Living On A Boat

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2021/05/10/re-entry-shock-is-a-thing/

"Re-Entry Shock" is a Thing

With similar emotions to Culture Shock, people don’t really talk about Re-Entry Shock, but I think 2021+ will have a lot of parallels as people go back to work, start to travel again, become more nomadic and work from anywhere. I predict people trying to get “back to normal” post COVID19 will also experience similar emotions.

Similar to striving for “normal” post COVID10, going from this life to crowded cities, traffic, and 24/7 news cycles produces anxiety

Culture Shock is a sense of anxiety, depression, or confusion that results from being cut off from your familiar culture, environment, and norms when living in a foreign country or society. Those experiencing culture shock go through distinct phases of euphoria, discomfort, adjustment, and acceptance. 

In reverse, when living for long periods outside of your home country, it’s likely you’ll feel the same in similar ways. Having experienced both Culture and Re-Entry Shock, I think the latter is MUCH harder to accept because it seems unnecessary or manufactured.

I mean, you’re going “home”, right? or you’re getting back to your “normal life”? Why and how should that be harder than experiencing a whole new country, language, currency and culture? But for me, and I think many others, it is. It feels like I no longer have a country. It feels like I don’t belong really anywhere. It feels like I’m straddling two worlds, and no one (but others in the exact same position) understands it. This feels isolating, scary and unsettling. 

We have been back in the USA for a few weeks now, and while I was excited to get back, get our vaccines, and also spend quality time to see family and friends, I knew to expect a less than glorious landing. And, so it is.

I’ve experienced Culture Shock many times in my life. It can be exhilarating, debilitating and annoying. Re-entry Shock feels worse. 

When I first moved to Turkey in 1988, I was hit hard with culture shock. Although I felt prepared for it, it was surprising just how much of a roller coaster of emotions I experienced before settling in and adapting. After a couple of years there, I returned back to the USA, and the “re-entry shock” was harder than the original culture shock. I needed a cultural de-brief. I missed many pop culture references, didn’t see movies people were talking about, and I had bizarre interactions that made me feel like a fish out of water. Although I could speak my native language, I felt awkward contributing to conversations.

Tackling Re-Entry Shock can feel overwhelming

Fast forward to today, living in Mexico and Turkey most of the year, getting back to the USA (during a pandemic, no less) hasn’t been easy, and I have been fighting the realization that I’m going through a major adjustment. I have been irritable, impatient, easily annoyed and really missing my life abroad. Conversations abroad somehow seem more stimulating – discussing global ideas and challenges, providing broader points of view and perspectives on the world and the citizens in it. Getting back to the USA feels stagnant, revisiting the same small conversations and discussing silly TV programs or talking about how “hard” someone’s life is in the USA when they have absolutely everything they could possibly want or need. Let’s not even begin to discuss politics….

So, I decided to dig into what’s really happening, and similar to grief, re-entry shock has stages. 

The myths around returning to your home country are similar: 1) that “home” will be recognizable and easy to merge back into, 2) that family and friends will be interested in what you’ve done (or even care about all you’ve gone through), 3) that you’ll feel “at home”, 4) that the skills you learned abroad are actually welcome in your home country, 4) that because it’s familiar, it will be easier, and 5) that you won’t miss your friends abroad as you see your familiar friends and family back home.

Surrounding yourself with familiar things from your life abroad, taking it slow, breathing, getting outside, and turning off the TV can help immensely, but we aren’t out of the woods just yet. I predict I have another 60+ days to fully adapt. Just in time for us to leave the country and experience it all over again.

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2020/04/17/trust-your-gut-keep-calm-sail-on/

TRUST YOUR GUT Keep Calm & Sail On

I’ve always said that intuition was born of wisdom, and this couldn’t be more true in these days. While most of our friends and family are in quarantine in the USA, navigating the frustrations and heartbreak of this new life, we also have unique challenges being in another country, out on the sea.

