La Paz.... la Paix....the Peace

Six a.m. departure from San Jose del Cabo, my camera catches the beginning ritual of this fisherman's day.

Well, look who's here?  Right next to us and passing us is Lilipad ! Neil and Elaine (below) first laid eyes on Lilipad late August I believe, and quickly made the decision that she was the one for them and right away started preparations for the Baja Rally.  Lilipad became "Insignia" but she continues to perform at the top of her game, making Don proud however a little nostalgic about her five bladed prop he wished he had on SpringDay.  Somehow I  know that's coming next....

A short stop in "Los Muertos" for the night for a reprieve from the head seas, the first ones since
we left Canada.  I loved watching the line up of the Nordhavns, they are great boats once properly commissioned!  I think this rally has about ten Nordhavns.
 
Ana Mae in the foreground stands watch while Bill and Kay swim over to Spring Day.  I wish I could reciprocate but the thought of being within an abundant sea life of ALL types gives me the heebie-jeebies!

From distress to fiesta

    November Twelve 2013

Forty-seven miles from shore, one A.M. on our way to Magdalena Bay on watch with Don, I keep looking over my shoulder to make sure I have “Sparrows Point” lights in sight, thankful that they did not have to abandon their boat.

Earlier around eight P.M. with following seas, Sparrows Point, an Offshore 54, broadcasts that he is taking on water through the hatch on the swim step  causing the bilge pump to overheat, tripping its breaker. The captain is forced to let the water flow into the engine room so its bilge pump could start to expel the water. Some time later we hear "I don't know how much more water we can take...."

I start praying for them while Don asks for a lat & long when he realizes that Sparrows Point was right behind us.  SpringDay turns around to go offer assistance in case it is needed.  “Misty Sea” arrives before us and rigged up a patch kit, composed of a toilet seal ring wax that would arrest the ingress of sea water, he secures it to a float and tosses it in the path of Sparrows Point into the dark waters. SpringDay shined its search light on the precious orange package until retrieved with a  boat hook. Father and son team apply the wax into the hole(s) and continue to bail water out of the lazarette under the vigilant white beam of SpringDay. It works.

It was scary to see their boat aggressively rolling while idling, I felt so sorry for them. Back to calm spirits and calmer seas, the radio conversation between skippers revealed that they were prepared to get into their Zodiac and abandon ship.  Not something I ever want to witness.

Approaching Mag Bay, in just 90 or 100 feet of water close to shore, this goliath shows his (I presume) beautiful long life like a wedding ring after decades; closely behind two more whales, perhaps a Mom and teen ager following their leader.

 Operation Water Transfer at anchor, our dear sister Ana Mae had problems with her water maker, SpringDay would gladly lend a hose...

    Inside the bay, greeted by fishermen and pelicans

"The great Bahía Magdalena is not only the gate entrance to the Pacific, it is also a unique universe where men who are dedicated to exploit sea species live nomadically with their diverse habitat. It is a natural reserve of gray whales that arrive to its waters to fulfill their biological cycle during the months of January to March. The bay is 50 km long and the Islands of Magdalena and Margarita contribute with the counter coastline that protects it from the strong waves which characterize the Pacific Ocean.  A very beautiful coastline offers plenty of beaches, inlets, marshes and mangrove swamps that are the sanctuary of resident and migratory sea birds and its waters are rich in species for commercial and sports fishing."  

                                                                                       

  I could see pews disorderly placed outside the church and I could hear happy young voices echoing  from inside.

I was happy to see that those voices were those of young Magdalenos joyfully carrying on with their cleaning offering.

Magdalena Bay has 40 children and 200 adults.

All who were successful at catching fish brought their catch to the cook and a very elaborate feast (by a fishing village standard) was served.  

Linda dancing with the cook after the meal

This incredible sunset was a feast for my eyes, I didn't want it to end.

Ready Set Go!

     Last Thursday, the day before we left for Mexico we fixed a few more problems.  Don wanted to change the prop speed, it took three tries before the propeller speed was satisfactory. Check. The Sub Zero repairman came and installed a new fan for one refrigerator and a compressor fan in the other that had caused the refrigerator to stop working. Check.

   The spin cycle on the washer was extremely noisy, the repairman came and discovered three pegs in each washer behind the drum designed to stop the drum from moving during transport when the boat was delivered EIGHT YEARS AGO!!! Check.

    The computer problem was fixed. Check. Our crew arrived; Bill and Linda Edwards they own a Nordhavn 43 and they are very experienced. Check. Provisions purchased. Rental car returned. Check. Check. To have these problems behind us....priceless.


Because I am at the mercy of the internet availability and cannot always have quiet time when I do have internet, I am skipping many details and cannot upload many pictures because it takes forever. So I just want to tell you friends that we have started our journey and we are right now in Turtle Bay Mexico for two days.  We finally caught up with the regular schedule of the FUBAR.





The second aft deck of SpringDay will always be very inviting to relax with friends, sheltered from the sun.

Thinking of you...

Meet Shane Tech

     Returning from the sea trial (the one with Dan the mechanic who witnessed the Eureka) we motion Dan's wife to step onboard to tour the boat.  She follows me to the cockpit and from the corner of my eye I see this long haired teen with fawn eyes standing on the dock intensely hoping I would notice his eagerness to follow his auntie Debbie.  I asked him if he wanted to see the boat, triggering his eyebrows to raise in total affirmation.
     Meet Shane just turned 14 years old, 83 lbs. He notices my new McBook Pro, my new iPad my iPhone and Don's iPhone.  Auntie Debbie explains to me how knowledgeable he is about Apple products, even though all he owns is an iPod.  Incredible! He is sharp well spoken very inquisitive and speaks Apple fluently.  Can you teach me? I asked. His big brown eyes answer again.
Shane is ADHD I notice the twitches due to medication. I fall in love, one more very beautiful creation of God.  More joy. I move into God's presence and start praying over Shane. I am listening and try to focus on his rapid fire words and pray faster and faster gazing into his beautiful mind.

