Panama

21:00, Saturday, 26th of Jan 2013, Domingo’s anchorage, Bahia Honda, Panama What a gorgeous night! The full moon is being reflected on the still waters of this peaceful anchorage. The only sound is a tree frog calling from ashore. The French-Canadian part of me finds that very soothing…..The people living in the houses on the shore must have turned in because all is dark, but, then again, there is no electrical service on this side of the bay. It has been a very eventful few days since we left Golfito. On our last day we had planned an early supper with Gil and Lexie but nature intervened in the form of a torrential downpour just before we were to board the dinghy to meet them. After waiting 45 minutes for it to abate, we changed into our swimsuits and packaged our change of clothes into a plastic bag and, after bailing out buckets of water from the dinghy, we headed ashore. This would have been a good test of the rain-catcher Fran had just made but we had already filled our tanks in preparation of leaving. We didn’t have to go very far for dinner but without Gil and Lexis’s umbrellas we would have arrived looking like a bunch of drowned rats. The rain continued for another few hours and by the time we were ready to head back to the boat it was all over. Gosling was very clean by this time. Amazing what a fresh water wash can accomplish! We bid our fond farewells to Gil and Lexie once again and departed Golfito by 22:00 and did a night passage to Isla Parida, part of the western Panamanian islands and where we were to meet the other 2 boats. They had left the previous day and had stayed at a small bay just north of Punta Burica which forms the border between Panama and Costa Rica. There they met up with Chasing the Sun, with Jeff and his Venezuelan wife Egles, who had joined him in Golfito for the remainder of his trip to Venezuela. As we rounded the cape the other boats were all setting off for Isla Parida. We all put out our fishing gear, the first time since we left Bahia del Sol and within minutes we had fish on but most were the Mexican Bonitas, a garbage fish. Later on that morning Russ lost a sailfish but brought in a nice Dorado and J-G also got one, a 20 lb monster that fought him tooth and nail for a good 30 minutes. Our small freezer is full and we have been eating Dorado now for every meal…… Note to self: catch smaller fish.

The anchorage at Isla Parida was quite nice but we didn’t get to enjoy it much as the small outboard decided it needed a carburetor cleaning. By the time that was done it was nap time after the all-nighter passage, then a communal dinner on Nautimoments. We did get a visit from a local boy in a dugout canoe who wanted to trade coconuts for “regalos” or presents. We found a few bags of Halloween candy for him.

21:00, Saturday, 26th of Jan 2013, Domingo’s anchorage, Bahia Honda, Panama What a gorgeous night! The full moon is being reflected on the still waters of this peaceful anchorage. The only sound is a tree frog calling from ashore. The French-Canadian part of me finds that very soothing…..The people living in the houses on the shore must have turned in because all is dark, but, then again, there is no electrical service on this side of the bay. The anchorage at Isla Parida was quite nice but we didn’t get to enjoy it much as the small outboard decided it needed a carburetor cleaning. By the time that was done it was nap time after the all-nighter passage, then a communal dinner on Nautimoments. We did get a visit from a local boy in a dugout canoe who wanted to trade coconuts for “regalos” or presents. We found a few bags of Halloween candy for him.

