Adventures of the Sailing Catamaran Kuhela

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Curacao Haul-out

We got hauled today (6/9/15). We moved off the dock around 0900 and moved to the haul out ramp where we tied up to wait for the haul crew. After the morning coffee break at 1000-1020 two of the three man crew man-handled Kuhela up into position for the cradle lift to maneuver around for an hour and a half to get the exact position for the lift. They were extremely careful and exact even to having to strap the back end on the cradle apparatus to make the stern pad positioning perfect. By noon and the lunch break Kuhela was safely high and drying. The Sea Hawk Islands 44 with Tin Booster paint we bought in BVI held up pretty well. Pierre at Curacao Marine said we should have had three coats to last two years in better shape. That's what we'll get this time. He will also raise the sugar scoops 2" with a well at the middle-front to accommodate the emergency tiller brace that bolts on there. These "wells" will collect water and slime/seaweed, so maybe it's better to use bolts instead of the wing nuts that are on them now. Decisions; decisions.

Getting the rental car was a hassle 'cause I forgot (at the airport pick-up and couldn't find the reservation in gmail) the name of the rental company. Cr.p! Had to drive back to the apartment to ask Linda and then drive back to the airport, a round trip of about 90 minutes. Not pleased to say the least!

The apartment we rented is one room (approx. 24'x15') with a kitchen and bath at the backend. We just found out that electricity is extra. Bonus! This is another oddity in Curaçao along with no hot water in most places - just one spigot! Definitely a first. It does have a gas stove, TV, and WiFi and a safe.

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Friday, May 29, 2015

Updated Log to Curacao

5/4/15 - Spoke with Parker on SSB. Winds will be up due to high pressure ridge at 35*N and Columbian low well E. Probably 10 days 'till we can move to Curacao. We'll have to wait and see. Got generator started (dead battery) by jumping it with the port engine start battery thru the hatch! Cleaned and stretched isinglass. Fixed latch on locker on port side. Found second leak in port pontoon of dingy. Must buy flexible epoxy to patch as patching material on board doesn't last. Changed water maker filters and made water.

5/5/15 - 1500 moved in 25+ kn winds into Renaissance Marina where we med. moored with help of Saunders. X-J signed us in. Signed up for a month as the winds are not expected to abate soon and we plan to go to FL for Kyler's HS graduation. Went to dinner at Iguana Joe's. Had Bon Bon shrimp and Iguana nachos. Great!

5/9/15 - Daily winds are still 20-25 kn with gusts above 30 kn. Weather reports show these conditions out thru next weekend. African/Sahara Dust gets all the way here leaving a haze obscuring the sun. Not as bad as smog in LA, but... We've decided to go back to FL on the 17th in HOPES of going to Kyler's graduation, or at least wait out the wind/weather in happy surroundings.

Steve and I have completed a bunch of projects/repairs: re-wired the generator to the house as its battery is dead; patched the dingy with G-Flex; fixed the strbd. Engine's starter disconnect (I was having to jiggle the solenoid starter connection to get engine started); tightened the strbd. engine fan belt (locking bolt was over tightened!); and stabilized the aft antenna mounting bar. Still to go is re-stitch bridle thimble and replace main halyard (cover rotted off presumably from the Columbian dirt/mud/organic material).

5/11/15 - Went up mast at 0630 before Aruban wind came back up to normal 20-25 kn. Used old main halyard and boson's chair with spinnaker halyard as safety back-up. Linda was on the electric winch and Steve was belaying the spinnaker halyard. Lorry stood by in reserve. We communicated with our "marriage savers" (Wilkie-talkies). Mast is 58' tall from deck base and 67' from the water. Main halyard is 200' long. It is covered in Colombian mud which I neglected to wipe off. Will order new Dyneema halyard with thimble spliced in. Also will order new generator battery (36 amp hours).

5/17/15 - Went to FL for Kyler's H.S. graduation at the Amway Center. HE MADE IT!

Steve and Lorry flew home.

5/25/15 - Steve returned one day before us so he could sail to PP, DR, ?

5/26/15 - Reassembled the dingy seat after attempting to fix leaks: only partially successful. Will have to look at it again when we get to PR. We will put the dingy sans motor on the davits at the fuel dock. Can't get off Kuhela with it hanging across the stern. Bought groceries for trip. We will refuel after we get off the ball ( Med-moor) to include the bladder at about 1300. This should give us over 200 gallons: 90 in the tanks; 35 in the yellow diesel cans; 30 in the "salad oil" cans; and 48 in the bladder. Have modified the bladder's fueling/re-fueling system so we can pump the fuel into the tanks. Just had to reverse the hookups on the pump to make the change happen.

