bonvoyageendorfin

2011-11-19T12:05:00.001-05:00

Panama to Galapagos: Ecuador

Sunday May 19, 2010. Engine hrs.1169 Day 1

We have all the provisions that we can possibly have on board without sinking the boat. There was a slight delay pulling our anchor. The anchor chain got fouled on about 150 feet of chain and a Danforth anchor, plus a 6 foot stainless boarding ladder. It took Gil, myself and Rick from Even Star about 3 hours to untangle them. We are now the proud owners of a 40 lb. Danforth and some extra chain. The fishing rods went out and by dinner time I made Chicken parmesan Oh well! Gil had first watch while I slept, at 2 am we switched off. Apparently I had a good nap I didn’t even know a squall went through.

Day 2

Sunrise a cup of fresh coffee and a dolphin swimming alongside of you is an awesome beginning to your day. We have a heading of 172 going southish, so we can get a little wind off of our starboard front. Close hauled and doing 3-5 knots with help from our engine. Sometimes I think we should have a trawler, we motor so much.

Day 3

Dawn has broken and it is near the end of my uneventful watch. There is a lot of cloud cover with the blue sky breaking through. Behind us is a bank of rain, I don’t think we have to worry about it though. The waves are 3-5 feet at 10 second intervals and the wind is 8-10 knots from the SSW. Our heading is 190 degrees. Gil needs to checkout our bilge pump it isn’t working.

Day 4

Crap! The wind has piped up and it has stormed all day. We didn’t reef the main at sunset. BIG Mistake I was scared the rest of the night and during the next day. Being too tired doesn’t help. There is more water in the bilge to deal with also. Gil has decided to change course and go to the coast of Colombia because of the wind direction (Land beautiful).

Day5

The wind has dropped and at 6 am we went through another squall, but it wasn’t too bad. We are headed towards Buena Ventura. It has a bad reputation but it is a major port. By the afternoon I could see the Columbian coastline in the distance. The wind and wave direction making our headway difficult so we headed to a bay a little north of Buena Ventura. The chart showed lots of channel markers and it looked really simple to navigate. As we were drawing near it we observed a few freighters anchored near, so we assumed it was also a shopping port. Dusk found us going into the bay which is almost as large as Cartagena harbor. Gil brought the Endorfin pretty close to what we thought was the shipping docks, I dropped the anchor and we went to sleep.

Day 6

Low and behold, A launch came out from the naval base,( BIG OOPS), to see us. Bahia Moaga (Moo Yeah) Guardia Costa (Coast Guard). Apparently we really surprised them,(asleep at the radar).Two young officers, Carlo and Juan came aboard with an escort of rifle toting guards. Gil explained our rough couple of days and our broken bilge pump, plus our low fuel situation. They went back to the base and about an hour later returned to tell us we would have to re-anchor closer to the base docks. Well, we did so and got a great view of two grottos that submerge at high tide. We are starting to get use to these huge tides of 14ft or better. Juan returned with the Captain of his ship who came aboard. 3 boarding’s 3hrs. Captain Caesar De Vargas, of the Guardia cutter Valle De Cauca (COW CA). He graciously offered to help us with our bilge pump and refuel our diesel tanks. The Captain told us to rest in the harbor as long as necessary. He invited us for dinner with his family that evening. So far everyone had been friendly, courteous and curious. As it turned out Caesar was an avid sailor with a a dream of sailing the world when he retired. He had a problem though; His wife didn’t swim and would get seasick within minutes. Caesar had a few days off and wanted to take his family sailing in the bay as a test run. And of course we said yes. His family consisted of two boys Santiago, Diego his little girl Paula, Juan Paul a friend of his boys and his wife Dioniris. Santi had a good grasp of the English language, so we used him as our emergency interpreter, when we needed him. Dioniris is a lovely woman in her late twenties. She showed me the fish her husband had caught the day before. I have no idea what kind it was but it looked great. They were huge light pinkish fillets. We talked in her cocina (kitchen) and prepared the fillets, which the ships chef was going to cook for us. Cool Hey! While dinner was being cooked the Admiral of the base stopped in and chatted with us. This guy was the twin of Dave Amadio my former boss. I swear! We told them of our plans to go to Buena Ventura and jump off from there to the Galapagos. He and Caesar advised us not to go there because it was a dangerous place. They would take us to their ships store to provision and get our diesel from the base. The Admiral also told us how surprised they all were to find our sailboat anchored in their harbor that morning. Dinner was superb and a work of art on a plate. Over wine and Amoretto the conversation turned to Caesars’ passion; sailing. So we made plans to sail the boat to a pair of waterfalls in the end of the bay. Caesar joked the price for a room in Caesars Place (Paula’s bedroom) was taking his family sailing for the day plus Juan Paul, who turned out to be the Admirals son

