Countdown from the Dock and La Paz... 6

A beautiful bay scene

If we weren't so darn busy, I would have had so much fun doing a 10 day countdown from the dock... it would definitely have been entertaining. But who has time to be cute when there are seriously important things to be done... like replacing all six house batteries? Or getting all the sheets and blankets washed and dried? And while we still have the truck we are shuttling back and forth like mad... diesel run after diesel run.

A view from the bridge

And dumping - we are dumping loads of items off the boat as quick as we can. Things we really don't need - we're down to the nitty gritty and still... there is too much. How in the world did we accumulate so much stuff?

It took 2 months to get our immigration cards - the holidays slowed things down to a crawl. On Monday, we had them in our hot little hands so began the mad rush to tie up loose ends. Now we are hyperventilating!

Beautiful Baja

The last days here in La Paz will be a blur..
But what lies ahead has us buzzing internally with delight.

Tide out at sunrise

For now, boat projects are in hyper mode.

Heron today - gone tomorrow

And the photos Jim took that I posted have nothing to do with the madness - just a reminder of the serene and tranquil that we will be leaving behind in a few days.

Monster Project - Making Dinghy Chaps

Some people are just gifted...

blessed with patience and skill... probably from birth.

Not me.

Everything has to be taught to me and if I am lucky I might retain a thing or two.

Or learn just enough to get myself into trouble.

One thing I can say about myself with pride is that I am no quitter.

Dorky? Yes. Quitter? Nope.

Making dinghy chaps -I can tell you this... it's not for quitters.

sv ORTOLAN:  nicely done dinghy chaps - see their blog HERE

My very first attempt at making dinghy chaps was almost 5 years ago - it was a nightmare. A total nightmare. I used newspaper and duct tape and molded it to our inflatable to use as a pattern. But trying to cut Sunbrella and form its stiffness into rounded curves -  it was very...brainful. 

Towards the end of the project I was beyond therapy and I really didn't care how it looked... 

and it showed. I didn't take close-up pictures to prove it - you'll just have to take me at my word.

sv CAMELOT: I saw Lori's dinghy chaps in La Cruz - Beautiful Work!! You can read about it HERE

I will just come out and say it - my first chaps were Fuggly... yes, FUGGLY!

And I still don't care that they were. 

My husband was smart enough not to be too critical...

but he did make fuggly faces at my fuggly chaps. 

At least he knew better than to say one word about its fuggliness out loud to me.

He would point out from time to time how pretty other chaps were when we would approach or leave a dinghy dock.

"Jimmy Crack Corn" would be my response... because what can you really say to that?

sv SINBAD: Nice outcome and he has some good tips HERE

But after years of being in the vicious sun-

hauling our sandy, gritty, wet butts around from beach to beach -
from town to town -
my fuggly chaps finally bit the dust.
I had made so many repairs and we had abused the dog out of those chaps that I couldn't even use them as a pattern when it was time to replace them. They were totally trashed!

sv DREAMTIME: there are some good sewing tips HERE

And now that I have had experience working for a master sailmaker, my sewing skills have improved tremendously. So have my analytical skills. My comprehension skills still need improvement, though.
So, even with sort-of-professional-if-I-do-say-so-myself canvas mastery, the task of building dinghy chaps feels like a monster project - that I detest... with a passion.
And that is why I will never make dinghy chaps for anyone else.
Because I know in my heart that if I heard one complaint - one single whiny comment...
I might do something unspeakable to the noise maker.

sv  LA LUNA: painted their dinghy instead of making chaps and you can read about it HERE

If making dinghy chaps is such a hassle then why didn't I just hire someone to make them, you ask?
Because I don't want to spend money on something I can do myself.
I know cruisers that have paid $500 US for someone to custom make dinghy chaps.
Is it worth $500? Yes - it absolutely is!
Mostly, I chose to make my dinghy chaps myself because I am competitive...
and I wanted to see if I could make some UN-fuggly chaps.
It was a test - Meri vs. the Monster Project.

sv TROUBADOUR: Linda has some brilliant sewing tips and links and she even has my Fuggly dinghy chaps saved to her Picasa album!! But I'm not pointing out which ones are mine - luckily it is a photo taken very far away.

