Our Necessary Long-term Visit to the States

We flew back to the States much earlier than we planned for many important reasons that had to put our cruising life on hold for several months. The biggest one was Linda's spine surgery that held so many uncertainties both short-term and long-term outcomes. We also planned to attend a family wedding in the Chicago area, my 50th high school reunion in Pennsylvania, our routine medical appointments and then visits to family and friends. But the main reason we flew back early was to complete the surgery as soon as possible.

 

Back in Pusser's Annapolis with Seth during our first weekend in cold country.

Originally, we had planned to sail to Panama and return to the US in July. But while we were in Belize we realized we would need return to the States in April but at the time we thought we could return to the Rio in June. Although we weren't totally sure we would be able to do that we needed a line in the sand. We planned that after the surgery we would fly back to the Rio for two months of recovery and then return to the States in late August to do all of our medical follow-ups and visit

Out of the jungle but still living like we're there having fresh coconut to eat along with rum and fresh coconut water.

family and friends. That plan lasted about a week after we got back to the States and the surgery got scheduled.  As we came to grips with what would be the short-term outcomes we realized it wouldn't be until after the surgery that we would really know the impact of our immediate future.

In our travels to visit family and friends we visited places from my past. An original covered bridge over the Conestoga at Hunsickers Mill.
 
In our "big-picture" planning we decided that rather than stay with any of our many friends that kindly offered to let us stay with them we would hole up in a residence hotel especially through the surgery so that the requirements would not tax our friends and provide the easiest accommodation for Linda’s recovery considering all the restrictions imposed by the surgery. So for the first two months we had a very affordable (considering the area) suite-hotel that provided a full-service kitchen and accessible bath with easy access to the hospital, doctors and shopping.

Dinner with my sister and two of my sons at El Serrano in Lancaster in April.


Before we left Guatemala, we scheduled several of our medical appointments so when we arrived in Virginia about midnight on our travel day the first of many appointments began the next morning. Although already busy during our first weekend back we got the chance to hang out with our old sailing club and talk with many of our old friends. It's always so wonderful to get back to see the people with whom we spent lots of time in years past.

Oxford Boatyard where our adventure began 4 years ago.

When we arrived in the DC area the temperature was in the 30's. Quite a shock from the "real feel" temps in the 100's that we had just left. Even the subsequent daytime temps in DC were only half of what we were used to.  Although we had brought the warmest clothes we had, we were poorly prepared for the very cold and wet weather we endured the first two months of our travel.

Another night in Annapolis at dinner with sailing friends Scott and Noi Neuman.


Medical Issues

After weeks of preparation and testing, Linda's surgery was scheduled and conducted in May. Everything went as well or better than expected. Then after 30 days of recovery she was cleared by her surgeon to travel so we left for Chicago to visit and the remainder of the immediate future. But, big questions still remained about what long-term impacts she would have but that answer would have to wait for months.

Packaging the drogue that was given to us for shipping back to Guatemala.


While recovering, Linda developed an unusual heart pulse which landed her back in the hospital about a week after she had been discharged. She was diagnosed with an atrial fibrillation or afib which was quickly reversed with treatment. However, with this condition there could also be potential impacts on our long-term plans.

One last rock on the dock in May at Pusser's in Annapolis.
 
But, while we were working through Linda's procedures my annual urology exam revealed that further examination for possible prostate cancer was warranted. As a result, I went through an MRI and then a third biopsy which proved negative.

Dinner with our sailing buddy Dave Sykes in Oxford before the surgery.


Return to Guatemala

We always planned to return to Guatemala for a period that we originally thought would allow Linda to recuperate in our home at much lower cost than in the States and in a much more friendly environment. But, after surgery and assessing her limitations we decided she should not return but

A room for the night south of the border in Honduras because my flight was delayed.  What you get for US$13. Even cheaper than military housing.

that I would travel back myself and she could remain at her son's home in Alexandria.  Her limitations would make it impossible for her to do many routine things without assistance and would even limit her ability to get on and off the boat. Not to mention even carrying a bag through the airport. So on 11 July I flew back to Guatemala by myself. In the 4 years that we have lived aboard these would be the first nights we spent apart.

Finally back home on the Rio Dulce.

In the nearly 25 years Linda and I have been together and the 4 years we've been cruising this would be the longest time we were apart. Being apart was its own challenge besides simply missing my partner and best friend. For those that don't liveaboard that may be hard to understand.  From our routines we have evolved into complementary roles where we each rely on the other for the accomplishment of specific supporting tasks on board. Upon returning to the boat my loss became immediately obvious.

The Sledgehammer going out on it's first "Party Cruise."

Party on the Sledgehammer the night before I moved to Catamaran featuring Rosa our favorite bartender.