As soon as breakfast was done we piled into Caesar’s truck and headed back to the docks. I showed the boys how to way anchor and off we went. Unfortunately there was no wind, so we had to motor and Dioniris got seasick immediately. Now, the bay is very similar to Tobermory in Onatrio, with lots of flower pot islands and lush steep cliffs like are found in the Rio Dulce. Because they have such high tide on the pacific side we had to anchor Endorfin and continue on in the dinghy. We spent the day frolicking at the bases of both falls and had a splendid day. We never thought that a decision to find a safe harbor could give us an experience to remember and the new friends we made

We spent a week at the naval base and learned that Colombia is trying very hard to get arid of their bad reputation. The countries new slogan is” Colombia Es Passion “. Our experience is just so. The country is beautiful and the people are exceptional.

After reprovisioning and got fuel the base gave to us at no cost Gil and I bid everyone there farewell and set off again for the Galapagos.

2011-11-19T11:59:00.001-05:00

Linton December 1 2010

We are finally on our way to some much needed R and R. Our first stop was Isla Linton. This is a great anchorage because of the all-around protection it has. The island has some goofy looking monkeys that inhabit the island. We took the dinghy to the dock at the landing and they come rushing out to get any handouts you have for them. Gil filmed my feeding fiasco and said one of them looked like his buddy Bill Scott. We only stayed a few days and toured around the villages

Chichime (Uchutupa Pipigua) and (Uchutupa Dummat) December 5

We arrived at the entrance of Chichme Cays with good light and found the anchorage easy to enter. This group of cays is beautiful coconut palm islands with white sand beaches, which are a beachcomber’s paradise. I found hundreds of sea beans on the beaches here. The water was at was crystal clear and snorkeling was great. The Kuna Indians would come to you boat and try to sell fish and molas. The weather wasn’t very good for a few days so when it let up we headed for the Lemmon Cays. They were a little disappointing because we were boat bound by bad weather. While we were there we heard a boat ran aground at the entrance of Chichme. The sailboat was holed badly and sank on the reef. No one was hurt, but the boat was a total loss.

Once the weather broke again we headed for Coco Bandero Cays. This group of island is were we planned to spend the Christmas holidays. They are protected by a 4 mile reef; the water is postcard perfect, with beautiful fish and colorful corals. The islands themselves are uninhabited. The Kuna only harvest the coconuts staying in huts temporarily. We made friends with two young men who were staying on an outer island. These fellows would be staying for one month harvesting. They fished for their food and drank coconut milk for fluids plus rain water. Trading for nice big crabs with these guys was fun and inexpensive. We met some fellow boaters Nigel and Miss Kitty. They are a hoot and fun to party with. They had to have the boat in Shelter bay before Christmas but I am sure we meet up with them again.

December 21 2010

It is the winter Solstice with a full moon and it is also a full lunar eclipse. The last time it happened was in 1638. This is memorable to say the least. The sky was cloudless all night long. Gil and I watched this luminescent ball; you could see the surface shapes with the naked eye. During a five hour period the moon transformed with a crescent of the earth’s shadow until it was an orange orb. Then it returned to its former brilliant self in the reverse order.

December 23 2010 Gil and I have spent almost a month in Kuna Yala snorkeling walking the beaches and making new friends. We do a few boat chores and take a break in the afternoon to swim or walk a palm tree island. I beach comb and Gil hunts for dinner. This evening after the moon was up, we watched a couple of Kuna fisherman in their panga. They were setting out their nets. The full moon on the horizon illuminated them, absolutely awesome!

December 25 2010

We invited the two Kuna boys on the far island to join us for Christmas dinner. I had spent a lot of time getting the chicken,( which I bought from our friendly Kuna suppler), stuffed. I think we were a hit with them because they ate lots and went home with just the right amount of cheer in them. It will be kind of sad leaving here. This has been an idyllic place for a honeymoon.

December 28 2010 Chichime

It sure was startling to see the top of the mast only of the sailboat that sank on the reef entrance. The guy that owns it is staying on the island with the Kuna for now. He is a little shell shocked. He tells anyone who will listen that he will have it raised up. I wish him luck with that plan, Gil and I dove it, and the whole front quarter of the starboard side is gone. There is boat stuff strewn all over the reef. The Kuna are planning a New Year’s pig roast on the island. Five dollars a person and all the partially cooked pig you can eat. The Kuna Indians don’t like to overcook their meat. The Italian people from the sailboat Brigante will be joining us for the festivities. Elva and her husband Roberto are a lot of fun.

New Year’s Eve 2010

What a great way to end a year and bring in a new one. Partied on the beach till all hours and then continued aboard Brigante!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Everyone was a little shaky the next day. We need a day to recover and then head back to Shelter Bay and wait for Guy to get to the boat.

