Aboard La Sirena
17 April 2012 | Roncador Cay
11 April 2012 | Cartagena, Colombia
25 August 2011 | Cross Plains, WI
27 January 2011 | Cartagena, Colombia
31 December 2009 | Cartagena, Colombia
01 December 2009
18 November 2009 | Shelter Bay Marina, Panama
20 April 2009 | Panama City
30 March 2009 | Chichime Cay, Islas San Blas, Panama
20 March 2009 | East Holandes Cays, Islas San Blas, Panama
02 March 2009 | Esnasdup Cays, Islas San Blas, Panama
18 February 2009 | East Holandes Cays, Islas San Blas, Panama
04 February 2009 | West Lemmon Cays, Islas San Blas, Panama
26 January 2009 | West Naguarandup Cays, Islas San Blas, Panama
21 January 2009 | San Blas Islands, Panama
15 January 2009 | San Blas Islands, Panama
12 January 2009 | Nargana, Islas San Blas, Panama
09 January 2009 | Snug Harbor, Islas San Blas, Panama
07 January 2009 | Achutupu, Islas San Blas, Panama
05 January 2009 | Isla Pinos, Panama
Panama Panorama
20 April 2009 | Panama City
Mike
Leaving our boat in a marina for the summer is a time of mixed feelings and hard work. We hate to end an enjoyable sailing season but we look forward to the comforts of life ashore. Preparing La Sirena for storage takes more time and effort with each passing year...the aging effect. This time we gave ourselves more than a week to do the necessary cleaning and maintenance projects and to arrange for the boat's care in our absence. Then, we were off to Panama City on the Pacific coast.
We spent our last week here experiencing Panama's cultural and environmental diversity. A journey to the interior via dugout canoe to visit an Embera tribal village was among the highlights of this season. These forest dwellers live quiet, almost idylic lives. Modern humans have broken many links with the natural world. Our food and drink are pre-packaged, we take pills instead of chewing medicinal leaves, and we ignore our circadian rhythms. Not so with the Emberas. We enjoyed their food, handcrafts, music and dance as well as a lesson on the health and healing value of many tropical plants.
Panama City is at the other end of this panorama. Its tall buildings, mostly condominiums, are home to Panama's more afluent population and they overshadow the run-down barrios of the less fortunate. Still, it was exciting to be there for several days. We visited museums and the old colonial city, transited the entire Panama Canal, and dined in several of the city's fine restaurants.
We expect to return to Panama in late fall and perhaps repeat our experiences of the past cruising season. Ultimately, we must plan our return to the US via the Central American coast, the northwest Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
We spent our last week here experiencing Panama's cultural and environmental diversity. A journey to the interior via dugout canoe to visit an Embera tribal village was among the highlights of this season. These forest dwellers live quiet, almost idylic lives. Modern humans have broken many links with the natural world. Our food and drink are pre-packaged, we take pills instead of chewing medicinal leaves, and we ignore our circadian rhythms. Not so with the Emberas. We enjoyed their food, handcrafts, music and dance as well as a lesson on the health and healing value of many tropical plants.
Panama City is at the other end of this panorama. Its tall buildings, mostly condominiums, are home to Panama's more afluent population and they overshadow the run-down barrios of the less fortunate. Still, it was exciting to be there for several days. We visited museums and the old colonial city, transited the entire Panama Canal, and dined in several of the city's fine restaurants.
We expect to return to Panama in late fall and perhaps repeat our experiences of the past cruising season. Ultimately, we must plan our return to the US via the Central American coast, the northwest Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Comments
| Vessel Name: | La Sirena |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Island Packet 38/1990 |
| Hailing Port: | Bayfield, WI |
| Crew: | Mary and Mike Mirkes |
| About: | Sailing the Caribbean for 12 consecutive years...several of which were as liveaboards. We are now 'snow birds', escaping the upper midwest USA winters. This blog of our journey was only recently begun, but hopefully we will have much to add. |
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The Mariners
Who: Mary and Mike Mirkes
Port: Bayfield, WI
Related Links
SailBlogs Friends
Your e-mail notes will reach us without delay if you address them to KB9UTD@winlink.org but please limit their content to one page or less of text only and no attachments or forwards. The first time you write to that address, be sure to include the character sequence //WL2K in the subject line followed by a subject description of your choice.
Incidentally, you may view our current position in a couple of ways. First, click on the above Current Position map to get an enlarged view. You may also be asked to install the Google Earth Plugin. Do that, and when you see the 'Run or Save?' window, click on 'Run' and follow the instructions. If you also see an 'ActiveX' control bar, click 'OK' to run it.
Alternatively, click on the above Related Links "Ship Trak" title and insert my amateur radio call sign KB9UTD in the appropriate field. You'll see our current position as well as others reported since leaving Venezuela. Use the satellite image mode and zoom features.
Incidentally, you may view our current position in a couple of ways. First, click on the above Current Position map to get an enlarged view. You may also be asked to install the Google Earth Plugin. Do that, and when you see the 'Run or Save?' window, click on 'Run' and follow the instructions. If you also see an 'ActiveX' control bar, click 'OK' to run it.
Alternatively, click on the above Related Links "Ship Trak" title and insert my amateur radio call sign KB9UTD in the appropriate field. You'll see our current position as well as others reported since leaving Venezuela. Use the satellite image mode and zoom features.