tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17983430125362365972024-02-06T19:47:38.196-08:00S/V GracePaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.comBlogger230125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-10121299725331512242016-11-29T05:36:00.001-08:002018-10-14T05:29:38.015-07:00Playa de Cortez<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm writing this post from the deck of our condo in Puerto Vallarta. We bought it almost ten years ago and have never lived in it. While we were cruising we had it rented out. Lucky for us to just one renter who took good care of the place. <br />
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It took us seven travel days to get from Seattle to PV. We land travel like we cruised. Slow.<br />
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We came across some beautiful wood carvings from the early 1940's hanging in the bar at the Hotel Playa de Cortez in Guaymas. The hotel is old, about a hundred years, and a bit down on its luck. But it's former splendor is still evident.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playa de Cortez lobby<br />
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There are four carvings, each about five feet square, occupying prominent wall space in the bar. Given the subject matter: Conquistadors and indigenous women getting to know each other, the bar was perhaps the only place they would have been appropriate back when they were new.<br />
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Alan Riding in his book "Distant Neighbors" writes that these early contacts between the Spaniards and the indigenous people were and still are a bit of a touchy subject with Mexicans. These women, mothers of the first Mestizos, were either rape victims or collaborators. <br />
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A bit racy for the times, but Hotel Playa de Cortez was a beach resort where the rich went for some fun.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-64314677491180461312016-11-13T00:11:00.001-08:002016-11-13T12:00:11.530-08:00Fear and loathingThat's pretty much how I am feeling about Trump.<br />
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Here's an example why: Trump's initial response to the anti Trump demonstrations was a tweet declaring that the protesters were:<br />
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"professional protesters incited by the media". <br />
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He wants us to believe the demonstrations are the product of the media conspiring against him, and that the folks on the street are merely paid professionals. And I am afraid that this might be what he really believes. And that he cannot stop himself from being petty, paranoid and non presidential. <br />
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He's a bit better his second tweet:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c2022; font-family: "helvetica" , "roboto" , "segoe ui" , "calibri" , sans-serif;">"Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud! "</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c2022; font-family: "helvetica" , "roboto" , "segoe ui" , "calibri" , sans-serif;">No doubt his handlers had rushed in and got him tone it down. They couldn't stop him from that one little twist that the protests involved only "small groups". </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c2022; font-family: "helvetica" , "roboto" , "segoe ui" , "calibri" , sans-serif;">He obviously in a slow study when it comes to controlling his impulse to shoot from the hip in his nasty, cynical, narcissistic blaming way. And I wonder how in control he is when dealing with his staff. My guess is that there may be a lot of fear and loathing in Trump headquarters too. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c2022; font-family: "helvetica" , "roboto" , "segoe ui" , "calibri" , sans-serif;">Kellyanne Conway is looking really tired and stressed lately. I hope I'm wrong and that she's not afraid of what she helped loose on the country.</span></div>
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One last thing on this. Here are the county by county results. Pretty much rural vs. urban America.</div>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-61636784543498440442016-10-31T20:35:00.000-07:002016-11-02T23:52:34.834-07:00It's the Disorder, Stupid!<br />
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Forget immigration, unfair trade treaties, loss of greatness etc. This campaign is about his personality disorder.<br />
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I know next to nothing about psychology, I took a course in Abnormal Psych about 50 years ago. But some behaviors are blatant enough that even I notice.<br />
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Here are definitions of two disorders according the the Mayo Clinic See if you recognize anything.<br />
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Narcissistic Personality Disorder </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultra confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.</span></span></div>
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If you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may come across as conceited, boastful or pretentious. You often monopolize conversations. You may belittle or look down on people you perceive as inferior. You may feel a sense of entitlement — and when you don't receive special treatment, you may become impatient or angry. You may insist on having "the best" of everything — for instance, the best car, athletic club or medical care.</div>
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At the same time, you have trouble handling anything that may be perceived as criticism. You may have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation. To feel better, you may react with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make yourself appear superior. Or you may feel depressed and moody because you fall short of perfection.</div>
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Many experts use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose mental conditions. This manual is also used by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.</div>
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DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:</div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Exaggerating your achievements and talents</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Requiring constant admiration</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Having a sense of entitlement</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Taking advantage of others to get what you want</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Being envious of others and believing others envy you</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner</li>
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Antisocial Personality Disorder</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopath (also psychopath), is a mental condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others harshly or with callous indifference. They show no guilt or remorse for their behavior.</span></span></div>
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Antisocial personality disorder signs and symptoms may include:</div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Disregard for right and wrong</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal pleasure</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Arrogance, a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and dishonesty</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Poor or abusive relationships</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial obligations</li>
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Adults with antisocial personality disorder typically show symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15. Signs and symptoms of conduct disorder include serious, persistent behavior problems, such as:</div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Aggression toward people and animals</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Destruction of property</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Deceitfulness</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Theft</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">Serious violation of rules</li>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">These are a pretty good list of Donald's traits. To give him the benefit of the doubt, which he would never do for me, I'm not so sure that he meets all the symptoms of antisocial personality:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I don't know if he has disregard for right and wrong, or if his relationships are poor and abusive. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">He does exhibit impulsiveness and hostility but I don't know if he takes unnecessary risks or that he cannot foresee consequences of his actions</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The thing is, though, Trump has all the rest of the fucking symptoms of both of these types of asshole. . </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Do you want him anywhere close to the button when he's having a bad day?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I would love to hear your comments. Especially if you don't agree. </span><br />
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-75106588996021394692016-10-15T16:00:00.001-07:002016-11-03T23:59:59.496-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Being back home in Seattle has been a great joy, seeing family and old friends, doing a motorcycle trip, enjoying our great country, and it is a great country. Sure its not perfect, but it is closer to perfection then anywhere we have visited during the last six years of travel. So its painful to watch the psycho GOP candidate question this greatness and declare that he will make America great again. Here are a few thoughts on how we ended up with this maniac.<br />
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It started after the 1964 elections.</div>
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Above is a map of how states voted in the 1964 election between Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Not much of a showing for Barry and the GOP. It was proof positive that what the party elites feared was true. The party representing wealth, corporate and personal, had no popular base. They had not won a presidential election since Calvin Coolidge in 1928, excpt when their candidate was Dwight Eisenhower, the much loved WWII supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe. The feeling was that"Normal" Republican candidates would have no chance. <br />
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Nixon recognized this, and pitched his campaign to the "silent majority" whose values allegedly were being threatened by the liberal Democratic Party. He promised these folks a return to "law and order" and "traditional values". In particular he sought the votes of southern whites. The south up until then was traditionally Democratic, but feeling betrayed by the Democratic Party that had enacted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that lead to mass enfranchisement of racial minorities, the South was in play. Nixon's promise of law and order and a return to traditional values was seen as code for continued suppression of blacks and maintenance of the old south's social order. His law and order message also resonated with whites outside the south because of their alarm over rioting and the breakdown of law and order in the black inner cities<br />
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He found a base: the Silent Majority turned out to be discontented mostly rural, working class whites. With their votes Nixon won a close race. It would have been a landslide except a third party candidate, the racist governor of Alabama, George Wallace took the South. You can see the huge gains made by the Republicans by jumping between the '64 and '68 maps.<br />
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Since Nixon, discontented folks in rural America have mostly belonged to the Republicans. The connection has been cultivated mostly through lip service by party leaders, political hacks, corporations.and especially through their propaganda organ.....Fox News.</div>
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Anyone who lived through these years knows all this. </div>
