Tag Archives: Panama

Farewell Panama, Hello Colombia!

Well, we did it. We are now in Cartagena! But first, it’s time for a fond recap of our farewell to Panama.

After leaving the boat at Red Frog Marina for a year, we returned to a boat covered in green stuff. Several washes later, Footloose started to look normal again. Even the mast required a thorough cleaning (Michael Loves going up the mast…not).

The boat came together with very few difficulties, except for the generator seemed to be fighting us. First the starter needed to be taken apart and the solenoid freed up and greased. Once started, the raw water pump began to leak saltwater. So, a replacement was ordered and installed, and all seemed well.

Pet onboard?

Turns out we have a pet, Spidey. I first saw him on the deck with his bright yellow shell and thought he was a kind of crab, but no…he’s a spider (Spiny-backed Orbweaver)

Touring Bocas del Toro

Finally, after a month of cleaning and boat work, we were underway! We left the marina October 1 and spent some time in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, visiting some favorite haunts including Starfish beach and the Chocolate farm.

Great Tour and Chocolate tasting, Bastimentos

Zapatillo Islands

Our last stop on the way out of Bocas was to the beautiful Zapatillo islands. We enjoyed some snorkeling and the beauty of the islands, but the highlight was watching the release of some hawksbill turtles!

Veraguas de Escudo

Another 40 miles brought a stop at Veraguas Escudo. We anchored for a few days and enjoyed the sparkling Caribbean water and dramatic views of the island.

Take a quick spin in the dingy at Isla Escudo de Veraguas

Rio Chagres

We next traveled overnight to stay a night in the Rio Chagres. As we entered the river and began to follow this verdant path with our ocean going boat, Lisa mentioned that she felt as though she was on the African Queen. The water is bright green with algae and yet this river supplies all the drinking water for Panama City. Spidey, still with us, helped by killing the biting insects that seemed fascinated with our bright white boat. Birds and monkeys called to us, perhaps dismayed at our presence. In the morning we took a dingy ride to explore a small tributary near our anchorage. After taking some pictures of birds including the mealy parrot (what a name) we started to raise the anchor. We usually traverse shallow areas with our fish finder on, allowing a detailed view of the bottom, and our trip up the river revealed the completely featureless bottom you would expect of a muddy green river. Nevertheless, on trying to raise the anchor, we found ourselves unable to raise the last hundred feet of anchor chain. Our anchor was trapped by some large submerged object. Despite the fact that our position on the river was very nearby Shelter Bay Marina (our next stop),there was no cellular service. We could have been on the moon. (not time to panic:))

So after an hour of attempting to hoist the chain, we used our satellite phone to call the marina and Juanjo promised to develop a plan to send a diver up the river. Anchored in 45 feet of pea soup, we had no way to get to the anchor ourselves.

While we were waiting, I thought about how the boat had drifted under the influence of the tides and currents in the river. I remembered that we had moved in a roughly clockwise pattern around our anchor and so we endeavored to make one more attempt at recovering our 75 pound stainless steel anchor.

We let out some chain to increase our freedom of movement and I began to circle counter clockwise, pausing to pull back every 90 degrees or so. After about four counter clockwise turns we were suddenly free. What a relief. Our call with Juanjo revealed that the cost of the diver would be $3500.

Boat Fun, Shelter Bay/Panama City

At Shelter Bay, we waited for our friends Celia and Art to arrive for a trip to the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala).

While we waited we had a few projects… one was to re-certify our life raft and the other was to try and get our SSB radio working. The later involved taking the various components to a Radio specialist near the port offices in Panama City. What an interesting man. He spoke very little English, but we managed to get through the necessary discussion with the aid of google translate. As we sat at his work bench, he pulled out a drawer to find something and I noticed that the top of the drawer was completely worn down. Full of holes from drilling and burn marks from the soldering gun. I asked him how long he had been there…. 50 years. Further probing revealed that he had arrived from Peru to Colon as a young man, as the radioman on a big ship. The main engines on the ship failed and when no repairs were in sight he found work in Colon and just stayed on. I asked his age– 79. You would have guessed him in his 50’s. He told his story of settling in Colon and building a life with grandchildren and a home overlooking the Caribbean. He knew radios. Electronica Cristobal – Joaquin Vizcaino 6675-7433.

