We Made It To Panama!

Merry Christmas from Leilani in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

We are currently swinging on the anchor on Leilani here in the south anchorage off Bocas del Toro, Panama. Merry Christmas to all!

Views of the busy anchorage in Bocas del Toro.  No such thing as a no wake zone here!

Apologies go to you dear readers for our less than timely posting of more current dispatches. It remains a challenge to post when reliable internet is simply not available. At best, we have erratic internet or limited connectivity using data from cell phones. As such, while it is not our preferred means of communicating, we simply post a short note on Facebook or send emails from time to time when we can. We just treated ourselves to a Panamanian cell sim card with a lot of data so we can now post this and maybe, a bit more.

Just a reminder and a gentle nudge, if you feel up to communicating, please do so via any way you wish, including email or leaving a comment here (go to the bottom of the page). We love to hear from you, and it gives us motivation to keep posting. We will reply.  

From Rio Dulce to the Bay Islands (Utila, Roatan and Guanaja), Honduras, to Providencia, Columbia, and on to Bocas del Toro, Panama

Much has happened since we last posted from Tucson, Arizona in August.

We very much enjoyed our nearly three months in the states as we journeyed from north and south borders, and east and west coasts to see family and friends in Chicago, Illinois, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Beaufort, North Carolina, Tucson, Arizona, and Southern California. We treasure those short visits more than we could have ever known.

We returned to Leilani waiting for us in Rio Dulce, Guatemala in late September with the plan to prepare once again to make our way to Panama. We had a list. We always have a list of necessary tasks and wishful thinking. We checked off most of those items including, completing the sewing of the cockpit cushions (Tracy has turned into an amazing seamstress), cleaning and waxing Leilani, re-provisioning our stores (including sorting some food now 2 years old from previous voyages).

The hardest part of making cockpit cushions - stuffing the foam into the newly made cover. 
This is definitely a one person job!

Finally, the cockpit is complete!

Far too many cleaning products for the job, but we used them all!

Just before Thanksgiving, we had tearful goodbyes, especially with our sailing buddies, Robyn and Tony on AlleycatToo, and Jim and Jane from “Jim and Jane’s Dock”. An ideal weather window was beginning to open, and as we learned last year, we needed to be prepared and not to miss a window this time of year. Unfortunately, that meant we would not be able to travel with AlleycatToo as Tony was preoccupied by dental appointments.

We will miss these two, Robyn and Tony.  We will meet again somewhere, sometime. 
We will always remember you with big smiles, as you were after the SA Springboks won the World Cup.

We connected with two boats from the Rio, Takamoana (Australians, Gary and Louise), and Saltair 3 (Canadians, Brad, Krista and Cole), to travel together to the Bay Islands of Honduras to stage for the passage of about 2 ½ days around the notorious banks off Honduras. This area has received a lot of attention, much of it is a very confusing mix of news of incidents of piracy, of “bad actors” acting badly, and just paranoia. Add to this drama, the weather can be challenging as boats round the “horn” of Honduras where winds and waves can conspire to make a miserable romp.

Three cats on the river.  Following behind SaltAir3 and Takamoana as we snake our way
  down the magical canyons of the Rio Dulce heading toward Livingston to check out, and then beyond.

Fortunately, we had good weather with a mix of sailing and motoring. Although tiring (we traded two hour watches at night), the passage across the banks was uneventful. Accompanied only by Takamoana, we diverted to the quaint island of Providencia for a few days rest and to wait for another favorable weather window. Saltair 3 did not stop but continued on to Colon, Panama to get in the queue to cross the canal. (Check out the family of three on Saltair 3 and their adventures on the YOUTUBE channel “Sailing Trio Travels”).

Utila was a colorful and interesting place. 
We would have loved to spend more time there.

Tracy looks to be having a very engaging conversation with a local West End, Roatan cat at happy hour. 
She actually was trying to convince the cat to eat cracker crumbs.

We spent one evening at the 'Hole in the Wall' Bar and Restaurant in Jonesville Bight. 
We were entertaining and entertained by the proprietors juvenile Capuchin monkey. 
He was devious and delightful! 

Who get's a chance to do this!

We enjoyed our short stay on Providencia. It is an unusual island for so many reasons, including its beauty as a iconic tropical isle, its rich history, and friendly locals.

We rented a golf cart for a day with our friends Louis and Gary on Takamoana (above)
and Maris and Linda on Amakya to check out the Island of Providencia.

Today was the day we heard the news that Tracy's sister passed away. 
Teri would have loved this place.  

A colorful mosaic depicting the unusual and facinating Providencia black land crabs that
make an annual migration from the highlands to the beaches to release their eggs.

We stopped for lunch at Roland's Bar and Restaurant.  We ordered their special - a whole fish cooked in foil packets on an open fire with their special sauce.  It took almost 1 1/2 hours, but was worth the wait!

The views made the wait tolerable!

A siesta was needed after lunch.  This hammock, unfortunately, was taken.

Overlooking the anchorage in Providencia Harbor viewed from Santa Catalina Island. 
Leilani is the catamaran furthest out.

As all sailors know, we are travelers of course, and it is inevitable that we have to say goodbye. Takamoana decided they would forego further travel in the Caribbean and, instead, head directly for Colon to stage for crossing the canal. A motivation for many boats to cross the canal is, as of January 1^st, 2020, the rates will double for small vessels. While the savings of about $800 to go now would be significant, we very much want to explore the enchanted isles of San Blas and surrounding area. We opted to continue on to Bocas del Toro as our first port in Panama.  

Our departure from Providencia was greeted with a pod of more than twenty dolphins. 
They stayed with us for about twenty minutes as new ones came in to join the fun.

One of them gave us quite a show - jumping several times in a row. 
We think it was a teenager showing off!

Once we rounded San Andreas, the seas died down and the wind disappeared. 
We chose to motorsail with only one engine in about 4 kts of wind, averaging 5.5 kts speed over ground!

   

Of Sailing and Travel

So that brings us here and now to another country, one of our nearly fabled destinations, Panama. We are quite pleased with having come so far when at times we doubted we would ever arrive. The delays and diversions clouded the view of this destination for quite some time.

We knew our choice of sailing and travel as a lifestyle that would entail hardships and sacrifices along with the many rewards. Among the sacrifices that have remained difficult for us to fully accept is the extended separation from friends and family, sometimes at the worst possible times.

Sunset at anchor in French Key Harbor, Roatan, Honduras.

We were given the full force of the pain of separation and losses on our passages from Guatemala. First we heard that Tracy’s sister, Teri, had died. Next we heard that our previous sailing buddy who shepherded us down the intracoastal waterway on Layla, Ernie Schroeder, had died. And then shortly after hearing that news we learned Bud’s aunt, his Mom’s sister, Elaine, had died. The weather then turned badly and we remained on Providencia. We grieved apart from friends and family.

Sunset at anchor in Providencia, Columbia.

We have gained some perspective from sailing and from travel these last several years. Among the lessons, Layla and Leilani taught us patience. Our boats taught us (often with their unrelenting demands) that we cannot control all things, and things don’t go as you plan. Our travels showed us that new lands, new people, new foods offer endless experiences to enrich our lives. Our travel also showed us how to embrace and marvel at this wondrous, diverse collection of beings on this planet. We are quite mistaken to exaggerate how much we differ rather than to celebrate how much we have in common. We appreciate each day and we appreciate all of you.

Locals often come through the anchorage in Bocas del Toro to fish. 
Here a group of boys must have been given the lancha for the day. 
Imagine what fun they had!

Catch us next time as we explore San Blas Archipelago and beyond in Panama.