A Another day discovering Z "wot"
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Tue 23 Mar 2010 04:24
this life style as I see no pressure to move on), we stayed so the kids
could go to the circus tonight.
It is Monday so the morning was spent doing music lessons initially violin
for Sean, and then both on general instruments, and then we did numbers and
words, with Alex doing matching games etc. At this age this takes 3 to 4
hours as you only get 15 to 20 minute stretches of concentration.
Tracy and I also used the time to get some other jobs done on the boat, I
installed a number of new fans to help with ventilation and continued to
work on my lightening prevention system, which is now in pretty good shape
with the mast now well earthed on 3 points. Tracy is cleaning out the
cupboards and putting things in Zip lock bags due to the expected humidity
and wet we will get this summer.
While the kids slept I went ashore to explore the streets and watch people
and characters a favorite past time of mine. I walked all over town, and
then stopped at small street bar for a cold one, and tacos I should have had
my sketch book with me to draw some of characters, and listened to their
conversations. It is good travelling time, which you don't get with the kids
with you, and I use to enjoy taking in the character and culture of a place
through it's people when I back packed 25+ years ago. The guitar players
walking the streets looking for a gig, the water supplies of their bikes,
bar lady was Canadian her son started this small bar 4 years ago, a guy
doing portraits in the restaurant across from me, all with a story to tell.
Going back to the boat I noticed that swell had picked up significantly and
was easily 5 + feet and growing, these were dumping onto the beach I would
have to launch through, amazing how it changes in a matter of hours. So I
dragged the boat into the surf, and waited for a gap or less of a wave, and
pushed got in, then realized I had packed away the safety key (not a good
move) out I got, found it and repositioned myself for the second attempt. In
I went, timing not as good, but I got the engine started just in time to
just push myself over the lip of the next dumper onto the beach, the sight
as I looked back beyond the engine was 8 feet down and just sand as I leant
forward to get over the back (good for one's heart).
Next challenge was to pick up the family and take them ashore for the
circus, I decided to drop them off on the cement pier so I had an empty
dinghy. Matt from Endurance did the same and then we both ran the motors as
hard as we could and took a run for the beach sliding over the back of the
dumper and sliding up the beach killing the engine as we landed on the
beach, I got out with just my ankles wet (doubt if I could do it twice).
The circus was a traditional one under the big top, with horses, tigers,
bears etc, and tight rope walkers. The boys loved it Alex just sitting back
and taking it all in. We had been to none last summer in Orange County, but
this one was different again, more basic less safety and similar to what I
remember as boy.
But again it was a good experience for the boys to sit next to Mexican kids
and discuss and get excited, and then we walked back through the street open
air markets.
Getting back to the boat involved me swimming to dinghy past the breakers in
the dark, and picking the family up on pier, all in the day of cruiser.
The plan is to leave early afternoon tomorrow, and head the 110 miles to
Acapulco, where we not setting our expectations to high as it is meant to be
un friendly to cruisers (yaties).
The Z Town has been an nice 5 day stop.