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12/31/2005 6:00:00 PM
Outside La Paz
A little anchorage North of La Paz

The Birth of TheSchmartins

We finally reunited with the cruising family we met in San Diego here in La Paz and we tried to get to the bottom of our engine problems.

Ok, I have to admit we are NOT trying to make a point here and emphasize theory 1 too much but it seems to be true, our miles progress has been dismal since the last logbook entry and therefore our writing has suffered but how are we doing otherwise . let me give you a quick update on the last week.

To cut thru the chase here quickly, yes we did make it to La Paz in time, to be exact on 12/23 as planned. The motor up from Los Muertos was uneventful and we made it nicely into La Paz where we were greeted not only by our friends the Martin family, our previous dock neighbors from San Diego on their power boat but also a bunch of concerned boaters ready to help this boat coming in without an engine as they all heard on the radio (radio is THE main communication media for boaters and everybody listens) . funny to see them all lined up there at the slip we managed to get last minute all looking very concerned . lucky me I didn't make a fool out of myself and coasted to a perfect stop dead smack center in the slip where I was supposed to be .. VOILA we made it into La Paz and lots of hugs and hellos started . we pretty much spent no time over the next few days on our boat beside doing chores because the rest we hung out with our power boat friends the Blaugrunds (they had their boat "Sarita" in San Diego for a year just opposite from us in the very first marina we lived in, and we stayed in touch knowing one day we will come to La Paz, where they now have their boat permanently) and the Martins and we were having a great time.

Xmas was a different but very nice event, we had my favorite meal, Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad, Niki did a great job and tasted as good as my moms; the Martins got introduced to a little bit of Austrian culture . Bruce is starting to learn another side of Austria or more specific Viennese language . for more specifics you have to come and visit because I cannot spell it and it is not appropriate for a family website like ours . LOL. If you would ask me now where the kids were during the last week I would have to admit I have no idea . they were gone with Tristan and Matthew Martin ALL THE TIME and they were having a blast, scootering up and down the docks getting to be known by all the marina liveaboards.

One of the other nice things about being in a marina again was the access to the internet which we used extensively to make a bunch of phone calls via Skype to our family home and we also uploaded some new pictures to our website .check them out, there should be 3 new albums out there. But the main reason for being in a marina was obviously to work on our motor and work we did . once we got there Bruce got into his work mode and didn't let me relax even a day. He offered to help out on all of this so that we could leave together and we would not have to try to catch up with them again. (They have to be in Puerta Vallarta on the 10th of January having some friends come to see them there and as a matter of fact we will have Bonnie visiting us on the 15th as well) So even on the 24th, we spent many hours going thru systems and eliminating one after the other with the help of a local mechanic . language was a bit of an issue but luckily the Blaugrund family speaks perfect Spanish and came to our help many times. Finally after 3 or 4 days of talking with people, taking different pieces off the engine, taking them apart and reassembling them, it came down to one engine part called the injector pump . on a diesel engine that is pretty much the brain of the engine that decides how much fuel is delivered when . really none of our symptoms pointed to that part but it was the last we hadn't touched yet so we got a local laboratory mechanic out and he took the pump off and with him to the lab for testing only to come back and tell us that he needs a part he didn't have available . so the waiting game started again and you know how good I am in showing patience . NOT. Friday goes by and we are already a week here in La Paz, the stress was building a bit because we were desperately trying to leave together with The Martin family since we mingled so well . just to throw in a tidbit here I cannot remember which meals we didn't have together ... right now we are preparing for a joint New Years Eve dinner . back to the motor, the mechanic finally found 2 other old pumps (not sure why they were available . yet) and was able to salvage enough parts to make one working one supposedly . today Saturday in the morning, on our last day before we HAD to leave to make it in time to the mainland, he showed up with the rebuilt pump and put it in . engine starts, engine runs great, he is packing his tools and tells me to shut down the engine . doesn't work. Seems like with all the praying for a running engine, someone overdid it . now we cannot get the engine to stop running with the regular switch. How was that again with the highs and lows being close together, here we go again.

Nevertheless, we had a running engine and the mechanic assured us our old problem was fixed so we decided to give it a shot and motor out to a local anchorage about 2 hours away . so we did . we didn't dare to shift into reverse until we got to the anchorage . then we tried and YES it went into reverse without a problem. It seems we finally have a normal working engine again . with a minor nuisance of not being able to shut it down the regular way but having to close down the air intake. Niki actually even said when we pulled into the anchorage "You drive I don't know anymore how to anchor with reverse" . I am certain she was joking but it was unusual nevertheless after not having one for a month or so. So it seems that the salvaged part from the other two pumps wasn't all the way perfect but at least we seem to have solved the mystery engine problem . the injector pump was at fault. In the meanwhile Niki took the time and finally sewed our secure nettings for all the shelves so we do not have all the things flying around once we are healing - funny sight her on the dock site with the sewing machine on the floor, it all works if you put your mind to it.. There was a bit more provisioning done finding out that you can buy anything in Mexico - even maple syrup and Nutella! She definitely got spoiled on having the laundry done, specially since it only was a buck more than doing it yourself - we are a clean boat now!

On to more social things and an explanation of the subject line . we have had a great time sharing our adventure in La Paz with Bruce, Lisa, Tristan (10) and Matthew (7), our similarities are astounding to say the least and we have so much in common it's almost scary, let me mention a few odds and ends . first we are doing this adventure (with the same route - Mexico, South Pacific, New Zealand and hopefully Australia for them as well)  for about the same reasons, to spend more family time, all adults were born the same year . yes 1968 was definitely a great year . their boys are as blond as ours and even more importantly get along great, I call Niki and Lisa the cruising twins because they think very alike in many things, Bruce and my hair is about as different as it comes .. Oh no that was not a similarity . :-) . anyhow I think you are getting the point and it has been great reconnecting with them after San Diego. Given all these similarities and to make it easier for all the people on the dock asking whose kids are whose, we decided to rename us as TheSchmartins . get it . just merge Schmid and Martin.

Ok, that's it for now, we are about to have our New Years Eve dinner on our boat now that we are rafted up in a little bay north of La Paz and are planning to leave for Isla Isabella, which is close to the mainland tomorrow morning. That is a 48 hour passage so I am pretty certain, we will get around to another logbook entry soon.

Happy New Year to you all,

Robert

TheSchmids Family Sailing on Lawur

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