One of our single-handing cruiser friend refers to the division as "red tasks" and "blue tasks." It may sound "sexist" but in our sailing relationship we have developed clearly identified functions based on our own best capabilities. Linda's role could be defined as the living necessities and mine could be defined as keeping the boat working. So when I returned I suddenly had to do it all.  Linda knows what we have, where it is and what should be consumed. I knew where the boat parts were and how to do the projects I needed to complete while I was there. But being alone I had to learn what she knew and integrate it around the work I needed to accomplish while I was at the boat.

A beautiful evening shot of the Castillo de San Felipe.


While I was back in the States we shipped 150# of stuff back to our boat at RAM marina. I was also able to bring back almost another 150# of material in my luggage (I didn't need to carry back clothes so I had almost all of my luggage available for freight) so my first order of business was to stow 300# of "stuff." One of the big and heavy items was a storm drogue that we had been given in the Spring and while it took time to lay it into the anchor locker stowing it was relatively easy.  Another big item was a sheet of soundown that I had shipped for replacing the original insulation in the engine compartment. By the end of my first day I had stowed everything and somehow found stuff to eat.

A favorite breakfast. Eggs made with my salsa and spices along with fruit and of course a tortilla de harina made locally. You can't eat this well in the States and the cost is probably less than $1. Everything is local.

I made up a pizza for myself on a tortilla de harina with some tomato sauce, broccoli, parmesan, sweet potato, peppers, onions, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. 

After being back a few days I moved Amekaya from RAM Marina to Catamaran Marina about a mile down and across the Rio. RAM is a good boatyard for work and storage. But, for long-term living it doesn't afford many amenities. We decided to move to Catamaran Hotel & Marina because it had a pool, restaurant and bar. Thanks to our good friend Steve Elliott organizing social events there were

View from the lobby of Catamaran Hotel and Marina.

Our dock.

many things to do there as well. So with the help of our friends Bert and Dorothy of Island Girl and Tony and Robin from Alleycat Too we cast off from RAM and for the first time I motored alone the short distance to Catamaran and with the help of lots of hands there got tied in to our new slip and now ready for new adventures.

At Catamaran I was able to begin my projects and was introduced to a jungle walk that I did every other day. There is a public dock across the cove where I could tie off my dink and walk back a trail through the village of Esmeralda to a jungle road. The road followed a pipeline over 9 hills to a

A boat project to accurately inventory spare parts and tools took several days to identify what needed to be brought back.

junction with another road that went off into the jungle in one direction and in the other back to the main highway that goes into Fronteras. The road junction was 2.5 miles from the dock passing through a rubber tree grove and a palm oil plantation. One of the unusual and interesting features along the walk was a herd of SE Asian water buffaloes that had been imported to Guatemala as work animals. They were fully domesticated, so they were of little danger.

A view down the pipeline road where I walked. The pipeline runs from a wellhead up near the Mexican border to Puerto Barrios carrying crude oil for export.

Little buckets hang on the rubber trees collecting the sap that will be converted to rubber.

The Rubber Tree Plantation.

On my walks I saw men working the plantation trees and carrying firewood; women doing laundry in the many streams in the jungle and working about their homes; many vehicles passed me with drivers waving and many stopping to offer rides; and lots of friendly hard-working people. I've had questions from friends about the safety of this because the public image is that Central America is a

Corn growing alongside the road. It grew about a foot a week.

hotbed of civil war and crime. Along the roads we walk nothing has ever provided any reason to suspect harm and in fact women from the marina run these roads by themselves without fear. Much better than many places in the US. The only challenge has been that the roads destroyed my shoes so I was forced to buy better ones.

The Palm Oil plantation.

In the jungle plants grow on plants.

A truckload of palm fruitlets to be pressed into palm oil.

Over the 4 weeks I was there I was comfortable in the boat making meals and running the dink about to get into town and other places as needed allowing me to eat healthy with the many fruits and vegetables available in the town. At the same time I was able to accomplish several boat projects and make it to the pool everyday for happy hour to socialize with other cruisers while enjoying a beer without any invasion from bugs. Most of the marinas around the Rio spray for bugs although we have friends at one marina where the bugs will eat you alive.

The domesticated herd of water buffalo working in the plantation.


After my four weeks I was happy and sad to be heading back to the States. I was happy to be going back to see my honey but it is always so hard to leave our home. Hopefully we will never need to be apart this long again. On the last morning one of our friends dinghied me to RAM Marina at 0600 to rendezvous with Otto, our reliable taxi, who was scheduled to meet me at 0700 but I expected him at 0630 and he was right on time to begin my journey back to the States.

My new dentist. A Guatemalan couple that moved here from Guatemala City and are gaining patients quickly. Cost for my exam and cleaning was $47.50. Last year in the States $350.


