Good Morning Amigos! We are sitting on anchor in La Paz with plans to pick up the hook and sail to the islands today. We are waiting for the winds to die down to take care of a potentially sticky situation involving our neighbor. We went to bed with him on our starboard side and woke up to him on our port. Turns out his anchor is now sticking and he’s in fine shape, except his engine is out of service while he’s doing repairs. Here’s where it gets sticky…we aren’t sure if our anchor chains got tangled as his dragged across ours last night, or if the chains are running parallel. So we are going to play it safe and wait for the wind to die down to prevent any further excitement. 
So what else has been going on since I came back from Oregon? Well, Brad has been HARD at work installing a new water maker system and a new toilet in our aft head (bathroom). These are very exciting additions to our cruising lifestyle! We’ve been getting along just fine without either of these, but now we are living the life of luxury with both!
Brad spent a solid week and a half cramped in our engine room working on the installation. First he had to uninstall the previous water maker system, then figure out where to place the new components. There were moments of late night meditation, shots of tequila, countless hours of boat yoga and lots of bruises/scrapes to go along with it. But now we can make around 30-36 gallons of water an hour through the new system! This means we can comfortably shower on board, dishes can be done with more than a few drops of water, Sydney can be rinsed after her beach visits- without the guilt of using up all the water. This is exciting stuff!!! Here’s the area emptied of the old system…
New system before install…
Getting installed…
New control panel, which meant Brad had to cut a huge hole in the boat…
The aft head wasn’t an easy job either. The old hoses and toilet had to come out and a new plumbing route had to be planned based on our new system. I find all of these things mind boggling. Brad enjoys the challenge and the engineering aspects of it all, even when dealing with toilets. I am definitely in good hands out here! Out with the icky old! 
In with the new!
While he was hard at work below, I had a few chores to tackle as well. Our stainless was in serious need of polishing and our teak was screaming for moisture. I snuck the work in during moments of shade, so early morning and around sunset to avoid some serious sun exposure. It wasn’t too long before both projects were completed and good to go.
We’ve also provisioned the boat with plenty of groceries and beverages to sustain us during our upcoming trip to the islands.
We managed to snag the holy grail of cruising books down here, “Sea of Cortez, a Cruiser’s Guidebook”. This book is incredible! It reminds me of a candy store for cruisers. It gives us all the information we need, plus beautiful photos to get you excited about visiting a new place. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about… 
We’ve also found ourselves spending lots of beach time with Sydney and her lady friend, Allie, from Jersey Girl. We knew the boat and crew from doing the HaHa back in October. It was nice to get reacquainted with them and to let the pups get plenty of exercise. It turns out that Jersey Girl is operating as a charter boat down here. Let me just say, it’s 65 feet of luxury with a crew that will spoil you! Kenny and Donna have worked hard to get the boat looking spiffy as can be, and they have all the beach toys to keep you entertained. If you’re looking for a getaway with all the bells and whistles, then be sure to check them out! Www.sailjerseygirl.com
Sydney’s Perspective: So, check this out. Almost every day I get picked up by Allie and we go play at the beach. She loves for me to chase her, but I couldn’t care less! I would rather eat or roll in dead fish, or fetch a stick. Allie does swim faster than me, and she’s blonde. It’s true what they say, blondes do have more fun! All in all it’s been an OK couple of weeks around here. Would be better if I could take a fish to go! 
There you have it folks! We are going to be out of internet range for a bit, but I’ll be sure to update you once we return. We hope you’re all doing well! Cheers from SV Perspective!
Enough about my smuggling. I was in Oregon to spend some time with my parents. My Mom recently moved back to town and I was thrilled to be able to see both parents without making two trips. My Dad picked me up in Medford, Oregon and we enjoyed a 2.5 hour drive to Brookings. We chatted up a storm and were home before we knew it.
The following day I had the pleasure of meeting his girlfriend and celebrating her birthday. I swear I ate more chips and salsa at her house than I’ve eaten in all of Mexico! Thank you for the hospitality, Lisa!
My Mom has always been a hiker. I have lovely memories of hiking with her and my brother. She had a pistol on her hip with a belt full of bullets just in case we ran into a bear or cougar. My brother and I were armed with BB Guns or sling shots. This time we skipped the weapons and brought the puppies instead. If you ever stop in Brookings, make time for a coastal hike. There are plenty of trails to explore, and they are worth every step. The first hike we took was about 3 miles round trip that led us down to the ocean. The coast was BREEZY that day. It would make for some exciting sailing! 
The next day we went to the Natural Bridges trail and our senses were overloaded as we descended. The trails go through the forest down to the cliffs with so much green in between! 
It doesn’t take long before you are viewing the natural bridges…
The views get better as you go further down the trail. 
While it’s easy to look at the ocean, there is beauty on the ground too. Spring time is gorgeous! 
While the hikes were lovely, spending quality time with my parents was the best. Each of them are so strong and have taught me so much. I’m so thankful that they are so supportive of our crazy sailing adventure! It was difficult to leave them and head back to Mexico. I had all the feels as I said good bye to each of them and I’m already looking forward to seeing them again. Hopefully next time Brad and Sydney will be there too!
The plane flew over the Sea of Cortez and my curiosity was in overdrive as I gazed at the islands below. This summer Brad and I will be exploring these islands up close and personal. 
Before I wrap up this post, I have to brag about my Mom’s creativity. Before the trip started she asked me to pick up anything that caught my eye and bag it up for her. This trip I came armed with shells for her. She picked these succulents on our hike and made good use of the shells! What a cute idea!!!
Well my friends, I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog. And if you ever end up smuggling booty to us, don’t say you learned it from me! We hope this blog finds you happy, healthy and having a great day!