The best laid plans...

It's Friday... January 24th...  and it's time to check in...

Not with, I'm afraid, the news you were hoping for.  No, we haven't found the perfect yacht.  But there is news, to be sure.  We have made a very difficult decision that feels 'right' for us.  But first let me tell you where we got to.

We have been reviewing yacht-world listings, for sale by owner ads, word of mouth and rumors about boats for sale or about to be listed, bulletin boards, toilet cubicle walls... you name it, for months. We've checked them all... looking for a boat that will be good for us over the next ten or more years. We're not looking for the Queen Mary (too many rooms to clean) and we're not looking for a sleek racer (no where to store the beer)... we just want something with a little more room and comfortable living arrangements... as well as a reasonable sailor and able to cope with good old Georgia Straits. I'll stop now, you already know all that.

After a good visit with friends, we left Yuma and pushed old Chuck (pretty tired now after all these miles with a load of stuff in the cargo hold and two boats and a spinnaker pole lashed to his 'lid') from Yuma, over to the coast, and up to the Marina del Rey area.  We actually stayed in Carson to keep the hotel costs down.  We've looked at numerous boats here; several Catalina 36 MK II's, a couple MK I's, and a couple of Ericson's. Two of the Catalina's came close but each had their issues and both were missing essential equipment we require.  We traveled up as far as Santa Barbara to look at three boats yesterday (a 2 hr drive that took 3 1/2 hours.... each way) and mostly what we've done is become very efficient at negotiating California freeways.

And then there's Mexico...  As you can imagine, we've been monitoring 'the situation' (that's what we all call it now) very carefully.  Latitude 38 continues to be a good resource for keeping abreast of what's going on... and, of course, our friends Molly & Bryce (SV Abracadabra) are still living it.

We've also revisited our realistic dreams and goals... our wishes for the future... and our lives in general... the things we hope to do and the things we still dream of doing...  and, back to what I said at the start, we've made a decision.

We're not going to buy a boat in the US right now.  We're not going to continue the push and hard work to purchase a boat and force our way back into Mexico right now. We're not going to continue trying to second-guess what the Mexican government, in it's seemingly self-destructive approach to enforcing rules that are inconsistent and difficult to understand.. (by both the enforcer and the 'enforcee'), might do next. We're not going to risk yet another year of our cruising life steeped in indecision and angst over whether or not we should return... and if so, how so and when?

We have had a wonderful, challenging and satisfying adventure, first down the coast, and then cruising in the Sea of Cortez and mainland Mexico. We will forever have the visions of that time in our memories. We are going to miss our cruising and Mexican friends terribly and we sincerely hope that somewhere out there will be at least one... who might say one day "hey guys... wanna go sailing?  I could use a couple of crew"... After all, we just adore Isla San Francisco and still haven't seen San Juanico, and we do know how to do anchor watch :-)

We are going to continue our sailing and cruising, at home, in the spring/summer/fall; for now in Mojo and while we watch for the new 'ride'.. And we're going to spend more time with friends and family and taking a little time to enjoy being retired. We're told it's quite fun... we're gonna try it on.

We leave tomorrow morning to push Chuck just a wee bit further... home to Canada.  We'll not stay long... just enough days to unload and give him a good servicing, take care of some personal business, and say hi to a few folks if we can. Then we'll be heading back down to the US and some winter warmth travelling by road... to visit friends and do some touristing.  We'll be back home by the end of April and carrying on with our summer plans.

Shocking change of plans I know... but 'ya only live once' and we have but one chance to get each day right...  We're both looking forward to refocusing on our lives, our health, and our fun-factor...

Make no mistake, sailing is our 'true love' and will remain a huge part of our lives for a very long time....

We will stay in touch.... today is Friday, tomorrow is a new day, and... after all....everyone knows...

            The best laid plans, are printed in the sand 
                      below the high-water mark... 
                                 stay tuned....

Plan 1,376…

Ever feel like each time you turn around, you’ve changed your mind… again… and have to start making plans all over… again…?

So, here we are… in the process of packing up poor old Chuck (the truck) again…  We’ve had a great visit in Yuma.. with friends Susan & George, Lane & Kathy, MJ & Leona, Alison & Craig, Ron & Joyce, and John & Eileen… phew…. and then there’s the new folks we’ve met too…  It’s all good fun.  But it’s time to move on.. time to jump-start our search for a new boat.. and, to be honest, we’re really missing the smell and tang of salt water air… Pacific coast here we come.

