Hola amigos! It’s hard to believe we’ve been in San Carlos for a month already! A lot has happened since arriving so I’ll do my best to recap. The purpose of coming to San Carlos was to be in a place that we could easily reach San Diego, and leave the boat in a safe place during our absence.
Upon arrival we anchored Perspective outside of the marina and waited until August 1st to move her into a slip. It has been hot and humid here and we were excited to get to the dock so we could use our air conditioning. Brad and I were armed with big plans. His plans involved engine maintenance and installing a second alternator. My plans involved our sewing machine. Our plans together involved a trip to San Diego to renew Brad’s Visa, see family/friends, and some boat shopping!
We ended up scheduling our trip to San Diego the 3rd through 13th. We had lots to do before we could leave Perspective for 10 days. This included a thorough cleaning/wipe down of all surfaces with vinegar to prevent mold. All food had to be removed from the fridge and freezer. Windows and hatches needed to be covered in tinfoil. The water maker needed to be pickled, the dinghy needed to be locked down and the paddle boards needed to come inside. We managed to do all these things and got out the door by 7am.
The drive to San Diego was nicer than we expected and the roads are well cared for. There was one surprise though, picture this…a freeway with a big sweeping corner followed by an unmarked speed bump. An unmarked speed bump! Were they trying to kill us?! We must have missed the sign explaining that it was coming up ahead. Brad’s quick reflexes took us from 80km to about 50 as we hit the bump. We were left quite surprised and definitely more vigilant!
San Diego did not disappoint. We found ourselves busier than ever visiting with family and friends, and for that, I am so grateful! Even Sydney got to catch up with old boyfriends and girlfriends from her previous beach life. I could go on and on, really, our time in San Diego was out of this world and it’s because of our friends/family that made it so special! Many thanks to everyone that hosted us, and those that drove many miles to see us. We love you!
Pictured below….The Del Mar crew at the races, it was a real treat to see Gareth in town! A photo with Chris, just missing Beth! Thanks for showing us a fabulous time in OB, and for introducing us to your new girl! My old boss and I during my visit to the office. Thanks, Nikki, for carving out time so we could catch up! Don’t forget your passport homework assignment. 😉
Summer Concert in the Park in Del Mar…
Time well spent in Nautwater…
Family time in Julian…
Catching up with Doug, who drove all the way down from LAX to enjoy a dinner with us…
And before we knew it, it was time to pack up and say goodbye. Sydney stole my seat on the way out…Brad did not mind. 😂
It was so easy to fall back into the old lifestyle, especially after spending so much time with family and friends. But we knew we had to get back to our girl and continue our adventure. Thanks to Dave and Jamyne on Magic Dragon, we heard that Perspective handled herself well during our absence. Even so, we were anxious to get back and settle in.
The boat was clean and put away for all of a day, and then it became a war zone of sewing supplies, and tools! Remember those projects I mentioned earlier? Well, they were not forgotten by us either. Brad dug in to the alternator project and I started sewing. We realized San Carlos was not the most ideal place to shop for boat parts, which left us in the slip for longer than we wanted. Luckily, Amazon works just fine here in Mexico! And Brad was not afraid to hop on buses and run all over Guaymas looking for parts. As of now, Brad has installed the second alternator and rewired both, installed an alternator regulator, changed the engine oil, changed the engine coolant, changed the transmission fluid, changed the Honda generator oil, changed the water maker oil, installed two new galley faucets that no longer leak, and I’m sure there’s more that I am missing. He has been a busy, busy bee!
As for me, I’ve sewn two new hatch covers to block the bright sunlight, three pillow cases, four jerrycan covers, 2 cockpit pouches and a lifesling cover. Whew! Luckily Jamyne was around to offer her expertise and moral support as I got stuck. I am so happy that these projects are done, and our gear is being protected from the sun! 
Even Dave and Jamyne got to play with the Sailrite. They suffered a torn sail on the way to San Carlos and were able to fix the sail with our machine. We are sooooo happy for them and can’t wait to see the sail fly again.
Basically San Carlos has been a place for us to catch up on much needed projects and as a bonus, in the air conditioning! It wasn’t all chores for us though, we did manage to take the dinghy out to Martini Cove a couple of times. We were surprised to see the water was so clear, and also surprised to see that it has been so fished out. This did not stop the boys from spearing to their hearts content! Jamyne and I also shot fish, with our cameras. Here are a few of my favorite photos from Martini Cove…
The little guys pictured above are in the Blenny family. They are super territorial, and masters of blending in. It’s been a fun challenge for me to capture them with the camera, as they tend to move erratically.
We did see some amazing sunsets here in San Carlos…
Here are some fun times that Sydney wanted me to share with you. She went to her old stomping grounds and reunited with her crew. And she had a fun ride to the beach in a topless jeep! She enjoyed beautiful yards and lots of pillows on her vacation from the boat.
What’s next for Perspective? We are leaving San Carlos and overnighting to an island called San Francisquito. The distance is about 105 nautical miles and Perspective will be on a downwind course. Weather depending, we will be there for a bit and then we will make our way to Bahia de Los Angeles through the end of hurricane season. We are so looking forward to a change of scenery, but do appreciate what San Carlos had to offer us. I hope this post finds you happy and well! Cheers!!!