Sailing
05 March 2014 | Panama
Randy
My friend Paul came to Panama for more than two weeks to sail with me from Shelter Bay Marina to the San Blas Islands area along the Panama’s Caribbean coast. We motored out of the breakwater at the Colon entrance to the Panama Canal at sun up the next morning and worked the 5 miles to windward out to the MOA buoy, turned east and got enough angle on the wind to motor sail to Puerto Belo 15 miles away.
At 0400 the next morning we motored in the dark 7 miles to windward in 10 knots of wind and a 1 meter well-spaced swell. This endurance test was to get us around Isla Tambo, just off Punta Manzanillo, by sunrise and hopefully enable us to sail the remaining 45 miles to Porvenir in the San Blas before 1600. After that time the sun is low and in your eyes while you are getting in around the reefs to anchor.
As the sun came up at 0600 we turned east and raised the sails, a new loose footed main and a 125% jib on a roller furler. A big improvement to the hanked on jibs it replaced last year. This was Paul’s first open water sailing and a big change from the 18 ft trimaran he sails at home. When the grin on his face finally let him speak one of his comments was he didn’t realize how much the boat would heel over.
The wind NE at 15 knots was a little lighter and finer on the bow than I had hoped for, with a forecast of less wind the next day when several other boats had chosen to make the passage. After fifteen years of owning NIRVANA NOW I have found that I prefer a bit more wind than most. I am happier sailing at 5 to 6 knots needing a reef or two than sailing the same speed with all sails up. There was a small chop on the 2 ½ meter diminishing swells coming at us forward of the beam all the way from Columbia as we plunged along celebrating sailing in the Caribbean Sea off the Panama coast of Central America with the joy that only lifelong friends can share.
Both of us are fishing enthusiasts and we had set up an ocean rod each. I planned our course to cross the Escribanos Bank because the fishing is good there. Most people go around it as it is an area of more than several miles of shoals and breaking reefs you would avoid when planning an open water passage, but, the fishing is good there. In early afternoon the drag on one of the fishing reels started screaming. I roused Paul from his napping on the leeward cockpit seat with a call of fish on and put the wheel hard to windward. As I rounded up to heave to Paul grabbed the rod and started cranking. I reeled the other fishing line in then ran forward and got the gaff out of it’s holder in the rigging steps. When the fish came along side I gaffed it after several tries and swooped the 10 lb. barracuda into the cockpit. Watching out for the teeth Paul put it out with a well-placed stab with the ice pic to the base of his head. Very effective and not as wasteful as rum in the gills. After pictures and slaps on the back we raped the fish in a beach towel I keep for the purpose and wet it with sea water until we could clean it later. Good sailing and fishing both, life doesn’t get any better than this.
We got the anchor down and launched the tender, my 12 ft aluminum boat I carry on the fore deck is too big to call a dingy, and turned our Zarpe into the Autoridad Maritimas de Panama office at 1530. Afterwards we zoomed across a small reef to the Kuna Indian island village of Wichubuwala for some refreshments and a look see. For a first time visitor there is plenty to see.
The next day we got right into the morning routine. 0600 Panamanian coffee and weather on the SSB, more coffee, exercise and yoga on the fore deck, which Paul found more challenging to do than on a stable floor, the Coconut Telegraph net and the Southwest Caribbean net. Then breakfast during the Panama Connection Net. Well informed is well prepared.
Panama’s coast here runs east and west, so we had to point high into the fresh trade winds as we worked out way east in behind the barrier reefs of the San Blas Islands which is Kuna Yala to the local indigenous people. With the wind blowing 15 gusting 18 knots and flat seas it is sailing at it’s best. I get a real thrill feeling the wind pull 12 tons of boat through the water at over seven knots. Late morning Paul reeled in a small black fin tuna which we sliced fine and enjoyed immediately. Sitting in the lap of luxury living off the sea.
After Paul left a couple of weeks later I motored north east from the island village of Carti, around some small islands on reefs to the islands of the East Lemons five miles straight to windward. I raised the sails and fell in behind RIO NIMPHKIS and another boat heading east. I was sailing along on my own happy at five knots until late morning when DIVA came up from the south, tacked behind me, then overtook me. Not to be out sailed by a smaller boat with a full keel I locked the wheel and dashed forward to study the sails. Back in the cockpit I came into the wind until the jib luffed, winched the sheet in hard, fell off the wind, gained almost a knot, and was able to point higher in the gusts of wind. DIVA had to tack again which placed me way ahead the next time they came up from the South. My thanks goes to Niel Pryde Sails, the new sails are wonderful.