Which are we?

I haven’t posted much, because in comparision to many of our peer boats, I see us as Go Slow versus Go Go. We know folks that left 5 years ago, finished a circumnavigation, and sold their boats. Others, are taking the decision to either refit their original boats versus replace them with newer models.

Our good friends, Susan and Bill Tham, came to visit us recently and talked about the three phases of aging: Go Go, Go Slow, and No Go and I intuatively said, oh we’re already in the Go Slow category. Yet, after seeing Susan’s blog (which I made into mine but it’s 80% hers) and watching Bill’s video (click on the private link here), I change my position.

We are Go Go!

Costa Rica May 2022

Sunday 5/15 Don and Nina picked us up in a rental car, Went to the Province of Guanacaste coastal town of Playa del Coco. Walked on the Playa Coco overlooking Bahia de Culebra, kicked our feet in the sand and had lunch at the Panama Possee favorite wings Sports bar of Coconutz. Shopped at the local equivalent of Costco -Price Mart-to add to provisions for the week (Don and Nina keep a full stock of dry and canned goods, and frozen proteins on board). Light dinner on the boat in Marina Papagayo which has a hotel and restaurant.

Monday 5/16 Bill cooked excellent omelettes for breakfast. Don and Nina had previously enjoyed the water excursion La Leona waterfall tour. So we went back there again, and we were just as pleased, as were two other couples from the Panama Possee that also took Don and Nina upon their recommendations that day. There were flat and steeper trails, we swam in the Rio Negro against a strong current at times, to a beautiful grotto with waterfall. Nina yodelled, we jumped off rocks into a pool. We ate lnch at a nearby soda (luncheonette) Nina and Don had found previously, La Perlita. Sodas provide a blue plate special priced meal of rice, beans, salad and a choice of proteins (chicken, fish, pork, or beef). We stopped at the local POPs ice cream store and bought a 2 liter tub of ice cream. Then, home to the boat for a light dinner of salad. We played a long game of Mexican train dominos-Nina won of course! We saw a great view of the blood, full moon lunar eclipse.

Tuesday 5/17 Bill’s excellent omelettes. Up early out at 6:30 am to go to Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin the Rincon de la Vieja national park, hosting the largest and most active volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We had an action packed adventure day where we:

• Rode horses on a trail
• Carried huge tubes up to a river, spend an hour tubing down moderate rapids, and then carried those same tubes back up to the start point. Are we getting too old for this soon?
• Excellent buffet lunch at the hotel.
• Zip lining at 10 stations throughout the forest, with spectacular views underneath of the rivers
• Sat in a range of 100, 104 degree hot springs at the Rio Negra and passed on the ability to cover ourselves with volcanic mud

We were low on gas, so Don purchased a liter from the hotel since the fuel guage was Empty already for a good 10 minutes. We drove into a small town to Omar’s workshop to pick up wooden handles made of lovely Costa Rican wood that he had manufactured for Dietmar, the guy behind the Panama Possee, fellow cruiser and dock neighbor. Dinner at the Marina Dive Bar was excellent with Dive Burgers mahi fish tacos (that the waiter had caught that morning from his kayak), and killer margaritas. Home for an early night after a busy day.

Wednesday 5/18 Bill’s excellent omelettes for breakfast. We motored out of the Baha de Culebra, around Papagayo Peninsula to Bahia Yuevos. Nina set up her fishing poles to trawl off the stern. Anchored and hung out. Took a dip in the water, played killer Gin Rummy. Grilled chicken wings w Dons tasty BBQ sauce, Sue’s carrots and Nina’s rice. Watched schools of thousands of bioluminescent fish swim under the boat tramps. Nina said it was so magical, it was better than fireworks! Susan and Don slept up top under cool tropical breezes.

Thursday 5/19 Awoke to howler monkeys again. Nina’s breakfast of frozen papaya and banana fruit smoothie w oats, flax and coconut toppings. Put up the mainsail and motor sailed back to the marina to dry out the main sail before storing for the season. Nina put lines out to trawling off the stern, got a few bites but nothing caught. Nina drove ENJOY to dock for fuel, Don docked it in the slip. Removed dried mainsail down, flaked and rolled it up tight like a burrito to stow in the forward cabin. Went to the nearby Andaz Resource swimming pool after lunch to cool off after all that work, and had tasty cocktails. Saw iguanas on the path, and watched howler monkeys that swung from the trees. Home to the boat where Nina redeemed herself at Gin Rummy, Yummy dinner of stir fried tofu. Watched a movie “News of the World” which was meh. Asleep at Sailor’s midnight of 9pm.

Friday 5/20 Nina woke up sick and stayed in bed all day (it turned out to be COVID). Bill’s cheesy omelettes for breakfast. Went to Andaz resort for pre travel Covid Tests. Drove 1.5 hours Southwest to the Tamarindo beach. Beautiful beach on the Pacific, surf town-had lunch at a beachside restaurant. Stopped to buy Costa Rican coffee at a SuperMega to take home on the drive back to the marina. Well paved roads cattle and horses grazing. Everything is green because it is the start of the rainy season. Dinner at Nemera restaurant at the Four Seasons luxury resort nearby. Saw the sun set on the beach w Pelicans then fabulous dinner. Finished up flight Verify app back on board, then to bed.

Saturday 5/21 Bill’s cheesy omelettes-Nina never came up from below for the day. Took down the Jib w Don, flaked it and tied it up. Don and Susan played a quick game of Gin Rummy. Don drove us to the airport with a quick stop at the German Bakery for sandwiches.

Family Photos

Tali came to visit last month and we had a glorious time.