Sunrises and Sunsets Aboard Lodos

We deliberately left corporate jobs, sold companies, sold our house, downsized, started new digital nomad careers, and sailed away – relying on a retirement portfolio and new reduced income streams to fund our new way of life. We don’t have any regrets, but it’s created a new host of uncertainties we hadn’t expected. In truth, I was worried about the following things happening when we took off two years ago – two of which have already happened:

A rogue wave

Getting caught in a hurricane

Boat breaking down in the middle of the ocean (happened twice)

Hitting a whale (already happened) 

We certainly didn’t have Zombie Apocalypse on our global Bingo card!

Like most natural and human made emergencies, nothing is a problem….until it is. Mexico was late coming to the emergency of COVID19 and still is pretty sleepy compared to many other parts of the USA and the world right now, but if you believe it’s coming, then you have to prepare. And, while we have it pretty good on a house that moves (our sailboat), there are still many restrictions that limit our mobility.

Social Distancing at Marina Palmira w/ friends aboard Agave Azul

In the past 48 hours, Mexico has locked down whole cities and towns, making it impossible to go in and out unless you can prove residency. They have made it illegal to do any kind of recreational activity, and this means sailing. Mexico has also locked down national park islands and coves where we normally anchor, and some ports have now made it illegal to enter/exit unless you can prove you are transiting to another port or entering for fuel or provisions. Something that has never happened before. So, we are now locked down in a marina – sailing season is effectively over.

And, this brings me back to trusting your gut. 

When you start to gain knowledge, stay calm and listen to your inner voice, it almost always tells you what to do. I’m not just talking about a Fight or Flight mechanism. I’m talking about what is right for you and when – even if no one else seems to be following your lead. Kirby and I have watched enough pandemic, apocalypse films and TV to know that you must keep moving forward – at all costs. If you stand still or freeze up, you have a greater chance of something worse happening. Yes, I know it’s TV, but I also believe it to be real life, and it’s served us well over the years – even during times of much less strife. 

Fueling up & Stocking up on Diesel, Gas, Cash & Groceries

So, when we decided to leave Puerto Vallarta 2 months earlier than planned (after my trip to Turkey was canceled) to get back to La Paz, where we have our car and a safe marina slip reserved for our boat this summer, we decided to do it. Some people told us we were overreacting, we should wait for a better southern wind weather window, and that it would be fine. Now, just two weeks later, as anchorages and ports are closing, with the coast guard patrolling daily broadcasting warnings, we feel so much better to be snug as a bug in our boat in one of the safest marinas in the southern Baja. If things get a lot worse, we can always jump in our car and drive north or sail north…

In La Cruz, in Puerto Vallarta

The Mexican Coast Guard patrols La Paz waterways and marinas daily with recorded broadcasts to “Quédate en Casa” (Shelter in Place)

Staying and being present is the only way to live right now. A wise friend gave some advice when I start to feel out of control – take these 6 steps:

Breathe deeply for at least 1 minute

Ask yourself: “Am I okay RIGHT NOW?”

Stop negative spiraling thoughts by refocusing your brain on what you see, hear, smell, or taste

Try to live your life and carry on as normally as possible

Empower yourself with knowledge

Be grateful

Making the time to reaquaint ourselves with old passions & hobbies

We are still happy to be on a sailboat looking out at the water, enjoying the sunshine, and watching the sunset, even if we cannot really leave our boat. As long as our internet holds out for us to continue to do work and communicate, we’ll be just fine. And, in the meantime, the wildlife here reminds us that the Earth is healing herself.

Blue footed Booby on the uninhabited Isla Isabel

Our dolphin friends always rush over for a visit

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2020/03/11/how-cruising-is-like-prepping-for-a-pandemic/

HOW CRUISING IS LIKE PREPPING FOR A PANDEMIC

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance*

It’s occurred to me over the past week as we are inundated with MORE bad news of a global pandemic, that there isn’t much we need to do. We are ready, my fellow sailors. We. Are. Ready.