January 6 2011 Shelter Bay Marina

We sailed back to Panama, even got to use the spinnaker. When we fly it, it reminds me of a monarch butterfly. This time we have a little more leisure and pool time. Gil has made arrangements for the crossing and we have two Spanish guys from another sailboat to help with the lines. All I have to do is be the hostess. Sounds too good to be true. Guy should be arriving sometime today or tomorrow.

2011-11-19T11:55:00.001-05:00

Gil and I left the shelter of the naval base and set out once more for the Galapagos. Our headway was hampered by the wind and waves on our nose. Our tacks were getting us nowhere fast. So we decided to head farther towards Ecuador to a place called Esmeraldas. We came into the channel at night shame on us! And crossed the fishing net a fisherman had strung across the channel. Needless to say our propeller got fouled. The fisherman was good enough to tow us into an area out of the way for 5 gal. of gas and 100 dollars American for the net. The next morning Gil had an easy time cutting the net from the prop because we were on the bottom just barely, so he could stand and just duck down to cut the line away. Once he had that done we proceeded into the anchorage where the fishing fleet was. Trying to check in turned into a nightmare for Gil. Over a four day period he tried to check in unsuccessfully. The language barrier proved too much for us so we fueled up on $1.08 per gal of diesel and headed out to sea again. We continued to bash against the wind and waves, with more squalls hitting us. After a few days of being really miserable I called it quits and told Gil I wanted to go back. Coming back was not the most pleasant trip Gil and I have ever had. As a matter of fact four letter words were said by both of us.

Once we got back to Balboa Gil scheduled another canal crossing to get Endorfin into Shelter bay Marina and dry-dock. And as quickly as we could we went home to Canada. While we were at home in Canada Gil and I did a lot of talking. We decided to try crossing the pacific again, but this time we would do it at a better time of year and with an extra person on board so fatigue wouldn’t be so bad. Guy his son would join us at Shelter Bay in January.

In the meantime we got married on September 4^th in our backyard with friends and family attending. It was a beautiful ceremony and once it was done Gil and I got into full gear getting ready to go back to Endorfin. It was wonderful being home with family and friends, but truly we both wanted to get on with the journey again. Dreams need to be fulfilled.

Gil and I arrived back in Panama on November 5^th to a boat that had sat for months in a humid environment. It took us over three weeks to make it live able again. The whole time the clock was ticking with marina and hotel fees. We lost thousands of dollars because of mold damage and rust. On the plus side, we met old friends again and made new ones while we were there.

Gil and I chose not to go on a honeymoon while we were in Canada, instead we would spend time in Kuna Yala. We did spend a lot of time there so we decided to explore it more as our honeymoon. Guy would join us at Shelter bay in January.

2010-10-05T00:45:00.002-04:00

Finally going in the water.

Endorfin going back in the water

2010-10-03T12:59:00.001-04:00

Endorfin gets her facelift

2010-10-03T12:36:00.006-04:00

When Tara left us it was time to put Endorfin on the hard and give her a facelift. And seeing we were in Cartegena the capitol of facelifts, what better place to do it.Gil contracted a fellow called Flavite to do the work and he and his crew came in and stripped the hull and topsides regelcoated her and made her sparkle like a shiney new penny.While we were here a movie crew came in and shot a few scenes for a Columbian soap opera our boat is in the scenes we were not offered any acting jobs. After six weeks in a very dusty work yard it was time to get back in the water and continue on with our journey.

Tara at the Rosario's

2010-10-03T11:41:00.003-04:00

Tara with the bay monkey that escaped his cage. Tara and myself in front of the naval museum in Cartegena

Dolfin show at Rosario's

|Tara visit's to Columbia

2010-10-03T10:27:00.004-04:00

Gilbert returned to Cartegena with our daughter Tara as a surprise for me. She spent two weeks of great weather on Endorfin. Tara got to explore the old city, go to the locals market (baserto) She played volley ball on the beach on Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's. Then we headed to the Rosario's. After a nice little day sail we anchored on the south side of Isla Rosario. One of the first things we did was take Tara snorkeling. There are plenty of wonderful coral formations around the islands here to explore. On one of our snorkeling ventures Tara and I followed Gil while he scubaed a coral wall. It is pretty neat following him and having his bubbles surrounding us as we snorkeled. We spent a few hours walking around the aviary on the large island. On an island on the north side of us ocean aquarium. They put on a spectacular dolphin show for us. We arrived for the early show on advise from our friends on Basjako. It got very crowded with Colombian tourists quickly and the aquarium featured rays,a nurse shark show turtles and a very large variety of fish . All too soon we had to head back to Cartegena so Tara wouldn't miss her flight home to very cold Canada. I hope that more of our family and friends will come for a visit with us on the Endorfin.

