Spectacular sunsets WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE? GROCERY • FUEL DOCK • BOATYARD • COVERED SLIPS
• Privately owned since 1957 • Largest full-stock marine store of any marina in Northern California • Within a short drive of 400 wineries, 10 Michelin-starred restaurants and dozens of micro breweries • 400 Feet of Guest Docks • Eight miles by boat to downtown Napa • Epic bike rides • Great Striper & Sturgeon fishing • Electric entry security gate WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT
www.napavalleymarina.com 1200 Milton Road Napa, CA 94559
(707) 252-8011 Page 18 •
Latitude 38
• August, 2020
LETTERS ⇑⇓ PASSING TIME, SIPPING RUM, AND READING A MAGAZINE DURING THE QUARANTINE We left San Francisco in October 2019 and are currently sitting out the quarantine in Banderas Bay, Mexico. Like all you expat sailors out there, we had plans upon plans, and then watched things shut down all over Mexico. Recreational sailing is still discouraged, and some ports and parks are closed. Beaches are still closed here in Nayarit, but, luckily, the seco n d p a s t i m e for sailors is again available after a sho rt h i a t u s i n March: drinking alcohol. These beautiful mai tais were made by a 'Latitude 38' has long doubled as a coaster for dock neighbor and cocktails. Just BYOB. consumed eagerly by us. Luckily the third pastime — reading Latitude 38 — is possible here as well, even in the paper form. Greetings to all our friends in San Francisco. Marie Toler Raney and Jonathan Raney Eurybia, 1991 Huntingford Sea Maid 45 Ketch Currently in Mexico
MARIE TOLER RANEY
NAPA’S PREMIER FULL SERVICE MARINA
⇑⇓ FAR FROM NORMAL IN MEXICO . . . Passing into July here in the heart of the Sea of Cortez, we hoped we would enjoy a reprieve from the virus restrictions. But no, they are still in effect, with no confirmed end in sight. It's been a tedious, frustrating, and at times scary place. Collectively, from Loreto, La Paz and Cabo, rumors and confusing information are all we have. All has been quiet here in La Paz, too quiet. Many boaters chose to pull their vessels from the water and get back home; yet others sailed to points north in the Sea. Some decided to tough it out onboard and attempted to get some projects done and wait out the 'storm'. At Marina de La Paz, the gates to the outside world have been locked, and the parade of dockworkers has ended. Masks are the rule of the day, and my beloved dog Allie is still not comfortable not seeing people's faces. The morning net on Channel 22 is really boring — no one coming or going, no activities, no parties, not even people to carry the mail back to the States. Daily arguments about the virus, and the government response, can become heated, and sometimes entertaining. The islands, beaches, restaurants, bars and hotels are still closed or off limits, and information is hard to come by. Our Malecon is finally open to pedestrians and bike riders, but nothing — not the parks or seating areas — is open. Some of our favorite hangouts have closed permanently: Tail Hunter, Harkers and the Art Bar have all said farewell. As of late, we are hearing that September may see the reopening of the parks, beaches and the islands, but who knows? The charter fleets — everything from the day-trip pangas to the largest megayachts — are all sitting idle. The