Certifying a Viking 6 man life raft

Before leaving Shelter Bay, we were discussing games with Art and Celia and it turned out that Art is a big fan of cribbage. We don’t have a cribbage board and Lisa and I have never played. Off I went to the boat yard, where I scrounged a piece of scrap teak from the work area. In no time, we had a hand-crafted cribbage board. Art turned out to be a patient teacher and no money was lost in learning the rudiments of the game.

Onward to San Blas

Our first stop on the way to San Blas was at Portobello and the rainy overcast gave a somber feel to the 16th century Spanish fortification there. After a rainy night we proceeded through several squalls to arrive at our first anchorage at Chicheme catching a Big Eye Tuna along the way.

We spent three weeks in the San Blas with Art and Celia. The San Blas Islands are a group of islands inhabited by the Guna Yala tribe. While being part of the Country of Panama, this group of islands is self-governed by the Congresso de Guna Yala. The meetings are held frequently and all tribal members are free to speak. The meetings tend to run a little long, so someone is always assigned the task of randomly shrieking out loud just to keep everyone on their toes. (Try that at your next meeting!)

Molas of the Guna Yala

The Guna Yala are a matriarchal society and also famous for their molas which are images formed by stitching layers of cloth in different colors. Transgender people are an accepted part of the society.

Ulus of the San Blas

The various islands are roughly five to ten miles apart, and the Gunas travel between them in sailing ulus. The ulus are carved out of a single tree. The mast is set in a thwart in the forward 20 percent of the boat. The mast is rigged when preparing to sail, and lowered at other times.

It’s a pretty interesting place and culture and you can read more about it here. BBC Travel Guna Yala

The Guna Yala live from the sea with lobster and fish very easily caught. We caught a big eye tuna and a king mackerel. Art made Poke from the Big eye one night, which was delicious.

Changing Views of the San Blas

These islands rise only a few feet above sea level making it very easy to observe the effects of sea level rise in these islands. Our charts from the Bauhouse guide were made in 2015 by a man who used high tech equipment to take literally millions of soundings of the area. His charts clearly show some long islands that are now broken into three pieces by the rising waters flooding the lowest portions of the island.

Snorkeling at West Hollandes

Our favorite anchorage was at West Hollandes which had great snorkeling to see beautiful coral gardens.

Another interesting stop was at Dog Island, where the captain of a sinking freighter deliberately ran his small ship aground in order to save its cargo. The wreck is easily available for snorkelers…

Cruising with Friends

Having friends aboard was great fun. We always learn something from these guys, including how to go 2 up on a SUP, and how to use noodles while cooling off with a beer after a hot day….

Meanwhile the generator was not done with its shenanigans and began to leak oil. A lot of oil, about 1/3 qt per hour! Despite a careful inspection, we could not find the leak and assumed the end seal had failed. With four people on board, we cannot live on solar alone and need an hour or two of generator time each evening. So, every other day we mopped most of a quart of engine oil out of the pan and in no time that used up all of our oil absorbent pads. Luckily, it turns out you can wring them out and use them again! During the three weeks we leaked 2 gallons of motor oil. No Bueno.

We left our friends in the small town of Carti, arriving in a total downpour. The muddy fresh water is less dense than the salty ocean and created a muddy layer easily seen in our wake.

Fittingly, our last days in Panama were rainy ones (thankfully without lightening too close). We spent the time learning cribbage and watching the weather for our long-anticipated passage to Cartagena, Colombia. Finally, with a forecast for 70 percent reaching conditions in winds to 15 knots we departed in overcast conditions and lumpy 4 foot, 5 second seas. Despite using the recommended waypoints for our journey, the reaching conditions never materialized and we motored against 4 knots of wind in sloppy conditions, arriving in Cartagena 30 hours later. True to form in our cruising experience, the weather is never right….