Our next stop was Isla Cavada in the Islas Secas group and this was truly the nicest anchorage we have ever done. The water was crystal clear with visibility to 30-40 ft. Snorkeling on the reefs was pure joy with the abundance of fish and sea life. This entire area is famous for its water clarity; in fact, we are relatively close to Isla Coiba, a national marine park that is very popular with scuba enthusiasts. The next morning we all left early for another beautiful snorkeling bay at Isla de Afuera but, on arrival, we could not find a decent place to anchor so after a short stop we continued on to Bahia Honda. Bahia Honda was quite fun. It was totally sheltered and we were immediately visited by Domingo. Domingo has earned quite the reputation amongst the cruising community and is mentioned in most of the cruising guides as an enterprising old gent who sells or barters his home-grown veggies and fruit. His son Kennedy has now gotten into the act and it seemed that the two are in competition with each other. We acquired some really nice spinach, lettuce, bananas, avocadoes and grapefruit for a bit of cash, fish-hooks, batteries and old shoes for the wives. With his grand-children in the dugout canoe it was hard to refuse his requests for candy and cookies. There is a small village close by but other boats that visited here report that cruising boats seem to be the only source of income for these people. 17:00 28 Jan 2013, Anchored in Bahia Cebaco, RPA Another quiet anchorage. We arrived here mid-afternoon yesterday after a really good sail, yes “SAIL” from Bahia Honda. We actually sailed more than we powered with winds varying between 10 and 20 kts and, for a short while, actually got Gosling up to 8 kts. We decided to stay the day here and leave early tomorrow morning for the 72 mile passage to Baneo, the last shelter before rounding Punta Malo. Chasing the Sun has already left to take advantage of the winds and will meet us there. Cebaco Bay is the location of a floating fishing lodge. Actually it is an old rig tender that has been anchored here and serves as accommodations for guests that are flown in from Panama City and lodged in the cabins aboard the ship. The company has several yachts/tenders used to take guests out and a small shore base which, is expected to be turned into a small resort if the fishermen continue to come. At the present time, there are no guests so that project will probably stay on hold. The ship also serves as a fuel stop and resupply location for passing vessels, however, supplies are limited and expensive. With diesel at $6.30/gal we skipped on the opportunity.

21:00, 29 Jan 2013, Anchored in Ensenada Baneo, RPA What a day!! We expected a long day with a 72 mile passage but weren’t ready for what we actually got. We left Cebaco in calm conditions at 3AM. By 5 there was a good wind which we took advantage of as we proceeded south towards Punta Mariata, the most southerly point of our passage, just below 07*12N. Before sunrise we had a great view of the Southern Cross. After rounding the point we were besieged with fluky winds blowing down through the valleys between the mountains on this remote and wild shore. Rapid changes of direction and unexpected calms interspersed with 15-18 kt winds made sail trim a challenge but we were glad to get another opportunity to sail. The time we reached Punta Morro Del Puerco the wind had increased to 25 kts right on the nose, forcing us to power the remainder of the way in order to arrive at Baneo in daylight. By mid-afternoon we heard from Chasing the Sun as they were crossing the rough area and having a bad time of it. We caught up with Jeff and Egles and escorted them into Baneo. They were very relieved to finally arrive after a very rough few hours of tacking back and forth across the entrance of the bay and not being able to enter. Bahia Baneo is more famous for its surfing than as a cruising haven but this is the last shelter before rounding Punta Mala (Bad Point). It is appropriately named because of its strong currents and high winds. Boats wait here, in Baneo, until a window opens so that they can continue on to the Gulf of Panama. Lord knows when we will be able to continue. Moloda, a boat from Nanaimo on its way to the UK, has been waiting here for a few days for a chance to continue up to Panama City. If the conditions in the anchorageare any indication Punta Mala must be Mala indeed. It is blowing 20-25 kts here in the anchorage. 0600, 31 Jan, 2013, Enroute to the Las Perlas Islands, Gulf of Panama We are about 3 hours out from our next destination, the fabled islands of the Las Perlas group, that we have heard so much about. Dawn is just breaking to the east and the seas have moderated significantly over the past few hours. Gosling is motor-sailing in a 5-6 kt headwind and, finally, we are heading in the right direction. Is has been the coldest night passage so far this trip with temps in the low 70’s in the main cabin but cooler up top in the wind. We are far enough from land that we can only see an empty, wet seascape of waves and water. We departed Baneo much earlier than planned. One of the boats in the anchorage left in the early hours of the morning and reported from offshore at Punta Mala that the seas were calm and were supposed to remain that way until later in the day with worsening conditions for most of the following week. So much for our plans to relax for a day or 2…. Jeff needed to get fuel and a few provisions before departing. No-one else needed anything so Fran and I and Jeff and Egles shared the $50 cab to the closest town with a supermarket and gas station. Just over an hour later we were hauling our fuel jugs and groceries over the wide sandy beach to the dinghies and back to the boat. Within 30 minutes we were underway, the other 2 boats having left just as we returned to the beach. The offshore wind allowed for a nice sail for most of the afternoon but, as the evening wore on, the wind picked up and the seas responded accordingly. We remained under sail for much of the night with headwinds between 16 and 22 kts and seas from 3-5 ft, forcing us to bear off to sail with some comfort. We also crossed the main shipping channel for the Panama Canal, dodging freighters for a good part of the night. Although we bounced around a lot, Gosling took it in stride. By 03:00 the wind started to abate and the seas to flatten out and we were finally able make better headway to our destination. The conditions were too much for Chasing the Sun, Jeff opted to head directly for Panama City, following Moloda who has departed earlier yesterday morning. Jeff and Egles hope to get through the Canal in the next week or so and spend more time in the San Blas Islands. Since Baneo the beautiful deep blue ocean has been replaced by a smelly (seaweed odour) green water with lots of particulate. The temperature has also dropped 18 degrees F. This is most likely the influence of the Humbolt current that comes up from the west coast of South America. Other cruisers report that the area has been besieged with a plankton bloom similar to the red tide up north. If these conditions persist our stay in the Perlas Islands will be cut short.

