Yesterday marked one full month being “off the grid”, disconnected – no permanent address, no cell phone – just an email address and a PO box.  We duck into La Paz — restock and rest during the forecast 3-day northerly blow.

In one month: we’ve run 1452 nautical miles, 204 main engine hours, 65 generator hours, 12 wing engine hours.  We’ve used 1370 gallons of fuel – accounting for the wing engine and generator time we averaged 5.8 gph on the main engine.  Taking the times down here in La Paz – I can now announce the Big Cat in the engine room  (our only pet on board) crossed 9000 hours – barely broken in.

With the freezer and all the fridges running, we’re finding we need about 3.5 hours of generator time / day at anchor – at 2gph generator – 7 gallons of fuel – at $4 / gallon – that’s $28 / day to be “off the grid”.   Now the luxury items – internet….   We’re using our KVH when we do not have the Mexican TelCel connection.  Email and quick look at the weather – costs us about $25 / day.  Connected to TelCel – it’s about $2.50 – so we’re drinking the expensive wine when we get an anchorage with TelCel – or even better acquire an unprotected Wifi hook-up with our high-powered digital wifi receiver.  The only other luxury we haven’t given up – drinking a nice bottle of wine – ok nice for us is $15 – but if we add a $25 internet day, a $15 bottle of wine, and $28 of diesel – we’re out almost $70 – not bad for a day in paradise.  A day in the marina here in La Paz – $104, which includes internet and power – so just add the wine.   Speaking of wine – today we can positively certify, our Burley Travoy bicycle trailer can EASILY carry a case of wine.

Gray Matter has done all we’ve asked of her.  We did a few preventive maintenance items – relocated the water pump for better access when the day comes to change it.  Found our davit has a hydraulic “drip” – we’re now monitoring – might have it rebuilt here in La Paz before we cross the Pacific.  Now we’re going to measure the amount of fluid it looses for a launch and retrieval as well as make sure it’s not getting worse.

As we head north to Loreto and possibly Bay of Conception tomorrow – we will take a look for more issues, but given 31 days of cruising – running everything everyday – on a boat with this kind of hours and age – it’s yet another credit for how well these boats are built and engineered.