Flexibility at it's finest

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  Loreto, Baja California, Mexico
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Okay, okay, we're awake. It’s been quite awhile since our last update and we apologize to all of you who diligently track our progress in our blogs and have wondered what had happened to us.  Of course, we have lots of excuses:

• No time to write a blog since Craig’s cousin and wife have been on board with us for the past 2 months and we have been busy doing more cooking, projects, and entertaining.







• Nothing too exciting to report, especially since we are now backtracking to areas that we have previously written about...although this is a beautiful area, we see magical things every day and continue to have interesting adventures.







• The internet access that we grew accustomed to last year isn’t as strong as it has been in the past.







• We are still mourning not being able to go to the South Pacific this year due to our propeller failure and the strange weather patterns that have been encountered around the world. 







• Laziness on part by the authors.
  
  Well, I guess a little of each of these scenarios is true.  Since our last update, we officially decided to postpone the 3,000 mile crossing to the South Pacific for this year.  The decision was almost a no-brainer given the data of the weather as well as our desire to not have to rush through the South Pacific in 4 ½ months in order to get out of the cyclone area by October/November.  The normal winds of the Pacific High never filled in near the Mexican coast and the ICTZ, the kitchen where weather is created,  has been unusually active this year.  We only carry so much diesel fuel and it looked like we would have either had to bob around the ocean for many days waiting for winds to fill-in, or risk motoring through the doldrum areas in hopes that we would have enough range with  the fuel on board to make it to our final destination in the Marquesas.  In tracking some of our friends who did make the crossing this year, they are reporting lots of thunder storm activity.
  
  So, what happened?  We checked back into Mexico with their customs and immigration offices.  For a week or so, we felt as if we didn’t belong.  We had previously spent all of our pesos and we had to rummage through drawers and wallets for spare change in order to round up enough money to buy a bus ticket to get out to the nearest ATM machine.  We also had to re-activate our wireless service with the Mexican telecommunications company in order to get internet access again.  After begging and pleading with the guy who purchased our portable air conditioner unit a few days before we started the trek to the Marquesas, he showed no compassion for us and refused to toy with the idea of returning it to us.  Oh well, at least we have the weight off the boat.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a mild summer.
  
  Our new itinerary, subject to change, is to spend the summer up in the Sea of Cortez again.  Last summer we only made it about half way up the Sea before we tied the boat up in Guaymas and returned to the States for 2 months.  This year, we want to make it up to the Bay of Los Angeles to swim with whale sharks and giant manta rays.  We are planning another trip home this summer, but will most likely try to get the boat all the way north to San Felipe on the Baja side of Mexico or Puerto Penasco on the mainland side before doing so. 
  
  From the Sea of Cortez, we will quickly work our way south down the coast of Mexico.  Previously, we have only made it as far south as Zihuatanejo.  The new plan is to cross the Tehuantepec and visit Central American countries:  Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.  Sometime around February  2012, we will head over to the Galapagos Islands and then cross over the Pacific to the Marquesas in March of next year. 
  
  Looking on the bright side, all is not lost.  Mexico is a wonderful country with great people.  It is closer/cheaper to visit us here than it would be half way around the world.  Our new itinerary gives us a chance to see more of Central America that we have heard wonderful things about.  It also gives Savanna another year to grace us with her loves.
  

  here we are

   

  Comments!
     Who knew that a boxer could live to be 14-years old?  It must be the fresh fish diet that she has become spoiled with on this trip.  To help supplement her diet, we just bought a new fishing rod and reel.  A friend of ours took us out for some bottom fishing lessons a few days ago and within about an hour we reeled in a nice collection of triggerfish, hog fish, and a grouper. 
  

  Doce pescado
  Therefore, the spear gun might get a little rest as we try our luck with the dinghy fishing.  The water has been on average at least 5 degrees colder than the same time period last year.  Therefore, some of the fishing has been reported as being slow.  Now, things are starting to heat up again, so we’ll see what happens.
  
  Please be forewarned that as we head further north into the Sea our internet access will drastically reduce.  Therefore, our contact will be very minimal.  Due to this, we will try to be better about updating our position in the yotreps site.  http://www.pangolin.co.nz/yotreps/tracker.php?ident=KC6UGG

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