Gales and full water tanks
29 November 2011 | San Blas Islands
Cloudy, min 77F, max 84F, water temp 79.5F
Lisa, master mola maker and well-known transvestite
Well, today was one best described as "nobody moves, nobody gets hurt". Last night we did our routine evening swim around thge boat as the sun was setting, and before we had done one lap around the boat, the rain was pelting down. Not a problem if you are swimming, but the wind piped up as well. And that set the stage for the next 24 hours... wind and rain, and lots of both. During the night we were up hourly as the boat was buffeted by 35 knot gusts and the rain spewed down. We opened the water tanks and they were full by dawn and spent most of the day quietly overflowing. But that didn't put off our new friends. At 0930 hrs, my great (new) friend Justino (pronounced Yustino) was back ready to clean the bottom of the boat. It didn't really need it, but last night we had to give him food and water for the night, and today he needed money to buy some food for his son's birthday. You might think we were just swallowing a line, but all the cruisers in the area know him well and respect him. When he was done with the bottom (he probably scraped off more paint off that growth), I took him over to a neighboring boat that took him into El Porvenir for his sons birthday (after collecting a few presents for him from boats in the anchorage). While Justino was working on the bottom, Lisa returned, ready to do business. I have only a limited capacity for appreciating molas, so I stayed below while Jeannie negotiated in the cockpit. My input consisted of confirming her choices. That occupied us until about 1100 hrs. Then lunch. If you have all the time in the world, and limited cooking materials, its creativity time... pan fried pizza!!! Delicious with a crust of dough, topped with pesto, sliced turkey, and any vegs that are still edible. Then dinner was BBQ ribs with cole slaw and coconut rice. But the fresh fruit is running low, and believe it or not, here in Panama, they are hard to come by. Projects for the day included a new 12 volt outlet in the aft cabin for a fan for Sarah in Enerio (January) and a few checks (bilge, oil, etc). Other than that, it was open the hatches for air, close the hatches in the squalls, and repeat, many times. It is now evening and the air has cleared and the wind has dropped to about 10 knots. We have lots of towels and things waiting for the dry air... tomorrow., bathing suits, etc. And more exploring... The Holandase Cays and the Swimming Pool anchorage!