Land Ho

Arriving at Club de Pesca Marina, with the boat set up for a normal docking situation, we were confronted with our first mooring between pilings opportunity. The complexity was too much for my tired brain, and we opted to anchor out. Time to rest. HA

We arrived during a weekend celebration. The normally crowded channel was even more packed with a parade of charter boats all blasting music and bright lights until late into the night (dawn)…. Quite a contrast from the secluded San Blas Islands I’d say. Welcome to Colombia!

Many more adventures to come, including Christmas in Cartagena and a haul-out/Footloose spa treatment at the yard.

P.S. Spidey is now an illegal alien in Colombia, if he survives the boatyard…

What’s the Why?

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When we set off on this cruising adventure in 2016, we were full of anticipation of how it would all unfold. Everything was brand new. New boat, new places, new people, new way of life. Well, now that we are a bit more seasoned—the novelty of some things, like haul outs, hurricane prep, talking cell phone plans and ordering parts in foreign countries, have lost some of their once innocent luster. Some days (well most), it’s too hot. Some days, it’s too frustrating, like when cleaning green moss off of — everything. Some days our why question sounds more like “tell me again just WHY we are doing this? Most of our friends and family wish us well and listen to our stories with some wonderment. And others honestly look at us with a not so subtle air of bewilderment ( “so this is fun to you?”). We laugh and explain away why it all works out and why we like it so much. (Are we convincing them or us?) Sometimes it seems that words fail to truly express our Why for cruising. We tell some exciting story, perhaps with a little storm peppered into the tale. Or of the time we had to wait 3 months for an inverter delivery in Costa Rica before moving on, what a hoot that was we say, laughing now. In response, there’s the look. Like the one your sweet grandmother might nod with, while you explain the intricate symbolism behind your tattoo. How nice. Truth is we all have a why for the things we choose to do. While some may prefer a Princess cruise to our adventure, there’s a why for that too. For us, our why has evolved, and with it a deeper appreciation for all we get to do and see on our strong boat—even if it is too darn hot! And with that spirit, Season 5 is underway!

Island Time: Bocas Del Toro

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After the excitement of the Panama Canal transit, we needed a break. What better place to chill out than Bocas del Toro? That was our thinking in mid-December. Little did we know of what was to come. With the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we got much more of a break than we ever imagined. Before the virus hit, we had some good times here in Bocas, even had guests visit in February. Then, just as we were preparing to pick up anchor and travel on to the San Blas Islands and Cartagena, Colombia, BAM – the Coronavirus was here and spreading. We quickly decided it was safer to stay put than to risk the unknowns of other ports. As I write this, it has been 50 days since we docked at Red Frog Marina to quarantine and shelter in place. We are quite literally stranded on an island (always wanted to say that). We are not alone talking with the coconuts (Wilson?) though. We are here alongside many other cruisers waiting this out. We are all shaken in vastly different ways. The local community is rallying to help out the indigenous families throughout the islands here. The local Soroptimist group and others are working together to raise funds, collect donations, and deliver food and supplies as needed. Michael and I are healthy, safe, and admittedly our concerns are minimal compared to so many. We do worry about family back in the states and are waiting for air travel to open back up in Panama to plan that. Meanwhile, here we sit with time on our hands and time to think. I’m reminded of how life as you know it can turn on a dime. I’m also reminded to savor the good times. In that spirit, I’m sharing this blog about our adventures in Bocas, a very good place to chill and re-calibrate indeed.