Enjoying a beautiful virus-free day at sea

As fans of The Walking Dead, we have also joked for years that we are readying ourselves for the Zombie apocalypse. And we are….unless the zombies swim or float (which they don’t, in my expert opinion; you always have to fear the living, not the dead). We aren’t survivalists by any means, but good preparation for long passages has a similar look and feel as compared to what the CDC or WHO has currently advised.

Kirby in La Cruz, contemplating a few maintenance repairs and the sunset

Our “home” floats and travels – using wind and solar to get us just about anywhere, and within less than 20 minutes (5 in a real emergency) we can be off and away from land. It’s completely self-contained if need be. We have a water maker on board that makes 30 gallons/hour from seawater, and my general paranoia for running out of food means that we always over-provision (how long should I keep those bags of dried nuts before I acquiesce to their actual expiration date?!). Just last month, I inventoried and restocked our medicine cabinet with just about everything you can think of that you may need if you’re stuck in the middle of an ocean (or escaping a global pandemic). 

Pantry 1 of 8 on the boat

Cleaning out and inventorying some of our lesser used cabinets the other day revealed a literal treasure trove of virus-useful equipment: e.g. seeds for fresh sprouts, 4 full boxes of anti-bacterial wipes, and face masks. And, of course, this excludes our Ditch Bag supplies, which are supposed to keep us alive for several days in the event the Zombies do take over the boat.

Contents of our Ditch Bag emergency kit

But, this is no laughing matter, and experts say it’s about to get a whole lot worse. We have been traveling via plane a lot lately and visiting a few big cities, going about our lives but with a heightened sense of our space around us. We also recognize that we healthy adults have a community responsibility by not being innocent carriers to others whose immune systems may be weakened or otherwise compromised. As a reminder, these rules of safety should be our norm, not our new exception, but it deserves repeating:

Wash your hands – and your phone – frequently

Wipe down the areas around you on planes, at home, and on your boat with anti-bacterial wipes, a soapy bleach solution or alcohol of at least 70%

Refrain from shaking hands and avoid touching your faces

Keep 3-6 feet from people in groups/crowds if possible

Listening for coughing or sneezing nearby from which we can inconspicuously and quickly move away

Share your anti-bacterial wipes with your neighbors and strangers in close quarters

Treasures of the Bilge….

Stay safe out there, friends.

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2020/01/30/provisioning-50-must-haves-for-your-pantry/

PROVISIONING: 50 MUST HAVES FOR YOUR PANTRY

When I was the cook aboard the Sea Shepherd, I learned a lot of things very quickly:

Photo Credit: Sam Rose Phillips

A satiated crew is a happy crew

A well stocked pantry delivers infinite possibilities

Knowing everyone’s favorite treats can turn around a bad attitude

Always cut up the fruit if you want anyone to eat it

Rotate your leftovers by incorporating them into a new dish

Popcorn is a universal treat

Cookies are magical

Lodos’ galley with our fabulous new Dometic fridge

What I have learned so far on our boat, is what I heard repeatedly from others who cruise, but I did not heed their warning;

Do not over-provision!

The Hallway Pantry: one of many places we store (cram actually) our foodstuffs

Remembering that wherever there are people, there will be food. It may not be your brand or type of food, but it will be there nonetheless.

We decided that on our boat, we would mostly be plant-based (vegan). We don’t feel deprived and we never really miss anything (eggs may be the exception, and then we buy local). If we have an intense craving for anything, we eat it when we’re off the boat. Simple. Easy. Low Impact.

PRO TIP: When storing foods while the boat isn’t being used – assuming you have secured your boat from outside intruders (including blocking thru hulls with water permeable materials that keep bugs from entering), we get rid of anything canned that has high acid, tomato sauces, and flours that may hatch bugs. We also ensure everything is in vacuum bags or containers with lids, just in case we do have bugs hatching – it will help contain them. Separately, we layer bay leaves and fabric softener sheets (not in the food, obviously) throughout the boat and in all drawers and cabinets. We also use small cockroach hotels (just in case) on the floors, in cabinets and drawers. Knock wood, we’ve never had bugs.

