Who Could Have Guessed?

June 1, 2021

The plan was to go down to Bones after the 2019/2020 school year and bring her up the Californais to Stockton. Corona put an end to that. The entire Marina and Hotel El Cid were shut down for 3+ months. No telephones answered, no emails answered, nothing.

Then, in mid-June things gradually crept back to life. Too much of the world was shut down to be able to come south, so I resolved myself to wait another year and try in the summer of 2021. That didn’t mean that I couldn’t go down to visit Bones before then. So I started planning. My School District initiated its first ever “Fall Break” in early October 2020. Fortunately…. A) Bones was still there, nd B) Bones was in reasonably good condition for having pertty much no one abouar for 18+ months.

Son Los Tres Juans went down to explore. Here are the Juans (Juan Pequeño, Juan Medio Y Juan Grande, from left to right).

Juan Grande has the “gift of gab” and can make friends anywhere anytime with anyone. As we arrived in mid-afternoon in Mazatlan in early October, it was a “90/90” day. What’s that you ask. Well, anyone from the tropics, particularly the closer you get to the equator will tell you that translates into 90 degrees and 90% humidity. At tis time of the year, Mazatlan has little wind. Simple cultural reference: As Adrian Cronauer would put it “It’s Hot, DAMN Hot”.

So what to do on a mid afternoon in the still humid heat? Explore our surroundings. This is the hotel above the marina:

Not a bad place to stay. In fact, just downstairs from the main lobby was an amazing “nautical sports bar.

Wait. A nautical sports bar… What’s that? Well, think about the below decks space on an old wooden man-o-war, outfitted with a bar and a bunch of TVs playing Futbol. Not NFL mind you futbol. Dark, woody with a pool that has a cover to suit a party of eight (yeah, the whole Corona protocol is a bit like General Relativity.

Mexico’s response to the Covid. Virtually everywhere we went it was very logical and seemed to be designed to ensure public health and safety without being draconian. At any establishment, first: temperature scan. Next, walk through a shallow tray of disinfectant, Third: get a squirt of hand sanitizer.

If you were checking in luggage, they had a ‘fumigator’ kind of device that they sprayed your stuff with. Easy peasy and done in about 30 seconds. At this point, the rest of the world might have had a bit of learnin’ to do.

So, we proceeded to the ‘sports bar’ where it seemed to be a brisk just above freezing temperature. It actually was about 72 degrees. A very welcome environment.

Having been exposed to the 90/90, we were parched, so we took a seat on what looked like a wooden ship’s wheel with a round glass tabletop. Immediately upon sitting down Eríc, one of the waiters came over to assist. Eríc was every bit as gregarious as Juan Grande and the two immediately hit it off (more about that later).

Eríc and two of the Juans

We had a couple of cervezas and Eríc came by with an appetizer menu. It was only about 4:00 PM, so we obliged with his recommendations. And a couple of more cervezas. Eríc knew how to play the game. He and Juan Grande were becoming BFFs. After a bit, Eríc sat down and explained that the hotel had been closed for 3+ months and his day off was Wednesday (we arrived on Monday), and he would gladly show us the part of Mazatlán that only the locals know. Eric said that since he had been out of work for three months if we would pay him what we thought was fair he would take us.

It sounded great (although Juan Grande had been reading about the Sinaloa Cartel and was a bit concerned at first). We agreed and Eríc Said we would meet at 9:00 Wednesday for breakfast.

Briefly, it was an amazing look into what the locals know but the touristas will never see. The countryside (including a cockfighting rooster training ranch), a tequila factory, an old town in the hills, a leather goods factory and “the best seafood in Mazatlán.

Old Town

Leather Goods Factory

Shrimp Platter

Mares Sinaloa

Now, it wasn’t all fun and games. We would have breakfast (mostly on Bones) with cereal and fresh fruit. I would get to work on inventorying and starting to service Bones and the Juans would explore and get to the pool by about 11:00.

Relaxing by the pools

Mystery Tank

Water heater and electrical to sort out

Main electrical disconnect and anchor windlass fuse

Fuel manifolds and filter manifolds

Plus much more. Usually by about 1:00 PM it was so stiflingly hot I had to stop. Overall, it was a good trip with great friends and much boat progress made.

The Next Chapter

So, it has been quite a while since either I or Capitán have posted here. Both of our lives have taken turns and I both think that, for better or worse, we have come to arrangements. As in of more more “?”; recent posts our combined ages are now 143 years (crikey!), we have come to an arrangement that BONES needs to come home to Capitán.

