Food Afloat!

theboatgalley.com is a great resource!

Home in Oregon with a lot of homework to do. Memories of my journey to Breathless still teaching me everyday. She's a tremendous boat with an amazing captain. The owner, Ernest Reinhard, will be back from Florida soon so we will be making plans to meet again. I learned from Larry that Ernie is an accomplished pilot and horseman. Is there anything this man doesn't do? Inspirational and motivated, he is a positive force field in life I have a feeling.

Next I must hone my culinary skills for galley cooking. In review, I've found several wonderful websites and books of "how to's" that  exist previously compiled by experts. Why reinvent the wheel?

Today I worked on a recipe for the single skillet using local available produce.  This seems to be the key when preparing food anytime but especially when on a boat.  Storage and shelf life can be interesting according to literature I have read so far.  Other topics of particular interest follow in my note taking here.  I am so excited for a long journey and want to do what I can to prepare in advance using the knowledge of those who have gone before. A big thank you to those who have done the heavy lifting!  I know this to be my first responsibility and only learning about the boats a second so I take this piece very seriously.  I love the learning about the boats.  It is a pleasure and bonus for me!

"For centuries the notion has persisted that the Captain is in charge of his ship.  But this is merely a myth, a thin facade of law and custom.  The Cook is the Captain, and he always has been" ~Neil Hollander and Harald Mertes




Casa For Sale

PV Realty has a nice Casa For Sale.  Casa Puesta Del Sol (BeachFront) - Downtown
Go to: www.pvre.com/casapuestadelsol

Here are my pictures but theirs are mucho bettero - If we get this house sold I get to go sailing. Any takers?

Tina

The 27th is here way too fast!

 Up and off to the Marina Vallarta with Capitan Lauro! He picks me up at the Villa this morning so we can make the best use of our day remaining. The house has another real estate showing on Friday so I make use of my time in the morning by stripping the bed, washing towels and general cleanup. Lauro shows me we need to pull in the deck furniture and pull shades and curtains. Looks presentable for now. Housekeeper will come tomorrow and fix it the way they like it to be shown. On to Breathless.

We start by noting no condensation has accumulated so we do not need to wipe her down. Humidity must be low. Placing the bagged ship covers forward and aft up near the hatches, we un-bag the monster covers.  We drop the boom by tying off the hydraulic lift arm to a small rope so it wont drop and hit Breathless.  Lauro removes the carter pin and  moves up to the top of the boom and lifts the tension off so I can remove the bolt that holds it in place. Now comes the big job of covering her.  We worked slowly and carefully.  I like his style.  Nothing gets broke and no one gets hurt.  We work well together.  I watch where he is going and help him to get the cover into position.  We zip each section together as we go.  We work our way to the stern where we remove the cover from the outside cockpit (I'm sure he told me the name but my brain is fried from having this sore throat). Off comes that cover and on goes this. Next we install sand bag weights to keep the cover in place. These are zipped on to the lower edge and set out side the boat deck.  This took nothing to type.  It took so much longer to to do. Lauro washes the cockpit area covers by lying them on dock, I spray with the hose and he scrubs with a brush.  Meanwhile, I practice my method of tying down the bow, spring and stern ropes on the cleats. Also practiced the bow knot and another 2 Lauro showed me but was unable to name.  These are important tools of the trade and I am so happy to get to learn them. There is so much a boat needs all the time you are never without work.  We talked about it being like the Golden Gate bridge, finish from end to the other and start over again. We polished stainless steel, we covered floors.

 

Breathless has a ship mascot who is a pelican.  I asked Lauro what he calls him but he said that it wasn't very nice. This pelican likes to sit on the bow and watch out over the harbor.  Needless to say what his other end is doing to the boat... This makes the tarp on the bow end kinda stinky so I was no longer singing the praises of our funny looking mascot who makes life just a little more difficult for those who do the cleanup.

At lunch my captain went home while I siesta'd in the wheel house. I walked about knowing this was the end of my time here and got a little tearful.  She is so beautiful. Displaying craftsmanship from every direction. It is amazing how boats are made with such detail but functionality. Everything has a purpose (sometimes multiple) and a place. Small areas but efficient. My pictures don't do her justice but I had to try.