He tells me he loves three things: kids - animals - and helping people.  I melt thankful for the acquaintance.
Not enough time left before the day is over so I ask auntie if Shane can spend the night.  Pleased with the request, we work on iPhone and iPad.  The next morning, Shane is intrigued by the engine room, locating all cameras of the Maratron and noticing and naming other systems yet unknown to me.
It is fun to watch him on camera.

Eureka and an alleluia!

     .....Now a new diagnosis - maybe engine mounts, they said.  Skipper had been suspicious of those.
It's Saturday, nothing else we can do today. Looks like SpringDay will receive new biceps (engine mounts) as an outpatient here at the marina on Monday.

  Now one of the Sub Zero refrigerators stops working again.  One monitor in the pilot house refuses to wed the software, the Vacu flush toilet in guest room still waiting to resume her spooky blast.     Nevertheless we press on, happy that SpringDay in not under Obamacare.

     Slumped over in our Stressless chairs [by the bye, the perfect oxymoron; Stressless chairs on a boat!], we look at each other in disbelief of this very long streak of bad luck, and I shut down. Snooze time. Somewhat refreshed we head over to the fuel dock for SpringDay's feeding time. A thirst worth twenty-five hundred gallons; holding the nozzle to her mouth, the idea of cramming Flinstone vitamins down her throat crosses my mind!

     The fuel attendant is very pleasant and we chat.  I asked if he knew someone who could figure out this vibration curse.  He reaches for his phone and calls Dave. Ten minutes, Dave a very experienced boat/yacht mechanic, shows up at the dock.  The privacy Act is broken and Dave receives

  SpringDay's medical information.   Still tied to the fuel dock and armed with renewed hope, they walk in the operating room, stand by her heart, four eyes for stethoscope fixed on engine mounts.    Skipper's left arm reaches up to the starter.  Revved up for less than 20 seconds, she grumbles and roars, from upstairs I hear her arrhythmia, then it stops.

     Lili!  Lili! I rush down.  We got it!  The aft starboard mount was very loose. With tools at hand they torqued, muscle permitting but stronger tools are needed. Sea trial. Smiles all around. Monday surgery is cancelled and replaced by a "meeting" at the boat yard and final torque (744 pound-force-feet). Wow! It must have been finger tight before.

     How could something so simple elude the most astute?  How could something that crucial be botched by the very first nurse!  Skipper, formerly test pilot during Vietnam era, says he was always at the helm driving, accelerating and decelerating for the expert ears to hear, remorseful that he should have found the problem himself at the get go.  All is well. Alleluia!

Thinking of you...

Again!

     Ahhh! Seven p.m. Don went to dinner with friends and I'm staying on the boat to work and blog; just too tired to socialize. Alright where were we?
     So you are dying to know if we rid SpringDay of her heart murmur, right? The prop blades were reshaped again, the engine was re-aligned again, we wrote a big check again, and we had the sea trial again, with two mechanics on board....
     ...But first I have to tell you about two special guests, Moises and Dwight, missionaries in Papalote Mexico a few hours south of Ensenada, they spent the night and stayed on for the sea trial the next morning.  Two good men who decided to leave their possessions behind to help and to love people right into the hands of God.  One is from Mexico City and the other from Ellensburg, Wa. I enjoyed their company and their personal stories.

SpringDay, tall out of the water, again enjoying the attention of her special guests. Moises is so impressed by her, he takes plenty of pictures and says he can't wait to show his wife. I smile and share his excitement.

I love this picture; this huge lift is backing up over the ramp to hand over SpringDay to testing  waters and Moises feels the urge to go touch her hull walking with her while Dwight snaps a picture.  The hard hat supervising is baffled and knows very well this is OSHA NoNo! But like me he enjoys the moment.

 

Sea trial over and a preoccupied skipper says goodbye to our friends; a trailer full of supplies, building materials and furniture and a pickup full of their dedication to Papalote.  God willing we will see them in a few days.





I'll be right back....

Last chance!

Well well well... SpringDay is out of the water again for the 5th time since March !!!
Don wants that vibration gone gone gone.... last chance here in San Diego to have the problem resolved.  So far so good, this boat yard found two problems right away; the alignment was off by nine thousand of an inch, and the 4 blades of the propeller measured all differently. Mr Efficiency decided that might as well increase prop speed too, so SpringDay's problem solver, a very nice man is working overtime and should finish late tonight.  Sea trial tomorrow, pray.

Cute feet 

SpringDay is back in "land jail" she has spent more time on land than on water but it's about to change. We will have victory! Her heart murmur will be healed.

Jail visitors and cheer leaders of SpringDay

On a happy note our niece who lives in San Diego, daughter of Debbie (Don's sister) just had a baby 

named Olyvia. Heidi had just given birth two days prior to visiting SpringDay, she was not going to let the pain and fatigue get in the way of visiting SpringDay. Tough North Dakota raised!
Heidi married Ben Brunetto whose family owns and operates an italian restaurant "Marechiaro's" which means Clear Sea, right Rita? The food was so good, garlic was not spared. Thank you Joe Brunetto