svbeachhouse

Category: Ship’s Log

  • Unplanned Change of Plans…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 19-20, 2009

    February 19th
    It is 5:00 a.m., one more hour to go of my shift. The feared Tehuantepec is almost completely astern; the crossing picked at a perfect \”weather window\”. Predictions are it will be blowing 30-40 knots from the north, a full blown \”TEHUANTE-PECKER\” in less than 24 hours.

    At 3:00 am the crescent moon rose right in front of me. Bright orange while it was still low on the horizon. That was worth being up for. I\’ve enjoyed a lot of bioluminescent creatures also. Calm conditions, motoring along. We are still going quite slow at the RPMs we are at. Must be current (soon to find out OTHERWISE). Hope to clear it eventually.

    I will warn you right up front that this is going to be a long one. You won\’t believe what has transpired in the past 24 hrs. I hardly believe it myself… For those of you who have to rush off to work & can\’t read this right now, just know we are safe & fine & on our way to Guatemala instead of El Salvador. Yes, with the boat. Here\’s why:

    I am writing on my first night shift of our 2nd night. When I got off my 2-6:00 am shift, I was looking forward to a good sleep. At 7:30 am I am abruptly awakened by Scott slamming the boat into reverse. Another string of fishing lines he almost ran over. There is no significant boat traffic in this area, so the fisherman just string out their long lines (up to 2000 feet!) wherever they feel they can catch fish. We are more than 10 miles offshore. Thankfully no damage was done & the guys in the panga seemed somewhat apologetic. But the fact is the fishermen are not expecting us anymore than we are expecting them. Thus the 24 hour watch. To make sure we did not have any bit of line caught under the boat we backed down. In the process of motoring backwards I noticed we were turning in a circle, not going straight back. Despite the rudder being centered. Despite both engines in reverse at the same RPM. Only one answer: the port transmission was not engaged. Scott climbs back to check & sure enough the motor on port is running smoothly, but completely ineffective because the transmission, though apparently engaging, is not working. We test it: it will not move us forward. It will not move us in reverse. So our assumption that we were going so slow last night due to a current being against us was wrong. We were going so slow because we were effectively only being propelled with the starboard engine. This is not a happy discovery. It is not just the matter of going slow on 1 engine, it makes it very difficult to maneuver. In many ways we are like a twin screw powerboat. We rely heavily on both engines when docking & maneuvering. The entry to the marina in El Salvador requires us to cross a \”bar\”. I will explain that elsewhere it has nothing to do with drinking�..:). We would definitely want to be fully maneuverable when crossing the \”bar\”.

    These transmissions have given us heck since the beginning. We have had warranty replacements from Yanmar twice. The reason we hauled out in Mazatlan in November was for warranty fix of the transmissions. They are our weakest essential piece of equipment. And there are no alternatives to Yanmar due to the installation space, fitting, machining etc. Scott did extensive research on this & failure of the transmissions has been one of his big fears – now realized. We start to discuss our options. He gets on the morning net & puts out \”a cry for information\”. Two boats we know switched with him to another channel to discuss our plight. One being Chuck of \”Jacaranda\” who was with us in San Benedicto & Socorro. He told Scott to take a deep breath, which I really appreciated. Something I did not dare suggest myself. Scott is an emotional creature who needs to moan & gnash his teeth & stomp & swear before moving on to solve the problem. I wait out this phase & focus on deep breathing for myself. Chuck offered to post our situation on the \”Southbound Yahoo Net\” which is a Yahoo users group & may bring insight & information from other boaters.

    The information we needed first was: How to diagnose the problem? The sea was calm enough that I was able to essentially stop the boat. Scott jumped in with his mask & snorkel to see if anything was not normal below. Besides getting stung by a jelly fish, he discovered that the propeller turned way too easily by hand. Next, satellite phone call: our friendly Mazatlan mechanic Bob, who did the last work on our transmissions. He said unfortunately it did NOT sound like the cone clutches slipped. The cone clutches are known to fail after an unreasonably low number of hours & we have been prepared for this part of the transmissions to fail. It would have been a relatively easy fix & we have the parts needed onboard. But no, it is sounding more like the drive train is broken somewhere along the line. That would require the boat to be hauled out. Where can we get hauled out? What parts are needed? What mechanic can do the job?

    Next, Scott calls Yanmar technical support in Georgia. The guy there confirms that it does NOT sound like a cone clutch problem. Perhaps the \”splined coupling\”. (Don\’t worry there will not be a quiz at the end.)

    Will we need to haul the boat out to get this fixed? Yes, because if it broke, there will be metal debris inside the transmission. How do we go about finding out where to haul out?

    We have a cruising guide with emails & phone numbers of the various Central American ports & marinas. Scott starts calling. Thank God he just bought an additional 500 minutes for our satellite phone. The guy that runs part of the cruisers mooring system at Bahia del Sol in El Salvador where we were heading is a Canadian. We get his cell phone to discover he is visiting his sick mother in Canada for a month. We get this information from his Latino assistant. We call Murray\’s cell phone number. He answers. He describes to Scott the option of \”careening\” the boat at low tide & quickly doing the job. Hmmmm. The very sound of \”careening\” does not appeal much to us. We look at other options.

    We had intended to skip Puerto Quetzal, the only Pacific port in Guatemala because we heard it was commercial, dirty, and had no appeal for cruisers. But as a commercial port, it may be just the place that can haul us out if they are used to dealing with bigger cruising boats. We call our friend Carmina in Guatemala City & she starts making calls on our behalf. Very soon an American mechanic named \”Ziggy\” calls her. When we call her back she gives us his number. Ziggy describes the haul out option there. It is pretty much how we were launched in France. You get pulled up on railroad tracks & then blocked up for the job. No careening. No rushing to finish the job due to the tide. You are out of the water until ready to go back in. Also when you go back in you can quickly check for leaks & haul her back out if needed. The whole working with the tide situation in El Salvador is probably fine for bottom paint or some minor work, but not this. One little detail!….We have to go over a \”bar\” entrance at high tide with a local guide. This is not a bar that much discussion has been heard as no one really ever has to take their cruising boat across it. The local sport fishers however have been doing it for years as have the local large fishing boats. This will be our first \”bar\” crossing; we will check it out by land before attempting via sea.

    What is the job going to be? Scott makes the command decision to order an entire new transmission. We can have the old failed one rebuilt somewhere down the line & keep it onboard as a spare. Each transmission weighs about 100 lbs & is about 3 feet long by 1 foot in diameter. Where can we get one – fast? He calls 2 resources: one Yanmar dealer in Florida & one in So. Cal. They will check their inventory & ask Scott to call back in an hour. We cannot easily receive incoming calls on the satellite phone.

    On follow up calls to the Yanmar reps they both have what we need in stock. Florida refuses to ship DHL. This is a deal breaker. DHL is the only shipping company that works in this region of the world. We have had great luck with them so far & are not willing to risk Fed Ex, which we had a disastrous one time experience. The So. Cal dealer will not ship at all. Someone has to pick it up & ship it for us.

