Marina Life

Jean Marie is, once again, tied up safe and secure at the Grand Bay Marina.  I managed to move her from the lagoon, through the shallow channel, past the marina entrance, and into a slip without bashing into anything along the way. 

Actually, I had a lot of help.  Reggie and Phoebe from Three Sheets came out with their dinghy to push the bow and Pat from Cricket manned my dinghy which was tied to starboard to drive the boat.  We also had Jim and Susan from Windward Bound waiting on the dock to catch the lines. 

With that much assistance, what could go wrong?  Well, usually, a lot of things go wrong.  But on this day the only screw up happened when I cut the corner a little sharp going in and nearly ripped my dinghy on the starboard dock finger.  Luckily, I managed to get the line off before any damage was done.  The last thing my dinghy needs is another patch.  I'm not sure how it manages to stay afloat.

It's nice to have access to unlimited fresh water again.  These are the little conveniences that sailors revere and most people take for granted.  After spending weeks in the anchorage the boat was in dire need of a shower.  And, after working all day washing her inside and out, the captain was also in dire need of a shower.  We're both clean now.

Freshwater isn't the only benefit to marina life.  In this marina, you also get the added bonus of tying up next to a multi-million-dollar megayacht.  My neighbor is Ostar, which is owned by Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world with a net worth of around 68 billion, give or take a billion or two.  I haven't been invited to come aboard yet.  But, after a shower and shave, I'm sure it's just a matter of time. 

After helping this morning, Three Sheets finally sailed out of Barra on a heading north to Banderas Bay.  They've endured, essentially, the same aggravation as we have, arriving a week before us with a sputtering engine.  After 3-plus months of delays, mishaps, and general screw-ups -- by, seemingly, every person involved in the process of obtaining parts and fixing engines in Mexico -- they were, at long last, able to break free of Barra.  I envy them.  The way things are going I expect our stay to be longer than theirs.

Our friends on Cricket are leaving tomorrow, making their way north to San Blas to haul the boat and paint the bottom.  So, it would seem, as of tomorrow, we are the last ones here.  All the other cruisers have either set sail or put their boats away for the summer.  Only the hard-luck stragglers remain.  I'll try to remember to turn out the lights and lock the doors when we leave.