Summer in the Sea - 2008 The Final Leg - Santa Rosalia to San Carlos
All good things must come to an end. We delayed our last days for as long as
possible. Really, we were just getting into the rhythm. We had learned so much
and finally felt confident and competent. We understood mother nature better;
what she offered, how she worked and what to do to stay in harmony with
earth. A sad day it was when we finally planned and executed the haul out of
Sailsoon.  She had been our home and protector for 2 years. We had a bond
with her that we knew we'd have to break, at least for a few years while we
went back to the states to work.
On the last day of Sept. 2008 we
departed Santa Rosalia at 4:00 PM
and headed east with a destination
of San Carlos, Mx., 75 n.m. away.
We travelled through the late
afternoon and evening arriving just
after 8:00 AM the next morning.
We're dedicating this section to the
dolphins who entertained us on our
trip even when it was pitch dark.
We knew they were there and
leading the way.. on each and every
transit.
At anchor in San Carlos.
Preparations for the haul out.
Sailsoon looks right at home here. The anchorage is just
beautiful!
Tequila Rose arrives a few days ahead of us. They
enjoy the sunsets on the deck daily.
Smoke billowing over the mountain roused our
curiosity so we took the dinghy to the outer cove. We
found a boat engulfed in flames. It eventually sank but
there were no injuries.  The crew had been rescued.
Here's another angle that shows how lovely this area
is..an unexpected surprise!
Breakfast in the cockpit is and will always be a
great experience
Paul and Kathy had a
different agenda so we
needed to say farewell.  
We had shared many a
meal, drink and laughter
with them over the past 2
months. Indeed, they will
be considered our best
friends long after we've
chosen to do other things.
We said our goodbyes,
wished them fair winds and
watched them sail out of
the anchorage.
The Haul Out
While this adventure sadly comes to an end you can bet  we're
already planning the next one!
On approach to the launch ramp in San Carlos
John reviews the boat design with staff to be sure they
know where to safely put the lifting straps
Sailsoon is tied up along the dock while the
staff makes preparations to take her out.
Using line handling techniques
Sailsoon is guided into position
Gradually she rolls out of the water on the trailer
A close up of the workhorse
Gently now......the tractor has to go in deep enough
so that Sailsoon doesn't scrape her bottom.
She's out of the water
Let's try this again.........
The tractor gets into position. John does an inspection
of the equipment. You can't be too safe!
Photo from a different angle as Sailsoon nears the
tractor
The road is made of pavers and
relatively smooth (by Mexican
standards)
Then we're moved to the storage yard which is guarded,
locked and sports barbed wire fencing.
Pull forward, back up, forward again........
Hey, slow down! She's bouncing all
over the place!
All parties make sure Sailsoon is secured to the trailer for the 2 mile
trek
Sailsoon is lucky to have gotten one
of the spaces that has upright posts on
each side for added security  and
stability.
John reflects back on the good time we had, worries
about a thorough preparation for storage and wishes it
didn't have to end so soon.
First stop is the work yard where we spend 2 days
securing or stripping and stowing everything we leave
behind
So here she'll stay until we're able to put in again. We've done all we can think of to make sure
she's safe and free of problems while were gone. If anything goes wrong we'll just have to fix it
when we get back!
Sailsoon is backed into her new land "slip"