New Years Cartagena

2010-03-04T05:52:00.003-05:00

New Years eve was different for me this year, I went to the town of Trabaco with three other couples. Kathy and Dan Suzy and John plus Jan and Bill. We stayed in this picturesque Spanish style hotel outside of the town of Trabaco. During the afternoon there was a bullfight taking place. This one was a little different because it is and audience participation event, if you want you can go in the arena and run with the bulls when they are let out. Which meant in this case, a lot of people try not to get gored or run over by the bulls. The arena is a huge wooden contraption with at least six mariachi brass bands playing loudly and a huge crowd of people in the arena and the stands yelling and having a great time as they antagonize the bull into cashing them around the ring. After several bulls were let out we went into town to watch the fireworks and mingle in the crowds in the main square. It seems that every one in the countryside came out to the festival and set up a booth of some sort. Food, games of chance, beer, and children's games, with a large smattering of souvenirs , And then the fireworks. They do not hold back on fireworks it just goes on and on through out the night.

CARTAGENA COLUMBIA

2010-03-04T04:05:00.004-05:00

Our arrival in Cartagena took place in the late afternoon. By the time we motored into the very large and well marked harbor it was dark. My only concern had been a shoal near the entrance of the anchorage, which turned out to have a large well lit monument on it. We chose to anchor near the container docks and a large dock that accommodated extra cruise ships. Once we checked into the country Gil and I set out to explore the the Old City. It is walking into the past in a Spanish city. Cobblestone streets lined with three story buildings with bougainvillea covered balconies cascading in pink and red. The city boasts a huge arts and music culture, while we were there they had a music festival and there were many art exhibits throughout the city. On any given day there is something of interest going on which is well advertised. Gil and I toured the naval museum and San Felipe Fort,who's fort walls extend around the old city. We also visited the museum of the Inquisition, to be accused of being a witch was not a good thing. When we arrived the Miss Columbia pageant was taking place. The Colombians take this very seriously. There is a week long festival with a huge parade, during which you have to arm yourself with cornstarch, powdered tempera paint, cans of foam and bags of water. All of these accoutrement's you use on all bystanders at the parade and all the open air festivities. Obviously old clothing is a must because you end up very decorated and drunk. Once the fanfare of the pageant was done the city moved on to getting ready for Christmas. During the preparation of this they have at least one to two day religious Holiday's every week and more festivals. Around this time Gil found out he had to travel back to Canada and I was left to babysit the boat on my own And let me tell you it was a hardship festivals,happy hour at a local Cantina every Wednesday, volleyball three times a week, plus an excursion to see a bullfight. Oh!, yeah did I tell you I drank sun downers on other boats every night. I barely had time to decorate the boat with Christmas lights and entertain old friends and the new ones I had met. Seriously the harbor was beautiful at night there were many sailboats that lit up their lights and with the lights from the city it was a fairyland. During Christmas week the boating community organized a Christmas Ball with dinner and dancing, Everyone dugout their evening apparel and traded in their flip flops for dancing shoes. Christmas Day was a little lonely with Gil still in Canada but I was invited to breakfast on Christmas morning aboard Caborat. Suzy and John made an exellant meal and then we all had to get busy with cooking our dishes for the potluck Christmas dinner we were having in Old Town at a hostil. The hostil is owned by the same woman who owns the marina that we used. Chandelara was gracious and let us use her facilities. She decorated it beautifully with flowers and candlelight. After that a group of us went to a Small town named Trabaco to celebrate New years Eve.

