Provisioning for a Month Offshore

Provisioning for Offshore

3 people 4 Weeks (with extras to get us through 6) as you must always plan for the unexpected.

It is getting closer to the date when we will embark on the next leg of our adventure, leaving Barra de Navidad and heading to the Marquesas in French Polynesia. To date I have provisioned the boat for a maximum of two weeks. Since we left Canada we have always been within 1-2 days of any port where we could top up. A minimum of one month at sea with no land in sight does not provide us with the same opportunities. 

We finally have a departure date ( mas y minus) ( plus or minus) and so it is time to get serious. I have spent a lot of time reading about provisioning, trying out recipes, experimenting with ways to keep things fresh for longer and finding out what works and doesn't work.

I have learnt a few things.

Provisioning for a long period of time does not mean buying everything    that comes in a can. With a bit of creativity you can eat as well if not better than you would on land. Want to avoid junk food for a month? Don't bring any on board! Remember - if you never ate it on land chances are you will not eat it on the boat!

Every boat is different. You will have to judge for yourself the needs and abilities of your crew. First of all I love to cook. I have been having fun changing up recipes to accommodate local produce. Second, I am cooking for two men who love it that I want to cook and who are not picky eaters - just no Lima beans or parsnips. No worries here as I hate both! Third, we have a fairly large fridge/freezer space that will easily accommodate food for the four weeks.

So start with a good pantry. We have six shelves in the galley where I keep my condiments and supplies for at least two weeks. They are organized as to culinary ethnicity.

Side Bar: I met a sailor who had a similar story to ours. They sold their house, moved onto the boat and sailed south. When she heard that I was making Indian Butter Chicken for dinner she asked me where I got the ingredients. From home, of course. She said when they moved onto the boat she got rid of all her specialty foods. Why? I asked. She did not even think that she would still use them. Silly girl. We love Mexico and one shelf is dedicated to Mexican cuisine but do you really want to eat tacos every day?

So the following is a list of some of the supplies. Some we had to bring from Canada but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I could find in Mexico. But the chances of finding them in French Polynesia decreases so stock up. Try out some ready made products - you may find some that will surprise you - not worth making from scratch.

Italian

Dried salamis - great snack and does not have to be refrigerated

Pastas

Ready made Sauces (tomato, pesto, Alfredo)

Diced tomatoes ( also used in other ethnic cooking so bring lots)

Tomato purée

Capers

Sun dried tomatoes

Artichoke hearts

Pickled asparagus

Anchovies

Basil, oregano,Rosemary,fennel seeds

Mexican

Hernandez Salsa

Hernandez Guacamole

Hot Sauce

Jarred roasted red peppers (also Used in Italian dishes)

Chipotle Peppers

Olives (on Spanish olives in Mexico)

Black Refried Beans

Cumin

Beans - canned, raw, packaged

Indian

Butter Chicken Sauce (jarred,package)

Mogul Curry Spice Mix

Tobago Habanero Mix

Monsoon Buali

Punjabi Garam Marsala Mix - the above mixes come from Salt Spring    

    Island and are worth the trip to find them!)

Chutney

Tahini

Chick Peas

Chinese/ Thai

Oyster Sauce                         Soya Sauce

Sambas Chili Paste.              Corn starch

Mango Salsa                          Minced garlic

Minced lemongrass.             Tomyum paste

Hot & sour soup mix.            Szechuan pepper corns

Pickled ginger.                       Wasabi paste

Pano bread crumbs               Hoisin sauce

Sweet Chili sauce.                 Sesame oil

Red/green/yellow curry paste

Pad Thai package.                Peanut sauce

Chinese Five Spice

Miscellaneous

Vinegars - apple, red wine, white.    Canola oil

Olive oil.                                                Maple Syrup

Peanut Butter ( lots).                           Ketchup

Mustards ( variety).                             Mayonnaise

Low sodium chicken broth.                Horse radish

BBQ sauce.                                           Soup mixes to use as a base

Various spices

Dried goods - do not over do it because a lot of these products are available

Various pastas              Rice - Uncle Ben's Quick,  jasmine, 

Couscous.                     Quinoa

Nuts - raw, salted,unsalted

Dried fruit

Rolled oats - make granola ahead of time

All purpose flour

Sugar - brown and white

Mixes for muffins, cookies, scones,pancakes, loaves

Even though I prefer to make things from scratch it may not be practical - either the weather will not allow it or I am simply too tired. Trader Joe's - an American grocery store has some excellent products along with the trendier deli's in Canada. Summer markets or Christmas fairs are also a good place to look. 

