Home at Last

On October 19 by dual-cab pickup we left Puerto Lindo at 7 a.m. to head out for Tocumen International Airport near Panama City to fly back to Florida for 6 weeks. Our flight was at 2:30p.m., but we needed to get thru Portobelo which was going into the throws of "The Black Christ". This is a celebration of a 1650 a.d. Spanish statue, black of course, which had saved Purtobelo from an epidemic according to legend. The town fills up with supplicants who travel by car, foot, knee, etc. to pay homage at he church and then revel in the streets and byways blocking all traffic. Because of all the hoopla, the police set up as many as 7 roadblocks to keep the revelry down to a dull roar. As things happen, we made it to Tocumen without incident by 9:30 a.m., in time to wait for one and a half hours for the unmarked Spirit check-in counter to reveal itself and open. From there we went to the gate, thru x-Ray and metal detector security of course, to be screened again, this time with pat down, at the gate waiting area. Made us kind of nervous: Two full security checks. We even got scanned and patted a third time 'cause We made the mistake on going to the (bano) head. The flight to Ft. Lauderdale was uneventful until Linda went flat (and I mean "slam-bang-whap) on her face exiting the aircraft. Banged her bad knee, her neck, chin, side and big toe that had tripped her. (Three days later and some Oxycodone she seems to be on the mend, SLOWLY). It did get everyone's attention and a Spirit wheelchair. Man, that's the way to get thru Customs and Irritation. Several flights had arrived all the same time and the place was packed: probably an hour plus wait. We got thru in 20 minutes max, sitting down! We took the shuttle bus to Budget (the counter is at Arrivals???), got their $58 Ford (one way to Orlando for crying out loud and without the extra insurance) and made it by mid-night to Jackie and Duane Williams in Altamonte Springs.

Rob and Lauren Dehaan, Southern Comfort, are watching and reporting on Kuhela which is doing fine power-wise so far. When we are not there the power consumption is way down and the solar is enough to keep,up,easily. She even missed the thieves who stole our neighbor's dingy fuel tank. I took ours out, thank God, along with the battery and put them in the saloon before we left.

The weather here so far is wonderful, but cold (less than 80*). We are doing our shopping, sleeping, eating, visiting, etc. in a leasurely fashion, slipping back into civilization.

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Generator

YES! The generator arrived. We (Linda and i with Lauren and Rob Dehaan) left Wed. July 9th taking two buses to Panama City (Puerto Lindo at 7:30 am to Colon and the express bus to the Albrook terminal in Panama City). Arrived at 11 am, went to lunch at a Carl's Jr. in the Mall and then headed for Cruisers' Casa by taxi as UPS was around the corner from there. I headed to UPS to begin the paperwork process which was completed with only an hour or so of sitting in the lobby. But I had to return at 4 pm for the final product. As I came back there was a huge crowd of people and police across the street. I found out in the elevator that the entire building was returning from a fire drill. Next morning after breakfast and a shopping trip with our favorite taxi guy, Jorge, we headed off to the Tocumen international airport to start the Custom's paperwork. Jorge called UPS and told them to have it ready. Paperwork done - lunch time for Customs so we went to lunch, too, and returned at 1pm. We had arranged thru a fellow cruiser in Puerto Lindo for a pickup with a 5 passenger cab. After more runaround with Customs, we headed out with another passenger, the Customs inspector, in the front seat. This meant that we had to pack the four of us in the three passanger back seat! Police would not let one of us sit in the cargo area of the truck and Customs agent (snotty young kid) said he must ride in the front. So Lauen sat on Rob's lap and when it was evident the agent was staying for the long haul, Rob got out half way back and caught a bus back. We then stopped in Colon where there was more paperwork . We arrived in Colon at 3:30. The agent got out and left. Yeah, we were happy. Wait, they said another agent would go the rest of the way but we also had to stop in Portobelo & clear there, too. All this because because Customs had to be absolutely sure the generator wasn't going to the black market instead of Kuhela. Stood around for an hour and the guy never showed. They asked me to pay an additional $42.00 (I got a receipt for $26.00) and then said ok, go ahead to Linton. We arrived at 6pm! We had a launcha and 4 strong men put the generator on the boat. I came back to the dock by 7:30 pm in our dingy & we waited for Rob, had dinner there and day over. Whew!

I had put the stainless mounting tray down (bolted, etc). Rob rounded up two cruiser guys (Fronk [French] and Nate [Texan] and the five (Linda, too) of us got the generator down below (wouldn't fit thru the hatch) using brute strength, a plank, and block and tackles. It took 2 hours. The thing weighs over 500 pounds. But it fit, first try!