10:00 Sunday, 3 Feb 2013, Enroute to Isla Contadora from Rio Cacique Another day, another island. We are skirting the coast towards Isla Contadora where there are lots of cruisers today. Today is Superbowl Day and Contadora has a large town with bars and TVs. We aren’t so interested in the football but really need an internet connection so that we can get some banking done. Also affecting our decision to hurry north are the water conditions. They have not improved and it is still cold and murky, not good conditions for the snorkeling we had hoped to do here. Over the past few days we have stopped at Bahia Playa Grande, Isla San Lucas and Rio Caique with a short stop for fresh produce at a small village on southern Isla Del Rey. At Playa Grande we were with 5 other boats, 2 of which are now on their way to the Galapagos (Swiss and German boats). From there we sailed across the strait and rounded the southern tip of Isla Del Rey and motored from there against a freshening north wind. We arrived off of the village of Esmeralda in mid-afternoon and were immediately besieged with children in dugout canoes asking if we wanted to buy bananas, papayas or diesel. Our candy supply took another hit to get rid of them. The native people here are much darker skinned than those of the remainder of Central America. More of a mulatto colouring, much like the people of the Caribbean. Fran and the other ladies and a few of the guys went to town in a panga and got a few things and we proceeded up to Bahia Rio Cacique. At any other time this would have been an idyllic stop but with these water conditions it was disappointing. We did some exploring of the beaches but there were few treasures to be found. We did have a good sundowner event on Finisterre an American boat that has been with us for the past 2 days. The boat is on its way from California to the East coast of the US. The owner Tom lives in Indianapolis and his two buds, Ken and Gary are crewing for him. Today we are in the company with Finisterre, also on their way to Contadora. They are determined to get a good seat for the Superbowl game. We have split away from NautiMoments and August Moon. Lexie (Sunday) had it spot-on when she said that 3 boats in company rarely work out. We have heard on the morning SSB net that Rio Nimpkish is in Panama City already and that Warren Peace, Liberte and Optical illusion are fast-tracking to get to Panama by mid-month. We now plan to wait for them there. We have a lot of supplies to get, some repairs and, hopefully, a visit with some old friends from Ottawa who now live in the mountains north of the city. We also have to get checked into the country and organize our Canal crossing. Since we left Chasing the Sun a few days ago, after rounding Punta Mala, we have not heard anything about them. Moloda is now at Tobago Island and has not seen them either. Hope they are all right. If all is well they should be arriving in Panama any time now. 1930, 6 Jan 13, Anchored in La Playita anchorage, Panama Well, we have finally made it to the Panama Canal. We are anchored at the Playita anchorage, a few hundred yards from the channel leading to the locks and will be here for a few weeks. We are in good company with lots of other boats from all over the world, some we have known from our time in Mexico. There are quite a few Canadian boat including Rio Nimpkish, Moloda, Guevevere 1 and Sun Dancer. The last 3-4 days have been a blur. We stayed 2 days in Contadora where they have set out mooring buoys to encourage cruisers to stay a while. The holding is poor so anchoring was not a good option. Apart from the holiday/retirement homes there isn’t much on the island. There are a few bars, restaurants and one or 2 tiendas with a very limited supply of goods. The small airport was very active and there was a steady stream of yachts coming and going as this is a popular spot for Panamanians and other cruisers to spend a few days. Our next stop was at Isla Tabago where we took a mooring at Chuy’s mooring field. Chuy has about 10 buoys that he rents out and, during the summer months, all the moorings are taken up by boats being stored for the summer season. Our old friend, Royal Exchange has been on the mooring for the past 2 years but is looking pretty good. Chuy takes good care of his wards. We were dismayed to learn that Lin and Lee will not be coming back to the boat any time soon. Lee was involved in a serious accident and it will be some time before they will know what their future will have in store.

