We are in the marina at the Grand Isla Resort in Barra Navidad. I have a few pics however, photos do no justice to elegant structure and exotic ambience of the place.  This would be an ideal honeymoon destination or Christmas/New Year vacation for any land lubber looking for a get-away.  Here is the website, enjoy:  http://www.islanavidad.com.mx.  It is just beautiful, a must see.  And the little town of Barra is quite pleasant as well and only a short, 7 peso bus ride to another small town of Malaque.





    We started our New Years Eve day with a visit to the pool and stayed planted there until around 17:00 until we caught the water taxi over to Barra and had New Year’s dinner of BBQ Ribs and enchiladas.  We headed back to the resort around 21:00 and found seats on one of the many balconies.  We visited and had drinks until midnight when we brought in the new year with good food, drink, company, and a terrific firework display.  Spectacular!

              HAPPY NEW YEAR!  *CHEERS!*
       Many blessings of love, joy, health, and laughter in 2016

    I am quite comfortable here in Barra, it is a pleasant stay. And since our last tour was a looooong 40 something hours and I am not looking forward to the bashing on north, however, we are leaving here tomorrow and are pushing on to Nuevo Vallarta.  The resort there calls itself “Paradise Village” and I remember it being a luxury vacation spot, so that, I am looking forward to.

     


Love to All

Isla Grande to Barra Navidad

     We pulled up anchor and left Zihuatanejo on the 26th at 08:47 and motored to Ixtapa where we fueled up and was underway again by 11:09.  Course set for Isla Grande.  It was a pleasant 5.4 mile tour and we dropped anchor in 12 feet of clear water at Isla Grande at 12:02.  We utilized our time wisely and spent the day swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, drinking cold drinks and eating fresh guacamole.  There were no bugs, we love this!  We went to bed early (like 6:30 or something) and awoke early on the 27th.  We had breakfast of pancakes, eggs, coffee, and juice and was underway by 08:51.  Course set for Barra Navidad.  

     The guys were getting a little restless.  We have all been reading, reading , reading.  one book after another.  Someone need a break from the books and “had an idea.”  It was the Captain!  He had the wonderful idea of rigging the hammock chair to the spinnaker pole so we could all take turns sitting outside the boat dangling our feet in the ocean.  OH MY!  Seems like shinanagens to me and I am not so sure I want to be involved. I am on shift  (12:00-16:00) so it is a good reason for me to stay at the helm and watch the excitement while being alert to the fact that we might be performing more than just a man over board drill, we might be doing the real thing.  Marshall was all in on the rigging and knot tying.  The boys in these men came out to play.  Honestly, I am glad they did, because IT WAS FUN!  Yep…..I joined in too.  It was irresistible.
The "idea" begins to materialize

This looks like a go

Captain first

Whoo-Hoo!

This is AWESOME!

Next....

I'm in....it looks too fun to not to.....

Grant takes the plunge

This is livin'


     We played with chair for a while and pulled the rigging back in.  Grant came on shift at 16:00.  He would be on watch until 20:00.  It was an uneventful evening, although the seas were fairly calm and winds light both were still against us and kept us motoring at 2100 RPM and moving a mere 4 knots if we were lucky. The sea state began to change the winds grew stronger the morning of the 29th. Neither was in our favor. I started to develop a headache and felt queasy from the relentless thrashing about.  Marshall had the 12:00-16:00 watch  I was due on until 20:00 and was hoping to find some relief from the motion sickness before my watch.  

This is how Marshall does the 12:00-16:00 watch....he makes it look good



     We had about 15 hours of hellish conditions.  Things calmed down around 02:00 on the 29th.  We pulled into the marina at Barra Navidad Resort at 08:44 on 12-29-2015 and tied up G dock, slip 24 just in time to buy breakfast croissants from the French Baker.  Life is good again.

Merry Christmas 2015

     We left Huatulco on the 21st of December at 09:45, course set for Zihuatanejo, ETA 15:00 on December 24th.  Approximately 81 hours later, December 24th, hour 19:51 we dropped anchor in the anchorage at Zihuatanejo.  It was a HOT trek, and we motored almost the entire way.  We did find an opportunity to sail on the 22nd, the winds were a steady 15 knots out of the north-west.  The sails were raised and the motor was given a break at 17:30, about an hour and a half into my !6:00-20:00 shift.  Marshall came on shift at 20:00.  We made our tack as we we growing to close to shore.  I went down to get some rest and Scott would follow Marshall and pick up his shift at 23:00.  As it turned out the tack and continuing to sail almost perpendicular to our rum line.  HA HA!  We ROCK! We had seven hours of peaceful sailing and it set us back 6/10 of a mile!  Our new ETA was 12-24-2015 @ 18:00.  We motored the rest of the way and arrived on Christmas Eve at 17:36.  We all had a glass of holiday Ronpope (mexican version of eggnog and rum), and dove into the 90 degree salty sea water that we had just dropped anchor in.  We ended the evening with a fresh water shower in the cockpit followed by meat, cheese, and crackers and fell into a very much welcomed deep and uninterrupted sleep.


Grant taking the 08:00-12:00 watch....he seems to be enjoying the journey

     We awoke Christmas morning, had juice and coffee and Marshall handed out gifts.  What a thoughtful guy.  He was the only gift giver of the four.  Sweets for me, Ronpope  for Captain Scott, and a soap dispenser shaped like R2D2 for Grant.  After gifts we rowed to shore, strolled through Zihua, sat under a palapa eating pistachios and cacahuates (peanuts), drank 2 for 1 margaritas and micheladas while watching people play in the surf and Velvet Sky dance gracefully in the bay.  We bought some ornaments for our grandchildren from one of the wandering venders.  he ornaments are coconuts, hand painted to look like fish.  We made some phone calls to our family members which was the icing on the Christmas spirit cake.  It was a good and relaxing day. 



This is the woman that made ornaments.




     We rowed back to the boat around 17:30 where we prepared and ate a lovely Christmas dinner of roast chicken, with tarragon, garlic, and honey glazed carrots, stuffing, and jelled cranberry sauce.  We toasted to family, friends and good sailing adventures with a drink called Caldo De Fruta (soup of fruit). Caldo De Fruta is a fermented drink (tasted like moonshine), made only with fruit and sugar, we bought it in Guatemala and  had been saving it for this toast.  As my gift to the fellows, and they were pleasantly surprised, I added ice to their drink.  As most sailors know, ice is rare and precious, Marshall calls it “liquid gold.”  I had it stashed in the back of the ice box and was looking forward to serving it on this special occasion.  It was a Merry Christmas!