Sound Discovery: Deja Vu? Back in Guaymas---

It’s been a week since we arrived in Guaymas, and it feels a bit like Deja Vu in Marina Seca Guaymas (Didn't we just do all this eight months ago?? The answer is yes.): cleaning the copious amount of red dust and dirt off the decks of our pretty white and green Cal. She faired remarkably well this past summer through one major hurricane that hit Guaymas and San Carlos, hurling 120+ winds. Several boats in our yard did have some major damage, and we heard from the guards that our light Cal was rocking in her stands and they were constantly running between all of the lighter boats tightening up stands and lines that had blown free. Miraculously, we only have one line break loose that, a cheap plastic thing that was taking the place of our jib halyard.

Others didn’t fare as well--- You can read more about the hurricane damage up here in Guaymas and San Carlos in this Latitude 38 articles: http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2016-09-07#.WEzHcpI5SuU

A good example of our engine access.

Completed a few new projects in the yard this past week. I became a decent boat plumber and fixed a few leaks in our water lines. I read somewhere online that if you see silicone or plumbers putty anywhere—it’s a shoddy plumbing job at best—to which I said, I AM a shoddy plumber and promptly used both. Clif replaced two thru-hull valves to our sewage system intake and outtake. Both were totally corroded through, which explained some of our sewage system problems last spring. I made a half-ass attempt at cleaning our oily bilge, which has been gross since Clif purchased the boat in 2012. We have a uniquely deep bilge, which is about impossible to clean. I’ve heard of couple storing wine in their bilges… that will never be the case in our little Cal.

After completing several other chores (replaced shaft packing, bottom paint touch up), we started up the engine and scheduled a “splash” time with the travel lift. Got the boat in the water one week after we arrived exactly! I think we hold multiple records for preparing our boat in the yard. We hate living on the hard that much. Plus, the boats are meant to be the water! Once the all the thru-hulls are good, bottom paint good, engine running--- get her in the water! Too many people come down and get absorbed in some serious projects and end up spending a whole month living on a boat that your have to climb a ten foot ladder to access.

Another shot of SD flying!

Once in the water, we made our way to “El Mero” the inexpensive city docks outside of Guaymas. There are several other cruisers here doing the same thing we are doing—letting the boat settle in the water, prepping sails, checking bilges…etc. One of our chores once we get in the water is to climb the mast and run a couple spare halyard, usually Clif does this and I hoist, but I wanted to try this year, so I did! My first time all the way up the mast! I made a little harness for my phone and tucked it in my shirt so I could take plenty of pictures from above. Afterwards, my inner thighs were sore from hugging the mast so hard with my legs. Clif just monkeys his way up, and I literally did a koala hug all the way to the top.

We planning on headed to San Carlos area tomorrow (20 miles north) to do a quick sea trial and see how the boat is doing in the water, and then schedule our crossing to Baja.

I climbed the mast for the first time! Crazy.

In closing, I wanted to let folks know— we are in the market for a new boat! Clif and I have been looking at slightly larger and slightly heavier boats. Sound Discovery is an excellent coastal cruiser, but gets tossed around a little too much for my liking once we get into higher winds and heavier weather. We’re interested in purchasing an older blue water vessel, cutter or ketch rigged, heavy displacement and more room for family and friends to visit comfortably (Our Dads will both understand why!). I am particularly fond of the Tayana 37s, Hans Christian 38 Traditional, and Clif has been avidly looking at Kelly Petersons, Valiant 40s, and other larger, tried and true ocean crossing vessels. We spent a two days last week looking as some of the boats for sale in San Carlos and Guaymas— nothing popped out too much, but we’re open and enjoying the process of looking.

So that’s our exciting news! It’s also making us pretty excited to sail south to La Paz and check out what they have to offer as well.

Preparing to unplug after tomorrow, but will keep this up to date as much as possible!

--Giselle