Boat Moved and Visa Problem

After doing the Internet work I bought down the English-to-Portuguese Google translator so that I could establish some serious communication with the office staff.  I translated “Are you able to understand this?” and took it over to one of the women and asked her if she could understand it.  She nodded Yes so I informed her through the translator of my travel plans.  She understood this and I suggested that she write the dates down somewhere.  Then I asked “Is there anything that I should do to prepare my boat for my departure?”  She verbally asked me if I was leaving the boat here and I said Yes, making an imitation of a flying bird to indicate that I would be traveling to the U.S.A. by air.  She wrote that I should make sure that all of my lines were strong and I replied through the translator that my two stern lines were strong ones of 22 mm diameter, but I could say nothing about the marina's line off my bow.  By then the man next to her was reading our dialogue and I saw him react to my comment about the marina's line which, by the way, looked thin and weak to me. 

I then passed over my email address and telephone number in the U.S.A.

I left the office and visited another cafe along the marina walk way on the way to the boat and met  Felipe, who runs the place, speaks good English, and was very happy to have a chat.  He assured me that Pachuca will be completely safe in this marina while I am away.  On the people front, the marina is well guarded 24 hours per day, and indeed I had recently seen a security man walk past the boat at 2 AM shining a spotlight around.  On the weather front, he told me that the water is always calm and the winds are never strong.  I found that to be very reassuring.  I then had a very nice fish lunch at the cafe and tried their WiFi which was very strong and fast because the router was practically within arm's reach from where I sat.

I was relaxing afterward in the bunk reading a magazine when some noises brought me topside.  The young guy from the office and a colleague were fiddling with my bow line.  They were in fact shifting my boat one position.  The bow line that I was on in fact was attached to an anchor that belonged to another boat, and they were moving my bow to a proper marina mooring with a yellow float instead of an empty plastic bottle.  They asked me to provide a line so I produced one of my 22mm mooring lines.  I then pitched in to help with the move and soon after they left I adjusted the lines and the electric power cable to my satisfaction. 

Communication is so important.  Once they knew my plans they didn't waste much time in making the boat more secure, and I was very happy about that.

The afternoon was cloud and drizzly but I nevertheless proceeded with my plan to rinse and dry the staysail, which looked damp and clammy to me, indicating salt.  I hosed it liberally while hoisting it then left it up to air and dry.  I also rinsed out its bag.

We got regular showers from mid afternoon throughout the night and the morning began cloudy and damp but with evidence of the sun trying to break through.  During the night just enough wind had sprung up from the port beam to cause the staysail to fret, so I dropped it onto the deck and would raise it during the day in the hopes of drying it.  The sail had certainly gotten a good dose of fresh water.


-------

I have just received a message from American Airlines that mt VISA card payment has been rejected and to contact my bank.  I need this like a hole in the head.