August 29, 2011

Hello friends and family.

Well, we took a big step the other day.  We signed up for the BA JA HA HA.  We’re paid up so we’re committed.  The plan is to leave from Ensenada, meet up with the other boats and go from there.  We’re also planning on taking our Mexican captain so we will have some additional experience and safety onboard.  There are parties and meetings in San Diego as well as a parade.  We’re thinking about whether or not we should go to any of them.  Our information package is being sent to Toronto so we can get it when we visit.

Which, incidently, will be on Sept 17.   This time we’ll only be there for 2 weeks.  Border crossings are getting easier.  Our last two times, we were pulled over for additional screening, but no one wanted to see our papers, besides our passports.  Perhaps our file is getting cleaned up.  Anyway, we’re selling the house in Scarborough and we expect to be reviewing offers when we’re there.  We’re selling it with optional furniture.  Hopefully, the new owners will want it, so we won’t have to deal with it. 

We’ve been technically challenged the last little while.  The power supply unit on the dock for our boat suddenly stopped working.  Luckily for us, there is no one in the slip next to us, so we’re plugged into their outlet.  Our cable went out and just came on now.  It was out for a week and because of that we’ve watched most of our dvds.  They were supposed to be for when we are at anchor.  We’re going to have to get some more, that’s for sure.  Our Magic Jack isn’t working.  Our subscription ran out and when we went to renew, we were automatically taken to the Mexico site.  We thought we set it up properly, but the system wouldn’t take our credit card.  The system isn’t very flexible and we’re waiting for someone to fix it for us.  Its been over a week too.

Otherwise, we’ve been learning more about the boat.  We’re figuring out the GPS unit.  We found out it includes a chart plotter, which is excellent!  We’ve also trying to figure out the radar and inverter.

We got our dinghy davits.  They look beautiful.  Now we have to get a pulley system and we’re rolling!  We also got a new anchor installed.  Our chain is out getting painted.  We’re slowly getting her into tip top shape for our departure.  The HA HA leaves on Oct 24.  Not too long now.  It’s a little scary, but very exciting.

Today we went inland a bit to visit Mexico’s wine country.  When we left the marina it was 22.5 degrees.  About ½ hour later, it was 43 degrees.  Both of us felt, though, that we could handle this type of heat.  It is dry and in the shade with a little breeze, it wasn’t too bad.  If the Sea of Cortez is like this, it’ll be great.

Here are a few short videos of our day.  We were at native Mexican lands and you’ll see some historic structures and some colourful clothing.

Bye for now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=met2krG4Z0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G07SN0DA8K0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahopnt4UVT8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahopnt4UVT8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTImwD4jcCw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IXz8NpWP1U

An Ensenada song we got Neil Diamond to do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lg5cY4UQI