The Costa Rica Incident - Part 4 -The Last Post!

This is the last installment on this saga -I call this long, last post "Chaos in Quepos" and before anyone points out the obvious, I admit to breaking all the rules on blogging - this is way too long and there are 50, yes, FIFTY photos just dropped in at the end of lines of text -sorry!.
I just want it all done and dusted - there are exciting stories about volcanoes, sailing and travel in the rest of Central America to tell, and the memory isn't as good as it used to be.
You are welcome to leave at any stage while laboring through this epistle and pour yourself a straight Flor de Cana 4yr old on ice:-))

Ok, heres the rub! Scott assesses the repair work (once we’re on the hard after a 24 hour incident free motorsail back south to Quepos) as a weeks worth only. Thats just before Thanksgiving, on 12 November 2014. Then Scott left for the States on 10 days leave. Just before he left my boat moved on its stands as the guys hadn't propped it completely, then the 50' powerboat next to me fell off completely,  the rudders and prop shaft supports being driven up through the hull, so guess which boat got the attention!
Whakaari was finally ‘splashed’ on  7 January 2015, a whole two months later! WTF!?!
I had yet to fully appreciate what “Tico Time” really meant, and could only look on, aghast at the lack of proactive management, delays in deliveries, and the daily “manana, mañana”
(As an aside, much much later on, when I was in Bahia del Sol, El Salvador to go climbing I met a couple who were also in Quepos for boat repairs, ,with the same insurers - we had very similar experiences, and our tales occupied a long hilarious "I know exactly what you mean" evening.)

As soon as we hauled Whakaari, I had to return the emergency pump to the hire centre, and anchor and pontoons to Apex Yachts for a refund, and on the trip back in the 4x4 rental we had a major accident trying to avoid a couple on a motorbike stopped in the middle of the highway in darkness and were rear ended by a big truck - amazing no-one was killed! We limped back to Avellanas after hours of Police and Insurance investigations, arriving at 3 am but not after narrowly avoiding being the target of a highway robbery attempt (Another story!) Wow, was I feeling like I was carrying a curse around with me!?

Once Jackie returned to her quieter, more normal, life back in Colorado, I’d settled into the delightful Villa Jacqueline, owned and run by chilled out expat Arizonian Stephen who became a good friend.
With the delays I had some extra work done, stripping Whakaari’s tarnished varnished caprails, a fantastic gelcoat refurbishment, ordered a new bimini, and occupied myself with a full interior cleanup, melting away in the rainy season’s humidity and heat, and frustrated by the daily afternoon rains.

At the Villa I met Scooby, and we became a great team, hitting the beaches and night spots, sampling the local herbs, chasing chica babes and generally having fun.
I met a Raymarine specialist, at a Thanksgiving picnic on the beach, who started in on my SeaTalk comms issues and convinced the Insurers of more essential repairs to electrical equipment that had been washed with saltwater while on the beach. Todd quickly became a good mate, but sadly took his own life a only a few days later.

With my temporary import license and my visa running out as the delays continued through December I had to apply for an emergency repair extension through a Port Agent, and money was flowing out at a rapid rate with no reimbursement yet from the Insurance company.

Time dragged on, and all sorts of things cropped up to stretch it out even more, like my freighted parts from the States being “red flagged” by Costa Rica customs, and other damages being identified late in the piece, and having to order more parts and wait some more, like bringing in a $7,500 windlass that would attract over 25% import tax and finding ways to get around that, like Christmas looming and everything going nowhere as everyone turned to party mode, like the Bright Lights Parade that had all the marina staff involved in preparations for that and no boat work being done………

With nothing happening, I hired a red hot little Peugeot and went back to Avellanas to surf and party with my Lola friends, we played golf, swam, drank rum, and generally had fun.

