Adios, Mexico

Today we fly back to San Francisco for a couple of months. It’s going to be a big change. On the rattly, shaking, only-just-in-one-piece bus today I was watching the palm trees flash by the window thinking how natural it feels. We’ve been in Mexico for more than two months, and have done a huge amount. We’ve voyaged down the remote, arid coastline of Baja California, spending beautiful nights at sea under the dark, starry sky. Sailed with friends around La Paz and across to Mazatlan. Sat out 50-knot winds in the Sea of Cortez. Moved from anchorage to anchorage, discovering the surroundings at each new port and bay. Dealt with the heat and humidity, which hasn’t actually been as bad as I thought it might have been – apart from a few days around San Blas in December. Snorkelled around remote islands, surrounded by boobies and frigate birds. Spoke Spanish every day, gradually improving, learning how to get boat parts bought or repaired, and getting our fill of fish tacos. Become familiar with Banderas Bay; the whales in it and the towns around it.

But we’ve reached another crossroads. Work calls, and I need to be full time in the office for a while. Again we’re packing bags for another move. Deciding what stuff stays and what goes. We’ll be in SF during Jan and Feb, and then Rose is going to spend a couple of months on art residencies in the US and Canada. And then I’m going to be heading back down here again at the start of March to set off for Australia! With the ship’s First Mate away painting, I’m currently looking for crew – a process I’ve not been through before, but I’m really looking forward to getting to know some new, interesting people.

The boat is pretty much ready to go; the last few months have been a good shake-down of all the systems. I bought a third marine battery yesterday and built a shelf for it under the aft cabin bunk – the first passage across from Mexico to the Marquesas Islands will be nearly 30 days non-stop sailing, with the autopilot on most of the time … which uses a fair bit of power. I’m going to squeeze in a trip to the local solar panel store just now to see what they have available, and maybe pick something up to install when I get back. That just leaves a few minor jobs, the task of filling the boat with months’ work of food, water and supplies, and then waiting for a good weather window. I can’t wait.

But for now, all that goes on hold while I get my head down for a final, intense push in the office.

Goodbye Rafiki, adios Mexico, for now.