    We consider flying to LA & bringing it back as baggage. Without being able to talk to the airlines we don\’t know if this is possible or not. Someone tells us that they do not think you can check baggage over 100 lbs. Plus the time to go there & back when we already have a flight booked for March 12th seems like a pain.

    We need someone in So. Cal to drive to the Yanmar dealer, pick up the transmission, take it to a DHL shipper & send it to Guatemala City. Who can we ask to do this enormous favor? Scott Adam comes to mind. He is our cruiser friend that saved our bacon last year. Buying a new power cord end (that was fried at the Barra de Navidad dock) at West Marine & meeting my sister Alberta at LAX just before she checked in to board her plane to visit us. He was a godsend then & we decide he might be willing to be our Angel once more. He & Jean\’s sailboat s/v \”Quest\” is in Australia, but they are currently in LA until the 1st week of March, living onboard the power boat they keep at Del Rey Yacht Club. First call to his cell phone reaches his answering machine. Scott leaves a message. Jeff & Gayle are also cruisers back in LA on a visit, we call him next. He answers his cell. He\’d love to help us, but is tied up until Tuesday. But he gives us another phone number for Scott\’s wife Jean. Scott the Angel answers, hears our plea & rises to the occasion once again. He will do it tomorrow.

    Scott calls the So. Cal Yanmar parts department back, pays by credit card & notifies them that Scott Adam will pick up the transmission for us tomorrow – Friday. We email Scott aka: \”Our Hero\” the address for Yanmar (Boatswains Locker) Costa Mesa. We call Carmina to have her get the address of the main DHL office in Guatemala City. The Puerto Quetzal mechanic, Ziggy said do not have it shipped to the marina because it could take days longer. Since we have the benefit of Carmina\’s assistance & car, we can ship it \”Para Recoger\” (hold for pick up). The DHL office will hold it. We did this once before in Cabo del San Jose & it worked out great. We have had DHL shipments arrive in Mexico as quickly as 2 business days. If it gets out of LA Friday, it could be in Guatemala City on Monday. Then it is just a matter of how long will it get delayed in customs. We expect to pay some import duty. But when will they actually release it to us?

    So the plan is forming & we are feeling that this makes the most sense. Even if our current trouble is some doinky repair that needs some inexpensive part, it is still a problematic unit. I have some concerns that even new out of the box these sail drive transmissions seem unreliable, but we don\’t know what else to do. We are not willing to risk getting further afield without having a functional transmission for each engine. An entire new unit is expensive, but can be installed in a few hours. We did this in Ventura, twice, so we know.

    All of the above takes until about 3:00 pm. Meanwhile I have had one hour sleep x 2 in the past 24 hours. I had to be on watch while Scott did all the calls & emails because 3 more times we came upon fishing lines strung out. If our 2nd remaining engine/transmission gets fouled we would be sitting ducks out here for a very long time. There has been very little wind – Lake Pacific. Makes for a comfortable ride, but requires the starboard engine to run many hours. We were able to fly the spinnaker for a couple of hours just before sunset tonight so it got a brief rest.

    Because we are on one engine we are going only 5 1/2 to 6 knots instead of the normal 7.2 to 8. So instead of getting all the way down to El Salvador in 3 days & 3 nights. We will spend nearly that time just getting to Guatemala.

    Ziggy drove to the haul out yard (where they take out the shrimp boats) & confirmed that they would be able & willing to handle us on their railroad system. Ziggy and Carmina each called Marina Pez Vela to tell them we are on our way, expecting a Saturday morning arrival & request a dock while we wait for the transmission to arrive.

    Meanwhile we will make the most of our unplanned stop in Guatemala. It is a 2 hr drive from Guatemala City for Carmina to come meet us at the marina. She is determined to be standing on the dock when we pull in & she will be a welcome sight. Hopefully we can do some sightseeing with her while waiting for the transmission to arrive. She will be a big help with translation everywhere. We have a recommendation of a local agent to help with the check in & out process. But having a native daughter onboard can only help smooth the process. Carmina is also checking out a hotel for us to stay while the boat is hauled out. Hopefully it will not be more than 1-2 nights, but my refrigerator & freezer will have to be taken offline, and we won\’t have power. It is never fun to stay onboard when hauled out. We used to do it in Ventura, but not in these foreign yards. They are so dirty & often smelly too.

    Scott emailed Bahia del Sol in El Salvador informing them of our delay. We hope they understand why we chose to do the job here instead of there. We still hope to get there eventually. Since we were so quickly in & out of Huatulco, we are ok on time if things move along as hoped. Que sera sera… We are safe. It is warm & a lovely evening. I got an hour & half rest & after an iced coffee feel pretty darn good. Only 1 hour left of my 1st night shift, although I may let Scott stay down longer because I don\’t think he is really sleeping.

    So my friends, that is the current news from \”Beach House\”. Never a dull moment!

    Additional Report – February 20th
    After reviewing the charts & speaking to the harbor master we decided we could make a night entry & not have to stay out until dawn. We just kept motoring along. The main excitement was 1 whale seen briefly and dodging fishing boats. There were numerous \”purse sieners\” which drag nets and pangas managing string lines. During the daylight it wasn\’t so difficult to avoid them. Once the sun set it got a bit more nerve wracking because the pangas do not always light each end of their lines. The Mexican & now Guatemalan \”net boats\” are often improperly lit. But we managed to crawl our way in without snagging any nets or lines & entered the breakwater at 8:54 pm in this easy to enter deep water port.

    We hailed the port captain on VHF channel 16 to announce our arrival as is protocol. He spoke to us in perfect English & welcomed us to Guatemala. Without the use of the port engine we cannot turn right at low speed. After driving us into a pickle, I abandoned the helm to Scott & he managed to avoid the outlying poles & get us to the dock. There was a harbor security guy, as promised, waiting to catch our lines. The floating dock is a bit rickety but has power & is fine. There is a US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC Chase) docked just opposite us & the sailors are partying hard at the beach palapa. We are a bit too tired to go join in. Scott called Carmina to let her know we safely arrived & she will come meet us in the morning.

    So all is well in our first Central American port. It is very commercial, looks like possibly oil refinement goes on here as well as commercial shipping and receiving. We will sleep like babies I am sure. We were both awake most of the day. Since we have shore power we can use the air conditioner – yippee! It is 80 degrees outside with 85% humidity at 10:20 pm. So we anticipate it will be hot, hot, hot tomorrow.

    We got confirmation from the Costa Mesa Yanmar dealer that boater friend Scott Adam indeed picked up our new transmission this morning. But we have not yet gotten confirmation from Scott that it has been shipped DHL. Will have to wait until the morning. I\’m sure it will work out be fine. Sure hope that fixes the problem. We are happy to be here & will be even happier when we know the new transmission is on its way. Oh there will be so much more to this story�..stand by!

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Zarpe from Mexico – Crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 18, 2009
    Zarpe from Mexico – Day #1 Gulf of Tehuantepec

    Last night we both took sleep meds to make sure we got a full night\’s rest. The dock was very surgy & would have kept waking us up. Most people would not be able to stand up in the cockpit the way the boat was surging around! We woke up refreshed. While I made breakfast, Scott downloaded weather files. Still looks good to go so we were eager to get our exit documents & head out.

