Bottom Painting Again

We left in the spring, planning to get the bottom painted as soon as we returned. We had visited our chosen boat yard in the spring and had made some rough plans. We had nothing but good recommendations for this yard. It is known as Abel's, which is the first name for both the father and son who run it. It is actually Astillero Magdalena. We made the short trip further up the river and under the bridge to the boat yard the first thing Monday morning. We pulled right into the travel lift basin and were hauled immediately. They went to work right away, pressure washing and then sanding the bottom. By the end of the day, it was practically ready for paint. This is the first time we have not done the work ourselves. We could not have accomplished in a week what took them a day. Firstly, we would not be able to work in the heat as they do, and even without the heat, we would not have the stamina. We stayed aboard on the hard, but maybe that was not the best idea. During the day, each day, the temperature topped out at 106 degrees inside the cabin. We managed to get it down to 92 degrees by bedtime, and it would be mid-eighties in the morning. We stayed off the boat pretty much except for eating and sleeping. The second day, they finished up sanding and then applied two coats of paint, leaving about four hours between coats. The third and final day, they moved the stands and applied the two coats there and then, finally lifted it on the travel lift, applied paint were the blocks that were under the keel, and let it hang for a while to dry. At about 11, we were back in the water. We could not have been happier with the whole experience. The work was excellent, and everyone was friendly and hardworking. We feel we got excellent value for our investment.

We are so glad that is behind us, and we should be good for another couple of years. Our timing worked out well, as it has rained a lot since getting back to the marina.

Back On Ariel

We are back on Ariel. Before we started this adventure, we expected we would be off Ariel to visit friends and family for about a month, two at the most each year. Never did we expect to be away for four months. With hurricanes and the rainy season in Guatemala, it didn't make sense to stay on the Rio Dulce. Our travels home and returning could not have been smoother. We were concerned returning to Guatemala as we maxed out on luggage with four checked bags, each weighing just under 50 pounds, and each with carry-ons. The luggage included boat parts, which we kept our fingers crossed would clear customs in Guatemala. We sailed right through. The taxis here are very small, so it was a real pinch getting our bags and us into such a tiny vehicle.

A day before our planned departure last June, we got word that my brother Bill had died. Our plans had been set to spend a week in Antigua, Guatemala, before our flight out. Given plans for the memorial service and the cost to change the air tickets, we decided to stay with our original schedule. Despite the circumstances, we enjoyed Antigua and highly recommend it as a tourist destination. While there, we both visited the dentist for checkups and cleanings, and Linda saw a dermatologist. The cost savings are substantial, and the quality is excellent. We are anxious to get back to Antigua and plan on doing so later this year.

When not traveling, we stayed with my mother. We have done this before, but for shorter periods, and we knew it would work out. We can help with work on the house, yard, and garden, which we appreciate having something meaningful to do. We thank her so much for putting up with us and for agreeing to have us back next summer.

The highlight of the summer was spending time with our grandchildren. We managed to spend extended time with all of them without their parents. We had Thomas with us while his parents went on vacation to the Adirondacks and Vermont. He attended Vacation Bible School at my mother's church and had a great time.

We went camping with Michael and Evelyn on Kelleys Island in Lake Erie. We hadn't been camping for several years, but we all did pretty well. We then took them both back to upstate New York with us for a NASCAR race at Watkins Glen.

And then in early September, Scott and Pamela were at a wedding party, so they decided to add a few days on to make it a vacation. We moved into their home and had Camyrn and Claire to ourselves for a few days. It was at times exhausting (Camyrn is almost 3 and Claire just turned 1),  but wonderful.

Of course, we visited family and friends beyond spending time with our grandchildren.

We made the first step toward life beyond cruising, but do not be mistaken that we have plans to give this up anytime soon. We bought some land just outside of Corning, NY. We bought the land to eventually build on, but it does have a small house on it now, which we are renting out.

Right now, we are getting Ariel back in shape and getting back in touch with old cruising friends and meeting new cruising friends. Our calendar is already becoming booked with social activities. We found the interior of Ariel to be exactly as when we left, with no mold, mildew, or insects. Sealing it up and setting up the dehumidifier worked perfectly. The exterior is another matter. It was pretty black, especially the teak. A film of mildew covered everything, and the spiders had made quite a mess. The good news is that the mildew cleaned off easily, but not so for the spider messes, which take some serious scrubbing.

We are getting our plans set to haul out and have the bottom painted. This will be the first time we have not painted it ourselves. Hooray.