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   Aaron successfully installed the VHF radio in the cockpit, the new inverter and control panel, the old ones were damaged by the lightning strike.  The radar will have to wait to be repaired later on, possibly Panama or Cartagena, Columbia.

   Gary on Kaija's song helped Aaron with tackling the batteries, equalizing them and getting them to charge back up properly.

   We hired the marina workers, who can handle the heat better than we can, to clean and wax the masts, the entire boat, deck and hull. When the main mast was being polished, the worker accidentally dropped the wax and it splattered on deck everywhere.  Thankfully due to using their high pressure sprayer, it all came off.  The bottom was cleaned also.  So, Blow Me Away is looking good from top to bottom.

   In between cleaning sessions, I have been attending Spanish classes and walking every other day with the ladies.  I also decided to change our website, it was to frustrating to work with geocities software here.  Having to download the program each time to update is not an easy and very time consuming.  So, with the help from Jim on Seayeti, I have been learning how to use Microsoft FrontPage software and we now have a new website address.  It is blowmeaway.com.  I am catching up with old logs and filling in the months that I didnt get any thing written so that from now on there will be regular updates rather than monthly or even longer.

   All work and no play makes for a boring website log.  On  Friday, Oct. 13, the Sweet River Band played after a month layoff.   Everyone here was ready to get back into the music groove and danced the night away.  On Oct 21, an impromptu jam session began and again it was great fun. Gary joined in and played keyboards, while Linda sang and Gary (s/v Ishi) played guitar. Sonny (s/v Valentina) showed us his ability to play the harmonica. As for the rest of us, who have no musical talent, we make fools of ourselves dancing along.

  On October 27, a farewell party was given for those of us who are leaving and since it's close to Halloween a costume party theme  of "come as your favorite performer".  Jerry Garcia, Dolly, Janis Joplin, Pat Benatar, Roy Orbison, Joan Jett and Britney Spears all came to party.  And yes, the Great Pumpkin arrived.

   As we wrap up our time here at Mario's it has been a special time in our lives and many memories. Our many thanks to the staff and crew of Marios's for making our stay here enjoyable.

 Our special thanks to Jim, aka Senor Maximo, Jeeem,  a wonderful friend for his help in getting this website up and running and giving me a crash course in Frontpage.                      
 

October 31, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  

 Last night a major rum front went thru here on Blow Me Away.  Sonny/Kay on Valentina, Gary/Kaija on Kaija's Song, and Jim/Seayeti came over to discuss and prepare for departure.  Jim stayed on long after everyone else had left.  Jim is staying here for the time being.  His fiancee, Nic is in New Zealand at this time visiting family.  Jim is studying for a B.S. degree in programming software via the internet. He hopes to graduate next year and join us in Panama.  This morning,  in our self induced fog, we proceeded to get the boat ready for take off, as today is the day we say goodbye to Mario's Marina. Jim managed to stagger over for a visit before we left.  It is hard to say goodbye to a good friend whom we have had the pleasure to meet and get to know better in the four months we have been here. We will miss him and Nic and look forward to our reunion wherever it may be.  And to all the new friends we have met here, our poolside buddies that we have enjoyed happy hours with, these memories and special friendships will be missed. The anchor was dug in deep, four guys couldn't budge it, so we didn't get the deluxe treatment of the high pressure sprayer to clean the anchor and chain as it came aboard.  It was a filthy mess to clean up.  We waved so long to Marco, Hugo, Inez and Byron and motored out into the river to anchor in Shell Bay by the bridge.  Kaija's Song made it out first, and Valentina joined us.  We made a last minute dinghy ride to town to get fresh vegetables and we all met at The Crowbar for lunch.  At 4pm, we fueled up with diesel $3.10 gal.( Belize is more expensive.)  Doris & Stan on EOS came by to say so long and gave us a couple of waypoints for the crossing of the sandbar.  Later after we anchored again, we dinghied over to Monkey Bay marina to visit with Tami and Thane (s/v Heart of Gold).  Tami had just returned from her visit to Texas to see family/friends and it was Thane's birthday. They now manage this marina and plan on staying on for awhile.  With their parrot named Paco, and Hal (s/v Griffin) joining us, we all sat around and caught up on the latest.  So, with all of our goodbyes said we dinghied back to our boat and enjoyed the best night sleeping at anchor.