We departed the following morning, leaving Finisterre and headed for the Canal Zone. The guys on Finisterre have discovered that the bottom fishing at Tabago is excellent and will remain at the mooring for another few days. The trip over was another motor boat ride. The wind was non-existent with a calm sea. In some places the surface of the water was covered by the scum we have experienced since we arrived in the Perlas. We have since found out that it is coral spawn and is common at this time of year with the influx of the colder Humbolt current water. At night the bio-luminescence is extremely bright. Apparently, after the coral spawn we have the influx of baby jelly fish to contend with. We are getting very concerned about Chasing the Sun. We have had no news from them and no-one has heard anything for the past week. We have many boats looking out for them and calling them on VHF 16 but still no response. We are now settled in to an anchorage routine with lots of projects to accomplish in the next few weeks. There are lots of services available here in Panama City and a pleasant cruiser community so we will have to take advantage of the location before we proceed east. This afternoon, after putting up the awning, we took the time to go ashore to a large mall where we obtained our internet chips and a cell phone so; we are now fully connected for the next month. Our next stop was Isla Cavada in the Islas Secas group and this was truly the nicest anchorage we have ever done. The water was crystal clear with visibility to 30-40 ft. Snorkeling on the reefs was pure joy with the abundance of fish and sea life. This entire area is famous for its water clarity; in fact, we are relatively close to Isla Coiba, a national marine park that is very popular with scuba enthusiasts. The next morning we all left early for another beautiful snorkeling bay at Isla de Afuera but, on arrival, we could not find a decent place to anchor so after a short stop we continued on to Bahia Honda. Bahia Honda was quite fun. It was totally sheltered and we were immediately visited by Domingo. Domingo has earned quite the reputation amongst the cruising community and is mentioned in most of the cruising guides as an enterprising old gent who sells or barters his home-grown veggies and fruit. His son Kennedy has now gotten into the act and it seemed that the two are in competition with each other. We acquired some really nice spinach, lettuce, bananas, avocadoes and grapefruit for a bit of cash, fish-hooks, batteries and old shoes for the wives. With his grand-children in the dugout canoe it was hard to refuse his requests for candy and cookies. There is a small village close by but other boats that visited here report that cruising boats seem to be the only source of income for these people. 17:00 28 Jan 2013, Anchored in Bahia Cebaco, RPA Another quiet anchorage. We arrived here mid-afternoon yesterday after a really good sail, yes “SAIL” from Bahia Honda. We actually sailed more than we powered with winds varying between 10 and 20 kts and, for a short while, actually got Gosling up to 8 kts. We decided to stay the day here and leave early tomorrow morning for the 72 mile passage to Baneo, the last shelter before rounding Punta Malo. Chasing the Sun has already left to take advantage of the winds and will meet us there. Cebaco Bay is the location of a floating fishing lodge. Actually it is an old rig tender that has been anchored here and serves as accommodations for guests that are flown in from Panama City and lodged in the cabins aboard the ship. The company has several yachts/tenders used to take guests out and a small shore base which, is expected to be turned into a small resort if the fishermen continue to come. At the present time, there are no guests so that project will probably stay on hold. The ship also serves as a fuel stop and resupply location for passing vessels, however, supplies are limited and expensive. With diesel at $6.30/gal we skipped on the opportunity. 21:00, 29 Jan 2013, Anchored in Ensenada Baneo, RPA What a day!! We expected a long day with a 72 mile passage but weren’t ready for what we actually got. We left Cebaco in calm conditions at 3AM. By 5 there was a good wind which we took advantage of as we proceeded south towards Punta Mariata, the most southerly point of our passage, just below 07*12N. Before sunrise we had a great view of the Southern Cross. After rounding the point we were besieged with fluky winds blowing down through the valleys between the mountains on this remote and wild shore. Rapid changes of direction and unexpected calms interspersed with 15-18 kt winds made sail trim a challenge but we were glad to get another opportunity to sail. The time we reached Punta Morro Del Puerco the wind had increased to 25 kts right on the nose, forcing us to power the remainder of the way in order to arrive at Baneo in