Meri's Helpful TIPS when attempting Un-Fuggly Chaps:

1. READ!! And learn from other cruiser's mistakes. I read several DIY articles and blogs before I jumped. Here are some particularly fabulous goodies: Sailrite's  free download, Cruiserswiki, Good Old Boat has a nice write-up on Rib Wraps and here's another free PDF, also nicely written.
2. I prefer clear plastic sheeting for my pattern material. It works better than newspaper (which you can't see through) and much better than a stretchy, staticky shower curtain. Plastic sheeting tapes down lovely with masking tape and you can write instructions and draw your oar lock shapes, for example, easily with a permanent marker.
3. Use masking tape vs. Duct tape with plastic sheeting material - because you WILL need to make adjustments.
4. I like Phifertex for the cones. I used Sunbrella to cover the cones on my first chaps and the pressure of the water either turned the ends into a sea anchor or blew them off to the side like Dumbo ears.
5. Some cruisers like to put their boat name on their tender. We choose not to because it is an advertisement that you have no one on board when your dinghy is on a beach or at the dinghy dock. A would-be-thief might call that an opportunity.
6. I used the lightest color Sunbrella I could find (besides white, which gets filthy looking immediately!) because in the tropics the darker colors are hot to the touch. Even some grays and beiges can burn the backside when you sit down. 
7. Many cruisers like to use leather as their chafe guard around oar locks and such. It is very pretty, but it shrinks, it gets brittle and it cracks - and it's expensive. I used a vinyl truck tarp fabric I found here in Mexico... cheap and strong. It also gives our dinghy a unique look so it is easy to pick our's out when at the dinghy dock tied up with loads of other dinghies.
8. I attached a Phifertex pocket for handheld radios, sunscreen, water bottles, etc... Phifertex won't collect water when it rains.
9. I used good quality UV thread.
10. I used a hot knife to cut out my Sunbrella pieces to resist fraying and so that I didn't have to double over and sew big chunky seams.

And so I DID IT!!! I made UN-Fuggly chaps!!
There is definitely some satisfaction that I wrestled the monster project and brought it to its knees.
But mostly. I am completely relieved it's over with and looking forward to not having to do it again for several more years.

VOILA!!! Not a great photo of my final creation because the Northers are blowing like stanky-stink and I can't get any other shot than over our davits without falling into the water... but ain't she PURDY????

Experiencing the Best of La Paz - Part II

Continuing the quest for how to get the most out of your visit to La Paz, Mexico...

Club Cruceros is the La Paz Cruisers Club. It is located in Marina de La Paz and is open to everyone. Fellow cruisers host morning coffee at the clubhouse Monday - Saturday 930a-1030a. It's a 5 peso donation for coffee and cookies - sometimes there's cake. You don't have to be a club member to come. But if you do want to become a member it costs only 100 pesos for the year - and then you can check out DVD's from the huge DVD collection. There is a book exchange from a large library, too - free to all.

This is the place to find all kinds of information. Many cruisers tend to begin their mornings here. There is also a large message board that has postings of events around town and classified ads.

And if caffeine and crowds aren't your thing, check out the Club Cruceros website or Baja Insider - they are both good resources. Or you might stop by one of the newspaper stands in La Paz and pick up a Gringo Gazette or Baja Citizen. The online edition costs a few dollars - or you can pick up the latest paper edition free! Inside you'll discover all the latest happenings around town. That's how we found out about the Ballet Folklorico!!

The ballet was incredible - a wonderful experience! Beautiful, synchronized dancing and gorgeous costumes - mariachi music and classical performers... highly sensual, endorphin emitting, foot stomping Mexican cowboys - no wonder all the ladies in the audience carry fans! And cost? 100 pesos a ticket - very affordable!

And the performance wasn't the only thing that was a new experience. Tickets sell out fast - we purchased ours 6 days before the performance and there were only several tickets left. Seating is not assigned - why? I can't say - it's Mexico and they do things differently here. So, if you want a good seat you wait in line the night of the performance - 2 hours early!! No, I am not kidding. And then the door opens and the audience descends upon the seating like locusts. So tuck that little bit of information away so you don't end up standing room only.

And if you don't read about it, check out your auditory sensory - if it sounds like a party on the Malecon, then it might be worth checking out!! We had no idea this cool race car expo was scheduled. We just followed the music and the engine revs!

And being invited to a Baby Shower - even though we didn't know the family - felt like a privilege so Carolyne and I just couldn't turn down the opportunity! And the empty seats? Well, I still can't get it through my thick Gringa head that you never show up on time for a party in Mexico!!

