The trip went off without a hitch. Day one consisted of driving from Medford to Huntington Beach California where I spent the afternoon and evening with one of my best friends and old college buddy Gregg Watt. It is always amazing to me that no matter how many years goes by nothing ever fades between us. When I get there it is always laughs and smiles and invariably the visit, regardless of duration, always seems too short. Then it was up early the next morning to beat the insane and very ugly southern California traffic and off to Tucson for day two. In Tucson I stayed with the Rundels, an amazing family that I met the first trip down to San Carlos after buying the boat. They too have a boat, a 45' Bavaria named Pura Vida. After leaving the Rundels this morning I just couldn't help but think how good life is, especially how new friends are presented into your life along the way. The Rundels are amazing people and I so appreciate the friendship that we have formed. I hope they know how extremely grateful I am for their abundant and gracious hospitality. I look forward to many more hours spent with them whether it be on the water or the land. The drive for day 3 was a bit shorther so I slept in until 7 or so, had a great German breakfast with Bernd and Sibylle and headed out. After crossing the border into Mexico it was a very short 5 hours and I arrived into SC around 2:30 in the afternoon.
Without delay I went straight to where the Liahona is dry docked. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not stop at Oxxo for a soda or candy bar! I couldn't wait to see her, climb the ladder up to the decks and just take it all in. After 2 months on the dry I found her fairly clean and everything mostly in order. No surprises...yet. haha. I spent about 2 hours or so and only managed to unload about half of the contents out of the car. The unloading process is slowed by the work of removing all of the gear and bits stored down below on the boat that normally don't live there. Tomorrow should allow enough time to finish the unpacking and then I will get underway with the many tasks that need to be accomplished before we "splash" on Wednesday, Feb. 18th. Most of the work that needs to be done involves replacing/installing new equipment, this time mostly electronics. On the list are 2 new solar panels, a new solar charge controller, ham radio, antenna tuner, pactor modem, power inverter, battery charger, several 12v plugs, a couple of LED nav lights and about $1500 worth of breakers and diodes that were destroyed when a window blew out and we took on about 300 gallons of salt water while on a upwind beat with Pura Vida last fall. The ugly part is that the window that broke was directly about my electronics panel and nav table and as one would imagine...a good salt water dousing over your ship's electronics panel is not necessarily "good". How that all happened is another story and maybe some day when I have a spare few moments I will recount the drama and add it to the blog.
As for now I am onboard and couldn't be happier. Well, that is not entirely ture, I will be happier when she is in the water. However, for now I am all smiles (something that boats tend to change at unannounced, inopportune and unforeseen times along the way). However, whether it is smooth sailing or a load of problems I wouldn't trade it for anything.
White Lightning loaded down. Complete with 2 new solar panels on the roof. Tucson.
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