First, there are some new videos on my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/RLWinters76.  It’s a small handful of the three dozen I shot, but these will give you some sense of what the crossing was like.  There are also some new photos in the gallery from Uxmal, the Mayan site we visited coming back from SOS Children’s Village Hampolol.

I think I was stressed yesterday for the first time since I left the U.S.  It was bizarre and it took me a little while to figure out why I was getting angry.  It turned out to be a combination of dread at leaving isla, self loathing for putting off so much boat maintenance since I’ve been here, and the stress of pulling the boat back together for an offshore passage.   

The Poc Na Hostel (http://www.pocna.com/) really is the center of the social life on Isla.  It’s where everyone meets for drinks and live music in the evenings before heading out for the night only to return for a late night round after the city has closed down.  Everyone there is travelling and the place has a great vibe to it.  Conversation flows in French, English, Spanish, and any other language you can think of.  I came late to the Poc Na scene and now that I am plugged in it has made leaving Isla even harder.  I keep telling myself that there will be other people and places down my path that I will love just as much.  It’s a hard sell.

Yesterday was a serious boat work day.  I am laying to my anchor so to flush and fill my water tanks I had to carry 15 gallons at a time in jerry cans from the marina dock out to the boat until I had the minimum 75 gallons.  From there I topped up the diesel and gasoline.  An hour later I was crawling around in my engine compartment inspecting my steering system.  I had a scare on the crossing over, but all seemed well.  Next I was reworking my prop lock to keep the prop from spinning while sailing.  I really hate that thing.  Next came the filters on the water maker.  Turns out the main filter didn’t have an element, but no problem.  I pulled one from the spares locker except that during the install the damn two way valve for pickling the thing snapped off.  Again, no problem.  Scavenge a few fittings and bypass the valve so the intake feeds right into the filter.  Then on to the custom made drawer latches to keep the damn things shut when I am underway.  I had all kinds of drawers pop open on the way out here.  One of three done and they are not pretty, but they’ll work.  And the list goes on.  That was just yesterday.  Today will be the same.

Weather.  Offshore seas for the next three days will continue to subside.  Thursday is looking like a good day for setting sail to a little coral atoll just off the south coast of Mexico.  I was planning on leaving tomorrow.  I am relieved to have the two extra days to pull the boat and myself back together.  Choosing the world as your cruising ground is a big order.  I think I could spend the next three years just getting to know the rest of Mexico.

Lee Winters
Phone: (281) 336-0855
Satellite Phone: 8816-316-59853

Web: www.SailingForSOS.com
Email: Lee.Winters@SailingForSOS.com