But first we had to get there…

Our trip from Shelter Bay Marina to Bocas del Toro may best be described as “Current Beware”. Uncharacteristically, we departed without topping off our fuel. On the morning of our departure, the fuel barge was gone from the marina and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon. Problem was, we wanted to leave in the morning to allow us the best time table to arrive Bocas in the daylight. The weather was benign and we calculated that we had two and a half times the amount of fuel required for this passage (150nm). Our thinking was flawed, having not seriously considered the current. Whoops. What should have been a snoozer of a trip was agitated with anxiety as our boat speed dropped below 4 knots (expected 7+). Michael began measuring fuel levels by dipstick (not completely trusting the gauges), and “estimating” how much longer we could muster, before running out of fuel. I know, I know, we are a sailboat. But, there was zilch wind and 2 knots of current. We considered options, few as they were in this stretch. Anchorages are limited and we decided we didn’t want to spend the fuel it would take to find them. We nervously stayed our course. 35 hours or so later… and countless prayers, we arrived with just enough fuel to spare. Drama averted, we arrived at twilight on a warm Sunday afternoon, and tied up safely at Red Frog Marina with a fuel dock winking at us 50 feet from our bow.

Red Frog Beach Island Marina

Home Sweet Home

Red Frog Marina is located on Isla Bastimentos or “Basti” for short. And while swimming dock side is not recommended (did you see those jelly fish?) – there are many other reasons to love it here at Red Frog.

It’s Pretty for One

This marina features a spectacular backyard (island) with tropical landscapes, hiking trails, wild beaches, mysterious creatures, and several good restaurants.

And Friendly

Red Frog (and Bocas in general) has a velcro reputation. Many people arrive and stay for a season or two or three… Some return seasonally, a few become permanent liveaboards and others transform into dirt people, moving to mountain homes above the mangroves. We’ve met all kinds here. There is a daily VHF net to connect with fellow cruisers and the broader Bocas community. We’ve also met many who, like us, are traveling on. (I think). We met a delightful family from Germany aboard Bear Baloo. They were a part of this year’s ARC, and bound for the Marquesas/South Pacific. I just love the boat name, inspired by the beloved sleepy bear character in Kipling’s (and Disney’s) Jungle Book. Such an apt name for a cruising boat I think, in no hurry, patient, and with the theme song “Bare Necessities“.

Bocas Del Toro

From the sound of it, you might think that we never left the marina. Not true. Before the lockdown, we did get off the dock to explore and I have pictures to prove it! Before we get to the pictures…. Where are we? Perhaps I should have started with this (thanks Wikipedia): The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea in the northwest of Panama. The archipelago separates Almirante Bay and Chiriquí Lagoon from the open Caribbean Sea. The archipelago is part of the Bocas del Toro District which is part of Bocas del Toro Province. The major city is Bocas del Toro, also called Bocas Town (or simply Bocas), on Isla Colón. The islands are accessible by water taxis and private boats.

Bocas Town

I don’t have many pictures of Bocas, but the ones I do have tell a story. Bocas is a funky, hippyish town with many surf and gift shops. It is a popular tourist hub flocked by backpackers and other travelers each year. Before the lockdown, we visited Bocas weekly, primarily to provision. Our shopping days often would start with a good cup of coffee and sometimes breakfast at Amaranto. Then – time permitting – ended with lunch at Om Cafe. Love the Buddha Bowls! Red Frog provides a free water taxi service Monday-Friday, 10-1. So, your objective is to get all shopping & errands complete before the return trip taxi departs at 1:00. (Yes, there are other water taxies available after 1 for a small fee; but, where’s the fun in that?) We Red Frogger cruisers typically relish the challenge of wrapping up the shopping trip within the 3-hour slot. Mind you this is not a one-stop-shop kind of shopping. Oh no, we shop around, with multiple stops: Isla Colon grocery for frozen fruit, Tutty N Fish for pork chops & fresh tuna, Super Gourmet for heirloom tomatoes, and coffee-flavored Häagen–Dazs, the vegetable stand for pineapples and romaine, the Ferretería for propane, Bocas Island Express for boat part shipments…you get the idea. We lug our stuff across town, store to store, with our provision sturdy bags, in the sweaty humid heat or rain and often both — with time to spare! Oh, how I miss those days. We are not permitted to leave Red Frog/Basti during this lockdown. 49 days and counting. I do long for our next provision run to Bocas!

