Leaving Bocas on a sail around the archipelago.
Our last blog update was quite a while ago. Since we came back from the States we have been in somewhat of a holding pattern like many others in the cruising world. Covid forced restrictions limited destinations and resource availability here in Panama. Many cruisers moved on and often found themselves stuck or simply moving on to whatever destination was available at the time. We decided to stay on in Bocas a little longer while external events evolved.
Of all the places we could be stuck, Bocas was not a bad place to be. There was plenty of great produce available at reasonable prices. Restaurants were slowly opening and food options were becoming more available. The area offered some beautiful remote anchorages. But as importantly we made many friends in the community. So, there was no reason to push on as we had no schedule and could continue our trip when the time was right.
Our plan when we initially left the States was to travel the western Caribbean for a number of years and work our way around it all slowly. We had no seasons to avoid like people trying to cross the Pacific nor a home calling to us. Here in the western Carib hurricane season is of less concern. We had just the casual opportunity to enjoy life in beautiful places.
So during the four months after returning to Bocas we discussed all of our options including travel plans to leave Panama to renew our visas, visit other places, move on inside Panama and how to best take advantage of where we were.
One out-of-country excursion was to Costa Rica to visit friends that always vacation there in February. But, that would be fraught with many Covid-imposed obstacles if we were to go. But, when our friends told us they weren't coming that was resolved.
About the same time the government of Panama extended visas until the end of June so we had more time for that.
Dolphins off the bow.
So we split-up our time in Bocas by going to different anchorages by ourselves or with friends and spending time in the marina for work. We got into a routine of leaving the marina on Thursday and returning on Tuesday to hit the markets when they were best stocked. If we had work to do or the weather wasn't particularly enjoyable to be out we stayed in the marina.
Gradually areas of Panama began to reopen, although the San Blas region known as Guna Yala was remaining closed. We learned from many friends that in fact boats were going there so we began to focus on our long-anticipated sojourn to middle and eastern Panama. Each time we thought we could could go something arose. Boat issues, new Covid restrictions, weather, incoming mail or whatever but something always thwarted our plans.
Finally in late February it looked like we could head east in early March so we began to make plans. We stocked up as best we could from the Bocas markets. It's amazing the eclectic selection available in Bocas. One of our regular stores, Super Gourmet usually had a great selection of organic greens and other products. The major markets were usually well-stocked with conventional items and some of the specialty products and brands that we liked. Shortly before we left we discovered a wonderful meat provider that we had heard about often but since we didn't buy much meat we never shopped there. We ventured in to Tutty n Fish for some pork for New Year's sauer kraut dinner and fell in love with them. Smoked pork chops, thick cut bacon and chorizo soon found their way to our freezer. Another wonderful find a few days before we left was Bocas Berries. What a wonderful source for hydroponically grown herbs and greens as well as locally grown strawberries and other products. With such great resources it was hard to leave.
The day before we left new issues arose. We found a leak with water coming in through one of the chain plates. The night before we left our inboard air conditioner stopped running. Remediation was simple. In the morning I could caulk the chainplate and the AC could wait until we got to our next destination, Shelter Bay Marina.
With that we were off. We left Bocas Marina about 1430 on 04 March headed for Shelter Bay marina that was at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal. Forecast was for a good probability of sailing and we had the current with us but swells would generally be in front of us the whole way.
So we left the safety and security of Bocas del Toro that we had come to know so well and for the first time in over a year we headed for an offshore overnight passage headed to the Panama Canal. Our course was almost exactly 90 degrees and a distance of about 130 nautical miles. We expected to be at our destination before noon on Friday.
Going out the main Bocas channel we were beating directly into the wind and waves. With white water on both sides we didn't have a lot of room to maneuver so we motored straight without the sails. Once we got past the reefs and the breaking waves we got onto course and pulled out the sails. While it lasted the sail was great but the wind began backing and didn't provide enough force to keep the sails full as we rolled with the swells. Eventually, we turned on the motor to motor-sail but an approaching squall took out all the wind and we motored for several hours in the calm while heading into the swells.
Fortunately, we were going with the current so even though the waves slowed us down we were making good speed over ground.
In the dark hours before midnight the wind came up again ahead of our beam this time so we went to full sail until dawn. There is a tremendous difference between sailing through waves and motoring through them. It's much smoother and less raucous as the wind and waves seem to fit together in harmony. Just after midnight the last quarter of the moon began giving us light to watch the glistening foam on top of the waves as they passed the boat.
Finally after a year in Panamae we were under full sail making 8-9 kts with the beautiful moonlit night. The moon wasn't so bright to hide the stars and the clouds of constellations overhead as always made us realize how small we really are. We didn't get much sleep with the excitement of a great sail, the beauty around us and anticipation of another new destination.
We sailed until just after daybreak when the wind continued clocking to almost on our nose. We could have turned more off the wind and continued sailing the last 30 miles but that would have required tacking and we were approaching an area that would have lots of ship traffic so we opted to motor sail using our main and staysail to get in as quickly as possible. The further east we went the larger the swells became so in a building sea getting in quicker made more sense.
Entrance through the canal breakwater is controlled so at 8 miles out we called traffic control to report our intentions and we were told to call back when we were 3 miles from the breakwater. At 8 miles out we could see the ship anchorage we needed to navigate through to get to the breakwater. The 3 mile mark was in the middle of many ships so we planned a course around the monsters and their lengthy anchor chains while avoiding shoals and shallows near the coast that the waves could push us on.
Fortunately when we called back they cleared us to enter. We heard another boat later being told to wait an hour before entering so we were happy to be allowed to follow one ship in and be ahead of another. We pulled in the sails before going through the breakwater out of an abundance of caution and we would have had to jybe going through the breakwater. Once inside we needed to follow the channel to the marina so getting the sails down outside made a lot of sense to us.
Once inside the breakwater the seas flattened but the wind was still howling. At about 1030 on Friday we tied up at the fuel dock in Shelter Bay Marina. We covered about 140 nm in 20 hours giving us an average 7 kn for the entire trip. Not bad for our first outing in a year.
After fueling we moved to our slip and got ready for new adventures.
