Leaving Panama

It has been a while since my last blog. Sorry about that but networks are few and far between and of course I find myself very busy these days. NOT!

I have left Panama after spending almost six months exploring the country, meeting many new people and rejoining others that I have met along the way. I had a wonderful time and was sad to leave but it was time to move on into new adventures and experiences. The San Blas islands have to be the most rewarding and beautiful experience that one could ever have. The islands and all of the experiences associated with them were priceless. Many cruisers as well as myself ask, as we make plans to leave; Why are we leaving? I can truly say I don't have a good answer to that question other than there is still a big world out there to explore.

I met this wonderful family while cruising in Costa Rica. Paul, Marisol and their two children Jason and Zeb. We continued to meet up by chance in Panama and decided to cruise together around San Blas and we agreed to sail together when we left Panama.

Thirteen days ago we set sail from Panama on a course that brought us to the island paradise of Roatan. It took us 10 days to arrive in Roatan, stopping at two locations along the way. The first leg took us two and a half days to reach the Colombian island of Providencia. A very small island far out in the Caribbean Sea with a population of 5,000. The people were wonderfully pleasant and helpful and the island had very little if any litter in the streets. Something that is very rare in Central America. We spent three days there exploring the island and the beaches before pulling anchor for our next stop at Vivorillo Cays. This was little more than a long stretch of reef where we anchored to protect us from the waves. It took us one and a half days to reach this location and then the following day we pushed off to Roatan taking us another day and a half. This is where I am now with plans to remain here for three weeks and then off again.

OK, that is enough background and I am sure I have bored most of you by know. Don't give up to soon. The photos will now begin.

I stayed in an anchorage in Portobelo while waiting for Paul and Marisol to prepare their boat for departure to Roatan. There was not much to do there other than a daily visit to Captain Jacks. This is a watering hole for cruisers and backpackers waiting for a boat to Cartegena, Columbia.

If you are inclined to take a bus to Colon, this is one of the chicken buses that will take you. You have to admit that this is excellent work with several strokes of a paint brush. The problem is that they don't spend the same amount of time on the engine and brakes.

 

The seas were as calm as a swimming pool without anyone in the water. Here we were treated to a show by Dolphins. They swam along side the boat for thirty minutes. The water was crystal clear.

This is one of the hills around Providencia. The locals call it Morgan's ass. Captain Morgan, a famous pirate had a fort on this island.

The first job to do when you arrive in a new country is to check in with Immigration and Customs. Here we are off to the offices about a miles walk in the heat and humidity. This is Jason and Zeb.

This is a map of the island.

 

 Yet again, another wonderful sunset while achored in Providencia.

 I almost forgot. This is one fish I caught along the route. It is a Barracuda. You can judge the size with my foot in the photo. I have been told the the fish tastes good but it could poison you and one could die. There are places in areas where they eat reef fish and toxins from the reefs make it into there blood stream and it is passed onto those that eat it. Not all are poisonous. You cut a small piece of the fish off and lay it on the ground near ants. If the ants come over to it and eat it, it is safe for us to eat. If the ants run off, it is poisonous.  I also caught a Mahi Mahi but lost it because I had to drag set too high. A squall came over a few minutes after I lost the fish and the winds increased to 35 kts in a few seconds so it was good that I lost the fish when I did since I had to hang on and control the boat from getting over powered in the winds.

Here is a cute creature.

I can't tell you the name of these trees but don't you wish you had on in your back yard.

People on the island get around on motor cycles. Young and old alike are riding around like Hells Angles. You have to look out for them. They will run your butt over in a New York second if you don't.

This is a beach we found while exploring the Island. The kids had a great time and the adults were happy to find a Tiki bar where we ordered a rum drink. We knew we were now in the real Caribbean when hearing the phrase "Jah mann" from most people.

This is an abandoned island along a reef where we anchored following our second leg of our route. Not much to look at but we could relax and get a good nights rest before pushing off again. What most of you don't know is how I am able to sail 24 hours a day for sometimes up to 5 days without sleep. I am sailing alone so there is no one else to take the helm while I sleep. My routine is to sleep for 20 minutes, wake up with an alarm, check the radar and other instruments, check the boat and go back to sleep for another 20 minutes and start the process over again. I can't tell you how or why but it works and the night passes quickly.

