Moonlightsailing    

 

Rio Chagres river the second time.

We finally tore our fingernails from the dock again and departed Shelter Bay marina after over a month there.  Paid all the hidden charges they like to silently add on and off we went to the San Blas.  Once outside of the Colon breakwater, we were introduced to the western Caribbean in the dry season when the trade winds are in full force.  So rather then plow into head winds and strong (big) seas on the nose for San Blas islands we turned around and hightailed six miles back into the Rio Chagres again . 

So what does a cruiser do for fun in a rainforest isolated environment - anything we want to do ...... 

As the local environment is so pleasant and tranquil.Some of the local Panamanians would cruise by while fishing in the river.  But after three weeks in the river we thought we would check out civilization again and head for Colon, Panama and the "famous" Panama Canal Yacht Club (PCYC).  Once there we had to anchor in the Flats for a week before entering PCYC.  It is an interesting place watching ships pass by going into the canal about every 30 minutes and also just checking out civilization again.  

Cruisers and their dogs are always an interesting lot to observe while hanging out in an anchorage.  The best show is from the French boats that do not know how to anchor and drag through the fleet everyday.  We learned not to anchor behind them as here is a set of masts sticking up from someone that does not know how to set a hook (probably a French boat).But overall, this was a fun place to just hang out.

Yen just has to begin bargaining with the Kuna Indians for their Molas (more later on them) that were for sale.  Guess what gifts everyone will receive this year.   We have spent the last five months traveling a whole 175 miles in Panama.  Will we ever get out of this country.  We hope in April/May we will be gone over the horizon to the north and out of Panama.  We entered the country last May so it is about time to move on.