January ‘00

*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!

January 1, Saturday 2000

Well, I guess the Y2K Meltdown was NOT. We never thought it would be.

We left Isla San Fransisco at 7 am and came on in to La Paz at 12:30. Took on 54 gallons of fuel and anchored right in front of the marina.
Saw Bob and Cynthia and their new boat, Storm Haven.
We have made it to warmer weather.

January 2, Sunday

Quiet day, warm. John got with Rick on Tortuga and figured out the low batteries for the computer and phone – he’ll fix that tomorrow. Bob and Cynthia came by – sure have missed them.
Still haven’t found Princess Erica, they are all 4 down here, but don’t know where. Haven’t see Linda and the girls for 3 years now.

January 3, Monday

Wind started blowing last night and now we are in a norther. We spent the day waltzing out in the anchorage – luckily we got straight in slot at the marina, safely tied up by 3:30 pm. I’ve decided I’m not even coming into La Paz without a slip!
Goon called, Grandma Melissa Davis passed away last night on the 2nd at 96 years. She also said that Ruby is getting married again on February 12th. He’s not from around there and Peg’s never met him.

January 4, Tuesday

It continued to howl, but laid down some for the night.

January 5, Wednesday

Calm today, Princess Erica came in to the marina around 3 pm. We all went to dinner in town. Amy has to fly back to Canada tomorrow.

January 6, Thursday

Wind howling again. Yesterday we had Jeffery the Rigger go up the mast and now the wind speed and direction works again.
Grandma Davis’s funeral was today – I wish I could be there.

June 7, Friday

Still blew all day. John finally got all 3 leaks in the dink patched. Everytime we aired it up, there was another leak. This time the bow-sprit got it while we bounced from the wind and surge.
Watched some of Princess Erica’s film on their river rafting in Canada – cool.
Barn and Steve, Blue Chablis, won’t be down this year. Steve has something wrong where there is too much iron in his blood. So he has to give blood every week for the next 5 to 10 months. Ouch!

January 8, Saturday

Happy 24th, Danielle.

Called her this am – doing fine. She is starting to show at 4 months but hasn’t felt the baby move yet.
calm and warm today. Amazing how warm it is when the north wind isn’t howling! Breeze did come up at 1 pm at 12-15 – calm night. Great dinner at Storm Haven, Bob and Cynthia.

January 9, Sunday

We were gonna leave today – BUT – as it turned out, the marina office was closed and nowhere to buy ice – also the wind was blowing 15 at 9:00 am. So here we go again – the waiting game.
John waxed one side of the boat and polished the stanchions. Samie and I enjoyed a lazy day.

January 10, Monday

We left Marina de La Paz at 9 am. It was the 11th that we got out of there last year. Nice, quiet, no wind. Samie drove the boat all the way around the corner, past the Pemex plant. Halfway through (the second half) Ceravo channel we had 15-20 true from behind – north east. Kinda rolly – but nice enough. Anchored at 5 pm – 10k in here coming over the mountain. I’m pooped.

January 11, Tuesday

We left Muertos at 7 am with Tortuga, bound for La Cruz. 12k, NNE, slightly bumpy seas. 6-7 boat speed.

January 12, Wednesday

Smooth seas, 6k, NNE – great day, calm night. We slowed down around sundown to wait for Tortuga, they were having problem with fuel filters.
John caught a dorado and a 40–50-pound yellow fin tuna. It put up quite a fight.
Goon called.

Januaryr 13, Thursday

Hazy this morning, flat seas, 4k breeze. Anchored in La Cruz at 11 am. Good to be home.
Went ashore for dinner at Cruise Quarters – OF COURSE.
Hey – it’s warm here – and humid. Feels wonderful!

January 14, Friday

Hazy again, strange of shore wind this am, 15-30 k until noon, then 15-20 other direction. John went to Nuevo to check in.

January 15, Saturday

Same off shore breeze again – must be 90° and no humidity in it. My hair and towel were dry in 5 minutes. Jena spent the night.