While on my return from Avellanas (and going to the US Embassy in San Jose to get my special visa for arriving in the States later on in a private yacht)  I’d arranged to meet the nasty frenchman to settle the refund on returned equipment I had bought outright. He avoided me at every turn, and when I arrived at the factory I wasn't allowed in! I walked in thru the security gate as a vehicle left, chased by the ineffectual security guard, and tried in vain to find someone to deal with. His key staff had been well briefed, and they made themselves (and my gear) scarce. His accountant produced a receipt which in Spanish was structured as a rental agreement with the equipment being charged out on a daily rate, and with time elapsed they owed me virtually nothing for the anchor and pontoons I had paid them cash for and had returned!?! Nice move! Nasty Frenchman 6 : Gullible Kiwi Nil. Enough said!

Getting back to Quepos brought still more frustrations and no progress. I’d had the Bank of America reimbursement cheques sent from my friends Arie and Chris in Florida (my US mailing address) to Quepos as the Marina assured me their bank would cash them, but it turned out unless they would get more than 50% of the value, they wouldn't touch them!

Christmas arrived and nothing more would happen in the boatyard til New Year so I hatched a crazy plan - have Christmas Day as invited at Avellanas, then fly to Colorado with my cheques, where Jackie would bank them thru her Wells Fargo account, enjoy some time with her in Aspen, and I could have New Years with Llewellyn and Alli and her family, my future inlaws, and do some skiing-What a crazy life!
I left sea level and 40 degrees C and arrived in Aspen at altitude and minus 20! With Llew et al in Breckenridge we skied and hiked to almost 14,000’.
I was so rapt at the chance to meet her family and revel in the Xmas/NY scene. Fun times for sure! The only downer was the flight connections, but that's another story!

Eight days later I'm back in the sweltering heat of Quepos, with a week to complete everything and leave Costa Rica before my boat would be impounded as the repair extension expired 7th January.
One bright piece of news -Todd had come through for me and the $4G worth of components Id ordered with him and paid for,  actually arrived in Los Suenos with my name on the shipment - Yay! His brother who flew in to handle his estate was a good honest man to deal with too!
Even in the 11th hour the Customs officer wrongly date-stamped my passport and clearance papers so it went down to the wire. After being dropped back in the water I still had to finish the engine mount/shaft realignment, go up the mast several times (this not permitted while on the hard for insurance reasons) to run new halyards, and refuel. Paying for the fuel took an hour due to the crazy systems at the Marina.
So at 8.00pm I'm pushing off, and finally leaving Costa Rica - or so I thought!

Two hours out I've discovered the autopilot isn't functioning, tho' on the hard all seem fine, but no sea trial possible so I had to find out underway.  After another two hours of pondering my situation, the engine oil pressure disappears - what to do, what to do??
I decide to drift until some wind in the morning, then pull into Bahia Herradura, only 40 miles north. There I knew there were diesel mechanics in the big Los Suenos marina, and Todd’s right hand man Mauritio lives there who may be able to help with the autopilot issue. I wasn't going back to Quepos, that was certain!
Jackie helped me out by calling me every hour to check all was ok, as I was totally exhausted with the rush to get the boat ready to leave, and now stuck at the helm with no motor and tough conditions. Lizzie had sent a Watch Commander alarm set up which I installed and its alarm is enough to wake the dead so I was well covered. That was uber important to me as I was very anxious and lacking confidence after being so long away from the sailing, and the beaching on Playa Avellanas being such a fresh and dreadful memory.

After waiting for daylight off the bay I entered Herradura to a scene of chaos - what was going on?
It turned out a tour boat carrying 96 passengers had sunk in the biggish seas, five people drowned (including two children under five) after leaving Herradura that morning, and a full search and rescue operation was underway, the marina being their port of departure and now a triage centre. All the sport fishing boats were involved, and helicopters were ferrying in the recovered victims.

