November 8, 2006
Ecuador

Quick note to let you know that the Traveling Amberchan's are home safe aboard s/v Encanto. Everyone is happy to be snug in their own beds with soft pillows. However, it is warm in Bahia de Caraquez and we long for the highland's temperatures and crisp sensibilities. The trip was great, but as always, it is wonderful to be home.

We found the boat was dirty from the dust of the volcano eruptions near Banos, and six weeks of our benign neglect, but otherwise, she sat here without any entanglements or stories of intrigue. Slowly, we are doing a bit of cleaning and preparing her for departure. Captain found barnacles the size of grapefruits tangled on our anchor chain and sea grass growing on the hull of the boat. The prop blades were encrusted and stuck from the barnacle growth. Luckily, the local hired help has taken blades to the prop and bottom of the boat and we are set to travel.

However, we have delayed our leaving Bahia de Caraquez for about two weeks as the Captain has a few boat projects that are best done in calm waters rather than in the surge of the Puerto Lucia waters or up on the hard. We are limited as to when we can leave this estuary by the moon and the tides; the next opportunity for crossing the bar, being around the 24th of November. So, we hope that in two weeks we'll move south to Puerto Lucia where we will haul Encanto to get her bottom cleaned and painted; a messy but essential job. She'll stay in Puerto Lucia until late February 2007, so soon we'll have more tales from there.

In the meantime, the girls are settling into their routine of the new school program. This is their BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK. Some might think them lucky to be starting school in November and having a field trip for six weeks, but for them, it is just deferred work. They are on a six day school week, with an expectation to finish a lesson and a half or more per day. We heard a few grumbles, but not many, part of a natural transition as they find their groove and get into a comfortable pace.

As there will be no cruising children in this anchorage when Sami turns twelve in a week, we plan a special excursion to where some of her cruising buddy's are hanging in Puerto Lucia. It will mean a seven hour bus ride and a three day celebration, but worth the effort. If you are a Rune Scape player, you can join her on a special Internet party that will link her with friends from all over the world who simultaneously will be playing this computer Internet game. We have embraced the concept of a global birthday party. Let us know if you'll be interested in the details of this Sami Amberchan Birthday Event.

Until the next adventure, we have boat, school and home projects underway. Just going through the 2000+ photos from our amazing trip is a monumental effort of collating and sorting them. But alas, life is good and we are very grateful for having had such an amazing trip. We are safe at anchor. We are home. We be healthy and happy to be here.

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