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.