Over these past few months we’ve changed our minds plenty.  We’ve considered and reconsidered the type of boat we’re looking for.. the keel, the rudder, the engine, the electronics, the blue-water gear… all those things that are important.. and then there’s the absolutely ‘most’ important… the ‘feel’ of it.  We both love the look and ‘feel’ of the traditional boats… the cutter-rigged ketch and the cutter-rigged sloop, the bowsprit, all that fine teak inside and out.. all those wonderful bits and pieces that make a fine yacht….  And then, there’s the maintenance and upkeep, the repairs and upgrading, and all that other stuff that the more traditional yachts demand… “So too do the newer boats” I hear you cry.  Yes, that’s true… but a little less varnishing and a little more sailing, coupled with some pleasantries in the ‘domestic’ realms are also important.  As we move through the years, and look ahead at the next decade, they’re inching their way up the priorities list. So, with all that being said, we’ve changed (a bit) the vision of what we’re looking for.  You’ll know what we decide moments after we do…  You can bet we’ll let you know.  For now, we’re full of research, experience, advice and all other kinds of information that we’ve collected.  We’ll know our next boat when we meet her.

Monday we head out of Yuma and turn our noses west.. er… north-west to be precise. Whereas we thought we’d head first to San Diego we’ve changed our minds, again. There just aren’t very many boats of the type we seek available in San Diego. Now, our destination is Carson, CA just outside Marina del Rey and we hope to be in Oceanside by mid-day for a quick stop at the Oceanside Yacht Club.  We had fun there on our way down and believe they may have some info about suitable moorage in the area, should we need it.  Gotta stop for lunch somewhere… :-) There are at least three boats in Marina del Rey and another in Santa Barbara that have caught our eye.  Hopefully one of them will stand up to our scrutiny.

Kathy’s found a Motel 6 in Carson that has just completed a total renovation and sounds very good… and, they don’t even charge for pets (a first for us).  Not that we mind having the Princess along but some hotels charge as much as $75… most average out about $25… and it really adds up.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we have our last day here, visiting with folks and having dinner with friends.  We’ll be on the road early Monday so will write when we can – either that night or the next.  Until then… hope all is well with all of you… keep those parkas handy.. sounds like winter’s not over yet. xo  CJ

From the horses’ (our friends’) mouth…

We realize many of you have questions about what’s going on in Mexico… questions we can’t answer. We’re neither there and involved, nor do we have access to accurate accountings… except… from our cruising friends.. those who are caught up in this web of complexity…

So, for a first hand account, from when it started to where it is today, please tune in to our friends Molly and Bryce’s blog and follow along as they live through this trying time.  Molly is a good writer and their story is first-hand… it doesn’t get better than that.  Their blog address is www.travelsonabracadabra.blogspot.com .  Hope you enjoy the read.  Adios… CJ

The situation in Mexico…

Howdy.  Several of you have enquired about the situation in Mexico, with respect to boats, that is now hitting the international news agencies.  We haven’t mentioned it before as the exact nature and limits of what was happening were too vague to try to explain.  In fact, the situation has been going on since November when the newly formed AGACE group (appointed by the new Mexican government) began checking vessel documents and HINs (Hull Identification Numbers) in certain marinas in Mexico.  That sounds pretty simple, I know, but the confusion had only just begun.  Seems many boats, who indeed had their paperwork perfectly in order, became victims of this ‘sweep’ because they weren’t on board when the ‘inspectors’ arrived to inspect… and consequently their boats were put onto a “temporary embargo” list… along with over 300 other boats.  I’m not going to try and explain any details because it’s simply too mixed up to do so.  What I will do is refer you to Latitude 38, an online publisher that has been chronicling this situation since it began. Their last post, in response to the recent international news reports, provides a good over-view. You can read the post here:  Foreign Boat Impoundment Story Goes Mainstream

You will read about armed military and police accompanying the inspectors.  This is a very common practice in Mexico and not an ‘act of war’ as some have suggested.  You will read about ‘midnight raids’ and vessel seizures… again, these are exaggerated accounts. All people reporting in have described the attitude of the ‘inspectors’ as polite and friendly.  So friendly, in some cases, the folks didn’t realize they’d failed the inspection and their boat was embargoed until they read their boat name on ‘the’ list. Please read through the accounts and inform yourself as to what is going on… as best you can.