 

Clean and tidy, ready for another day, we leave her at the dock while we make our way to the airport. We talk about Lauro's life at sea.  How he hadn't seen his son born until after he was a year old.  It is a tough life but he loves it.  It suits him. He has been to so many places all over the world.  His observations of people are profound. He is a wise young man at 47 years old and I am happy to have been able to spend this time and learn from him. A hug and a job well done from Lauro - that way to Alaska Airlines.

 

 

 

Cleansing Breath 12/26/2012

Up with setting moon. My 2 hour clock just won't adjust and it doesn't really matter - I leave her tomorrow. I can't help but feel down about this cuz I think I found my place. Tomorrow back to the wait for my next mission . Guess I shouldn't worry about that now. I have another day to be in paradise so why worry about tomorrow.

I set out to my bus behind the grocery store two blocks down from the homestead. The plan, meet Larry at the Marina Vallarta so I caught the bus baring the same. At Breathless, Larry is waiting. The deck chairs we left out the day before are neatly put away and Capitan Lauro is ready to "set sail" - although no sail today. Engine is running. Off we go with me positioned on deck between the bow and the front glass so I can see and hear my orders. We glide out the harbor without incidence past what seems like hundreds of boats - big and small. I'm still not sure of the plan but it doesn't seem to matter. We're moving and that makes me happy. We set anchor out in the harbor letting out 200 feet of chain. It won't hold, Captain has me stand at the controls and put the boat into reverse following his signals. We get her to settle in and stop moving. Perfecto! He gets out the air compressor, yellow air hose with mouth piece, flippers and mask. The next thing, Larry is telling me he will be scrapping the boat with a "spatula", he says it so cute. He tied this to a rope and then to his arm. He builds another stair for himself to go up the ladder after he is done today by hanging a deck rope, loop end down below the bottom rung, like a horse saddle stirrup so he can lift himself out. Very clever.

My instructions are to mind the gauges for the generator. 50 for oil pressure, 160-180 for temp. Anything changes or if the boat begins to shift I'm am to shut off the generator. He will
know by the sound that it is time to come up. We mark two points on land visually to make note of there distance from each other. If that changes we are moving and the anchor didn't hold. Now we are out in the bay where there is boat traffic of all kinds, jetties, and shallows so watching the depth finder was also important. This was exhilarating and a little challenging to this new comer but I felt up to the task.

Under water for over an hour! This man is strong and tireless. He worked around every section of the boat scrapping and cleaning her hull. I am so very proud of his abilities! It is a trade I feel deserves much praise and admiration. The risk he puts himself in - just in the line of work for a day. While I wait there were several occasions when large rolling wakes tossed the boat up and down, I feared, on top of him hard! I asked him later and he said it came down on him several times but it pushes him away. He had a small cut on his cheek, but no other injuries I could see. He did not complain.

Back into the harbor for her bath. We used a mild soap and mitt washed her from bow to stern. Dropped the dinghy into the water so Larry could reach her unreachables. This was a big day for our lady. Chamois dried and beautiful. My Captain dropped me to the bus were, tired from the work, I promptly got on the wrong one and rode it way up in the hills around PV. Rattled me some but I figured it had to come back where it started from eventually. I saw many more parts of the city this way so it was a happy mistake. By the time I reached the villa on Republica De chile I was beat. Chips, salsa, fruit - shower and bed. Think I'm getting a sore throat. It was a good tired.

Yes Jenny, I'm still chasing Pirates 12/25/2012

Found Santa! He's in PV  taking it easy...