If there is another time, I'll just sell the boat!

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Linton, Panama

Forty-four nm W of San Blas (E. Lemons) and nine nm NE of Portobelo is where we landed after an 8 hour sail in moderate seas and 10 - 25 knot winds. Steering was a little fluky so getting in here riding the 3 ft. swells and the tight channels was a little worrysome, but we made it handily in front of Southern Comfort. We anchored for the night and in the morning motored the additional 9 nm. To Portobelo which we'd been told was a great anchorage: NOT! Very muddy water - 4 or 5 rivers empty into the bay there - and poor holding.Southern Comfort dragged in the middle of the first night in as every wind and rain storm and had to re anchor in the dark with us shinning our spot light on the various anchored boats, to include a car ferry, to assist them. We came back to Linton the next morning, but after having gone ashore in this historic spot. Mighty poor and rundown with trash everywhere in the streets and lots. There are Chinese markets and a hardware store, so we were able to get some "things".

This is the turn into The Linton channel, right around the headland and between it and Isla Grande island behind it.

Linton anchorage and Kuhela.









Puerto Lindo on the right and the Linton anchorage in the background on an unusually sunny day. We've had thriffic thunder/lightening storms and rain galore since we arrived. Even washed out the roads or filled,them with mud and debris. But it has helped greatly to fill our water tanks.
Bats on the Brazilian flag (they like the green apparently) at Hans' eatery and dingy dock in town.

Looking back from Puerto Lindo to Hans'

We all went by bus into Panama City (on the Pacific side) several times to stock up in parts. We toured around this magnificent, modern city as you can see below. Lots of money has poured in here from Columbia and Venezuela.

When the US invaded to get Noriega they disbanded the Panamanian Army. They all became police instead. There were so many that they even formed a tourist police!

We found our Aussie friends, Derrick and AnnMarie on Sand Groper, in La Playita getting ready to set out for Galapagos. They had transited the Canal to the Pacific several weeks ago. We were all going to go together, but they couldn't wait. They are now in Bora Bora.
I don't know why, but on the Caribbean side the tides are at best 1 ft.; on the Pacific, 15 ft. Same latitude!????

Our next adventure with Rob and Lauren was an 18 hour bus ride to San Jose, Costa Rica. We got a time-share in Jaco on the Pacific side at a Best Western where for $40 pppd we could turn it into an all inclusive. Rob rented a 4-wheel Path Finder (we thought the roads were a mess not knowing the Chinese had funded a nationwide reconstruction plan for fishing rights on the Pacific side) and drive the 50 km in the dark and stormy, but on excellent roads. On the way, every one came down with a nasty upper respiratory infection except yours truly. We did make three forages. One was to Playa del Coco where Lauren and Rob had been invited by a cruising Belgian couple they'd befriended 5 years earlier in Nassau to come stay. The couple were trying to run a charter business and had the use of a house 'till November. Nice place, but terrible work climate given the non existent work ethic, lack of Rule of Law, and government regulations against foreigners: not even just gringos (Nord Americanos)? Lovely couple on Spiritof theOcean.

Another trip was in the hinterland at a garden called Pura Vita:

A third trip was to Manuel Antonio which reminded my of Marin County north of San Fransisco

El Avon restaurant where a left over CIA cargo plane ended up after the "Contra Affair" ended.




All along the roads were fields of rice (dry land) and palm oil plantations:

These are the seeds they process into oil.

On our return trip to Panama City the bus broke down at 2:00 a.m. A second bus was dispatched which got to us at 6:00 a.m. adding 4 hours to our 18 hr. trip.





Now we're back in Linton waiting on a new generator to be shipped. Our old one bit the bullet. When we get itinstalled in the next week or two - if we can get Norpro off the dime and get the dimensions and weight to the shipper - we'll head for Bocas del Toro up near the Costa Rican boarder.

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San Blas, Panama

 

This is Nargana, San Blas, Panama the first city/village we came to since Columbia. It is a place where we can get wifi, groceries, medical help, and a flight to Panama City. Unfortunately, all toilets are in shacks that hang over the water. So, no swimming or water making as we anchor on the S side (wind and currents are from the NE). This is where we got back together with Rob and Lauren Dehaan of Southern Comfort who have been waiting for us since we parted company in Aruba.