January 16, Sunday

I love the smells and sounds of La Cruz when I wake up in the mornings. Strange as that sounds. Every morning I smell bacon and humidity and smoke from the brush fires and of course the pelican shit that covers the break wall. I hear the rooster crow and the waves breaking on shore. They all mix together to make a feeling of home as we rock gently on the hook.

January 17, Monday

I love sitting on deck to dry my hair in the mornings after my shower. No blow dryer and a tan in the process.
Normal day, John and I went into town after dinner for a while – listened to music at Dos Felipes.

January 18, Tuesday

Emails this am weren’t the best – first, Angela, Megan said they won’t get the boat down here until around the middle of March – poop – then Deb said Vel’s dog only had 1 puppy – so we won’t get one.

January 19, Wednesday

Strange wind day, 10-20k out of the west – straight over the plaza and big, dark, foggy clouds, too. Now the swell is wrapping around and all boats are rocking side to side.

January 20, Thursday

Happy Birthday Janelle.

John cleaned all the lines and hoses for the toilet today – what a stinky mess. But now it works much better.
Full moon AND lunar eclipse tonight. Only saw a small part – it was cloudy!
Carl from Marina Vallarta was fired. Why, we don’t know, but he called us from his house on the VHF radio tonight. Pretty cool – he must see a 1000 boats a year and remembered us.

January 21, Friday

Tom (Tango Papa), the weather man on Chubasco net was telling all that we know of La Niña and El Niño – now there is La Mama which is a 6 or 7 year pattern that is coming and will follow the weather of this last 12 months. La Mama – cute.
We took a bus into Nuevo Vallarta to see Hot Toddy – but Dan and Michelle were nowhere to be found. Finally got a taxi around to Paradise Village, but that’s all changed – we had to call Dick at the marina office to ok us in. Then John had to leave his driver’s license so we could all get passes! Then, the gates into the boat docks are locked – both coming in and out! With all this new security, we didn’t even let Samie go swimming, so we just caught a bus back to La Cruz – Sam was pissed.
No sooner got home and Tortuga, Rick and Marilyn, asked us to go with them to Bucerias. Walked around there for a while, came back and ate at the rib and chicken place next to the figure store.
Saw Nea, Carousel, at Felipe’s on the way back to the boat. It was a nice change of pace for me.

January 22, Saturday

John’s been sanding and varnishing the cockpit grate – looks good. We went in to Felipe’s daughter Valeria’s 7th Bday party. She is a cutie. Samie spent the night at Jena’s.

January 23, Sunday

John and I watched volley ball games at the plaza and visited with Oso, who now works on one of the party boats out of Vallarta.

January 24, Monday

John is helping Felipe with his engine in the panga for the banana boat. Took the sail into Miguel and Verna to be repaired.

January 25, Tuesday

Almost no breeze today – warm.

January 26, Wednesday

John worked on the gen-set. I didn’t do into shore today – I stayed home and cooked a pot roast.

January 27, Thursday

Same ‘ole, same ‘ole.

January 28, Friday

John changed the engine oil.

January 29, Saturday

Jena spent the night.

January 30, Sunday

Samie and Jena spent afternoon ashore, John did a little of this and that on the boat. Went to Crews Quarters to watch a GOOD Superbowl game.

January 31, Monday

Fairly calm day. Just heard that Air Alaska that left PV at 3:30 pm today for San Fransisco & Seattle crashed into the ocean below San Fran. No details yet. Plane had problems with stabilizer and wanted to land early in LA, but went down, nose first. 88 people died.
Rumor is that a family of 5, from a boat in PV was on board.

December ‘99

*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!

December 1, Wednesday

Bill and Trish took us out to eat at Piccolo’s, then they left for Pinetop on Thursday, the second.

December 6, Monday

The boat is so close. Yesterday I helped John reconnect the rudder steering cables and we all 3 contributed to painting a dolphin on each side, forward at the bow, just under the waterline. Some boats have eyes there, we wanted dolphins! They look cool, Samie named them Freedom and Utopia.
The bottom is black this time with an aqua boot strip – looks really cool!
Today it is cloudy and has a look of winter. The days have been cooling off more and more. Nights are cold in this house with Mexican floors and no carpeting or curtains on the 3 big front windows.

