Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Sea Beckons

Touchdown into the bay!

Bottom painting in bunny suit
Another coat of teak oil on companionway doors

Engine Room project


Rebuilding aft head
Head #2 rebuild

Enjoying the scenery

Nice reward after a journey

Wind in our sails


Navy ships crossing paths - changing of the guard


We splashed Pura Vida on January 30th.  As occurs each time we have the fortune to put our beloved boat into the water, we all experience a glorious moment when her keel safely touches the shallow water of the bay. It’s like, yes, you are home now. Andres and Alejandro, the guys running the travel lift, give us high fives and we set loose our mooring lines and float toward the little white building across the bay. It’s the landmark that must be tracked to avoid going aground. In fact, one of the other boaters in the yard recently donated two buoys to help mark the narrow passage out around the peninsula and into the harbor.

It’s so magical to be afloat, meandering to the harbor buoys as we breathed in the fresh sea air, welcomed by harbor seals and diving birds as we head out to sea. There is nothing like a warm breeze on your face as you ponder your new water world and the possibilities ahead.

After an extended time working on various projects, our boat was ready for some action. We’d grown used to living in the dirt yard that is Marina Seca, and as you can imagine, the sea beckoned and we were itching to put up a couple of sails. Marina Seca means ‘dry yard’ but in a desert environment, that means dust, dirt and when it rains, mud. Dirt camp it’s often referred to. But, it’s all part of the boat prep experience here, made tolerable by commiserating with others, each with stories of their own. I guess that all makes it seem OK.

We’ve enjoyed three weeks on the water wandering about this area of the Sea of Cortez with another 8 grand days before us.

Life requires a return to Portland by March 10th, so we will haul out on the first. A mad dash of 4 days to prep the boat for another long summer on the hard. Then we begin our journey north toward Portland and a whole new chapter in our lives. We are so thankful to be coming back to our new to us home on the Columbia River, safe after a very cold couple of winter months in the chilly northwest.  

Bird watching is always a highlight and this year’s bounty includes:
  • Pelican
  • Heron – great blue, night crowned, green
  • Egret – great, snowy
  • Grebes – pied bill, eared
  • Oystercatchers
  • Sandpipers, dowitchers and other little bouncy butt shorebirds
  • Boobies
  • Cormorant
  • Arctic tern
  • Roseate Spoonbill (yea!)
  • Kingfisher
  • Vermillion flycatcher
  • Lots of other land and waterfowl