We left Atlanta only a couple of days behind schedule. Here we are at our first motel. As you can see, we are pretty loaded down. That's our new dinghy on top of our car. What you can't see is how much junk we have elsewhere. You couldn't fit a credit card between the things in the trunk and the backseat is also jam packed.
We found it very difficult to find accommodation, with secure parking, in Mexico. In Guadalajara, we thought we'd have to keep driving. Thankfully, we found this spot!
We had to unload the back seat and take the dinghy off each night. There was no sight-seeing on the way since we had too many valuables in the car to leave it on the street anywhere.
We have arrived in
Puerto Vallarta. I tried working with Ralph, aboard Fortuitous while it was on the hard. I would clean up, he'd make a mess! So, to save our marriage...and his life, I took the dinghy to the
Embarcadero hotel and worked on the chaps. The response from the maids was quite amusing!
Puerto Vallarta is really changing. There can now be up to 4 cruise ships per day. This is one we could see from our hotel.
After more than 3 weeks work we were "ready" to splash Fortuitous. Always very nerve-wracking for an owner.
We found out that, 2 weeks after our launch,
Opequimar's travel lift dropped a sailboat...glad it didn't happen before our launch!
In the water, and afloat...what more could we ask for? Had to stay here overnight as Paradise Marina didn't have space for us and we didn't want to go to anchor in case we had any problems we didn't know about. A year and a half on the hard is a long time.
As you can see, we weren't the largest boat in the marina!
In fact, considering we're 41', we don't look all that big, do we?
On Ralph's birthday, we went off with Bill and Mary (Raptor Dance) to have dinner at Le
Klif restaurant. We did a little sight seeing on the way.
This guy really wanted us to take his photo...shrimp and fish~~looked good, but we had dinner reservations already!
Mexican kids are just the best photo-ops!
Here we are at dinner. What a lovely place...expensive, but terrific! I don't really remember the food, but the view and ambiance was great!
Lovely spot!
Here's the birthday boy and his date.
There was a small spot below us and a wedding was taking place right below our table.
What a lovely place for a wedding!
Don't know who they were, but what a lovely couple.
How artistic!
The view from our table.
This little girl was at the next table...just gorgeous!
Another beautiful sunset.
Meanwhile, back in the marina, Israel is cleaning our bottom. No, the boat bottom!
While we were in the marina, Kim and Linda (Endeavour) came to join some friends in the hotel. Endeavour is in Mazatlan.
Linda was just so happy that there were only two candles! She remembers how many eyebrows have been lost on MY birthdays!
In our spare time...read fed up working on the boat...we went off to the botanical garden.
Some spectacular flowers and plants.
Ralph, ever trying to compose the perfect Corona ad!
Mexicans can and do sell everything on the beach. These are all taken on the beach in
Puerto Vallarta on one of our few rest afternoons as we wait for the varnish on our cabin sole to dry, so we can apply another 200 coats!
Shrimp, anyone?
This lady had so many beaded things; what a weight to carry around all afternoon. I especially feel sorry for the silver, rug, t-shirt, and dress hawkers. Their loads are amazing!!
Have I got a deal for you!!
A
Puerto Vallarta Life Guard.
Mangoes on a stick.
Who knows? I think sandwiches.
Sombreros! Almost Free!
Our new cabin sole! A lot of work, but looks great!
This was supposed to take two coats. Seven coats later, we were finally finished! Well, fed up is more like it. We'd had enough! It was not perfect, but much better!
Our new wind generator; lots of $$, but we felt it necessary for the tropics where there isn't as much constant sun as in the Sea of
Cortez.
Our new dinghy davits...made to order and a steal at about $800. Have to keep our dinghy safe, at anchor, in Central America.
Stripped, sanded, caulked, and sealed the toe rail...what a job! We had Israel and company do a lot of the sanding.
Not a fun job, but happy with the results. Our varnish was just a mess when we returned, after our absence.
I made new slip covers for our settee. Another big job, but happy with the results. We planned to work on the boat for a couple of weeks, then sail. We worked for 3 months...sailed 2 days, and then drove back to Vancouver. It took us much longer than we had ever suspected!
Our last day in the Marina. Everything is readied in case of hurricane. She is covered up and now we have to drive "home".
Seeya in November, Fortuitous! Be Safe!
Although our car was yet again full of crap like survival suits, warm clothes etc., we didn't look like these guys!
Only in Mexico!
Next installment will be upon our return to PV in November. Last we heard, we just had exterminators on board to rid our mast of bees. So I guess we'll have a mess of bee-bodies to deal with upon our return!