    Enrique told us to meet him at his office at 9:00 am. We were there at 8:45 & he came shortly after. He looked at the weather info & confirmed that we have a 36 hour starting from right then. This window looks perfect, so we want to get going ASAP. He drove us the short ride to the Port Captain\’s office. We had to show them our last check out papers. Many places have been a bit sloppy about giving us the right paperwork. Enrique suggested we just show them the one from Mazatlan. Dockmaster Elvira did it properly. \”Don\’t confuse them\” by telling them everywhere we have been, was his message.

    All was going well. There is a fee of about $20. Our credit cards won\’t work. We have been so frustrated with the overly vigilant fraud departments of Visa & Mastercard. We have no trouble with American Express, but many places will not take it. The office will not accept cash directly. We have to pay at the bank. We give Enrique enough pesos & he runs to the bank to do the fee payment for us. This is a common practice that you must pay with cash at the bank. It helps keep cash out of the office & thus diminishes employees pocketing the money.

    Enrique was very fast returning with the receipt that the fee was paid to the bank. Then the signing & stamping began; four copies. Then we walk a short distance to the Immigration office. Everyone knows Enrique & he emphasizes to them that we are trying to leave to cross the Tehuantepec right away.

    The Gulf of Tehuantepec is Mexico\’s version of Cape Horn. Everyone that knows of it has a healthy respect & concern for this challenging stretch of the ocean. Enrique had convinced the Port Captain to sign us off which is not the normal protocol. We were supposed to have returned to the Port Captain AFTER checking out with Immigration. The immigration officer raised his eyebrow at the Port Captain making an exception to protocol & decided we must be a special case, so he hurried his paperwork & rubberstamping process too. Even the officials here are very sensitive to boats crossing the Gulf as according to Enrique, \”two boats are lost every year out there\”.

    Enrique called on his cell to Customs to please come NOW, that we were trying to leave NOW. We drove back to his office & the Customs Officer literally came running in shortly after we arrived. He whipped out his rubber stamp so fast & started signing all 4 copies furiously. We have never seen such a sense of urgency in Mexico. It was astonishing.

    The Customs agent is now racing down the dock with Scott to go in our dinghy to where \”Beach House\” is docked for exit inspection. Enrique chases after them & says in Spanish (translating for us afterwards): You better let me drive you in my truck. If you all go in the dinghy it will flip over & you might have to swim! This is ridiculous of course, but he knows that many Mexicans cannot swim. He further tells the agent, with his assistant, that we are docked very far away & it was not very convenient. The Customs officer then says \”Have a good trip, adios!\” We are done. The onboard inspection was waived! We are truly amazed as it is only 10:20 am. All this took place in just over 1 hour. Normally a 3-5 hour process, minimum. Blessings to all who helped us, especially Enrique who has 500 boats pass through his marina every year. We were nothing special to him. Yet he knows the potential dangers of the crossing if you do not have the right weather. He knew we were wasting precious time with these formalities. He again sobered us with the fact that every year, 2 boats do not survive this crossing.

    Zarpe in hand (international exit papers), we slip away from the dock in a serious mood. We are not just \”on watch\”. We are on \”high alert\”. I am happy to report that so far we are having a calm & comfortable trip. The wind is from the south (the good direction, it\’s the northers that can cause trouble), we have the main up & are motoring at about 7 knots. We decide at dark it is prudent to take in \”a reef\” (shorten sail). We had been going over 7 knots from 11 am to 5 pm. Then we just slowed down after we took in the reef. We backed down 3 separate times to see if something might have got caught on us below, slowing us down with drag. But we saw nothing float off & our speed did not improve. Then Scott noticed that our Speed was actually still 7 knots, but that our Speed Over the Ground (SOG) was only 5.8 to 6 knots. This is an indication of current against us. At least there is an explanation. We have plenty of fuel & can only go as fast as we can go given the conditions. It is so calm that we shake out the reef (put the full main sail back up).

    Dinner was broccoli & pasta with meat sauce. I\’ve boiled eggs for tomorrow\’s lunch. There is no moon, but plenty of stars. No other ships of concern seen by eye or AIS gizmo. Which seems to be working just fine now, thank goodness. If you wonder how I can write when I am on watch, this is how: I have my wrist watch set on a 10 minute recurring timer. When it beeps I go outside scan the horizon for lights – see any other ships? Check our heading – still on course? Check the wind strength & direction – any changes? If so, I may need to trim the mainsail. Check our SOG – are we slowing down or speeding up? Check AIS gizmo to see if IT sees any ships that I cannot yet see with my eyes.

    I am trying to keep myself in the present & not let the stories & subsequent fear creep in. We have been so lucky with good conditions everywhere so far. Knock wood. And for all the boats that make this passage every year, the vast majority have a fine experience. We are entering the crux of it tonight. By sun up tomorrow I believe the potentially treacherous part will be behind us. We need to get east (yes, we are heading due EAST) of the 94th meridian of longitude. Tomorrow\’s report I hope to write that we got through it easy & not too breezy. We will still have 2 full days & nights to go to our destination of Bahia del Sol, El Salvador. But as the gulf bends south we expect to have more guaranteed good wind direction & may actually get to sail.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Huatulco and preparing for the Gulf of Tehuantepec…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 17, 2009

    Our passage went fine. We enjoyed turtles, dolphins & schooling bait fish all the way down the coast. When Scott was on watch he had to slam the boat in reverse to avoid driving over a fishing lines strung out along several (hard to see from a distance) bleach bottles used as floats. Fortunately the panga managing the fishing gear frantically waved his arms & got Scott\’s attention that danger was ahead. Oy veh. Disaster averted. This happened 3 more times, but at least he was on his toes looking out for them.

    Marina Chahue is a bit of a disappointment. We did not expect Ixtapa or Barra de Navidad. But we did expect perhaps a small Mazatlan. Enrique the dock master had been very responsive by email & we thought we had a reservation. Well…a reservation is not always a reservation! Especially when the place only has 5 spots where we could fit that have power & water. Enrique had no openings available at those 5. These are the main reasons to stay at a dock: in order to get good sleep, have power & water and accessibility to shopping and other services. It is a small place without many bigger boat slips. So we are way out by the entrance which has no power, no water & is VERY surgy. We made our own water on the way here, although Scott always likes to hose the salt off the boat when he has hose access. Oh well. We ran the generator to make our own power to run the air conditioner as it was over 90 inside & out & quite humid. We are still having an intermittent funky cut out with the AC when it is run by the generator IN OUR CABIN. On shore power no problem. Scott will research this more… So limited air conditioning tonight & it is staying hotter at night as we keep heading south.

    This dock is right up there with Dock A at Paradise Village & El Cid Marina in Mazatlan for the surgy factor. We tied our lines every which way to get her to hold still but \”Beach House\” is dancing with the incoming swell. Oh well.

    The GOOD NEWS is there is a weather window to leave tomorrow for El Salvador! So we will go to the office at 9:00 am. The dock master will drive us to the port captain to complete paperwork. Then immigration, more paperwork. Then customs will come out to our boat to make sure we are not stealing any national treasures. That we are indeed who we say we are. And then they will give us a \”Zarpe\” which is a document needed to leave a country. A much bigger deal than the normal check out procedure. Hopefully it will not take longer than noon.