I met a fellow Canadian a couple of weeks ago and she told me about Ziplock bread. I cannot wait to try it. Imagine being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with the smell of home made bread coming out of the galley! Just bread or turn it into cinnamon buns or better yet, pizza!

Dairy Products

Cheese, cheese and more cheese. (Leave in original vacuum package until ready to use). Wrap in parchment paper and out in plastic tote once opened. And buy smaller packages - none of those big loaves from Cosco. You will end up cutting off more mould than what you eat!

Sour cream

Yoghurt

Butter

Hummus

Now comes the fresh fruit and vegetables. I am not going to list them as that would take another page and be kind of boring. Suffice it to say that you can get almost any fruit and vegetable that you get in Canada. The difference is that they are grown here, are fresher and a lot cheaper. The interesting part is the things you do with them to make them last longer.

Number one is try not to mix up types. So store peppers together in a sealed plastic container. I have a plastic milk crate which I will layer with potatoes, onions and carrots with newspaper in between. 

Citrus fruit will be wrapped in tinfoil. The bags of romaine lettuce ( whole) will last a couple of weeks in a plastic container. It helps if you put a piece of paper towel in each container to soak up any excess condensation.

Cabbage and squash can hang in one of the baskets. Apples and pears also get wrapped in tinfoil. Avoid plastic wrap - it causes things to sweat! Not good in an already high humidity environment. 

And the meat! How much to buy? First you want to look at your

Freezer space. At first I was not going to do a menu plan for the four weeks. In the end I did and I would recommend it. It makes guesstimating how much food to buy a lot easier. I found that I bought a lot less than I otherwise would have. Order from the local butcher and see if he can give it to you already frozen. When I packaged it for the freezer I got 4 large ziplock bags - one for each week. So week four is on the bottom and will not be opened til that time. This makes it easier to find things - most freezers on boats do not have shelves! Also things at the top of the freezer do not freeze as well - no worry as you will be eating everything in that bag in the first week! I plan one putting a single layer of ice in a ziplock bag between each of the weeks. This will also help to keep things frozen and take some strain off the compressor.

We have been told that beer and wine are very expensive in French Polynesia and have been advised to fill up all the empty spaces n the boat with our favorites.

The picture above shows the wine wrapped in my socks to prevent breakage. 16 bottles fit perfectly in the center part of our drop leaf table!

And for room under a settee for boxed wine and canned beer.

I am not going to include the menu at this time - need something to write about during the crossing! So you will just have to wait for the surprises that I have in mind just like the crew will have to wait. They will eat well!

I did roast a turkey and made one of my Turkey Shepard's pie for week three. I also made a lasagna - half we will eat at port the night before we leave. And of course turkey broth for soup. But other than that I plan to cook as we go. I have a pressure cooker which is very handy. You can make your dinner when seas are calm. Once it has cooked you can put the pot in the sink and leave it there for days. The pot is a sealed unit and does not require refrigeration. Just remember to bring everything to a boil when you do open it up. 

And last but not least - do not forget the " treat" cupboard. Granola bars are great for those days when the seas are rough and you cannot cook. Also cookies, crackers, nuts, pretzels, M&M's, chocolate pieces. I have two crew members who like to snack on the night watch! Make up a lunch ahead of time so they will not wake you up when they go foraging in the galley while you are trying to sleep!

So are you guys hungry yet? 

The way I see it - provisioning is one of the most important things when preparing for a long crossing. You want to keep your crew happy and healthy. A friend of mine did a crossing from New Zealand to Tahiti a couple of years ago. They lost their motor and ran into some terrible weather. For four days they hand steered. The crew were tired and low. Brian made homemade cinnamon buns and the captain thanked him - it was an immediate positive boost for everyone on board! Now let us hope that we do not have the same situation. But I am looking forward to the smiles when I present my Chicken Mirabella or Chocolate brownies to the guys. 

