Winding down and saying adios - March 18

Soft San Carlos Sunrise - we will miss this view!

Hola! Hope you have excused the lack of updates these past four weeks as we spent countless hours visiting doctors and taking an abundance of medication.  Energy for boat projects came in sporadic bursts.  Happily, we hope we are on the mend.  Unhappily, we have wrapped up our "cruising season" and INTREPID II is now settled in her spot at Marina Seca San Carlos for the coming months.

Who could have predicted such a combination of events and situations which led us to spend almost four months on land, in rental accommodations while INTREPID II rocked in her slip on A dock?
Many projects were completed successfully.  We met many cruising folk and renewed friendships from earlier seasons.  INTREPID II received abundant attention, cleaning, new or improved parts, curtains, covers, lines and TLC.  We found we were not alone in the setbacks which saw many boats remain at the dock, or at anchor, or leave and return unexpectedly.  Things happen.  There were also fortunate cruisers who 'got away' and are making up for lost time.  We look forward to hearing and reading their stories.

On Wednesday, March 14, bright and early for high tide, INTREPID II slipped her dock lines and motored to the haul out dock at Marina San Carlos.  She was slipped into a cozy spot in the works yard for a few days of decommissioning and securing, wrapping and stowing; the skies were grey and muggy, the wind strong and blustery.  We finished the last of the aluminum wraps, tightened lines around fabric covering winches, windlass and boom.

INTREPID II heading from marina to works yard

Trailer positioning INTREPID II into space at works yard

Stands are secured with chain

Not a ghost - we are trying flannel and line to protect winches

Boom and boom vang wrapped and tied

Companionway cover wrapped in foil to keep out heat

Windlass all cozy and tucked in

The works yard was a busy place on Saturday morning, with boats coming in, going to the marina, going into storage.  Our turn came just after noon and the skillful crew guided INTREPID II into a new location, on row C, which has hurricane poles in addition to the usual stands. A few photos of the well orchestrated procedure:

Trailer pulling INTREPID II into dry storage yard

INTREPID II moving into place next to ROSEBUD 

INTREPID II in place Row C

Setting support stands securely

Hopefully enough support for the rains, winds and whatever occurs in the coming months

A fond adios to INTREPID II until next cruising season

No time to rest on our laurels, though.  Our remaining days are busy with sorting and packing our truck for the homeward journey.  Tomorrow, Monday, March 19th, is a national holiday, celebrating the birthday of Benito Juarez, so banks, offices and schools are closed. We plan to leave Tuesday morning and head through Hermosilla and on to the border.  Who knows how long it will take at the Army checkpoint or the border?  We may checkout the highway which cuts over northeast to Naco and is still within the "hassle free" zone.  To be determined.  Plans so far include a stop to view the highly recommended Kartchner Caverns near Benson followed by a visit with cruising friends.

Cheers.

Monday musings - February 19

Monday musings....all weekend as we dutifully followed our schedule of medications, we considered what the coming weeks have in store for INTREPID II.  There is only so much flexibility that can be built into a cruising season and we didn't allow for as much 'under the weather' time. The "San Carlos crud" we referred to earlier was actually more serious for the Captain and understandably has meant less energetic efforts on the boat.  Progress is being made of course, but the weeks slide by; cruising is still our hope, even for a few short weeks.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, we made a second visit to the nearby Estero de Soldado on Saturday afternoon, as we had read in the local birding report of sightings of Roseate Spoonbills.  A bird we had never observed.  There are several 'off the road' tracks near the estuary and one led us to a gap in the vegetation, where we stopped and parked.  The first birds we spotted were not far away and not of the delicate, rosy variety.  A pair of Black Vultures ( Coragyps atratus) were standing quietly by observing.  The field guide mentions the 'wrinkled grey' neck and all blackish colouration of feathers with silvery patches on the wingtips.  Very conservative and still.

Black Vulture pair (Coragyps atratus)

Closer to the water we were enthused to view a pair of what had to be Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) feeding in the shallows, although they were at a distance.  These wading birds nest and roost in low trees and forage by walking slowly, sweeping their bills from side to side to capture fish and invertebrates.  The 'spoon-shaped' bill is indeed distinctive when raised out of the water.  Based on our Sibley's guide we assume we were seeing 2nd year birds, as they were missing a distinctive reddish section to their plumage.  

Roseate Spoonbills ( Platalea ajaja)

Even from a distance, we were able to spot several other residents of the estuary and check our findings in the field guide.  Our 'best guess' is attached to each.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)