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But what causes the discontent that leads these folks to support a political party that is clearly their class enemy? I'm not real sure, but historically incomes of rural Americans, mostly farmers and farm workers, has been subject to manipulation by economic interests controlling commodity prices, transportation costs and the cost of farm machinery.. Governments at all levels have also massively influenced income through regulation etc. Check this link for an example of how the Feds can mess with farmers: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickard_v._Filburn">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickard_v._Filburn</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span> Their anger at the "system" is understandable. </div>
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There is more to it though, Republican appeals to American Exceptionalism, "family values", pro life sentiment, and assertions that "government is the problem" evidenced by over taxation, welfare abuse, government waste, poorly conceived trade agreements that cost American jobs have all captured the loyalty of a surprising number, to me, of relatively well off sane whites... friends of mine.</div>
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Republican elites have been skating on thin ice though. The base they have relied on since Nixon is disconcerted mostly because of governmental policies that have worked against them.. Policies largely implemented by the Republican party.. </div>
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Until this election cycle party elites have been able to ignore candidates emerging from the base and get their selected candidates nominated. But this election cycle is different. The base finally succeeded in getting their candidate, reality TV "star" Donald Trump, nominated.</div>
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Trump claims to be the only person who can fix the system and make America great again because he is an outsider. And a self described "brilliant" businessman with insider knowledge of how the system really works, evidenced by his "genius" in dodging government regulation and taxation. His argument for changing the system is compelling. And it would interest me if only it was being made by a rational person. This psychopath cannot be allowed anywhere close to the nuclear button. </div>
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Trump also scares the hell out of Republican elites. The last thing they want is someone as erratic and uncontrollable as Trump making changes to the system they have crafted over the years that has been so beneficial to their interests.. </div>
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And then there is Hillary. How did she so capture the nominating process that the only competition she faced was from the ultimate political outsider, self described socialist, Senator Bernie Sanders? I don't know, but its disturbing. She is probably a decent person, but she certainly has a checkered past.</div>
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Any normally competent politician could kick the crap out of either one of these characters. </div>
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So, what would my ideal candidate espouse?</div>
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1. Continued efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and massive reductions in nuclear arsenals around the world.</div>
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2. Real concerted efforts to reduce mankind's impact on climate. We are very very late and way behind in this. We are now above 400 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. I attended a lecture about ten years ago presented by the chairman of the University of Washington meteorology department, He stated that there would be a paradigm change in the way energy was passed through the atmosphere when carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded 400 ppm.. The new equilibrium could be drastically different then any we have seen in the past. And change would be rapid, definitely not at a geological pace. More like a few decades.</div>
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3. Re democratization of our politics. There is no chance that our political system will respond to voters until money has been removed from the equation. What the people want is not compelling to politicians making huge money servicing rich special interests. We are seeing the emergence of a neo-feudal society with a corporate aristocracy ruling over serf/employees. The only countervailing power that can exert effective control over corporations is government in service to the people. Maybe this explains why Republican campaign against government. Government is not the problem. The problem is a political party that actively works to undermine it. </div>
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Any comments?</div>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-81029831245775321342016-06-18T23:28:00.007-07:002016-07-20T22:56:18.906-07:00Back in the USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk41lrhkc75k90BrqUQzpHQlqg_C_YcZEaTj0L2xMzZAz_7uUTylA9bKzQC_nlTBR_hibNi1C60MNTkgwTgomOMOPllF5aEjTE_qkhhQq2SL0V7TuvTfc6f5aL6HKFW270nCFst9R-UK6W/s1600/DSC_5140a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk41lrhkc75k90BrqUQzpHQlqg_C_YcZEaTj0L2xMzZAz_7uUTylA9bKzQC_nlTBR_hibNi1C60MNTkgwTgomOMOPllF5aEjTE_qkhhQq2SL0V7TuvTfc6f5aL6HKFW270nCFst9R-UK6W/s640/DSC_5140a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ron from SV Dawn Trader watches as we approach MV Damgracht, <span style="text-align: center;">Grace's magic carpet back to Puget Sound</span></div>
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The loading went well though there was anxiety while Grace was hoisted aboard.</div>
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With Grace on board (just forward of large power boat), and on her way to Victoria, we did the only logical thing....went for a walk.</div>
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We were joined part of the way by a friendly street dog (for some reason street dogs in Mexico usually have very sweet dispositions, and love human company and attention). He walked several blocks with us until he reached the end of his territory. . </div>
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But we were seldom completely alone as our passage was noted by the neighborhood watch.</div>
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Many homes in La Paz have a feature we rarely if ever saw in other parts of Mexico....porches.<br />
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They were usually well shaded with lots of plants and flowers and comfortable chairs.<br />
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If you're living without air conditioning then you're probably living out on the porch. </div>
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Sidewalks in Mexico are challenging. From what I can tell, there are no rules guiding how they are laid out.....if they do get laid out. Seems to be an owner option. </div>
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Should you stumble and take a header don't bother sueing. Thousands have walked that sidewalk without taking a fall, so obviously it was you that screwed up.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say what!<br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />We enjoyed parking strip landscaping, also subject to no rules.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzXGy7P5hro6DOUqNifUAovZPsdjNJXzsenQTLgjTetgz46JNTZ21Hwynsku_StJY43gSg7zJNqnYKekXcAd-ceqqlckEEdfyqFm0CUoyTqzauAt7_lsnEy0B7wiROM-xLHhQ7PbGmxJK/s1600/DSC_5382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzXGy7P5hro6DOUqNifUAovZPsdjNJXzsenQTLgjTetgz46JNTZ21Hwynsku_StJY43gSg7zJNqnYKekXcAd-ceqqlckEEdfyqFm0CUoyTqzauAt7_lsnEy0B7wiROM-xLHhQ7PbGmxJK/s640/DSC_5382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raked dirt was a popular options</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have some broken concrete?<br />
Don;t throw it away, plant it,</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you want to earn brownie points with<br />
the Lord, put your sidewalk to work for you,</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for launch</td></tr>
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Alan Riding in his book Distant Neighbors says "The high walls that surround most Mexican homes serve as both real and symbolic frontiers of security and authority. When a Mexican steps outside them, he acts as if confronting a hostile society with which he feels minimal solidarity." A Mexican will sweep his sidewalk daily.....precisely to his property line and not one inch further and is quite content leaving whatever clutter, filth or trash lying just beyond, even if it blocks access to his sidewalk. Chaos beyond his walls will exist no matter what, so why bother trying to change it.</div>
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We spent several days in Mexico following Grace's departure. Then flew north to met her in Victoria B.C. We received a call from the shipper's agent in our hotel room the day before she was scheduled to be unloaded, saying "Change of plans, your sailboat has been offloaded and you need to get to the ship ASAP."</div>
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We rushed down to the dock where a launch was waiting to take to the ship, where she was waiting..</div>
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We left Victoria the next day and checked her and us back into the U.S. at Roche Harbor in Washington's San Juan Islands.<br />
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From there we headed south into the busy Puget Sound, anchoring a couple of miles outside Seattle in Bainbridge Island's Port Madison Bay. We looked for a place to moor her in Seattle, but had to settle for Everett as there was nothing available in Seattle. We have a temporary slip in Everett Marina until the end of August, then who knows.</div>
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We bought a car and will drive back to Mexico and set up house in our condo in Puerto Vallarta sometime in late September,taking Highway 1 down the Baja Pennisula to La Paz, crossing to the mainland on the La Paz-Mazatlan ferry.</div>
Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-89979657216555274522016-03-23T06:09:00.000-07:002016-03-23T06:09:16.976-07:00!!!!!!! UPDATE !!!!!!!!!!!! UPDATE !!!!!!!!! UPDATE !!!!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ8tt9cllQAkrdec1AIy14hq9NZmd89q8vjKZnneWZz9O1dNjbM1BGkklpoT-0C3TtCr858-vILtIaWaE6bG1TOsPNEJxtzb9wpyJn-quqLUrZ2DgBAmosbG5U7vSNPMgNIWBYTs_mXGV/s1600/DSC_4870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ8tt9cllQAkrdec1AIy14hq9NZmd89q8vjKZnneWZz9O1dNjbM1BGkklpoT-0C3TtCr858-vILtIaWaE6bG1TOsPNEJxtzb9wpyJn-quqLUrZ2DgBAmosbG5U7vSNPMgNIWBYTs_mXGV/s640/DSC_4870.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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UPDATE #1<br />
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We have come back "home" to La Cruz. La Cruz is on Banderas Bay about twenty miles north of Puerto Vallarta. It's our favorite place in Mexico, and we usually stay here way to long.<br />
<br />
Our son Kris is coming down to visit Thursday for a couple weeks. When he leaves so will we. We want to be in La Paz sometime in April.<br />
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The 1000 miles from Chiapas to La Cruz was difficult. We crossed the dangerous Gulf of Tuantepec to Hualtulco, then stopped in Acapulco, Zihuatanejo Barre de Navidad and finally La Cruz. We struggled against adverse currents and winds up to 30 knots, always on the nose. There were times the best we could do was two knots per hour toward our next stop. <br />
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UPDATE #2<br />
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Last summer we returned to Seattle for the first time since we left in 2010. It was great being back, and we would like to thank our friends who let us couch surf with them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Mike and Nita<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Randy and Donna<br />
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Jerry and Randi<br />
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Dennis and Sue</div>
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We also visited our son Kevin while he was visiting his friend Bill on Maui.</div>
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Bill</div>
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Bill's backyard</div>
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UPDATE #3</div>
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We have a new Plan A: ship Grace back to Seattle. We will be meeting a freighter in La Paz in May. They will lift Grace on their deck, and take her to Victoria, B.C. There are other plans, but this is the most probable. </div>
