Boat renaming ceremony “Our Story” 3.1.08

Today is Saturday and I went for a run this morning while Michael worked on some business stuff. Then we cleaned up & headed to Playa Bruja (the beach) for the surf competition! The surf was pretty big, although a bit closed out, but there were a couple hundred people on the beach watching. There were different heats for surfboard & boogie boards, separated by age class. There was a DJ & music blaring and we had plenty to watch if not the surfers, the on-lookers! They had some funny competitions on the sand while waiting for the surf to build – there were running races – down & back to specific spots on the beach and the men had a wheel-barrow race…it was very funny to watch.




You can check out more pictures & videos here - on the Mazatlan newspaper site... http://www.noroeste.com.mx/web/index.php it's in Spanish but look for "Torneo de Surf Clásico de invierno 2008"

We hung there until about 2pm when we headed back to the harbor. A couple, Dan & Merrilyn, had just purchased a new boat named “Legacy” and was having a renaming ceremony (changing it to “Our Story”) that started at 3pm (what better reason for a dock party?!). We just made it back to the boat in time to scarf down some food and head over to the party and chit chat with several other boaters and listen to the renaming ceremony. A renaming ceremony is taken very seriously – there is a story/chant that is read by the owner, while the other pours champagne over the sides, front & stern of the boat, at the appropriate times in the story. It’s quite a production! Billie & Ted from ‘Siempre Sabado’ came up with this nice poem that was read in addition to the renaming ceremony:

Ye Old Sea Gods, hear our request
A serious matter, we do not jest
Merrlyn & Dan of Bone Jumper fame
Are the proud new owners of this ship we will name.
Honor the name-change of this sturdy boat
Enhance their travels and keep them afloat.

Bless them on passages near & far
Travelling safely across El Mar
Keep storms at bay, seas calm & flat
And free of pestulance, cockroaches & rats

Keep them healthy and happy
Whatever you do
But if you can manage, some sea treasures too
Not jewels or gold
That’s a land lubbers notion
They want riches & pleasures that come from the ocean

Bring fish their way, and easy to catch
Big ones and tasty ones up onto their deck
Adventurous travel and much fun, please provide
And if there’s a storm, a safe harbor to hide

So heed our words for the ship ‘Our Story’
Be with her always as she sails for glory.

It was a great evening, there were probably 100 or so other cruisers that all came down onto the dock & onto their boat with appetizers & drinks.

More to follow...
Rene