Season Two

And so it begins.  I'm spending Halloween night this year back in the sweltering heat of Barra, preparing the boat for another season in Mexico -- a blissful, relaxing season of fair winds, new friends, and cold drinks with a lot less drama than the initial one.  It could happen.  The dreamer in me thinks so, anyway.  My practical side is, understandably, more sceptical and cautiously waits for evidence.

We'll see how it plays out soon enough.  Tomorrow I'll put the newly-rebuilt engine to it's first test when I motor out of the marina.  As part of the break-in process I need to run the engine under load for 25-50 hours before re-torquing head bolts and changing fluids.  If nothing bad occurs during that time then, theoretically, we should be good to go and I won't have to lose any more sleep worrying about mechanical failures.  That's the hope, anyway. 

So, that's what I'll be doing over the next week or so -- motoring around a few miles offshore during the day and anchoring somewhere at night.  I'll probably put a sail up and throw a lure out and try my best to ignore the noisy diesel down below.  Maybe I'll catch dinner.

In any event it will be lonely work as I'm single-handed at the moment and missing my crew.  Millie and Colin are currently in the Philippines visiting with family.  They flew out of SFO a few days before me to attend her brother's wedding.  Congratulations, Benny!  Sorry I couldn't make it.  Judging by the video, Colin's having a great time.  Apparently, he really likes the music.

Adios Summer

Fall is in the air here in central Oregon.  The evening temps have dropped dramatically over the past two weeks to the point where, for the first time in a year, I'm forced to wear long pants.  Tragic, I know.  Fortunately, we had the foresight to store our winter clothes at my brother's house.

The cooler weather and encroaching fall colors are not-so-subtle reminders that our summer is over and the time has come to return to Jean Marie and continue our cruising life.  The long list of house projects is finally winding down, we have new tenants moving in next month, and we're starting to pack things up here.

Next week we'll make the long drive down to the Bay Area to visit friends before Millie and Colin depart for the Philippines.  They fly out of SFO on October 23rd where they'll spend a month with family and attend the wedding of Millie's brother, Benny.  I'll fly back to Mexico to break-in the engine after the recent rebuild and then sail north to Banderas Bay.  I plan to pick them up at the airport in Puerto Vallarta later next month.  It will be a busy time for all of us and I'm looking forward to reuniting for the holidays and finding some time to finally relax.

Although it went by way too fast, we had a great summer and really enjoyed the months here in Oregon.  Now it's time to get back to warm weather, cold beers, and fresh tacos.  I can't wait to put my shorts back on.