Tazza coffee with fresh blueberry scones anyone?

Today we bought 8 dozen eggs! Contrary to popular belief eggs do not have to be refrigerated if they have never been refrigerated. And that is how you find them in Mexico. 2 dozen will be put in the fridge and the other six go under the settee. You just have to turn them every 3-4 days and they will last up to six weeks.

One of the first blogs upon reaching Tahiti will tell you just how successful I was with the provisioning. I plan on doing one last entry just before we leave - so keep checking!

And thanks for reading and especially for the comments. Nice to know that someone is actually reading this stuff!

 

Adios Mexico

LShould I stay or Should I Go?

I cannot get that song out of my head. The last month seems like a roller coaster with all kinds of issues presenting themselves. The main concern has been the engine but I am happy to say that it has finally been resolved.

So David and Armon have been busy checking off things on the list while I concern myself with the provisioning, bond documentation and general organization of all the things that need to find a place on this 37 foot boat!

I do not think any of us will actually believe it is happening until we leave the dock but we are moving forward as if it is.

David and Armon have installed a secondary bilge pump with float. Armon also made two beautiful shelves for the shower. 

We have only used the shower twice in the last couple of years and storage seemed to be more important. Showers take place on deck! All eyes aft boys!!!

The new water heater and tank has been installed. This proved to be a bigger job then expected as the boat seemed to be built around the old one so David had to completely dismantle it in order to get it out of the lazarette. Thank goodness the new one went in okay.

I revarnished the forward hatch 

and David put new weather stripping. We do not need leaks on our bed in the v-berth when those big waves break over the bow.

Arturo cleaned and waxed and polished the cabin sides and top sides.

The boys are cleaning and taking the air out of the dinghy. Then they will try to squeeze it back into its' original bag. Then it will be strapped down on the cabin top. 

I spent the morning at Armon's house freeze packing and organizing all of the meat and fish into four large zip lock bags. One for each week.

I cooked a turkey last night with all of the trimmings and we had a farewell dinner with some friends. Then I made up a turkey Shepard's pie which we will eat on week two!

Now I am in the lobby trying to finalize all of our papers for our bond application. French Polynesia requires one of the following before they will let you into the country:  A return plane ticket to your home port or the posting of a $1700 US bond per person which is the equivalent of a plane ticket ( returnable when you leave)or registration with an agent. We chose the third option - at a cost of $270 for the three of us. As we do not know when we will. Get there it is hard for Armon to buy a return ticket. The agent greases the wheels for us and allows us tax free gas and discounts for groceries and moorage. It is a little involved but worth the hassle free sign in process. In the mean time it is my job to send her a copy of the boat registration, copy of our health insurance, signed document of the terms and agreement with the agent, signed copy of the boat  and a signed copy of David's responsibility as the Captain of the boat. Thank goodness for the ability to scan and email documents.

Our office in the lobby - printer, MacPro, HP, IPad, beautiful view!

Confidence is in the first row second boat from the right with the blue sail cover.

On Wednesday the boys will do one final check of the alignment which involves Arturo diving to inspect the shaft and propellor. Then we will drive into Manzanillo to the Federal building to clear customs and Immigration. Then a stop at the Port Captains in Barra to get our Zarpe to clear the boat.

Last job is the final provisioning of all fresh fruit and vegetables and eggs and what not.

So if all goes well we will depart on Thursday  morning.

Am I scared? Absolutely not! I have total confidence in my Captain and crew and the boat. Am I excited? You bet! I have butterflies and feel like a kid waiting for Santa to come.

I will post one more blog the day before we leave giving everyone our email address for the Single Side Band radio.

This entry and the next one are not too long as I just have too much to do. I will probably work on some blog entries on the 4 week crossing - what is involved in provisioning and the emotional preparations for such a long journey.

Keeping everyone Posted!!!

Barra to Tenacatita to Barra Feb 2016

Barra to Tenacatita to Barra

Back in Barra and it feels like coming home. We felt like celebrities as we came into the marina and then at the pool. All the employees and the people in town seemed genuinely happy to see us again. It was wonderful!

