Day 3 Panama to Galapagos

Askari Position Report 0800 local time (1300 UTC) 23 February 2020

01 Degrees, 31 Minutes North
083 Degrees, 21 Minutes West
24 hours 192 miles
Sailing at 7 knots
16 knots of wind from the North East
Course 260 Degrees Magnetic
Sailing Starboard Tack - Broad reach

I don't like it when the wind whistles in the rig and water splashes in the cockpit!

Yesterday morning was glorious downwind sailing, poled out, blue skies, long rolling swell and 20-22 knots of wind pushing us nicely along. In these conditions we hardly feel the boat moving, Askari loves it! We noticed however the sea was really starting to get quite big, Andrew kept laughing at me as I wrote in the log it was 1.5 metres - as another one towered up over the back of the dinghy - yeah okay maybe I underestimated that….

We had a lovely warm chicken and potatoe salad for lunch and then decided we should make a little more westing. So we pulled the sail away from the pole and sailed downwind at 120 degrees on the starboard tack. No sooner had we made this change, and also set the mainsail so we weren't too overpowered, the wind picked up to over 30 knots.

It peaked at 35 and the seas quickly got even bigger, one sploshed on top of the dinghy cover and then a couple on hitting our back quarter jumped straight onto the side deck getting the cockpit cushions wet. Luckily as the seas had picked up I had pulled the fishing line in and stowed the loose cushions. I wasn't going out on the aft deck in this. Then the noise in the rig started to make me really anxious; (it's a while since I've been in these sort of conditions) seeing my white knuckles Andrew gently suggested maybe we keep sailing directly downwind until this passes. We pulled a reefed sail back over and the quiet and calm was restored, we know we are sailing towards the doldrums so just need to make the best of the sailing while we can.

After dinner the wind eased to about 25 knots and we were whizzing along at 9 knots when we spotted an AIS target south of us going 5 knots on a converging course. We thought this must be a fishing boat - maybe a long liner; we had seen them in Panama complete with their helicopters on top. Then just as we were discussing what sort of distance to give it, the signal got clearer and it declared it was a sailing yacht. 'Fleur' no less, the British yacht we transited the canal with. Nick was solo sailing towards Easter Island, on the radio he said it had been a few days since he'd spoken to anyone, he wasn't enjoying the strong winds and had broken his steering - since fixed, which must have been quite a task for one person in these seas. We sailed off behind and south of Fleur and wished Nick well.

The night was uneventful and bizarrely we still have great wind and current, we have now set a waypoint for Wreck Bay, San Cristobel - 402 miles to go!

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Panama to Galapagos Day 2

Askari Position Report 0800 local time (1300 UTC) 22 February 2020

03 Degrees, 43 Minutes North
081 Degrees, 03 Minutes West
24 hours 164 miles
Sailing at 8 knots
21 knots of wind from the North
Course 210 Degrees Magnetic
Genoa Poled out to Starboard

Wind, no Wind, Wind…….

The ocean has gone from brown and confused, with weird patches of overfalls and crazy phosphorescence to much more of an ocean swell with fairly nice big (1.5m) waves pushing us south. This morning we have birds around us again as we are near the Colombian Island of Malpelo; a reserve and great dive spot. We also have beetles - seriously pretty flying beetles with shiny grey backs, red spots and green legs - but heading to the Galapagos this isn't good as they are strict about quarantine requirements.

Yesterday the wind eased off for most of the day to about 15 knots, we sailed most of the afternoon on the Starboard tack wind at 120 degrees, with a plan to make a little most westing and then pole out again for the night. So of course right at mocktail hour the wind died. It always happens…. We don't drink on passage but like to make a nice cold soft drink and watch the sunset before getting into dinner and night shifts. So instead we are trying lots of different strategies to keep the boat moving in the weird sea, in the end we opted for a few hours of engine and the main sail. It came back with avengeance at 1am. My watch, but Andrew came to help get everything set up again with the pole.

The other thing we are monitoring out here is the water temperature; it has been steadily getting warmer as we head towards the equator going from 25 degrees centigrade near Las Perlas to 29.4 degrees here. After we turn towards the Galapagos we should start to see the impact of the cold Humboldt current - watch this space!

We fished again yesterday with a deep sea lure but no luck, however the Spanish Mackerel from the day before provided the most delicious ceviche - served with wholemeal pan bread. We even had avo and coriander to make it all a little bit posh.