 

 

First Mate in training? Me

Song: Chasing Pirates (norah jones)
Woke to the church bells. My first thought at that hour was "is it a tsunami?" I couldn't count them, they rang too fast. I lay waiting for the wave, nothing. Second thought, a celebratory drunk climbing the bell tower of the proud, gothic, catholic church steeple. So I watched the wave roll in from my bed, just one at a time. No combinations of 3 or 4 piling in like Oregon coast. Just a single every 6 seconds. A small, hushed growl like my Bear. I know waves have wrecked inside this house with 40 footers a few years ago. No threat made today. The house stood strong I'm told. I asked Lauro about that day. He said he came to check on this place and boats were strung through the center of old town streets and up the hill. I forgot to ask him if anyone died. I'll ask him tomorrow. Up at 0500 my time, 0700 PV time. I am to call and get the day's plan at 0900 so I type my extensive inventory of Breathless from the previous day for the hours I wait. Drinking coffee, watching the sun rise - my office has changed. Lovely.

Capitan Lauro Rosales Hernandez 

The cobble streets of Puerto Vallarta look untouched from forever. They loudly rattle the public buses with a happy, crazy driver who seems to be behind every wheel. That was fun! I rode the bus twice today to catch up with Lauro and his nieces and nephew and home again. All together, we took Breathless for a Christmas Day cruise out into the bay. What a blast! Right away my purpose is made clear. Pulling lines, watching our distance with arm indications to my Captain. He speaks to me over the outside speakers, "ok, bring in the fenders"!

The kids are so well behaved, sitting patiently while we move her about a tight harbor. Once clear, Lauro used the automatic wench to raise the main sail as I released the roller. This is to steady the ride as there wasn't enough wind to really power the lumbering vessel so we motor-sailed on. Destination, the whales!

We rolled along under a hazy, blue sky. Kids chatted, slept and ate. My task today was to pay attention where my captain was. I have so much I want to learn. Anytime he goes below or motions to me I have my orders. This was a good feeling for me. Lauro knows I want nothing more then to learn what is going on. He shows me engine temp, oil pressure, setting of the heading, auto pilot, pumps gauges, generator on switch to keep 120 volts operating under sail. So much more! Everything has a right and wrong place to be showing. Amazing! Like a new language I hear his words and hope I retain the meaning at the appropriate moment needed. I ask Lauro if the red X on the navigation screen means a pirate's buried treasure. He laughed, says no that's a shallow area we will avoid but if I wanted to jump in and check for treasure I could!

We spot our whales! Humpbacks here to calve in the warm, prolific waters of Mexico. A cow and her calf are the entertainment of a spectator boat that's brought dozens out from shore. We sail on past them and wrap another angle, providing ourselves an amphitheater setting on the show. Baby comes up many times getting her breath while the occasional roll of mommy's back appears bumpy and dorsal fin. She was big and beautiful. We moved along, they moved too. What a most incredible of my many firsts in life this trip. While the girls and I moved about the boat to get better views, Lauro piloted. Cesar, the youngest on the trip, slept. I think the sea made him feel the need to sleep or the Dramamine convinced him - missing his whales today.

Learning gauges, dials, electronics and watching for whales. Starting our way back to harbor after several hours, this went too fast. Another thing I couldn't help but noticing is how different the sea birds are here. Impressive to say the least. Pelicans, albatross maybe... I'll have to ask Lauro. He will know. Making our way back, captain goes below after instructions. He'll be away 20 minutes he says. If alarm sounds, boats approach, or we see whales I am to take off auto pilot and move to lower RPM's or neutral to take evasive maneuver if needed. Hmmm, what is he up too? Of course, within 10 minutes Lauro has set off the oil monitor alarm manually from below to check and see if I was paying attention. I did as I was told and passed my first drill. Success! I watched for buoys as we moved closer to the harbor, learned some rules of the mariner's road. This was fascinating. As we pulled closer in a mega yacht has the ride of way to come out so we pull a u-turn at the base of some cruise ships that stand like skyscrapers. Back to our prime slip in the harbor means a few turns in this, herself, not so small ship. Lauro is patient and skilled, moving her like a puzzle piece to her too small of a parking place, up close to the rip-wrap and cafe. People on shore stop to watch the action. She always gets waves and praises, making us very proud to be with her. Lauro jumps on dock, we get lines over to him while he calls me down to show me the proper way to secure her. He has the girls bring the 2 huge fenders to drop in beside the dock. Power plug, gear away, freshwater pumps stilled, walk through, secured for the night. The kids wait what probably felt like forever to them without a complaint. We leave the window covers off, deck chairs out and a few other things because we will be back bright and early. Tomorrow we wash her down. We're talking a scuba lesson in there somewhere. Hopefully not where the harbor alligators like to hang out.

