MEXICO INDEX

HOME

                              LA PAZ - Gord's Birthday & Other Happy Hours, Baja

December 27, 2003

Most of Gord's Birthday was spent doing the usual repairs on the boat. But by 5:00 it was time for happy hour on Ascension.

Gary and Dale (Reaction), Donna and Ralph, (Ocean Girl) and Tammy and Dan (Anjuli) joined in the celebration.

Gord made a gallant effort to blow out all his candles!

Over the course of the next few days, we ended the year in numerous get-togethers, enjoying the company of our very good friends.

		Left: Bob, Gord, Betsy (Belair)   Right: Tammy, Gord, Ginny, Dan, Ralph (Ocean Girl).
Partying on Bel Air

December 31, 2003

The year has come to a close and we reminisce about how this past year has certainly been a complete change of lifestyle for us, full of many experiences and challenges. To date we have sailed about 2500 miles down the West Pacific coastline, survived the raging storm conditions that knocked us down, and also delighted in the serenity of a peaceful sea that has continuously entertained us with sea life. The day to day challenges of survival has given us a new appreciation for the luxuries that we left behind. I still miss my baths and on many passages it is simply too rough to shower and you have to get use to just going dirty. Gourmet cooking has consisted of "one bowl" meals, but it is fun being inventive, preparing dishes from whatever you can find at the local market.

One thing that I have enjoyed giving up is shoes. I think my feet would feel strangled if I ever had to put socks on...that is why my wine bottles are wearing all my socks!

To date, we have explored 28 different ports of call along the coast from Canada, along the US Pacific coast of Washington, Oregon, California, then down the Baja Coast to La Paz.

The trip has had ultimate highs along with desperate lows, especially when it seems that something on the boat always needs fixing. We had been without proper VHF communication since the storm, when our antenna was broken off the top of the mast. In Mag Bay, when the watermaker quit, it has been an unsuccessful ongoing effort to pry a drop of usable water from it. Then we had a complete hard drive failure on the computer, meaning everything was lost. All that, along with numerous other malfunctions prompted us to make a road trip to San Diego to buy parts and purchase a new watermaker.

PHOTO ALBUM OF MEXICO

NEXT>> ROAD TRIP LA PAZ TO SAN DIEGO