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In essense, we are done with cruising,</div>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-23331685480788393572015-07-09T14:55:00.000-07:002016-01-25T14:07:51.312-08:00Travel in the Heart of Darkness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple months ago we lost our cat, Buster, a friend for twenty four years. When we went to bed one evening he was with us, in the morning he wasn't. We think he fell overboard while on one of his nightly walk-abouts. He had a good life. His first seven years were next to a green belt in Seattle as a "forest cat", dodging coyotes and raccoons. The next eight or so years was as a condo cat, then finally a boat cat. We miss him and are sorry for his frightening last few moments being swept away by river currents. <br />
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However, now that he is gone we can do some land travel. We are just back from a three week grand tour of Guatemala we took with some great new Canadian friends. It was fun moving from place to place every couple days, figuring out transportation and lodging as we went. <br />
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Travel arrangements were actually pretty easy, as we chose to travel by shuttle van. Vans go door to door, picking up at the hotel or hostel and dropping off at the front door of the next place. Sometimes there were only the four of us, but mostly they were full, usually with young backpackers from all over the world. (It was nice to get out of the geriatric cruising community for a while.) We stayed in hostels for twenty to thirty bucks a night in a private room with bath. The shuttles were about what a Greyhound would cost in the states. Total expenses. assuming we didn't eat out high end gringo, were about a hundred bucks a day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van travel<br />
on the morning after.</td></tr>
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While there we saw some demonstrating. Guatemala is going through one of its frequent political dramas. People are trying to oust the current corrupt president and former genocidal army General. He was taking money from everywhere, causing some of the social services, like public hospitals, to run out of money. The vice president had just been forced out for some sort of customs scam. Business as normal in this troubled land.<br />
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Guatemala is a beautiful land, with stunning mountain views, lakes nestled amongst active volcanos, rivers buried deep in jungle lined canyons, and pristine colonial towns.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtpUDtgw4Cq1yqE7xJ6ojc56djQ71GpozGM9_d9fyp-fawEpdf6Ab-e4tqWKEnTOAgcKVG-jOExgn756ikOCDykHmZgfpaHdINt3f6Hm-ypm66hBczQ5Q7ETzaq5UoGIXIJBGw4Wj15PH/s1600/DSC_1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtpUDtgw4Cq1yqE7xJ6ojc56djQ71GpozGM9_d9fyp-fawEpdf6Ab-e4tqWKEnTOAgcKVG-jOExgn756ikOCDykHmZgfpaHdINt3f6Hm-ypm66hBczQ5Q7ETzaq5UoGIXIJBGw4Wj15PH/s640/DSC_1668.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Atitlan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5f82kXJy0JWIuPMj8NpkfF4kGt0Dm-yO8SOMU9si1KbmSrMHQ35teVfv9xhKGjnPgReFgg9zVwlkfFnRl6dya183T_2dpEnidnRLBVOxZWtPDvb_-GcPDzzdtb4wWGouABAjBdYZ8_mD/s1600/DSC_1781+Antigua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5f82kXJy0JWIuPMj8NpkfF4kGt0Dm-yO8SOMU9si1KbmSrMHQ35teVfv9xhKGjnPgReFgg9zVwlkfFnRl6dya183T_2dpEnidnRLBVOxZWtPDvb_-GcPDzzdtb4wWGouABAjBdYZ8_mD/s640/DSC_1781+Antigua.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antigua</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmEjehFgRljvvHALA-j9urPAkbRAInipP6qVa2cX7ntA73b30WkwpK9Q_X5lCj5vNTnrFtluGlWJpSt_VEeFuu2mwF542Mnd8w0MuofAEry00kmFRY9Lsd_8IHDz9boPPXVXg3mJKNCA9/s1600/DSC_2878+Lanquinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmEjehFgRljvvHALA-j9urPAkbRAInipP6qVa2cX7ntA73b30WkwpK9Q_X5lCj5vNTnrFtluGlWJpSt_VEeFuu2mwF542Mnd8w0MuofAEry00kmFRY9Lsd_8IHDz9boPPXVXg3mJKNCA9/s640/DSC_2878+Lanquinn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanquin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlRCG2i9fZPJ2Nt4seE2FPHaIBvbPH9EOVS_xl1ZVN3ayu9eep-b8vxkdBATPNpFeC98-7EVbbCY72rbDcbbzd1zqohLiMe6aJ6EUYPLkuMDmQ3J1j9WNeMsSCWqwNr3KvVRXsC7GWiG7/s1600/DSC_2882+Lanquinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlRCG2i9fZPJ2Nt4seE2FPHaIBvbPH9EOVS_xl1ZVN3ayu9eep-b8vxkdBATPNpFeC98-7EVbbCY72rbDcbbzd1zqohLiMe6aJ6EUYPLkuMDmQ3J1j9WNeMsSCWqwNr3KvVRXsC7GWiG7/s640/DSC_2882+Lanquinn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanquin </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rio Dulce</td></tr>
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But for me the real attraction are the Mayan ruins and museums.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0JhQCo6RwVAoQyywNg2-4lkWfiF4KdBV-_Xgaq0ncYi8lbsnxcSPHgOx4fZ7XPo2SoAcG62dDGwX0FmsfqDIrY5uYXixy6Cejt1yTAHOpXq-daskRSFaY4pUe_F0l3OJCn4MqbgKGot2/s1600/DSC_2566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0JhQCo6RwVAoQyywNg2-4lkWfiF4KdBV-_Xgaq0ncYi8lbsnxcSPHgOx4fZ7XPo2SoAcG62dDGwX0FmsfqDIrY5uYXixy6Cejt1yTAHOpXq-daskRSFaY4pUe_F0l3OJCn4MqbgKGot2/s640/DSC_2566.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tikal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tikal</td></tr>
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Copan</div>
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In Copan there were several ceremonial amphitheaters. Judy is sitting where the king used to stand during sacrifices that required the most noble blood in the land....his. The blood was obtained by piercing various parts of his anatomy, most often his penis, with a sting ray barb. <br />
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All the males in the kings family gave blood for ceremonial use. One guide told me during the draught in the ninth and tenth centuries, the noble family almost bleed out supplying blood for constant blood sacrifices to appease the rain god. The weakened noble families suffered chronic pain and illness. He believes this was an factor in the collapse of the Mayan cities.<br />
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Other amphitheaters in Copan were used for more pleasant pastimes,,,,,getting stoned and playing ball. Getting stoned on mushrooms was a common occurrence during ceremony's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZwVIUwRI3PtAPf1FyptWH3XRZxYGpGm4shdnd906CC2hyzpAq6E1HQ6NRB0LGiaLwTJOz8ZNlOwjPsLAk3a0azHFD-VxYNyIXhRVGTdR4hOV7LENhv6L2fIhUXW8S0vr61DTHR7lSyX6/s1600/DSC_2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZwVIUwRI3PtAPf1FyptWH3XRZxYGpGm4shdnd906CC2hyzpAq6E1HQ6NRB0LGiaLwTJOz8ZNlOwjPsLAk3a0azHFD-VxYNyIXhRVGTdR4hOV7LENhv6L2fIhUXW8S0vr61DTHR7lSyX6/s640/DSC_2067.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copan</td></tr>
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Sitting on the edge of this amphitheater was the water god. Mayans would get loaded and try to imagine water filling the square up to the god's neck. They imagined seeing all sorts of sea creatures in the water, the best being crocodiles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjq6eei_uZVPq-kdzGsZdX1YJj3QD_8UT98LdAp4k-LFPh81-rdfq2Zu76n7IwLBxdaupQP7sJovF7OguBOLFhmlDZTvsVzrn4apxFscOnBHs0mDj1w6G0m4z7jrWC6t5KRWq1KZxD4LaJ/s1600/DSC_2070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjq6eei_uZVPq-kdzGsZdX1YJj3QD_8UT98LdAp4k-LFPh81-rdfq2Zu76n7IwLBxdaupQP7sJovF7OguBOLFhmlDZTvsVzrn4apxFscOnBHs0mDj1w6G0m4z7jrWC6t5KRWq1KZxD4LaJ/s640/DSC_2070.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copan</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5NBW_oTGpQYAD4z3ZQGf38HTrM_Elad_-RIOH_f_0bCKAtdU2Ol6aq5y0JhibpXhuQTAn7U1hep4msnpI1EqugHUiLLvyzFGBsII5RYVKMrfTpBhgwx-np9rtSQl3UEcL17Lr9Ogdhin/s1600/DSC_2078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5NBW_oTGpQYAD4z3ZQGf38HTrM_Elad_-RIOH_f_0bCKAtdU2Ol6aq5y0JhibpXhuQTAn7U1hep4msnpI1EqugHUiLLvyzFGBsII5RYVKMrfTpBhgwx-np9rtSQl3UEcL17Lr9Ogdhin/s640/DSC_2078.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile<br />
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And then the museums. They had great ones at each site. The best being in Copan where they built a full size replica of a tomb that had been buried during subsequent enlargements of the pyramid. The museum in Guatemala City has the best preserved stellas, household items, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaiEsC2sFLoM1tdAhyphenhyphenO0EY2lXfOhoB0FWQoiLl2CTMPQUvAlIN7iq-uYI3EHhkVLAhWpiq5FSlEPOF_zwPoRCeu8-YVa8W4GZNfh37_xhI_UMOkZG6sk1Bb9wTlSt8cLycVLfC7VsLkpt/s1600/DSC_2305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaiEsC2sFLoM1tdAhyphenhyphenO0EY2lXfOhoB0FWQoiLl2CTMPQUvAlIN7iq-uYI3EHhkVLAhWpiq5FSlEPOF_zwPoRCeu8-YVa8W4GZNfh37_xhI_UMOkZG6sk1Bb9wTlSt8cLycVLfC7VsLkpt/s640/DSC_2305.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrboB3-in70YPHkVuE49w7rdeb6gaAj3T2s2CPI7yDF1QW3SNxh1E54DRr9-tedsYs-yZsMICL1GOZ3maqRfpe1-aI5dHbOwG7KTWxvZavJR7a0f8iOSGfgqUZMa7_FHXAUzMsW0ATia3/s1600/DSC_3226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrboB3-in70YPHkVuE49w7rdeb6gaAj3T2s2CPI7yDF1QW3SNxh1E54DRr9-tedsYs-yZsMICL1GOZ3maqRfpe1-aI5dHbOwG7KTWxvZavJR7a0f8iOSGfgqUZMa7_FHXAUzMsW0ATia3/s640/DSC_3226.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maya warrior<br />
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This statue is at the entrance of the Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia in Guatemala City.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcBQsMeakcituw5pplCMRdnrii8ZMGk7CPGgFUIKWbr01ETcD8Lt_h4J3fEK1q_YhaIXrg68G9HQjYgQSbNSjvMvCzc2gRHrnhOdfK29iu7Muxlyn9AzjtMTgL9AoAedcHCWED33Fm3x0/s1600/DSC_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcBQsMeakcituw5pplCMRdnrii8ZMGk7CPGgFUIKWbr01ETcD8Lt_h4J3fEK1q_YhaIXrg68G9HQjYgQSbNSjvMvCzc2gRHrnhOdfK29iu7Muxlyn9AzjtMTgL9AoAedcHCWED33Fm3x0/s640/DSC_3228.JPG" width="620" /></a></div>
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He is a very handsome fellow by Maya Classic Era standards. The sloping forehead and protruding lips and teeth were much admired by the nobility. The strange look was intended to be proof that the nobles were descended from the gods. Boards were used to squeeze the foreheads back and some sort of orthotic device pushed the teeth and lips out. They also were known to paint the tips of children's noses to develop crossed eyes. Wonder what they could have done with collagen. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHddUY0xhP-yFM5yMjw2ow8TfdTfzPMYrNGc-C-EcsUrTS2Cw4F1rHWpjhz5wLs6psMf7Di_KHrnsvGMP1Lwx64mmc8JAfO0SngqsQK2zNTPftoksn3MYi_Fw_aFkhO7eDvYquXuxL8g-x/s1600/DSC_3227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHddUY0xhP-yFM5yMjw2ow8TfdTfzPMYrNGc-C-EcsUrTS2Cw4F1rHWpjhz5wLs6psMf7Di_KHrnsvGMP1Lwx64mmc8JAfO0SngqsQK2zNTPftoksn3MYi_Fw_aFkhO7eDvYquXuxL8g-x/s640/DSC_3227.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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At his side in the basket are the remains of his latest triumph over one of the gods of the underworld.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrJFV1aM-KVXrfSRXB7VjdKmD0e0Ny49sh-yXog1mf7z3eCpKKElPGaE_0OXAhf9kUws-gh0p4-2LmfDi9cfJ83-saxnr2Q7MfTujpi9zMIAQuySm0IqWKrzGNFmCCd5YqNjBsjSllzGZ/s1600/DSC_3221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrJFV1aM-KVXrfSRXB7VjdKmD0e0Ny49sh-yXog1mf7z3eCpKKElPGaE_0OXAhf9kUws-gh0p4-2LmfDi9cfJ83-saxnr2Q7MfTujpi9zMIAQuySm0IqWKrzGNFmCCd5YqNjBsjSllzGZ/s640/DSC_3221.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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On the other side of the entrance is another Mayan. At first I thought it was the now part of a "then and now" tableau, with the fierce warrior now a peaceful farmer. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgjKAccyLDhgEwdfJk70Y7-dfG_FG8E-vZz-1O2jPkRA9zt12t7quahja-KgtFjyq9dKQt5N1AveP4NEHmE1r0IjjDNeuwjfxOnkWFnlw6XgzyM439VpgnuNhqIwOsfFoKqDxFymPnCmZ/s1600/DSC_3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgjKAccyLDhgEwdfJk70Y7-dfG_FG8E-vZz-1O2jPkRA9zt12t7quahja-KgtFjyq9dKQt5N1AveP4NEHmE1r0IjjDNeuwjfxOnkWFnlw6XgzyM439VpgnuNhqIwOsfFoKqDxFymPnCmZ/s640/DSC_3247.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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He also is a handsome fellow, as are the Mayans in general.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMJ5jtHyo7W3OXY57n9KJGSPuJyb2MISXNpJNTTpipe_ZuEwhyOwfD4XuB-95jdJFeFFt3aYwAToKwfjT7bjvFzNB6dClKYfC5ronyXkLLsEB0sT1uWpsM4S1DJGxZAoWkbFHVv8chtfT/s1600/DSC_3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMJ5jtHyo7W3OXY57n9KJGSPuJyb2MISXNpJNTTpipe_ZuEwhyOwfD4XuB-95jdJFeFFt3aYwAToKwfjT7bjvFzNB6dClKYfC5ronyXkLLsEB0sT1uWpsM4S1DJGxZAoWkbFHVv8chtfT/s640/DSC_3224.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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What makes me wonder about the "then and now" thing is what he's got in his basket. What's this peasant farmer, with his hands full of maize, doing with a severed head? </div>