Tara's visit to Cartagena

2010-03-01T08:53:00.002-05:00

Aquarium at the Rosario Islands Columbia

2010-03-01T08:38:00.002-05:00

Miss Columbia parade

2010-03-01T08:23:00.005-05:00

San Blas Islands

2010-02-20T05:35:00.004-05:00

From Portebello we headed for the San Blas Islads. This is a chain islands of that belong to an indigenous people called the Kuna Indians. They revolted against the Panama government and won their Independence to govern themselves totally. Each island has a counsel that decides how they will live. Most of the Kuna have chosen to live traditionally They live in palm thatched houses. They are not allowed to marry outside of their race or they must leave. The family group is ruled by the women and they are the ones who decide who they want to marry. The men spend most of their time on the water fishing or collecting coconuts from the hundreds of islands. Everything on each island belongs to someone even a coconut that has fallen from a tree. Permission must be asked to gather anything. While we were there the kunas would come to our boat to trade. They are quite resourceful, they had fish ,lobster, crab,coconuts and a small variety of fruits and vegetables. One fellow even had a fuel delivery service. For a small fee he would bring you diesel or gas on the promise he would bring it the next day. Of course it came two days latter but it came. Almost every island we went to the village women would come out to us in their kayos(canoes) with hand stitched molas. These are intricately stitched layered embroidery of Kuna life. The best ones are made by men who are transvestites. The Kuna are very tolerant about about sexual preferences. Some of the islands have allowed the modern world to influence their way of life but the majority are only subsistence living and they seem to get along fine. They take care of their resources and do not like waste of any kind, for example If they need one fish for dinner that is all they catch.The water around each island is crystal clear you can see forty feet to the bottom. Our snorkeling trips were fantastic. There is an abundance of tropical fish and a great variety of coral and sea life. Our anchorages were idyllic almost every island had a very protected lagoon. Although the anchorages are great the thunderstorms here are awesome, during one at the swimming hole we witnessed a waterspout, and the dummies we are including the other sailboats that were there , we all got our cameras out instead of trying to get out of the way. Fortunately the spout past us on the other side of the island. Gil and I slowly made our way to Cartagena Columbia leaving the beautiful waters of the San Blas behind us. Our arrival into the harbor was uneventful. It is well a marked channel that is very large. the harbor itself is huge and takes some time to get to the anchorage. We arrived in the late afternoon to a sprawl ling cosmopolitan city and a huge Spanish fort wall surrounding the old part of the city. It was like seeing the past and the present at the same time.

Panama

2010-02-20T04:53:00.005-05:00

Moving on from Bacas Del Torro

2010-02-14T05:30:00.003-05:00

Gil and I finally left the harbor of Bacas Del Torro on a clear and sunny day. Our chosen anchorage for the night was Toby agian. We both wanted to see our friend Jose one more time before we moved on. His son came out to the boat and informed us that his father was visiting his daughter in Almirante. Although we were disappointed we got to chat with his son Jorge and we left a message with him for his dad. as soon as he lft the boat we wre surrounded by the many children from the village once again looking for treats. Gil in his usually gruff way doled out some candies and off they went. The next morning we set off for Esqudo De Veragua. This time the wether was fair and the ancorage was rolly but comfortable enough to stay a couple of days and explore the island on the west side. The Ngoby Indians had set up their fishing camp while we were there, so we got a first hand look at how they make a living. The camp consists of a half a dozen palm roofed huts with a small tienda with some supplies for sale. Every morning they set out in their dugout canoes. They either fish with a hand line or dive for lobster or crab and at the end of the day they send their catch back by launch to the main land to be sold. We bought some lobster for our dinner our final night there. Our next destination was the Rio Chagres. We spent a day and night sailing, to arrive at daybreak in the mouth of the river. The zipper broke on our bimini during the night, of course it was raining when it happened. A little wet and tired we dropped our anchor in the mouth and made a few repairs to the bimini. Once that was done it was a leisurely motor up the river. Panama has a diverse population of wildlife. We could hear the howler monkeys in the tree canopy as we motored along. Green Amazon parrots,toucans and a myriad of other birds. The sides of the river is a cascade of vegetation which is in full bloom in pinks and lavender colors. The vines drape off of the massive trunks of old growth trees and hang just above the river. And from these iguanas and other lizards forage for food. There are crocodiles in the river, but we never saw any. We made our way up to the dam at the end of the river. The dam provides hydro electric power and is essential for the lake level at the canal, which is about a half hour walk from the dam. The Panama Canal in operation is one of the most fascinating things I have seen. Incredible amounts of fresh water are pumped in to convey large freighters through the lock systems. I will give you full details when we go through. It was a pleasant four days on the river exploring and using all the fresh water we wanted for cleaning. Shelter Bay Marina was our next stop. This is situated in the bay of Colon and you have to share the waterway with an incredible number of freighters. Going through the shipping channel you feel pretty small with all the big boys around you. As we passed into the channel we hung to the right and went into Shelter Bay. The marina is one of only two places that a small boat can stay in the canal area. We spent the week there and made forays into the town of Colon for supplies to see us through the San Blas Islands. I would have liked to go into Panama City but we shall be returning and I will get my opportunity then. The marina is one of the nicest we have been to but really expansive. While staying there some of our friends from Bocas Dal Torro came in and it was like old home week. Linda and Rich from the sailing vessel Wild Goose Two, Jean Pierre and Danna on Nikan, and Bill and Jan from Foreigner. One of the best things is meeting up with the people you have met and trading stories of your travels. And of course the it gives you and opportunity to have a few beers while doing so. Gil checked us out through the agent in the marina office and we headed for the San Blas. The day we left it started to get nasty out there so we turned around and went back in and anchored in the flats for the night. The flats is the other area you can stay, it is also the staging area for the canal. The next day we left and made it to a bay called Portebello. We had decided not to go into the bay of Linton because we had heard about a boat boarding in the middle of the night there. A sail boat was boarded and the couple on board were unhurt but robbed. Portebello is a very old, dating back to the 15 hundreds, with and old Spanish fort around the perimeter of the bay. Some of the houses are built into the wall itself. During our stay the town was celebrating a religious holiday. The crucifixion of the black Christ. Yes! In the church there is a black Christ on the cross. The population is a majority of the product of the slaves that were brought there and a mix of Spanish decent. The celebration itself was a week long event, with religious pageantry, lots of food and drinks and music. People from all over the country travelled to make the pilgrimage by the bus loads. The buses here in central South America are very different from north American bus lines. They are decorated on the inside with curtains (swags) and almost always have really loud Spanish music playing. The outside is almost always painted with some sort of regilious theme and prayers. and the drivers have a rosary haging somewhere from the dashboard. And most of the drivers make the sign of the cross before they begin to drive. While we were here we met up with Mike Riley from the sailboat Bo Soliel he had been waiting for his wife Karen to come back from Africa. Karen had spent two months with a girl friend doing aid work there. He was due to get to Panama in a few days to meet her flight, and then they would continue on through the canal into the Pacific. I am hoping to meet them somewhere on the other side when we cross over. They are an extremelly nice couple and we have had many pleasant times with them. Well bye for now and hopfully tomorrow I shall post some of the many pictures I have taken.