And last but not least, I have to mention the hobby groups.
Mexican Train, Quilting, Yoga, Baja Rummy, Bridge, Beading and other weekly activities are announced on the Net each morning (Channel 22 at 8am M- Sa) and you can opt to attend any of these gatherings to obtain even more information on what is happening on town. You don't even have to LIKE to do any of the above activities - but think of it as a way to discover more, like:

Whale Sharks...
Turtle Release...
Community Garden Project...
Farmer's Organic Market...
Restaurants out the Wazoo...
Paddle Board rentals...
Swimming with the Seals...

And I dare say... I have just scratched the surface.
So, if cruisers have visited La Paz and say they found it to be lack luster or boring...
then perhaps they missed their boat. Hopefully, this post and the last post will keep you from missing yours!

Experience the Best of La Paz - Part I

Cruising is not just about being on the water or repairing the boat or having a pot luck with other cruisers. It takes work to research and put your feelers out and ask the right questions, find the right websites and /or meet the right people so that your experience anywhere in the world is enhanced. Don't expect to drop your anchor, dinghy to the dock and have the local mass waiting for your arrival with a list of activities for your enjoyment. Even in a capital city, like La Paz, things-to-do don't just fall in your lap. It is a quest.

Finding out about what is happening in the area - 

What activities are being offered - 

What can you learn so that you can share with others? 

How can you enrich your experience? 

Who out there is offering an opportunity of a lifetime?

What contribution can you make to the community?

The answers aren't easy when you are clueless where to begin.

I am amazed when I hear a cruiser say how boring or how dull their experience was when visiting La Paz. I will admit - when we pulled into La Paz the first time in 2008 I found it very hard to "fit in". And now my desire to seek out new experiences has overshadowed the desire to be a part of a clique... any clique - anywhere... and La Paz can be very cliquey in the cruiser sector. And that is true of any place where expats have made their 'home' away from home. That does not mean, however, that friends and resources are not available. It just means it may take some work. And for those cruisers on a budget, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

There is a Yahoo Group that if you are planning to visit La Paz you might check out. Be ready to have your email explode with all kinds of questions and notices... some members find it overwhelming. I don't read every single email - I just pick out ones that might be interesting and delete the rest. That is how I discovered a fabulous cooking class offered by one of the local Spanish language schools.

Carolyne and I signed up to take a cooking class hosted by El Nopal Spanish School. We learned how to make Aztec Soup and Calabaza de Tacha - a rich pumpkin dessert made with the piloncillo, that funny little brown sugar cone thingy we've seen all over the country. After the wonderful Angelica instructed us on the history and how-to of making the dishes, we enjoyed a lovely meal!
Cost: $32 US, instruction and dinner for both of us

There are a multitude of artists in La Paz. The Teatro de la Cuidad usually has a free exhibit open to the public. Museums, local art, performances and cultural presentations are ongoing. You can find many venues in La Paz and directions to those places here. Carolyne was sweetly gifted with a 4 hour private watercolor lesson taught by the talented local artist, Frank Hills - a birthday treat given by Jim & Lynda on s/v Gael Force.
Cost: $38 US, included materials

Day of the Dead celebration - 'Katrinas' of all ages compete for the title of the year. We discovered the whereabouts by asking some of the cruisers that live in la Paz full time.
Cost: Free

The Day of the Dead is an event not to be missed anywhere in Mexico!!

photo courtesy of Tom & Jeanne (sv Eagle)

photo courtesy of Tom & Jeanne (sv Eagle)

During Bayfest, I headed up a pressure cooking seminar called 'Cruising Under Pressure'. With the help of Annie off s/v V'Ger and Doug (Snug Harbor Sails), we hosted a very successful presentation with a larger attendance than expected. I demonstrated how even I (the mediocre cook!) could make a very tasty one pot meal in 20 minutes: meatloaf, potatoes, carrots and green beans.

Annie discussed and brought samples of baked goods she made in her pressure cooker, including cheesecake. And Doug talked about canning... even canning bacon!

The feedback was phenomenal! I don't think any of us thought it would be so well received. But it was - and offering yourself up by sharing your knowledge is a great way to meet new people and make new discoveries. It opens up other areas of conversation and can initiate interesting questions. And it doesn't have to be on a large scale - it can be a handful of people that you invite to your boat to share with each other.
Cost: Free

Dia de Revolucion -  a parade that was a mile+ long down the main drag... music, cheering, honking, singing... people watching is the main event for me!! See the Abasolo on this La Paz map to get a better idea.
Cost: Free