That she will. It is important. To Capitán, to the crew and most important, to me. Really, to me.

In the summer of 2020.

Sidebar:

When I was “the kid” Capitán and the original Bones, his wife, were like a second set of parents to me. Sometimes more like a first, but that is a topic for another time…

Now, many months later, Capitán is older than “the kid”, who is not a kid much anymore (um, the sum of the tens digit of my age and the ones digit equals 13, about to be a less intimidating 14 in July)Math geeks, chime in!

In a number of ways, it will be like Jake and Elwood from, well, If you don’t know, either go to IMDB, or talk to your nearby person who doesn’t stoop over the phone everywhere they go. If you don’t know, you don’t.

I am trying to get the ‘Band’ back together. As in the BONES band. Some of us are not here. One of us cannot make the trip. A couple of us need a bit of nudging. Me, I guess I am now in charge.

Like, in charge. I have sailed 20 or 30 thousand miles with Capitán, and with the exception of the “Morning After the Night Before” or about what that post was, never ever ever was scared with at the helm, and that night, Capitán it was NOT Capitán at the helm, it was me.

As Capitán told me, “When I reach a point that I cannot safely sail BONES, it is time for her to move on. Since I have been aboard her since 1986, and I can safely touch anything, switch, valve, seacock, portlight, winch handle, etc. from memory and blindfolded, we have arranged for BONES VIII legacy to move forward. It is both bittersweet and exciting to see this next portion of the saga of BONES to move forward, but that is what I think is the best for an amazing vessel, as BONES is, to continue.

In short, BONES is passing from one generation to the next, with the previous generation (the kids?) bringing her home from Mazatlan to California.

Like I said, we are getting the Band back together.

Stay tuned.

I’m excited, I’m challenged, but most of all, I look foreward to friends being on the sea.

Ready, Set Go!

Not so fast… We have to be Touristas First

We have now spent a day in San Blas, a sleepy little coastal town that claims, in its travel brochures to be the Riviera of Nayarit!. No doubt to the norte it is. But, alas, in the true town of San Blas, things are a little bit more rustico. The streets are cobblestone from countless centuries ago (for those calles that actually are paved), yet the citizenry is happy and always welcoming.

Below, you will find some photos of the expedition that Capitán and I took earlier today. We started by chartering a cab, adeptly piloted by Jorge de la… del…. con… (etc., etc.).

Sidebar

I am currently reading Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and I am reminded by the titles of the knights (Sir Gawaine of beseeched by peradventures of Lord Sayers of Castle Marhaus, by the Duke of Uwaine…

So all of these names and titles follow a similar pattern throughout centuries and continents.

End Sidebar

I think you get my point. Jorge apparently had quite a lineage going for him. At any rate, we chartered Jorge and his cab for about two and one-half hours to see the sights of the City, and sights we saw indeed. For instance, this is a humble restaurante that is typical along the streets of San Blas.

And up to the highest point above the city to the fort that once defended the entire area, with cannons.

Jorge also wanted to show us the animal life that inhabits the estuary system of San Blas. So, where else to go than Crocodrilario (Crocodile Park, swimming hole, wildlife extraganza and future set of Jurassic Park IX). For those of you in Stockton, think of Pixie Woods with a swimming area caged off from crocodiles, and another part of the part with actual crocodiles to look at. Not the sweet cuddly kind you see on Regis and Kathy Ripa (or whatever that drivel on TV is now called), but the real deal. 10 – 12 foot monsters waiting for some little Agustus Gloop to go wandering off and become a snack – SNAP!

She (above) is laying on her eggs; my best translation from the crocodrilario ranger was “gringo, watch your ass, fingers and any other parts you are fond of. The mommas get mighty and powerfully pissed off when they are laying on their eggs and you shove and iPhone in their face. Those metal bars look far stronger than they are when compared to a 4 meter crocodilo protecting her precious juevos.” I wish I had been able to translate that about 30 seconds faster than I did…

For scale, the one closest to the camera is about 10-12 feet. It’s super easy to stare one of these fellows down through 4mm steel mesh. Just sayin.

Once we finished our nearly three hour tour, it was time to settle up with Jorge. He seemed reasonable enough. For his time and the use of his Linea Roja cab, the total was $400 (pesos, not Yankee Dollars). Translated, we had an amazing tour for the (less than) princely sum of $40 (US). Capitán tipped Jorge another 100 pesos for his help and candor.