Dave from Pacifico was back in the marina and waiting for Merissa to arrive from Oceanside. Poncho drove him to the airport to pick her up and when they returned he offered us some fresh dorado (Mahi Mahi). So we pooled our resources together and had a wonderful dinner to celebrate our return.

We met up with Armon on Saturday. Armon has a vehicle - which will be a huge asset when it comes time to provision for the big crossing. But for now we just went into Melaque (7 km away) and picked up some fresh vegetables, fruit and money from the bank machine. The bank machine in Barra and the one in the hotel were out of money - a common occurrence on a weekend. I must say that I did a good job on the last provisioning out of La Cruz. Very little waste. And when we pulled into port we were down to our last tomato and onion. All other fresh food had been consumed!

Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday. The marina was offering a special cut rate on moorage for the weekend. They have a large screen television in the lounge and put on an "American" type menu for the game. Things like hamburgers, chicken wings and nachos. The place was full and a good time was had by all. There was only one Panther fan so most people went home happy as the Denver Bronco's won the big prize.

On Monday Armon was kind enough to drive me into Manzanillo (1 hour drive) so I could order new glasses. I got two pairs - even managed to talk myself into a deal with my little Spanish and even less English on their part. They gave me a $150 Canadian discount on each pair. They will be ready in a week.

While we went into town David met with Louis - the mechanic - so he could assess our motor issues. He felt pretty confident that he could do the job on the boat - should take about 4 days. He said to give him a call when our parts arrived. So we e- transferred the money to Beryl and made arrangements for the new motor mounts to be delivered to her. So what to do til then? No sense sitting at the dock at $42 per day - how about some more cruising.

We joined up with Tim and Constance for the last day of Carnival in Barra - reminds me of the old days when the fair would come to town. Only difference is that all of the rides are set up for little kids. We enjoyed pina coladas at the Sunset Bar, 

Zooming in on the sunset!

ate churros (deep fried twisty donuts that taste like mom's donuts with the cinnamon and sugar) and enjoyed a late dinner.

Next morning we headed north again. We were just going to go to the next bay but the winds were resulting in a bit of a surge in the anchorage so we decided to go back to Tenacatita.

David varnished the cockpit grates 

and I went swimming. Tim and Constance showed up on Sunday with friends from Salt Spring. Talked to my brother and it was -25C in the Sault - he was not interested in the fact that the water temperature was +25C and the air temperature was +30C. 

I am vertical in the water and if you look close you can actually see the color of the nail polish on my toes!

More time on the beach at our favorite Palapa.

Dave and Tim enjoying a cold one!

Me and David also enjoying the shade.

Got an email from the insurance company and they have agreed to pay most of the cost of the radar but for some reason nothing for shipping or duty. So David wrote another email. We will see what they say! Sometimes you have to write more than one letter.

16-Jan-2016 Pulled up anchor and motored over to the "Aquarium" next bay over. People do not usually anchor overnight at this location as it can be a bit rolly. But the seas were calm so we ended up staying there for 3 nights.

We met another couple from Canada - Comox on Vancouver Island - on Ka'sala. Lady Midnight also followed us over there. There is a reef at this location so I put on my Go-Pro to see if I can capture any of the fish. Again - nothing like Belize but still a fair number of fish.

Lynette also shared a recipe with me - Ziplock Bread - which I can't wait to try. You put all the ingredients for the bread, including the water and yeast, into a ziplock bag. Seal the bag and mix and knead. Let it rise. Punch it down and roll it into the loaf tin. Let it rise again and bake. No mess! The best is you can pre- measure for several loaves and them store them. When you are sailing and want a loaf of fresh made bread you just mix the warm water and yeast, mix, knead,raise and bake. Or you could make cinnamon buns or pizza or whatever. I will let you know how it turns out and if it as good as it sounds I will include the recipe in the provisioning section of a future blog!

And another one of those spectacular sunsets.

19-Feb-2016 0938 Anchor up and the main sail already set. We have received word that our parts are in! We motor sailed to Barra, contacted Armon and made arrangements to pick up the parts and my new glasses on Saturday.

