2020 – 2021 Season 2 – Page 11

La Cruz, March 3, Wednesday

We got up a bit later than normal, although with the time change it was a lot later, almost 8 am. We listened to the net at 8:30 and then started contacting the various repair people we need to get to fix the boat.

At lunchtime, we took the dinghy into the marina and then walked up to the square and found a restaurant for lunch Fish tacos and beer for 99 pesos. A pretty good deal. Then an Uber to Puerto Vallarta and Paradise Village (another marina) to see if we wanted to move to that marina. Pro’s and Con’s: PV has potable water, LC does not. The docks at PV appear to be in better shape, the water is dirtier by far at PV, their are known crocodiles at PV. The price is slightly lower at PV, the bathrooms and other amenities are much nicer at PV. The restaurants and shops in the area of PV are newer and fancier (like downtown big city US) the rubber cushions at the docks are in better shape at PV. There is a small (VERY SMALL) zoo at the PV marina, complete with at least one tiger, and some parrots. At the end of the day we debated quite a bit on which marina to go to. Afterwards, we took an Uber back to the boat, and our driver got stopped by the police and given a warning for driving too fast (we did not think he had gone too fast).

This guy startled Renee’ as we walked by at Paradise Village

San Blas to Chacala, then to La Cruz, March 1 and 2, Monday and Tuesday

We got up around 7 am, worked on getting ready to leave and said our goodbyes to our neighbor and Bruce and Gina on Dream Catcher. We pulled out and just as we were backing out saw that one of the other boats was pulling out at exactly the same time. Turned out he was heading to the yard, so not a big deal, but we pulled back in anyway. Then started over. We stopped at the fuel dock associated with the Marina Fonatur, and got fuel 8,109 pesos worth of diesel. About $4.20 us per gallon for 97 gallons. While at the fuel dock a dinghy came up with Kim and Eric from S/V Gladiator, along with one of their mothers Cindy. They are the couple who gave us advice on the Copper Canyon trip by train, in Topolobampo. We chatted for a bit, as we got fuel, and then when we were done we needed out the river.

We got out of the river and continued west for a while, figuring that if we could get to deeper water we could get past the swells, then turned south and put up the sails and got a bit more than 5 knots as we headed south. We sailed most of the day, then arrived in Chacala, this was about 25 miles south of San Blas, and seemed like it would be a pretty good anchorage, although every thing we read said to use two anchors to keep the boat pointed into the swells. We did and it was still a very rolly night.

Chacala to La Cruz, March 2, Tuesday

We got underway around 8 am, after a not very good nights sleep and headed south. Our original plan had been to stop at Punta Mita at the north west end of Banderas bay. But, it was only an hour and half further to get to La Cruz and it was fairly early (about 1:30 or so) when we rounded the point into the bay, so we continued on to La Cruz and anchored not far from the entrance to the marina. The wind was blowing pretty good, but what I had read about this place said to expect that in the afternoon. It calmed down after dusk and was very mild all night. We found out that there was a time change again, we have moved enough east to be two hours east of the West Coast now.

Just a hitchhiker we picked up for a bit.

Renee’ is pretty happy just floating around

This was a recent “memory” on Facebook. I don’t miss this a bit!

A much nicer view than that white stuff!

San Blas, February 28, Sunday

We got up at about 7 am, I worked on getting the sermon for the weekend downloaded and finally walked up to the office and used the WiFi and got it onto the computer and then verified I could play it to the TV and Stereo for both video and sound. Bruce and Gina came over and we talked for about a half hour then watched the sermon. After which they left and we had lunch. Renee’ listened to a speech from the CPAC, and then we walked into town for dinner. Another quiet day.

We ate at McDonalds, and no we did not have hamburgers!

San Blas, February 27, 39 years – our anniversary 2021

San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico

We are at the marina in San Blas for a few days. We needed to fill up on water and fuel. On our anniversary, Saturday, 2/27, we decided to make a day of it…we began with breakfast out. We ate in the town square where they advertised breakfast for 50 pesos. Two dogs from the marina followed us hoping we’d share. Smart dogs, but also irritating. After breakfast we headed for the Spanish fort up on the hill. I chased the dogs away and they eventually got the message. The fort was very interesting and the view was fabulous. There was a burned out church that was dedicated to the female saint of sailors. The guard mentioned to me that I was hanging out with Santa.

