The Little Engine that Did!

April 9th, 2011

The little engine that could, that couldn’t, that finally DID!!!


Or: “How to splash a boat – Mexican style!!!”

Executive Officer Tom writes:

“First let me set the scene. When Caprice was moved onto the hard last January she was pulled out of the water on an ancient rail system using a very old engine to turn the gears which moved the boat up to the dry land. As soon as Caprice was in the correct position, the engine, which had seen its best days years ago, died a tortured death in a burst of sparks and blue smoke!!!

Before we left Caprice in that dusty old Mexican boat yard, junk yard dogs and all, to come home in February, we watched the poor little dead engine be pulled from its home and placed in the back of pickup to be carted off to the place that little dead engines go to.

Now let us spring forward to the present and yes there is a shiny new engine or what appears to be a shiny new engine, or the same old engine with a fresh coat of paint… we think, all of the above are possible! Whichever it is, the little engine is ready to lower us into the water. “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” she is heard sputtering, but something seems amiss as the engine is started and then shut off only to be started yet again and then turned off again. Again and again, we hear: “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” followed by “I just can’t!”

Feeling disconcerted and sorry for the little engine that can’t, we see a man with a big wrench approach the scene of the crime so to speak. Alas, beating it doesn’t work, so out comes the blow torch… but still the little engine sputters and stops.

The engine is started again when all of a sudden a cable snaps and Caprice lurches at least a foot towards the water! We snap to attention, forgetting how sorry we are feeling for the little engine and throw our support towards Caprice! It seems that the boat was kept from rolling back into the water by a cable that was attached to a large cement foundation and that very cable has just snapped! Fortunately, a chain is the back up for the cable, so it grabs and Caprice halts her backward motion!

It is becoming clear that perhaps after all the effort that Dan has put into getting Caprice into the water today, our dear Caprice is still going to be “on the hard” when the sun sets! And this is Saturday when Abel and his team only work half a day and the time is now 1:00pm! But hooray, some workers are still around and new cables are threaded into the innards of the rail system and at 3:00pm Caprice starts to inch her down to the water, finely floating free a short time later! And the cheer went out: Hallelujah!”

SPLASH!!!!!!!!!!

April 9th, 2011


Captain Dan writes: “Caprice is still on the hard. All the work is done and she looks beautiful, but will look even better in the aqua. We are counting the minutes until that happens!

We met some friends of Enrique, George and Mercedes, who live here in La Paz and enjoyed a delicious filet mignon dinner at their fabulous villa overlooking La Paz Harbor. As the lovely evening came to a close, we thought how fortunate we are to be “stuck” in such a beautiful spot!

The island of Espiritu Santos still beckons and we hope to be there soon after inspecting the rigging and critical systems of Caprice. With lots of storage space, two refrigerators and two freezers, we are provisioned with enough food for an army. Lose weight on this trip? Tal Vez (maybe).

Cheers from Caprice”

And later the same day, this good news!

Splash! Or as we say on Caprice when all is well, Hallelujah! Caprice is afloat! No longer on the hard in a dusty old Mexican boatyard… junk yard dogs and all! She is as thrilled to be in the water as are Dan, Tom and Enrique! Boy, what a wait it has been… so a celebration is underway in La Paz… dancing in the streets, champagne, etc. You can imagine the excitement aboard Caprice tonight! And may the days be brighter and brighter as she begins her homeward journey!

We at home can only smile, say congratulations, and anchors aweigh!

Caprice Gets Ready, 2!

April 5th, 2011

This just in from Dan: “Yes, Caprice is still on the hard in Abel Navales Bercovich Pino’s boat yard at La Paz. I am living aboard Caprice and it is really interesting to be in a third world country boatyard… junk yard dogs and all! Obviously OSHA is not here, but the workers are very good and the repairs are going along well, or as Abel says: “Amazing!” Over $50,000 in damage to our dear Caprice, but she will be “better and stronger than new” according to Abel!

Fortunately Enrique speaks fluent Spanish, so he helped communications between me and the workers yesterday. Tom is scheduled to arrive on Thursday… about the same time as we plan to launch Caprice. Then we will test systems, do our provisioning, and then off we go to Isla Espirito Santos for a few days of swimming in the beautiful azure seas of the Sea of Cortez before heading south to Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula.

From there, it’s Point Richmond or bust! We expect to be homeward bound by next week!!

To all our faithful readers, we wish you well and thank your for goading us to keep you informed about Caprice’s travels.”

Cheers from Captain Dan

Caprice Gets Ready!

La Paz!
April 4th, 2011

Dan is in La Paz and reports that Caprice is indeed not only there but looking so much better than when he and Tom left her on February 6th, 2011. Although he is greeted by temperatures in the 90’s outside and over 110 inside Caprice, he survives the night and is spotted this morning sipping a latte at the CostaBaja internet café and regaling his crew and family still at home with tales of Caprice!

This morning he and Abel go over the “punch list” for the remainder of the work to be done on Caprice and he feels very positive about her launching by the end of the week! Dan is living aboard Caprice “on the hard” waiting launching. Although not as accommodating as she is in the water, Dan feels he should keep a close eye on the final work on Caprice.

Enrique is in the air as I write this on his way to La Paz and Tom departs on Thursday. Enrique will base at a timeshare in La Paz while awaiting Caprice’s launching and Tom’s arrival is hopefully timed for launch day.

Stay tuned… excitement is in the air as Caprice gets ready for the journey home!

The Winter (and Spring) of our Discontent!

The Winter (and Spring) of our Discontent!
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

It has been two LONG months since Caprice was rammed in La Paz Harbor and the same two LONG months that we have waited to see her repaired and beautiful again. These months have been full of excitement and anticipation followed by disappointment and dismay. Many false starts, it seems, as to when the parts will ship, when they will arrive, where they will arrive, when will the boatyard be ready to begin the work, when will the insurance investigation be complete… when, when, when! Should travel arrangements be made, will Carol be healed, will we ever see Caprice back at her home port of Point Richmond?! On and on it has gone… but finally, and I mean FINALLY, it seems that we may soon be sending Dan, Tom and a new crew member, Enrique, to La Paz to start the final chapter of this Adventure of Caprice!

And this is cause for celebration… and the continuation of our “story.” So stay tuned for frequent updates from the all male crew of Caprice via yours truly as they weigh anchor and begin the odyssey!