September 3, 2009   Anchoring Diplomacy

We are still anchored here in Chichime, a very safe anchorage to be in this time of year.  Why is that? It's far enough away from the mainland where the storms tend to be, lightning being the main issue,  plus it is protected all around from wind coming out of any direction.  But today, we are dealing with a backpacker boat, that is a boat that carries backpackers to and from Cartagena.  Backpacker boats, carry as many people onboard as they can get, sometimes 10-12 at a time for a five day cruise.  Food is basic and so are the accommodations.  There are some boats out here doing this business who shouldn't be, due to safety reasons; the boats just are not well maintained.  The sailboat, Invicta, anchored too close to us and our boat seems to lay to the current more so than Invicta, so we are within 15 feet of one another.  Now, there is this rule among the boating community, that whoever anchored first has the right to ask anyone anchoring to close to move their boat.  Aaron asks the Invicta captain politely to move his boat. He doesn't speak English, very little, and we speak little Spanish, but we can't tell what language he is using. Well, the captain turns out to be a maniac, yelling back at us that we should be the ones to move since our anchor is behind us. What the hell? He goes down below and comes back on deck swinging a machete and threatening us.  What the hell? So, I go down below and come back up with my camera and start taking pictures of this idiot, just in case something happens.  After an hour of this nonsense, he finally does move his boat!

September 10th   Men on the Move

We never received an email from the embassy, so I called and asked if our passports were ready for pickup and indeed they are.  So, on this trip, we anchor off of the Carti islands and since Sue, Lenny's wife had to travel back to the states for a family emergency, I will stay and look after both boats while the men make the trip to Panama City.  On this trip, we use the services of Eulogio Perez of San Blas Adventures who is the owner of a hostel (a youth hotel) on the island of Carti.  In fact, his father John, is the man who always rows out in his canoe to every boat that anchors and greets them.  Sort of like a Wal-Mart greeter but with more style.  Eulogio makes the arrangements and over a couple of beers at his table, he makes a few phone calls, and informs us that a launcha will pick up the men at their boat tomorrow at 7am, transport them to the airport where a jeep will be waiting to make the run into the city.  It does all run like clockwork, no pushing of jeeps this time, no drama and on time.  It is a successful trip, passports are picked up, and necessary items found and bought.  Meanwhile, I enjoy my quiet time onboard.

September 11th   It's Like Christmas!

Aaron returns bearing gifts!  Can you believe a brand new washing machine with a separate spinner!  Awesome.  Life on board just got better, no more doing laundry by hand, no more wringing! My hands rejoice!  I know, it cuts into the exercise program I have, but I promise to do a few more extra sit ups in return.  He also, has new beach chairs, a new teflon frying pan, and more food! And, of course, our new passports, with the encoded chip.  Is it really a GPS tracking system? 

Our Raincatching Ability 

 I wish for rain and receive it! What power I possess! (it is the rainy season).  I have my four buckets in place on the aft deck and within an hour all of them are full.  And now, I wish for sunshine so that I can do my first load of laundry, and by noon, it's sunny.  Wish I had this power in Las Vegas! or with the lottery! Even though we do own a 30 gallon/hour watermaker, I like catching rain by the bucketfuls, it's free and no pressure on the water pump this way. Doing laundry takes 20 gallons for two loads.  Our sunbrella shade that is attached to the mizzen boom has double duty, in that, yes it provides shade on the aft cabin top, but also, is an excellent raincatcher.  I have also made a canvas awing that extends from behind the bimini being just as wide as the bimini and is secured by line to the mizzen shrouds on each side and around the mizzen mast.  This extra piece of canvas keeps the cockpit drier and also serves to channel rain into buckets.

  We also place a sandbag behind our water tank fill and by closing off the scupper, we can collect water into our water tank below.   The water then is filtered thru three micron filters before it is used for drinking.  We also have the Seagull IV for extra filtering right at the galley sink used primarily for drinking water.

The rest of September

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous this month of September.  And with good weather comes the harvest from the sea.  Everyday the local Kuna Indians paddle up to our boat and ask if we want to buy lobster, crab, conch or sometimes a big fish, like this excellent grouper for only $10. How can you pass up a deal like that?  A fish this big we end up sharing it with other cruisers.  And the shopping continues.  Jeraldo is the veggie man.  He brings the best and freshest legumbres from the Panama coastal city of Miramar.  He also will bring gas or diesel upon request.  But, you have to remember that if he tells you he is coming on Monday, it could be Tuesday, or Wednesday, Thursday, and  possibly Friday. You just never know.  But, whenever he does show up, it's buy, buy, buy.