Now for some pictures. I wouldn’t normally describe Michael & I as daring per se, yet for New Year’s Eve, Michael threw all caution to the wind and organized a water taxi to take eight brave (foolhardy) cruisers from Red Frog Marina to town for the quintessential Bocas fireworks competition. It did not disappoint. If you missed the video, check this out.

Another Side to Bocas

The more time you spend somewhere, the more likely you are to discover that there’s more to it than first meets the eye. Take Bocas for example– Main Street may not be a thing of beauty, but did you know there is a Botanic Garden here called Finca Los Monos? We enjoyed a guided tour around this 25 acre tropical garden. Listen to the Oropendola!

Adventures with Guests

*The Floating Bar, near Bocas Anchorage*

After the holidays, we settled into a bit of a rut doing boat projects and watching the rain. Wait a minute, I thought this was the dry season? Oh, this is the dry season in Panama! Mind you, it’s still quite hot and humid. The dark, dank days began to weigh on us. The boat project list lost its allure. We were – bored? We needed to shake things up. We invited some dear friends from California to join us and lo and behold they said yes! Turns out Bocas is not the easiest place to get to by air, so we were grateful for their effort. We all enjoyed an adventure by van to beautiful Boquete.

Boquete is a small town on the Caldera River, in western Panama. The surrounding Chiriquí Highlands are home to coffee plantations and the Barú Volcano National Park, to the west. To get there from Bocas, we took a water taxi to Almirante and then boarded a van for an eight-hour bumpy ride, winding our way on a rough, narrow road to our sweet destination. Why Boquete? First, it’s nestled high in the mountains–some 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level, making its climate much cooler. So much so, that I wore pants and shoes and socks, and even a jacket while there. I can’t tell you how good that mountain air felt to me. Next, I adore birds, might even consider myself a novice-birder. I can watch them for hours, but have a long way to go with identification! With that in mind, I booked us a cottage at Tinamou, a deluxe jungle and birding lodge. From our balcony, we could watch birds or simply stare off into the tranquil forest. Hans and Terry, the wonderful hosts, have lived here on Finca Habbus de Kwie, a 22 Acre private forest reserve for many years. They still grow coffee on the land, though are no longer in the coffee business. They offer cultural, hiking and birding tours in addition to hosting the cottages. Each morning a basket with fresh bread, pastries and rich Boquete coffee was waiting outside our door. Terry led us on a birding tour along the Quetzal trail, where we saw or heard forty-two different species, including the Resplendent Quetzel. I am not ashamed to say that I screamed when I saw it in flight. The Three-Wattled Bell Birds are fascinating! Boquete’s town is sweet too with many excellent restaurants and divine coffee. We toured Finca Dos Jefes, a coffee farm that bases its farming schedule around the lunar calendar. Thus, their coffee brand, Cafés de la Luna (Coffee of the Moon), which all begins as a cherry on a tree. A fantastic guide walked us around the farm discussing the intricacies of coffee farming and production, as well as the complicated politics tied to the coffee bean. The tour ended with a tasting, which included the coveted “Geisha” brew. Wow, we hiked, we birded, we feasted, we caffeinated we cooled off and loved our five days (too short ) in Boquete.

Exploring on Footloose

Back from Boquete, we quickly provisioned and cast off the dock to go explore some anchorages. Felicia and Paul were such good sports. We enjoyed cooking and swimming and even a morning paddle boarding with dolphins off of Starfish Beach. As Serendipity would have it, we cruised over to a nearby anchorage off of Punta Characol and met some friends on Shearwater, who had their son visiting. We all got together for some captain hour sunsets and even a seafood feast at the resort. Felicia, Paul, and Michael went snorkeling one morning, while I enjoyed some quiet time cleaning up on the boat. It was fun to share a taste of cruising life with our friends. Although, I’m sure they could have done without the bug bites! Grateful to have shared this time with them.

