Guaymas, Mexico 2019 - Boat Yard Hell

Still in the yard, working on TWO boats now.

Yona working on engine

We have moved all our belongings from Eileen May to Holoholo. That took a good while since it involved ladders and pulley’s for hauling gear up and down. Thank Buddha the new boat was in THIS yard. Otherwise it would have taken even more effort. 

We've started on the project list too. Shay is working on sanding the bowsprit and repairing some wood rot, prepping the hull to be painted and I’m working on the engine and propane system. We brought a truck load of gear from EM to the cruisers swap meet in San Carlos and made a few pesos. There’s a list floating around that has all gear we are selling from Eileen May. Not that we have taken the gear off yet, we will save that for some other month. 

The goal is to get Holoholo prepped enough to get in the water so we can stop living in the boat yard. Living here is getting old. We are constantly dirty and

Shay woking on Bowsprit

grumpy. Its like camping but worse, cause you have to get up and work, not go for a hike, or swim. Speaking of which, I haven't even been in or on the ocean yet since we arrived in Mexico. Not even a pool swim! Once we are in the water and living aboard the boat, life will improve drastically, and we can start doing fun things like testing the boat and putting her through her paces. Maybe actually sail.

But that’s still a ways off. 

For now we try to enjoy the little things that Mexico has to offer. Its still an adventure everyday, even grocery shopping. Let me share a few of my favorites. 

The Pothole Plant

Mexico has an extraordinary amount of potholes. Its one of the reasons driving is so dangerous and driving at night is just stupid. They are big. Like you could lose an electric car. And they come in multiples. So you end up swerving around, in and out of ongoing traffic to avoid breaking your axle. 

So we were driving around San Carlos looking for some boat part and I see up ahead a potted plant in the road. I point and say, “Plant.”

Shay does a wide swerve, and as we pass we peer into the hole. “OMG, did you see that hole?”

So of course we immediately pull over, get out, and take a picture of the pothole plant guarding the pothole. There are a few dead plants inside and so clearly this pot hole has had a protecting plant for some time.I think this should become a trend. 

Midnight Karaoke 

After living in a local neighborhood casita for 6 weeks, (think concrete block house with a hot tin roof), I feel I have the right to have an opinion on the night noises in a Mexican town. Or at least this Mexican town. 

During the week dogs bark all nights, chickens don’t really know when dawn is, and general music playing is loud and at any time of day. There are no boundaries. No one calls the police (that wouldn't work anyway,) and there are many holidays, and events that require Mexican music. The weekends get much lounder and start around 8 or 9 pm. 

High School bands are popular here and they play all evening, sometimes until the wee hours. Drums and horns and what-not. Sometimes there is a party on the street, a Quincinera, or holiday party. Many people have outside spaces where the partying takes place and the music is turned up as loud as possible. Maybe its a calling card to visitors, or status symbol, we don’t know. No amount of ear plugs helps and most parties last all night until 3 or 5 in the morning so many nights I just watched videos until I am so exhausted I don’t care anymore. I don't know how locals do this and go to work the next day? 

Its also popular for cars to mount loud speakers to their roof and drive down every backroad advertising a store, or a restaurant, or political candidates. There is also a neighborhood bar where a Mariachi band might be playing, or a rock band. 

And then there is the Karaoke. A particular neighbor likes their Karaoke machine. This tone deaf family loves to sing. Its terrifying. I do think THEY think they can sing. But, and I’m not being mean here cause I’ve gotten additional opinions, they CANNOT sing. This family likes to do this on Saturday or Sunday nights, all... night... long. I’m sure there is alcohol involved. 

So this cacophony of dogs, bands, music, singing, chickens, cars is present All The Time. And since we live someplace that has no insulation and lots of ventilation we get to hear everything as if it in the next room. 

It wasn’t until we moved back to the boat yard that we realized how sleep deprived we had become. In the yard we still hear cars and the ever present dogs, the band on the weekend, but we also hear crickets and sometimes just blessed silence. I am so looking forward to getting on the water and hearing boat sounds, water and wind noises again.

Mattresses and Mopeds at the Grocery Store?

I know you are thinking of Costco, or Sam’s Club. But no, this is not what I refer to. 

At our local supermarket, lets say the like of a small Kroger store, but called Ley’s where we buy produce and potato chips and juice, we can also find a $75 mattress. Or a large moped, or 3 wheeler. Or just one tire if we really wanted. Its just plain weird to be buying oranges and see a mattress for sale. There’s a stack of three on the floor. One size. Just in case your wife put it on the grocery list. 

Stamp my Home Depot Receipt Please

This is the land of stamps. There is a stamp for everything here. Mexicans love to stamp. Any bank or official like visit ends with at least one stamp. I’ve actually seen 3 stamps hit one piece of paper. It is slightly humorous, but this practice is taken very seriously and so I don’t dare crack a smile. 

Whenever you leave a store the store guard at the door takes your receipt so they can stamp it. 

Now its official. Until then I’m not sure what I bought, but with my stamp I know its a good receipt.

Abuela Power (Grandma Power)

Shay went to the ferreteria (hardware store) to get something and the intersection out front the yard was blocked with an old couch, roofing material, and old mattress and a bunch of women were standing there with Abuela on the cell phone, clearly in charge. Traffic was stopped and backing up.

Shay asked Alejandro what was this about and he threw up his hands and said, “Mexico!” Just down the street is Guaymas Protein, a large operation that turns shrimp into something and sells it by the large truck full. It’s a large operation for this town and the couch barrier is definitely causing a ruckus. The Abuela is yelling at the cell phone, people are honking and driving through the bushes around the barrier and the women are yelling about something. This is a major cufufal! The women were angry about the barrio school water being shut off, or we heard it could of been the school was dirty, and we also heard it could have been the lack of supplies. Either way, these mom’s were not happy about the state of things! 

It all cleared up within an hour and we are optimistic that the school is getting the attention it needs. Pussy power is alive and well in Mexico!

And so we are entertained and in awe and slightly frightened by our daily insights into Mexican culture. It keeps us on our toes and reminds us we are visitors in a strange land.