Preparing to leave

So, getting ready in earnest consists of several things. One is once again checking Bones VIII’s systems, because we will likely motor sail along the way. So, check the transmission (check, full, no leaks, all in order).

Check the engine (all fluids as appropriate, and ready; no leaks detected). Fuel check: starboard tank: 12 gallons left, port tank: 27 gallons, on deck: 15 gallons in plastic containers. Total: 54 gallons. At 3/4 of a gallon per hour at 5 knots, that’s 72 hours worth of fuel, or 360 miles – about 3 times our intended distance with no help from the wind. Port tank it is to start.

That looks pretty menacing for 30hp, but it gets us where we need to go. We checked fuel levels, water levels, spares (oil, fluids, tools, spare parts, etc.), all in order. Then it was time to have our final meal in San Blas. Camarones. Yum!

The photo doesn’t really do them justice. They were delicious. About half way through dinner, we heard the rumblings of thunder and the sky began to get angry. In fact downright angry…It is awfully nice to know that we will be sleeping in the harbor as this rolls by, and to awaken in the morning to fair weather and a good head start on the day’s heat.

In fact, in the hour or so since the squall line rolled through, the sunset has come forth looking quite nice.

So, we are up and out around 6:00 in the morning with about 24 hours to go, give or take to Mazatlan. We will see how connectivity may or may not influence updated between here and our humble destination.

It’s a bit over 125 miles, so at a 5 knot average, 24 hours is the ticket. The watch bill (sailor talk for how long off and on) shouldn’t be too bad. Capitán says 3 hours on and 3 hours off. not too bad for a 24 hour period. Plus, during the day, we can trade cat naps.

The Weather

Here is what the weather looks like for our trip. San Blas is at the bottom (red arrow) and Mazatlan is at the top (another red arrow).

These are called GRIB files (Gridded regularly-distributed Informtion in Binary form). In short, completely AI generator weather forecasts (there’s THAT word again). But – they are surprisingly accurate. For instance, a week out, the GRIBs totally projected Tropical Storm Fabio well before the NHC did. The GRIBs also totally missed the 15 knot winds right on the nose that caused us to have the fortuitous visit to San Blas, instead of Stinky Anchorage that we were planning yesterday.

To read these: the line is like an arrow. The feathers are in the tails, and the parts that should have an arrow head (but don’t) point to the direction of the wind. Simple, no? The feathers… OK, a half feather (not all the way to the back end of the arrow) is 5 knots. A full feather (twice as long and all the way back) is 10 knots. You can’t see it on this GRIB, but they stack up to 40 knots (4 feathers), then they get a little pendant (like: Go Team!, but when you get those pendants, it’s like “get out of Dodge”).

Knots. One knot is 1.15 miles per hour. Multiply windspeed, or car speed, or any other MPH speed by 1.15 (115%) and you have it.

So that is it. Now you know most of what we need to know to get from here to there. Preparation, reading materials, fuel, sails, and food. More on what food looks like underway coming in the next installment.

Oh yes, the last important ingredient, the sum of the age of the sailors, when taken on the morning of the final leg of the planned voyage, on a vessel whose tens and ones digits add up….

Never mind.

The answer is 86 and 57. Not to shabby, Capitán. I want to be you when I grow up.

First Night

Well, the NHC forecast seemed to be OK for our first day underway. Not much wind, not much swell, just a lovely motorboat ride north (with a bit of west thrown in for good measure). This is what it looked like:

Our first thought was to get as far as Punta Mita, about 18 miles north, just to make sure all was working as it should be. Bones VIII had quite a lot done over the past few months in Puerto Vallarta, including a transmission rebuild (see changing gears, but I repeat myself), so we thought maybe just go a bit and see how it looks.

Well, we got up there so quickly, and it was so nice and smooth (as well as damn hot), that we kept going to Punta Los Chivos, a little (very little) fishing village. We dropped anchor and had a very pleasant night on the hook. This is where it is:

Hotel? Not that we could see. There was a nice big palapa on the beach that everyone seemed to be enjoying, but we decided against the whole Capitania del Puerto, customs and immigration thing (in and out), just for one night on the hook.

