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.