Louis will be on the boat on Thursday morning to do the repairs on the engine. I spent a couple of days cleaning the boat ( again)' polishing the stainless ( again) and swimming in the pool. David was like a kid at Christmas opening up all of his packages, filling water tanks and making room in the lazarette for the mechanic.

So no new blog for a week or so until we get the outcome of the engine. Then we will have a better idea about when and if we ar still doing the big jump across the pond. So stay tuned!

Tenacatita to Barra February 2016

Tenacatita to Barra de Navidad

Lots of boats anchored. Morning count has us at 47! The regular cruisers had not seen these numbers in many years. We anchored just outside of everyone until we looked at the motor again. This would give us lots of room in case it becomes necessary to sail out of the anchorage.

The water is clear and warm. Yes, my body is in the water and not on top of it.

 We were able to see quite a build up of barnacles on the water line and on the propeller. This could be the reason why the motor was over heating. So David dove down and cleaned off the prop as best as he could. I worked on the waterline for about an hour and cleaned it up. We are hoping that this is the issue and that we can make it to Barra and the mechanic in a couple of days.

01-Feb-2016 Swimming with the Dolphins again. Dave on Pacifico has arrived. I had a big ass chicken in the freezer so we invited him for dinner. I stuffed the chicken with precooked potatoes, Rosemary, garlic, olives, anchovies and olive oil. Also made a cabbage salad with Apple. Sunday dinner on Monday! Only thing missing was Mom's apple pie!

Stayed anchored at Tenacatita til the 6 th. I spent a lot of time swimming to and from the beach - over a mile each day.

 We did some snorkeling with Dave. Bacci game on the beach everyday at two. I did not partake but David did. Met up with sailors from years past and new ones.  Vera's palapa is now open. The only other business on the beach is an all inclusive hotel who does not welcome yachties! So we patronize this little palapa at the other end - for a small place in the middle of nowhere I must say they serve some of the best seafood meals that we have had in Mexico. They look after our garbage and cervecas  ( beer) are only 15 pesos each or a $1.10 Canadian! Coconut shrimp, shrimp empanadas and Rolo de mar - a take off on our Chicken Cordon Bleu. But instead of chicken they wrap large shrimp with a filet of Mahi Mahi, wrap that with bacon then cover with an almond cream sauce. Excellent!!!

This palapa was hit pretty hard by the hurricane and required a new roof so we felt good about giving them our business. 

We celebrated a friend's birthday this week and everyone from the boats came to shore.

The restaurant let us bring the baked goods and we reciprocated by buying beers and other things off of the menu. You can really feel good about helping out the locals as you know they appreciate it so much.

Since leaving La Cruz we have really been enjoying the cruising life. Boat issues have been solved or put to the side and instead we are spending long lazy days swimming, snorkeling, reading and connecting with other cruisers. And of course - those lovely sunsets.

Tom on Naryana has hooked us up with a mechanic in Barra - Tom has almost the same engine as us and Louis rebuilt it a couple of years ago. Took him 4 days and his labor costs were really reasonable. We contacted Louis and he will come down to the boat in Barra. In the meantime we have ordered new motor mounts and Tim is bringing us a new seal and gasket from Victoria. Things are beginning to look up!

6-Feb-2016

1100 Anchor up and away from the bay. Winds are 5-7 knots on and off the nose. Running the motor at 1000 rpm and praying that there are no new issues 

We are only 14 mm from Barra but we know only too well that 14 can seem like 50!

1130 Motor off and we are able to put up the sails on a course right into the entrance at Barra. Picture of Confidence under sail courtesy of Sandra on Karpesa!

1400 Back in our original spot on Muelle E - dock E. Boat is secure and I am heading to the pool.

Chemala to Tenacatita

Chemala to Tenacatita 

Chemala is the name of the bay and the name of the town on the east side of the bay, however the anchorage is actually off the town of Perula. This was the area that was supposed to have been hit hardest by hurricane Patricia. Apparently the winds had altered before coming ashore so the damage was minimal in this area. A few palapa roofs had been destroyed but had already been replaced.

