I didn't knock on wood!

Hi Everyone,

So I have learned my lesson.  My last post was on insurance... to have it or not!  Well low and behold I didn't knock on wood when I was talking about our fantastic luck in not having anything happen to any of us since we have been gone......

As Chris posted, we had a bit of a struggle this week making our way up to La Cruz from Zihuatanejo...  (I thought of you Aunt Mary Sue... Dang it all I couldn't find the beach that they filmed Shashank Redemption on... Of course this was our primary reason for going to Zihuat).  Anyway... we had a 2 great days of motoring in VERY calm seas.. We were seeing a bunch of wild life from whales, dolphins (which Kla was determined to try and touch while hanging from the pulpit on the front of the boat while they swam underneath)... and more turtles than we had seen on this trip so far... the funniest thing is the birds that sit upon their shell and drift along with them like they are BFF's out for a stroll in the mall.

One of the things I worry about is hitting a panga at night.  Often these fisherman travel up to 100+ miles off coast in these boats.  They travel only with a cooler and maybe, if lucky, an extra bit of gas. They don't have radar, GPS, radio or even navigation lights.  On rare occasions there are some that have a make shift light system but they often travel with only a flashlight for when they are fishing. .  They go out over night so when we are sailing away.. I am always concerned that we won't see them and will not be able to turn the boat in time to NOT hit them.  I know it is a big ocean but... there are so many of them.  Here is a picture of one that I saw on the beach of Chamela... I think they throw a car battery in to run the light.

We started the day off great with a diesel fill up in Barra Navidad, a beautiful sunrise, and then a special visit by the Actual French Baker that visits the boats in the anchorage with fresh pasteries for their morning coffee.  all in all it gave us more experience in being out there... and then the a not so good day... Of course I had just mention to Chris that I was wondering what a squall would feel like while we were out on the ocean... He thought they would feel like this but instead of 14 hours of 25 - 35 knot winds they may last maybe an hour or less.  We did get a chance to see more dolphins but with the winds we were experiencing... there was no hanging off the pulpit and trying to touch them today... Any way we made it through that rough patch... the kids were amazing and every time we get into these situations I am very thankful that we have kids that are self sufficient and can manage and entertain themselves... With me being sick and Chris handling the sailing, they are on their own if they need almost anything.  I suck it up when I have to go get them a bowl to throw up in or some food... but it is very minimal and I consider a granola bar a meal at this point.  We got to Chamela bay and had a great time resting at a nice calm anchorage and then swimming to shore from our dinghy to do some boogie boarding.  The wave break on shore was to strong so we through out the dinghy anchor and all the kids jumped in with their boogie boards and swam to shore.  We must have been a funny sight with all 6 of us coming out of the water...

On our last day (Friday) we were bumping along and after about 6 hours... the kids started to get a little restless, as kids should.  They decided to don their life jackets and play a game called don't get wet by sitting on the net and who ever could sit there and not get wet for a minute won.  Well Amaia decided to get overexcited (as she does) and was adding to the game by jumping up so the waves couldn't get her!  As I am literally screaming at her to SIT DOWN UP THERE, the kids are yelling back.. "We got this mom... we are just playing a game and its fun!"  Well, it is all fun and games until.... SOMEONE LOOSES AND EYE!  Soon enough... Amaia is being brought back with blood dripping down her face and I am swearing like (Gall darnit, cheese and rice, fricken fracken.).... well like I usually do when I am so flipping frustrated that my kids never listen... :@)

Yes, that would be our graceful one.  Amaia lost the match with the boat and the boat won by splitting her eye open in the outside corner.  I wish it was above her eye cause that would be a little easier to close but Dr. Chris will have figure this out.  So we are 8 hours from anywhere.. so Chris gets her to lie down and he cleans it, then butterflies her eye and puts a sterile gauze on it and wraps her head.

She seems fine, only cried for a second and then was more worried that she wouldn't be able to read her kindle.  We decided to watch movies instead and I broke out some candy that I had been saving to make her feel better.  We weren't sure if we were going to need to get her to a Dr. when we arrived in La Cruz and get some stitches in it.  Just because of the location of the cut... it was a little concerning about how this was actually going to close.

Red Skies at night... sailors delight :@)

As we pull in to the Marina at 8 pm that night, with a beautiful sunset and of course the kids are all begging to go and get Charlie's Pizza.  They have been craving decent Pizza since we left... And when I say decent pizza it is Sausage pizza that actually has sausages and not hot dogs on it... and Hawaiian Pizza that uses real Canadian Bacon and Pineapple and DOES NOT put maraschino Cherries on top... Crazy I know!

Anyway they were really wanting Pizza, Chris and I were exhausted from the last few days adventure in getting up and were just plum to tired to cook anything.. not even a bowl of cereal.  So we decided to take a peek at her eye and if it really wasn't closing or looked infected we would take her in, otherwise we will call it good and she will have a little scar to show and talk about...

Needless to say her cut looks great.. we will see when the swelling goes down, we got our pizza and we didn't need to traumatize her more with a bunch of extra needles and stitches.  I think a scar is a little cool and will give her a look of toughness.

She is in great spirits.. her new nickname is one eyed willie and she is loving the attention from it.  Not that she doesn't get enough attention on her own or anything.  So in terms of knocking on wood and buying insurance or not buying insurance... I still feel that we made the right decision in our medical coverage and to pay as we go...

Hugs to all and watch a sunset or two...

Heath