Goodby to Doug, Some Lures

I popped into Doug Nordby's Snug Harbor Sails loft to pick up some material for the base of my mast and to say my farewells.

The base of my mast has a band of vinyl-like material held on my universal clamps and sealed with silicone sealant to prevent water from running down the side of the mast into the cabin.  That seal is holding up fine but I though it prudent to take a spare piece of material just in case there is a failure.  Doug's colleague found a suitable piece of the same material that is used on haulage truck tarps and cut me a rectangular piece 30" x 6".  There was no charge.

Doug is determined to sail his Hans Christian boat to Nordby, Denmark, from which he got his surname.  He says that he is a descendant of Eric the Red and from some of the antics of his earlier life I have no doubts.  He's thinking of following my track around the Horn in the coming year and will be following my blog to get a feel of what he can expect.  (Yes, I know, the Panama Canal would be shorter, but like me he thinks that rounding the Horn will present fewer hassles.)

Doug Nordby at his sail loft

I like Doug, and he seems to brighten up when he sees me.  I told him that I've got the feeling that we'll be seeing each other again (probably in La Paz).

The photo shows Doug in his usual working attire: bare chested and bare footed. 

I also visited a highly recommended Mexican boating shop with a prepared request for lures for Tuna and Dorado, for trolling from my sailboat.  I got two 4" tuna lures for a modest 130 pesos or so each, but the Dorado lure with hook and leader came in at almost 400 pesos.  The fellow set up the hook and leader for me and told me that it is an excellent lure for Dorados.  One thing that I've learned is that I need to reach a boat speed as far above 5 kt as possible to do some serious catching, so I'll keep alert for my opportunity.

In the late afternoon I cleared out the bodega.  Noe went there yesterday afternoon and took away everything that he wanted, which included a clock radio, a new extension cord, various paints, and a fan heater.  He will visit the boat tomorrow to get my toaster and electric jug.  Noe fretted about having a near empty tank because he doesn't get paid until Thursday.  I handed him 100 pesos to tide him over.  I have have a soft spot for Noe.  He's trying to raise three girls (two of them twins) on Mexican wages and I notice that he doesn't drink, which tells me where his priorities lay.

Today I took out the trash, swept the floor, and closed the door for the next tenant of the bodega.  Tomorrow I will hand in the keys to Seamar.