Friday, Aug 10, 2018
Something Dark This Way Comes
When I moved to Ecuador I had only one place I wanted to be living…on the beach. In my mind being about 100 feet from the sand and blue water was the best place I could ever call home. I love the beach. Being on it is one of the best places I have found for my sense of well-being.
I have learned however there is a dark side to living so close to the sand and surf. This darkness stealthily creeps in as I sleep, covering all that stands still in my home with hues of brown and black. What is this darkness that dare dwells within my paradise? Rust and Mold. It is a reality. I have learned living on the beach is not all warm sand and sunshine.
Wrestling With Rust
This is my “good” fan. I gave the really rusted one away.
I think the first thing to rust out were my metal floor fans. The fans still work, but are covered in so much rust I can’t deal with them any longer. The heavy condensation from the sea air has them dripping rust water. I went to clean the worst one the other day and I couldn’t get the metal tabs open that hold the wire cover around the fan blades. The rust was so bad the tabs were essentially welded shut. The solution of course is to buy all-plastic fans. It is a must for beach living.
Refrigerators take a beating as well. A thick film of salt water accumulates on the top of the refrigerator, as well as a salty condensation on the front and sides, turning a perfectly nice white refrigerator into a pimpled box of rust pox.
Top of my refrigerator
Living this close to the ocean subjects all metal and electronics to a slow corrosive death. This morning my automatic coffee maker was the latest victim to befall this fate. Only two years young, it’s sedentary life on my counter top was overcome with the effects of living too close to the ocean. May you rest in peace my dependable and faithful provider of caffeinated goodness. You will be missed greatly.
Mold Sucks
Mold Stained Chairs
While brown rust eats anything metal, black mold consumes everything else. The rubber door gaskets of the refrigerator, flat surfaces of books, material of all kinds in all places become slimed with this creeping goo. Cloth covered chairs become a bed for mold to reproduce onto.
My hoodie that hangs on the coat rack was recently assaulted by the black goo, except on black material it shows up white or green. Go figure. Shoes I don’t wear slowly become encased in a perfect covering of off-white mold. It is a battle that is only won by frequent washing of clothes, especially if not recently worn.
When not “slimed”, this glass is crystal clear to see through
Mold Covered Melodies
The high salt content of the humid air tends to leave a murky film on anything that sits unprotected. Glass bowls that sit on the open shelf of my kitchen island require washing before I can use them. White plastic lids next to them become dotted with black mold. Nothing is immune from the mold and slimy film, including my portable speakers.
Maintenance Is A Must
Of course I haven’t mentioned anything about the exterior maintenance that is required living on the beach. Throughout the year I watch the non-stop projects of painting, treating, and protecting the wood and brick surfaces of this building I rent. I am reminded of the realities of owning a home on the beach. It is a constant battle of pushing back the elements from the continuous attack of sea moisture and salt.
Still, there is something about listening to a rhythmic surf rolling onto shore during the night, and enjoying the smell of sea air blowing through an open window during the day that makes me believe it is all worth it. This is definitely something I need to remember when, like this morning, I go for my early morning, waiting-for-me, auto-brewed cup of coffee only to find a corroded, lifeless Mr Coffee machine finally overcome with an internal accumulation of corrosive salt and rust.
Thank goodness for the stainless steel French press. Life is good…and always better with coffee.
Chau
Todd, I discovered living next to the beach with just as corrosive as you described. For that reason. I keep my windows shut and air conditioning on his much as possible, even if I don’t need it as it is a protective barrier from the outside air that I certainly would prefer coming through open windows. When I’m not at the house, I have somebody who comes by and washes down the wood and brick and applies an anri-corrosive spray on the outside hinges, doorknobs, and metal parts. Washing the wood with freshwater and drying it off helps a lot too. I have a very expensive musical keyboard which I keep inside in a case in the air conditioning and never take it outside simply to keep it safe. I agree with you, the trade-off is worth it – the sand and water a few feet from my doorstep is there for instant use and is a fair and equitable treatment despite the high maintenance I am also going to invest in a few dehumidifiers placed in the house at strategic points to try and draw some of that moisture out of the air that gets in from outside.
Thanks for a great very good blog.
Bruce (San Jacinto).
Hey Bruce, thanks for reading! All good points about beach living for sure.
I love San Jacinto by the way. How long have you been there?