    The other good news is that we already tanked up on diesel. This was the procedure: we tied up to the \”fuel dock\” (think cement wall). The harbor master takes your credit card & whatever fuel jugs you have & drives to the gas station in town. He returned about 30 mins later with our jugs full plus 60 gallons in a barrel in the back of his truck. Their siphon hose reaches the tank opening of our boat nearest the cement wall. But not the other side. So we have to transfer fuel from the barrel into the jugs, from the jugs into our starboard tank. And repeat. Hot messy job, but we had 3 guys helping & got it done.

    The other good news is that the DHL package I shipped here from LA was waiting for us & in good condition, so we can install our new bug screens in the 2 forward cabins when we get a chance. I also now have my new 6.5 mm custom wetsuit (which I threw in the box as padding).

    We talked to a couple of other boaters here. People often leave their boats & take a bus to visit Oaxaca which is supposed to be lovely. We are not interested in land touring right now. It is hot & humid. Although Oaxaca is at 4000 feet so they said much cooler. If we were going to have taken the time to do another land tour it would have been to Morelia to see the Monarch butterfly migration. And that would have been best done from Ixtapa. But that was a 5 day venture & we are feeling the need to keep moving.

    So we will head out as soon as they let us leave with our Zarpe document in hand tomorrow Feb 18. If all goes as planned 3 days & 3 nights later we should be in Bahia del Sol, El Salvador. We will not stop with the boat in Guatemala. We will visit that by land with Carmina. We hope she will arrive about March 4. That will give us a week or 10 days to do a few projects, clean up, get the boat \”guest ready\” & also getting the boat prepared to be left alone. We have been told we absolutely will have power & water at the dock in El Salvador. You never really know until you get there. So right after one day/night/half day run. We get just 1 night sleep together, then head out on this 3 day/night passage that is well known amongst sailors. The Gulf of Tehuantepec. We are hoping for calm conditions & don\’t mind if we even have to motor the whole time. It can have wicked wind & waves, but the forecast is good for the next couple of days so we are going to go for it. Right after this \”weather window\” it is supposed to blow 30-35 knots out of the north with a wicked short chop.
    Enrique told us that on average, two boats a year are lost in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. None so far this year�.and we don\’t plan on being the first!

    My Captain is very tired & having some pre-passage anxiety, so went to bed at 8:30 pm. I will follow soon as it is 9:30 pm & need all the rest I can get. It feels a bit like the night before running a marathon or something. I did my carbo loading already. We just don\’t get to know exactly what the course will be like until we get out there.

    So very soon it is ADIOS MEXICO! We are glad we stayed our first year but now are (really) ready to move on.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Acapulco…..

    Dear F&F,
    Valentine\’s Day – February 16, 2009

    We have been happily surprised by our experience here. Just goes to show you that you can\’t believe everything you hear. On the radio networks there had been some negative rap about Acapulco: theft, unfriendly to cruisers, have to make an appointment to get fuel, etc etc.

    As we approached the coast to enter the large bay, we were struck by the beauty of the place. More Mediterannean/European than any other place along the Mexican coast. Sheer cliffs, rather than beaches, give it a dramatic appearance with many homes & hotels built right into the cliffs & hills. Sort of like a tropical Sausalito Bay. We hailed the Acapulco Yacht Club inquiring if we could obtain a mooring. We were instructed to go to the fuel dock which is the best way to reach the club office. The guys working the fuel dock were as friendly & helpful as everywhere we\’ve been. When we tentatively asked if it was possible to get diesel now, they said \”but of course!\” So one rumor dispelled – no appointment needed to get fuel. I did my usual calculations of gallons to liters in order to know how much we could take. While I handled the diesel duty, Scott scampered up to the Yacht Club office to see about a mooring. This is the first place that our California Yacht Club membership has mattered. They offer reciprocal privileges to members of only 40 clubs internationally & California Yacht Club is one of them. So we got 1 night at the mooring free. The 2nd night is more than we\’ve paid at a lot of docks, but getting 2 nights for the price of one made it quite reasonable.

    The bay is breezy which helps keep it comfortable & bug free. It is about 3 1/2 miles wide & 2 1/2 miles deep so a huge area. There are some docks but not any more fancy expensive power boats than we\’ve seen anywhere. Another false rumor: \”They only let you stay if you have a helicopter on your boat.\” There are plenty of \”average\” boats at the docks & on the moorings. We had to use our own lines to tie off to the mooring ball. Scott did the knot tying duty from the dinghy while I drove the big boat into position. Good teamwork had us secured to the float in no time. We\’d arrived!

    Since we had such an early morning & long travel day, we stayed onboard & enjoyed the sunset. I heated chicken taquitos served with salsa, guacamole & sour cream. In honor of Valentines we enjoyed the DVD Don Juan de Marco. Ahh Johnny Depp….a really terrific movie!

    We woke up to see a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked across the way. This place is large enough that the ship does not overwhelm the bay. And its load of people can easily be absorbed by this larger city.

    Since all my bananas were ripe, I made banana pancakes with walnuts. Froze enough for 2 future quick & yummy breakfasts. It is a 5 minute dinghy ride to the club dinghy dock. A dry landing – my favorite. We asked a member at the club what he recommended we see, having just 1 day to explore Acapulco. He said take a 10 min cab ride to see the cliff divers, they would be jumping soon. So we did. They are famous. Scott had seen them on TV as a kid. His parents had come here on vacation (without him) in the early 70s so he had fond imagery of them strolling along the same places we were today. Quite a crowd gathered. There was a bit of a \”pre-show\” with muscular tan teenage boys scampering up the rocks & jumping off various lower ledges. The main show was 6 divers. Two went as singles & 2 went as duets. I feel badly for their mothers, they must be sick with worry every day! The highest point they jump from is a bit OVER a 100 feet. The cliff is not straight down, so they must be sure to jump out far enough to land in the water, not on the rocks at the base of the cliff. Also it is a very narrow cut. So, we the audience, are just opposite them & can clearly see them & the small slit of sea that they aim for. Crazy if you ask me, but it is a part of the history here. By charging to go on the observation deck, selling sodas & postcards, and tips for the divers afterwards it is its own small industry. They only do 1 daytime show, the other 3 are evening so we luckily timed it just right.

    The second thing we were advised to do was have lunch at the Flamingo Hotel, where the actor Johnny Weismuller that played Tarzan lived out his days after he retired. They had many photos of the \”Hollywood Gang\” that came to this Acapulco hang out: Erroll Flynn, John Wayne, others I can\’t remember now. The ocean view from the cliff side palapa restaurant was spectacular. The enchiladas better than average & the prices reasonable.

    With our bellies full, we took a siesta when we returned to \”Beach House\”. While away, we had locked the main door & all the large hatches & were happy to find all was well aboard. No evidence of theft. We went back to the dinghy dock at 5:00 pm for a pre-dinner swim. We had the large & lovely club pool to ourselves. The main clubhouse was actually closed today. But they keep the palapa bar open every day. I had not been in the water since our last dive at Socorro & it felt really good to work my swimming muscles. Scott joined in a dip & sipped a pina colada. The bit of exercise & cooling pool water should help us sleep well tonight. Last night there was music & noise from shore side parties until 1:00 am. But tonight is Sunday so we hope it will be quieter.

