Aloha kakou. I am sorry for the delay on news. I have been to California for a week and back here to Costa Rica where we were waiting for new crew and for one of our electronic displays that broke down. It was sent to the mainland for repair a month ago and we still do not have it back. I am glad to report that the new crew is here. We are very happy as we want to move on.
In the meantime we have been either exploring or working like mad. A boat is like a city, full of systems and the upkeep can't stop. It has been a super experience for Jerry and me. It is really nice to know what is going on with your vessel. Life is so much easier when you have your boat the way you envisioned.
Our friend Russell from the Free Spirit Cat, the one we sailed with a few years ago, came for a week and we had a fabulous time together. It was like the old Free Spirit time, just the 3 of us, exploring and having fun. Well, it was not fun the day we tried to run away from this massive electrical storm. Lightening was sizzling everywhere, right to where we wanted to go back to. We saw that it was clear towards Playa del Cocos and headed that way. However, the weather Gods saw our intention and the storm moved there. I will confess that we were scared. We brought the sails down and decided to face our fate. It was almost dark and we wanted to anchor while we still had day light. Got to the anchorage but still had to endure a few more hours of storming skies.
Costa Rica has magnificent days, but quite a few terrifying electrical storms. There is, if you are on a sailboat with a big mast. The skies here have every kind of clouds there is in the books. It must be a paradise for the meteorologists. It is hard for a sailor as the weather changes constantly, and there is no local forecast.
We had to say hasta luego to Russell and hola to James, a Canadian skipper that we ended up hiring later. With James, we spent a few days exploring the Bat Islands and Bahia Santa Helena. No, we didn’t see any bats but saw spotted rays, turtles, and lots of fish. The waters are super rich with fish. And the skies are teaming with birds. Land birds and sea birds. And monkeys everywhere. And big lizards. Got to say hasta luego for now. I will give you another report later on.

My Portuguese version:
Ola para todos. Desculpem pela falta de noticias . Eu tive que ir a California mas voltei logo pra Costa Rica onde estamos esperando pela nova tripulacao e por um dos nossos eletronicos que quebrou e enviamos para os EUA ha 1 mes atraz e ainda nao nos foi retornado. Mas, a nova tripulacao chegou e nos estamos felizes pois gostariamos de continuar com a viagem.
No meio tempo estamos explorando a regiao e trabalhando feito loucos. Um barco como esse e tal uma cidade. Tem mutios systemas e a manutencao e constante. Tem sido uma super experiencia pro Jerry e eu. E bom saber como o seu barco funciona e melhor ainda e ter o barco como gostamos e planejamos.
O nosso amigo Russell to barco Free Sprit, com qem velajaos anos atras, veio e ficou uma semana. Nos divertimos muito, como nos velhos tempos, so nos 3. Mas nao foi muito divertido no dia que tentamos escapar de uma massiva tempestade eletrica. Relampagos e raios por todos os lados, principalmente para onde iriamos voltar. Nos vimos ceu limpo na direcao de Playa del Cocos e resolvemos ir ancorar la. Mas o Deus do tempo viu a nossa intencao e mandou a tempestade pra la. Finalmente resolvemos enfrentar o nosso destino pois ja estava escurecendo e gostariamos de ancorar enquanto tinhamos a luz do dia. Chegamos a ancoragem mas ainda tivemos que aguentar mais horas de tempestade.
Costa Rica tem dias belissimos mas muitas noites com aterrorizantes tempestades eletricas. Isto e, se voce esta num barco a vela com um mastro chamando raios. O ceu tem todo o tipo de nuvem que existe. Deve ser um paraiso para os meteorologistas.
Tivemos que dizer hasta luego pro Russell e hola para o James, um capitao Canadense que contratamos depois. Com o James nos fomos para as Ilhas morcegos e a bela bahia Santa Helena. Nao vimos morcegos mas vimos arraias, tartarugas e muito peixe. O mar aqui e muito rico em peixe, o ceu cheio de aves terrestres e marinhas, e muito macaco. E lagartixas gigantes. Ja estou acostumada com elas.
Tenho que dizer hasta luego para todos e ate a proxima.