The reason to eat mainly vegan aboard was multi-dimensional:

It’s easier on the systems of our boat (e.g. sinks, toilets, refrigeration)

Less waste, less spoilage, fewer odors

Seeing first hand the alarming depletion of life in the oceans over the past 20 years as divers

Understanding the brutality of factory farms

Learning about impact that animals raised for food have on the environment: meat & dairy now account for 14.5% of greenhouse gases – with beef and lamb being the worst – roughly the same emissions from all the cars, trucks, airplanes and ships combined in the world today!

It’s better for our arteries 🙂

And finally, here’s the list!

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2020/01/02/a-lodos-vacation-in-2020-what-to-bring-what-to-leave-at-home/

A LODOS VACATION IN 2020: What to bring (& what to leave at home)

You will be living on a boat. That means, you should pack very light. A soft-sided carry on is ideal if you can swing it! 

Lodos at Isla Isabel with a Blue Boobie

CLOTHING:

Former guests say even though they brought very little, it was still too much! You can do laundry if needed, and the dolphins don’t care if they see you in the same outfits!

Loose, lightweight, breathable, easy fabrics that dry quick are best (avoid denim and heavy cotton)

Swimsuits & coverups, 2 pair of shorts, summer dress, 3-4 tees

Depending on the time of year, packing layers is a good idea – a long sleeve shirt or fleece

Comfy clothes to lounge around in throughout the day (e.g. yoga pants, sweats, leggings)

1 nicer outfit/shirt to go out in the evening or while on shore/in port – wrinkle resistant ideal, collared shirt for the guys

1-2 hats (ideally something with a strap, so you don’t lose it in the wind – Neptune already has more baseball hats and sunglasses than he needs!)

1-3 pair of shoes: non marking, non skid soled shoes (e.g. light weight tennis shoes or treaded sandals), shoes you can get wet/flip flops for marina showers, hiking shoes/sandals, and something to wear to a nicer dinner. We don’t recommend going barefoot on the boat when it’s moving, but feel free to be barefoot while lounging. Inside the boat, we ask you to remove your shoes.

Personal items (e.g. chapstick, toothbrush, moisturizer w/ sunscreen)

LUGGAGE:

Duffels or backpacks are ideal, something compressible/malleable to fold into smaller spaces

Small tote or dry bag for marina showers, dinghy-ing to a shore destination, keeping your phone/camera safe, going on land adventures, etc. are better than a bulky purse

PERSONAL/ENTERTAINMENT:

Motion sickness meds, patches and sea bands if you get sea sick 

Downloaded music that can be played on bluetooth without wifi 

Books/Kindle and/or magazines

Puzzle books or other non-wifi entertainment vehicles (we have games and cards on board)

Relaxing in the Cockpit

THINGS TO LEAVE AT HOME:

Sunscreen, soap, shampoo, bug spray, towels, jackets, life jackets, binoculars, other extras you may have forgotten

Basic medicine/first aid

Solar charger or external battery (we have iPhone/solar chargers on board)

Goggles/snorkel gear

Makeup, curling irons, hair dryers, heeled shoes, big purses, lots of jewelry

Headlamp/flashlights

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2020/01/02/review-marina-vallarta-in-puerto-vallarta/

REVIEW: MARINA VALLARTA (A Cruiser's Guide to the closest marina in Puerto Vallarta)

When “moving” to a new place for living aboard, it’s important to pick the right marina, the right anchorage or place to stay, particularly if you’ll be there for a period of time. In an anchorage, it’s fairly easy to pick up and move if you don’t like it, but in a busy marina, where you have to reserve a slip weeks in advance, it takes a bit more thought.