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The artist may have been reflecting a commonly felt wariness felt by the elites toward Mayans, who make up about 50% of the population. It took the Conquistadors more then a hundred and fifty years and a great many lives before the last of the Mayans were overcome. They were a tough group, battle hardened by almost constant tribal warfare. </div>
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The tribal nature of Mayan society was a principle reason for the lengthy pacification process. There was no central state the Spanish could conquer in one fell swoop. In Guatemala the Mayan cities were independent of each other, much like the city states in ancient Greece. Each tribe had to be subdued separately. There are twenty Mayan languages currently spoken in Guatemala today, indicative of their continuing tribal nature. </div>
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Defeated Mayans were forced to leave their ancient homes and migrate to towns built near newly forming plantations. This concentration enabled quicker acculturation and created a labor pool for the plantations to draw on. The rational was that since the conquerors were saving Mayan souls by bringing them Christianity, the Mayans owed the Spanish tribute and labor. </div>
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Initially the plantations had no claim on the land they were using, as the king granted only the right to the labor of the Mayans This didn't bother early colonizers who viewed cheap labor as the primary source of wealth. But during the Spanish depressions of the 17th century, the Spanish Crown, in dire need for money began selling the "crown lands" in the new world. Land that could support cash crops soon passed from Mayan ownership to the privileged Spanish. </div>
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In the coastal lowlands the disposed Mayans gradually integrated with the Spanish, intermarried and adopted Spanish as their primary language. But in the highland areas things were different. Spanish plantation owners were not interested in land that was unsuited for cash crops. The land remained in Mayan hands. Ancient village associations continued to function and highland Mayans "fugitives" returned home, escaping the new Spanish towns. Spanish attempts at rounding up the fugitives was not vigorous, and the highlands became a refuge. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4DeTOgMPwpLitLBPACMw7wUykstdbNWsulrxpUJu7mRu5IizpNmolpeDZegNPK2oCsacAIfXHrGKExp5gGZeAmEbMTeQAUqiBe2xNgEx2Hbv0f0bOMxhgiQ0Z6elBy6ElhAMtJ6IfglZ/s1600/DSC_1505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4DeTOgMPwpLitLBPACMw7wUykstdbNWsulrxpUJu7mRu5IizpNmolpeDZegNPK2oCsacAIfXHrGKExp5gGZeAmEbMTeQAUqiBe2xNgEx2Hbv0f0bOMxhgiQ0Z6elBy6ElhAMtJ6IfglZ/s640/DSC_1505.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mayan lady working in her field in the<br />
highlands of north central Guatemala.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDRbPXKqBMS7evo63La0bzCwICMQYYxGCuA6ZBp-p3VTugffexH86fOn8nkCKY5jtf1j0_nMr1F5ldqho-9LCAjfUKkSE4FS_Dp9irKrDDPy9aNZZVTTChHEpcn7xDklRuUxCB9CHmM14/s1600/DSC_1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDRbPXKqBMS7evo63La0bzCwICMQYYxGCuA6ZBp-p3VTugffexH86fOn8nkCKY5jtf1j0_nMr1F5ldqho-9LCAjfUKkSE4FS_Dp9irKrDDPy9aNZZVTTChHEpcn7xDklRuUxCB9CHmM14/s640/DSC_1504.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The volcanic soil looks very rich.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ug4OhSCTG85AkgpsucsFcf9nWXVB3W9Tq9d0tEHn0MoPsDLjM-hHGHElgcX3gxDMBlXeRLs4o2ueGE0Drz19WiP7RNSjPfnTBt4EwcY7ZrDTt4HHjewRmdOjB6UY0mOJo8__XRttPhra/s1600/DSC_1501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ug4OhSCTG85AkgpsucsFcf9nWXVB3W9Tq9d0tEHn0MoPsDLjM-hHGHElgcX3gxDMBlXeRLs4o2ueGE0Drz19WiP7RNSjPfnTBt4EwcY7ZrDTt4HHjewRmdOjB6UY0mOJo8__XRttPhra/s640/DSC_1501.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Across the valley is an active volcano.<br />
In the center right of the picture are a couple steam plumes<br />
from a geothermal generating plant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJUqRLYpvwr7eBHsnUihGkdJ21IkkvW9siMjhacyHz6a5zEz8f7h5eb5FnM8s4qTYzxB70i9PNkq_CLQ82B_p9DiGEgvD0om0PXZ_S69lHmlrO4PUvS1CwrsIBNi8zkV108hsTT2VnL7c/s1600/DSC_1508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJUqRLYpvwr7eBHsnUihGkdJ21IkkvW9siMjhacyHz6a5zEz8f7h5eb5FnM8s4qTYzxB70i9PNkq_CLQ82B_p9DiGEgvD0om0PXZ_S69lHmlrO4PUvS1CwrsIBNi8zkV108hsTT2VnL7c/s640/DSC_1508.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A river flows through the valley floor. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW57ubq7ecTGM_3SGrCO0MrNeQdb4he9TiRYQGCzbzxqrn_4p_R99tkizTnLY-HUr4XqII9EG098-gKk5KHLpYO8_QEjm96p4Kl0b7Ut1uXZBTZODtmCeiGwbnIzkhym5FxOu-TluWTYn/s1600/DSC_1497-edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW57ubq7ecTGM_3SGrCO0MrNeQdb4he9TiRYQGCzbzxqrn_4p_R99tkizTnLY-HUr4XqII9EG098-gKk5KHLpYO8_QEjm96p4Kl0b7Ut1uXZBTZODtmCeiGwbnIzkhym5FxOu-TluWTYn/s640/DSC_1497-edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small plots extent up the mountain side.<br />
Every arable acre is planted </td></tr>
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But the refuge came under serious attack after Guatemala won its independence from Spain. This assault was lead by lawyers, as it involved stealing, all fair and square, Mayan land through a legal process. Shortly after Guatemala gained independence the central government passed a decree that all farm lands, even the ancient communal lands of the Mayans, must be deeded to individuals. Unfortunately the highland Mayans, who were not integrated with the Spanish, didn't get the word, but people in the lowlands did. They flocked to place claims on much of the lower highlands. Coffee had become an enormous cash crop and these lands were perfect. The disposed Mayans soon had insufficient land to feed themselves. They were forced to take jobs in the new coffee plantations. Money was loaned to them by plantation owners in amounts they could not repay and debtors could not leave plantations to whom they owed money.<br />
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There was one more assault on the Mayans. During the last half of the twentieth century non Mayan "red communist" rebel groups formed to resist the central government. The numbers of rebels was never significant and they lacked the weapons needed to really threaten the government. Elites and corporate land owners pressed the government to use the unrest as an excuse to attack the largely uninvolved Mayans, rationalizing these attacks as necessary to protect the state from "internal enemies". About 200,000 were killed and over 600 villages were destroyed. A United Nations truth commission found the central government guilty of organizing and conducting genocide.<br />
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The US supported the central government by providing material support and trained government troops in counter insurgency and jungle warfare, fully knowing, at least at some level, what was happening to the uninvolved Mayans in the Guatemalan highlands. <br />
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Peace accords with in insurgents were concluded in the late 90's, but conditions on the ground remain the same. Mayans still do not have enough land to feed themselves and malnutrition is endemic in the Mayan population. <br />
<br />
Peter Rohloff, an American doctor who runs a group of medical clinics in rural Guatemala told a reporter:<br />
<br />
"The most incredible thing about stunting in Guatemala is how completely total an experience it is for rural communities. All children are at least six or eight inches shorter than they should be. In a family that's extremely impoverished, you will see very extreme cases of chronic stunting where children who are twelve years old, look as if they were four or five. <br />
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But stunting is not just about height. With malnourishment comes greater susceptibility to disease and infection, impaired cognitive function and even lower IQ. Stunted kids are more likely to drop out of school and grow up to be unskilled workers with little potential for economic success later in life."<br />
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The assault on Mayans is ongoing to this day. If it continues, and if the Mayans can organize themselves, their baskets could again be filled with severed heads. It's not like there hasn't been a few centuries of provocation.<br />
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This is not to imply I feel the U.S. did any better with our First Nations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos3uyE9v1ibGyyUETGKJh_v4wl8auMYt9uZguv2D1RxyLumTnZ4zibJMdojoKKXNsYPpDbcFWgLRS8ZeQ1MfYwBlIhg1XKhZMzxpYNejIxBk3qj7fmTk4ehywIsJcXdT9v1gWRAmOO_Jh/s1600/Capture+1492.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos3uyE9v1ibGyyUETGKJh_v4wl8auMYt9uZguv2D1RxyLumTnZ4zibJMdojoKKXNsYPpDbcFWgLRS8ZeQ1MfYwBlIhg1XKhZMzxpYNejIxBk3qj7fmTk4ehywIsJcXdT9v1gWRAmOO_Jh/s400/Capture+1492.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-43220129948920083592015-06-02T15:51:00.000-07:002015-06-02T15:51:17.923-07:00Passage to MexicoWe have arrived in Mexico, and even though I would rather be back in Panama I was happy to be here. It was almost like coming home. Judy and I both love Mexico, the folks here have been in the tourista business for a long time, they are happy to have us and our money visiting, and they make it easy. The import permit for our boat, that we got in Ensenada back in 2010 still has five years to run, the port captain and customs both have offices in the area and they processed us into the country in a matter of minutes. <br />
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Contrast this with Costa Rica where we have to traipse around town for couple days to three different offices and had the customs office reject the copy we made of our Coast Guard boat documentation. They insisted we send to the US for the original, and placed us in "bond" until they arrived.<br />
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In the last five years of cruising, through seven countries, never did anyone object to us presenting a copy of our boat documentation. The last time we were in Costa Rica they accepted it without comment <br />
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Being placed in bond meant we had to go into a "bonding" marina. Bonding means the marina promises the government they would hold Grace prisoner, not allowing us to leave until we presented the original copy of the Coast Guard document to customs. This all would be a minor inconvenience except the going rate for docking in the marina was $2.35 per foot per day. Grace is 40 feet long, so our nightly fee was $109 including taxes. We heard from several locals the marina was kicking back a portion of this to the head of the customs office. Nine days later we received our document and were able to leave, along with two uninvited guests, and return to Tierra Mar Marina, where we tied up to a mooring ball for $10 dollars a night.<br />
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Granted it's their country and we need to follow their rules but our copy was very high quality, and all the rest of our papers were in order. This was our third time dealing with Costa Rican officials, the other two times they had no problems with our papers. This office may have been taking advantage of a technicality to generate some extra income.<br />
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Mexico has had some issues with cruising boats in the past, when zealous officials harassed cruisers over technicalities, but if officials are out of line they are quickly brought back to reality. Mexico doesn't want to upset the goose that's laying golden eggs. <br />
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Anyway enough whining. Its good to be back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0HNV_pjKhuXxIr-0Dwkhf2TDU66I0lgrLZERl4bPyOHHSHxxSdOJQDZ4Ft9cNP6cArH9vzPGXBuha23Fuh4QH-dsEJoEuk1dduYZXZWu-X8yvjLeOkfSl8qwER9leQliheGf0fkvW7GY/s1600/DSC_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0HNV_pjKhuXxIr-0Dwkhf2TDU66I0lgrLZERl4bPyOHHSHxxSdOJQDZ4Ft9cNP6cArH9vzPGXBuha23Fuh4QH-dsEJoEuk1dduYZXZWu-X8yvjLeOkfSl8qwER9leQliheGf0fkvW7GY/s640/DSC_1234.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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On our way out of Golfito we passed a yacht transporter loading boats headed north. Leaving Golfito, they stop in La Paz, Ensenada and Victoria on Vancouver Island just 60 or so miles from Seattle. We begged them for a ride, but no luck. They were full. The fare for Grace to be transported to Victoria would have been $15k which is a very good price. We could have been in Seattle in a couple weeks and spent the summer riding our Harley with friends. Enough whining!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmj9ygk7og8FXo2lRgG_Ap5hjIgOrK6rQ_A3opabIlSsAYNXB_-NpmeEam45fN3iNAJuXnNV-fX0RhufLfrJaq54P45m32G6TQDnrUFaNKyxrLVXFLod5NEACrI7sboSPI0UXwfYi-dME/s1600/DSC_1256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmj9ygk7og8FXo2lRgG_Ap5hjIgOrK6rQ_A3opabIlSsAYNXB_-NpmeEam45fN3iNAJuXnNV-fX0RhufLfrJaq54P45m32G6TQDnrUFaNKyxrLVXFLod5NEACrI7sboSPI0UXwfYi-dME/s640/DSC_1256.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Entering the squall</div>
