One More Week En La Casa!
Yep! We are getting ready to get out of our house & onto the boat! I remember, not too long ago, being nervous about getting our house ready by this time but it’s happening! Now we just have to rent it out to people who will treat it well & be lovely to our next door neighbors.
If only our house would just stay this clean!
One thing I noticed the other day is that I’ve been listening to all these “nature” podcasts. I think I’m just ready to be out on the ocean again. -Especially since we’ve spent little time on the boat & more time at our house lately.
I’ve found some good ones, if you are interested:
-Atlas Obscura
-Going Wild
-Outside (yes, it’s by the magazine Outside.)
-Overheard (I think this is kind of a dumb name but whatever, it’s National Geographic & it’s great!)
-The Wild
I have been to the boat a few times. Mostly to bring “stuff” to load on board for our voyage. I did bring Zephyr with me the other day & noticed a plus to having our dinghy on board. He can’t get up to where the solar panels are. Although, we’ll have to figure out something when we do have the dinghy in the water but for now it’s nice.
“What is this big thing in my pathway to my scraping pad?”
I’m also getting more organized. However, I think I need a full day just to find a home for everything on the boat.
As of now the Baja Ha-Ha has 120 boats registered to sail from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. So I’m a little trepidatious about traveling with 300 or more other people. Yes, we’ll all be on our boats but when we stop at the few anchorages on the way, I feel like it might be a bit much. I really want to experience diversity & the culture of every place we stop at. I’m concerned about being with such a large group of people - some who might not be the most respectful when traveling outside their country. Don’t misunderstand me, I love being around people. But crowds are another thing. Crowds are fun in situations like concerts or amusement parks. Aside from that, I think that about 100 people or less would be the right amount of company to have when making this voyage. I am going to make a point of having an open mind & that it might not feel “crowded” & will actually be fun. Hoping there’s a variety of people that have different beliefs, cultures, taste in music, etc. It’s why I want to explore the world.
The paperwork that needs to be done to get ready for this trip is insane & not the easiest to figure out. However, I have accomplished getting:
Our TIP. -It stands for Temporary Import Permit. It allows any type of vehicle to be in the country for up to 10 years. -However, we are only allowed to stay in Mexico 180 days at a time.
Boat insurance for Mexico.
Our reservation for a slip in San Diego.
Our reservation for a slip in Ensenada.
Our new mailing address.
My driver’s license renewed before it expired.
Our slip subleased while we’re gone.
I was lucky enough to be able to get out with this hot guy & meet up with some friends the other night!
And now, here’s some questions for Matt. He’s been working extremely hard but he took a few minute out to answer these questions.
So far, what has been easier than you thought it was going to be?
I can't really think of anything that's been easier than I thought it would be.
And then what is the hardest thing you’ve worked on MerSea?
The hardest thing was asking my boss for six months off. I just didn't think he would say yes and so I was amazed when he did.
Do you feel ready to leave?
I don't feel ready to leave but we've been planning this for quite awhile and I'd like to think I will be ready when the day comes. Within three weeks, I still have to rent out two properties (our house and an apartment), clean, paint and make ready three filthy apartments, remodel one of those, clean and repair our house. We also have to pack the boat with some last things and do any last repairs or improvements. I'm glad I have a small team of employees and an excellent assistant to help me make that happen. I won't finish it all. So now, it's down to deciding what is most important.
What things do you think you'll miss about house life?
I'll probably miss the convenience of being able to get whatever I want within a day or two. Close second, would probably be being able to stand without constantly swaying with a boat. It seems to take a lot more energy to do anything on a moving boat.
What things do you think will be easier with boat life?
I won't likely miss being on call 24/7. It doesn't happen all that often, but, when a pipe breaks, clogs up, or someone locks themselves out, I get the call and have to solve the issue.
I think it will be more simple to meet people while cruising on a boat. In a city it's hard to meet and connect with others. On a boat, we are likely to meet other boaters and we'll instantly have more in common.
So, we haven’t had many seconds to spare lately. It’s all good though, as we are getting so close to this big, fabulous goal! Just trying to take it one hour at a time right now. Don’t want our brains to explode!
My boys
Thanks for reading! If you want to know our actual schedule - well, when we know it, 😄 sign up to svMerSea Weekly below. We’ll be putting extra info into the actual email than what is included in the blog. Don’t worry. It won’t contain a long commentary in it. Just some tidbits of what’s going on in real time. Other than that, adios until next week!