The next morning all was well and the surroundings beautiful…

Until we decided to raise the anchor. In the entire bay, there was exactly one mooring, with a bright red floating ball on it. Or so we thought. As we raised the anchor, we got it about 15 feet from the bottom and realized that, we found a second mooring, but it had sunk. We had snagged the underwater remnants of an old fisherman’s mooring. The anchor was definitely a no-go proposition.

Out of the blue, and almost as if on command, there was a little panga, the local outboard powered fishing boats coming in to the panga pier. We whistled and waived, and the two pescadores came along side. Capitán, in his best Spanish asked if either one was a buzo, a diver. Si, senor was the reply. After a couple of moments explaining the situation, one of the pescadores stripped down to his chonies and with knife in hand, plunged toward the snare.

While he was doing this, Capitán and I noted that their sum total night’s catch was one little fish about 8 inches long. Quick as a wink, the buzo was back on the surface, and the anchor was free. Ah, the code of the sea. Mariners helping each other when needed. Capitán rewarded the prscadores with a bountiful handful of crisp peso notes, and everyone was muy satisfecho with the outcome. Onward we go…

Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season

Or so the lyrics go. One of the challenges at this time of year (June 1 to November 30), is to stay away from hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical depressions and the like. Sounds easy, yes? No. How many time does the weatherman, er, weatherwomen, weatherperson, wether zhe, – well, you get the point, get it right? Narry to often. Even in the age of the interwebs, we have great resources available, but they all require interpretation.

Interpretation is a fine skill, when executed flawlessly. But, how often does that happen? For our purposes, we just want a window of weather that is sufficiently accurate so that we don’t get caught in the bad stuff. Not even moderately bad stuff, let alone really bad stuff. So, we have this really cool assist from the US government, namely the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov). Several times a day they produce maps and predictions as to what is going on the the western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans. For example, this is what the weather forecast for the eastern Pacific looked like when we left on June 28th:

Hurricane Emilia was several hundred miles south of Puerto Vallarta and supposed to be heading northwest (away) from us. Two days later and here we are:

Emilia is still out there, but who is this little whippersnapper, the little red X?

Enter Fabio

Fabio, that’s who. From little red X to a tropical storm in 24 hours. That puts a crimp in your travel plans. IN fact, it went from planning a nice day-trip shore hopping jaunt, to a non-stop journey from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo. Over the next couple of days (right up to departure day, Fabio continued to grow,, reaching a maximum sustained wind level of 115 miles per hour. Not our cup of tea.

However, we delayed departure for one more day, just to see what was going to be what, and on the night before departure, things had abated a bit, with Fabio moving father offshore and away from out track, and the NHC giving the ‘all clear’ in their forecast for the next 5 days. So, off we went…

So, off we go for our adventureama. Hoping for accurate forecasts from the weath—, well, you know. The NHC.

 

 

142 Going on 143

What does that mean?

Well, it is July 3^rd, and my birthday is tomorrow, July 4^th.

Here’s a little math problem for you:

Before your brain shrivels up and you go into cerebral convulsions… Just remember, it is not difficult. Just think about it. S L O W L Y.

The sum of the ages of the crew on Bones VII today is 142 years. The sum of the ages of the crew of Bones VII tomorrow (July 4^th), will be 143.

With me so far? Add ‘em up, amigo.

Next. Take the sum of the ones place (uh oh, 4th grade math calling). They should add up to 12 (today). Keep the 2 in the ones place. Add the 1 extra ten (one in the tens place) to the sum of the digits in the tens place. That should be one in the hundreds place, four in the tens place. (Hint, it should look like this: 14__ – the __ is the value of the ones place – 2). In other words, 142.

Now, since I am having a birthday on the 4th, the sum of the ages should increase by… One, of be equal to 143.

Now the challenge: if there are two people on Bones VIII, how old is each? Another hint: there is just Capitán and I on the boat.

None of that “what time does the train reach Denver”, no “how much do the cashews cost per pound”, or “when will Tank A have as much water in it as Tank B?”. Just, how old am I and how old is Capitán? Either on July 3rd, or July 4th. Bonus points for both.

 

Getting Ready, and “What Does Mexican Food Look Like?”

Here we are getting ready to leave in the morning. What does that entail? Well, since you asked, Here at Marina Vallarta, not a lot. Unlike my postings from a couple of years ago regarding Zarpes, customs, Immigration, Capitania del Puerto, etc, here, it is pretty easy.

Capitán and I took about a half mile walk this morning after breakfast to go to the marina office. It is literally a one stop shopping place. Come on in to the air conditioned splendor, let the marina people know when you’d like to leave, pay the bill and all is taken care of.