    The lights dotting the hillsides surrounding the bay are beautiful. We have really enjoyed our short stop here. We had no particular expectations other than perhaps a faded glory. She is a thriving town. The cruise ships definitely help the local economy & this seems a perfectly appropriate place for them to stop. The south east side of the bay looks like Miami Beach of the 1960\’s and it was a bit eerie to realize that these old high rise hotels stood mostly empty.

    We will be up early for a day/night/half day run down to Puerto Angel. Nowhere to really stop in between. Then on to Huatulco. We are really covering some distance now.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Acapulco to Huatulco Passage…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 16, 2009

    We slipped our lines from the mooring ball pre dawn, enjoying the lights of Acapulco as we motored away from the bay. It was a calm & comfortable ride all morning. No wind, so motoring along. While Scott took the first watch I cut up my 3 colors of peppers that were starting to wrinkle & put them in the fridge. This inspired the idea to make hummus. Unfortunately I was missing a key ingredient: tahini. But I took a can of garbanzos & dug out my food processor to blend them with garlic, lemon juice & zahatar (spice from Israel). It didn\’t have the creamy texture hummus is supposed to have. Probably the tahini helps with that. But we both enjoyed it as a fresh mid morning snack.

    Scott heard on the morning net that the Navy at Puerto Angel can be somewhat difficult. They may bring a dog onboard to sniff out drugs. They may insist on taking your documents until you leave the next day, etc. It was one thing to go to Acapulco despite bad rumors & have our own experience. But there is no real appeal to Puerto Angel to warrant taking the risk of a hassle with the Mexican Navy keeping our documents in their office overnight. So this run is all the way to Huatulco about 230 miles.

    We saw many turtles bobbing along, their shells shiny in the sunlight. And one spectaular but brief display by a large humpback whale in the distance. I also believe I saw 2 sharks, or perhaps 1 manta ray & 1 shark. You never know what you are going to see out here. I was a bit less excited to see a large tanker on the horizon that did not show up on our ship spotting AIS gizmo. We don\’t know why it isn\’t working. But now that it is dark, I am going outside every 5 minutes to scan the horizon for lights. So far only a few shore lights. We are about 5 miles off the land.

    The wind came up enough by 1:30 pm & from a good angle to fly the spinnaker. It is our largest most colorful sail for downwind conditions. Yes, finally the wind & sea are at our back! It was terrific to be sailing again. Give the engines a rest. It is better for me to have more frequent sailing practice. It is not yet ingrained enough that I forget some procedures if it has been a long time. Scott is ever the patient & informative teacher. The wind held for 4 hours. We knew it would lessen with sundown so took it down before it got too dark. Since I am on watch it is more of a no brainer to motor than sail. We have kept the main up because it gives us some push. I just had to jibe it from port to starboard as the day sea breeze is overtaken by the night land breeze.

    No moon yet & many many stars. Wonderful. It is still 81 degrees at 8:30 pm. It was almost too hot to nap when I was off watch during the day, 95 in our cabin. But it felt good to stretch out anyway. I am reading Mark Twain\’s \”Following the Equator\”. I don\’t love his style but feel it is a classic that is appropriate to read at this time so am sticking with it. He really rambles telling his tales. I know I read Huckleberry Finn as a kid & enjoyed it. But this is a much bigger book. Fine to pass the time. I switch to a book by Thich Nhat Hanh (Buddhist monk) when I want more substance. Mainly I am just so happy I feel well enough to read at sea!

    I got a red bump where my last scopalamine patch was. I had noticed it itching but didn\’t pay much attention to it. I hope I am not developing an allergy to it. I put a fresh one on last night behind the other ear. It works so well for me, I have to find out if you can vary where on your body you stick it.

    Scott has kept himself entertained off watch with Stargate Atlantis. Although I enjoyed the SG-1 series with him (all 10 seasons!) I elected not to participate in either the Atlantis or Battlestar Galactica series. I really prefer reading & have a lot of interesting books onboard.

    I think at the rate we are going we will easily arrive in Huatulco before dark tomorrow, Tuesday.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Papanoa…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 13, 2009

    We were underway by 7:30 am & anchored by 1:00 pm. I slept pretty well last night & feel MUCH better today thank goodness. Z anchorage looked very pretty at night with all the lights of the buildings. And this morning at dawn with the big ship gone it was quite lovely as we left.

    Papanoa is just a little bump in an otherwise straight coastline which runs southeast. There are 2 other monohull sailboats anchored here & we are all heading to Acapulco before dawn tomorrow. One couple has a 2 1/2 year old onboard. She was quite well behaved sitting in their dinghy bouncing besides as Scott talked to the parents. I was hot standing back in the shade of our cockpit. The little girl had a life preserver on & was in the full sun. Yikes! We are so glad to not be burdened with either children or pets onboard. They are heading through Panama Canal to the Caribbean & East Coast on a 3 yr plan. Then back to Seattle to put her in school. Have not met the other boat couple yet.

    I took a nap, which was great because I can almost never fall asleep during the day. Unless we are on watches, then I know it is my job to get sleep & it seems like my brain has an easier time shutting down. I am still not 100%. I think I need to just expect it to take me 3-4 days to get my \”sea head\”. We are not feeling compelled to go ashore in this heat (88 degrees & 65% humidity). Fortunately it does cool down at least 15 degrees at night. It seems to be primarily a fishing village here.

    There are mixed reviews on Acapulco. Reports of theft & general yuckiness. Scott is kicking himself for not thinking ahead & topping off our diesel cans so we would not need to stop for fuel there. We may get to sail some tomorrow afternoon if the wind picks up. We hate to skip it since we are going by. May be a \”safety in numbers\” thing, with the other 2 boats going there too. There is an anchorage just past it that many cruisers go to instead. But we will probably go & see if we can get a mooring for 1 night. It seems they don\’t ever have docks available. And the docks are med-mooring style (walk off the back). We will see what the story is when we get there. There is a fuel surcharge. Many of the yachties are super cheap & get offended by that sort of thing. We just figure it is part of the cost of traveling.

    After Acapulco it will be all day/night run to Puerto Escondido. Escondido to Huatulco a long day. Then we wait for the weather to cross the Gulf of Tehuantepec. This is the narrowest stretch of land in Mexico between the Caribbean & the Pacific. The Gulf of Tehuantepec is LEGENDARY for what are affectionately known as \”Tehuantepeckers\”; winds that can blow your socks off if you go at the wrong time. It will be a 3 day/night trip for us. And we hope to time it when it is NOT exciting. Tis crossing may be a motorboat ride the whole way which is fine with us.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Zihuatanejo…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 12, 2009

    Well if you had asked me if I thought we would spend 16 days on the dock at Ixtapa Marina when we first got there I would have thought you were crazy. But it is dawning on us that when we reach docks we do tend to stay longer than expected & get a lot of things done.

