Suddenly Back in the US

I haven't updated the site in over a month, now I'm already back in the States.  Wow, time flies when you are cruising.  I'm working up to a good writing session complete with photos. Our last venture out into the blue water was Jan. 18 through February 26th and it was action packed.  My sense of humor was tested when our dinghy and motor dissapeared during Carnival in Mazatlan.  I think I'm recovering from the chink in my armor now that we have a plan to replace our most basic mode of transportation.  I've been alerted that this blog seems to have a "redirect" bug in it so I need to figure that out as well.  I should be getting my very own computer back from Dell on Monday so I can have access to the blog without having to arm wrestle Capt. Blye for computer time.  Stay tuned, we are still out here, well actually in Napa right now.

Everybody Loves A Parade

Doug, Linda and Pat on SVAquadesiac and below Leo and Cecile on SVChatDeMer with an almost sneak appearance far right of Jesse from SVJesse's Girl

We bought seats in the Gringo boat people section of the bleachers at the AguaMarine Hotel. This was great because it came with a very nice meal, bathrooms with toilet paper and seating above the crowd. The bleachers I believe are constructed just prior to the parade and made out of old palates and possibly a few 2x4's that had been recycled. I really tried not to look too closely at the construction and watch the parade. If their had been any dancing in the bleachers they quite possibly may have colasped under the strain and taken out half the fleet of Sea of Cortez cruisers causing a hugh economic crisis.

Carnival in Mazatlan

These pictures were taken on the Malecon on the night just before the Carnival started. The mutliple bands were just warming up as were the women! The streets had transformed during the week into many food booths, beer stations, stages and sound systems with lights. I think all the bands played all at once for the entire week 24/7.

We could hear all the bands from the Old Harbor well after midnight just hitting their stride.

The following night it was litterally a sea of people and we did not bring the camera or anything else of value besides beer money.

We all donned our festive shirts and masks. We brought Tucker although I can't remember why.

Wee Douglas and the Maggi Girls and the Tecate girls and the Pacifico girls....

You Never Know Who You Will Meet

When you are out in the wide world you need to be prepared to meet lots of interesting folks. We met:

Robert Bruce St. Clair, nicknamed "The Geek" (born February 18, 1931) is a former San Francisco American football player known for fine play and eating raw beef. Because of his eccentricities, his teammates nicknamed him "The Geek".[1]

St. Clair holds the distinction of being one of the few players in history to have spent almost his entire playing career in the same city, playing in the same stadium. Bob St. Clair attended San Francisco's Polytechnic High School and the University of San Francisco, and was part of USF's undefeated 1951 team. After USF dropped football, St. Clair finished his college career at the University of Tulsa. He was then drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1953 and played his entire professional career in San Francisco until his retirement prior to the 1964 season.

In 2001, as a tribute for playing a total of 17 seasons and 189 home games at Kezar Stadium, the city of San Francisco renamed the stadium's field in honor of St. Clair. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

St. Clair also served as mayor of Daly City, California from 1958 to 1961 and a county supervisor for San Mateo County from 1966 to 1974. For many years he owned a liquor store at 24th and Sanchez in Noe Valley, which still bears his name.]]".[1]

Let's go find some fun!

I think Pat must have felt like she jumped on a merry go round when she got off the plane. We seemed to always have someplace we were headed or just wanted to check out. We hailed two of these open air taxi's, only found in Mazatlan, for a trip to the beer store then on to a birthday party for Ernesto wife! Doug and Leo were in the other taxi with the beer.

One day we even ended up back at Joe's Beachfront bar for lunch and ordered a few more buckets of beer. The pulpo was excellent!

Dinghy 101

Pat's first dinghy lesson! She is used to a little more horse power behind the wheel of "SkiVessel Pura Vida".

Lesson number 1 - check the fuel tank! Except maybe I did not mention that to her until I told her to try everything else. We still had fun. All we were missing was one of her Bloody Mary's. Again, Doug's reponse ahhh girls....

We had company in February!

Pat Byrge was here! Hooray! Pat joined us one dark and stormy night in Mazatlan while we were at anchor in the old harbor. When I left to pick her up at the airport we were battening down the hatches because it was reported, and I might add it appeared that a big blow was coming in. I drove the little dinghy that could over to the dinghy dock with waves crashing over the bow, thinking well this should be interesting on the way back. I had dry bags to put all of Pat's belongs into for the trip back to the boat. Ernesto met me at the dinghy dock and we went off to the airport to collect Pat. I told him I was very concerned about the evenings storm. His response was "what storm?" I explained the wind was blowing and the waves were crashing etc., He says look at me I'm in shorts and a t-shirt and it's hot "want a beer? yeah lets stop for a beer" there is "no problem!" At which point I starting looking out the window of the car and everything was calm, no wind, no clouds. I'm thinking twilight zone.

At the airport I introduced Pat to Ernesto! Come on Pat let's get into this guys car and go party! Well o.k. but who's Ernesto? Want a beer? Sure! So off we went to Joe's Beachfront for several buckets o'beer. Oh yeah, what about the storm? Like Ernesto said "No problem, there was no storm?" Eventually, we made it back to the dinghy dock and out to the boat. The Old Harbor and settled down while we were out on the town with Ernesto.

I was so thrilled to have another woman on board our boat! I was giggling so loudly the next morning I woke Doug up. He was like ahhh, girls....

I had told Pat to bring a book and whatever she wanted cause we were just going to relax. I'm not sure we ever actually had a day were we just relaxed. She arrived just in time for Carnival! and in a town like Mazatlan it goes on for days and there is lot's to see and do at all hours of the day and night.

We introduced Pat to Larry Zabel (SVPeregrine) out of Grand Marina in Alameda and Leo from (SVChatDeMer) they had come over from La Paz on SVChatDeMer to catch all the Carnival celebrations. Since I had been in Mazatlan for a while I took them on a collectiva bus ride all through town just for fun!