Thursday 22

Today is Thanksgiving for US and marinas and restaurants are having dinners.  I stayed on the boat and got my satellite phone to work with the computer, but it took all morning.  Each time I have to do this it is on a new computer with a new operating system. 

Friday 23

I went to Finca Paraiso with Jane.  It is a collectivo ride away in the middle of nowhere and it is a hot spring.  The river water was pleasantly warm and a short swim over to the rock where the waterfall came down where the water was hot.  We climbed up to the top of the rocks, using tree roots for hand holds.  Some people jump from here, but I am not some people.  A short walk gets you to the source and the water is bubbling through the surface.  Here the water is very hot and it is only just bearable to run across the stream to get to the mud.  We covered ourselves in mud and made our way back down to the river where we washed the mud off and had lovely soft skin, we washed our hair and dried off to finish our spa day. 

We walked back to the road and refused the first collectivo because there were already two guys hanging out through the open door.  We started walking and they passed us and let some people off and tried again to get us to board, but we would not.  We started to hitch and a van stopped, which was another collectivo, although we would have got in the back of a pick up.  The van had come 5 hours from another tourist location and we chatted with the Israelis about where to stay and what to do – well there was the hot spring.

Saturday 24

I dinghied over to Marios to say goodbye to people there.

The guy who was going to buy my refrigerator compressor was there, but he said he had stopped by 4 times, when I was having my medical interlude.  He wouldn’t take a phone number so I could make sure I was in.  He was going to take it out and now he wasn’t going to.  I was not pleased, I was going to use the space for crockery, but I will wait and one day I might get it sorted.  I had bacon tortillas with Stan and Lyn and then it was lunchtime with Jimmy and Donna, Wilena and Val.  The afternoon was spent looking at Val’s photos and picking a selection.  It was later afternoon by the time I arrived back at Catamaran, where I had more people to say goodbye to.  Lynda had made me brownies to take with me, which will be a treat.  It is always sad to leave people, some of whom I have known for many years, but there are places to go.

I have been struggling to get the dinghy up and down and this morning I took a big chunk out of the gel coat.  I am not doing the boat or the dinghy any good.  I decided to take the outboard off and pull the dinghy up out of the water alongside.  Lots of people do this, but I had not liked the idea.

Sunday 25

I got the boat ready to motor, not sail.  I was thinking of trailing the dinghy, but I have vowed never to do this as it always leads to trouble.  I had one more go to raise the dinghy.  I have added a block and tackle to the hauling rope and tried many variations, but this morning it went up a lot easier, so I am happier.  I will leave it on the side deck until I have anchored at Tres Puntas.

Today I am heading down to Texan Bay, which should take about 3 hours.  Johny is coming along on Smart Move.  When we get there we will check the weather and in the next day or so hope to go to Livingston to check out and anchor at Tres Puntas before leaving for Belize.