    And now that we are at the Zihuatanejo anchorage, 1 day & night feels like it will be plenty of time here.

    Benefits of the anchorage – free (vs about $65/night by the time you include the electricity & water charges).
    Negative of the anchorage – cruise ships come & go. They usually stay only 1 day /night but they bring a lot of baggage. Starting with the ugly giant cruise ship near the entrance of the anchorage. The many shuttle boats zooming to & from the dock (that only the cruise ship shuttle boats can use. Wet landing for us other boaters.) Jet skis tearing up the place. Parasailing boats freaking you out that they will slam their person up in the air into our mast!

    Motion of the ocean: how quickly I forget that I get seasick really easy sometimes. Easy to forget at the dock! But just this short little 6 mile trip from Ixtapa made me feel pretty lousy & I had to munch a Bonine & put on my patch. I am better now, but not perfect. I wonder if I will ever \”get over\” it? Or if it is just something I need to be more preventive about. It simply did not occur to me that I might not feel fine during a measly 6 mile trip.

    We anchored initially near 3 other catamarans. They were all \”bow & stern\” to keep their bow into the swell. We did not want to hassle with the stern anchor, well, because it is a hassle. And for just 1 night, not worth it if we can avoid it. So we picked up the anchor & moved over amongst the 30 or so other boats. The majority are leaners in the 40-something foot range. The anchorage is still what I would call \”rolly\” due to swell hitting us sideways.

    Photos we will post will show what has become of previously charming Zihuat. So much development. Just like every other coastal town in Mexico; over built. We went ashore in the dinghy. Nathaniel was there to take our 20 pesos & make sure our dinghy wasn\’t stolen. The cruise ship people were onshore which is sure to give it a more tourist town feel compared to when they are not here.

    Since it was after 5 pm, we sat at a beach palapa cafe & shared a burger with fries & chips with guacamole. So we are fed. Nice not to have to fuss with making dinner since I\’m still not feeling 100%. I do get hungry despite feeling a bit bleah. My seasick symptoms are mainly feeling very tired & headachy, more than stomach yucky. In only get that when conditions are really rough.

    Vendors selling every imaginable thing come up to your table: jewelry, sombreros, fabric sarongs/tablecloths, knick-knacks. You have to just ignore them or else you would run away screaming. Then the sell-a-song guys: one with a harp like thingy, one with guitar, a mandolin/accordion duo, on & on… Stand by your table, strum a few notes, see if you make eye contact then move on. Annoying as hell. We would happily have paid more for the food to avoid this routine, understand they are just trying to make a buck & that this is a prime time tourist trap. This season due to the US economy, tourism is down 40% in Mexico. The Mexicans are feeling it big time!

    On the dinghy ride back, we said hello to Monty on a small catamaran that sometimes joined us this summer as part of the multihull brigade. We also introduced ourselves to the boat my friend Sandy just left, \”Shanghai\”. We also said hi to Chuck\’s brother & sis-in-law of \”Sun Baby\”, who were near the 1st spot we anchored.

    So here we are, finally at Zihuatanejo. I hope to get my sea head after a night\’s sleep & the patch will have time to kick in. Tomorrow we will continue. We are only going about the distance of Marina del Rey to Avalon, to Papanoa. This stop is for the sole purpose of making the next leg to Acaplulco a day time trip, not an overnight. The sailing guidebooks do not say much about it other than it is a safe anchorage.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Boat Projects & Friends at Ixtapa Marina…..

    Dear F&F,
    February 7-11, 2009

    Sailor friend Sandy took the bus from Zihuatenejo anchorage and was a big help writing the inventory as I stowed my pantry. All older canned goods are taken out, the new put deeper and the oldest kept most accessible. I label & date the tops of cans so I can quickly see what I am grabbing. The guest cabin still needs some work before we are \”guest ready\” but we have time before Carmina comes to fetch us from El Salvador.

    Scott has been working long & hard every day to install all the equipment I brought from LA. I am especially enjoying the newly installed shower sump that happily gulps away the water & helps keep our bilges dry. We still need to re-caulk the shower floor which leaks out beyond the shower. It never ends�

    While Sandy & I worked inside, Scott installed the port side of the new trampoline. I tried to talk him out of doing it in the heat of the day, but he was driven. The installing of the new went fine. It was the cutting away of the old that was a pain. I will help him do the final tightening of the new & that side will be done. He will cut the old out first on the starboard side & I will help him with the new installation. He was (justifiably) afraid of falling in the hole if the old was gone. But after having done the port, he feels that is the better was to go. I think only 1 or 2 hacksaw blades fell overboard….

    Scott arranged for in interior housekeeper to help me clean. We have not kept up to Eva\’s standards, so I was glad to have Deanna help me with the ceiling vinyl, walls, floors, counters, windows, wipe down, vacuum the saloon cushions, etc, etc. Big job, but necessary to be in ship shape. We worked side by side for 6 hours. It is good to have a clean \”Beach House\”.

    One night we were invited for happy hour aboard a very big fancy power boat, \”Quan Yin\”, down the dock. A super nice couple (Rob & Tami) are the Captain & Cook. Plus 1 other crew as deck hand. We brought along another power boat couple (Linda & John) that we had met last year. I brought pizza from the internet place. Linda brought homemade cookies. Tami put out delicious guacamole & chips. Rob poured wine – a good time was had by all. Tami is from Dallas & a live-wire. Very fun. She & Rob shared good info on Costa Rica, including a referral to a guide for seeing the rainforests and a mechanic that may be able to help solve our auto pilot mysteries.

    Tami invited me along to the mercado with her. Yippee! Another shopping opportunity. We walked a bit then waved down a cab. I had to make a quick stop at an ATM to get pesos, then on to the mercado. Imagine a Mexican version of the old Fairfax farmers market. The dead animals hanging in the meat market were a bit disconcerting. But the fruits & veggies were great. I bought asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, zucchini, jicama, avocados, tomatoes, 3 colors of bell peppers, cucumber, mangos, apples, pears, peaches, plums, tangerines, bananas & one of those enormous papayas. Produce Heaven! We then went back to the supermarket where I picked a few things I\’d forgotten on Saturday: baby wipes (quick & easy clean/wipe up), more tortillas, more cheese, bay leaves, more rib eye steaks. A pint of coffee Haagen Dazs! So once again – we won\’t starve! It was very fun going marketing with a girlfriend.

    Scott had the starboard side trampoline installed by the time I returned from the market. It just needs to be tightened in a day or 2, then the lines trimmed & dressed. His hands are full of blisters & joints aching from the strain of pulling the lines tight all the way around. It was a huge job & he is happy to have it mostly behind him.

    We are doing some paperwork inside with the air conditioning on. It is such a nice relief from the heat in the mid afternoon. A big benefit of dock power. Overnight it cools down to a pleasant 68 so we can sleep without the AC. Unless one of the nearby boats are having a late party, in which case you can only sleep with the windows closed & fans on. Some neighboring boats are so rude about cranking up the music until all hours at night. But as we all know, excessive drinking can make a jerk out of many people. But overall. we have enjoyed our time here at Ixtapa Marina.

