Take to the sea

The (mis)adventures of two dreamers that do

August 2014: month in review

August was a lot like July. The days and weeks and months have started to blend into one another. We went on a whale watching and snorkeling adventure to Islas Bolanos, followed by some low-key island time at, you guessed it, Isla Gamez. Without too much travel, this month just felt a lot like living. The highlight, as it was in July, was working with the kids in Boca Chica in the after school program where we played games, sang silly songs and did our best to teach them English. It’s a good thing for us that they are (usually) eager and patient learners. Our sidetrips to Boquete (for all things gringo, like kale and sourdough!) and Playa Grande (for nekkid bodysurfing) also top the list. Towards the end of August I started preparing to leave the country for a month long trip to the US. Jeff accompanied me to David where we had our first “date night” in a long time – complete with cuba libres at the pool, chicken wings and a movie. A fantastic send-off.

See life

The water was finally warm enough to snorkel when we reached the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Jeff was excited, I was uncertain. Waves swept into the small cove, lifting Serenity and the two other boats at anchor as they passed beneath us and crashed onto the shore. Our neighbor on SV Splendid Isolation had reeled in several fish for dinner and a report from our other neighbors on SV Sweet Dreams confirmed that there were fish to be seen in and among the rocks that lined the cove.

I wasn’t born with fins on my feet

If you told my ten year old self that I would love snorkeling as an adult, I’m not sure she would have believed you. I’ve always loved water and swimming, but when taking a dip in a Pacific Northwestern river or a Midwestern lake I painted an underwater picture absolutely devoid of life.  The second I started thinking about the critters beneath me, a low grade panic would roll in and settle somewhere in my gut. For me, looking underwater was akin to turning on the lights in a dark room only to discover the walls are crawling with strange, foreign creatures, some of whom might bite you if given half the chance. Blissful ignorance was the greatest weapon against my fear. I’ll take it pitch black, thank you very much.

July 2014: cruising budget

The total expenses for July were $2201. Here are a few annotations: Transportation –  Sailboat Maintenance – Shopping –  Adventure – 

July 2014: month in review

Jeff was back in the States for the first part of July and I was keeping busy with little boat projects that had found their way onto my list (all of which took more time than expected, naturally), hanging out with our new friends in Boca Chica, taking side trips to the mountains or the beach, working on various projects and volunteering at the local school. While I enjoyed having the boat to myself and getting into a new rhythm I was eager for Jeff’s return. The rest of the month was very low key. In between boat projects we worked on our own personal projects (writing, photography, music), read lots of books, enjoyed the beach and playing in the waves at Playa Grande, took a side trip to Punta Bejuco, continued to meet new and interesting people in Boca Chica and got more involved with the school.

June 2014: cruising budget

The total monthly expenses for June were $1504 – just a hair over budget. Here are some quick annotations: Transportation – Costs ran a bit high this month because we […]

June 2014: month in review

The highlight of June was our quick trip out to Isla Gamez to romp around and see our friends at Isla Parida as well as a body surfing, beer drinking, shell collecting session over at Playa Grande. The lowlight of June was going to Costa Rica (to renew my visa and to put Jeff on a plane) and getting our stuff stolen while we swam (rookie mistake!). Jeff wrapped up June with a quick trip back home to see family and play on a very different coastline with threateningly cold water. I held down the fort in Boca Chica cleaning every nook and cranny on our boat and making some less than pleasant discoveries in the bug department (I’ll spare you the details). 

Passage notes: Puerto Mutis to Boca Chica, Panama (via Isla Leones, Isla Uva, Islas Secas and Isla Gamez)

On the 10th of May we picked up our final stowaway for the season, our friend Michael. As a professor of Classics at a new university in a new city, his school year had been full and fast-paced and he was ready to kick of summer break with some very intense relaxation. When asked what kind of trip he wanted, he responded with a set of very easy-going requests: 1) not too much travel, 2) a slow, easygoing pace, 3) lots of reading, 4) preferably in hammocks on the beach, 5) lots of swimming, 6) no internet, 7) games, 8) cold beer. Keeping the beer cold was our biggest challenge. 

The pantry challenge

It’s nice to consistently have a pantry full of stuff because it provides the reassurance that you won’t starve to death on the ocean. Over time, however, things get buried and you come to discover that you have eight cans of corn…and four jars of mayonnaise…and enough rice to feed a small village. In addition to a surplus of provisions, there are so many good intentions stashed away in those cupboards.