Babet's Birthday at marina Cerenero

2009-07-10T15:57:00.007-04:00

Socializing at Marina Carenero

2009-07-10T15:45:00.004-04:00

Hurricane season in Bocas Del Toro

2009-07-10T14:31:00.005-04:00

I have been a little busy while Gil is back in Canada. I work on a project on the boat and then I socialize with the people in the marina. Saturday we have a potluck dinner in the common area, and Sunday is dominos. And every day we have a happy hour at 5 p.m., which means I drink a lot of beer. On Tuesday's the ladies on boats hold a lunch at a different restaurant each week. And Wednesday you go to the Calypso cantina at Bocas marina for chicken fried chicken and Friday you go back for their barbecued spareribs. On any given night of the week you can get into a game of texas hold-em. There are birthday parties and get together for volleyball, bachi, and all of the national holidays. And Panama has a lot of holidays. I have met so many people here some are new to me and others I have met in other anchorages before. It is really nice meeting up with people you have gotten to know somewhere else. There is someone always leaving and someone new coming into the harbor. I am starting to count the days when Gil will get back so I don't have to take care of the batteries and mechanical stuff on board. And I shall be forced to cook. Cooking for one is boring. And also it will mean we shall be leaving for some great new places with wonderful views and sunsets. They say that it is the rainy season here , but so far it only rains about once a week. And this is alright with me, the temperatures are usually in the high eighties to ninety.

Carenero Marina

2009-05-23T15:30:00.007-04:00

Gil's shark caught off Panama

2009-05-23T08:24:00.002-04:00

Gil likes to get up close and personal with his catch.

More pictures of Bastimentos Gil relaxing on the beach

2009-05-23T08:08:00.003-04:00

flowers to die for

2009-05-23T07:58:00.003-04:00

Red Frog Beach on Isla Bastimentos another little bit of paradise.

Isla Bastimentos Panama

2009-05-23T07:43:00.005-04:00

Fishing was good

2009-04-09T12:28:00.003-04:00

2009-04-09T12:21:00.000-04:00

San Andres to Bocas Del Toro

2009-04-09T12:17:00.000-04:00

San Andres Columbia

This island has been a wonderful experience for us. The people we have met here, the locals and the other yaughties have given us some pleasant memories. Gil and I had made friends with Peri and his girlfriend Paulette who we met at Nenes Marina. Peri keeps his boat at a slip, which he rents out, to tourists. He also has a couple of vans he uses for tour groups and gives well-organized and knowledgeable details about the island. Peri spent a few years working in Calgary to finance his business. He bought two wave runners and a couple of vans loaded them on a ship, brought them to the island, and set up shop. I spent a day shopping with Paulette while the boys went and did guy stuff. It was nice having Paulette show me where all the good buys in town were. Most of the time I end up buying something that is cheaper at another shop. Marcel and Celine Dionne (not that Celine) are a Canadian couple from Sarnia Ontario on board the Sailing vessel Alley Cat. They had come from the San Blas islands on their way to Florida, where they will leave their boat and fly home for the summer.