Bright, sunny day with winds for the most part under 20 kn. 82*F, 73% humidity. Winds are predicted anywhere from 14 kn to 35 kn from mostly E. with small craft warnings over next several days. Seas predicted at around 5-6' with 6 sec. interval from ENE. We hope to sail out into calmer waters 100 or so nm NE of here.

We cleared out at Barcadera. Had to tie up along side a Venezuelan steel boat in order to get ashore. No problem and they were friendly and helpful. Got the bum's rush after telling Customs we were leaving right away. We had a steering hydraulic problem fixed with more oil and re-aligning the rudders that kept us dockside longer than they wanted. Finally got off about 1845 in 20 knot winds and 3' seas. Averaging 7.2 knots for first hour and a half. Wind and seas increased as we passed the western tip of the island. Winds back to 20-25 knots, seas to 5'. New main halyard (dyneema) too thin to be held by clutches. Main slipped. Used corks to jam it. Night passage quite rough. Couldn't hold course fit Culebra or even PR. By morning we were 15 nm off course to the W. About mid-morning the jib heads gave way followed shortly by the entire sail. We bundled it up and changed course to Curacao 200 miles away where we hope to make repairs. Seas all broken up at around 4'. Winds 18-25 knots. Very uncomfortable. Afterward taking down the main we refueled with relative ease underway using the Dehaan pump so both tanks are full. Had to swop in line for out. Autopilot also went out so we are hand steering to Curacao, too.

5/25/15 - "O" Dark Thirty: Last but not least main boom line parted freeing the boom. Climbed up up tie it down. Tie down also parted in middle of the night. Made two lateral tie downs at top of boom vang after light and before breakfast tying them to the mid cleats thus temporally securing the boom. Will re-weave the main block in Curacao probably at Curacao Marine. By the way, steering with defective hydraulics in 1.5-2 hour shifts all night in an itchbay! Can't let it go for a second: constant reading the GPS heading and adjusting the bearing. With our speed under 4.5 knots this went on seemingly forever.

Got to Curacao around 1400. Checked in with Customs after coming alongside next to the bridge at Willemstad. Next we went across the inlet with permission of the Willemstad Port Authority, tied up and went to Immigration and then Digicel. From there we called Curacao Marine (I now understand they don't monitor the VHF or even have one) and lined up a slip from where we hope to get everything fixed. Pulled into a slip with help from various cruisers already here: very friendly and helpful bunch.

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Saturday, May 9, 2015

Some What a Catch Up from 2014

1/2/14: left Sunbay Marina at around 1400 in scattered showers. Seas off Rosy Roads and Puerto del Rey Marina 2-3 ft. Chop with wind 20-25. Made turn at Rosy Roads to 207T. Rain showers off Vieques threatened but missed. Winds down under 10 kts.: bummer, motoring at 1800 RPM's. Seas now (1730) 1-2 ft.

Broad reach wind 15-21, speed 5.6-7.5.

1/3/14: wind picked up around 0100: 15-24. Speed 6-8. Turned off engines. 18 hr. avg. 6.8 knots.

Broad/beam reach, wind 18-19, speed 7-8; seas 5-7'

Broad/beam reach, wind 12-15, speed 5-5; seas 5-7'

Broad/beam reach, wind 8-10, speed 5-5.5 seas 5-7'

At 1500 hrs. checked engine oil. Stbd engine room awash. Pumped out with emergency hand pump: bilge pump not hooked up (elec.). Port engine room same. Water coming from???? Pumped both bilges and now motor sailing as wind below 13 knots past 2hours. Seas 3-4 ft.

1/4/14, 0730: wind 17-24 knots; seas 4-6'. Speed 6.5 - 8.4 knots b/b reach. Partly cloudy with a squall 8.5 nm W .

1700 hrs.ind 14-26 knots; seas 5-7'. Speed with port engine at 1,200 rpms. to counteract the ( probably) out of sync rudder.

1/5/14, 0200: woke up to see Bonaire light. Entered channel between the islands using chart plotter and radar. No moon.

0615 hrs. arrived Oostpunt, Curaçao. Took sails down.

0730 hrs. Bright, sunny. Wind 7 knots from S. Many fishing boats and 2 sail boats headed towards Bonaire for a festival. Caught up with Rob and Lauren Dehaan on Southern Comfort at anchor at Spanish Waters.

Panama to Cartagena After our stay in Panama

12/23/14 - Left Nargana around 9:15 am after several attempts to get the autopilot to work. Seas on the bank are moderate with swells at times to 6'. Clear sky's with cumulus clouds. Seas 81.3*F. Bearing 71/72*T. Current arrival at outer markers set for 5 pm Thursday, 12/25/14. Off the bank at 11:30 am. 171 nm to outer marks. Set jib at 5:15 pm in 8-10 knots of wind off port bow. Speed increased by around .5k. Wind shifted so took jib in at 0020. Linda went to bed.