Patrick on Tropical Yacht was anchored. He is the Frenchman that is single handing - we met him last year. Michael and Dorreen on St. Leger were anchored just ahead of us.  Another one of those rare occurrences that makes cruising so rewarding. These guys had just completed a circumnavigation back in 1993. They have property on Thetis Island, just north of Victoria, and Michael does some relief work as Captain on that ferry. David knew him from various courses and knew that they were on their way back up the west coast of Mexico. He had just mentioned to me that he had not received a response to an email and was wondering where they were. I was looking through the binoculars and told him they were right in front of us! How bizarre is that.

So I jumped in the water and headed over to their boat. David got in the dinghy - too bad he did not have his phone as Dolphins were jumping out of the water about 35 feet away from me! Sorry - no pictures except the ones I my head!

Spent a couple of days reading, relaxing and getting caught with my swimming. After several weeks in PV I was in serious withdrawals!

Georgia B showed up in the anchorage later on but it was too late to visit. And they were leaving early the next morning to head to PV for some work so we only got to visit via the VHF. Too bad - they are the couple from Chili that we met in the marina in Barra. But we understand their need to take advantage of the weather window for rounding Cape Corrientes, Sometime Mother Nature rules our lives. 

Next day we went into shore to get rid of the garbage. Enjoyed a lovely breakfast and lattes at Scuba Jazz. Had a visit with Patrick - who is always on a mission to find the best place in town for coffee and good bread! You can always trust a Frenchman to discover that - even in such a remote fishing village as Perula.

We were able to pick up a few provisions and then I swam back to the boat. Seas were calm so even though the distance was far - close to mile - I wasn't fighting the tide.

31-Jan-2016

Where did January go. Which reminds me - I totally forgot my friends birthday. So happy belated birthday Kelly! My excuse - no internet where we have been since the middle of the month!  But we celebrated later!

We raised the anchor and decided to head over to Paraiso. This is the place where we had lost and then found our stern anchor and one of my favorite anchorages to date. We were forced to motor as the wind was on our nose.

But as luck has it - the temperature alarm started going off just as we were getting ready to turn into the entrance. This is a very tricky entrance, with lots of rocks and reefs. It is not an area where you want to be having engine problems. So we decided to carry on to Tenacatita.

Motor off and sails up. Thank goodness this is a part of the coast where we have to alter course, putting the wind on our starboard side so we could sail. Neptune was on our side and we were able to sail all the way into Tenacatita. So supports the saying that all plans are written in the sand!

Confidence at Sail. Pictures courtesy of Tim on Lady Midnight

The winds picked up a little so we were able to maintain 3 knots. Not great but we weren't complaining. The only issue was the fact that we would be entering the anchorage at night. At least it was an anchorage that we were familiar with. Lots of boats in the anchorage - 47 - so we decided to anchor on the other side of the bay at La Manzanillo. Fewer boats. Better point of sail. 

1900 Anchor is down and we are safely in the anchorage.

01-Feb-2016

Anchor up and we sailed over to Tenacatita. The leg took a bit longer than expected but we were still able to sail for most of it. Even though we did not break any speed records - a sailor is always happier when they are sailing!!!

La Cruz to Chemala

La Cruz to Chemala

1055 Anchor up. Seas are calm. We are hoping for some wind when the thermals kick in (land breezes). We should be off Cabo Corrientes by early evening. One always has to think ahead. So the seas are calm and conditions good for cooking - Indian Butter Chicken. And if the seas pick up we will only have to heat it up!

1400 Pico de Gaillo and Guacamole for lunch. We just started to eat when two humpback whales passed us on the port side!

1450 Decided to put a reef in the main and realized that we had not reattached the reeling lines after sending in the sail for repair. Put the #1 reef line in and raised the main. Winds are still light, around 5 knots from the NW so it looks like we will be motor sailing for awhile. 

1630 Winds have picked up and David is able to turn off the motor while I catch a few winks in preparation for an overnighter.

1730 abeam Cabo Corrientes with 60 nm to go. Averaging 4 knots.

1800 I am up, curry has been heated and we are enjoying a nice dinner, all alone on the deep blue sea!

Decision was made to sail away from the coast at 210 with a NNW wind so that we can continue to sail with the wind on our starboard quarter.