Wow.

Compare that to Golfito Costa Rica. Instead of a half day, it was more like 20 minutes (15 if we hadn’t stayed for the air conditioning. Not too shabby.

This morning at breakfast, every restaurant was packed because Mexico was playing Brazil in the World Cup. The restaurants were filled until… Mexico lost 2-nil. Then the place was a ghost town,

So, what does this delicious food look like? Pretty!That was my lunch yesterday. Camarrones con mantequilla y ajo (shrimp with butter and garlic). Plus a nice cerveza in the ackground. Yum.

Tonight, we ate Italian. Farafelle pasta with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes camarrones, taragon and lemon in a cream sauce.

Enough of that. Let’s focus on the practicalities. Marina Vallarta is a very nice place to stay. Nothing is overlooked. I mean nothing. There are, not really, guards at the gates, more like concierges that casually make sure you belong and are able to help you if you need something. We took advantage of one our amigos yesterday for a ride across the marina (about 1/2 of a mile) to get 4 x 10 litre bottles of water. That would have been a task.

Today, I noticed this:

Right by each marina gate, for you junior firefighters, are two complete real life fireman suits that are all set to put on and git-er-done. Here in Mexico, if you see a fire and want to help, go for it! In the US, “No, it is too dangerous, let the place burn down. We wouldn’t want to risk injury. That’s pretty much the difference. In Mexico, everyone helps take care of business. IN the Mexico, everyone participates in a risk management seminar.

I really wish I could get my pictures uploaded. I’ll keep working on it.

In the meanwhile, this is Bones VIII, home away from home.

Tomorrow, 142, going on 143…

 

 

Workdays

As much fun as sailing is, and it is, it is super important to take care of your boat so it will take care of you. So, while Capitán was back home, he had a whole laundry list of projects done here in Puerto Vallarta. Among them:

• Repair of a damaged thru hull valve
• Rebuild the transmission (see “changing gears”)
• Clean the main sail (it had hornets nests in it)
• New seals for the hydraulic backstay (keeps the mast in the boat)
• New battery charger
• Repair electronic displays
• Align/repair one of the two alternators

These were taken care of by a yacht service. The following list is what Capitán and I need to accomplish before leaving (probably Tuesday July 2):

• Remove old, and install new stainless steel foredeck hatch guides (duty paid at the airport)
• Replace compass light
• Replace the hinges on the seat of the forward head
• Replace fuel tank vents on deck
• Put the battens back in the main.

Not a lot, but each job comes with its own challenges, because they never are straightforward. We also have to be done by about 1:00 each day, if it is sunny, due to the heat. This morning we attacked the stainless guides for the foredeck hatch.

It had become loose on the starboard side forward, and during our “night to remember” (below), a jib sheet had snagged it and ripped up the starboard guide and broken the corner off of the Plexiglas hatch.

The repair was straight forward enough, remove the old port side guide, and install new L-shaped guides on each side of the hatch. This required trimming part of the teak handle in order to be able to install Capitán’s new and improved L-shaped guides.

Simple enough, except it would require drilling and tapping 12 holes in nearly 40-year-old Plexiglas without damaging it. With care, and a bunch of trips throughout a myriad of places that spare parts are stored in Bones, we were able to accomplish the task in about 3 hours. Not bad for a couple of old guys… Day one work complete, as it is now 1:00 and too hot to work on deck. Off to lunch.

As I am writing this now, a bit past 4:00, the wind is staring to come up, which helps reduce the “apparent heat”, but I can hear thunder claps starting in the south. My guess is we’ll get some cooling and entertaining rain in a bit. Stay tuned!

PS – Sorry about the pictures, or lack thereof… Can’t seem to upload them tonight. stay tuned.

Arrival

OK, we had a nice flight on Alaska Air (on a Virgin USA plane – courtesy of the merger. Nothing eventful, just 3:45 in a plane

Fortunately, on arrival, there was only our plane and a Southwest plane that would land about 30 minutes behind us. We pretty much had the airport to ourselves. First stop: going through immigration. Get your passport scrutinized along with your immigration form. No big deal. 3 stamps: one in your passport, one on the entry form and one to save for exit. Capitán cautioned me not to lose the little exit form. “That will cost you $125 US if you lose it. Don’t ask me how I know…”. Check.