Visiting Friends and Family

Over the next 2 months we traveled close to 10,000 miles to visit family and friends. We made several trips to Pennsylvania to see my sister, son and grandson. We made trips to Chicago in June

After months of trying finally caught up with my college classmate Mike Campbell and his wonderful wife Hannah.

In Punta Gorda, FL with classmate Jack Andreas and his beautiful wife Dora at the Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery. Sorry Dora, the better pics didn't get retained

In San Antonio with my son and his beautiful family. 

Linda and her old work associate Chris Skudlarek.

and another in September to visit family and friends there. We went to South Florida to visit my daughter and her kids; a college classmate and other friends. While in Florida we visited our

We spent a day at the Chicago Art Institute.


belongings in storage and our home (along with thousands of others) in Green Cove Springs.  We flew to San Antonio to visit another son and his family. Then there were the frequent trips to the Chesapeake to visit friends and do boat supply shopping in Annapolis and Oxford.

At a wine tasting in Geneva, Il with our good friends Ralph and Sunny Hernandez.

On the way back from Florida we stopped for a few nights in Charleston as a little sightseeing opportunity and play tourist to enjoy the beautiful community.

The Return

After six months we finished all our visits and our routine medical appointments. Then came the big job of shopping for what we needed to take back with us and packing it. Because we wanted natural

During the Annapolis Boat Show we got a chance to have dinner with our good friends Bob and Kat Lyon who came into Annapolis from Indiana.


solutions for Linda’s health, we needed to bring back many natural supplements, so we bought another bag that we would need to pay for. Normally we have 2 free check bags each and 1 carry-on but this time we would check a total of 5 bags. When we checked-in all of our bags were just under 50# so we were fine.   American upgraded us so we could have packed each bag to 70# but we didn’t know that when we were packing, although some of our bags had no more room. It’s always an art packing light things and heavy things in the right balance to stay under the 50# limit.

On one of our last nights we drove back to Annapolis for dinner with our longtime sailing friends, frequent hosts and fellow birthday boy Al & Trish DelNegro.

Our flight back was uneventful, and our driver was waiting for us in San Pedro Sula. We touched down at 1130 and were standing on the dock in Rio waiting for the Sledgehammer at 1530. So after our six-month odyssey we were home and ready to get to work on getting ready to go out cruising.

Waiting at the dock for our ride back to Catamaran on our return to the Rio.

As we left Livingston and traveled up the Rio Dulce this time our trip was not as thrilling as it was our first time last year. The lush jungle foliage was there, the beautiful river, the unique jungle houses with their activity but this time the trip carried a significance that was missing before. We knew that we had a very short time to get the boat ready so we could leave to fly back to the US and we knew the return to the States carried with it lots of undesirable conditions. The first being that it would be very cold compared to the 90+ degrees in the Rio but more importantly the uncertainty of the outcome of Linda's spine surgery.

The beautiful Rio Dulce.

Our buddy boat, Livin Life started up the river ahead of us from Livingston but we soon passed them as we raced to get into the anchorage before dark. After our tranquil night in Texan Bay we continued up the river to Fronteras with Livin Life getting out ahead of us. When we got near Shell Bay we watched them pull into the fuel dock on AIS so we slowed down to give them a chance to fill up before we arrived. As they left, we tied up at the fuel dock to complete the first task of our return. We pulled into the marina with dock hands motioning for us to back into the dock across from the fuel dock. We learned it wasn't really us they were calling. Another boat backed into our soon-to-be slip to get hauled and then were pulled into the well. While we were fueling and looking at the dock where

The shores of Livingston.

we were going to be berthed another boat came in without permission and tied up in our spot waiting to be hauled out. So when we finished fueling we asked the marina about our berth because they didn't want us sitting at the fuel dock. Deciding not to ask the other boat to leave they let us remain at the fuel dock wasting about 2 hours of valuable time we needed to get our boat put to bed. Finally they left our slip to be hauled out and we got in but by then it was late in the afternoon and we were unable to get any of our outside chores done. As in most of the tropics night falls early so with little more than an hour of daylight the outside tasks would be deferred.

Nothing changed on the street in Fronteras.

Our initial plan was to fly back to the States for 2 months and then fly back after Linda had her surgery. We would come back and spend about 2 months on the boat while she recuperated but then we needed to fly back to the States in late August for medical follow-ups, travel around to visit family and attend my 50th High School reunion scheduled for August.  This meant our boat would be in place for about six months so we needed to prepare it for that despite the fact we would be there for part of the time.

The preparation chores included: removing, cleaning and stowing the sails; removing as many outside lines as possible and replacing with messenger lines; covering up as much of the boat and running rigging as possible; prep the dinghy; fill the fuel and water tanks; clean the boat inside and out; service all mechanical equipment; setup the AC air conditioning in the companionway to keep the boat cool and dry; and implement a pest control plan. We needed to do this while we continued living on the boat and packing for our uncertain trip.

