Hanging in Puerto Escondido while engine is repaired
Thursday May 22
I’m loving the new option for commuting to Loreto through Tijuana. Today’s fights went like clock work. The weather in San Diego was very cool. I had a seat on the left side on the flight south on Calfia and was able to view the Baja coast starting at Puerticitos south to Isla Coronados in the picture right.
Arriving in Puerto Escondido we noticed Gato was missing the port engine. So much for hoping the engine wuld be fixed and we could be underway tomorrow.
A meeting with the mechanic we found they had thought the problem was in the engine power head so they pulled the engine. In the shop they found the power head was okay and then found the lower unit had water in it and was a mess of broken parts. We’re going to need replacement parts to get it operational.
What to do??
Friday May 23rd
Considering options.. Emailed Kurt in San Diego while we explored options here. Kurt quickly found that parts were only available by ordering which would take a few days. Good news… We have the local expert and factory trained mechanic David Cunninigham working on the engine and he has found the parts we need in La Paz. They will be sent by bus and will be here later tonight. The plan.. Assemble and test the engine tomorrow morning and head north tomorrow afternoon.
Waiting for repairs we have lots of time to kill. Dinner at Trupui is always a good way to kill time and enjoy bowl margaritas.
Saturday May 24th
Our mechanic is on the job as expected. 
The lower unit back together and the barrow test showed it was still surging as before. It didn’t take David long to find that the oil push rod was destroyed and the computer was shutting the engine down due lack of oil. More good news.. He was able to make a rod from a drill bit and soon had the engine together and idling nicely in the barrow.
Motor installed and working great.. We’re ready to head north late afternoon..
Thanks so much to Elvin and David to get us on our way..
Until the next Update..
Brilliant fix with a drill bit, and (except for the real problem) what a nice place to be stranded. Glad it all worked out.
sorry to hear about your engine trouble. but more importantly, what’s going on with Neely? I didn’t see info, just “2nd Neely update”. Hope she is ok, Hope Frankie is ok too!