1900 Captain is down but not before he makes me a nice cup of tea. Sorry that he missed a beautiful sunset - looks like molten lava flowing into the sea!

1930 Genoa was not staying full due to our course and the direction of the wind. So I rolled in the Genoa and was still able to maintain our course averaging 3-4 knots with just the main. The color from the sunset has finally disappeared making it very dark out here!

I contemplated rolling out the Genoa every so often but We were on such a comfortable point of sail, autopilot doing his job that I decided to just enjoy it. Genoa might have given me an extra knot but so what. And I know that if I start playing with the sails the captain will wake up and I do not want that. I keep thinking of our trip up around this point and will just be grateful for this great ride.

I took this picture of Cano Corrientes - you can just make out its light between the Monitor and the Man Overboard ring. Nice to have the Cape behind us!

2000 Stars are out. Orion is abeam of me in the cockpit on the port side.

2033 the moon is up - 90% full and lighting up the sky. It is not the large orange ball that we saw the night before last but it still manages to peak through the clouds. There is also a bit of phosphorescence so it is not quite so dark out here.

26-Jan-2016 Captain takes over at the helm and I go to bed. David put the Genoa out and we managed to sail all night.

0800 David did not wake me for my watch but decided to enjoy the sailing also and the quietness of the night. I got up and made breakfast. Fresh papaya, blueberries, raspberries and yoghurt, a cup of tea and the last two scones from the market in La Cruz.

Seas have a slight chop. Winds are NNE around 7-10 knots. Course is 120 and our speed has picked up to 4 - 4.5 knots. 20 nm to go to Chamela. Should be able to sail right into the bay if all things stay the same. Another sailboat sighted just ahead of us. It is sunny with the occasional cloud - could not ask for anything mores

1100 Winds have begun to pick up and am now averaging 4.5 to 5 knots. Course is 110

1200 Captain is up. Two dolphins came by to say hello. Coffee is on,

1250 Rolled in the Genoa. Course altered to 120 to make the point - Punta Rivas. 5.5 to 6 knots with only the main. What an absolutely wonderful sail from La Cruz to Chemala. We averaged 3.5 knots over 23 hours. We motor sailed for 5.5 knots and sailed the rest!

1330 Anchor down in Chemala

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

13-Jan to 25-Jan 2016

We finally left the docks at Opequimar and were happy to do so. We weren't too impressed - three weeks to install a windless with David doing most of the work and a huge bill for the moorage. It is frustrating to be paying those high moorage rates when no one is actually working on your boat! 

So we decided to head over to Punta de Mita for a couple of days of relaxation. It was a pretty spot but pretty rolly. And then we started having some electrical issues. The Xantrax digital battery monitor was showing a high discharge rate to ground. One of the batteries was also very hot and two of the cells had boiled out. We were worried about the possibility of a fire. We had heard some positive things about La Cruz so we pulled up the anchor - I should say the windless pulled up the anchor - and we headed over to La Cruz.

For those who do not know, or have forgotten from previous visits - La Cruz is situated on the north- northeastern portion of Banderas Bay. There is a large open anchorage in front of the town and Marina and a marina that makes one think they are back in Canada or the US.

On the way over we were able to make contact with John Pounder (322-160-5563)and he was waiting for us at the service dock when we arrived along with his Mexican electrical assistant. John and Julio proved to be one of the best connections ( no pun intended) we have made in Mexico. He diagnosed and fixed our problem in less than an hour! They found a corroded shunt far back In the lazarette. That was replaced and the monitor began reading correctly. A shunt reduces the amperage from the battery to the instrument that monitors the current flow. We didn't even know it was there. I guess Mark, the electrician in San Diego, had installed it but we were not aware of it. John tested the batteries and the one that had boiled over was toast so he ordered a new one and he said that he could  have it by Monday. So we went out to the anchorage til then. On Monday, right on schedule, John and Julio were waiting for us at the service dock. The new battery was installed and they also reconfigured the house battery charging system. Now all of the house batteries are in one bank instead of two. This should even out the charge rate over all four batteries.