Christmas Dinner 2012 - Perfecto!

As we left the marina we see a big iguana sunning on the rocks. Lauro picks a red hibiscus flower and feeds him his favorite. This is little Ernesto's (the 3 year old grandson) favorite thing to do at the harbor. He was sick today and couldn't make it. One in your honor, young Ernie.

Merry Christmas dinner from the local market. First food of the day, Christmas never tasted so good - back here at Mr. Reinhard's place. Only set off the burglar alarm once, that was enough. Ouch!

The lighted pirate ships sail in the night right up near the shore here again. Closer this time. Maybe he's on that one, Jenny. Little FYI...Jimmy Buffet keeps creeping into my music selection.

Taking her Pulse 12/24/2012

 

Coffee on the over spill area facing the ocean at 0700. Capitan Lauro (Mr. Reinhard calls him Larry) picks me up for work at 0800. We join Breathless in the Marina behind locked gates. We began our day by breaking out the chamois clothes to wipe down the morning the dew. This was to keep the water from running down and staining her windows. My sense is that we don't have to rush to do things. I can get use to this pace. Lauro pulled the equipment for inspection. Life-vests, flare guns, main engine parts, generator parts, batteries, first aid, toiletries, galley provisions - making a list of things as it will be typed up on spread sheet for my captain. We tossed out-dated supplies and made a note for future needs.

In between we would stop occasionally to take me below to the engine room to show me the workings of the parts we were inventorying. This was SO helpful in my mind to better understand the mechanics of the ship. Capitan Lauro is an excellent teacher and my style of learning blends well with his method. Fortunately, I am experienced in some of the language of engines having owned those old cars so I feel I am a quick study. So much on the ship is connected with pumps, valves and water that having worked in irrigation for many years brings me along when we discuss back-flow prevention and anti siphon. It feels familiar in a comfortable way.

As we stood on her deck pulling spent batteries from life-vest rescue lights, a man walked up to her stern across the water and called out to us. He asked "Is this your ship?" My Captain answered "no, we are working on her for the owner". He called back "She is the most fabulous boat in the marina!" I'd have to agree. While I worked today making my lists I glanced out the window to see people standing and pointing towards us. I can only imagine the admiration being spoken as this ship deserves. With the tallest mast in this busy Marina, Lauro tells me a story of how she was struck by lighting a few years back during a violent thunderstorm. This knocked out much of the electrical system! Now she is tethered to a grounding system that drops a concrete block into the water giving the lightning a path away from the ship. I'm learning so much today that I can't begin to put it all here.

While we worked, friends of Mr. Reinhard stopped by to meet me and make sure I felt welcomed. That was so incredibly kind. The 2 gentleman were both named Bob so it was very easy to remember their names. We discussed birthday plans and fireworks. These men are just boys with toys on a grander scale and I told them so. No one in denial, we moved on to a phone call to tell Ernie he ought to come join us for this island hoping celebration. Sounds as though his commitment to the Florida property will trump any hopes we had for such a scheme. Next time!

Capitan Lauro took me home with him for a glorious home made fajitas lunch prepared by his wife with all the trimmings. Much better than any restaurant! Following lunch and watermelon for dessert, I gave my gifts of bracelets I made this week in preparation for the journey as a thank you to the wonderful family. That was fun for me.

Later, after work on the ship inventory concluded Lauro took me for a instructional transit on the city bus system to give me the tools to get around on my own in the city. We exchanged dollars for pesos and rode the city bus from the ground zero in Mexico - Walmart, yikes. From there we caught the bus to center of town back to the villa on Repulica. Here we parted ways making our plans for Christmas Day at 0900 with a phone call, me to ride the bus back to Walmart, walk to his home where we will then go to the marina with his family, take Breathless out to the islands and see what we can see. Whales? I hear that is possible. Oh, Merry Christmas for me!