December 13, 2004
La Paz, Baja California Norte
MEXICOYesterday seemed like a perfectly normal Sunday. It was warm, beautiful, calm and an easy day to do boat projects and make Christmas gifts. John was outside on deck sanding rust spots. Our friend, Lisa had come aboard to do a bit of Internet surfing as she needed to go back to the States to settle some business matters with their home. So, the four girls were below on s/v Encanto. I was teaching Sami and Gaby how to cut out a Barbie doll gown pattern, layout the pattern and cut the fabric. We were making Christmas presents of Barbie doll clothes for Danny’s little girls. Lisa in her very special and humorous way was babbling away about the options for her flight when in the background and unintentionally she found herself swatting at something that kept buzzing her head. I heard her say, “There are some giant flies on s/v Encanto.”
Suddenly she screamed, “Judy, help. We are being invaded. Everyone shut the windows.” A swarm of bees had flown into the cockpit. They were making their way into the boat. The four of us began to close all the hatches, port lights, and the door. John was outside and we could see from the door that he was swatting hundreds with an old T-Shirt rag. By now it was a black swarm that had moved from our boat over to s/v Eagle Dancer and then over to s/v Andiamo. John, on s/v Andiamo, was ready with a can of Raid, which chased them back to s/v Eagle Dancer and then back to s/v Encanto.
Julie on s/v Eagle Dancer was alone. Tracey was on the dock and away from the boat. She rushed to close their hatches and installed the boards for their door. She was moving quickly, ultimately ending up with a half dozen bees inside with her. What a panic!
Eventually, John, s/v Encanto, was chased off the boat only to return with the can of Raid from John, s/v Andiamo. The can, in hand, he was spraying the entire cockpit. The swarming lasted about fifteen or twenty minutes. Only the John’s were stung and both luckily, appear to be highly tolerant of the stings.
Throughout the day we would find bee carcasses strewn across the deck. Time to wash the deck! Luckily we are at a dock with plenty of clean fresh water.
We aren’t sure what brought on the invasion. No one had disturbed a hive so we suspect this was a swarm looking for a new home. One of the worst concerns of a boat owner is if the swarm decides that the mast is their next great piece of real estate for their comb. This happened to a boat in Mazatlán and the Fire Department had to come to hose the hive out. Luckily, this is not a likely concern for s/v Encanto.
We returned to our “normal” Sunday activities.
John resumed his grinding of the deck, removing the rust, and painting the spots with Rust Off. I must admit the boat is beginning to resemble a white and silver leopard or maybe we can use this as camouflage when in hostile ports of call? In addition, he spent time finishing the solar panel mounts for the rails. Today was the first day in quite some time when the wind didn't “blow like stink”. It was actually quite nice. However, when the sun goes down now, it dips into the 70's and feels cold. We remember when we first got here last year and the locals were running around all bundled up and we were in shorts and tee shirts? Well, I guess we are the locals now!
We are spending way too much money in La Paz, but it is all for good stuff, investing for the next years of cruising. We have heard it is very expensive to travel in New Zealand and the South Pacific. Our friends in those spots are recommending that we do as many of our boat projects and boat equipment purchases in Mexico where the prices are better for labor than over there, even if the costs for the materials can be more than in the USA. In the end, between the reasonable and high quality labor and the higher costs of the materials, we will come out ahead on our boat gear and projects than if we had them done in NZ, SP or USA.
We now have a “new to us” dinghy and outboard. We have a new sporty “convertible”. The motor is a two-year-old 15 horse power Mercury model. It can get ALL the Amberchan’s up to plane. Plus the dinghy doesn't need to be pumped up three times a day. By the time, we depart La Paz, s/v Encanto will have a brand new suit of sails. Along with the new main, the Genoa is being re-cut, so we can get proper tension on both the foot and the leach. Also, Danny (sail maker) is re-cutting a sail he got off a large catamaran, this past summer, so we will have a staysail. And, to top it all off, we will also have a dousing sock for our asymmetric spinnaker. Being able to fly the asymmetric will be very cool. John hoisted the asymmetric in Marina de La Paz, last summer in about five knots of wind, and it took Judy, our friend-Alistair, and John to pull that “sucker down”. Not likely that will John hoist it without a sock and there have been several occasions when he’d wished we had the spinnaker.
With a clean bottom from the boat haul-out completed, a new suit of sails nearly completed, a stabilized solar panel set up redesigned, and the Inner Forestay installed, John feels like we have a new boat! Still, he has many more projects to complete, but progress is proceeding well.
School is going well. The girls may be able to get ahead so they can take a winter break in February. Both of them are enjoying the free wireless connection we have to the Internet. They are crazed with Neopets, Mini-Clip, and Disney channel. They can spend hours on the computer, laughing, giggling and challenging each other and the computer.
All these latest sail decisions will take time to order and receive or make. So, we will be in La Paz for at least 4-5 weeks, into 2005.
The best spin-off of this delay is the wonderful friendship that is developing between Danny (sail maker), his family and ours. He has two adorable little daughters (4 & 5 years old-Carolyn & Monica, wife-Monica). We expect to spend time, several meals together on our boat and at their home. I was just bemoaning the fact that we have not had much contact with a Mexican Family or immersion in the Mexican culture. My wish has come true. Now, I can't "make up" my Spanish as Danny has enormous patience with our limited Spanish and is teaching me quite a bit. AND best news of all, our daughters are learning how to overcome the language barrier with the help of Danny's girls. Maybe this will engage them to take more initiative with language opportunities?
With all the expenses on the sails and boat projects, we are leaning towards postponing our venture to the South Pacific, for just another year. After March, we will likely go south where it is more affordable to travel. Hopefully, the stock market will be good in 2005 so we can puddle-jump in 2006. Judy placed an Amazon.com order for the Lonely Planet books for Ecuador and Peru. As John on s/v Andiamo said, "That sounds like a commitment. John, s/v Encanto, will be ordering charts later today. Lisa on s/v Andiamo will be picking up the "stuff" in San Diego in two weeks and bringing them to La Paz for us with the Calvert School materials for 2005 School Year. Lisa, Jan & Jim (m/v Manana) will be working together to coordinate the collection and transport of our supply line of USA goods. They are reinforcing the unspoken cruising code of behavior: Support the people who you meet and the people who you meet will support you.
Obviously, we will miss our family and our friends in the USA, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, during the holidays. Your notes of well wishes have been appreciated. We thank you for taking the time from the season's flurries to jot us a greeting and your best wishes.
We will enjoy the holiday season in La Paz in the warmth and comfort of old friends and the delight of getting to know new friends. Tonight, we will take an evening walk to the Taco Stand, La Fuente’s ice cream shop and walk among the locals, as we stroll down among the holiday decorated street vendor stalls and the lighted Malecon (waterfront).
Our best wishes for a peaceful, safe, healthy and harmonious holiday season.
Our Seasons Greetings to All
FELIZ NAVIDAD.