Monday, July 31, 2017

Half way through the summer already... yikes!!


​Why is it that, even though the tudu list gets shorter... the days don't get any longer, at least with time for play?  ​I guess the alternative (death by boredom) isn't so pleasant. In fact the days are racing by and it's hard to believe tomorrow is August 1st.  Yikes!  

The neat thing for us is that, for the first time since 2011
​,​
we aren't already engaged in planning a September departure to begin our drive south.  Oh yes, we're still going.. but things are different this year. We have made that 'hard' decision to bring SSpirit (SV Shannon's Spirit) home next summer, after one final season in the Sea of Cortez. It's been difficult to figure out exactly when to come home. As Kathy pointed out a few days ago, if we'd done what so many others did... and headed out into the South Pacific after arriving in Mexico... we'd have been home two years ago. Instead, we stalled in the Sea and have enjoyed every opportunity possible to explore her beautiful shoreline
​s​
and people.  But now, realizing there will never be a day we can say "
​O​
k, enough, we've seen it all... time to go home", we have decided it is indeed time to head ourselves back to the sailing grounds of beautiful British Columbia... while they still exist and we're still young enough to enjoy adventures here. What this means is that we'll be flying down this year (carting the gear we think we need with us) directly to Mazatlan and SSpirit; 5 or so hours vs. 14 days....  quite a difference.  And, we won't be leaving until the first week of November.. another huge change.  We have, in fact, two full months longer here at home... and it's been pretty nice to know that; more relaxing having time with family, friends, and home-based adventures... something I confess we had been missing.  Our cruising plans for this final season include sailing south down the mainland coast, as far as we can for Christmas, and then heading back north and across to La Paz.  We'll spend the early spring months up in the Baja, gunkholing amongst the beautifu
​l​
anchorages there and then we'll return to La Paz for preparation to ship SSpirit home. All plans written, of course, below high water and in the sand.

Here at home, our hearts go out to our friends, and their friends, caught up with the BC wild fires; absolutely horrible, desvastating and terrifying. We've been in contact with many and they seem to be coping, although the threats continue and will do so for some time yet.  It's not even August (until tomorrow).  We all have our fingers crossed for their personal safety and their homes.

For those of you who have been wondering how the fence project is going...
​it's finally done and​
we've enclosed a couple photos.  I must say the learning curve was pretty steep and the hours (spread over 2 1/2 months) seemed pretty long, but it's very satisfying to look outside and see the fence upright and lookin' good.  Sure there are a few warts, and I know where they are :-) but over-all we're very content with the results of our labour.

So finally, I just wanted to check in and say howdy... to all of you who follow our (mostly winter months) Blog and thank you for doing so.  As a bit of a writer (yes, I do have a couple projects underway) it's always heart-warming to know your work is enjoyed by readers... so thanks for being there.

We hope you are enjoying this summer... with your friends and family, and that all is well with each of you.  Take good care.  We'll write again when there's something to say.. likely towards the time we're heading south.
​  Adios amigos y amigas.... until we write again.  CJ​

Posted by: Carolyn (via Kathy's Google mail profile)