So began another day of travelling to Puntarenas and sitting in Immigration, Customs and Port Captain offices with a Port Agent trying to get an emergency repair extension. I was told I could only get 10 days, and it would take 14 days to consider my application. So, would the ten days start after the 14 day processing? No, it starts when you pulled into Herradura!?! Go figure!
I quickly arranged the specialists I needed, and within 5 days the oil pressure issue was narrowed down to a faulty relay and corroded sensor terminal, and Mauritio and I replaced the autopilot computer twice (yes I had two spares on board) and finally had a successful sea trial.

So I was able to leave before I even heard if the authorities would grant an extension. In the meantime I was “free to move about the country”.I went up to Quepos for a night and had another blast out with Scooby and friends.
Another long and exhausting day in Puntarenas clearing out, helped by Jose at no charge, the Port Agent I had dealt with previously. He was a godsend that day -I was totally over it!

After celebrating my birthday alone in Bahia Herradura I finally left Costa Rica officially, but Don and I had another idea! I arrived off the beach of Avellanas in a fresh offshore breeze, so it was possible to anchor off and go ashore on my SUP (the hardest paddle ever! Lola staff true to form, on the beach to make sure I made it and ready to respond if I was blown out to sea) to say farewell to some of the friends I had made where it had all started -fantastic!
I slept in a tent in Lola’s palapa overnight, and had one last memorable visit.
Walking the beach before leaving I met up with the first person to come out to my boat when I hit the beach - Rogier, who runs one of the surfers resorts I stayed at all those months ago - and he had found my Claw anchor at low tide off the estuary, which had come untied during the recovery efforts, searched for with Gabe’s metal detector, and given up for lost. Howzat!?

The next day, with winds building to 30 knots I was delivered to Whakaari by Otto in his fishing panga, complete with the found anchor, my folded inflatable  SUP, some cigars from Don, and a fresh set of memories.
With two reefs in the main I screamed away north, heading for the infamous Papagayo, a new found confidence, and an emptiness in my heart for leaving such good company, but a sense that I would certainly return to Avellanas.

Another Sundowner at Lolas

The Fabulous Four

Bright Lights Parade

Xmas Morning as it should be

The Dead Mangroves Boardwalk -eerie but gorgeous

This speaks Christmas to me 

Aspen Mountain

Just work to keep warm

Sunset on Christmas Day

Sunset at Marina Pez Vela , Quepos

Looks nothing, but ask the two passengers who suffered whiplash what the impact was like!

Another one of Christie's fav restaurants 

Looking Good, longing for a splash!

Manuel Antonio beach

Cory doing his thing -nice voice, solid guitar!

Gabe in festive mode

Otto and me after a hard night out and an early haul out

Scotts favorite toy - the mega travel lift!

Stephen's office at Villa Jacquelina

Exposing the corrosion

Now thats what I call a Trike!

My red hot Peugeot - I was later told only gay guys drive these cars, lol!

On the Marriot golf course -all to ourselves, except for the deer, monkeys and crocodiles of course

How can you not feel welcome?

another fabulous sunset after great surf session  at Playa Avellanas

ditto 

More fantastic Lolas furniture on the way

Dons staff building the new gate - always laughing!

Scott's Xmas work do

Refused Entry to Apex Boats

Los Suenos and another Marriots, Herradura 

Just a sample of the 14 Lolas cats

and Lolas kittens - the famous four dressed up for Xmas Day

ASPEN

BRECKENRIDGE

Tree skiing - awesome!

Llew, Alli, me and George on the chair at Breckenridge pretending to like sub zero temps

Finally!

En Route to Golfo de Papagayo

Bahia Herradura

Scooby, on a rare occasion when he was still

The gang

The bros

Filling the new pool on Christmas Day - a great achievement for
Don & Christie and at the busiest time of year for them.
The kids have used it every day since

"Suns up, mm-mm, looks ok, the world surviving for another day, and I'm thinking about eternity,
some kind of ecstasy gotta hold on me" - Bruce Cockburn