We are going well and pleased to be passed Malpelo - on our last trip getting to that island was a bit of a nemesis, that warranted Matt n Togs onboard Helene to pen a song about the difficulties sailing south with fickle currents. Today the current data Andrew has downloaded is paying off.

Ciao :

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Day 1 Panama to Galapagos

Askari Position Report 0800 local time 21 February 2020

06 Degrees, 02 Minutes North
079 Degrees, 37 Minutes West
Sailing at 7 knots
17 knots of wind from the North
Course 190 Degrees True
Genoa Poled out to Starboard

Dolphins, Fish and amazing phosphorescence…

We lifted the anchor at Contadora at 10.30 am yesterday morning and are now nearly 170 miles south of Las Perlas. We started sailing slowly at 4.5 knots and the wind then dropped to under 10 knots so the engine went on at low revs for a couple of hours. Then the wind filled in perfectly. Actually yesterday afternoon we both agreed it couldn't be any more perfect (oh the water could have been blue instead of panama brown). We had a knot of and half of current pushing us south, 20 knots of wind and poled out the genoa; the sea hadn't picked up so we were just gliding along at between 8 and 9 knots.

We spent the afternoon fishing and caught three fish, however we only kept 1 as the other two had red meat and I didn't fancy that this early on, so they went back with a bit of toothache.

We had a quick visit from two beautiful dark dolphins and then settled into our night-time routine after an awesome curry (if I do say so myself). As it got dark there was no moon but the stars were super bright and the phosphorescence was incredible, if not a little unnerving as every breaking waves shone all around us making it difficult to watch for any small boats.

Today the current should ease a little and we are expecting the wind to drop a e during the day so we will make a little westing but still head south. We are aiming for a waypoint around 02 North 82 West before turning West towards the Galapagos.

Happy days and even some sleep - not bad for day 1!

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Pacific Crossing - about time we updated the blog.....

We have just cleared out of Panama and sailed 40 miles to Las Perlas Islands to give the hull a quick spruce in the morning before we set sail for the Galapagos.

We have actually anchored here 3 times before here at Contadora, one of few populated islands here. After we transited the canal on 23/24th January we sailed straight out here for a bit of relaxation and enjoyed this spot, Mogo Mogo and Viveros.

Askari at Mogo Mogo

Perfect anchorage at Caique River - Las Perlas- the new projector came out

Our Canal Transit went ahead just fine. We were joined by our Panamanian friends, Margaret, Richard and Mike as our line handlers and transited the locks rafted up with a British yacht Fleur who had our mates Jeff and Drew on board - so we had alot of fun along the way. It was pretty emotional as the last locks opened at Miraflores and once again we were sailing in the Pacific.
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We served apps on the way to Gatun Lake

We got rushed into an early lock before dark - the cat opted to side tie which was terrifying to watch

Having crew means a few mins off....

Lunch on Askari

Our advisors were both awesome

Richard & Margaret on the bow!

Askari from the webcam - thanks Mum

Sunset with a view of Bridge of the America's - Balboa Yacht Club

National Hotel Panama City

Richard's Roof Terrace Panama City with Liz & Petter after a wonderful meal at Margaret's apartment in the old town

After our first trip to las Perlas, we received an invite to visit Tobaga island where Liz and Petter have a beach house and a mooring so we left and had a great sail back towards Panama City. Tobaga is a perfectly positioned island just offshore from Panama City, however has a bit of a fishing village of italy look about it. However, it wasn't comfortable in the winds we had so we only spent a night before taking Askari safely to a marina and them hopping back on the ferry to stay at the lovely relaxed beach house for a night, along with an extended group of Liz and Petter's friends - there may have been a few wines....

