We made it to Clear Lake, Texas!

Thank you everyone for all the help and support.  

We have completed our transportation of Splendid Isolation.  

From the Sea of Cortez, across the desert, to the Gulf of Mexico on the Texas coast.

After sailing over 2,500 miles down the Pacific from California, around Baja, up and across the Sea of Cortez.

We have transported our ship 1300 miles on land from one coast to another.

An out of the box approach to the cruising mentality.

Piña was enjoying herself at the Taylor Motel

Damn good food in Van Horn

We plan to live here on Clear Lake for a while.  Long enough to get our boat in tip-top shape.  While working dream jobs and saving money back up.

- On Thursday morning,  Darrin Goodman, came to pick us up from our motel in Van Horn.

He transports boats, cars, and trailers back and forth across the country.  Click his name and give him a call if you need something moved, near or far.  He was nice enough to come get us between loads, and only charged $1 a mile!  His diesel Ford F-350 pulled Splendid Isolation another 14 hours to Clear Lake.

- Marc and Claire were there to welcome us as we arrived!

It was quite the time-warp feeling showing up with our boat on a whole different coast.  Sad to leave our Mexican lifestyle behind, but our memories south of the border will be on our minds forever.  It was a big move for us, we are excited to be headed eastward!

flyers i left in the bathroom a few weeks ago

- Friday morning, April 4th there was some great surf in Galveston.  

I had been keeping an eye on the surf report while we were stranded in Van Horn, and it couldn't have worked out better timing!  Healthy offshore winds kept the waves clean all day, and the belly high swell was just what I needed after that drive.  We paid to have the boat sanded, apparently in this county you can't do any boat sanding unless you're a professional.  We were bummed at first, but realized that it was worth it after that long trip.  Plus we got to surf while it was being done.

probably the best smelling surf session ever.

funnel cakes, popcorn, and fried food flowing off the pier.

- First thing Saturday morning the travel lift showed up.  

In no time, we were off the trailer and back onto ground stands.  La Sancha happily backed the trailer across the yard for now.  Claire and I ran to the hardware store and got our supplies for painting the bottom.  When I helped restore the bottom of our boat April 2012, I had Pettit Trinadad Pro put on.  We've had no problems with growth.  You can even see below how pristine the bottom has stayed.  We spent the rest of the day spreading a coat on Splendid's bottom.  We raised the waterline about 4 inches.

freshly sanded hull

notice how great our bottom paint still looks after all that Pacific and Sea of Cortez mileage.

the keel left quite an impression

"F" from Freedonia.

Which Taylor had as our home-port on the stern.

Claire taping off, raising up the waterline.

I repaired a huge blister that had dried out on our rudder.

There she is with her new bottom paint.

Pettit Trinadad Pro - Blue

Next up, we will be painting the hull a new color.

Also, painting our Name and Hailing Port in a new font.

We will be cleaning her up in preparation for US Coast Guard Federal Vessel Documentation.