I polished all the stainless steel on the boat. It needed it and looks great.
I purchased a new main halyard and various replacement parts for the boat online for Renee to "smuggle" into Mexico.
I sent the jib in to a local sail maker to get the sun cover restitched. It will be ready tomorrow.
I got prescriptions filled back home. More smuggling for Renee.
I corresponded with my super helpful eye doctor, Jon Fitzpatrick, and figured out what to do so I can wear my preferred "quadfocal" contacts again. My eyes haven't been happy wearing them recently.
Juanito and his son spent three days polishing Intermezzo's hulls and topsides and did a great job. I referred to Intermezzo as "mi nuevo barco" and they smiled with pride.
With Marc Mendholson's help, I procured a tiny Yamaha portable generator to supplement solar power. It's just a bit bigger than my briefcase and weighs only 26 lbs! We don't have quite enough solar watts to keep the batteries topped up on cloudy days and as we head to more rainy climates, it will be nice to have a little fossil fuel boost available that is far more efficient (fuel and emissions) than running one of our diesels.
I feel extremely satisfied (relieved?) that I finally installed the padeye at the helm to clip our tethers into at night and in rough weather. Looking back in my diary, I see this task on my To Do list since August 3rd. Finally done!I'm dying to get out of this marina and get moving again! Renee arrives on Sunday. I'll give her a couple of days to ease herself into boat life again and then we're off on the next leg of our trip, sailing to Manzanillo. Marc and Marci will be joining us for this sail. I worked up a cruise plan that has us stopping frequently to enjoy and explore places along this portion of the coast which is referred to as the Mexican Riviera. It will take us a couple of weeks to get to Manzanillo with all the planned stops. When we get there, we'll leave the boat in a marina to take a short trip to Colima and visit the surrounding villages and national parks. Banderas Bay is beautiful and a convenient place for Renee to fly in and out of, but I'm ready, more than ready, to resume our voyage.
Joseph Conrad wrote, "Ports are no good. Ships rot and the men go to the devil". Intermezzo has accumulated marina slime and barnacles, but no rotting. I haven't gone to the devil either...yet. Renee just needs to get here on Sunday...or I'm a goner.