daylight. By mid-afternoon we heard from Chasing the Sun as they were crossing the rough area and having a bad time of it. We caught up with Jeff and Egles and escorted them into Baneo. They were very relieved to finally arrive after a very rough few hours of tacking back and forth across the entrance of the bay and not being able to enter. Bahia Baneo is more famous for its surfing than as a cruising haven but this is the last shelter before rounding Punta Mala (Bad Point). It is appropriately named because of its strong currents and high winds. Boats wait here, in Baneo, until a window opens so that they can continue on to the Gulf of Panama. Lord knows when we will be able to continue. Moloda, a boat from Nanaimo on its way to the UK, has been waiting here for a few days for a chance to continue up to Panama City. If the conditions in the anchorageare any indication Punta Mala must be Mala indeed. It is blowing 20-25 kts here in the anchorage. 0600, 31 Jan, 2013, Enroute to the Las Perlas Islands, Gulf of Panama We are about 3 hours out from our next destination, the fabled islands of the Las Perlas group, that we have heard so much about. Dawn is just breaking to the east and the seas have moderated significantly over the past few hours. Gosling is motor-sailing in a 5-6 kt headwind and, finally, we are heading in the right direction. Is has been the coldest night passage so far this trip with temps in the low 70’s in the main cabin but cooler up top in the wind. We are far enough from land that we can only see an empty, wet seascape of waves and water. We departed Baneo much earlier than planned. One of the boats in the anchorage left in the early hours of the morning and reported from offshore at Punta Mala that the seas were calm and were supposed to remain that way until later in the day with worsening conditions for most of the following week. So much for our plans to relax for a day or 2…. Jeff needed to get fuel and a few provisions before departing. No-one else needed anything so Fran and I and Jeff and Egles shared the $50 cab to the closest town with a supermarket and gas station. Just over an hour later we were hauling our fuel jugs and groceries over the wide sandy beach to the dinghies and back to the boat. Within 30 minutes we were underway, the other 2 boats having left just as we returned to the beach. The offshore wind allowed for a nice sail for most of the afternoon but, as the evening wore on, the wind picked up and the seas responded accordingly. We remained under sail for much of the night with headwinds between 16 and 22 kts and seas from 3-5 ft, forcing us to bear off to sail with some comfort. We also crossed the main shipping channel for the Panama Canal, dodging freighters for a good part of the night. Although we bounced around a lot, Gosling took it in stride. By 03:00 the wind started to abate and the seas to flatten out and we were finally able make better headway to our destination. The conditions were too much for Chasing the Sun, Jeff opted to head directly for Panama City, following Moloda who has departed earlier yesterday morning. Jeff and Egles hope to get through the Canal in the next week or so and spend more time in the San Blas Islands. Since Baneo the beautiful deep blue ocean has been replaced by a smelly (seaweed odour) green water with lots of particulate. The temperature has also dropped 18 degrees F. This is most likely the influence of the Humbolt current that comes up from the west coast of South America. Other cruisers report that the area has been besieged with a plankton bloom similar to the red tide up north. If these conditions persist our stay in the Perlas Islands will be cut short. 10:00 Sunday, 3 Feb 2013, Enroute to Isla Contadora from Rio Cacique Another day, another island. We are skirting the coast towards Isla Contadora where there are lots of cruisers today. Today is Superbowl Day and Contadora has a large town with bars and TVs. We aren’t so interested in the football but really need an internet connection so that we can get some banking done. Also affecting our decision to hurry north are the water conditions. They have not improved and it is still cold and murky, not good conditions for the snorkeling we had hoped to do here. Over the past few days we have stopped at Bahia Playa Grande, Isla San Lucas and Rio Caique with a short stop for fresh produce at a small village on southern Isla Del Rey. At Playa Grande we were with 5 other boats, 2 of which are now on their way to the Galapagos (Swiss and German boats). From there we sailed across the strait and rounded the southern tip of Isla Del Rey and motored from there against a freshening north wind. We arrived off of the village of Esmeralda in mid-afternoon and were immediately besieged with children in dugout canoes asking if we wanted to buy bananas, papayas or diesel. Our candy supply took another hit