What does this mean for us? Well, we’ve done everything we could to protect SV Shannon.  She has never had an HIN but her Temporary Import Permit shows her Canadian Registration Number recorded on the VIN line; and her Official Number is also permanently carved into her hanging locker and displayed on a brass plaque permanently mounted on her bulk head. We’ve made sure both the marina office and the manager looking after her have copies of all her papers and we’ve explained her HIN/VIN situation to them.  We’ve also sent all of this information to her new owners…. and, we’ve left instructions with her care manager to contact us should anything untoward occur.  Not sure what else we can do. For those of you wondering, her new owner Bill was injured in a motorcycle accident and won’t be coming to her until October, so we’ve tucked her back in for another summer and she waits patiently for his attendance.

We are continuing with our boat hunt while we watch the situation in Mexico carefully.  Let me be clear; we have absolutely no problem with yachts being checked to insure they have entered the country legally and have all their papers in order.  Unfortunately there are some owners who have not done this and their actions have led, in part, to this new inspection process. What we hope to see is that the situation calms down, the government figures out how to lift the embargo on the foreign cruising yachts who are not in violation, and things return to pretty much how they were… with perhaps a little more caution being exercised by marina offices and others responsible for checking boats in and out.  If things don’t calm down we may be forced to revisit our goal of returning to the Sea and rethink our future cruising plans (as to location).  After all, we have a beautiful cruising ground waiting for us in BC and, now that we’re both retired, our cruising adventures will be magnificent there too.

For now, we’re enjoying our visit in Yuma and looking forward to seeing other friends who are already here and others who may be arriving.  We’ll be leaving here on, or shortly after, January 20th.  We’re sorry to hear about the winter storms still threatening folks in BC , and across the country, and we hope that all of you are keeping warm and safe.  By the way, it’s not exactly toasty down here… mornings start off around 50 and the day warms up to the low-mid 70’s for a while, before cooling off again for the evening. It’s not exactly tanning weather, but it’s very comfortable and the sun is wonderful.

Best wishes to all of you, from all of us… even the Princess.  Take good care.. bye bye for now…..  CJ

Where are we now??

Hi there… many of you have been asking… Where are you? What are you doing?  All fair questions… We’ve just been kind of in travel mode and away from steady internet connection…  and so, somewhat rested… here we are back to catch you up on our travels.

We were determined to make our journey north as short and painless as possible… and, as always, poor old Chuck was full.  Chuck, for those of you who haven’t met him, is our trusty steed… a 1999 Ford Ranger… pretty green colour (oh, I guess he’d rather I described him as a ‘husky’ green) with an aging (although functional… if you don’t count each time one of the locks falls off :-) black canopy. For this trip Chuck was so full I had to physically use my shoulders to push in the last of the blankets and the sleeping bag (sleeping bag? you ask… yup, it does get cool in the mornings… even in Mexico… in January).  Anyway, besides being ridiculously full with all our “A” belongings (the “B”s are in storage in Mazatlan)… Chuck also had the pleasure of holding up the dinghy (deflated and wrapped in shade cloth) the whisker pole (3” diameter by about 10’ long), and the lime green kayak….  Dressed like this he is the most obvious vehicle in the parking lot… impossible to lose.

Luckily the tires were still round and off we headed, into the dark (again) leaving Mazatlan at 0430 hrs. on January 2nd.  We weren’t the only vehicles on the road and (unlike last year) we actually found our way out of the city and onto the highway without getting lost.  Thankfully the highways down here are much better than years past and by keeping to the toll highway (Cuado) we feel pretty safe as they are regularly patrolled by armed guards or police or soldiers….

After 10 long hours (which included stopping for fuel, water and sanitarios as required) we arrived in Guaymas, our destination for that night. Now you may recall my description of the first place and the second place we’d stayed in Guaymas on previous journeys…. and, determined not to be upset by ‘bugs’ again… we settled on the Holiday Inn Express, a newer hotel with great staff and a good breakfast.  We’d stayed there on the way down (sans puppy) and, after conferring with the princess who bravely offered to sleep in her truck bed, we decided we’d stay there again.  Soph was great; no complaints, happy to snuggle in to her fleece bed, she had a good nights sleep (as did we) and was up and raring to go at 0630 the next morning.