What’s Next?

Felicia and Paul departed on March 4th at what turned out to be just in time. It wouldn’t be long before Panama would impose strict restrictions and close down airports. After they left, we continued to cruise around, making our way to lovely Dolphin Bay and Rana Azul. Unfortunately, our cruise came to an abrupt end. As the ports were reportedly closing soon, we canceled all plans and retreated to Red Frog where we are still waiting. We are sad to see what so many are going through. This time will pass, but what comes next? Before we left for cruising (nearly 4 years ago), my Mother-in-law gave me a gift, a necklace with a ring charm inscribed with “All Shall Be Well.” I wear it always and it reminds me to remain calm during the storms. I’m working on it.

Be Safe, Stay Well Everyone!

Lisa (& Michael)

Costa Rica to Panama, It’s a Wrap!

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Last Sunset Age 64

My last blog left off at Marina Papagayo, with Michael having installed our new inverter. Many miles have traversed since then. What a trip this season has been with 2000 nm, 6 countries, some trials, great adventures, many laughs, a few lessons, and above all breathtaking vistas. Best told with pictures, so here goes:

Gulfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Underway again!

Frustrations from boat repair delays fell away as we left Playa del Coco to the Gulfo de Nicoya in Costa Rica. As promised, the Papagayo winds did finally ease. First stop was Bahia Samera to rest then Ballena for Michael’s birthday. Making short trips daily, we anchored and enjoyed many new places, briefly sublime.

Isla Samera

Happy 65th Michael!

Costa Rica Clouds, underway to Bahia Ballena

Ballena Anchorage

Birthday Dinner

Approaching Isla Cedros

Fishing camp at Isla Cedros anchorage

Sunset Isla Cedros

Beautiful Skies

Marina Suenos, Sport Fishers Haven

Sunset at Suenos

Bahia Drake

Footloose at Bahia Drake

We usually travel in daylight, but seriously overdone by the sun (85-90 average temp with humidity to match), we decided to travel over night to Bahia Drake. It was a calm and cool night, arriving at dawn to a quiet anchorage. Bahia Drake is situated in the lush Oso Peninsula. We reunited with our buddy boats Paradisea and Sonamara and lingered a couple weeks there, enjoying walks around the small town, and taking a couple tours to Corcovado Park and Isla Cano, ominous for being the place where more lightening strikes occur annually than anywhere in the world. We hired a panga to take us there. We were able to tie our dinghy to the Oso lodge dock to walk about and explore. The staff at Oso were helpful in setting up the tours. All in all, Bahia Drake was a favorite stop in Costa Rica.

Bahia Drake, Old Banyon along the tropical trail

Very Tall Bamboo

Our friend Drake at Oso Lodge

Birds thinking to nest in the bbq

Macaw of Bahia Drake

Tropical Plants delight

name that bird, pretty

Time to cool off!

Sunset, Bahia Drake

Bahia Drake

Bahia Drake Sundown

Rainforest Tour in Corcovado Park

Bittern, Corcovado Park

Getting to this tour was perhaps the most thrilling part. The panga picked us up from our boats and then traveled around the point to the beach where our park tour would begin. They drove through the rocks and crashing waves and backed us in to shore. It was hair raising. On shore, we took a great hike through the forest with our guide, trying not to think about the perilous return trip. The panga crew and boat were both strong and brave and we were back aboard our boats before sundown with more stories to tell.

Ride to Corcovado Park

Beach at Corcovado Park

Lou and Patrice, watching the crazy beach landing.

Creatures on Corcovado Tour

Wild Orchids

Dragonfly

sleeping?

Bittern’s prey, caught by tour guide.

Rainforest floor

Ants on a mission

interesting Palm variety

Unique Spider, the web is incredibly strong. Glad we didn’t walk into it.

