Adios Guaymas

Guaymas: 2230, Wednesday, 6 Jan, 09
We are finalizing our preparations in readiness to depart . This refit has gone on much longer than expected but we have achieved much this week. The rigging and sails are on, the dingy is inflated on the dock and almost ready to be lifted onboard. The inflatable keel is still leaking and we’ll have another look at it tomorrow. It has been a problem since we bought the boat but it is not critical, just annoying as it reduces its performance and, with only a 5hp outboard, we need all the performance we can get.
We ran wires this week too. The solar panels are wired in; Trish found suitable wire in Tuscon and did a great job of connecting up the panels but running the wires was my task. That took a half day of taking apart closets, piercing bulkheads, passing the wires through the engine room and running them through almost inaccessible places to keep them out of the way. Same can be said about the wiring for the new speed sensor through the salon floor, storage lockers and under the galley sink. We also completed replacing the xenon G-4 lights with new LED fixtures but were disappointed in the noise they generate on the VHF. We’ll have to find a solution for that one.
Slowly the items littering the cabin and decks have found a home. Tomorrow we hope to finally do a proper wash down, the first since the boat was painted. Amazing how the grime piles up.
Doug has just finished his second set of chemo treatments. The first day (blue bag hell) he receives a harsh medication that hits him hard but the medication on the next 2 days is easier on his system. I hope we’ll have a chance to see him before we go.
We aren’t sure whether we will be able to get away on Friday as planned. It looks more like Saturday now. That will give us a chance to see George and Maureen Godwin, from Victoria, who arrive on Friday for a week visit with Maureen’s brother. Gil and Lexi are hoping to leave the following day. They will surely catch up in their speedy tri.
The following day: 2230
Found the leak in the dingy and fixed that, I hope. Had a good morning shopping and found some last hard-to-get bits including a dimmer switch for the compass binnacle light. The BBQ propane tank now has its own stowage tube on the taffrail made out of an 8-in PVC water main tube with swimming “noodle” foam to keep it from moving around and a piece of scrap teak railing from Phil’s (Salty) project as a base.
1330, Sat, 9 Jan 09
That’s it! We have procrastinated too long. We depart tomorrow morning on a 400 mile trip to Mazatlan. We waited another 2 days to see Shirley and Tom (Rio Nimpkish) arrive and last night we saw George and Maureen and their hosts, fresh off the bus from Tucson. It was good to get the latest gossip from CFSA. Sunday is also delayed and will follow us soon.
We are ready to go. Fran is on her way to bring the van to the storage yard where it will remain until May. The bill here is paid and yesterday we spent the better part of the afternoon washing down the boat from all the accumulated yard grime since it was painted. She looks all new again. Fishing rod holders are up, the SSB has been trialed and we got the weather this morning indicating a good window for a southern passage over the next few days. With an average speed of 5 kts we should be in Mazatlan by mid-day in 3 days.
I must close this off and post it so I can finish my preps. Only a few more items to lash on deck and we can relax, whatever that is.....
Next one from Mazatlan.