Enjoying Paradise

Using experience learned from our bus trip home we were able to take a first class bus most of the way back to Puerto Vallarta so we had a more comfortable, quicker trip back.

Once back at Paradise Marina, we found Vagari in good shape and quickly fell into the resort living mode. The marina/ hotel where we are staying sponsors an international sailboat regatta. We were able to crew on one of the participants for the 3 days of racing. We were on a 30 plus year old 44’ Kelly Peterson that weights 37,000 pounds. We had a lot of fun and I was able to build up my strength and stamina. We finished 4th in our class of seven. There were a couple of boats that we beat or lost to right at the finish. After about 3 hours of racing we would cross the finish line less than a minute before or after the closest boat in our class.

Before moving from San Diego I purchased a modem that will let me send and receive emails from Vagari using the Ham radio. For a year I never even tried to install the system. I did install it at home in Saddlebrooke last summer but never got it working. There is an expert who is a former cruiser living here. He had it up and running in no time and showed me how to it worked. So Vagari can now send and receive text only emails. My first email went at a blazing 137 bits per second. Slow for sure but it’s nice to be in contact with family and friends when we are at sea or in remote anchorages.

We both came down with a case of “tourista” Tuesday evening. Rhea was on the road to recovery in a day Stan took a little longer since he had the double ender assortment.

A word about diversity. That word has become a political buzz- word but Vagari is in the middle of diversity. On our starboard side is the 32’ or 34’ sailing vessel “Darhma”. I don’t know what make or model it is but it is a wreck. The decks are covered with junk; tarps are blowing in the breeze. The owner is Susan from the bay area. Susan used to be a he before she became a she. Because it would cost so much to clean her up I wouldn’t take it if it were given to me.

To port is a top of the line sailboat that is a 37’or 38’ eight year old that is in pristine condition owned by a retired OBGYN physician. It’s for sale for $185,000.

Both of these people are pleasant interesting neighbors.