Todd
That is the best part – I haven’t been living in Ecuador full-time yet. i’m going there for all of October and November, then back to Atlanta for the month of December and half of January to wrap up selling stuff and taking care of loose ends, then back permanently to the beach in Ecuador in mid January. I’m getting a Pensioner Visa so will have some time to leave for 90 days for the first two years, then 180 days out of the country if need be after that. I’m super excited to be changing to this new environment and have the explorer spirit and would love to meet you someday to compare notes…I actually spent several hours my very first trip in April of this year helping the local fishermen pull in their nets – here is a video I shot in case you want to check it out – was a total culture learning experience for me – one I’ll cherish and never forget. https://youtu.be/YGBtJYX8QDM
Hey Bruce, great video man! That is quite the experience to have. One of the cool things living here you get to do/see. Good luck on wrapping things up and getting here to the beach. Would be happy to meet next time you are here.
Thanks for reading Bruce.
Todd
Hi Todd, enjoyed reading this post. My news? We’re finally leaving Veranal and even better… Utah! This last week we went to Cheyenne, WY and found a beautiful new house. Why Cheyenne? I did a Google search for best cost of living, most gay friendly, mid-sized with 4-seasons town/city, and it came up as #1. Growing up in Vernal I’ve heard of awful WY and how no one wants to live there, so to say the trip was an eye opener would be an understatement. I’ve been told my whole life “the gale force winds never stop in windy Wyoming”. Well we were there 2 days and the most was a very pleasant breeze. Then they told me, winters are unthinkable hell up there in Wyoming, but research says, normal winters are warmer and summers cooler than Vernal! There is a nice sized gay community in Cheyenne with a gay friendly mayor and substantial gay influence on the city counsel. It has every convienance we could dream of! Way beyond anything Vernal has imagined! Music, lakes for kiaking, botionaical gardens, award winning libraries, beautiful walking parks, hot yoga, and and and! I’m so excited! But not excited to sort and get rid of a mountain of stuff for the move!
Hey Mike, nice to hear from you man. Congrats on the big upcoming move! I know it has been a long time coming. I’m happy for you Mike! Stay in touch, and thanks for reading my blog.
Todd
We bought a mold/mildew resistant product that we added to the paint for our walls in our house when we lived in NJ. Yes. Rust and mold are big issues when you live that close to the ocean. We had to get a whole house water filtration system to filter out the salt from the drinking water when we lived in St. George. We have humidity here in Delaware but it isn’t as moldy as our house in Fair Haven, which was 3 miles from the Jersey shore. I think that the central air conditioning helps too. I love your sunset pictures, Todd. Oh BTW, I am having the second knee replacement surgery in 2 weeks. I am looking forward to walking easily this spring.
Hi Sheila! Great to hear from you. I had no idea the water was that salty in SG. I’m happy you are getting the 2nd knee taken care of! Dang it’s been a couple of tough years for you. Happy you are continuing to make yourself more “bionic”. 🙂
Thanks for reading.
Todd
I’ve seen this happen first hand! It’s concerning when it comes to electronics especially. I’ve heard of people’s computers being ruined by the salty air.
Hey Vironika, it is an unfortunate reality of electronics. Hope all is sunny and blue skies in Mancora!
Cloudy skies here.
Todd
Todd, Arrived in Ecuador one month ago. Thanks for the info on rust and mold. Found mold on a leather glove and panama hat. Where in Olon can I get and American breakfast? Also, where can I get a hair cut? Thanks for your blog. John
Hey John, bienvenidos! The Roadhouse, which is on the corner across from the main square in town, has been doing a good breakfast for a long time. My friend Soraya has recently opened up a place for breakfast in Olon too. She is on the street that goes from the Roadhouse to the main road (the “main road” is the one that runs from Olon to Montanita). Her place is across from the pizza guy. There are tons of places in Montanita that serve an Americano desayuno that are good too.
No one however has a breakfast like Denny’s, Village Inn, Bob Evan’s, Coco’s or whatever your favorite breakfast destination in the US was. What you will find here is a glass of fresh juice, a fresh bowl of cut fruit, homemade bread, fried eggs, and “coffee”. It is hit and miss with the coffee here but Soraya knows how to brew a good cup and when she gets her new espresso machine she will be back to making cappuccinos too.
As far as haircuts, that’s harder. There is one place in Olon. It is 2 blocks north of the NW corner of the square. I think they are 3 bucks. In Montanita there are a few places. The one I have used is on the north side of the main road that goes into Montanita. Can’t miss it as you come off the bus or drive in with a car. It’s 5 bucks I think. Third option is Dayvid Crook who lives in Manglaralto. He is a hairstylist by trade, a gringo from the US, and he is who I use. He’s 10 bucks. He is on whatsapp +18018602136.
Hope this helps! Thanks for reading John.
Todd