Gosling is afloat! We splashed as scheduled last Friday. It was a harrowing experience to see the travel lift raise her off her stands and slowly traverse the few hundred feet to the launching basin but it was accomplished within ½ hour of a spring tide. With the help of many friends we were able to spin her around to face the channel and keep her centered in the basin until we finished checking for leaks. The engine started up without any coaxing and we were off across the Bay within ½ hour of launching, our German friend, Elka, along for the ride.
Gabriel, the yard owner, had marked the channel for us but as we reached the end of his buoys (tethered pop bottles) the depth reading went from 3 ½ ft to 1 ½ below the keel. Gabriel will need to do some more dredging! We reached the Singlar Marina without incident and we have been tied up here for the weekend getting re-rigged and cleaned up. Omar is arriving this morning to replace the engine mounts and align the engine. We expect to leave here by Wednesday if all goes well.
Our last week at Marina Seca Guaymas was a blur of last minute tasks, many of them in the “nice to do” realm. The anti-fouling was touched up with the local brand, Comex Americoat #3. It has a 50% copper content. I watched the local workmen apply it to another boat and they added a pouch of copper powder before application to increase the copper content to 70%. Other tasks included paint and varnish touch-ups to interior parts, completing the plumbing below the sink and making up some shelving and a base for that one. We also removed the old windlass and started to prep the pad for the new unit. Ted completed the freezer installation and I was able to begin re-assembly of the cupboard I had to take apart (to give him access to the original freezer conduits). That was quite the job. The builders didn’t skimp on screws when they assembled this boat!
Marina Singlar hasn’t changed much since our last stay but there are a few more establishments in the complex. The former assistant manager, Carlos, has left to pursue his masters in Mexico City and has been replaced by, Ariana, a pleasant young lady from Guaymas, who spent some time in Vancouver to learn English a few years ago. There are a few more boats here, including 4 on the hard and three at the dock. The main building has a few more businesses now. There is a bar and restaurant on the top level and a sushi bar, souvenir shop on the lower level to complement the coffee shop that has expanded. They have also put in a spa on the upper level of the main building. Fran and 2 of her friends, Trish and Lexie, spent a few hours getting pampered last week for Fran’s birthday on the 10th. It was also to pamper Trish, who has been caring for her husband who is battling cancer.
Saturday morning was another early start, with a drive out to San Carlos for the monthly Marine Mart cruisers swap meet. We arrived and spread our junk, er , treasures on a tarp, and hoped for the best. As usual JG bought more then we sold, but it was ALL needed for the boat....
A few local items: I don’t know why Mexico isn’t higher on the world beer consumption ratings but local supply stores are everywhere. Each major company has their own outlet or “deposito” where you can pick up cold cervesas until quite late in the evening. What a decent concept! Guaymas is decorated to the hilt for Christmas. As we left a restaurant last night we discovered that the local Christmas parade was about to pass. Our grand-daughter would have enjoyed the cheerleading squads from the local schools. It was nice to see all the children excited about it all. They are off school for a month since last week. The huge malecon/marina project is progressing here. There is much excavating being done and a lot has been done since we were here last. The main portion of the malecon near the city centre has been completed. There are nightly water shows at the fountains and people are everywhere during the evenings. The marina, itself, hasn’t begun construction yet but this ambitious project will need considerable dredging of the bay before it becomes reality. It will be interesting to see if Singlar survives the competition for the boating traffic.
We hope to leave here Wednesday for San Carlos Bay, as it is caro (expensive) here and we just can’t take too much more of the downtown nightly noise. Fran has resorted to wear ear plugs at night. Rosie will be in for a shock when we leave here. She hasn’t had to resort to a carpet on the bow since last summer, but she has adapted well to all the changes to date so we are hopeful.
So glad to read your details and know you are on your way soon to La Paz! We are holding a spot for you. Love your Mark Twain quote, too, BTW! Tanque de Tiburon aka Bill and Linda
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