Guaymas and beyond

Dia de los muertos
display at the grocery store

It’s been a month since we left Portland and began our journey to new adventures. We stopped along the way to visit family and friends and finally made our way to Pura Vida after a long, enjoyable trek.

The keel needed some repair and new fiberglass

Overall, things looked good on the boat, which is always a concern after several months of the super-hot summer sun drenching the boat daily. Even with our custom-made cover, we worry about our boat on the hard. We did have two small piles of termite shavings which we’ll deal with – first time for that. Two other boats nearby experienced the same. We need to be careful as our entire boat is teak inside except for vinyl ceiling panels which have teak slats – walls, floor, hatches, cupboards, shelving. And, the teak is 43 years old so needs love.

Giant Yaqui statue welcomes
you to Ciudad Obregon

Our first trip out of the bustling city of Guaymas was to Empalme for the Sunday market. We bought shrimp, flounder and a pair of shoes that I can wear walking miles in the dirt yard so I don't wear out another pair of Chacos. Empalme is getting sketchy with the gang/cartel activity (sad to report), but we went during the morning hours and the market is very busy.

We then made a trip to Ciudad Obregon to get a PET scan for dental work Mike will have done, so we rented a car - as Obregon is beyond the 'free zone' for US cars. 

As I write this, we are in Nogales, Arizona to pick up parts – our charger / inverter died after just 18 months so we needed a replacement. Local repair shop tried but to no avail. We did our shopping excursion, also picking up items for several other boaters while in the US. Tropical storm Raymond toned down to a tropical depression which brought rain and wind so it’s been a wet and chilly trip (comparatively speaking).

Alejandro (the tall), Alejandro David,
Aldo & Edmundo helping Mike

The head was out of order in the "old bathroom" so you need to walk
another few hundred steps to the "new bathroom" at Marina Seca

We’ve got a new generator to install so we can run our cherished watermaker, and Mike will install our wind generator on the mizzen mast as an additional power source. 

Engine room fun - the glamour
of the sailing life!

We also decided to remove and replace all of the engine room insulation – a long overdue project and one that wasn’t on this year’s list but really needed to be done. We are sharing the joys of that project, tag teaming on hanging out in the engine compartment. NBF = nothing but fun.

Coctel Campechana - yummm!

Mike with our many boxes
at the hotel in Nogales

We’ve been enjoying outings and catching up with our many friends here, going to some of our favorite taco stands and local eateries. It's great to buy some of the local treats we love, see our favorite family at their fish market, Jorge and Elvie at the hardware store, Lupita at her laundry ("ahh, Pura Vida. ¡No Suavitel!" - she knows we don't like the fabric softener and it's part of our persona with her). 

We are blessed every day with the experiences of life in Mexico.