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The passage north was pretty uneventful. We did get stuck in one tormenta while motor sailing off the coast of El Salvador. There was a lot of lightening, thunder and rain, but no lightening closer then three miles except for one flash/bang strike I thought might have hit us. There was no drama on board, no smoke, fire or burnt out electronics, but the last time we were hit there was no drama either, electrical parts just started failing all over the boat. Since I wasn't sure if we got hit we motor sailed the rest of the way to Mexico in case electrical parts needed to restart the engine were damaged.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last heavenly blue we saw<br />
for several hours.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The devil has a yacht too!.</td></tr>
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We completed the passage without more drama and are now lying in Marina Chiapas. We will put the boat up on the hard and do some land traveling, maybe all the way back to Seattle, then continue north when the eastern Pacific hurricane season ends in November.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-20849640997643956502015-04-28T23:50:00.001-07:002015-04-28T23:50:24.704-07:00Golfito<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, we've had a nice stay, an overly long stay, but tomorrow its good bye Golfito. The anchorage here is the most protected, quietest place we've been since we left here two years ago. It's a bay inside a bay. The water is flat calm. The winds are nonexistent. The humidity is as high as the temperatures. We haven't been this uncomfortable since the Sea of Cortez.</div>
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One of the reasons our stay was longer then expected was we had visitors. There is nothing worse then laying awake at night listening to these guys chewing away on your boat. We were desperate. We had glue pads, poison and traps everywhere. Finally got one, and as a precaution left every thing in place for another night and got another. We think they got on board while we had the boat in a marina while we did some land travel. Thank goodness they didn't have time to start a family. </div>
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The place we are staying has a nice tradition of allowing cruisers to leave an autograph. We saw several friends, a semi famous sailing couple and some really cool designs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry and Karen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beth Leonard and Evans Starzinger<br />
Beth wrote "The Voyagers Handbook".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim and Christine<br />
Jim was our rigger in Seattle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our humble attempt.<br />
Based on a drawing by Bob Perry, the <br />
designer of our boat.<br />
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Tomorrow we leave for Puerto Chiapas, Mexico, some 700 miles to the north. It should take us about a week.</div>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-374100267097329162015-03-23T02:48:00.001-07:002015-03-27T14:36:42.683-07:00Behia Caraquez<br />
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Bahia de Caraquez is a cool easy going Ecuadorian beach town built on a sand spit extending into the mouth of the Chone River. The people are relaxed, happy, friendly and mostly honest.<br />
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Bahia's tranquil tempo picks up a bit weekends, as people from Quito and Guayaquil return to weekend condos that line the shore. Beaches are crowded, jet skis and runabouts slash through the water around the moorage, streets bustle, restaurants fill and music booms through town ALL THE TIME.<br />
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But the real reason Bahia is cool is because it is cool. Just a few miles south of the equator, it is cooled by a large pool of cold water rising from the depths of the ocean. Climate wise it's like a perfect Seattle summer day. The air is cool and the sun warm. And unlike Seattle, that gets almost three or four of these days a year, Bahia gets them all the time. Well, almost all the time. It does rain every now and then.<br />
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Cruisers coming to Ecuador have pretty limited choices on where to come ashore. There are only two marinas that I know of in the country. One very expensive full service marina in Salinas, and the Puerto Amistad marina here in Bahia Caraquez. Puerto Amistad has a mooring field with 18 or 20 moorings. The new mall, gas station and restaurants are a short walk away. In fact everything in Bahia is a short walk away. The monthly rate for a mooring is a bit over $400.<br />
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Approaching Bahia, stay offshore. Shifting sand bars block most of the entrance. We did not close with land until we reached 00 35.780S, 080 28. 300W then headed directly to the "waiting room" at 00 35.305S, 080 26. 832W to meet our pilot at high slack tide. You should email ahead and let the marina know when you plan to arrive so they can arrange for a pilot. Approaching Bahia, contact them on channel 69 after about 9am. Unfortunately, there is a hill between the marina and the waiting room that blocks the marina's signal. Relays from cruisers in the moorings are frequently required. From the waiting room the pilot took us straight in toward shore, aiming at the base of a large hill to the south of town. When we were several hundred yards off we turned north and paralleled the shore around town and into the bay. As you come around the point the mooring field comes into view about a mile to the south.<br />
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Most boats moor bow and stern. There are a few swing moorings available, but they are more expensive as the boat swings over a larger area, and they are usually reserved for cats. Boats moored bow and stern are very close to each other. Tidal currents of three plus knots can bring boats even closer at times. We have been brought to within ten feet of our neighbors. Rudders should be locked amidships lest they drive boats together. Twice a day high tide covers protective sandbars allowing choppy waves to wrap around the spit into the moorage. You won't have to worry about losing your sea legs. <br />
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Shore side facilities here are very nice. The marina office, showers and restrooms are in the building close to the road, a beautiful restaurant extents from the shore on the muelle. <br />
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The food is good by Bahia standards. Happy hour from 5 to 7pm with $2.25 well drinks usually draws a good crowd of cruisers making for delightful evenings. Wednesday evenings a group of expats will welcome you and your money to their weekly poker game. </div>
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Dingy dock at low tide</div>
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The good stuff:</div>
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The marina office and restaurant staff are very friendly and efficient. </div>
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Good shopping now that the new mall has opened.</div>
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Wacho. Wacho is the diesel mechanic everyone here uses. He is as good as the great Kenny Breazeale in Panama. Wacho is also beginning to take care of boats left here for long periods of time. His phone #is 0997914250. Refrigeration mechanics, electricians and machine shops are also available locally.</div>
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No lightening.</div>
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Great social life. Cruisers usually get together at the end of the day at the restaurant for happy hour. Sunday the restaurant is closed. Cruisers have access to the restaurant's BBQ and usually have a potluck dinner together. </div>
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Good place to leave the boat for land travel. Inland Ecuador is stunningly beautiful.</div>
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Great wi-fi from the boat. Puerto Amistad recently upgraded their service. It is the best marina wi-fi we've had since leaving the US.<br />
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Clean showers and restrooms, good laundry service, beautiful facility. The on demand hot water heater for the showers short cycles causing the water temperature to constantly go from hot to cold to hot again. The firing rate of the heater needs to be reduced or if that is not possible a smaller unit installed.<br />
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Great fuel prices. Regular gasoline is $1.40 per gallon. Diesel is $1.04 per gallon. Fuel purchases should be arranged through an agent, in this case Puerto Amistad, but it is possible to dingy to the gas station. There are steps up the sea wall. Go at high slack. Or it is possible to take a couple jerries to the station using a pedicab for $1.50 round trip. Some of the service station attendants will limit you to two jerries per trip since it is technically not legal for foreigners to purchase subsidized fuel.<br />
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The not so good:<br />
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The consensus amongst cruisers is this is one of the worst places in the world for barnacles. Not the worst (Cartegena, Columbia) but close. . Bottom cleaning can be arranged through the office, and should be done every three weeks. Visibility in the water is very bad, so it is very hard to do a thorough job. Ask to have your prop cleaned, greased and bagged.<br />
Changing zincs may tax the diver's mechanical talents.<br />
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Like almost all anchorages and marinas in Central America, Puerto Amistad has had theft problems. Boats should be well secured. <br />
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Last year marina mooring lines parted three times. In the one case I know of personally, a bridle line failed, the boat veered toward it's neighbor, but rapid action by the owner using his dingy as a tug prevented a damaging collision. Should one of the single moorings fail completely on a flood tide a boat could be swept under the new Chone River bridge immediately to the south of the marina. The bridge is low to the water. Dismasting or worse would be a sure thing.<br />
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Tripp, the marina owner, has assured us that maintenance has been stepped up and all lines are in good condition. As far as I know he has not personally inspected the moorings to verify that this is the case. The guys working on the moorings seem to be self managed, and one in particular has a checkered work history.<br />
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I will be relieved when we leave and get away with no damage.<br />
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Grace will be leaving soon, heading to Golfito. Costa Rica.<br />
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I would come back to Puerto Amistad.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-47500754876495626582015-02-27T01:10:00.001-08:002015-02-27T01:10:22.611-08:00Been Busy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Apologies to my reader (sorry mom) for not writing. I'm gonna do better. Manana.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-36787814906500055532014-11-09T19:21:00.000-08:002014-11-27T22:38:59.728-08:00Third AttemptThis time things turned out different. Not necessarily better, but different. We are no longer in Panama, we are not in the Marquesas either. We are in Behia Caraquez, Ecuador some six or seven hundred miles south.<br />
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We had a really great run out of Panama, motor sailing south at very low rpm's to escape the convection storms with their thunder and lightening. When we cleared these we turned right for the south Pacific and had several days of really good sailing. We sailed more on this leg then we did during two years in Mexico. The wind was usually from about 220 ranging from 15 to 25 knots, our course was 270 so we were close hauled punching into the wind and waves. <br />
