RIO DULCE - So I mentioned earlier that there are a lot of boats here, right? Well I think this place is going to get us in trouble. Anna loves sailboats, and I'm a big fan myself even though I know nothing about them. She's got some sailing and racing experience and, unlike myself, knows how to tie that funny little knot that keeps the sails up and the dinghys from floating away.
On the first day at Tortugal I saw the most unique boat parked right out front in a nice little slip. It was named 'Skol' and I wanted to check it out but I felt funny lingering on the dock because 1. I didn't want the skipper thinking I was scoping out his boat, and 2. you're not allowed to just linger all willy-nilly on the docks back home unless you've got your own set of keys. Anna assured me it wasn't really a big deal so we looked at Skol for a few minutes and then took a walk around. It looks like one of those old style english coupes with the really long hood... check it out...
On the dock I was impressed with myself for recognizing the different hull types and rigging setups of the various boats. I saw a gorgeous cream colored boat with two jibs and I asked the owners if it was a 'cutter rig'. It was, and that's how we met Michael and Linda from San Francisco. They've got a 38 foot Island Packet they bought new and have been living on for the last seven years. Linda asked us to come by for a drink and a tour before we left Tortugal and we were on cloud nine.
The next day it was raining, and as luck would have it I was upstairs checking email when this woman - who I recognized as being one of the owners of Skol - came in and accidentally shut off my computer while turning hers on. We got to talking and she invited us onboard for a tour! I was psyched... it would be the first sailboat I'd ever stepped on - well, besides the little sunfish we've got up in Sunapee.
The Skol owners were great and gave us a heck of a good tour even though it was 5pm and they were leaving very early the next day. Their boat, a 50' 88 Mikelson, was more like a luxury New York apartment. It had a raised pilot house that was hugely spacious, three heads, two very nice and large cabins, a wood stove, and even a washing machine! Bill showed us the equipment to make fresh water, the online charting system integrated with gps and radar, and the other electrical and charging systems.
That night at dinner we got to chatting with Tom and Mary, two very nice and friendly folks from Louisiana, who invited us to sit with them. He's an ex-engineer and she's an ex-yacht broker. They were very sharp and funny and shared many of the same views we had about energy, politics and all that other stuff so we hit it off pretty well. As it turned out, they own a 50' 1979 Gulfstar - 'Carpe Diem' - anchored off the marina and had forgotten their flashlight so I gave them mine for the trip back. They offered to take us aboard the next day at 10 for a tour! It just keeps getting better!!
Tom showed up at 10 am sharp, took us back on their old red dinghy
, and they showed us the boat. It was different but just as amazing as the Skol and they ran it with more of an old school mentality. Not as many fancy gadgets but Tom and Mary knew their stuff and their boat. It had a huge aft cabin, a huge bathroom, a head that was converted to a workshop, a very large galley and settee for eating and hanging out, a nice fore cabin and an engine ROOM in which sat a spankin new kubota diesel. The interior was of course finished with beautiful hardwoods and amazing craftmanship... and when I saw the electrics I could have stayed all day! We sat and talked and then took a ride to town with Mary on the dinghy in the quest for Quetzales (there's STILL a shortage of local currency).
The next morning Tom knocked on the door at 10 o'clock... he brought my flashlight back, along with a very gracious offer of a ride on their boat! Anna and I got going as fast as we could and headed out. They needed to run the engines to get the refrigeration going and charge the batteries so they figured they'd take us along and show us a thing or two. What a treat! As we were passing under the giant Rio Dulce bridge Tom noticed us looking to see if the mast would clear and shouted "oh no... OH NO! are we gonna make it... I DON'T think we'll...!!". Then he chuckled and added "aw I'm just foolin wit yall. We've been under here a hundred times." Then Mary let me drive...
Then Mary let Anna drive...
Next, they showed us how to work together to properly anchor a boat. Mary coached Anna at the controls while Tom instructed me up at the windlass (that's the big crank that lowers the anchor). We were having so much fun. We chatted some more, Mary whipped up a nice little lunch and then they brought us back on the dinghy to polish off a fantastic day. That too was full of excitement as Tom fooled and shouted that we'd capsize from the 'Guatemalan Navy' boat's wake.
As if the day couldn't get any better we swung over and saw Michael and Linda that evening. She invited us aboard, made us drinks, and we all sat on the cockpit chatting for a bit. Then we headed below deck for a tour. It was amazing... 12 feet shorter but almost as spacious as Tom and Mary's with a gorgeous wood interior and the same amazing teak/holly floors as the other boats. I particularly liked the kitchen layout and the huge head with a shower! At maybe 420 sf of interior space, it was like a cozy studio apartment.
Anyway, Michael and Linda were awesome. He's retired from ups and now manages his real estate holdings while she's an accountant. Michael - the designated cook onboard - whipped up some fresh salsa and we sat around eating and laughing for hours. They sailed down from San Franscisco, through the Panama Canal, and are heading up to the east coast where they'll probably sell their boat. Hopefully we'll be back in time to give them a proper Boston tour.