 

We found a nice marina where we stopped after reaching Roatan. It is a resort with room for boats and a few bungalows and rooms available for people coming from land. We stayed here for a week and then moved on to the west end of the island to pick up a mooring when the costs are much less.

 

Dolce Vita enjoying the rest.

Our first tour on the island was to take ATVs up through the trees over the hills to the north side of the island. The views at the top were great and riding on the ATV was fun. I thought I was racing at the track in Indianapolis.

Here are some photos I took along the way.

 

This is a private island. How would you like to own this? All you need to do is smuggle illegal drugs. 

I didn't join them in the romp through the mud. They had a great time while there oldest son and I watched and remained clean.

 

Since we have been here for only a few days there is not much to share. I will add more photos and experiences on my next blog after we leave here for Mexico. As always we continue to meet wonderful people along the way. There were two couples from Kansas City and Chicago here on vacation that I met and enjoyed each others company around the pool and at breakfast.

That it for now. As you can see in the photos and stories, I am still having fun in paradise .

Until next time, be safe out there.

Panama - San Blas Islands

I know! It has been a long time since I posted my last blog. My excuse is that I have spent the past two months sailing around remote islands that are all from a photo postcard.

Let me quickly get everyone caught up on my travels since the first of the year. I returned to Panama on the 11th of January from California after visiting family and friends. I had a wonderful time if you don't count the fact that I could not keep warm while I was there. I had been in the topics for the past year and a half before returning home to visit. It is true when they say your blood does get thin from the warm weather.

I spent the next three week cleaning the mildew off in the cabin and fixing things that needed repair. I then threw off the dock lines and headed East to the San Blas Islands where I spent the next two months before returning here at the Shelter Bay marina which is near the Panama Canal entrance on the Atlantic side.

The San Blas islands stretch east in the Caribbean Sea from just East of the Canal to Columbia, South America. There are a total of 245 islands some as small as a football field and others that are no larger than 40 - 50 acres. All of the islands have white sandy beaches and are covered with coconut palm trees. Most are uninhabited or at most have less that a dozen natives living on them in palm leaves and sugar cane huts. The indigenous people on the islands are Kuna'a. They govern, farm, fish and live within these islands and along the Panama mainland. They work hard in keeping the area in its natural state as it has been for hundreds of years. No one other than Kuna's can own land or wed any of the Kuna men or women unless you are Kuna. They are very small people and the women wear colorful cloths and jewelery.

The time I spent here was simply exploring the islands, snorkeling, spear fishing, swimming or otherwise just relaxing. It was priceless. I had planned to continue East toward Cartegena, Columbia but decided instead to sail back towards the Northwest to the Yucatan Channel off of Mexico. That is what I should be making plans to do while I am here in Shelter Bay but I have decided to return to the San Blas to buddy sail with some friends whom I have known since meeting them in Costa Rica. Plans, such as they are, change when you are cruising. I am going to spend another month in San Blas and then return to my previous plan on going North. The same friends will be sailing along with me along the route until we reach Rio Dulce in Guatemala. This is where I will lay up during this years hurricane season before heading to Key West, Florida in November.

Well that is enough of history and boring notes. I am sure you are more interested in photos and the stories behind them. Let's hope the internet connection is fast enough and doesn't drop before I finish.

You should always end the story on a positive note so let me begin with the negatives.

The area around the islands are covered with dangerous reefs. This is good news as well as bad news. Good news is that the water behind the reef is smooth even in heavy winds. The bad new is that your boat sinks if you don't watch were you are going and you find yourself and the boat on top of a reef. The boat usually sinks as it is ground up to pulp.

Sunken sailboat with only the mast above the water. No this is not my boat.

This WAS a large boat which is now broken into two halves. Again, this is not my boat.

Very little left of this old girl. As the story is told, this skipper was told not to cross this area because of reefs. He thought he knew more than the cruisers that were warning him. I guess he learned he wasn't as smart as he thought.