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We did a lot of experimenting with sail combinations as the wind speed rose and fell, looking for a nice compromise between speed and comfort. I really would rather be comfortable then fast, but our son Kris was all about speed. I drove him crazy with my old man style of sailing. <br />
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Besides trying to satisfy my need for comfort, our wind vane autopilot needed to have the boat's sails adjusted so they were "balanced". The force the main sail develops tries to turn the boat into the wind while the head sail turns the boat away from the wind. If the balance between the two turning forces is equal it is possible to let go of the wheel and the boat will continue to sail straight ahead. This is what the vane needs. It does a great job when all it has to do is make minor corrections. Actually that's all it can do since it can only turn the wheel about half a turn either direction. I did find a way to get the sails balanced, but I must be doing something wrong because I had to depower the main to the point that it contributed very little to moving the boat. We could have dropped it and not lost any speed. I need to talk with some of our friends who own BaBa 40's to see how they did it.<br />
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Another thing we experimented with was fishing. Neither Judy nor I fish. We figured that landing and cleaning a fish would be difficult and messy, leaving us with blood stained teak decks. We were right. It is hard to land a large fish. It is messy filleting one, there are blood stains on deck. But having fresh dorado for dinner makes it very worth while. Thanks Kris for showing us how cool fishing is.<br />
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One of the cruising notes on the passage between Panama and the Galapagos warns of a small Columbian island, Malpelo Island several hundred miles from the mainland. The note says stay away. Malpelo, a nature preserve and site of a Columbian military base, may not be visited without prior arrangements, Occasional tour groups do go there to swim with it's famous schools of hammerhead sharks. Its like a mini Galapagos island, whose ecosystem evolved in it's own unique way. <br />
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The military maintains a 6.6 mile restricted area around the island. And wouldn't you know it, my excellent navigational skills brought us within 6 miles to the south. They knew we were close, we heard them talking about the "barko on the border" but it was a blustery day with choppy seas. Perhaps this discouraged them from sending anyone out to chase us away.<br />
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We had one other mini adventure before disaster struck. The day after we snuck past Malpelo, we were buzzed by a civilian helicopter shortly before sunset. About an hour after dark we saw three fast launches come over the horizon heading right at us. This was a bit disconcerting since we were only a few hundred miles off the Columbian border. I had visions of drug runners taking over Grace. About the only thing I could think of was to break into the cruiser check-ins taking place on the Marine Maritime Net at 14300 KHz. and report our situation to the net controller. He took our report and asked what they could do for us. I asked them pass on our position and what was happening to the Coast Guard if we did not call them in an hour with an "all ok". The net controller and a couple old hands that were tuned in decided to give the Coast Guard a heads up right away pending our call in an hour. <br />
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Well, thank Goodness, nothing happened. The launches altered course, each one heading in a different direction, then a few minutes later a large vessel came over the horizon from the same direction the launches had come. It passed by about 5 miles away before disappearing below the horizon again to our rear. We started speculating about what we had seen and reached a tentative conclusion that the big boat was a fish processor, the launches were out chasing fish, and the helicopter was their fish spotter. An hour later I was back on 14300 giving them the all ok message. It was nice to have someone out there to call and know they would spread the alert. The Coast Guard has a ship off Panama, so there could have been a fairly timely intervention if that had become necessary. <br />
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And now, the disaster that caused us to turn back. Since turning west Judy and I kept getting whiffs of fuel in the cabin and out in the cockpit. At first I thought the smell was coming from one of our jerry jugs filled with gasoline, as it had a small crack in the cap. But the smell continued after I fixed the cap. I started looking around and quickly found a small pool of diesel in the drip pan beneath the engine. I looked at all the connections in the fuel lines and found nothing, so I turned the engine on and immediately found the leak. One of the high pressure pipes between the fuel pump and injectors had a split. It was spraying out a high pressure stream of diesel.<br />
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Hey, no problem. I got out my Marine Tec epoxy, the most expensive epoxy I've ever bought. It claims to be strong as steel when it dries. I thought this was going to be a slam dunk fix. I prepped the metal pipe per Marine Tex instructions, slathered on the epoxy, let it set overnight and the next morning......started all over again. Mechanically talented readers are probably laughing their asses off at my stupidity after checking out the picture and know why I had to strip off the Marine Tec epoxy. If you don't see the problem with this fix, welcome to my world.<br />
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I spent a great deal of time grinding off the epoxy, and managed to leave a thin layer of it over the split in the pipe. Since I had used up all the Marine Tec, I applied 4 layers of fiberglass cloth using conventional epoxy, then wrapped this with self bonding "Rescue Tape" then clamped up the repair with band clamps.<br />
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<br />
The system pressure is 2600 psi, so I was not expecting a permanent fix. I was hoping for an hour or so, enough to get over the bar at Behia Caraquez, Ecuador, but fuel started seeping out at the edges of the repair in about a minute. We would have to get a tow across the bar into the behia.<br />
<br />
We continued to have good winds on our way to Ecuador. We were hoping to arrive in time to catch the morning tide, but as we closed with the coast winds went light. We thought we could make the afternoon tide. We had to break out the asymmetrical spinnaker and relearn how to fly it. <br />
<br />
We sailed to the waypoint where we would meet our tow, arriving about an hour early. We dropped the hook and waited. But not for long, a large panga appeared, tied up to the port side of Grace and began the 30 minute tow to our mooring at Puerto Amistad. Everything went well as we made our way through the choppy sea. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAzTENB8Qx6HxXj5JJxao7tjlP4PdPpUpY5VWN2U6zRumeafydaIVzAa_Q4f-frB3i5AexwODMUBCgrRUsDxYmbK1oKuO2lTOXqi4sDY4RadwBF0X8GxFR3AdEyqjFERY8gfHPUN2VqoL/s1600/BAHIA-SUNSET-ON-OUR-ARRIVAL-TOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAzTENB8Qx6HxXj5JJxao7tjlP4PdPpUpY5VWN2U6zRumeafydaIVzAa_Q4f-frB3i5AexwODMUBCgrRUsDxYmbK1oKuO2lTOXqi4sDY4RadwBF0X8GxFR3AdEyqjFERY8gfHPUN2VqoL/s1600/BAHIA-SUNSET-ON-OUR-ARRIVAL-TOW.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behia Caraquez<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
A big thank you to Oliver on Mary Ann who called the marina and made the arrangements for our tow. Also thank you Jacques on Nave, who along with Oliver gave us weather and moral support while we were under way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt2xtNjkhjI3i4n9zwOKQC3L9sue4prZkZYNt6yFXuekeNYAHMDSO5vAJ5vrVa4vlOCU0efEB93mWzGvSscr47pMc-KVo62PJrQ8FfAdn8IKW1UJSaQQut0kx4N10iVpgyeqIEroMCXZJ/s1600/bahia-caraquez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt2xtNjkhjI3i4n9zwOKQC3L9sue4prZkZYNt6yFXuekeNYAHMDSO5vAJ5vrVa4vlOCU0efEB93mWzGvSscr47pMc-KVo62PJrQ8FfAdn8IKW1UJSaQQut0kx4N10iVpgyeqIEroMCXZJ/s1600/bahia-caraquez.jpg" height="310" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behia Caraquez<br />
The condos along the waterfront are<br />
owned, in most cases, by well to do Ecuadorians<br />
who visit occasionally.<br />
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<span id="goog_2082598642"></span><span id="goog_2082598643"></span><br />
<br />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-29368007458684497802014-10-12T17:50:00.002-07:002014-10-12T18:38:13.590-07:00Second attempt at leavingOur second attempt to leave was another bust.<br />
<br />
We hit a storm, tore our headsail a bit, lost our wind instrument sensor at the top of the mast, and found our spreader lights had both burned out. <br />
<br />
We had also used quite a bit of fuel clawing out of the Gulf of Panama against the current.<br />
<br />
The storm, with sustained winds in the high 30's with gusts into the mid 40's was totally unexpected. Our weather report predicted light winds. We expected to be motoring. After about 6 hours of high winds, total darkness, waves about 5 seconds apart and a thunderbumper with lightening ahead, we turned around and run with it. Ending up back where we had started the day before, we anchored, got some sleep, sewed up the tears in the headsail, then decided another attempt to head south against light wind and big current would leave us short of fuel. Since we depend upon diesel to generate power as well as moving the boat, we decided not to use up what was left of our reserves just to get out of Panama. Back in Panama City we have refueled, and replaced our wind sensor and spreader lights. <br />
<br />
We will be leaving again real soon for the third attempt. Since I never get anything right until at least the third try we are hopefully optimistic.<br />
<br />
We left with two other sailboats. Maryann, a beautiful one-off custom boat had to turn back early in the day, and rode the storm back to Panama City to repair their engine's high pressure fuel pump, the pump that gives fuel the last push through the injectors into the engine cylinders. Nave, the second sailboat, managed the storm well and continued on westward toward the south Pacific. They had several days of excellent progress until they hit a whale, damaging their rudder and cracking the fiberglass of the hull near the rudder causing a small water leak. They have reached Salinas, Ecuador and are waiting to be hauled out of the water for repairs.<br />
<br />
Maryann left this morning again with a freshly rebuilt pump, We just got off the radio with them and found that the pump has failed again. They are now about 15 miles out essentially adrift in very light wind. They are hoping to get through the night without any conflicts with the numerous ships transiting the area on the way to or from the canal. They have been in contact with a local who may tow them in tomorrow. If this doesn't work,out we will volunteer to tow them back.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-83555158512040132002014-09-23T06:06:00.002-07:002014-09-23T06:09:46.764-07:00We've left Panama CityWe haven't gone far, we're about 40 miles south. We are anchored off Isla Contradora in the Pearles Islands waiting for a weather window. It looks like we might make the big break Thursday.<br />
<br />
Kenny called the evening we arrived here to check on how things were working. Thanks Kenny for your concern.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-72490749032455318542014-09-23T06:04:00.002-07:002014-09-23T06:04:45.883-07:00Dare I say it...we're leaving.We have a date picked out....sometime soon, maybe Sunday. <br />
<br />
We will leave the Yacht Club and re-anchor in Los Brisas on the east side of the Causeway. Total distance: two or three miles. We need to clean Grace's bottom of scum that has formed from the almost daily diesel slicks and remove barnacles that have attached themselves during the last several months. I suppose I could dive on the bottom here, but this water is so retched there is no way I'm gonna do it.<br />
<br />
So, around to the other side, clean the bottom a shove off. Finally. <br />
<br />
I have to admit to being nervous about this. I don't have much confidence in the repairs we have been making on Grace. I'm pretty sure the engine is ok, but need to run it for a while. Same with all the other things we have worked on: water maker, SSB radio, autopilot, refrigerator, batteries, autopilot etc. We will be underway for some 40 days getting to the Marquesas' and I wonder what is going to break next.<br />
I<br />
And then there is the radio. We have an ICOM 802 marine shortwave radio that we will use to communicate with other boats that will be leaving about the same time as us. We will also use it to pull down weather reports. <br />