April 2 2009: After spending more than two weeks on this wonderful island, Gil and I decided to head down to Bocas Del Toro Panama. The weather was calling for light winds from the east and slightly south with small wave heights. At 11 in the morning after a leisurely breakfast, we pulled up the anchor and got under way. As usual, the wind is not what was forecasted and is more south so it was on our nose. We motored all day and into the night. The trip to Bocas is almost 200 nautical miles. We averaged 5 knots an hour, which is good for us and we should arrive in the morning of the second day. Our evening meal was easy to prepare because the sea was very calm and the boat was almost upright. Life on board a sailboat is laid back if the weather is nice; Gil and I take 3-hour watches alternately, while one of us sleeps, the other person keeps the boat on its heading. Most of the time you can read or keep yourself busy with a small chore that can be done in the cockpit.

April 3 2009: The second day of our two-day journey to Bocas Del Toro was going well until the wind died off, and our wind vane steering could not work. Therefore, we turned our electric autopilot on, put out a fishing line and we were cruising at four and a half knots an hour. About twenty minutes later, we caught a small shark. Gil had a wonderful fight and getting it on board was comical because I was so squeamish about having a shark on the deck. The darn thing was not giving up the fight and Gil had to subdue it with very little help from me (I used the wussy girl card and it does work). I quickly scanned my seafood recipe book to see if I had a recipe for shark meat. Moreover, there were several so Gil had to clean it instead of throwing it back. Later in the afternoon I laid down for a nap and about an hour later Gil woke me up to tell me we had to steer by hand the rest of the way. Our autopilot died. Nothing Gil tried to fix it worked so we decided to do one-hour shifts at the helm. At least it was a nice night with no wind or waves other than being tired we arrived at the entrance of the channel by morning. Getting in is very easy with a well marked channel right to the town of Bocas. As soon as our anchor was, set Karen and Mike from the sailboat Beau Soliel came over to welcome us to the harbor and to inform us about a new marina, which was having a grand opening barbeque that afternoon. The red frog marina and wildlife reserve was offering complimentary dock space, beverages and food, well, almost every sailboat on the hook in the anchorage set off towards hospital bight for the occasion. Gil and I decided to check in a after we repositioned ourselves next to a dock and free drinks. As soon as our anchor was up the port captain and his entourage showed up next to our boat. We told them we were going to the new marina and we would check in there. As soon as we got there, we checked into the country of Panama and headed posthaste to the bar. The Red Frog marina is a spectacular place, the main dock is large enough to drive golf carts on it with finger docks that have lots of space between them for large boats. There is a nice clubhouse close to the docks with amenities planned for the future. The whole place was planned to have vacation homes in a rainforest setting and three of the most beautiful beaches on the north side of the peninsula make it postcard perfect. Gil and I walked to the beach the next morning through lush verdant forest that is very cool even though it had become extremely hot. The beaches are famous for the turtles, which come to lay eggs on them. As you walk through the forest paths, you hear all the birds in the treetops. We passed bamboo stands, banana trees bearing fruit, many varieties of bird of paradise, and large trees covered with vines most women pay lots of money to have in their homes. This place would be a place I would come to for a nice vacation it looks like it will become a five star vacation place. Oh and by the way it is called the red frog because of the little red frogs, they are a protected species and brilliantly colored.

More pictures

2009-03-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

San Andres

2009-03-26T16:24:00.002-04:00

We have made friends with another Canadian couple Marcelle and Celine on the S/V Alley Cat. We have traded information with each other. They are heading north to Canada and us to Panama. hopefully we shall meet them in our travels again.

Media Luna and San Andres

2009-03-26T15:54:00.007-04:00

Gil and I spent a couple more days in Cayos Cajones and sailed to Media Luna another set of cays in the same reef system about 20 miles further south. This is where we bid Karen and Mike fairwell and continued to Providencia. as luck would have it the wind was on our nose so we changed course and headed to San Andres, which took a total of two days to get to. But it has been worth the head winds to get to. Checking into the island is a little different here. You must go through an agent who does all you paper work for you. If you do it any where else in South America it takes a couple of hours maybe. Here it takes Rene two to three days and one hundred and four dollars. And sometimes he is on time for your appointment. Oh well! The island is worth spending time in Beautiful beaches and great diving and snorkeling. You can rent a golf cart of scooters and do your own thing going around the island. Or hire a guide to take you on a tour. If you go on your own most people can tell you where the attractions are and how to get there. All of the people here are very friendly and courteous. Just before we anchored on our first day here we sailed into a group of spinner dolphins who gave us a spectacular show . there are plenty of things going on at this beautiful island paradise and I don't know if we can get them all in before we leave.