    We plan to move on down to the Z-Town anchorage (only 6 miles) on Thursday, February 12. We will probably stay 1-2 nights then mosey on down toward Acapulco.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Ixtapa Marina & Cindy\’s Shopping Trip…..

    Dear F&F,
    January 26 – February 6, 2009

    A couple of months ago we had emailed Ixtapa Marina (just 6 miles from Zihuatenejo) requesting a slip reservation. The harbormaster told us they would not have room. Knowing that things can change, Scott decided to hail them while we were getting diesel at the Ixtapa fuel dock. Lo & behold, they had lots of slips available & we are happy to take one. It is so much easier to do boat projects, get cleaned up, schlep groceries onboard etc. from a dock than when at anchor. So Zihuatenejo will just have to wait.

    Boat washers descended upon us right there at the fuel dock & we signed up with one for the next morning. Always good to get the salt off after a long stretch at sea. There are many big, beautiful power boats in the marina. Mostly with crew, instead of owners, onboard. The owners of that type of boat just fly in once in a while. The hired captain & crew maintain the boat & move it to wherever the owner would like to visit it next.

    It is a 15 minute walk to a small boat supply store, liquor store & row of outdoor cafes. We become \”regulars\” at Z-Pizza because they have free WiFi if you eat or drink something. We buy an internet access card from the supply store, but it only works (sometimes) on 1 laptop from the boat, with a very weak signal. Not good enough for our Skype internet telephone.

    Our boat shopping list was growing long & it became apparent that it would be better to get some critical items sooner rather than later. The most substantial items being 2 autopilot parts, our new trampoline, shower sump pump and generator spare parts. Internet research showed that Alaska has nonstop flights daily to LAX from Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo airport. Knowing we are on a bit of a time clock to get down the coast to Central America, I did not delay booking my flight to LA for January 29.

    As soon as the flight attendant announced we were allowed to turn on cell phones my job began. The first 2 messages were from Don at M & B wetsuits. He discovered that my measurements from 10 years ago were not in the Stolnitz file, he only found Scott\’s. I got great use out of the custom 5 mm wetsuit he made me, but am due for a new one & opted to get the 6.5 mm since I get cold so easily. I called his house & he agreed to measure me at his Lakewood shop in the morning. If he had the measurements Day #1, he felt he could finish the suit in time for me to take it back with me.

    My LA Shore side Support Team helped from the minute I landed. Larry & Barbara Tenan graciously picked me up at LAX, despite the fact that my plane was 2 hours late. It was great to see these former patients, now friends. The extent of our visit was in the car from the airport to where I was staying in Santa Monica.

    Lori Rubenstein once again generously shared her lovely Santa Monica guest house with me, including use of her car for 2 days. She was busy seeing patients and managing her PT office, completing the final class for her doctorate degree and attending meetings for the Anti-Defamation League leadership program. So we were somewhat ships passing in the night. Her affectionate kitty Mika was happy to see whoever came home first.

    This was my first trip to California where I stayed in LA & did not fly up to see my No Cal family. I knew I would barely accomplish all I came for in a week, so the trip to Sonoma County would have to wait for our already scheduled visit in March. There were some pangs of guilt at not seeing my 92 year old father. But I have been mourning my loss of him for many years due to his dementia. Although still high functioning and very sweet-natured, in many ways he has already left us. Sister Alberta called my cell phone every day which is a rare luxury for us to be able to talk so often and with better-than-Skype connections.

    My eye doctor kindly saw me without an appointment. I am \”of that age\” when reading goes to heck. He decreased the strength of my right eye contact so I can now read again without reading glasses. Hallelujah!

    I was able to get an appointment to get my boobs squished (aka mammogram). One less thing to do in March.

    I shipped the video camera housing out for repair, as well as a strobe for the still camera system.
    I bought a new dive mask since I think I look like Zorro with my other one. You could not see my eyes that well. Being a frequent underwater model, it is important that my eyes can be seen.

    Skye & I had 2 dinner dates and it was great to catch up. During our first visit she showed me photos from a recent trip to DC & Italy. A great way to spend her brief time on unemployment. Truly. I have always encouraged her to travel whenever she can.

    Mike Lonnes is our sailing friend that does boat shopping for us & is our \”Ship To\” address. Our first rendezvous was at Redondo Marina Day #1 where he gave me the first 7 boxes. Juan, of Rainbow Canvas met us there & took our worn Sunbrella dinghy cover to use as a pattern for a new one. Mike had a job for him on his own boat so this connection worked out well.

    My second meeting with Mike was on Day #6 in the West Marine parking lot – many more boxes. On the last night, after a final transfer of goods in the parking lot of our storage unit, he & Beth took me to dinner at Alejo\’s. Great to see both of them & eat lots of garlic!

    I squeezed in a visit with my soon to be 100 year old former patient and friend Edith Robinson at her assisted living facility. I regret not having a video camera running as she told (& in some cases, re-told) her stories of working for the Nazis, escaping to England, and soliciting a sponsor to come to the US. Amazing stories that will be buried with her as she has kept no journals & has no close family. Her fianc was killed in the camps & she never found another love. She hoped I was the \”surprise\” that the facility promised her for her birthday gift Feb 25. I was touched & sad that I could not stay for her big day, but we had a lovely evening together & I pray she is still there the next time I return.
    Friend Linda van Zeyl, volunteered to go on my Day #6 shopping run and helped me pack it all up back at Lori\’s. Don at M & B had my wetsuit finished a day early, so we buzzed down to Lakewood to pick it up. It fits perfectly, as I knew it would.

    Packing is always an origami project. Two large hatch screens with plastic trim rings were simply too large to fit in any suitcase and I was already bringing the trampoline as a 3rd piece in its own box. So I stuffed my new wetsuit as padding between the 2 screens & shipped them via DHL to the harbor master in Huatulco (a soon and future stop on our way south). We did not want to risk them being held up in Mexico City customs, which would delay our departure from Ixtapa, so felt it best to send them to our next major port of call.
    The rest of the packing went well. It was a huge help to have Linda keep the process moving along as I was inclined to stare at the large piles & feel overwhelmed. Little by little the boxes were emptied, the packing material stuffed into Linda\’s truck, and the suitcases filled with boat booty.
    I even managed to tuck in a few Trader Joes fun items this time, not just vitamins. Dried cranberries, walnuts, flaxseed meal & chocolate covered pistachios to take back to Mexico.

    After being on \”rations\” for 40 days I ate Japanese food, Thai food, Indian food, plus all the fruit & veggies I could lay my hands on.
    I was gone 8 days & despite a hectic pace of \”hunting & gathering\”, I enjoyed it immensely. I have lived in So Cal since I was 18 years old & the Westside was home for 23 years. I\’m not sure if we will ever live in LA again, but it is sure great to visit. And there is nothing like a bit of time off the boat to make me eager to set sail. Being away from Scott is the worst part of these solo trips. Seeing his smiling face upon my return is the best part. Mission accomplished.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association

  • Ixtapa Marina & Cindy\’s Shopping Trip…..