<br />
When I was going to school I had the bad habit of trying to cram a semester's worth of knowledge into my head the last couple of days before the finals. I never liked studying much and would put it off as long as possible. I remember chastising myself for being so immature and making promises that next semester would be different. Never happened. I forgot the pain of those few days, and regressed to my usual mode of just hanging out.<br />
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<br />
Well, the radio is a return to those old days. I don't like it, don't understand it. All the buttons and dials have a purpose and even though I have passed the ham test, I don't know much beyond how to turn it on, and that I must push the "push to talk" button on the mike. So I have been in the cram mode learning how to get our weather. And the fellows who have set up the system, call Winlink" have made it a non trivial exercise. I think I have it figured out and have been testing the email service. I still have to figure out what weather reports we want to receive over the radio while underway.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-20489208553743284392014-08-18T13:35:00.000-07:002014-08-26T19:58:48.749-07:00WxWe're working on a departure list. Actually have most of it done. the list that is, and we are working it. We both went to the dermatologist last week, big checkmark for this one. All is well. Pharmacy, Price Smart (Costo-lite) bulk, Vegies, Meat, Oil change (no filter), Chandleries.<br />
<br />
And then there is Wx. Weather conditions in the central Pacific have been dreadful. We have already had 11 named storms. Two hurricanes hit or come very close to the Hawaiian islands so far. And there are two additional suspects out there that may threaten the Islands again. The first is an area of low pressure about 1100 miles ESE of Hilo, the second is Tropical Storm Karina heading west from Mexico and there is a new storm brewing up east of Katrina that the Weather Service says is huge. It looks like this one will stay off Mexico rather then head out west. <br />
<br />
This will not impact us too much. We may have to stay in the Marquesas Islands a bit longer to be sure the Hurricane season is over before heading up to Hawaii. Tough duty hanging out a few extra weeks in Paradise.<br />
<br />
And then there is el Niño. This could be a pain. El Nino's weaken the SE trades and can sometimes cause them to reverse and become Westerly's for a time. It also becomes stormy; thunder lightening and squally winds. Just like here in Panama. <br />
<br />
There seems to be a consensus emerging that if the el Nino occurs it will be nowhere near as strong as originally thought. One speculation is that the warm water that was making it's way eastward toward South America has begun emerging along the North American coast instead.<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSpQR9zdMCKDx8ZhKfCTOdYiG2lkW5ZpOJBMR1BYB6n_5QxvWXn5QICDGjGRRH0z7UIMq_qHnD5eO_nBfUguxcw8p5ld6OwAT9XNc-OaN1FKDyzt2WVJaSZPeawUHvxOiJeN4P1Tf0XZk/s1600/sstscan.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSpQR9zdMCKDx8ZhKfCTOdYiG2lkW5ZpOJBMR1BYB6n_5QxvWXn5QICDGjGRRH0z7UIMq_qHnD5eO_nBfUguxcw8p5ld6OwAT9XNc-OaN1FKDyzt2WVJaSZPeawUHvxOiJeN4P1Tf0XZk/s1600/sstscan.PNG" height="434" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Variance of the Sea Surface Temperature from<br />
average</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
So overall the wx picture looks better now then it did a few months ago.<br />
<br />
One thing has stayed consistent however, there is no wind here in the summer. Panama is tucked out of the wind behind the northwestern shoulder of South America. South winds coming up the west coast of South America spread out as land falls away to the east, and loose speed. There are few times during the rainy season that winds reach higher then ten knots. A rule of thumb is that it is necessary to get to 3N before the sailor finds decent winds. We are at 9N so we are facing the prospect of a long motor unless we catch a break.<br />
<br />
<br />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-36312912792590360112014-08-10T17:49:00.002-07:002014-08-26T20:36:53.886-07:00KEVINOur oldest son has his boat in Hanalei Bay, on the north side of Kauai, Hawaii. He has come through Hurricane Iselle just fine, but Hurricane Julio is approaching. It will pass north of the islands by a hundred or so miles, but should throw off some significant swell as it passes. We are hoping that the swell will not start breaking offshore.<br />
<br />
Kevin, we're saying a prayer or two. <br />
<br />
There are live web cams at several locations around the bay, and we will be watching. <br />
<br />
Kevin, stay off the boat.<br />
<br />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-46236575777706317032014-08-10T11:28:00.002-07:002014-08-26T19:51:15.566-07:00REPAIR, REPAIR AND REPAIR<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_mMmy7Qvwq1fm8wmpmvd7A9t6KQ6YFWtfMo1C5GuJXAES_qgZqHS0yZphHbe9zrCqIgpuo3BguSjojy4DYob3GY1J45X4iGIjDYz803talpX-XfIJHOGqPclNcK-yHqyj94mqsvpKq2l/s1600/DSC_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_mMmy7Qvwq1fm8wmpmvd7A9t6KQ6YFWtfMo1C5GuJXAES_qgZqHS0yZphHbe9zrCqIgpuo3BguSjojy4DYob3GY1J45X4iGIjDYz803talpX-XfIJHOGqPclNcK-yHqyj94mqsvpKq2l/s1600/DSC_0491.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our gen-set. <br />
A Kubota single cylinder diesel<br />
driving a 210 Amp alternator</td></tr>
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<br />
There are many styles of cruising. One that gets a lot of lip service, but is not commonly adopted is KISS. Folks who adopt this philosophy usually do not have refrigeration, electric water pumps, inverters, generators,short wave radios, water makers and all other sorts of complicated electrically driven conveniences that fare poorly in the salt laden air. Some folks even forgo having engines, relying completely on wind power. I respect these hardy souls, and I envy their free time. While I drip sweat, shoe horning my body into places its not designed to fit repairing my luxuries, they are up in the bar relaxing over beers, or taking interesting land tours, or whatever. I am becoming a believer in KISS, but would lose my crew if we had to drink warm beer, or warm rum and cokes.<br />
<br />
Since we finished chasing our coolant leak I have rewired and rebuilt my water maker motor, removed the old refrigerator compressor and evaporator, installed a new system and finally dealt with fuel supply and cooling problems on our generator.<br />
<br />
The generator fuel supply issue was relatively easy. The diesel supply pump had a speck of debris inside that was preventing its check valve from closing causing it to pump fuel backwards and forwards at the same time starving the engine of fuel. It would start to run then die. Once the speck was blown out of the pump it worked fine.<br />
<br />
Fixing the cooling problem was a bit more difficult. The problem was in the exhaust mixing elbow. The mixing elbow is a device that mixes salt water into the engine exhaust cooling it to the point when it can be routed overboard through special high temp exhaust hose. The hose is flexible and can run through the boat around obstacles on its way overboard. The water injector in the elbow was defective and not well designed. It had developed a number of pinhole leaks, one of which was spraying salt water back into the engine. This would not normally happen when the engine was running as the flow of exhaust gas was sufficient to blow the water back, but I like to run the cooling pumps after I shut down the motor to extract a bit more heat from the engine and get it overboard. This helps cool the space the generator shares with the refrigerator compressor and condenser. If I had left the pumps run too long the backward spray could have flooded the engine cylinder with salt water, ruining it.<br />
<br />
We didn't know about the bad water injector until we had removed the elbow. The issue we were addressing was the bad shut off valve located below the elbow. It was stuck in the open position and I had broken the handle off trying to close it. It is necessary to close the valve while at sea to prevent water from backing up the exhaust hose and flooding the engine when the boat heels over. The valve had gotten too hot, melting the Teflon seals blocking the valve in the open position. We intended to just replace the valve, but when Kenny saw the water injector he recommended we remove the elbow and install a new one. It is slightly longer and reaches further down toward the valve. He also designed a kick ass spray tip that mixes the cooling water with the exhaust gas, cooling the valve much better then the old injector that had no tip.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQK6IK5esQjkZkE0G5zLOpKGlvPouQmu2-kPP9n_oyBuyBPdX_dfOMc31Gn3udSaUbDvn8qlucNGQXJfPOukU0MXDASp4xxGigp2Td9ydg3akfiTty7VRFhj2MgZzRIj_SGDj-ynGgN2C/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQK6IK5esQjkZkE0G5zLOpKGlvPouQmu2-kPP9n_oyBuyBPdX_dfOMc31Gn3udSaUbDvn8qlucNGQXJfPOukU0MXDASp4xxGigp2Td9ydg3akfiTty7VRFhj2MgZzRIj_SGDj-ynGgN2C/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rebuilt exhaust elbow<br />
and shut off valve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjQBeO5ISSJKkc1cNTU16bFVV3_LfXY_b-ujDV2qrBHR_6XwLwxa69lQRD1bQAWv6ye5BoUGBUXpOvTM-PMTF-_lNWdpXMZ1b5nEdmW-NdNhOS-g8qq-35rO4QbnA_osl4bmRQdkuiiaZ/s1600/DSC_0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjQBeO5ISSJKkc1cNTU16bFVV3_LfXY_b-ujDV2qrBHR_6XwLwxa69lQRD1bQAWv6ye5BoUGBUXpOvTM-PMTF-_lNWdpXMZ1b5nEdmW-NdNhOS-g8qq-35rO4QbnA_osl4bmRQdkuiiaZ/s1600/DSC_0460.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new longer and larger diameter injector<br />
with a spray tip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfwHZ_XL3ky-mvQPqH4mUHwe6uvELgkphyphenhyphen3rTwKJaU3AoK_DrNpSiXzoEvECVRRuNPITUlmeFNJIzj1FVqWGt6Smdy-RL7CiGT_fpUM4HsaHUQAAE2MOa9Km_M4EG3V3uGW_CURVhIeaw/s1600/DSC_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfwHZ_XL3ky-mvQPqH4mUHwe6uvELgkphyphenhyphen3rTwKJaU3AoK_DrNpSiXzoEvECVRRuNPITUlmeFNJIzj1FVqWGt6Smdy-RL7CiGT_fpUM4HsaHUQAAE2MOa9Km_M4EG3V3uGW_CURVhIeaw/s1600/DSC_0472.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old water injection tube<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I have run the generator several hours now, and the valve feels cooler. I am going to have to replace the valves sometime in the not to distant future anyway, as the quality of metal in the valves here in Panama is not good. This nice shiny valve will not last long, but it will last longer with the new spray tip. I bought two.<br />
<br />
More to come....<br />
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-14920250165788872072014-07-08T06:24:00.000-07:002014-09-04T11:31:20.013-07:00Darien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golfo de San Maguel<br />
where Balboa claimed all of the Pacific <br />
and the lands bounding it for the King of Spain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzQ4ELl3Qi_0YHyRaGhP-Lmi7VqgjjjaUvbZ4kpZypo721OQ1_9Ypip1Vi84i_p7buPPZVAB5NLT_wH7OIL8vJ_ppY8FObtwttw8pxQggystOCq7hBchh-Aw3a-8rVh0lzLzfkuQOIZDx/s1600/IMG_6513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzQ4ELl3Qi_0YHyRaGhP-Lmi7VqgjjjaUvbZ4kpZypo721OQ1_9Ypip1Vi84i_p7buPPZVAB5NLT_wH7OIL8vJ_ppY8FObtwttw8pxQggystOCq7hBchh-Aw3a-8rVh0lzLzfkuQOIZDx/s1600/IMG_6513.JPG" height="482" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The arrival of four ocean going boats off La Chunga caused <br />
a lot of excitement in the village. We were asked when we would be<br />
visiting the village. When we arrived at the landing we were greeting by<br />
village children who were to help us navigate the hazardous walkway through<br />
the marsh.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8nIBCg_J7NXCYf-JLdUEqEmz6xrosymPzoz0OeRDBpiUnpFrJgYL8amvw9eRVa0-dF4xdKpHkpPVLI-M9tu7VwspCexIAlyiaP3I4NMqqz_-3CT-pKilVU67D1nqx8qyYILEfNGVOQCf/s1600/DSC00360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8nIBCg_J7NXCYf-JLdUEqEmz6xrosymPzoz0OeRDBpiUnpFrJgYL8amvw9eRVa0-dF4xdKpHkpPVLI-M9tu7VwspCexIAlyiaP3I4NMqqz_-3CT-pKilVU67D1nqx8qyYILEfNGVOQCf/s1600/DSC00360.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This log had already passed through the anchored<br />
boats once when the tide was rising and again when<br />
the tide was ebbing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwV0U-E1U1wDoNykJ4AuLVxShS12n3pEFbQD4Y9V3CKtI1S6S2tc1vp45TAdNJ7iMmADaAd3MEgS-bhL3okD7hrNCbUEPycSFfBnGxWmFfwA0JV5sWXwdjjvnLL127Zx6uSTOMoebFL8Eb/s1600/IMG_6520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwV0U-E1U1wDoNykJ4AuLVxShS12n3pEFbQD4Y9V3CKtI1S6S2tc1vp45TAdNJ7iMmADaAd3MEgS-bhL3okD7hrNCbUEPycSFfBnGxWmFfwA0JV5sWXwdjjvnLL127Zx6uSTOMoebFL8Eb/s1600/IMG_6520.JPG" height="464" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We pushed it ashore and tied it to some trees. It was not<br />