San Blas is an autonomous area of some 340 islands where the Kuna Indians govern through regional chiefs. They make money thru taxing cruisers/foreigner and trading with same. They have generally preserved their culture and live at a subsistence level off the travelers, seas, and coastal land where they get their fresh water and farm. We've been here two months or so now and have had a ball: wonderful people, honest and friendly, and a idyllic climate.

 

This is Green Island about 4-5 nm NW of Nargana. It is a typical palm forested, sand beach fringed 3 acre coral mound. We anchor on the lea side to be out of any swell, but far enough around to still catch the NE trades which are to the right in this picture. Wonderful swimming and water making. The island is not permanently inhabited, so no $2pp fee to land (how else did you think we got so rich?). Just a temporary camp infrequently used by the Kuna on the E shore.

A young girl had her baby boy here the other night. While she was in labor her husband sailed up to the sand bar off the eastern tip so she could have the baby in the water if she wanted. Not necessary she and the cops said who arrived from Nargana because some one called them because of her labor cries. Mother and son are doing fine says the proud pop. This is the second child she's had here. The first one, also a boy named Jagi (dolphin in Kuna), is two.

In the lower right corner, just off the chart is Nargana. At the top is Green and the route leads towards the Lemons where we went next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another typical island. Beautiful, huh!?!

 

Here's a fisherman in his cayuca. Note the lack of freeboard. His vessel is chopped out of a single log hauled down from the rain forest on the mainland.

Rob's West Marine 11.5' grungy is along side. You bet he's constantly bailing.

Linda at the E. Lemons with Kuhela in the background.

$2pp stop, but at least you get a beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Linda and I have decided not to transit the Canal at this time. Linda's Mom is going to be 90 and if anything happened to her and we were on a 30+ day passage or somewhere in the hinterlands of the S. Pacific... So, a week or so after our decision, Millie developed a pulmonary clot which sent her to the hospital. She's fine now and back home. But, it necessitated Linda flying back to settle Aimee who had been stuck with the sole responsibility for her Grandmother on top of her very hectic schedule of nursing classes, home, kids, husband, etc. 'cause Marnie was out of town 4-5 days a week with her job. Yup, great decision!

Looks like we'll hurricane season it in Bocas del Toro about 30 miles short of Costa Rica. It supposedly has a better "wet" than does San Blas which has tornadic winds off the coast with lost of lightning. If not there, then Rio Dulce, Nicarauga. But the Dulce is just back in the hurricane belt, so... Looks like Rob and Lauren might be doing the same, which will be great, as they both recover from various age related ailments.

Once we're past the hurricane season, sometime probably in November/December we'll head back to Puerto Rico. From there we'll be close to Family and friends and still able to cruise to the islands and places we missed the first time.

Panama so far has been wonderful. The pictures below show a trip up one of the rivers that flows down from the mountains, saw a Kuna cemetery where our guide Lisa, a transvestite master mola maker, has shim's family planted, saw the Miraflores lock on the Pacific side, Panama City which is bigger and more affluent than Miami.

 

 

 

Never buy New Balance shoes as they are designed per NB to last 5-8 months! They literally fell apart on the river trip.

 

Miraflores lock

Panama City

 

Sand Groper a dear Australian couple, Derrick and Annmarie who are presently in Galapagos getting swindled on their way back to Western Australia.

Panamanian flag, as big as a NBA court, flying from Ancor hill above the city and Canal.

Linda, Steve and Lorry Clark friends from Canada, and Jorge our taxi/guide guy.

 

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And they're off, again...

Santa Marta was difficult in that we are required to hire an agent to get us checked in to Columbia and then checked out for San Blas. Cost us $163 thru a professional agent named Dino: Iikable local indian looking guy who spoke passable English and had our backs. Our mistake was stopping in a port hat had Customs and Irritation facilities; should have put in elsewhere and bluffed our way through like Manaure and the Army "cutter". Oh, we'll...live and learn. Topped off the tanks at $4.20 per gallon. No break here: do they charge Americans American prices? Venezuela is just around and across the boarder.

After listening to Mrs. Parker's son for weather routing and looking on the internet, we decided to go straight to the mouth (5 nm off, that is) of the Magdelana River which is the largest and longest in Columbia. One has to be that far off because of the current and traffic both in vessels as well as flotsam (animals, trees, logs, etc.). Right now the seas have picked up from 1' when we left under power and little wind to 10' seas with wind abaft (behind) the beam (side) at 15-18 knots. A little rolls as the seas are also running with the wind. Skys are blue and clear. Hopefully this'll last 'till late this afternoon and we'll be snugged in at Puerto Valero. 17 nm to the rivers mouth, up wind and wave admittedly, and no trash or brown water yet. We're 5 nm away and the water has turned. Looks like we're sailing off the E coast of Florida: same yellow, pale green and brown mixed together. Talk about run-off.

