Fair Winds and Following Seas

With a head cold bringing me down, today we all took the day off and went to the beach.  It was not my choice but I found myself easily slipping into a lounge chair on the beach reading some trashy magazines my mother had brought for Amy to read.  In between the pages of Britney Spears running red lights and failing drug tests, I had my first thoughts not so much about where we are but about where we have come from.

And as I thought more and more about our hasty, all-the-fire-bells-a-ringing, exodus from Puerto Vallarta, it was not the town I was missing, but the true friends we had made since arriving there July 5th.  This must have also been weighing on Robert, because he mentioned several times that he is sad that different people are not with us.

I have come to really enjoy the marina life style.  It does not really have much to do with our home floating on water, but that you are 15 feet away from your left and right neighbors and 6 feet across the dock from other friends.  The 8:30 am VHF net is unique in that everyone checks in, and you know if anyone is having any problems.  It is a micro-neighborhood, similar to a series of row houses on the east coast, where everyone sits on their front porch each day and takes the time to talk with those around them.  I enjoy it because of the rich diversity of people we are able to meet, which I'm not sure we would come in contact with back in suburbia.  Every person we have met has a story which inspires.

Ogopogo

When we were leaving PV, most of our summer friends had already left Paradise Village; only Peg and Fred from s/v Ogopogo remained.  Peg and Fred and their trusty VW van were instrumental in our final days in PV.  Peg drove us into town to do our BIG provisioning tip to Soriana and Sam's, and also coordinated with that trip to pick up Kay at the airport.  They were there to help us finally shove off on the 20th.

I really enjoyed the time we spent with them.  I liked hearing Fred talk of his travels abroad as a ship delivery captain, but I really appreciated Peg as she told me how she had worked and worked so that she could have a life of retirement where she could sail off in her own boat to places "you could only get to by  boat."  Her last day with Boeing Inc. was Feb. 1st and on Feb 20th, she and Fred were heading south for Mexico.  On December 12th they will be leaving PV and heading south with their next destination 3300 miles away in the Marquesas Islands.  A 25 day something none stop trip.  She shared with me a sketchy plan of sailing up the Red Sea, but left open the possibilities of touring Europe.  I don't think the destination mattered to her so much as that she would be traveling in the method and speed of her choosing.  I told her that so many people have shared her dream but so few have ever left the couch.

Navigator

The toughest good bye to say had come from Robert.  This summer he had been befriended by Mik and Barb Endrody, two of the kindest people.  Mik said he arrived in PV a year ago as a double TYPE-A personality, but was leaving as a much more laid back individual.

I believe we were their summer project.  Mik who had spent decades as a commercial captain, traveling the world's seas quickly came to understand my lack of knowledge on all things nautical.  Most days he and Barb would spend time with Robert doing puzzles on their back "porch" on Navigator.  Bored with mom and dad, Robert would wake each day asking what Mik and Barb were doing and could he go over to their boat.  It worked out well because while Amy and I sweated the summer away trying to get our act together, Robert had the strong influence of someone who knew what they were doing.

I knew the last day was going to be tough.  We had talked with Robert about how Mr. Mik and Miss. Barb would be leaving.  I was not sure he understood until on that last morning he woke up and still with sleep in his eye, asked if he could go play a puzzle over on Navigator.  When we explained that no he could not because they were leaving today, his little three year old eyes filled with the biggest crocodile tears.

After casting off Navigator's lines, I told Robert that we could go down to the end of the breakwater and give our final wave and take their picture.  I kid you not, he ran the entire way and it is at least a 1/4 mile from our boat to the entrance beacon.

The following is the account of what happened, from Mik and Barb's perspective.  This has been reprinted from their update letter --Cruise and Snooze News.

"Navigator let go her lines and slowly motored out of Paradise Village Marina in Nuevo Vallarta one year to the day after arriving there November 10, 2006. Our departure was special because a small group of our friends and fellow cruisers gathered to see us off and wish us well on our forthcoming cruising plans.