But while we were at the anchorage David was testing the solar panels as they were not performing as they should. In the process of checking the voltages the controller shorted out when the wires came in contact with the emergency tiller. One of the hazards of working on electrical systems in close quarters hanging upside down! The controller was fried and David was afraid that the solar panels were also. But sometimes you get lucky! John hooked us up with another boat that had a brand new controller - still in the box - that he was willing to sell us for coconuts. That is a term that the cruisers use down here as it is illegal for people to be selling parts without going through the proper channels. So we picked it up for half the price. John had tested the panels and reported that they were good. David installed the controller and the solar panels started putting out 13 Amps. 

On to the next issue. David completed the installation of the radar. He went up the mast and ensured that all the bolts and wire connections for the antenna were secure. Then he fed a messenger line ( old cable) to the new cable from the monitor to the bottom of the mast. This sounds like an easy enough task but made more difficult as he had to follow the old cable through a bulkhead, under the settees and up the compression post. Success! 12 new wires had to be attached and a big smile on the Captains's face when he turned on the radar and it was working. 

Sidebar: David continues to amaze me with his ability to tackle all kinds of problems and solves the issue. Captain Fantastic does it again!

Next was the radio adjustment. For some reason the radio and the GPS stopped communicating. David went over all of the connections, cleaned them up, retightened everything and voila! The AIS ( Auto mated Information System - shows us where the other boats are - on the VHF and the GPS chart plotter were now talking to each other.

But our problems are not over. The watermaker decided to stop working and would not draw water into the filters. The natural conclusion is a faulty pump. So David rebuilt the pump but no luck. 

David was able to talk to someone who rebuilds these and says that the motor is probably fried and replacement is not economical. So for right now we will forget about fixing it. If need be we can always collect rain water. So far in Mexico there has never been an issue with getting potable water to the boat.

I was able to obtain another  cupboard for my pantry with the removal of the old radar monitor. David built me a shelf and it took me no time at all to fill up the cupboard!

The Defender order was submitted. It will be sent to Beryl for delivery to Manzanillo.

I finished cleaning and polishing all  of the stainless. The sewing machine was out and I managed a few repairs on the awnings along with some hand sewing on the dodger. David cleaned the teak Cap rail and the teak in the cockpit with two part teak cleaner. The water tanks were filled.  We took on 270 liters of fuel. The holding tank was pumped and flushed. Sail covers, Bimini and dodger were cleaned. Confidence was looking pretty good!

They have a fantastic market in La Cruz on Sunday's so we went over and finished provisioning. Lots of treats from the market - home made Sault Ste. Marie style Italian sausage, empanadas, bagels, scones, more coffee, great fish market, fresh ravioli's, berries.

I tried my luck at making pizza dough and again, a Sault style pizza, and it was great!

Todo Vela is also worth a mention - very well stocked marine store with reasonable prices. And if they don't  have it they either know where you can get it or will get it for you. 

Found a good butcher - actually bought lamb chops! They have their own farm.

All in all La Cruz was an excellent experience. Even though it is very "Americanized" - the music, the marina, the market - we got a lot of things done. We made new friends on Solar Flair from Whiterock - Jim and Kathy - and shared a couple  of dinners.

25-Jan-2016 Preparations were made to get underway. Fruit salad and yoghurt, lemon poppy seed scones, cheese scones from the market. Dinghy is  on board. Everything is secured. Only two hiccup ups.

I got stung by a bee as I was putting on the outboard cover. As I swatted it away I also swatted my new glasses off my face. Guess I will be going back to Manzanillo when we get to Barra. Good thing glasses are a third of the price in Mexico. Think I will buy a second set. Til then I have my contacts and my old glasses which I dug out of the ditch bag ( our survival bag in case we have to use the survival raft).

My ear lobe grew to four times normal and got itchy. A bit of an allergic reaction but nothing serious. Not an attractive photo but you can see what I mean.

Second hiccup was the autopilot. It just stopped working. I suggested to David - and this time he listened! - that we have had three people in the lazarette playing around with electrical connections. Maybe the connection came lose. Happy to report that was the case. Easy fix!

So ends our time in La Cruz!