February ‘95
*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!
February 1, Wednesday
Another day of working on the generator, had it running 2 hours – long enough to chill the fridge and fill the water tanks, which only took 1 hour @ 18 gallons per hour, which is not bad since it was full last on Sunday morning. 18 to 20 gallons in 3 days is good. He also charged the batteries ½ hour. AND THEN – it quit again. BUT now he figures it’s the points that are closing up and over-heating the relays. But that will have to wait till night time when it cools off some in there; it must be 110° in the engine room.
Leo passed a short message on the ham – that they will meet us at 1 pm Sunday on 14.211.0 – Good, I’ve missed our home base contact.
February 2, Thursday
John put in the new points and put the generator all back together and so far, so good. It ran an hour in the morning and a half hour in the p.m. – whoops – this is starting to get comical in an awful way! Now the muffler came off and water is spraying all over the engine room. Shut it down, mop it up and start over!
February 3, Friday
John had all the parts but one to fix the muffler and he picked that one up in the little village – so by noon, it’s back in action. We ran the fridge for an hour – but when he turned the water maker on – it blew the resistor again. The water maker motor had gotten all wet in yesterday’s muffler mishap. So we are gonna head back to P.V. and get this all fixed.
*This is definitely the year I retained 90% of my expletive vocabulary; streaming from the engine room during weeks like this. 🙃
I think this is also a great time to go into some more detail about how the water maker works while also introducing you to the crew of SV Delos!
February 4, Saturday
We weighed anchor and were underway at 10:00 am with 10 knots out of the south – on our tail – the first half and then it picked up to 20 knots out of the south. We anchored at Chamela at 4:00pm – but there is a lot of swell and roll’en.
February 5, Sunday
We pulled anchor at Chamela at 4:00am and were underway, headed for P.V. We had 10 knots most of the way. We saw a manta ray swim by the boat. At the point we picked up 15 to 20 knots out of the north all day. Just around the point we caught a good size dorado. We made it in to the marina at 10pm – into the same slip (I-1) as before. It took 18 hours to come north – only 15 to go south to Chamela, but we had all that wind and current pushing all the way down.
Rounding back in to Banderas Bay, headed toward Puerto Vallarta.
February 6, Monday
Happy B-day, Mom!
John filled our water tank and it took 120 liters. It was last full on Wednesday, so when we conserve, we only used 31 gallons of water in 5 days – NOT BAD. We washed down the boat and all the sails. We had Arne and Janice of Renegade over for the dorado – yum!
February 7, Tuesday
Samie was up bright and early to watch CARTOONS! She will be a T.V. addict before we leave.
I am enjoying the HBO to catch up on movies – if I ever have time!
John went to check-in again.
*I remember these mornings! Marina Vallarta was always a treat because we had power, water and TV hookups. How does it get better? I’ll tell you: most channels were also in English! Extra bonus when you can understand what’s being said; although it is also quite entertaining to watch Full House in Spanish - especially the voice dubs when you know what their real voices sound like.
February 8, Wednesday
Samie stayed with Janice on Renegade this a.m. while John and I went to listen to a time-share presentation. Got my hair all cut off – short! It feels great.
For going to the presentation, we get a free Jeep tomorrow.
*Mom said when Dad came to meet her after her haircut that he didn’t even recognize her!
February 10, Friday
A little of this and that today – nothing special.
February 11, Saturday
John rebuilt the head pump today – works great and doesn’t spray ya. We went to town with Arne and Janice and had dinner – good. Amy stayed with Samie.
February 12, Sunday
Nice, quiet day.
February 13, Monday
We went sailing on Renegade – well, actually, we went out to catch fish – no luck – but a very nice day.
Had dinner with Steve and Sherry. I called Shine, he is thinking of going to Tennessee in June to a tech school. He sounded good and happy.
February 14, Tuesday
Happy Valentine’s Day!
John added 59 gallons of fuel to top off the tanks. He figures just over 1 gallon an hour is what we burn.
Goon called, she’s do’en great. Mom called, she was trying to fax a letter to the phone #, funny – but we got it straight.
February 15, Wednesday
John equalized the batteries today.
February 16, Thursday
Generator part came in, so John put in the new resistor. Seems to be A-OK. But we can only run 1 thing at a time – we were over-loading the gen-set before, that’s what the problem was. Sent a fax to Navopache.
February 17, Friday
Happy Birthday, Samantha! Big #8!
She got a boogie board, movie (Snow White), a camera that Garth and Joanne gave her in Tenacatita before they headed south on Absölute – among other small things. Kara from Princess Erika gave her her killer whale shirt, which she loves! We took her, along with Kara, Arne and Janice to the water slide park which was a lot of fun, even for the adults. Came back for cake and Arne and Janice stayed for spaghetti.
