Sometimes it rains even in Paradise

Painting project
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

1 February 2005

PARADISE VILLAGE MARINA, Nayarit, Mexico -- The painters did arrive on time yesterday, sanded like maniacs and left promptly at 4:30 p.m., just ahead of a rainstorm. Yup, sometimes it rains in Paradise.

The rain, of course, was not the rain that falls in northern climes at this time of year. This was a gentle, warm drizzle for about one half-hour the first time the clouds rolled through. I know it rained for that long because I was talking to the captain and first mate of Sand Castle who are good friends with Capt. Dustin Fox. I dropped by their boat at 3:30 to wait for the harbormaster's office to open at 4 p.m. Two to 4 p.m. is siesta time in Mexico and most people take it quite seriously. It's something we should consider in the states, but there would probably always be some workaholic moron who would work through siesta to gain a one-inch advantage over other people in his company. No other industrial nation works the hours -- or takes less vacation days -- than the U.S.

We spent the morning (pre-worker arrival) getting the last of the debris off the deck: anchors, the life raft, the inflatable dinghy, oars, the boogie board, outboard motor tanks, coolers, miscellaneous awnings and covers, and finally some parts of the deck hardware. When David arrived at 10:20, his workers started sanding and scraping as soon as I parted with the money for the materials. The boat, above decks, looks like it snowed there is so much white fiberglass dust. The photo shows the taping around the forward ports and even some evidence of the rain. By 6 p.m., it was starting to rain harder. Downtown Vallarta got enough rain that street vendors closed up shop. No taco vendors and beer on the street corners?

Itâ??s a natural disaster.

Tuesday afternoon I'm on my way to the Puerto Vallarta aeropuerto where I will jump on a flight to San Diego and then a second leg to Sacramento. The weather forecast I'm looking at says that it is, well, phooey. I'm not going to look at it.

I prefer to be surprised when I get off the plane.

mjf