12/24/14 - cloudy at dawn with 15-20k wind on the nose. Cleared to blue sky's with few cumulus clouds. Swells 3', 6 sec apart. Choppy.

Still slightly sea sick since last night. Linda's fine except for a cough.

At 1515 winds came up to 10-12k just barely off the port bow. Speed increased 1 k. 1615 wind to 20k. Speed up another .5k. Wind kept increasing to 18-25k. Pulled jib in at dusk. Increased RPM to 2,200 to make headway (4.5k) against gusts. Ships all around lining up to enter main shipping channel one after the other. No moon! Arrived 2315 after 37.5 hours of slogging.

4/20/2015 - Puerto Valero, Columbia: 0230 alarm. Linda makes coffee. 0305 up anchor. No moon. New windlass works flawlessly. Winds under 10k; seas flat. Round point and head north into slight chop. Sent out Spot message. By 0530 winds increasing as well as seas: swells 2-3 ft. with 1 ft. chop. 0600 winds continue to increase: 10-12k and seas, too: 3-4 ft. Wind constantly within 25* of port bow. Can't sail. Engines flawless at 2,200 RPMs. Winds and seas continue to increase on way to Magdalena waypoint 5 nm off the river's mouth. 0730 winds 18-21k; seas 4-6 ft with 2 ft chop; skies high, light overcast. Visibility 5 mm. Linda makes Spam and egg sandwich breakfast. Speed average down from 6.5 kph to 5.4 kph. 1015 ETA 1421. 1226 wind gusts up to 30 kph. White chop and rough/bumpy/steep (3-4 ft) seas. 1350 3 mm out. Winds 24-27 with gusts over 30 kph. 1430 arrived at Santa Marta Marina. 11 hrs. at 5.4k moving average. Sent out Spot message on our safe arrival.

4/21/15 - Steve and Lorry Clark arrive from Canada on Avianca. Lost bag is found and delivered to the marina.

4/29/15 - Santa Marta, Colombia departure 0915 after spending last of our pesos on beer at the marina minimart. Winds calm to 5k from SW. Seas nearly flat. Clear skies with visibility 5nmn due to arid dust. SoG 6.2kn. 1130 we changed course to 61* to pass 30+|-mm W of Cabo de la Vela in hopes of catching the trade winds sooner in these calm (1-2', 7 sec. and slowly building) seas. We can still head back E if weather and sea conditions deteriorate.

Linda and Steve took the helm all night. At 2230 a freighter passed us from the stern at about 1.8nm. Couldn't see its lights until it was very close; just it's AIS signature on the chart plotter. Again at about 0430 another ship passed by at about the same distance from the bow. Seas came up as the water got shallower (

After a meeting with all of us, we decided to change course and head to Aruba. Time 1735. We have travelled 188 nm in 32 hours to this point. We will stay N in deep water for as long as we can, then slide down and in over the banks. We will motor the ~115nm into the wind and waves. The trip to DR (350 nm and at least 60 hours) is way too long as we could hit a Parker projected storm on Tuesday. We would have to sail as we don't have enough fuel to make the entire 60 hrs. and not be able to maintain with certainty our 6+nmph average. New avg. speed 4.4nmph. Seas all night rough, steep, confused, and choppy. Close intervals. Winds steady in low 20's. Dawn at 0500 with cloudy skies. Leaking hatches in main and strbd. cabins: oh, joy!

5/2/15, 0930 we refueled putting the ~28 gals. from the "oil" jugs into the strbd. tank and 25 gals. into the port tank. Port is full and strbd. is bobbing full according to the gauge. Took about an hour to do both sides. 1445 increased RPMs to 2,700. Speed increased at least 10%.

2045 dropped anchor in Barcadera harbor, Aruba after an all day run through 6-8' scrambled seas with winds 20-25 kn gusting to 30 kn.

5/3/15, 1100 Aruba Coast Guard boarded us. Checked our passports and told us we needed to check in ASAP, not waiting for Monday. We moved to the dock, tying up with some difficulty due to the NE 20+kn winds. Very pleasant immigration gal came aboard with the necessary paperwork. She took our passports, stamped them, and welcomed us to Aruba. Next stop, customs who were just as efficient but not as friendly. They were interested if we had a spear gun. Total cost for both, nada. At 1300 we headed up the coast for Niki Beach (airport anchorage). Dropped the hook in sand in 13' of water, 100 yards off the beach with three other boats. Still lots of wind and sunshine.

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Friday, October 24, 2014

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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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

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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Sunday, July 6, 2014

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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Sunday, April 20, 2014

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.