Cycles of Renewal

Faith in the dusty work yard

There are cycles to many things that we experience in life. For me, at this point, one repetition is the renewal I feel when the boat goes back into the water. Even though I know it will represent a string of work to make it ready for cruising for a season I look forward to much of that work. It is the real price we pay for living freely on passages and at anchor during the best season in Mexico… and, maybe later, further afield.

On the way to the boat ramp

When we put the boat to bed for the summer there is a part of me that does not want to leave. Someday perhaps we will stay for the summer and see what that would be like. The main word is probably HOT; that seems like the obvious part. It also seems to me that we would experience another side of cruising. I suspect that the fishing gets better and better along with the heat. I know that the Dorado start running wildly after the beginning of June so that might be a big plus for staying through the summer. Another thing that I suspect is that there would less of a shock in keeping the boat up on a steady basis than all the getting ready that goes on for the first few weeks we are back to the boat. The downside might be that we would not have those trinkets to bring back from the States and install to make life a little better each season. Yes, I have to admit that the new stuff we bring with us makes life aboard just bit nicer each year. The LED lights are using less energy. The new composting toilet should be a good thing. Re-bedding the stanchions will make rain more comfortable below deck. Retrieving and replacing the halyard that broke at the end of last season is a requirement but one that has a nice new line to handle. Getting the remote VHF radio back in line will be safer. Putting the wheels on the dinghy will make beach landings safer. The new motor that my brother loaned us will make things safer as well because it has an automatic shut off for those same beach landings. The new (yet to be named) dinghy is a vast improvement over the old and melting dinghy (Elvis). The new LED navigation lights are making us more visible at night. The smallest improvement is install a fresh O-ring on the propane feed line much safer than the “bodged” incorrectly sized one I had to use at the end of last season because I could not find one the correct size. Renewing the bottom paint and retouching the top bright work will make things nicer. It appears too that we are in need of a fresh Stereo because the old one does not play any more. This list goes on and on; you are seeing perhaps 10% of the total.


Splash!!

As I mentioned at the start there is always a lot of work at the beginning of the season… as there is in a constant stream while cruising. It is easier to see the total effect when you face it all at once upon returning to the boat. That is what makes the cycle so visible. Coming home to the boat after dirt cruising is always interesting. Just so you know too, I have already started the list for when we come back to the RV after this season of cruising is finished.