Como No Prepares to depart P.R.

[Como No Cruising]

Hi All: We are still at Sunbay Marina, Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Did not plan to stay this long but our plans are always flexible.

Yesterday we rented a car and hit the Super Wal-Mart nearby and stocked up with provisions for a month. Our reasoning is that provisioning will not be this easy for some time. Plans are to depart Monday, 22 March or Tuesday, latest. Since tides are a consideration in leaving this marina we will likely be anchoring out nearby for one night and then heading for the South Coast of P. R. for a rather long day sail of about 50 miles in order to meet some other cruising friends. From there a series of day hops will be the order of the day till the West end of Puerto Rico and then onwards west in one long jump to the Yucatan Peninsula-about 1300 miles.

While in Puerto Rico Como No recieved all new rigging turnbuckles and toggles. We had replaced the rigging wire earlier and were waiting to replenish the bank account before ordering the balance of the parts. Rigging Only shipped the hardware Fed Ex and it arrived timely. Time to measure, remove and reinstall all turnbuckles and toggles--with the mast in place--was approximately 10 hours. The forestay and staysail hardware had all been completely replaced while we were in Granada a few months previously, so we are talking here about the upper and lower shrouds and backstay. Nice shiny new hardware.

Water tanks and fuel tank have been topped up, engine oil changed and fuel filters changed. Steering cables have been checked and lubricated and all systems checked and in order. Now watch something fail within 24 hours. Always seems to happen, but we will be optimistic for now.

At least the weather is warm and the winds appear to be settling back into the usual Eastern direction.

Fair winds and balmy weather to all.

Will & Annie & Posha (The Sea Cat)