Day two (January 3rd) saw us pushing for the border.  There is no shortcut for this drive… and we had no choice but to arrive at our place in the lineup at mid-day.  For TWO hours we inched forward, casting worried glances at the gas gauge, and praying we wouldn’t run out…  (of course, I hadn’t remembered to fill our emergency jerry can with gas… stupid, stupid, me). Anyway, we finally made it up to the booth where a very nice, young fellow spoke with Kathy and asked a few question… (we always have Kathy at the wheel when going through borders.. she’s much nicer than me… fewer sharp corners… and does very well with the questions). Kathy drives and I sit in the passenger seat, armed with my binders of papers.. in order of course, covering the dog, us, the truck, the insurance, and the contents. We were prepared (as always) for the big search.  We’ve been so lucky over these past few years… It was no surprise when the fellow told us to pull ahead… into the checking area…  and so we did, expecting the worst.  But you know, again lady luck was watching over us.  There, another nice fellow asked to see in the back… did the usual double-take and sucked in his breath.  Accepted my offer to show him our two litres of wine, lifted the lid on one blue bin (luckily the one holding bits and pieces of kitchen equipment from our last galley) and with a big smile said… “have a nice day”.  He didn’t even ask to see the dog’s papers which, again, we had meticulously prepared and paid good money for yet another International Health Certificate.  You know the day we don’t will be the day they’re asked for…. oh well.

And so, 2 1/2 hours after arriving at the border, we pulled out the other side of the searching area and headed down the road into the US of A… with English road signs and English radio channels (mostly)… on our way to Yuma.  Susan and George had kindly  said they’d wait dinner for us… and bless their hearts they did.  We had a wonderful and delicious meal when we arrived and then tucked ourselves into our new home for the next couple of weeks.  We are now ‘official’ guests of the Sun Vista RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona and we live in space #154, a single-wide park model, with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, sitting room, and even an add-on side room with couch and TV… great for piling some of our stuff into.

It’s taken a couple of days to catch our breath.  Between the packing, travelling, and continuing dialogue with folks in La Paz who were determined we should purchase the Catalina 36… it’s been a longish few days.  For those of you who are wanting to know.. we did re-think the La Paz Catalina, even had an email form the owner asking us to reconsider.. and we did.  We attempted to pick up where we’d left off, but to no avail.  Something else has occurred (don’t know what officially) and he has decided to go in a different direction… and so, as of this morning, we’re back to Plan B and looking west towards San Diego and Marina Del Rey to find our new boat.. and rest assured we will…. it’s just about being there.  For now, rest up and enjoy life.  Kathy’s at the pool as I write this, attending her first water-aerobics class… She should be home any minute, so I’d best get the coffee on.

We’ll be here for another two weeks, at least, having some fun and learning pickle ball…. We hope all of you are doing well… just think… only a few (well maybe a tad more) weeks and you’ll be thinking about spring….  Take good care.. from all of us to all of you… Happy January….  CJ

Confessions and updates...

First, the confession:

Those of you who keep blogs will understand when I say "#!*"???#@" about the sensitivities of some of these newfangled machines called computers.  Yet again I had prepared a blog post, complete with short stories, humour and the details of our boat hunt and future plans... and then, just at that magic moment when all that was left was the salutation....  my right little finger gently swept across... barely touched.... the top of some unknown yet dastardly key... obviously camouflaged as a normal key but secretly planted as a warrior key... designed to thwart even the most careful preparations!!!!! and my submission was gone... not just hiding, but gone, gone, gone...  Even Kathy couldn't find it.

I was so mad, I put the net book away and didn't write again...  thought maybe I'd give up even.

Several days later (today) my conscience got the better of me and I realize that some of you are still waiting to hear about what's been going on with us.  Sooooo, here I am again.. back on the keyboard (with little fingers cocked up towards the ceiling :-)

And now the update:

For those of you who have been following the boat hunt, the story (without the details) goes like this...
We didn't buy the Beneteau 361, and...  we didn't buy the Catalina 36 MK II either.  Turns out the boat was suffering from a major case of lack of sustained maintenance.... the clues had been there and I'd missed them... but the truth came out in the surveys. That's the long and the short of it.

As for what we're doing now... well, Chuck the truck is packed (almost...) The outboard, dinghy and kayak will be added this afternoon and, looking a lot like ma and pa kettle on the road, we'll be heading out early on January 2nd. We decided to sit out New Years here in Mazatlan.. celebrate a bit with our friends and then head north.  We're not sure if we'll be able to fit all of the things we've collected in our little bungalow room (things like food and accessories) but we're pretty sure they'll be welcomed by some of the staff here.  The folks at Mar Y Sol Bungalows are wonderful.  The senior house keeper (Ceci) is particularly special...  She even gave us a Christmas card which I think is something pretty unique.  We'll miss these folks, but I have no doubt that as long as they're in business, we'll always stop here when we visit Mazatlan and need a land-based place to stay.