Not a cow, tree, or anything. Just rolly poly dirty water. We forgot to turn off the watermaker's so I'll, probably, have to change the filters. Duh!

Kinda rough out there.

Too hazy for pictures of the marina at Puerto Valero which shows up on the chart at the point of the sand spit that looks like a deflated penis. Actually it is half a mile closer to shore than shown. The chart depiction is short by nearly half a mile which would have been a major disaster had we come in at night.

Good bye Puerto Valero where the Costagardia came aboard to check us out. Very little English and a newbee who wanted to see everything and then some: engine serial numbersxscdxwcscfy; second ID; etc. even had me sign the document he filled out in Espanol and print in my FL driver's license number. My US passport number wasn't enough!

Got a shower, drink, great enchilada dinner, and 9 hrs. rack time. Woke to clear ( again) skies and little wind. After bacon, egg, hash browns, and coffee, we raised the main, pulled up the anchor at around 0915 and headed WSW (248*) for San Blas some 30+ (we hope -) hours away. Winds and seas so far (it's barely 1000) are light at under 10 kts and 1'. By noon seas are up to 3-4' and winds are10-12 kts. OK motor sail 'cause we need to make the 262 nm trip in under 32 hours to arrive in the light. That means we have to maintain an average speed above 7.5 kts/hr.

If you are interested in AIS and autopilot read on. Otherwise skip the next two sections.

AIS, Automatic Identification System, is an international vessel identification system that transmits vessel information over the VHF radio band. It reaches out from the vessel about 30 miles. It gives other vessels who have receivers particulars about the vessel such as name, type of vessel, cargo, direction, speed, destinations, etc. All vessels 100 tones and over are required to have and use them. Vessels show up on our chart plotter as green triangles which when "clicked" on give us all this myriad of info including Closest Approach in miles and time. What a wonderful thing to have especially at night or when they are below our horizon (only approx. 7-8 miles away) and when they're multiple "targets".

Also see the targets in the left corner in Cartagena Harbour
The autopilot is another helper that needs constant monitoring. When set to follow a course, it is constantly influenced by the wind (direction and strength) and currents. This is shown by the Off Course reading on the chart plotter as the bow swings left and right. One has to adjust it, seems like, every few minutes to get back within the 600' corridor on either side of the track where we like to be. Being off course on either side means a longer passage.

1600: The wind just gusted to 30 knots turning us into the wind. Sail boats do this as a safety measure: the stern is pushed around by the main overcoming the rudders. Given that the winds are expected to rise even further, we rolled up the jib snd turned fully into the wind and brought the main down while we crashed over the 10+' waves. It came down easily and folding nicely into the sail pack. I didn't get fully drenched, but wet enough pulling her down at the base of the mast. Back towards our course (we went off 0.6 nm off to the right (starboard and N)) and are still making good time: over 7.5 nm/hr average with just the jib back up.

0845, 2/22/2014: "Security, Security, Security! This is warship 04 at (position) preparing for live gunnery practice...." Oops...blundered into a firing range? After some consultation with warship 04 on the VHF we exchanged positions and an acknowledgement that they "saw" and "plotted" us 20 nm N of their position. They promised to try not to shell us given their course and aiming direction which should be behind us. Seas 5-7'; winds 11-14 knots abaft the beam; sunny with clouds; jib only 'till,after breakfast.

Most waves out here at the western end of the Caribbean Sea are doubles, a large wave followed in 4-6 seconds by another slightly smaller one. Both are followed by another big set 4 or 5 seconds later. This makes for a twisty, bumpy ride when combined with the wavelets that are created by the wind. Also, there is a cross wave pattern created by the currents (?) that juggles the whole thing into what a fellow cruiser called a "washing machine". For a catamaran with two hulls it's not so bad. But, for mono-maran, ouch. Things and people get a good tossing/bashing.

San Blas, Panama 30 hours after we left Puerto Valero. We managed to stay below the nasty weather just NNW of us which is there basically year round. It is supposed to be the World's third worst, on a par with Cape Horn. We did get a taste of it two nights ago, but here we skirted past. We did do it motor sailing to make it here in daylight having left Valero at around 0900. Simple, straight forward passage thru the reefs, hung a right then a left, and BINGO Nargana and Southern Comfort with Rob and Lauren blowing the horn celebrating our arrival.

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