The boat is all put away for the Summer. (That sounds weird to me because Summer seems like boating season). In the tropics it’s storm season though. We have a protected slip in Paradise Village (Nuevo Vallarta) that keeps Island Summers safe.
Putting the boat to bed is always a little sad and a fair amount of work. But the weather this time of year is getting hot and deep in a protected marina it’s even hotter. It’s also nice to get home to a little more space and a change of scenery.
We had a new shade cover made for the front half of the boat which will be an improvement over taped on aluminum foil. We took the tarps we used last Summer and Bev sewed them together to make a cover for the bow. So now the whole boat should be protected from the most intense parts of the sun. Cushions are stowed, mattresses are moved around, tanks are drained, dehumidifier is running. There’s a fairly long spreadsheet of tasks to check off before leaving.
I’ve been up the mast a few times this year and I’m always struck by the view. Boats and marinas spread out beneath me- or maybe just a different angle on life in Mexico, I’m not sure. I’ve tried to take pictures that have not turned out from up the mast.
But WAIT! I have a drone. I’ve had it with me for two years and I’m sort of afraid to use it because everyone I know has crashed their drone, or lost in trees, or sunk it. Salt water and drones are a bad combo!. So I’ve been very reluctant to fly it.
My dock neighbors and friends on SV Felicita ( https://gntsailing.com/ ) were preparing to go up the mast and wanted some video for their youtube channel. I thought why not and got the drone ready. Keep in mind I’ve flown it very little in the past months. I quickly tested it and then landed it back on the dock. Tim went up the mast and I got ready to take some drone pictures. I _think_ I misremembered the take off sequence from a helicopter I have and when I took off, the drone lurched forward, crashed into the side of the boat and fell into the water! THE SALT WATER! I was on the boat and before I could get close to the spot the drone dropped, it had already sunk. Now since Tim was up the mast and I was helping, I didn’t have a lot of time to pout. I had to suck it up and get back to helping – but WHAT A DRAG. No drone, no pictures. I didn’t even try to retrieve it. Salt water + drone = instant death.
We will return to Island Summers in October. Follow us then as we cruise the North part of the Sea of Cortez. It’s gorgeous blue water with breathtaking views and beaches.
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