Adios, Puddle Jump

The past few weeks have been filled with preparation for a planned Pacific crossing, with high hopes that the engine work would actually be completed on schedule and we would set sail for the Marquesas by mid-April.  That was the hard date I set to give us enough time to see the islands before sailing to New Zealand for the South Pacific typhoon season in October.  And, after sitting in Barra last year when Hurricane Bud blew through, I wanted to be well south of Mexico in May.  With another week to get the parts, a week to do the work, and a week to break it in we could, realistically, get it all wrapped up by the end of March and set sail for the South Pacific in early April.  It seemed like a reasonable goal.  So, I started working down a pre-departure checklist and doing some passage planning while still docked here in Mazatlan.  I even registered with the Pacific Puddle Jump Rally in a vain attempt to remain optimistic.  Stupid...I know.

Well, all that came to a crashing halt a few days ago when I asked the mechanic for the status of our parts order.  He explained how they had shipped through UPS, as they always do, and that they rarely see any delays or problems.  But, for this particular order, they had combined parts for some of the other boats and were informed by customs in Guadalajara that they had exceeded their freight limit (not sure what that means).  However, customs would be sending three boxes through and holding one.  Care to guess which box they decided to hold?  Right!  Our parts are now being sent back to the U.S. to be reshipped through FedEx or DHL which will take at least another week (probably two).  Adios, Puddle Jump.

If you've followed this story from the beginning you're probably thinking the same thing I did: WHEN IS THIS SHIT GOING TO END!  We are waaaayyy beyond the anger point now -- this story is a comedy.  And, as with any comedy, you just have to laugh...and make new plans.

So, we'll cross the Pacific next year, with more time to prepare and put some hours on the engine.  And, as soon as the work is complete, we'll do what we planned to do last year: explore the Sea of Cortez.  The new plan is to sail north through the Sea to San Carlos/Guaymas where we'll leave the boat in June.  At this point we just want to get out and enjoy the boat instead of fixing the f***ing engine.

The good news is that we'll have another chance to see our friends here in Mexico and to visit friends and family back in the states.  We plan to rendezvous with a few other boats in the Sea and, after putting the boat away, will be traveling back to California and Oregon for the summer. 

Unless, of course, we change the plan.