    Dear F&F,
    January 26 – February 6, 2009

    A couple of months ago we had emailed Ixtapa Marina (just 6 miles from Zihuatenejo) requesting a slip reservation. The harbormaster told us they would not have room. Knowing that things can change, Scott decided to hail them while we were getting diesel at the Ixtapa fuel dock. Lo & behold, they had lots of slips available & we are happy to take one. It is so much easier to do boat projects, get cleaned up, schlep groceries onboard etc. from a dock than when at anchor. So Zihuatenejo will just have to wait.

    Boat washers descended upon us right there at the fuel dock & we signed up with one for the next morning. Always good to get the salt off after a long stretch at sea. There are many big, beautiful power boats in the marina. Mostly with crew, instead of owners, onboard. The owners of that type of boat just fly in once in a while. The hired captain & crew maintain the boat & move it to wherever the owner would like to visit it next.

    It is a 15 minute walk to a small boat supply store, liquor store & row of outdoor cafes. We become \”regulars\” at Z-Pizza because they have free WiFi if you eat or drink something. We buy an internet access card from the supply store, but it only works (sometimes) on 1 laptop from the boat, with a very weak signal. Not good enough for our Skype internet telephone.

    Our boat shopping list was growing long & it became apparent that it would be better to get some critical items sooner rather than later. The most substantial items being 2 autopilot parts, our new trampoline, shower sump pump and generator spare parts. Internet research showed that Alaska has nonstop flights daily to LAX from Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo airport. Knowing we are on a bit of a time clock to get down the coast to Central America, I did not delay booking my flight to LA for January 29.

    As soon as the flight attendant announced we were allowed to turn on cell phones my job began. The first 2 messages were from Don at M & B wetsuits. He discovered that my measurements from 10 years ago were not in the Stolnitz file, he only found Scott\’s. I got great use out of the custom 5 mm wetsuit he made me, but am due for a new one & opted to get the 6.5 mm since I get cold so easily. I called his house & he agreed to measure me at his Lakewood shop in the morning. If he had the measurements Day #1, he felt he could finish the suit in time for me to take it back with me.

    My LA Shore side Support Team helped from the minute I landed. Larry & Barbara Tenan graciously picked me up at LAX, despite the fact that my plane was 2 hours late. It was great to see these former patients, now friends. The extent of our visit was in the car from the airport to where I was staying in Santa Monica.

    Lori Rubenstein once again generously shared her lovely Santa Monica guest house with me, including use of her car for 2 days. She was busy seeing patients and managing her PT office, completing the final class for her doctorate degree and attending meetings for the Anti-Defamation League leadership program. So we were somewhat ships passing in the night. Her affectionate kitty Mika was happy to see whoever came home first.

    This was my first trip to California where I stayed in LA & did not fly up to see my No Cal family. I knew I would barely accomplish all I came for in a week, so the trip to Sonoma County would have to wait for our already scheduled visit in March. There were some pangs of guilt at not seeing my 92 year old father. But I have been mourning my loss of him for many years due to his dementia. Although still high functioning and very sweet-natured, in many ways he has already left us. Sister Alberta called my cell phone every day which is a rare luxury for us to be able to talk so often and with better-than-Skype connections.

    My eye doctor kindly saw me without an appointment. I am \”of that age\” when reading goes to heck. He decreased the strength of my right eye contact so I can now read again without reading glasses. Hallelujah!

    I was able to get an appointment to get my boobs squished (aka mammogram). One less thing to do in March.

    I shipped the video camera housing out for repair, as well as a strobe for the still camera system.
    I bought a new dive mask since I think I look like Zorro with my other one. You could not see my eyes that well. Being a frequent underwater model, it is important that my eyes can be seen.

    Skye & I had 2 dinner dates and it was great to catch up. During our first visit she showed me photos from a recent trip to DC & Italy. A great way to spend her brief time on unemployment. Truly. I have always encouraged her to travel whenever she can.

    Mike Lonnes is our sailing friend that does boat shopping for us & is our \”Ship To\” address. Our first rendezvous was at Redondo Marina Day #1 where he gave me the first 7 boxes. Juan, of Rainbow Canvas met us there & took our worn Sunbrella dinghy cover to use as a pattern for a new one. Mike had a job for him on his own boat so this connection worked out well.

    My second meeting with Mike was on Day #6 in the West Marine parking lot – many more boxes. On the last night, after a final transfer of goods in the parking lot of our storage unit, he & Beth took me to dinner at Alejo\’s. Great to see both of them & eat lots of garlic!

    I squeezed in a visit with my soon to be 100 year old former patient and friend Edith Robinson at her assisted living facility. I regret not having a video camera running as she told (& in some cases, re-told) her stories of working for the Nazis, escaping to England, and soliciting a sponsor to come to the US. Amazing stories that will be buried with her as she has kept no journals & has no close family. Her fianc was killed in the camps & she never found another love. She hoped I was the \”surprise\” that the facility promised her for her birthday gift Feb 25. I was touched & sad that I could not stay for her big day, but we had a lovely evening together & I pray she is still there the next time I return.
    Friend Linda van Zeyl, volunteered to go on my Day #6 shopping run and helped me pack it all up back at Lori\’s. Don at M & B had my wetsuit finished a day early, so we buzzed down to Lakewood to pick it up. It fits perfectly, as I knew it would.

    Packing is always an origami project. Two large hatch screens with plastic trim rings were simply too large to fit in any suitcase and I was already bringing the trampoline as a 3rd piece in its own box. So I stuffed my new wetsuit as padding between the 2 screens & shipped them via DHL to the harbor master in Huatulco (a soon and future stop on our way south). We did not want to risk them being held up in Mexico City customs, which would delay our departure from Ixtapa, so felt it best to send them to our next major port of call.
    The rest of the packing went well. It was a huge help to have Linda keep the process moving along as I was inclined to stare at the large piles & feel overwhelmed. Little by little the boxes were emptied, the packing material stuffed into Linda\’s truck, and the suitcases filled with boat booty.
    I even managed to tuck in a few Trader Joes fun items this time, not just vitamins. Dried cranberries, walnuts, flaxseed meal & chocolate covered pistachios to take back to Mexico.

    After being on \”rations\” for 40 days I ate Japanese food, Thai food, Indian food, plus all the fruit & veggies I could lay my hands on.
    I was gone 8 days & despite a hectic pace of \”hunting & gathering\”, I enjoyed it immensely. I have lived in So Cal since I was 18 years old & the Westside was home for 23 years. I\’m not sure if we will ever live in LA again, but it is sure great to visit. And there is nothing like a bit of time off the boat to make me eager to set sail. Being away from Scott is the worst part of these solo trips. Seeing his smiling face upon my return is the best part. Mission accomplished.

    Scott & Cindy
    ————————————————-
    Do not push the \”reply\” button to respond to this
    message if that includes the text of this original
    message in your response. Messages are sent over a
    very low-speed radio link.

    The most concise way to reply is to send a NEW message
    to: \”Scott & Cindy Stolnitz (s/v Beach House)\”
    If you DO use your reply button, be sure to delete
    the original message text and these instructions
    from your reply.

    Replies should not contain attachments and should be
    less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

    This email was delivered by an HF private coast station
    in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the
    SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht
    owners. For more information on this service or on the
    SailMail Association, please see the web site at:

    SailMail Association