Fortunately none of these were my boat. I am very careful when entering an area where there are reefs , as I pass through a cut into the protected area behind the reef. Some of the cuts (entrances) are as little as 50 feet wide. My boat is 12 feet wide. Not much room for error. So far so good but I don't want to get to cocky only to find myself in one of these photos. I will be cruising in and out of reefs around the Caribbean for the next two years so there will be many puckered up moments.

So lets get into something more pleasant. The waters in and around the islands are crystal clear which is very helpful when trying to see reefs ahead of the boat. They always tell you to enter a reef cut with the sun high above or behind you. Dark spots are danger. Clear blue spots are heaven.

Let me drop some photos below that show what I have been enjoying for the past two months and the weeks and months ahead. I will leave my comments out since the photos speak for themselves.

OK, so I lied. A very special note. These are my two grandsons back in California. Ray is on the left and Abe on the right, ages 4 and 2. My son Steve is their dad and my lovely daughter-in-law Jessie is their mother. I am sure Jessie is blushing as she reads this. :)

The water in this photo is 12 feet deep. Note the Star fish on the bottom?

That is only a few of the many photos I have taken down around the islands. To show them all would take me three days but this should give you a good idea of the beauty around and on these islands.

Here is a small island where the Kuna's have stepped out of their traditional way of life and entered into commerce. This is called a Kuna Hotel. Floors in each room is sand, walls are from dried sugar cane stalks and the roof is made from palm leaves. Now if you are looking for a 5-Star hotel you will be disappointed. The view however from your room is great

This is a couple from New York city. Shall we say that they were living an adventure not found on Fifth Avenue in New York?

Privacy? If you are shy you might want to hold it until you leave the island.

Hot Water? Forget about it!

OK; Something more pleasant. I decided to brighten up the boat below and add these Molas to the mirror in the main cabin. I taped them up with masking tape. Nice touch don't you think? Google Kuna Molas to learn how they are made. These are the simpler ones that cost $5 each. The more complex ones cost $100.

This is one of the more complex Molas

What does one do when in The Caribbean? You listen to Jimmy Buffet CDs and read his books. I actually enjoyed the book.

Here I am on an island that has a small transitional village. These are one of my cruising friends that happen to be there at the same time. Notice the solar panel. This is the source of the only electricity on most of the islands

Veggie Garden

Two small boys that enjoy having there photo taken and showing them the photo on your camera. They laugh loudly after seeing themselves.

Of course you must also include the babies and girls.

Then you want to photograph mom and dad.

Who said white boys can not climb coconut trees?

How did this photo get here? I needed a haircut. One of the women cruisers gave me one. Boy did she do a number on me. I think my beard is longer.

Here is the island were I climbed the tree or should I admit that I tried to climb the tree.

The boat photo below belongs to a 15 year old girl that is sailing by herself around the world. Her name is Laura and she comes from Holland. I helped her through the reefs when she arrived at an island that I happen to be on. I took the dingy out to meet her and asked her to follow me through to cut in the reef and helped her anchor. I can't say I would have allowed my daughter Robin to do this when she was that age.

The name of the boat is Guppy

Old guy meets young girl.

Good sailing friends

This is the tree that I tried killing myself on.

Remember the reefs I wrote about. This is what they look like. The side I am on is calm. The other side eats boats and small boys.

Island paridise. I thought I would leave you with some more photos of heaven.

Restraunt on one of the islands. This is the island cruisers go to to find what little food you can buy in San Blas.

I almost forgot Grandma. Grandpa is pushing up coconuts.

A party we held for Laura on Guppy at one of the nearby islands.

 

I guess I am getting lazy on putting these blogs together. I had interesting stories that went with many of the photos before but I assume most of you enjoy the photos more than my ranting.

I wish more of you could enjoy seeing the world this way. I can not imagine having more fun doing anything else but if we all did this it would be to crowded. I started in San Francisco 3 years and one week ago. Time fly's when you are having fun

Well that is it for now. Sorry it took so long to come up with this and I suspect it will be a while before the next time. As always, there is room on the boat for guests that are always welcome but get your reservations in early since the adventure is popular.

Until next time, Be safe out there.