In late March on the Caribbean side of Panama, the weather grows calmer and cruisers select from many fine travel choices. Some prefer to stay in the San Blas archipelago for, like, ever. Others work their way NW to Panama's popular Bocas del Toro and all its anchorages and marinas. Perhaps the majority of Western…
The Caribbean side of Panama attracts a type of tourist few other places see: seafaring backpackers. That there pic of the West Holandes anchorage in Panama's San Blas islands, is a view of several vessels that serve this subset of the adventure travel community. In fact, The Fox was the only boat in this view,…
Yeah, we spent about 2 weeks of March, 2011, in the San Blas islands on the eastern (Caribbean) side of Panama. I'll just get it out of the way right now and put up this cliche photo of the exotic white-sand San Blas coral island with the happy native happily paddling his sailing cayuca to…
We had a long dry spell without Interweb connectivity. We sailed from Panama to Georgia with hardly the opportunity (or inclination) to post. So now I'm going to catch up, starting in Panama and moving forward the way we did in reality. Now, where did I leave off…? I'll start with Panama and one part…
1.April, a new weather forecast warns of strong trade winds building along the end of our route in to Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Winds to blow to mid-to-high 20kts. w/ 6'-8' seas on a 6-sec. period on Mon., 4/4, our expected day of arrival. Our 1300Z position today, 2.April = 18deg.02'N/083deg.33'W. E winds 8-12, seas ENE…
1300Z position = 16deg.27'N/081deg.46'W. Winds SE 8-12, E swell ~5' @ ~7 sec. Bar is 1012, skies = 50% PC, 83F in cabin. Course = 300T, speed over ground = 5kt. With these light winds & relatively fllat seas we're sailing wing-&-wing. Wow – at least for today, it's a classic Caribbean Cruise. Finally persuaded…
Left Panama @ 1600 on 3/28.Good sailing winds of 10-20 kt. NE but w/ rolly beam seas to 6'-8' 3/29 gave us a couple boarding waves into cockpit. Now easing to 6' or less. Our 3/30 0800 position = 12 deg. 40'N/081 deg. 00'W. 1014mb, winds NNE 035, 12-15kt., sea 1.5m-2m @ 6sec. Course =350T,…
No satellite connection thus no trip report for a while. Waited out approx. 8 days of enhanced trades w/ strong breeze to high-20s/low 30s when daily squalls passed over. Had a few days of sun & calm water when the snorkeling was excellent. Very crowded everywhere, about 200 boats just in the western San Blas.…
Yeah, this. You're looking at a helicopter buzzing past a ketch anchored behind us in Portobello, Panama. Click to enlarge. Because of the TV camera we saw mounted to the bottom front of the helicopter…and the fact that it was setting up and then "chasing" a guy and a woman riding full speed in a…
Considering that we've already visited Portobello twice since we transited the Canal, a photo essay is overdue. Portobello is located about 20 miles from Colon/Shelter Bay Marina, so depending upon when you exit the Panama Canal, you could go straight to Portobello and start your Caribbean cruise at once. The mostly-jungle-covered bay has a wide-ish, deep-ish…