Snorkeling at Isla del Caño

We didn’t swim as much as I’d hoped for this year. The water was either too rough with strong current or too muddy or too something else to encourage diving in. At last, we had it almost just right snorkeling at Caño. Alas, I did get stung by jellies, but still worth it.

Clouds above Isla Cano

Snorkeling, Isla Cano

our guide, Isla Cano

Gulfo Dulce

We departed April 14 for Puerto Jiminez. A large delightful group of dolphins escorted us along the way. It was hot, humid, calm, no wind for sailing. We anchored at 1430. I was somewhat distracted on this trip, thinking about the Masters. I am a huge golf fan and that’s something I miss out here. We had wi-fi at anchor and I quickly logged in to check on the tournament. Tiger won his 5th green jacket, a momentous comeback in the sport. We spent a few days in Gulfo Dulce, with Bahia Rincon being a favorite, though it did have its anchoring challenges with very uneven bottom (depths quickly vary from 15 to 50 feet). After a few days at anchor, we checked in at Golfito Marina and appreciated the air condition after a few weeks of none. Golfito would be our final stop in Costa Rica.

Dolphins, underway to Gulfo Dulce

Footloose, Bahia Rincon

Lisa and Maureen exploring Bahia Rincon

Roseta Spoonbill spotted at Bahia Rincon

Suset, Bahia Rincon

Fishing couple

Amazing Clouds, Gulfo Dulce

Yacht Transport, Golfito

Underway, flat seas and clouds to ponder

Panama

Isla Parida Anchorage

We began the season thinking and planning for the end destination of Panama. It’s hard to explain the emotion behind accomplishing this goal. We set off from Golfito eager to see some of the anchorages in western Panama on the way to Vista Mar Marina. 300 nm, let’s do this!

Homestead anchorage, last stop in Costa Rica

Mark and Sima, Wind Dragon at Pavones

Fishing Underway

Dolphin escort, underway to Panama

Michael and his catch, a Big Eyed-Tuna

We are so glad we allowed time to stop at these anchorages on the way to Vista Mar. Secluded, Tranquil, and Gorgeous!

Isla Parida

Isla Parida, Panama

Not quite a desert island; fishermen live here

Birds on a log, watch out underway

Isla Seca

Isla Seca anchorage

Our Private Beach

Many Crabs!

pretty water, except for the jelly fish!

Moonlight, Isla Seca

Bahia Honda and Ensenada Naranjo

Bahia Honda is a large bay with many anchorages, which we could have explored for days. We stayed only one night and still had several visitors including the National Park Police and the well-known Domingo and his son Kennedy who both visited with their pangas bringing fruit and welcoming smiles. Ensenada Naranjo brought visitors of the insect kind!

Bahia Honda

Ensenada Naranjo

Invasion at Naranjo

Chilling

Punto Malo

We had our weather window to face the final navigation test of the season – Punto Malo, known for extreme currents and winds. Looking good, we departed Ensenada Benao at 0530 to round the Point. All calm, Vista Mar here we come.

Punto Malo

We made it! Grateful for all we’ve seen, the people we’ve met, the countries explored. Grateful for the Panama Posse, a rich resource and community for making this passage. Grateful for our fabulous boat Footloose, which continues to be a strong and beautiful home for us at sea. Grateful for our buddy boats and friends on Paradisea and Sonamara, who made the challenges easier and the celebrations sweeter. We are back in the United States for the summer. Looking forward to Season Four and more footloose adventures in Panama…

Fair Winds everyone-

Lisa and Michael

Season Three: Panama!

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Class of 2018-2019 at Barra de Navidad

Each season begins with a plan. This season Michael and I shook hands on taking the Central American route to Panama. We thought we would have made it there last season, but plans changed. This year we seem determined, albeit somewhat scared to leave what has become our familiar and friendly cruising grounds around Mexico. Not scared exactly, just a bit uncertain. Uncertainty is one aspect of the cruising life that you have to get used to. What lies ahead? To bolster our knowledge and bravado, we have joined the Panama Posse, a support group of sorts for like-minded cruisers on the less traveled Central-American route.

