March 12, 2023 - Sunday - Deep Clean Time!

March 12, 2023 - Sunday:

In a previous post I mentioned my problem with six-legged stowaways... In truth, I have only seen (and dispatched) three of the creatures. I have put out traps and boric acid so I hope they are (or will soon be) gone.

Unfortunately they have left the mark of their presence far and wide on my boat. There is also a faint but lingering foul odor which I attribute to their bodily functions... Therefore, I am resolved to thoroughly clean the boat from bow to stern. This may seem a simple task, but it only seems so if you have never spent much time on a cruising sailboat. There are more lookers, cubbies and miscellaneous places to go through than you can shake a stick at. Not to mention all my gear and clothing and the gear I inherited from the previous owner. It is a daunting task any way you cut it! In the back of my mind, i knew had to do it. It's a matter of being able to live in your own skin. 



           In the process of cleaning...

Today I'll gather up my linens and bag them for a trip to the laundry. I'll 

dive into the full cleaning tomorrow, giving my mind and spirit time to adjust to the necessity of the project. In the meantime, I have a list of things to do today.

Cash! Yes, that's right. In the age of plastic, you still need cash for some things. I arrived with some US cash, but no pesos. On my first trip here, learned that there is only one cash machine that can "talk" with my credit union bank cards. It is several miles down the road towards the tourists section of town - the Gold Coast. I borrowed 100 pesos from my neighbor and caught the "green" bus south. The green busses are the best: A/C and you can see through the windows. They cost 2 pesos more, but worth it!

As some of you know, I worked most of my adult life with technology. What many people don't know is that tech savvy-ness is usually fairly specific. For example, debit cards are confusing to me... My first attempt to get cash failed with some ill-defined error. I tried again. Still stymied... Mild panic ensued... After some thought, I realized I was probably trying to deduct from the wrong account. Armed with cautious optimism, I tried again with success! Now I can pay for transportation as well as settle the debt with my neighbor. 

Next I caught the bus farther south to the Soriana store for food, a USB cable and to see if they had a small camp stove I can use until I get mine fixed. This would also serve as a backup stove for the boat. I got food and cable, but the stove search promises to be a classic Mazatlan scavenger hunt…

When I returned to the boat, I set to work on the head (toilet). It hadn't been used since last spring, but 10 month of sitting mandated some elbow grease.

Later in the afternoon, I joined Richard on dock six for the daily "safety meeting". This is a group of expats who get together every afternoon to shoot the breeze. Stories of travels, local shopping tips and the joys of boat work monopolize the discussion.

Then off to shower and to bed. I will help Richard haul out tomorrow. He is having his bottom painted..