I better speed up before my finger hits that 'key' again.

Our plans are to head north to Guaymas on the 2nd, then across the border at Nogales on January 3rd. We'll then head directly for Yuma where Susan and George have found a place very near to their own for us to rent for two or more weeks.  We're really looking forward to visiting with them and to resting up a bit from the frustrations of the boat hunt. Then we'll head to San Diego to continue our search.

Also ahead is a week's vacation in Cathedral City where we'll visit with friends Ron & Dal and Kathy's mom. Marg will be flying down to join us for the week and we're looking forward to that very much.

As for the new boat? We'll know it when we find it.  As for where we'll find it? We're keeping an ear tuned to whatever's going on down here in Mexico.  Seems the government is having a titch of difficulty deciding whether they want to encourage foreign cruisers to visit Mexico or stay away. It's a long, political story... but whatever occurs over the next few weeks will likely have an impact on which direction we, and others, choose to sail.

For now, and before I accidentally delete it again....  that's our update....

Hope you all had a good Christmas and are looking forward to a wonderful 2014...  Until I write again.. adios....  CJ

Ticked off in Sayulita...

First of all let me tell you that both Kathy and Miss Sophie are home... safe and mostly sound.  Now let me tell you about how that all happened.

Sophie (the Princess to her friends) was kind enough to stay at home with Susan & George while Kathy and I drove down to Mazatlan, prepared Shannon and boat shopped.  It's just too hot here to hang out in the truck while we wandered docks and so she opted instead to stay home and take care of her buddies. The plan was well executed and included Sophie joining Kathy (who went home for a few weeks to visit her mom) for the flight back... a non-stop flight... from Victoria to Puerto Vallarta.  My job was to drive down to pick them up at the airport.  We planned to spend that night and the following night in a sea-side town called Sayulita on the way home... to give Sophie a day on the beach before returning to Mazatlan.

Knowing that driving in the dark isn't all that safe in Mexico (the cows come down to the warm roads to settle in at night... and become very large speed bumps for the unaware) I planned the drive carefully.  I had to be in PV by 1200 and so, armed with maps and money for tolls, I headed out at precisely 0500 hrs.  Even at that hour there was quite a bit of traffic on the roads and to say it was easy figuring out which roads, turns, and bridges to take would be a lie.  It was awful and I had to 'guess' at least three times.  Luckily my guesses were good and after about half an hour of driving with my fingers crossed... I found myself on the highway heading to first Tepic and then Puerto Vallarta.  The road was indeed narrow and windy (as in curvaceous :-) and the traffic was heavy with large trucks and buses, as well as speeding locals and overly-cautious foreigners (like me).  The drop offs were major and the shoulders narrow.... but I got the hang of it pretty quick... even to listening to the truckers who, by flashing their left turn signals, would (supposedly and without trickery) signal the car behind them (like me who was hiding there) that it was safe to pass....  I have to admit... some of the passing was a bit hair raising.. but, hey, I'm writing this so I guess I did okay.  Anyway, back to the day.

6 1/2 hours after leaving Mazatlan I pulled in to the Puerto Vallarta airport and went inside to find my girls.  I was an hour early, so went up to the second floor to have a bite to eat.  It was moments after I big into my big, sloppy, delicious hamburger that a woman asked me what time it was.... hmmmm we looked at each other and both said at the same time... "time change".  Oops. Seems I was right on time and not an hour early.  Yes I did stuff as much as I could into my mouth (hadn't eaten for some time) and no, I didn't finish it all.  But I did rush back downstairs to the International arrival gate and start the wait.  1 1/2 hours later :-(  Sophie and Kathy came through the doors....  Seems Kath couldn't find her precious cargo right away.  Sophie, in her crate, was supposed to be carefully guarded and secured ... available for Kathy to claim at some (to be disclosed) location.  It took a while but Kathy finally found the crate with Sophie peeking out the door... going around and around... circling... with all the suitcases... on the luggage carousel....  can't you just see it...?  Anyway, the princess did fine... came out all happy and ready to go.  Once they'd cleared customs and gathered all their belongings they came out the gate and away we went....heading for some R & R in Sayulito.