We met and enjoyed the company of many friends. We thoroughly enjoyed the Read family - Mark, Amy, and Mr. Robert. Mister Robert is three years old and the ambassador of the Read family who are cruising from Alaska to Houston, Texas. They, along with the rest of us, waited out the summer here because of the potential for hurricanes in this part of the world. Many other cruisers left the Puerto Vallarta area after November 1^st.

As we mentioned above, Robert touched our hearts the most. He had become our good friend who was always asking if he could help with projects we were doing on Navigator. We felt more like his grandparents, and he always referred to us as Mister Mik and Miss Barb. We enjoyed hours with him as he assembled many wooden puzzles with ease in our main cabin or after deck. We called him the puzzle-master. Robert is exceptionally bright and can be a challenge to anyone with his many questions. It is difficult to fully express Robert’s out-going nature and charming personality. We will especially miss our favorite little Amigo, along with his great Mom and Dad.

It was particularly touching for us as when we motored out the channel. The Read family was at the outer breakwater to wave good-bye to us. Then, to our great surprise, and after Navigator cleared the breakwater and set course for Punta de Mita, Robert came on VHF channel 16 calling, “Navigator, Navigator - - this is Calpurnia” (their boat’s name). After answering him he said they wished us “fair winds and following seas.” We thanked him and said adios Amigo! By this time, Barb had serious tears in her eyes and Mik had experienced the same emotion. It is so sad to leave friends with whom we have shared many hours of conversation about boats and cruising destinations, and enjoying meals together when we got to know each other better. In cruising, it is the norm to meet new friends and become attached until departure day when it is, “time to say good-bye”, and go on to other destinations."

          - Mik and Barb Endrody

            "Navigator"

 

Elusive

Amy's amiga had come from a friendship with Wendy Bot on Elusive.  Amy's single request had been that we have Thanksgiving in Bahia Navidad where we thought Steve and Wendy would be.  They had left PV before us on November 1st, while we had been on our road trip to Texas.  We heard them several times on the VHF radio after that, but we could never get a signal out strong enough for them to hear us.

Two weeks later, as we raced to Tenacatita, about 15 miles north of Navidad, on Wednesday November 23rd, we could hear other boats calling for Elusive in Bahia Navidad.  This gave us hope that we would in fact end up seeing them again.  And again we tried to call out but they could not hear us.  The next morning I tired to fulfill my obligations as a caring husband and make sure that hell or high water, Amy would be down stream in Navidad to have thanksgiving with Steve and Wendy. 

We pulled up anchor and headed on out of Tenacatita bay only to see Elusive heading INTO the bay.  They had left Navidad and were heading to where we had just left.  It was too late the balls or boat were already in motion and we were leaving.  We spoke to them on the radio briefly and got as close as shown above in the picture.  The picture is of Steve and Wendy waving as we are motoring on by.

Amy could not take it.  She headed on down stairs into the salon, having waved good bye to her closest friend.  I looked at Robert and he asked me after we went to Bahia Navidad would be be coming back so he could talk to Mr. Steve.  I said no Robert, I'm sorry but we can't do that.

Robert broke down into tears and went to be with Amy on the couch.  I went down to check in on them and they were both in tears trying to understand what had just happened.  How could a plan laid out so clearly have gone so wrong?

If my marriage and relationship as a father was to mean anything I was to take action and take it now.  I got on the radio and called Elusive to see what their immediate plans were and how we  could be a part of it.  After a quick discussion that confirmed tears were shed on all boats, I made a u-turn and headed back for what would ultimately be our fourth day in Tenacatita. 

We were pleased to later that day host a great Thanksgiving day party on our boat with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, craned berry sauce, and one happy Amy and Robert.

Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo

So here we are alone tonight in Zihuatanejo.  Navigator has headed North, to board a huge cargo ship in La Paz, which will transport them back to Seattle.  Ogopogo is back in Puerto Vallarta awaiting for a December 12th push off, and Elusive will be following us on down here, but not until after the holidays.  I do not know what lies ahead of us, except that we will continue to push on south-east towards central America.  Our friends might not be next to us, but they will always be with us.

Ogopogo, Navigator, Elusive...
This is Calpurnia.  
Fair winds and following seas.
Calpurnia clear.