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.