the right type of wood for madding canoes, so the<br />
villagers had no interest in it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving at the outskirts of the village, we were greeted with music.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were formally welcomed in the "town hall". Attending was<br />
Charles who provided translation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwJJEaEiCwWJ11DrHSZZbaxkMw7jwlL9Bhl3BXA9xOR4HYu89_h8lkmHxK-TKBxjEbXCaWYZ_4ICBZSD0v3H_BIr5VCl2aNN_03-AmrqW-YHC2M3uN6-UH-xzvXj58KbwheMnhvqzHRKG/s1600/P1070590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwJJEaEiCwWJ11DrHSZZbaxkMw7jwlL9Bhl3BXA9xOR4HYu89_h8lkmHxK-TKBxjEbXCaWYZ_4ICBZSD0v3H_BIr5VCl2aNN_03-AmrqW-YHC2M3uN6-UH-xzvXj58KbwheMnhvqzHRKG/s1600/P1070590.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles "The Horse"<br />
A Peace Corps volunteer living in La Chunga is<br />
helping introduce low elevation coffee<br />
growing. The man next to him was from tribal headquarters in<br />
the next village up the river. He wanted to charge us $15 per day<br />
for use of the anchorage. We refused and eventually we reached <br />
an agreeable figure, $15 per week. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the dance we had an opportunity to purchase<br />
some of the crafts made in La Chunga. Everything was<br />
incredibly beautiful.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our son Kris who went for the henna "tats" in a big way.<br />
They washed off within a week.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chief<br />
La Chunga Village<br />
Rio Sambu</td></tr>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-89717385987368894122014-06-28T03:53:00.000-07:002014-08-26T20:31:40.659-07:00Final Push #2: Exhaust Noozle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IMWkcIaixFs37rEn0VluP2zissWFqVQlIVOIQ4x-vQ1vC6MvncT6h41LnrYyXA8bx8gNNTzCD209BqHbaHDZgZTsq10PYTGb-9SUHeef0a8sOyLF48rHMS-MIJrqmnAG5ihloSwhmPo-/s1600/DSC_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IMWkcIaixFs37rEn0VluP2zissWFqVQlIVOIQ4x-vQ1vC6MvncT6h41LnrYyXA8bx8gNNTzCD209BqHbaHDZgZTsq10PYTGb-9SUHeef0a8sOyLF48rHMS-MIJrqmnAG5ihloSwhmPo-/s1600/DSC_0314.JPG" height="570" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the exhaust elbow. The last time you saw this it was bolted to the rear of the exhaust manifold. It's now on a bench in Titto Torres' machine shop, where it is being used as a pattern to fabricate it's replacement plus an additional spare. <br />
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<br />
Titto's shop is quite an establishment for a Panamanian business. It takes up an entire building. The majority of small service businesses are run out of a small, grungy, ground floor shop or a small shed. His shop is in a neighborhood where a gringo like myself might run into trouble. I could probably walk out to a major road without incident, but if I did get mugged the blame would fall on me for stupidly being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The buildings are kind of shabby but they have good bones<br />
.<br />
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<br />
Back to the elbow. I am having two of these built because my existing elbow is at the end of it's life cycle, and I can get two very robust replacements that function every bit as good as the factory part for half the price.<br />
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<br />
Here's the fabricated part. It's not as pretty as the original, but after a two hour test run, I can attest that it works just as well<br />
<br />
We did have a bit of a glitch with this elbow. We installed it, did a test run and found it necessary to remove it. One of the welds had a pin hole leak requiring a return to Titto's.<br />
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The shop ground out the weld, and made many new welding passes rebuilding the ground out area. When the job was completed we returned to Grace, installed the repaired elbow, test ran the motor, and everything was good.<br />
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This ends, I hope the engine saga.<br />
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I haven't, until now, posted much about what it takes to keep Grace running figuring it would bore my reader (hi Mom) but what I just went through is one of the realities of cruising. Everybody out here has these kind of problems. Engines, water makers, fragile electronics, etc. are breaking down all the time. <br />
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We had a boat come through a couple weeks ago get hit by lightening just moments after completing a canal transit. While on the Caribbean side they had installed a whole array of electronics for their trip to the South Pacific. Everything they had just finished was fried. He was on a schedule, so he hired virtually every boat worker in the area and was underway again within a couple weeks. He had to pass through the ITCZ on the way out. We have not heard from him. Hope they're ok.<br />
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Kenny is bringing the second elbow over this morning, I will have him run me down to the bank to get what's left and pay him off. Then I will come back to the boat and figure out what to do with my Alder Barbour refrigerator that suddenly stopped cooling yesterday, after only 29 years of trouble free service. It's running, I can hear gas entering the evaporator, but no cooling is going on. I've probably got a refrigeration leak. This thing is so old that it uses R12 type refrigerant. R12 is nearly impossible to find even in Panama, so may have to replace the whole thing. It's gonna cost a fortune.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-90802052485271859082014-06-27T13:30:00.001-07:002014-06-27T13:30:23.483-07:00Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-73932682651294556492014-06-27T08:01:00.001-07:002014-06-27T08:07:24.867-07:00Final Push #1: The StarterKenny removed the starter a couple days ago. He said it was the hardest one he has ever removed. It would have been impossible for me to do, which is why we replaced it even though it was working fine. The question was, how long would it have worked fine, it's original 1985 equipment, and as I am coming to understand, sometimes things break just 'cause they are old. I will take the old guy into the shop for new bearings and brushes, and will have a nice spare for a part that I physically cannot replace by myself.<br />
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The big, dirty, corroded thing laying on the engine is the old starter. If you look a little to the right of the starter you will see a silver cylinder and a oil dip stick with a red handle. Behind this is a black box with a piece of blue tape, this is the air filter housing. All of these things were removed and the starter came up through the opening, but only after three nuts were removed from the studs holding the starter in place. These nuts had never been touched since the day, long ago, the starter was installed, and they did not want to be removed. Additionally, the stubborn nuts were about an arm length and a half deep, with access further reduced by the starter motor itself. The slightly larger diameter motor made it impossible to get a socket on the nuts. <br />
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I was there assisting Kenny, watching the whole thing, and I don't quite know how he got these nuts loose, but he did, and got the new starter installed and running.<br />
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As you can see, the degree of difficulty extracted a toll. Thanks Kenny for not giving up!<br />
<br />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-45321099055883168332014-06-20T22:19:00.000-07:002014-06-20T22:19:30.985-07:00Isla Taboga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anchorage for ships waiting to transit</div>
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the Canal. Taboga is in background.</div>
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We did our final test run out to Isla Tobago, a small island with deep anchorages about 12 miles from Panama City. Tobago served as a jumping off point for Pizarro's expeditions of plunder in Peru.<br />
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Taboga boasts that it's church, built in 1524 by Padre Hernando de Luque, dean of the Panama Cathedral, is the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Padre Luque wanted Pizarro's spiritual needs attended to before he descended on the Incas.<span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPGRnlqDEeHumQy5GUDclbEl8HK7qaQys6xdlG6RnuXhnxi9tSFk54qG4HX43gQfARALexY81jc0AdQ7YNPYsCsy5fOo5t4ZDWO187NcDWYtR612KvBxCDRkUvokmR1ccq9jguvzH3tIf/s1600/DSC_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPGRnlqDEeHumQy5GUDclbEl8HK7qaQys6xdlG6RnuXhnxi9tSFk54qG4HX43gQfARALexY81jc0AdQ7YNPYsCsy5fOo5t4ZDWO187NcDWYtR612KvBxCDRkUvokmR1ccq9jguvzH3tIf/s1600/DSC_0272.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iglesia San Pedro surrounded by the village of San Pedro</td></tr>
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Taboga is popular with Panamanians as a weekend get away. It is also beginning to attract international tourists.<br />
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For us it was a convenient distance as a final test of our water leak fixes.<br />
Thankfully everything checked out ok, and we can put it behind us.<br />
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Only two engine projects remain: changing the starter motor and replacing the exhaust elbow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge of the Americas. Balboa Yacht Club is in the right<br />
foreground.<br />
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-65414850944594234852014-06-16T09:02:00.001-07:002014-06-16T09:07:28.208-07:00USA! USA!The US plays Ghana today at 6PM local time in the World Cup. Ghana has eliminated the US in the last two World Cup games. We're hoping for a better result today.<br />
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We have become moderately interested in futbol while here in futbol crazy Panama. There is no choice really, as that is all there is on TV now.<br />
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We have not made our last proving run yet. Last time we were out the engine's rpm's started surging up and down while we were returning to Balboa Yacht Club. Coming and going from the Club requires us to run alongside the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, and the absolute last thing we want to is to lose power anywhere near the Canal. If we were to drift into the way of a transiting vessel the consequences could be dire.<br />
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Surging rpm's indicate the engine is not getting a steady supply of fuel, and the #1 suspect is fouled fuel filters. I have changed our primary filters, and they were pretty dirty. Today I will change the final filter that is mounted on the engine. Then I will run the engine a couple hours while on the mooring to see if this has cured the problem and also to recharge our ship's batteries.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798343012536236597.post-35729146046965337632014-06-14T12:05:00.000-07:002014-06-14T12:05:22.722-07:00Update 05 It's a quiet listless night. In Grace's cockpit I'm wondering about my engine once again.....no. no, no.....just kidding. Actually it's overcast and raining. In Grace's cockpit, however, the sun is shining and the birds are singing 'cause I've got water in the heat exchanger. 13/8 inches of water are showing above the first baffle, exactly what was there before our last test run. Thoughts of departure are running through my head. <br />
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Kenny is as relieved as we are, but is perhaps a bit more realistic. He has strongly advised us to do an extra long test run before we get to carried away. We're taking his advise and will run over to Tobago Island and back tomorrow. Its a four hour trip, long enough to be pretty sure we got a good fix.<br />
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Our plans have changed a bit because of the delay. Instead of heading straight out to the Marquesas Islands we will spend about a month in Ecuador. We should arrive in the Marquesas' in September and will spend the 90 days our French Polynesia visas allow us to be in country in the Islands, then head up to Hawaii. This will allow us to do this passage after the hurricane season, and put us in Hawaii sometime in late November or early December. We plan on wintering over, making the trip back to Seattle in July of next year. Or we may just go somewhere else....whatever the Admiral wants.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01189344703428648747noreply@blogger.com4