Lodos docked in Marina Vallarta

For us, our criteria is usually the same and fairly basic, but there is always the subjective “feel” of a place that is hard to capture, and let’s be honest, everyone has their own opinions on these things. Our first impressions of Puerto Vallarta are great. It’s been decades since we were here last (via land), but the city has grown up to be a lovely place with a vibrant arts and music scene. Banderas Bay is a beautiful bay to sail in, where the wind is usually perfect for sailing in the winter months.

In Mexico, you cannot believe what is written on a marina website as there tends to be misleading or untrue information listed; often times, if I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt, they ASPIRE to the benefits posted, but just haven’t gotten around to making it all happen. In the USA, this would never happen. Someone would be sued, the site would be shut down, fines would be levied, etc. But, this is Mexico – Caveat emptor! The best way to understand a place is to go there yourself first, before sailing there, but that isn’t always feasible or practical.

So, now we are in Puerto Vallarta, in Marina Vallarta, which is the closest marina to downtown PV in Banderas Bay. Operated by Bay View Grand, their website is wildly misleading and or just flat out incorrect, so here goes my review, as of January, 2020:

Crocodile near Dock H, where they usually hang out

WHAT WE LIKE HERE:

It’s minutes from the airport (we will be traveling a lot, so being close to the aiport is a plus), close to downtown with a multitude of restaurants, busses/great transportation options, and one of the best marine stores we have ever been to (Zaragoza Marine).

The docks are secure, with a friendly security guard at each gate; there is a cardkey pass (with a deposit of 500 pesos), the electricity and water seems consistent without surges or outages – there is an extra cost and all metered. The water is non-potable, so you’ll be hauling drinking water or making water with dock water if you have an RO system on board as we do.

It’s a dynamic location with a lot going on – including an energetic Thursday evening market with crafts and food.

There are crocodiles, which really are very cool (and hardly worth being concerned over, although you should watch that your small dog doesn’t wander along the water’s edge alone). In the mornings, the Kiskadees are your alarm clock (if the mariachi music doesn’t wake you first).

There is a great little bookstore/coffeeshop that is worth visiting, the Living Room Cafe & Bookstore, a nearby Starbucks with fast wifi, and many restaurants, bars and stores.

Thursday night market stand with Lodos in the background

Map of Marina Vallarta with key points of interest/services

I’ve included a map (above), so you can see where the office, showers, bathrooms, laundry and ATM is, as we couldn’t find this information online anywhere. The website advertises “best in the region ” internet, pump out services, pool passes, laundry, showers and more! Most of these claims are not true and do not actually exist:

Text lifted from Marina Vallarta’s website

Text lifted from Marina Vallarta’s website

SOME CONS TO BEING IN THIS MARINA:

As we have heard from many sailors, this is NOT a cruiser’s marina. This is generally a marina for charter fishing boats or large power yachts. There is no service directory or map, the office staff – although friendly – doesn’t know much about boats (they do not understand simple terminology such as “we need a port/starboard tie”), no guidance on resources to clean your hull, change zincs or wash your boat. Some of these may be found on the Cruiser’s Net at 8:30am CT M-S on VHF Channel 22 and on the Banderas Bay Cruisers FB page or by just walking around and asking people. There are also several FB pages for PV that have invaluable information for the area.

There is no pump out service. The office staff told us to go north to La Cruz. I can guarantee you that no one is sailing their boats 2-3 hours north to complete a pump out….and in fact, one day, I saw some human waste float by (eeewwww!), so you know people are just pumping their waste into the marina (double eeewwwww!). Welcome to Mexico.

The internet and wifi is so bad it’s truly unusable. The office nearly refuses to give you a code because they say it won’t work anywhere. We have a wifi extender, and that is the only way we are getting online, but even then, it’s slow at best. We work at the nearby Starbucks if needed and use our 4G Telcel SIM cards otherwise.