*My first birthday on the boat, and one for the books! I remember being SO excited about my beautiful new boogie board, Mom and Dad snuck behind me while my back was turned the other way. I turned around and bumped into it and went bonkers about it. I still remember the feel and texture of it. I was equally excited about the Orca (killer whale) shirt, funnily enough. You see, Free Willy had come out just before we came sailing, and I was obsessed. I still remember the credits rolling in the theater, while Michael Jackson’s ‘Will You Be There’ video struck my little 6-year-old little heart with awe and it became my absolute mission to see an orca while we were at sea. While I never did have that moment while on The Star, any and all of our cruising friends who did were sure to send me photos and notes of encouragement that I’d see them one day! I still have faith. ANYWAY, the day we met Princess Erika in Chamela, Kara was wearing this orca shirt, and I loved it so much I just stared at it/her. Kids are so awkward, lol. I was so happy when she gifted it to me and I’m sure I wore it thin before finally relinquishing it.
The water slide park was the best! I remember we could see the big, tall slides on our way in and out of the marina and I, of course, always wanted to go. So it was THE BEST surprise when we all went. There was one huge tall one that we loved and a lazy river you could float in. I loved it so much.
Wow, I almost didn’t remember this camera gift! I thought my first camera was a yellow one that I got for Christmas later that year. I found this one in a photo, it was red. That’s super sweet of them, and I like that my first of many cameras and the start of one of my favorite talents would be a gift from cruising friends. Garth and Joanne were a young Australian couple crewing aboard Absölute. We kept in touch with Joanna, who wrote to us from Australia later on. Her and Garth separated ways at some point, but I’m not sure we ever heard from him again. They’ll always have a place in my heart!
February 18, Saturday
Basically a this and that day.
Goon called – Danielle was going up and her, Goon and Shine were all going out.
February 19, Sunday
Got ready to leave the slip.
February 20, Monday
We had a guy come and adjust the valves on the main engine.
Made contact with Steve and Brenda on the ham 14.211.
We left slip #I-1 of Marina Vallarta at 12:00 noon headed for La Cruz. We had moderate winds at 5-6 knots out of the west; with the motor also humming, we made it and had the anchor set at 1:30pm. Feels good to have the rocking motion under our feet again. The time changed back to “American Time” as Samie put it. We are the same time as Arizona again.
When I talked to Mom on Saturday, she said Grandpa Jones isn’t doing so good. His lungs keep filling with fluid and he can’t make his feet move where he wants them to move. She was gonna go and read him my last letter about the shark and the latest adventures.
Nice and quiet out in the “country” – not “city life” to keep us awake.
February 21, Tuesday
Water tank took 1 hour to fill, water maker running at 18-20 gallons per day on average.
Samie and John went to the beach for a while.
John scraped the boat bottom. Got a fax from Mom.
*We were able to receive faxes from a restaurant in town, which you are about to get more info on soon!
February 23, Thursday
John polished the port side of the boat – I polished all the wood inside.
February 24, Friday
We all took the bus in to P.V. to do the check-out thing.
Riding the bus here can be quite an experience. We had ‘sales persons’ come on board standing in the aisle, rattling on in rapid Spanish about whatever they are selling. The children and even adults are selling Chiclets gum. One night a couple came on – the guy playing the guitar and both of them singing – it was neat!
The sights are interesting also. The little villages we pass through, stopping every few minutes to pick up or let off passengers. The beautiful, green jungle-like hills, flowers on the vines that weave their way around whatever may be in their path. The ocean peeking through in the background always brings a peaceful and warm feeling.
Mexico is a beautiful place with friendly people and smiling faces. An easier way of life – I think a better way of life. Yes, I’m comfortable on our sailboat, our little mini-city with all the necessities of a comfortable, happy life. It really is amazing to think that you really don’t NEED all the THINGS that you left behind. Sometimes there is something I wish I could do, but it passes when I see the sun setting in its many shades of pink and I know that tomorrow as the sun rises that our “8 to 5” will always be to have an adventure, an experience with nature.
I guess the hardest part is not being able to fully share it with those you love that are not with us – for pictures and words can never capture the true depth of feelings; the natural beauty of the sweet and simple life.
*I cannot describe how much I love reading my mom’s descriptions and notes like this about the details of the places we are seeing. I love everything about this entry and what she encapsulated about this magical place we were witness to. The juxtaposition of timing, technology and tourism were a particularly fun alignment which allowed us plenty comfort while traveling, but also the ability to still witness some of these beautiful areas before they were overrun by condominiums and hotels, marinas and the like. And of what was being built at the time, cruisers often lucked out and were allowed use of the marina and facilities for cheap, if not for free once or twice, if I’m remembering correctly. I specifically remember these bus rides. They were quite long, but as Mom explains, never dull and full of all kinds of friendly characters. Where in America these days, it seems so many people are avoiding eye contact, the world I grew up in was full of it! There were always waves hello to passing strangers, offering seats or to help carry something. You may not have conversations, but they often weren’t even needed. Genuine kindness is a universal language.🐞
February 24, Friday
I do school and John is in charge of recess. He took Samie to the beach and in to the La Cruz Cruise Crew’s Quarters to play with a friend while I laid in the sun and read – so lazy!
*YAY! This marks the first official mention of the OG Crew’s Quarters, of which the title this little adventure page is a tribute to! La Cruz Cruise Crew’s Quarters was a two-story bar and restaurant that was located right off the beach, a couple buidlings down from Dos Felipe’s, which will also be mentioned. The restaurant was ran by Blair and Rosa, whom had a daughter my age, Jena. We immediately became friends and are still relatively in touch via social media. Their house was attached to the restaurant, in a separate area off to the left. In thinking of how to describe the place, I remember this funny set-up almost like a small aquarium into the wall with a fake scuba diver inside and bubbles coming from him “breathing”. It was kind of below the tv which they had mounted in the left corner in the bar, which is where Mom and I would catch up on all the latest movies. I remember watching Empire Records there - possibly even in this year, as it was released in 95. Downstairs was a bar and lounge, and I always remember rejoicing in the cooler temperatures inside, in the shade and probably the magic of AC. Upstairs was the kitchen and restaurant with an open patio-like view open to the street. There were palm trees and I think a small building across the way, but you could see the ocean peaking through, being just a few hundred feet away. Here is where the infamous “Cruiser’s Wall” was - at least I think that’s what they called it.🤔Every season, cruisers would sharpie their little hearts out on this wall, making a lovely collective mural of seafaring families, single-handers, young and old couples alike. All of us drawn together at some time or other via the deep blue sea and a thirst for the unknown. You’d see friend’s names and sometimes recognize names who’d heard on the radio or heard about from other cruisers. Also every season, they’d take photos of the mural and print it onto an annual t-shirt for that cruising season. I remember the staff being small and friendly. They had a pool on the house side which with a window in it where you could see whoever was swimming, and vice versa. Sometimes we would run errands to the store and get food/items for the restaurant. I can still feel the cobble stone streets under my feet.
Crew’s Quarters truly became a home for us, full of new friends and fellow cruisers. There was a sense of consistency here, which is really grounding and necessary sometimes, even amongst nomads. Mom gained a lifelong friend in Rosa and I in Jena. Oh my goodness, the shenanigans we got into, I love it. Sometimes we’d come to shore before she was home from school, so I’d wait impatiently for her return. I remember trying to read her homework and see what I could make sense of (since it was in Spanish). They also had ginormous satellite TV, which was a total jackpot for me - our little TV screen on the boat being a mere 13” and only having whatever movies we owned for entertainment (but still, all those things were still considered luxuries on a boat at this time). Jena’s Dad, Blair, could be very serious, but also very fun and I loved his and Jena’s relationship, especially when they were silly. He lovingly called me Boat Brat, and once even signed a borrowed cake pan with “Hi, Boat Brat” and a smiley face in permanent marker, a pan which I’m pretty sure Mom or I still have, just for that note! There was always so much love there. Thusly, Crew’s Quarters was “our place,” which made La Cruz feel like our home. We always looked forward to reuniting with our friends and shared birthdays and even weddings together. The Crew’s Quarters Crew will forever be treasured. ❤🐞
February 25, Saturday
John polished the floor today – looks great! Last time he did this, it was with wax and we were slipp’en and slid’en for a week.
Renegade got in to La Cruz today. Stewart and Tracy on Endless Summer, whom we met in San Diego at Marina Cortez and Meika, John and Kelly, also from Marina Cortez are all here in La Cruz.
There is some sort of celebration going on this week – it’s 12 midnight and the band over on the beach is still at it and very loud.
February 26, Sunday
After doing laundry it took 3 hours to refill the water tank. We rode the bus in to P.V. airport – this time we had to all get off the bus, stand on the side of the road and wait while he refueled the bus. We reloaded and were off again. Picked up John and Maryann at 1:30 pm and took a taxi back to La Cruz. We, along with Meika and Renegade ate dinner ashore – yum!
I talked to Peg.
February 27, Monday
We left La Cruz at 9 am and anchored at Tres Marietas for a couple of hours. Spent some time on the beach and anchored at Punta de Mita for the night. We had 25 knots out of the north from the island to the point.
February 28, Tuesday
We weighed anchor at 7:30 am and headed for Chacala, with 10 to 20 knots all day. We had some good-sized swell and wind waves all the way. No fish, but just outside the anchorage, we saw several humpback whales – real close. At one point, they surfaced on the starboard bow and then went under and resurfaced on the port stern. Wow – that’s the closest we have come – hope the pictures come out good.
We were anchored at 4:00 pm. We ate at the El Amigo – this time I ordered shrimp – NO HEADS.
*Starboard = Right
Port = Left
Bow = The front of the ship
Stern/Aft = The rear of the boat
🐞
