Our travel plans to Peru are complete. We raised the anchor and got our clearance Zarpe to go from Porvenir in the San Blas to Portobelo, the ancient fortified port the Spanish fleets left from and where Sir Frances Drake battled and died. We were hoping for a less dramatic visit. We motored our way 3 miles upwind from Porvenier to the island of Chichime where we would have favorable winds to leave with at 0600.
We left at first light with three other boats which appeared to be on a course near the shore with a little lighter wind and inside the major reefs, but having to dodge shore line shoals. I planned our route father off shore to clear all hazards. We would be sailing in the full force of the Trade Winds blowing 15kn to 18kn out of the North East before they lightened as they lifted over the high hills of the Panamanian coast.
The rise of the sea floor from over 400 meters to 30 meters creates large seas and we took the 3 meter waves on the beam as we sailed at over 7 knots for the first 3 hours. Twice we surfed down 4 meter waves at over 8 knots which give us an exhilarating start to our day. Once past the outermost reefs we had a slight course change and our speed dropped to between 6.5kn to 7Kn and the waves to a more tame 2 to 3 meters. Later in the day when we made our last course change we fell in close behind the other boats that we had left with. Over beers later the discussion turned to the sail over. The consensus was that I prefer a little more wind than most and am happier sailing with a reef in than with full sail up making the same speed. It turned out we smoked them, what a blast! I love the cut of my new sails from Neil Pryde.
The next day Mike on PANDA dingied us to shore at 0600 and we caught the public bus to Colon for my dentist appointment. I had a broken filling from biting an olive pit and a cavity on the adjoining tooth repaired. The bill of US $145 for very professional work was less than the difference in fees I pay with insurance in Canada. Some grocery shopping and the return ride of 2 hours on the school bus type public transport left us exhausted at the end of the day.
Dawn had a concern with her eye so I made an appointment with the eye specialist for two days later, Yes, that’s two days not two months. We took the public buses to Panama City in the morning, a three hour trip. US $100 got her a very thorough exam by the Doctor at the Yee eye specialty clinic, some advice and a good report.
We spent the night in Panama City eating a super of street food while wandering around after dark with the locals. Roallas, mashed potato rolled with chopped chicken and spices are fried and are a little smaller than a hard baseball. Arpadas are corn flour tortilla pockets the size of medium pancakes and filled with finely chopped meat and chicken and potatoes then pan fried. Padamas are the same corn flour tortilla folded over with meat inside. Mango smoothies for Dawn and beer for me helped it all go down with pleasure. See pics on our photo gallery.
Today my computer totally crashed. It’s favorite thing while I am away for months. Dawn is busy cleaning in preparation for leaving the boat closed up on a mooring in a marina for a month while we back pack our way through Southern Peru on planes trains and buses.