Well here we are on our boat in Mexico. It occurs to me as we sand and fill and paint and polish that one of the upsides of chartering is that someone else does all the grunt work.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade this lifestyle for any other but those who think that it's nothing but fun fun fun all the time are misinformed.

I suppose that if you own a new boat the work is minimal but our boat is 30 years old and sports a wood cabin top and cockpit. Constant attention is required to keep her ship shape. And we want her to be proud and happy.

It isn't just us, the marina is bustling with sailors readying their boats for the winter leg of their journeys. Boats from the Baha ha ha are arriving here in Mazatlan from their departure point in San Diego daily.

From here some will jump the puddle and make the long trek to the South Pacific, many will head south to Puerto Vallarta, Barra de Navidad, Zihuatinejo and Central America. Buddy boating with like minded sailors to explore tiny fishing villages and exotic anchorages along the way. This is what makes all the work worthwhile and it can't be done on a charter yacht.

In the meantime, between coats of paint, we'll enjoy visiting with friends old and new and basking in the sun and sea.

Now, to decide what to do today. Lets see, we could dinghy through the canals that meander through the golf course or maybe walk barefoot along the beach til we've reached our favourite margarita bar, it looks like a good day to boogey board in the surf, perhaps we'll lunch under a palapa.................