John and Chichi are in Indianapolis, watching movies, while Pachamama
sits "on the hard" at La Ceiba Shipyard in Honduras.
Our summer has included "War of the Worlds," "Star Wars," "Wedding Crashers,"
"The Constant Gardener," "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory," "Mad Hot Ballroom,"
"March of the Penguins," "Cadillac Flash" at Conner Prairie, Jimmy Buffett
at Verizon Music Center, good times with friends and family, a visit to Colorado
to meet Ethan Michael Fall, painting a room and a basketball support and
a front light support, repairing outdoor light fixtures, removing trees and
poison Ivy and consuming an occasional rum punch.
Chichi also renewed her certification as an Aquatics Exercise Instructor.
Fun.
15-47.321N
086-45.647W
Docked
La Ceiba Shipyard
Honduras
Wednesday, September 28
As Honduras proves, third class countries are dominated by first class
people, among the most friendly on earth. Taxi drivers, hotel clerks,
restaurant servers, people on the street. They look you in the eye,
smile, and you are won.
One of our favorites is George, to whom we assigned the title "Captain
of the Lift." George is lead in operating the travel lift, but not
pompous nor condescending to his crew. He is right there, with them,
in all labors, instead of sitting always in the control cabin of the lift,
as would be the case in an American crew. He works. He smiles.
He wears a gold hard hat, the only gold hard hat on the yard. He
handles our boat as though it were his most important child. Roger,
Mario, Edwin, William, Nanusca, Louis, Hector, Mr. Russ, and others, take
care of us, and make us feel at home.
Unfortunately, a little bug, like a termite, had some fun on Pachamama.
We think we got them last night while we abandoned ship to a hotel and
first class restaurant in La Ceiba.
We are glad to be back. The adjustment, as always, is not easy. It
is hot here, and affairs move at a different rate. We miss our family.
We miss Ethan Michael who had a minor operation on Monday. This
is the sailing life, the combination of emotions, the thrill of discovery,
the nostalgia for the known.
With a little luck, we will be on our way to Guatemala's Rio Dulce by mid
next week.
Friday, October 31.
We are here for a few more days. Bettye is completing installation
of protective fabric around our cockpit. Chichi has wanted this from
the start. The fabric will keep us dry on rainy days, and more comfortable
sipping our "sun downers." Conditions for formation of tropical lows
are all around us, extending well into next week. We wait, we see, we
play.