FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM SAN CARLOS

From our home away from home to yours, we wish you a joy-filled and peaceful Christmas season, wherever you may be.

While we truly miss being home, being with family, miss reading the cards and letter that arrive while we are here in San Carlos, we are cheered in knowing we are once again reunited with INTREPID II for a short time.

FELIZ NAVIDAD 

Working on Boat Projects under sunny skies

Now that INTREPID II is on A dock in Marina San Carlos, we began our efforts to untangle messenger lines - our lines stretched over the two years and conveniently tangled themselves around the mast steps.  The halyards need to be raised, sails hanked on; the cabin below is still filled with canvas, sails, lines, tools and equipment.  We have cleared the galley and cupboards to give them a thorough cleaning and freshened up towels and bedding left in storage in large zip-lock baggies.
Somehow, many items replicated and reproduced - so the local thrift stores will benefit as we sort and cull our stock of dishes, plastic containers and wine glasses!

We've unexpectedly been under the weather since Monday evening and have lost 2 days of productive work while we regain our energy.  San Carlos has well regarded doctors and we were thankfully referred to one by our neighbours.  Not great timing, but we should bounce back before Christmas.

A "Dry Run" for Splash Day and Splash Day 2

The Captain suggests our Wednesday, December 13th launch was in reality a dry run, although the issue which arose was a leaky one.  All went well loading INTREPID II on to the trailer and down the road to San Carlos marina.  8:00 am.  First launch of the day, calm winds.  The last slip in the marina was waiting on A dock.  As Kelly checked the various locations of our through-hulls there was silence. The works yard crew stood by. Finally Kelly stepped into the cockpit and dispiritedly announced that there was worrisome seepage from several through-hulls - enough leaking to warrant the decision to return to the works yard.  Much effort ensued with the removal, finally, of six through-hulls; soaking, cleaning, brushing. Purchasing expensive 3M 4200 caulking locally - almost $50 a tube. Re-installing and letting the caulking cure.

Saturday morning, December 16th - fingers crossed as we watched INTREPID II head back to the marina under the very capable guidance of the works crew.  This time, Kelly wasn't below as long as he monitored 'drops' rather than leaks and from only 2 through-hulls - the hardest to reach, under the galley cupboards.  Decision made to proceed to our slip on A dock, in calm winds and blue skies.  Helping hands took our lines and our sailboat was once more in the water.  Monitoring will be required as we hope the drops dry up as we proceed with projects at the dock.  On with the boat project to-do list!

A Long Awaited Reunion!

After much too long a time, S.V. INTREPID II and her crew have reunited in the works yard of Marina San Carlos Marina Seca.  Two years of Sonoran sun, wind, rain and a hurricane in the fall of 2016 have left their marks on our sturdy sailboat.  We are working diligently to clean off the initial layers of dust and grime, inspect everything that will be below the water line, polish the prop, replace the zinc, check all the through-hulls.  In the cabin interior, the strength of the winds ensured that a thorough cleaning is in store - grit and dust especially in the galley.  A busy week of TLC.

Our drive from Victoria to San Carlos took us to Portland, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Green Valley and across the border at Nogales. Weather and road conditions were good.  Highway 15 through Hermosilla and on to San Carlos was a 'work in progress' with a massive amount of new highway being laid down on one side or the other, requiring a steady zig-zag along mostly single undivided lanes.  San Carlos was waiting for us on our arrival!  We found a room for Monday and Tuesday evening while we arranged for an apartment for the coming weeks.  The view is lovely and we have space to set up the sewing machine for projects and repairs.  The abundance of 'boat stuff' that accumulates is being sorted and thinned out - otherwise we'd have to keep raising INTREPID'S waterline.

Based on upcoming high tides, we plan on putting INTREPID in the water mid-week (13th) to continue our preparations: hanking on sails, re-running all the lines, halyards, checking every fitting and connection; the usual!  The Northers didn't wait long to remind us of their force and impact.  Thursday and Friday they blew fiercely for 48 hours.  Friends in Mazatlan noted in their blog that the winds impacted their departure plans.  All part of cruising in the Sea of Cortez.

Wishing you all a happy holiday season.  Christmas lights are twinkling against the backdrop of sea and mountains.