Keeping Our Cool, Somewhat

I haven’t mentioned the heat. Yeah, it is hot. That damp look we have in all the pictures is indeed sweat. The temps are only in the upper eighties but the humidity is this wave of hot heavy air that floats around us all day making it feel like we are still wearing the damp sheets we woke up in.

Foxtrot does not have air conditioning. Having heard repeated warnings about the Rio Dulce’s heat, we purchased a window unit in Isla Mujeres since Foxtrot does not have built in AC. Randall hooked it up a few days ago but, with electricity at .50/kwh, we have agreed to ration comfort. We turn it on about 8 pm and it blows cool air down from the hatch directly into the main salon. Many nights, we have heated the boat up to maximum discomfort trying to cook dinner in the galley. So we get the dishes cleaned up hurriedly and then start watching the clock. Well Lily watches it. Promptly at 8, she announces, “Turn the air-conditioner on!” and the person nearest the hatch where the AC now lives switches it on. Their reward is the first turn at standing directly in front of it going “Aaaah. So nice.” We turn it off around 10 pm and go to bed with the fans pointed directly at our uncovered bodies. The fans are about the size of dessert saucers but they do make the nights bearable.

During the day, one of the coolest places to work is at the huge picnic table at a shady pavilion on the water’s edge. We have been spending more and more time at the table and met another marina resident seeking the river breeze there – Shirley of S/V Speedwell. She single-handed her boat from South Africa and has a fascinating blog – http://speedwelladventures.com/blog/. The more we sail, the more respect I have for those who sail off all alone.

Lily has also made some friends on the 58-foot Hatteras Yacht next door to us – Tiana. She, Gable and Cephus spend hours down at the boat launch netting fat tadpoles in the shallow water. Today, she was invited to go with them on a short motor up river. She had a great time and got to pass by the San Felipe Fort which we still have not visited. When she got back, we walked about a block to the Backpackers store for some freshly-baked bread and some pork chops and then another block under the bridge to Tienda Reed for ice cream and beer. All set for Saturday night, now.

The office for the time being.

MV Tiana approaching the dock.