This is where the story gets a little disappointing.  It took about an hour and a half to get to the town of Sayulito and, once there, we found the assistant property manager who was to take us to our little casita (Casa Serena) we had rented... and he did.  He was a nice fellow and showed us up the road to what was supposed to be our domicile for a couple of nights.  The place looked okay from the little grassy parking spot below and so up three flights of stairs we trudged.  The door was opened and it was one step in, two steps back... to allow the musty, mildewy odour out.  Not to be deterred we opened all the windows and doors (it even had a cute little balcony with two chairs on it) to allow the air to clear.  Went to check out the bathroom through two swinging doors... it was just a toilet.  Turned around and, whoops, there was the shower... outside... dignity to be protected by three shoulder high walls... hmmmm.  Other than that, the room had a bed, a little kitchen and the aforementioned balcony (oh and a fridge)... none of it looked particularly clean... but, well, it was now late in the day and there were no other accommodations available that we knew of.. and so we decided to make a go of it. Kathy scooted down the stairs to get the next set of luggage while Sophie checked out the bed as is her custom.  'Twas then I noticed movement... not the kind of movement you see out the corner of your eye and that scares you to death... but the kind of movement... on the floor... that demands you inspect more closely.  There, on the floor at the foot of the bed... were little bugs... the size of wooden match heads... about 8 of them... all crawling in various directions but generally from the area of the bed towards the light of the balcony.  Well, I've never seen a bed bug (although we always check carefully) and I didn't know what these were.  They were moving slowly enough I had time to grab a kleenex and pick them all up... then I put them in a glass... and then I put them in a ziplock.  I also called to Kathy and said "guess what, we're not staying here!!! I'll sleep in the truck before I'll stay here".  It was almost a foot stomp but I knew no stomping would be required. This was serious stuff.

To make a long story short....  the bugs were ticks.  We looked them up on the Ipad and identified them quickly. We contacted the property manager and explained we were not staying here... no matter what.  That was about when we noticed what looked like a bite on Sophie (welcome to Mexico sweetie).... now the panic escalated (dogs have been lost in Mexico due to ticks... we knew that)..  We contacted a vet who agreed to meet us at his office at 6 PM.  That was only a half hour later so we packed our things back into the truck (shaking and checking them all carefully), bundled PS (princess Sophie) back into the truck... and headed back down the hill into town and to the vets office.  There, the vet checked and said he thought it was a tick bite and then didn't have much to say at all... he wasn't a very good vet (we'd been warned by another dog owner on the street, but he was the only one open).  With that, we gave the key back to the assistant property manager (I must say he was a nice guy, very sympathetic and actually put us in contact with the property manager so we could explain our sudden departure... and our expectation of a refund).

Now for a decision.  Were we to drive to the next town, in the dark, and go door to door seeking accommodation for the night??  for two people and a dog??  chances of success?... pretty slim. Soooo, we chose to do the unthinkable.... yup, we drove home... in the dark...  Before you think us nuts, here's the reasoning... In the dark we would have looked like any other older truck on the road.. with probably two lumberjacks inside.  And as for those dastardly cows.. well, we figured we'd stick to the toll roads and fall in behind a bus or a truck and just follow them home.  That's pretty much what we did... We got back into Mazatlan at midnight, stopped at the all night MacDonalds and had a feast... we were home in our beds by 0100 hrs... and very glad to be so.

We've taken Sophie to the vet here and he confirmed that the ticks were Brown Dog Ticks... quite common in the jungle areas, and 'some' carry disease.  To our question "what risk is she at?" he explained it was like Dengue fever, a mosquito-carried problem that effects people... and not every mosquito carries it.. it's more about luck than anything... So too the tick situation... not every tick carries the disease.  The good news is... Sophie is now on anti-biotics for two weeks after which she will get a blood test done to see if there is any sign of the bug.  Caught early, this is apparently quite treat-able.. so of course we'll be on top of this.. and we have a good vet here in Mazatlan and another good one in La Paz.  Phew.

For the information of cruisers or travelers coming to this area, here is a link to some good information about Brown Dog Ticks. Of particular note is the fact that these ticks, unlike other varieties, can spend their entire life cycle indoors and can be found on the floors and walls of infected houses.

http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/brown_dog_tick.htm


As I'm sure you can imagine, we're not too impressed with Sayulita... certainly won't be going back there with a dog.. although it's known as a 'dog friendly' town and we saw lots of them there... ours won't be going back any time soon.

It's now Sunday, December 22nd...  Christmas is three days away. We'll be having Christmas dinner with our cruising friends on the 24th and probably spend the 25th lounging about on the beach with all the other tourists.....  We're all fine, even Sophie....  so until we write again...

Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas to you and yours... may the weather gods be kind... and Santa be fair.

Carolyn, Kathy, and Sophie.