After James and John’s parents left we took Tess’ folks to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort and checked out some of their attractions including orchids, butterflies, poison dart frogs and the sloth rescue facility. They have two kinds of poison dart frogs (so named as the natives used to rub their spears and arrows against these…
Shelter Bay Marina, on the Caribbean side, is on the site of the old US Army base Fort Sherman, once the home of the US Jungle Training School. A huge base (now national park), the place is a study in contrasts with some of the larger buildings being used by the Panamanian Aeronaval forces for…
We all awoke at 0300, left the slip and arrived at the designated buoy where a pilot boat dropped off our two advisors (one was in training). The boat came close enough that they could step onto our deck yet never made contact. We were immediately off to the first locks, passing the Balboa shipyard,…
We finished our overnight sail from Isla Coiba to Isla Taboga, just outside Panama City, and spent the night on a free mooring ball (no one bothered to collect the fee). Taboga is a weekend destination for locals but was completely closed up when we arrived in the late afternoon. We couldn’t even find an…
When we made the reservation for Marina Bahia Golfito, it was in part because they assured me they had an electrician who could get my shore power working again. When we showed up they promptly sent the electrician, who assessed the problem and then told me he was not authorized to work on private boats!…
We sailed down to Quepos, Costa Rica, and spent a few nights in Marina Pez Vela (means sailfish). The single most expensive marina we have ever stayed in, $3.50/foot plus utilities and taxes. But it was also the nicest marina we have ever been in in terms of restaurants and stores on site and just…
Spent a couple days anchored at Bahia Nacascolo. Discovered capuchin monkeys and white nosed coatis right on the beach. Took our bikes to shore and, after the obligatory maintenance and swearing session, we spent hours exploring a huge private development of The Ritz Carlton estate homes and an adjoining Four Seasons resort. It had a…
Leaving Nicaragua, the bar crossing was much less dramatic than our entrance, and nothing compared to the pictures of us leaving El Salvador. Still, not for the faint of heart. Took a full 24 hours to get to Bahia Santa Elena in northern Costa Rica. Caught up to a couple of friends and a couple…
Had some trouble with the water maker just before leaving El Salvador so ordered water which was delivered in open 50 gallon barrels by panga. Dany gets them filled upriver at the desalination plant. $33 for 150 gallons. Of course, I got the water maker working the next day. Went out to dinner the night…
It took three full days but we think we finally saw and/or toured all 35 historic ruins in Antigua! Only a couple continue to be functioning churches. Our hotel was the convent that built the arch so that the nuns could cross over to the other half of the convent without any public contact or…