to get rid of them. The native people here are much darker skinned than those of the remainder of Central America. More of a mulatto colouring, much like the people of the Caribbean. Fran and the other ladies and a few of the guys went to town in a panga and got a few things and we proceeded up to Bahia Rio Cacique. At any other time this would have been an idyllic stop but with these water conditions it was disappointing. We did some exploring of the beaches but there were few treasures to be found. We did have a good sundowner event on Finisterre an American boat that has been with us for the past 2 days. The boat is on its way from California to the East coast of the US. The owner Tom lives in Indianapolis and his two buds, Ken and Gary are crewing for him. Today we are in the company with Finisterre, also on their way to Contadora. They are determined to get a good seat for the Superbowl game. We have split away from NautiMoments and August Moon. Lexie (Sunday) had it spot-on when she said that 3 boats in company rarely work out. We have heard on the morning SSB net that Rio Nimpkish is in Panama City already and that Warren Peace, Liberte and Optical illusion are fast-tracking to get to Panama by mid-month. We now plan to wait for them there. We have a lot of supplies to get, some repairs and, hopefully, a visit with some old friends from Ottawa who now live in the mountains north of the city. We also have to get checked into the country and organize our Canal crossing. Since we left Chasing the Sun a few days ago, after rounding Punta Mala, we have not heard anything about them. Moloda is now at Tobago Island and has not seen them either. Hope they are all right. If all is well they should be arriving in Panama any time now. 1930, 6 Jan 13, Anchored in La Playita anchorage, Panama Well, we have finally made it to the Panama Canal. We are anchored at the Playita anchorage, a few hundred yards from the channel leading to the locks and will be here for a few weeks. We are in good company with lots of other boats from all over the world, some we have known from our time in Mexico. There are quite a few Canadian boat including Rio Nimpkish, Moloda, Guevevere 1 and Sun Dancer. The last 3-4 days have been a blur. We stayed 2 days in Contadora where they have set out mooring buoys to encourage cruisers to stay a while. The holding is poor so anchoring was not a good option. Apart from the holiday/retirement homes there isn’t much on the island. There are a few bars, restaurants and one or 2 tiendas with a very limited supply of goods. The small airport was very active and there was a steady stream of yachts coming and going as this is a popular spot for Panamanians and other cruisers to spend a few days. Our next stop was at Isla Tabago where we took a mooring at Chuy’s mooring field. Chuy has about 10 buoys that he rents out and, during the summer months, all the moorings are taken up by boats being stored for the summer season. Our old friend, Royal Exchange has been on the mooring for the past 2 years but is looking pretty good. Chuy takes good care of his wards. We were dismayed to learn that Lin and Lee will not be coming back to the boat any time soon. Lee was involved in a serious accident and it will be some time before they will know what their future will have in store. We departed the following morning, leaving Finisterre and headed for the Canal Zone. The guys on Finisterre have discovered that the bottom fishing at Tabago is excellent and will remain at the mooring for another few days. The trip over was another motor boat ride. The wind was non-existent with a calm sea as we picked our way through the forest of ships anchored off the Canal Zone,waiting to transit the canal or either waiting for cargo or to unload at any one of the port facilities in the area.

In some places the surface of the water was covered by the scum we have experienced since we arrived in the Perlas. We have since found out that it is coral spawn and is common at this time of year with the influx of the colder Humbolt current water. At night the bio-luminescence is extremely bright. Apparently, after the coral spawn we have the influx of baby jelly fish to contend with. We are getting very concerned about Chasing the Sun. We have had no news from them and no-one has heard anything for the past week. We have many boats looking out for them and calling them on VHF 16 but still no response. We are now settled in to an anchorage routine with lots of projects to accomplish in the next few weeks. There are lots of services available here in Panama City and a pleasant cruiser community so we will have to take advantage of the location before we proceed east. This afternoon, after putting up the awning, we took the time to go ashore to a large mall where we obtained our internet chips and a cell phone so; we are now fully connected for the next month.