Return to the Prairie SeaShell - Sailboat Stories by Lynn & Don Campbell

We arrived back in Mexico via Tufesa bus on Sunday, Sept 30th, and thus begins our 2nd season of life aboard Prairie SeaShell.

We cleared customs in Nogales, and it couldn't have been easier. The Tufesa staff unloads all the luggage for you, you proceed thru a little U-shaped room, and we got lucky again, and got the green light. The Tufesa staff loaded our suitcases back on board the bus, and off we went.

When we arrived in Guaymas, again, the Tufesa staff unloaded all our luggage, and whisked us away into a taxi and we're on our way to San Carlos, about 20 minutes north west of Guaymas.

As soon as we got to Marina Seca (the dry storage yard) we were told that they could move us into the work yard the very next day. We were expecting to have to wait a week or so to get a spot in the work yard, and  had planned to do a little inland travel, however, since the space is available, guess we'll get right to work.

We hauled our luggage up onto the boat, and repacked enough just for a few days. Everything that normally lives on deck was stored below for the summer, so it will take a little re-organizing, to make enough room to live aboard.

We will take an apartment in town for a few days. First order of business was to lower the bikes down and pump up the tires. We checked out a few places in town, but they were all more expensive and not nearly as nice as the Adlai where we stayed in the spring, so although it's a little farther away, we returned there.

The next few weeks saw repairs to the keel, new bottom paint, new hull paint, new cutlass bearing on the drive shaft and assorted other general chores to ready her to return to the water.

While Don was busy working, I was finding my way around San Carlos, with a little help from my friend Irene from s/v Argo. She introduced me to a local produce vendor with the freshest fruits, veggies, fish, salsa etc, and the biggest & sweetest mangoes we had ever had.

I also discovered that there were butchers in San Carlos that sold cuts of meat that I recognized. We got very spoiled here, one week we had New York steak three times, but at about $5.00 for two steaks, we just couldn't resist. Every bit as good as our Alberta Beef!

We also took a quick trip into Guaymas (thanks to Terry on Celtic Moon) to buy more rope to replace the netting around the bow.

We also took an afternoon off from chores and went swimming with Garth from s/v Inclination (a local resident) then he took us to a tiengas (flea market/farmers market) at the edge of Guaymas where we bought some delicious watermelon (the whole thing for $1.00).

We spent a very peaceful first night back in the water, after the regular afternoon breeze calmed down and we were looking forward to getting underway the following day, however, our dingy motor had other plans.

It started up after the first pull, but unfortunately was spewing gas all over the place. We turned it off to check out the problem, and it was not about to start again.

Don worked on it all afternoon to no avail, so in the morning we rowed back into the marina to see if we could find an outboard mechanic to have a look at it.

When we were about half way to the marina, a fellow in another dingy came over and asked if we were rowing in because we wanted the exercise, or would we like a tow.

Needless to say, we took the tow, and as it turned out, he had exactly the same motor as us, and he had done a complete rebuild on it last year. He was pretty certain he could get it going again, and within about an hour, Burt of s/v Madwenowe had it going again.

One of the many pleasures of living life in the cruising community, everyone is so helpful. He wouldn't let us pay him for his troubles, or even buy him a coffee or lunch. He wouldn't even take anything for the half a can of WD40 he used up. Thanks again Burt.

Now we are finally ready to make tracks and it appears the winds will take us south along the main land coast to Mazatlan.

(webmaster's note - I'll be adding the pictures real soon)

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