August, 2004:

Ok, we’ve been getting ALOT of grief over the fact that we have not posted enough pics on the site. So in an effort to quell the whining, I just posted a bunch of photos in the photo section of the blog. We hope you enjoy them. We have a few more batches of pics to put up, and should get them up within the next day or so. And no, whining about it will not get them up any faster.

Once we get these remaining pics edited and up, it should be pretty easy for us to stay current. Thanks for bearing with us in the meantime!

Shortly before giving up our slip at Coconut Grove, we decided that it was high time we take Andiamo out for a mini “shakedown” sail to make sure that everything checked out ok before we were to head out into the open waters. Especially since we had not sailed her since our first sea trial, which happened before we even BOUGHT her! So, it was a nice Saturday, with a brisk wind blowing about 15 knots, so this was as good a time as any to get her out on Biscayne Bay and see what she can do. We were not disappointed…

After we gave up our slip at Dinner Key, we hung out in the anchorage off Coconut Grove for a couple of days before we decided we were ready to head off to Key West. Dave and Shauna, our neighbors from Zia Lucia, talked us into staying over for 4th, and since we heard boat traffic was kinda kooky during the holiday weekend around the Keys, we figured what the heck. So before pulling up our hook on July 5th for Key West, Mahi and I held a small informal maritime ceremony (for lack of a better word) to give Andiamo a seafarer’s blessing and prepare her for all of the adventures that were to come. All it took was a bottle of relatively cheap champagne, a little attitude, and a complete lack of knowledge of what the actual ritual was supposed to be…

After the grand ceremony was over, we pulled up our anchor, and we were off to the Keys…

Andiamo had to go through an arduous healing process to get her bow repaired after we slammed the dock. Thanks to the great work from Dave and Kevin, our Pier 5 neighbors, she was brought back to her glorious splendor, and for a fraction of the cost of a boatyard’s estimate!

We had some friends visit us while we were in Miami, here are just a few of the shots we took while they were over. They made for some very interesting times…

More to come…

That’s right, all you naysayers. We made it so there! 😛

We actually arrived late last night, and anchored out in the bay here. We spent most of the morning checking in, and finding out just how “honest” the Mexican government is.

As much as we want to kick back and have fun, and don’t worry, WE WILL, we need to first get our fridge up and running again. We’re going to try to get the boat into the marina so we can at least work on it in air conditioned comfort.

One thing that saddens us is that it looks like we will not be cruising Mexican waters very much beyond Isla. We found out today that there is a new “rule” with all the port captains that requires us to pay a “shipping agent” each time we check in and out of a port so the shipping agent can be so kind as to go and get us checked in with the port captain. So, on TOP of the actual port tax that we’re supposed to pay the port captains, we’re supposed to pay as much as $100 (that’s dollars, not pesos!) to a private shipping agent each time we check in AND out of a port. Needless to say, this is extortion and we think we’ll keep the boat in Isla, do our local mexican siteseeing from here, and then head on out to Belize.

Aside from all that, Isla Mujeres is a charming place, a little touristy, but that’s ok.

But anyway, we’re here. Yippee!!

That’s right, all you naysayers. We made it so there!

We actually arrived late last night, and anchored out in the bay here. We spent most of the morning checking in, and finding out just how “honest” the Mexican government is.

As much as we want to kick back and have fun, and don’t worry, WE WILL, we need to first get our fridge up and running again. We’re going to try to get the boat into the marina so we can at least work on it in air conditioned comfort.

One thing that saddens us is that it looks like we will not be cruising Mexican waters very much beyond Isla. We found out today that there is a new “rule” with all the port captains that requires us to pay a “shipping agent” each time we check in and out of a port so the shipping agent can be so kind as to go and get us checked in with the port captain. So, on TOP of the actual port tax that we’re supposed to pay the port captains, we’re supposed to pay as much as $100 (that’s dollars, not pesos!) to a private shipping agent each time we check in AND out of a port. Needless to say, this is extortion and we think we’ll keep the boat in Isla, do our local mexican siteseeing from here, and then head on out to Belize.

Aside from all that, Isla Mujeres is a charming place, a little touristy, but that’s ok.

But anyway, we’re here. Yippee!!

Comment from: Valerie [Visitor]

Fantastic … glad you arrived safely and are enjoying the adventure … hope to meet you along the way … Valerie

2004-08-21 @ 13:49