December 8, Wednesday

Chelle called, she had a sonogram and this one is a boy, also. He will be Jeremy, after Rick’s brother who died a few years back.
The internet has been down the last 3 days – so can’t do the email thing.

December 10, Friday

WE are aboat – afloat again!
Yes – after 2 months we finally went in the water at 10 am. Samie rode on the boat while the tractor drove it Marina San Carlos. We checked everything out and motored around to Marina Real. The winds even were with us – no wind – smooth. We backed into the slip, so that we don’t have those nasty, cold breezes blow’en down in the cockpit. We don’t have the windvane on anymore and it does make a difference backing up.
We spent about 3 hours cleaning up, dust, etc. Had dinner at Tequila’s and rented the movie Armageddon. We have rented a movie every night for the last month from Internet Café. Still no email service.

December 11, Saturday

We moved all our stuff to the boat and unpacked most of it. Sure feels good to have our sea legs and we slept like babies. Home at last!

December 12, Sunday

I’m glad we moved the boat around on Friday because it’s been blow’en hard since then. More organizing. I have the new curtains up and hemmed – they looks so nice – along with the new cushions.

December 13, Monday

John went into Guaymas to buy lumber to build the “garage” to replace the hard dinghy that we used to store stuff in. I should mention, Bill Gibson bought the dink and painted it all fancy. Looks really nice.
Samie spent several hours at the Internet Café – it’s finally up and running. We all had dinner up there.

December 14, Tuesday

John worked all day building the box (garage). I helped some. It was a warm day and I love being outside for a change. It did get windy around 2 pm and cold. Samie spent an hour at the IC.

December 16, Thursday

We got the box all mounted on the back. What looked like an extra big box – soon filled up. It will work much better than the hard dink.
Gene and Jo, Sun Bear, came over to try and hook up the TNC to the ham and laptop for email. It’s there – but something is not right still.
We went into the IC for dinner.

December 17, Friday

Lots done again today. Gene got the email working from the boat – cool! It is actually pretty much as easy as hooking up to the internet.
Shadowfox got here today. They aren’t taking the boat out this season – only came down for a few days to do some work. Samie is thrilled, to say the least.

December 18, Saturday

Samie spent the day at Shadowfox helping them empty lockers and pack up. Meghan is spending the night with us. John and I sent email via the ham radio all by ourselves. Too cool.
I started our curtains on the back in our room. We had to mount the track first.
Beautiful today – NO wind!

December 19, Sunday

It was slightly foggy with a light breeze from the SE, cool off and on. Swithced around at 4pm, 15 N.
John worked on 2 shelves for Samie’s room.

December 20, Monday

John and I went into Ley’s to stock up. $968 pesos – or $105 US. The meat – 4 meals each – chicken, steak (12), 3k bacon, 2 roast $50 US (@ 9.15 exchange).
Samie spent the afternoon at the IC.
We were gonna go to the border and back for fresh VISAS – but we hate that drive and said forget it.
We heard today that Baker and Cindy on Lighten Up are down in Bahia Panama, Costa Rica.
Also, Ron (Golf Oscar), found an oar fish up on the beach. True Blue found one 4 years ago at San Evaristo. Only 50 have been recorded as found since the 1800s.

December 21, Tuesday

Another trip into Guaymas. John finished and we mounted Samie’s shelves. I made curtains for her two port hole windows. We are staying so busy and the days are flying by. Samie and I have had 2 weeks off of school – time we get it going again.
the full moon tonight co-insides with the winter solstice and brings the moon in orbit so close since 1866 – 133 years ago. It’s real bright out tonight – would have been a great time to made a crossing. Looks really cool through binoculars.
The Peanuts comic strip that has been around since 1950 is ending on Jan 3, 2000. The writer, Charles Schultz is 77 and giving it up.
Beautiful, warm day. No wind.

