how we live now

just thought i'd throw together a post of our everyday life here in bocas Marina. I know this nuts-and-bolts stuff of boat work is kind of dull, but believe it or not, our boaty friends are always asking for more of it.

so, here you go.

This week we've been working on lots of different projects - some small, some parts of bigger projects. the bugs aren't entirely worked out of the eletrical system, but the situation is improving as we tinker. we experienced a catharsis of sorts when we ripped out about 4 miles of old wiring and started to replace it with new stuff. that felt good. lots of quality time is spent with Mr. Voltmeter and Ms. Soldering Iron these days. wiring in a new starter switch/solenoid exciter wire solved some of our engine issues. this will allow us to, among other things, actually get out of the marina and anchor out somewhere for a few nights, to get a reprieve from the gnats and stuffy air of the marina. my fleabitten ankles can't wait! but this is a nice marina to be stuck in, as marinas go. the wildlife is not quite as amazing as Shelter Bay, but the opportunities for entertainment, meeting new people, and changes of scenery are vastly better. Canvas jobs are popping up to - in fact, it's probably back to full-time sweatshopping for me come next week. I didn't miss sewing, exactly, but making money again will be a very good thing.

Flanking the marina are 50+ acres of undeveloped land with some trails, so we get up and enjoy a walk in the jungle nearly every morning. Flocks of red-lored amazon parrots squawk overhead at dawn and dusk. there are also come nifty shorebirds and herons around, and kestrels. it's a treat to walk among actual trees on real dirt, as most of the "islands" in Bocas aren't really terra firma - they're just clusters of red mangrove. which is, of course, what makes the Bocas archipelago so biologically captivating: red mangroves filter river runoff out of the water, protecting coral reefs, and their roots form a sheltered nursery for all the exquisite fishes and invertebrates we ooh and aah over when we snorkel.

Our friend Sarah is due in Bocas tomorrow, so I guess we should some dishes today. It will be great to see her and get updated on Zoo gossip.

photo time...