Lunch at Taboga

Our view at Taboga

As we arrived in the marina, Andrew noticed a coolant leak and narrowed it down to the filler cap. We managed to get a new one at an auto shop, however the leak continued. Late one night with a torch and close up photo's we discovered a crack in the filler cap neck - how totally bizarre. Some quick frantic calls to Oyster and a suite of options are ready to be considered. Now Panama is great but workmanship here is generally variable and we have no confidence we could get a repair done, maybe we could do the job but specialist tools would have to be shipped, so the obvious answer was ship a complete heat exchanger. We have done nursing an engine across the pacific before and that was not our intention this time around. Our wonderful Kate, was girl on the job and had the thing to us in 5 days. The marina we were staying at was possibly the most unhelpful place I ever visited, they  wouldn't even take a package so we had to arrange to meet DHL in the carpark, but luckily Snr Jerry at DHL was happy to work with us and call as the driver arrived so we could meet. It all worked out and the heat exchanger arrived about 10.30 and Andrew had the complete engine in bits, while I labelled everything and he got it back together by the time we were invited aboard Eve's lovely yacht Auntie for sun downers. What an absolute mammoth task. So today we have given the engine a good test and it all looks 'tickety boo'!

Engine Fixer extraordinaire!

While we waited for the heat exchanger we made another trip out to Las Perlas. This time we went further south and anchored off San Jose island where they are filming the TV show survivor. Our challenge that day was anchoring with a metre swell coming into the anchorage. We turned to approach the anchorage at San Jose we thought we would escape some West swell to meet some of the biggest breaking waves I've seen in a while. It was getting dark so we had to stop, we were approaching high tide and there's a 4.5m tide range here, so we carefully tried to judge where the break might be at low tide. This involved me measuring the water depth in the dinghy all around us. It turned out to be fine as the swell was such a long period and we just went up and down slowly. However, the next day we opted to move to Isla del Ray. Where we tucked into a neat little cove for 3 days, working on the boat and exploring the river. We met some local guys who wanted to trade with us but we had caught many fish sailing these islands we just gave them chocolate and soft drinks and
they gave us limes.

Askari is on the authorised of the break - that doesn't happen usually!!

We caught at least fish a day in Las Perlas

Mangrove dinghy tour

Exploring Caique river - luckily no crocs

Las Perlas

We had an email on our SSB from Kate with an eta on the heat exchanger so headed back to Contadora. We had been hiding from the World ARC fleet of 35 boats that were also in these islands - usually only visited by a few yachts at any time (most people know we are not fans of rally groups). So as we sailed towards the north we started to see so many AIS targets we knew they were off.... As it happened we sailed in on port tack as they sailed out looking all colourful with downwind sails. We haven't sailed with so many boats around us since we were in the UK so it was actually quite cool. They all waved and Andrew blew the horn. Just please let them have moved on from the Galapagos by the time we get there.

World Arc fleet

ARC boats

Moving through the fleet

We got a chance for a short hike and found sloths - 5 including a baby, also racoons!

Just a bit of our wine stock....

So fully provisioned and a few lovely social times in Panama City, especially when Mariska came through the canal on Mach 3 and we made a progressive dinner between the boats and we got to keep her for a night. Then Jeff and Fergus had been left alone by their wives so a fun pizza night was arrange and finally Steve and Fi, arrived in Panama so came to stay with Ferg for a night. We so excited these guys have sailed so many miles with are coming to the Pacific too.

Ferg n Fi - sounds like a cafe..

So great to be with Fi again 

Mariska had a mini break with Mach3 and Askari

 

Steve and Andrew - They love each other really

Argh then the day before yesterday Andrew popped up the mast for a final rig check - I thought he was joking when he said there was a problem. A broken strand on the baby stay - are we ever going to get out of here???? As it happened we Whatsapped a place on Sunday and Monday they responded first thing - expensive but it can be done. Yesterday Andrew went back up the mast and fitted the new stay - we are off. Roger, our agent came to check us out this morning - thoughtfully wearing his Askari t-shirt we gave him. He has been the best guy in Panama by a mile.

We first met Roger at Panama Canal Yacht Club in 2006

Right - that's a whirlwind of the last few weeks. All being well we set out for the Galapagos and will post regular position reports and updates.

Getting Cultural in Kuna Yala 29th December 2019

Today we had one of the most amazing days. Over Christmas we got to know Yessica and Romiliano as they spent Christmas “camping” on an island near to where we were anchored. We haven’t actually bought any molas or anything from Yessica ,who is a stunning mola maker. We have however provided them with drinking water, kept their phone charged, and shared a few snacks. So yesterday when Romiliano called by Askari, anchored in another spot, to invite us to a ‘Chicha’ ritual on his island how could we resist??