December 22, Wednesday

John went back into Guaymas and had the fuel filter replaced on the van – it’s been leaking since the States (off and on).
The wind howled today and looks like we’re in for a few days of it.
the death toll in Venezuela from rain and flooding has reached 30,000 and expected to rise.  

December 23, Thursday

John was using the table saw at Jeff’s house when the saw caught a piece of wood and threw it back into his hand. It went into his thumb under the skin – gross. He was alone and had to pull it out with his teeth.
We finished one of the two frames for the lights in the salon. Took all day. Beautiful, warm day.
Gene and Jo, Sun Bear joined us at the Internet Café for dinner.

December 24, Friday

John finished the other light frame. wE have bought 12-volt lights now.
I guess I’m starting a tradition, this is the second year I have made pizza for dinner on Christmas Eve – strange.

December 25, Saturday

Feliz Navidad or Merry Christmas

I remember when Samie used to wake us up on Christmas morning! Now I have to wake her up. I waited until 9:15. She got the discman that she’d wanted and I made the curtains for her room.
We had a wonderful ham dinner with a variety of dishes that everyone else here brought up to Wind Chimes, Ray and Lyn’s condo. Imagination, John and Rey – Sunshine, Al and Louise – Antigua, Charlie and Brenda – Sun Bear, Gene and Jo and also several from the condos. It was very nice.
Blew 20-25 pm.

Last night Osprey Joe had his power boat all lit up for the light parade in San Carlos Bay – real pretty.

December 26, Sunday

We are still “fighting” with the email on the boat. What a pain. We heard there was an earthquake here about 7-7:30 pm last night.
Jeff and Hilda’s place rattled – they ran outside.
Warm – no wind. Planning to leave on Wednesday.

December 30, Thursday

I fell behind in my writing. We enjoyed getting to know Charlie and Brenda on Antigua, but they went back to St. David Benson area.
Roger and Darian, Aurora, drove down for a few days – he’s doing ok with the lymphoma cancer – they got it all and he will do some radiation.
Tasca, Cloud Nine, is not doing as good with hers.
Z-town had a 5.9 earthquake.
Weather looks good for a few days. We pulled out at 10 am, so did Kelly and Jan, Refuge, who are traveling with us across.
Smooth night – nothing over 10k all the way to Isla San Fransisco, 195 miles in 29 hours.
The breaker for the radar and depth blew – John fixed. Bulb in masthead running lights burned out – that he will have to climb and change – also wind point and speed is not working. But we made it, no problems.

December 31, Friday 1999
La Paz

Last day of the year and the century!
This am as the sun came up, I saw a green flash! Cool – I’d seen in once when the sun set, but never know it happened on a rise.
We anchored in San Fransisco at 3 pm – pooped. 6 pm – water is so flat and calm, like a mirror. And it’s warm, 80°, wearing shorts and no cockpit curtains up.
Spectacular sunset! I woke up at midnight when the block party brought in the new year.

November ‘99

*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!

November 1, Monday

Yes! We turned the corner – today they started putting new fiberglass ON the boat!

November 2, Tuesday

No workers today – it’s another one of their holidays. So we visited Bill, Trisha, also Pat and Mikey Speer’s, who are here to clean out their little trailer – they sold it.
Danielle called – her and Ben are expecting a baby the end of June – first of July! Cool.

November 4, Thursday

John and I went for a “sail” today, with Carl and Linda on Fido Pause, a 26’ boat. They are new to all this, so we went out just beyond the main bay and helped with the basics. No wind – Linda likes it that way, too. Neat people.
The workers have all the holes covered up now – she’s looking like she has a floatable bottom again.

November 8, Monday

Happy Bday Aunt Janice

On Saturday 6th, we went to dinner with Carl and Linda, Fido Pause, at the internet café – Willy, China Moon, and Bob, ?, also joined us. Very enjoyable and great food.
The boat bottom is going back pretty good.
It’s been getting breezy in the afternoons and it’s cool in the shade.
Samie tested in science (A) and grammar (B). She’s starting to get bored here in San Carlos and especially in the house.