Then the high tech customs department. This are of the airport is equipped with the same king ox x-ray gizmos that you see in the US that can show different materials and densities in different colors and all that good stuff. Pretty impressive. Here’s the interesting part. As you walk up to the customs official, they have you press a big red button. If a green light appears, go straight through; you’re done. If it’s red, well, you and your stuff go to the x-ray department.

Capitán goes first. Green light. All clear. Just as he takes his first step, the nice customs lady becomes all official. Capitan has a cardboard tube about 3 inches in diameter and about 30 inches long. “Senor, what is in that tube?” “Some parts for my boat” he replies. “Ahh, senor, please come over here…”

So, Capitán and his gear go to the x-ray department. About 5 minutes and many x-rays later, the customs officials gather around and have a conference. After a few more minutes, a senior official is summoned.

Meanwhile, I buzz right through on green and wait.

The conference team now summon Capitán. He explains and unpacks the two stailless steel L-shaped channels that reinforce the foredeck hatch (pictures to come tomorrow…) that he had made in Stockton. “Senor, there is a 16% duty that must be paid on imported goods.” He states. “How much did those cost?”. “Two hundred dollars, US.” Replies Capitán. Reaching for his wallet to pay, and asking if pesos or dollars are required, the official stops him and says “Senor, we must go to the officino to take care of this matter.”.

As they walk away, I am left wondering how long “this matter” will take to get cleared up.

Fortunately, only about 15 minutes and $32. All in all, not bad, especially considering the many stories I have heard about marine goods being held for weeks and weeks waiting to be cleared through customs, as the officialisimos tried to be determined if such a part could be procured in Mexico, so as to not take away from the local citizenry.

In less than 30 minutes we are happily aboard Bones VIII in the swealteringly hot late afternoon weather. According to the interwebs (which are always correct), the temperature is 93 degrees with a “real feel” of 101. We both will vouch for that. It’s hot, damn hot!

So, we check out the boat, meet with the local technician who is finishing up re-installing one of the navigational displays in the cockpit that was incorrectly installed in Panama two years ago. His work looks excellent, and best of all, it works perfectly. Bueno.

Around 7:00, we go up to the closest of the many restaurants that line the yacht basin of Marina Vallarta.

Here is the menu:

And here is what beef fajitas look like (along with a cerveza):

Two beef fajita plates, two cervazas each and hielado (ice cream for Capitán) all for $450, including a tip.

What!?! $450!?! In Mexico??? Relax. That’s 450 pesos, at ~20 pesos to the dollar. Try doing that at a restaurant in California. Especially one with a nice view like this:

More to follow.

 

Almost There

At least almost ready to get there.

Tomorrow is the day that Capitán and I leave for Puerto Vallarta. Lots of things to do to be ready. Lots of last minute thoughts. I am really going to miss my family.

Lolo is opening up a school (again), 3^rd time in 4 years. This time, all of her teachers are moving. No one will be in the same place next year as they were as last year. Max just learned this morning that he will be going with his water polo team to the Junior Olympics. Go the Max! Delaney rounded out last weekend at the Special Olympics State Games at UC Davis with 3 gold medals fro 3 swims – Go the Delaney! Max was an awesome coach, attending coaches meetings, herding kids, and making sure everyone was where they belonged. I could not be more proud as a parent for both of them.

Weather…

This year, compared to two years ago is an entirely different story. In 2016, the tropical weather systems were rater calm and subdued until well into the hurricane season (June 1 to November 30^th) I think, we really didn’t have to look over our shoulders until mid July, and those were either Atlantic weather systems that might jump across Central America or Mexico, or a few much more south in the Eastern Pacific than we were.

This year, there have been 2 named Hurricanes (Aletta and Bud) and a third Named Storm – Carlotta. Here is the current outlook, courtesy of nhc.noaa.gov:

Looking a little active, eh? For those of you who like to study weather charts, and what marinaro wouldn’t, here is the most recent. The star on the right is Puerto Vallarta, and the arrows point to the center of the low pressure systems (bad) and the Monsoon Trough (lots and lots of precipitation (hey California, ask for some).

Fortunately, these systems are generally heading west or northwest – away from Bones VIII.

Looking at another set of imagery, clearly, there is a “whole lot of moisture” in the area. Looking even closer, and with an imaginative eye, you can start to make out the cyclonic nature of these storms. These can become tropical cyclones. Tropical, because of their origin in the tropics, and cyclonic

So, we will see what awaits.