The fabulous, just slightly over-crowded, Maquina Island

Yesterday we headed to an anchorage called Gun Boat island (don’t ask) nearby Isla Maquina but it was untenable in the weather and had to retreat to a more secure spot. No worries as Romiliano came to find us and suggested a better place that would be safe and secure.

A hut near our secure anchorage at Gaigar

This morning we made our way to the protected anchorage near to Isla Maquina Island, however we had to take the dinghy across open water for a mile to get there. On landing the dinghy we were met by suspicious fishermen in t-shirts and caps who tied us up to the little dock. When we asked for Romiliano and Yessica we were quickly led through a maze of narrow tracks, between the bamboo and palm thatched shacks that are home to the 40 families that live on Isla Maquina. At every door way kids peered out at us with dark eyes, some girls with makeup and many with dark lines and patterns painted on their noses, inside the women glanced at us and some smiled widely from under their brightly coloured headscarfs that clash perfectly with the rest of their traditional dress.

Romiliano and Yessica live in one of only two concrete double story houses on the island. It was built by Romalianos father and on arrival we were warmly welcomed, given a plastic chair each to sit on as Kunas sit in hammocks normally and presented with a warm beer (yes I guess they know what yachties like) and having exposure to yachties was definitely paying off for these guys. They had a bank of 5 solar panels, an actual bed (most kuna’s also sleep in hammocks) and a knackered Bluetooth speaker, that Romiliano was super proud of. From their balcony you could see just how close all the other houses are and how much larger their home was.  You could see the ocean all around and the island itself is less than 1 metre above sea level. The “streets” flood when there are storms so having a two-story house is ultimate luxury, however Romiliano’s mother still sat there and stitched a gorgeous brightly coloured mola.

A sneaky picture from the balcony

Andrew enjoys a beer on Romiliano's top deck - complete with xmas tree

It’s not permitted to take photographs and especially not at a culturally sensitive ritual such as Chicha. So I wanted to do my best to describe the day in words. We went with the family to the large hut that is the Chicha hut. Andrew sat on a wooden plank with the men on one side of the sand floored hut and I sat with Yessica and her sister in-law, all huddled in around me and Yessica were about 100 Kuna women, all beautifully dressed in mola covered blouses, vivid sarongs and beads along their legs and arms. Many had painted noses, red cheeks and gold rings through their noses.

Picture from pinterest showing traditional dress

The ceremony all started very seriously with two of the six chiefs perched on stools in the centre with blowing smoke at each other from a rolled up cigar like thing, after every few blows they would take it in turn to go and take a small bowl and share a drink then spit it on the floor. After a few rounds of that some of the women got involved and took a lantern and led a procession out of the hut, men and women, returning a few minutes later with bowls of chicha.

The men then started a kind of stomping dance where they jeered at those facing them and the women did a similar movement on their side of the hut. It started seriously but then they all started giggling and having fun with one another, some women talking or chanting at the liquid. The next stage involved the Chica being brought around to each of us, the bowl of brown looking liquid was handed to me, I glanced at Yessica who told me to drink the whole thing while standing. I can’t say the first one was very nice but managed a second, which had a really nice coffee flavour to it. Over the other side of the hut, I could see Andrew standing more than a foot taller than his Kuna companions doing the same; how bizarre was this….. Kuna’s do not like being filmed as they a fiercely protective of their cultural heritage, therefore when you see a photograph of them they are not smiling, so seeing them party, jest with each other was such a surprise and a treat– they are really kind, beautiful, fun loving, small people.

After the first two rounds it all started getting a bit more haphazard as the effects of this intoxicating drink made from sugar cane took hold, the laughter and jokes among the women was infectious and then smoking took over as pipes, cigarettes and handfuls of sweets were handed around. Tiny Kuna women with gold rings through their noses dressed in traditional outfits smoking pipes are quite a sight. Andrew and Romiliano decided to head to the little dock for a beer while I stayed on a little with the girls. The chief who had started the ceremony came to me and shock my hand and said his island was now my home too. Meanwhile, Andrew paid a $5 fee for our anchorage for 1 month; which meant we were under their protection, and our dinghy was guarded while we were on the island.

We had just the best day and returned to Askari before dark, bought two tuna for $5 from a local fisherman and are safely tucked up in the nearby mangroves. What a total treat that has made our visit to this remote community of indigenous people who keep their traditions alive, even more special.

nearby island as we sailed out