Then down the hill we went and decided to get a look at the nearby river. We’d decided to find a cab to go to the jungle river cruise but luckily we found a tour guide and boat at the river near the fort. He took us through a maze of jungle. It was wonderful to let someone else drive while we enjoyed the slow, relaxing ride. He pointed out the wildlife…birds (egrets, vulture, and an isis), baby crocodile…then the big ones, turtles, and iguanas. About midway he brought us to a secluded swimming area with a restaurant. We had a seafood (spicy) lunch…I had aguachile and Neil had a shrimp burrito. We watched others swim and snorkel. The swimming area was bordered by a chain link fence to keep out the crocs. We then returned to the spot where we’d begun. Victor, our tour guide was very informative and a good driver also. II was a lovely cruise.

We walked back to the boat and showered and rested. For dinner, we were joined by Bruce and Gina (from Dream Catcher) at the restaurant here at the marina. After dinner, they came back to the boat and played Quirkle with us. They tied for first place. It was nice to spend the evening with them. They are Christians and plan to join us for a church service video on Sunday morning.

We had to get our picture in front of the sign.

This was the beginning of the boat trip.

This bridge was pretty low, as in we ducked down almost to the top of the boat and missed the bridge.

Some of the crocodiles were pretty small.

The fish were in the water about 3 feet from our table.

In the middle of the picture there is an iguana. When we were there, at the moment the guide pointed him out, I did not see him, he pointed it out again. I still did not see it. I took this picture anyway, and then it ran away. After I looked at this picture and blew it up, I finally saw it. The iguana is bright green and almost exactly in the center of the picture. Pretty big one as well.

The trip was like this room for quite a few more on the boat, but it was just the tree of us.

This was a set for a movie released in 1991. Cows head Movie: Cabeza de Vaca

San Blas, February 26

So, yesterday was a “work day” on the boat. We really did not do anything, except make water and deal with the anchor chain. Today was not as much fun. This was my last chance for a while to deal with my mom’s iPad issue. So, right after breakfast I called Apple support, this was not a great experience, as I have noted before this has been a long process, and by the end of the day we are probably over a dozen hours on the “help” line with minimal success. Today, I finally gave up with the first line techs and have simply started requesting a senior advisor and going from there. Today I was “disconnected” (or hung up on by Apple) at least 4 times. That means the first three senior advisors got the story from me and started investigating and then failed to call back when we were disconnected, ONE attempted to call back about a half hour after we were disconnected, one sent a generic email about how to get back into the queue. By the time I was talking to the third senior advisor, I made sure that he knew my number and that he had no excuse for not calling back. The last time I spoke with a tech before this, they said they knew the solution to my problem, and that they would send me an article to read with a link in it to fix my problems, I asked what email they were sending it to, and they gave my email, I asked twice and they repeated where they were sending it. Of course they sent it to my mother in Tracy California and a while later she forwarded it back to me, of course it would work to reset the activation lock on your iPad IF YOU KNEW YOUR PASSWORD!! Which of course we don’t, so that was a wasted effort. In any case, the last guy really wanted me to trust him and that he would get to the bottom of this and so he sent me his contact info after generating a new case number to add the second device id to it. He described how this email would bring it directly to him and that all I had to do was reply to sender and that because of the case number it would go straight to him. So, of course the email he sent me had the old case number in it, I asked him about that and he said, no that won’t work and tried again. Same thing. (This is the sort of thing that makes me doubt the tech or senior advisor can fix my problems). In any case the third time he sent the email it was correct.

Anyway after about 3 hours today, I was finally at the end of what I can do on this problem today.

So, it was time for the second issue with support. While we were in California, I got a notice that the firmware in our battery charger/inverter needs a MANDATORY update. Until this update is done, I can’t use the charger software to change anything, This can be sort of important, as one of the features of this charger is the ability to reduce the limit on the supply current, so instead of the maximum of 30 amps in, I can set it at 15 amps or 7.5 amps, which when you are on a weak shore power connection can be helpful to prevent tripping the shore power off. Of course when we are running the generator, I want the setting at the maximum current, as our generator supplies up to 80 amps AC to our distribution system. This way the battery charges faster when we are running the generator and since we don’t have a time concern when we are at the pier it can charge over night. In any case, the note that came with the firmware notice is that it will reset all the settings to factory default. GREAT! Except I have already found that I don’t have access to adjust any of the settings that need to be changed for LiFePO4 batteries, as Victron Energy has that locked with a passcode that they only give to VE trained tech’s. So, before I do this update, I want to talk to the support people at Battleborn Batteries, where I bought the charger and they set it up. No answer, just a recording message and I left a call back number at about 11am, and got no call back by the end of the day. So this will wait until next week sometime.

Overall a pretty frustrating day.