Now in its second season, the Panama Posse is not a race or an organized rally whereby we all depart and travel together until we cross the finish line. Rather this group was created to provide information and a supportive community for people traveling this route. Some boats may buddy boat together, others may travel to a different schedule. Either way, the Panama Posse will be there to check in with along the way.

Posse kick-off in Barra de Navidad

November marks the start of many cruising seasons. The Marina Puerto de Navidad (a Panama Posse sponsor), hosted this season’s Posse kick-off shortly after Thanksgiving. The week featured daily seminars to learn more about the route, weather and safety, provisioning and finally the kick-off party. Dietmar of Sailing Vessel (S/V) Carinthia is the organizer/presenter for this week’s event. He with his wife Suzanne traveled with last year’s Posse to Panama, so he has first-hand knowledge and lots of stories to share.

A little rain does not spoil the party!

Dietmar, Panama Posse founder

Monica, SeaGlub, gotcha!

Dietmar, who me?

Fun was had by all

Community

The Panama Posse is created with community in mind. Not to be repetitive or cliché, but believe me when I tell you that cruisers are the most generous of people. They gravitate to helping out and building community. Perhaps it’s because we are a minority, when you consider there are really only about 25,000 small boats cruising worldwide. While cruisers tend to be self-reliant types, they also seek out others. Whether to troubleshoot an engine problem on someone’s boat or to wait out a weather system or commiserate over a rough passage or to share a snorkel or a taxi to Mega to provision, cruisers join together. So far, there are about 58 vessels signed up for this season’s Posse, with 19 attending the kick off. Others will join the route later in the year. Some will travel the distance to Panama and others may stop over in El Salvador or elsewhere for the season. Like always, plans and routes are unique to each boat and crew.

Communication

Chris and Monica on S/V SeaGlub have volunteered to be the lead vessel, which means they will be coordinating the communication. In the past, Single Side Band (SSB) Nets were the primary means of checking in with boats underway.This year we will use an online application,“Line”, to do weekly check-ins, plus there is a 24-hour chat room to pose questions, etc. Knowing there are people who are listening and watching our boat’s progress is a comfort. Should we have a medical or other emergency out there, we feel better assured of some assistance. More than likely we will hear mostly about the best restaurants, calm anchorages, and interesting inland trips not to be missed. In addition to Line, Dietmar will send out regular Posse updates by email with information that members of the Posse share. We are asked to provide detailed information (e.g. latitude and longitude of a good or bad anchorage, phone number for a mechanic in El Salvador, how to check in to Costa Rica, etc.) All of this is being recorded for the next guy. We learn by doing, but also from shared information. Fortunately, we hear that wifi and satellite coverage is strong along this route — most of the time.

Sponsors

Dietmar and others have cultivated relationships with marinas and other services along the route to Panama. Thanks to their efforts, there are now many sponsors offering significant discounts to Panama Posse members. One notable sponsor is Vista Mar Marina in Panama where we plan to park Footloose at season end. These sponsors and discounts are another welcome benefit of joining this group as we prepare ourselves for some sticker shock when we leave Mexico!

Plan, Work, then Go

That’s the plan for now. Our departure date is unfortunately delayed a few days while waiting for our DHL mail delivery. Patience. Oh well, another dip in the pool, read a book, a couple more boat items checked off the list, a delicious dinner out at Bésame Mucho. A tropical storm system passed through last week, likely the last one of the year. The weather and seas look calm for departure tomorrow. I’ve enjoyed our time in Barra and meeting new friends with the Panama Posse. Our next stop is only 20 nm south to a small, serene anchorage at Ensenada Carrizal. Slowly we make our way south!

Barra De Navidad, Thanks for the Memories…