There are no laundry facilities. There are laundry services for drop off (not affliated with the marina), but you have to pay by the kilo and cannot do it yourself (see map for 2 locations).

There is no pool pass. The office staff looks at you as if you’re making this stuff up when asked, even though it’s listed on their website.

The bathrooms are newer but not very clean. There is an A/C unit inside which helps keeps the humidity down, but only 1 shower and 1 sink works in the women’s bathroom, and there is less than 2 minutes of hot water available, generally.

It is “vibrant” – which means it can be boisterous. Loud music from the restaurants, construction noise from the workers who are on the charter boats everyday, and from tourists and holiday-makers. Surprisingly, with its proximity to the aiport, you don’t really hear airplane noise.

New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2019/12/21/losing-your-passport-in-mexico/

LOSING YOUR PASSPORT IN MEXICO

On the last night of a 10k kilometer USA/Mexico tour, ending in La Paz, we realized that my husband’s passport was missing. While we don’t believe it was stolen, we remembered clearly the last place we had used it and when we saw it. 

Fast forward – we knew we were sailing to Puerto Vallarta, and since there isn’t a consular office in La Paz, we planned to visit the consulate in PV to determine how to get out of/into the country. 

STEP 1:

Fill out all online forms in advance online reporting when/where your passport went missing. This triggers the next steps. 

Report a Lost or Stolen Passport

Fill out the form DS64 found on this page:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/forms.html.  

Be ready to fill out the form and have it printed at your hotel/internet cafe.

Get passport photos in advance to speed up the process. 

STEP 2:

Visit the Consular Office in Nuevo Vallarta, inside of Paradise Village. It’s inside the Plaza shopping center where the bus stops/taxi turn around is, just outside of the area’s only Starbucks. Proceed inside and go to the far west corner office of the 2nd floor.  The office is open at 8:30am and closes around 2pm each day. You are not allowed to use cell phones inside, so if you have information on your phone you will need to access, print that information in advance or write it down on a piece of paper. You do not need an appointment as this is determined an “emergency”. 

You can take the forms (along with a passport sized photo) to the US Consular Agency found here:  https://goo.gl/maps/VjzWoSJrb24KRLyz7

USA Consular Office in Nuevo Vallarta

STEP 3:

What to bring: new passport photos without glasses, copies of the forms filled out online, color copies of your passport if you have them, details about where you lost the documents and/or police reports if your passport was stolen. Check in with security and meet with the very helpful staff there. You’ll likely need to fill out additional paperwork, but if you have copies of materials, it will go very quickly. We arrived at 8:35am, and we were the first ones in. We were out of there by 9am. 

STEP 4:

If you are flying within 24 hours, you’ll receive a letter that will get you out of Mexico and into the USA. If you are flying within a few days, you’ll likely get your temporary passport, valid for 1 year, the next day via Guadalajara.  The agent will give you a piece of paper indicating when/who to call and what time/where to get your documents. 

STEP 5:

Call the number given on the sheet of paper to get your FedEx tracking number (this is not a regular tracking number) which is required to pick up your new documents. Likely the next day, you’ll travel to the office indicated to pick up your new documents. Ours was delayed two days, and when we went into the office downtown (after the consular office said it had arrived), they people at the FEDEX office said they didn’t have it. Press them. It will be in a different location as it’s a security document, and you may need a manager who knows this. You will have to show ID and also pay for the overnight package. 

Waiting in line to pick up the passport – this process took 4 hours

STEP 6:

Go to the Immigration office inside the airport to replace your Mexican Visa (if that was lost as well). It will cost about $25 USD and is needed before going through immigration in Mexico. 

STEP 7:

Apply for a new passport before your temporary one expires in one year. Recommend ordering a passport card with your new passport – keep your passport locked up when not traveling by plane and only use your passport card, so you won’t be locked out of a country (easier to replace if it’s lost/stolen in the future). 

STEP 8: