What's wrong with this picture?

Well, we splashed on Saturday, sat in the mud overnight in the ways and left Sunday afternoon with 2 inches under our keel. Since both of us were sick we decided to spend the night at the “Free Marina” (I’ll explain the Free Marina later) a few bays over from the boat yard. By the time we got there Chrissy was REALLY sick – cough, fever, sore throat and terrible respiratory congestion, and Jim was getting better, but not even close to 100%. We decided to go to Dr. Sanchez Monday morning. A couple of other people in the boat yard who had the “boat yard crud” before us recommended him.

So Monday morning Jim got a ride to the boat yard, picked up the car and then picked me up and we were off to find Dr. Sanchez with directions: “behind Woolworth in the yellow building”. We found it, parked right in front, no one in the waiting room, met Dr. Sanchez in his office for a little conference and minimal exam and a shot. Fifteen minutes and 600 pesos later we were out the door with a list of prescriptions to fill, an appointment for another shot the next day, and the following instructions for proper use of the antibiotics:

No alcohol, No spicy food, no pork, no seafood, no cold drinks, but drink lots of liquids, don’t be out in the cold wind.

So here we sit on a sailboat in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico feeling lousy, unable to drink the cerveza or tequila or cold Jamaica, unable to eat carnitas or shrimp and trying to avoid the “cold” wind. What’s wrong with this picture?

View of downtown Guaymas leaving the boat yard
headed for the "Free Marina".
Malecon is to the left, main plaza and cathedral to the right.

We are on one of 5 docks at the marina. There are six boats here.

View from the cockpit.

The “Free Marina” (known as el Mero by the locals) was built for the pangeros (fishermen) by the Federal Government when they were on a roll building marinas to attract the yachties 5 or 6 years ago. They built their Guaymas Marina where the fishermen had kept their pangas. It’s too far away from the city (2 buses to get here) so the pangeros don’t really use it. There is a locked gate with a guard (who is paid by the government), no water or electricity and to use the docks you just need to tip the guard 20 pesos each day. The marina they built in downtown Guaymas was very nice and got lots of use, but they increased their rates and quit dredging so no cruisers go there anymore. Both the marina and boat yard are literally empty – sad for the pangeros.

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