We had our cockpit cushions recovered. 2 day turnaround.

Over 2 days I was able to get much of the outside work done, service the engine (the genset had recently been serviced) and Linda started on cleaning the inside of the boat. On the 3rd morning we were at the dock listening to the local cruisers net when our boat was hit by a boat that was trying to get onto the fuel dock. There was no wind or current but somehow the pilot was unable to negotiate his 36' boat to the fuel dock 25' away without hitting us. When we ran out on deck the crew on the other boat was yelling at us in French as if it was our fault for being in their way. This was the second time we were hit while tied to the dock across from the fuel dock. Last year we were hit by a local lancha taking off from the fuel dock. So we asked the marina manager to be tied elsewhere.

On Saturday as our worked continued in earnest there was an opening on another dock and the marina agreed for us to move so we would be away from the fuel dock. When the dock hands arrived to help us I started our engine and while it was warming up it died.  After several failed attempts to start the engine we let the dock hands manually move our boat from one dock to the other and get us into our new slip. Quite disgusted I deferred until the next morning to begin an investigation of the engine issue.

The next morning I began looking at the fuel system and the likely culprit appeared when I removed the filters. As I removed the filters the villain was obvious. We had water in our fuel. Not a little water like from condensation but enough that the fuel didn't smell like diesel fuel and looked like milk.  I spoke to the marina manager and she suggested I get an independent mechanic that worked around the marina to come look at our boat because clearly we had something wrong with our boat to get that kind of water in the fuel. The marina denied any possibility that it was their fuel. I also contacted a contractor that had the capability to polish the fuel to come by to try and see if we could get the water out.   

Our farewell dinner with our friends at Dreamcatchers in the jungle.

With our need to get ready to leave we tried to expedite every action. The mechanic came by early Monday morning and could not find any possible source of contamination from our boat. He even commented about how unusual it was to see an engine compartment as clean as ours. But, he was unwilling to tell the marina that he could find no source of water from our engine or on our boat and it was probably their fuel.  Later in the day we began the process of removing the fuel from the tank for polishing with the contractor and in a short while he removed quarts of water. His machine consisted of 2 large water separation filters and even though he got lots of water out much passed through.

Working on the engine.

We pulled out about 2/3rds of the tank for cleaning. Then ran it back through the filters a second time and into the tank. Later that evening we bled the fuel lines and were able to get the engine to at least turnover. But, we decided that the only thing to do was pull out all the fuel the next day, Tuesday and replace it. So the next morning we removed 160 gals of diesel fuel until the tank was completely empty. Then by hand I poured fuel back in through a triple Filter designed to remove water and dirt. I poured in about 30 gals, bled the fuel lines again, changed the filters, bled the lines and we got the engine to run.  We ran it for about 20 mins.

Next day, Wednesday, I was able to go back to the fuel dock and refill the tank running all the fuel through a water-fuel separator and motored back into our slip. Over the next few months I will need to continue running the engine and drain off water and dirt changing the filters frequently to restore the fuel to a reliable condition.

Though we were able to fix the problem It cost me almost an entire tank of diesel, time for our mechanics and most importantly our time that we needed to get ready to leave. Meanwhile the marina continues to deny there was anything wrong with its fuel but has no explanation for how it got there other than that I might have added water to the fuel.

Schedules collided as we crashed getting all our chores done getting ready to leave while working the fuel issue because we had a local woman come in on Tuesday to help Linda clean the inside of the boat. So working around the challenges of the fuel issue Linda got done what she could leaving a big portion of the work for after we could close up the engine compartment. But that night we took a break for a few hours and had dinner with several of our friends before we left to come back to the States on Thursday.

Wednesday we wrapped up the cleaning, got the fuel tank filled, packed and did all the last minute stuff we needed to for leaving at 0530 the next morning. So after a lot of stress, scurrying around  on last minute details, trying to see friends and packing we finally crashed late Wednesday night with some assurance the engine and the boat should be ok.

After a few hours of sleep we were up, finished packing and closed up the boat. As many boaters know closing the boat is a very sad time. We really hate to be leaving our home to unforseen risks and threats until we return. We really enjoy being onboard our home and really enjoy being in Guatemala. It's tough to leave but it helps knowing we will be back and better for the future.

At 0530 we were waiting and Otto our driver arrived. We have used Otto for going to and from the airport because he is great. A local businessman from Fronteras he shows up early, is very helpful and knows how to provide great customer service. This is our 5th trip with him and we have recommended him to others and we will of course continue to use him.

Our flights back were uneventful although we were able to get upgraded on both of them and try out the new American Flagship Lounge in Miami. But, these amenities did not soften the blow of landing with temperatures in the 30's and getting ready for what's next.

Our next blog article will be about our time in the States. But we would rather be back on the Rio with friends or cruising the Caribbean.

Last sunset in the Rio for a while.