November 17, Wednesday

The one side of the boat is almost done with the rebuild and ready for the barrier coat. John is thinking that we might be in the water around the 6th of December.
Bill and Trisha took us, Bruce and Jeannie Tilly (friends of theirs that are here year round) on a sunset cruise aboard Prime Time. It was perfect! It had been slightly foggy all day and made of a beautiful sunset. We even had a whale swimming along at the surface. Then we all had BBQ chicken at the Gibson’s. As always it was a hysterical evening. This time, John had put new cinders in Bill’s BBQ grill and Bill had black smoke billowing and very crispy on the outside chicken.

November 23, Tuesday

Well, Duane and Camille Smith and Bill’s mom, Velma drove in on Sunday – Cecil and Joann Berry came in on Monday – let the fun begin. It really is a fun group. Bill’s mom is 82 or something right there – and just a crack up!
Last night we spent a couple hours with them all, Samie too.
Barb and Steve, Blue Chablis, drove in yesterday for a few days.
Goon called this am, they are doing fine. She’s off the pill now, after trying different kinds and all making her sick. She’s gonna go into the at-home business of selling products like my sister Jo. Hope it works out.

November 24, Thursday
San Carlos

Had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with Bill and Trish Gibson, Duane and Camille Smith, Cecil and Joann Berry, Bill’s mom, Velma and 2 more couples.

November 25, Friday

Had dinner with Blue Chablis and Abientot.
Sure is nice to have cruising friends here – even thought they are going back to the States for a while.

October ‘99

*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!

October 3, 1999
Lakeside, Az

I’m so bad here in the States about keeping up with this.

Pegy and Calebs wedding on June 9th was very nice. She did most of the planning and everything herself.
We found a house – 3 bedroom, huge house over in “Webbville”. It’s basically a new house, 10 years old, but never lived in. We are painting, among other fix-it jobs. It was awful outside when we moved in – now it’s really nice.
It rained nearly every day from July 1st to Sept 20th or so. It is real green and pretty, but thank god it’s sunny now.
John found lots of paying side-jobs painting houses, so he was gone most all weekends and evenings.
Danielle came up quite a bit. Chelle and Rick are expecting in April. Shine is still in Clay Springs and working in Lakeside for Pepsi. Peggy and Caleb bought Sam and Rane Jones’ old house in Show Low (they moved to Pima).

John put new tires and heavy-duty shocks on the van.
I worked in operations with Jim Watson this summer while Carol Heidt had back surgery. Nice change.
We bought a laptop computer and have the internet at the house. John turned into an internet junkie, looking up different things. Samie emails Megan, Angela and Tiffany a lot. If I can ever find it available, I’ll get on.
Arne and Janice, Renegade, got married on September 24th – after 6 years or so together.
Even with all the rain, I managed to keep a little tan.
I made new curtains for the boat. Really nice.
We found out we do have some major problems with the boat bottom – the keel was full of water. More about that when we get down there and know what it really is.

October 15, Friday

Last day of work again for another 7 months. Well, work in the 8 to 5 world, anyway.

October 16, Saturday

We loaded up the van, winterized the house and left Show Low around 10 am. Spent the night and John and Maryann’s.

October 17, Sunday
San Carlos

We left the States and crossed the border and 21 km – (green light and only 30 minutes total, VISAS and all). It was 2 pm when we got in to San Carlos. We stayed 2 nights at the Pink Palace. Before renting a house from Hilda for $500 for the month. That’s what it looks like for getting the boat fixed and back in the water.

October 28, Thursday

We have been in this 2-bedroom house for a week now. It’s an ok little house. It just needs emptied out and sprayed with a high-pressure hose. But it has furniture and beds and kitchen things. 
John goes down every day to watch the workers grind away more of our boat bottom. They took the rudder off and fixed all of that area – building it back up with layers of fiberglass and resin. Most of the back feel is down to paper thin now with holes here and there – scary, really. But they’ll build it all back once they get all the soaked spots ground and dry.
Bill and Trisha got down here Monday, the 25th, it’s good to have them around.
We have spent time with Bill and Trisha, Samie and I are working at school and John watches every day as they grind away more of the boat.