More pics

2009-03-26T15:46:00.004-04:00

More pictures in Guanaja and Cyos Cojones

Guanaja to Cayos Cajones (Hobbies)

2009-03-26T13:58:00.003-04:00

January 16, 2009. While we were waiting for our transmission parts to arrive, Gil and I have been exploring the Island of Guanaja. The snorkeling is fantastic here; the reef extends all around the island. On the inside, there are wonderful coral formations from brain to tubes, with lobsters hiding in the crannies and all kinds of small colorful fish swimming around amongst the undulating coral fans. We have spotted moray eels, grouper, snapper, angelfish, parrotfish, and a myriad of other sea life. On the outside most of the reef falls off in a steep wall to about 80 feet. There are a couple of dive shops here and Gil went out with one that is operated by a Canadian fellow by the name of Bill. He was impressed with the pinnacle and has promised to take me to the site the next time we go for a dive. Because we have spent so much time here, I have gotten to know many of the local residents and have been socializing with the women of the island. On one occasion, I was invited to a horticultural scavenger hunt, which means you go from one woman’s home to another have refreshments take a tour of her garden and collect clippings for your own garden. The next day we walked the beach on the north side of island and collected sea beans for jewelry. We ate lunch at Bo’s Green Flash Bar and then drank beer while we sat in the ocean to cool off. I had so much fun I did it again the next day with a group of women on the other sailboats in the harbor and we went to the small waterfall. Almost every Saturday Gil and I go to the Manatee Restaurant for drinks and the dinner special. On Thursdays, the supply boat comes in with fresh fruit and vegetables from the mainland. It is nice outing where you run into everyone getting his or her groceries for the week and it turns into a social affair. Pati from the sailing vessel Alpha Wave showed Kate and me how to make jewelry from the seeds and shells we collected. I hosted a bread making demonstration on our boat one day with two women from other boats that were having a difficult time making bread. Moreover, that day my own French bread recipe turned out perfectly. We also made cinnamon buns that had to be tasted as soon as they came out of the oven. Gil took me to the pinnacle for the dive he promised me. The top of the coral formation starts at about ten feet down and you descend to ninety feet around this huge mound of coral with crevasses you swim threw. There are tube corals that are a shade of transparent blue color and large fans that are purple. In addition, the best part Gil caught our dinner a mutton snapper. Leaving here is going to be a little harder than most places because we have made so many new friends. Our parts are due to arrive on the next supply boat once we have installed them and do a test run we shall be moving on to the Vivirillos and the Hobbies, a group of cays and reef at the upper eastern end of Honduras. There will be no internet until we get to San Andres or Isla De Providencia Columbia. Until then enjoy some of the pictures.

Feb.23 2009.

Left Guanaja at 6 am in company of Alfa Wave with Patti and Marc and another sailboat named Morning Star the captain’s name was Brad. The wind was out of the northeast with the expectations it would shift more to the north. As it turned out it stayed pretty much on our nose. We had a couple of squalls and we were motoring when our engine died Gil bleed the filter to no avail. The wave action had stirred up all dirt and water that had accumulated in the bottom of the tank. The decision was made to head back to Guanaja. As soon as we got into hailing distance with the VHF, we hailed Buea Soliel and they came out with the big boat, Loran, and Aliann from Lioness came out with their dinghy to tow us into the anchorage. It is good when you have made friends in the last harbor. The next morning Mike and Karen left for the Hobbies and I had to clean out the fuel tank on my birthday. The bright side of all of this I had another wonderful dinner of fillet mignon prepared by Klaus at the Manatee restaurant.

Feb. 25 2009.

The winds were predicted to come from the northeast light at 5 to 10 knots. Moreover, the waves 2 to 4 feet. HA! HA! On us, we spent the next 40 hours humping into 20 to 25 knots of wind and waves that were 8 to 10 feet getting to the Hobbies (Cayos Cajones), which are a group of small cays on the northeast corner of Honduras inside a large section of reef. Getting around this corner to go south is rather difficult because of the predominant east wind. The Spanish sailors called it Gracious Adios (Thank God). I now know what they meant. We dropped our anchor at 3:00 in the morning next to Mike and Karen on Beau Soliel. They had kept the light on just Motel 8. We spent the next two-days relaxing and snorkeling, with Mike and Karen, and exploring the small cay. I had to dry many things on the boat, it has a few leaks.

Mar. 2 2009.

Cayos Cajones. Because there was a northerly blow coming our way on Saturday, we moved about 15 miles to a more protected anchorage along the reef. There is a lovely curve in the reef that protects you in a north wind and inside there is another smaller reef just for good measure. All together, there were five boats in the anchorage when the cold front came in from the north. It blew a steady 20 to 25 knots of wind with gusts in the 40,s at times for two days. Before it came in Gil and I had a chance to do some snorkeling on the reef. I still cannot get over how very beautiful it is when you are down in the water. Karen and Mike spent the evening with us and had pizza and wine. We shall be travelling together down to Providencia, which is an island off the Nicaraguan coast but belongs to Columbia. I think they will stay there a while and visit with some friends who will be travelling there with their boat. From there Gil and I will head to Panama.

2009-01-06T12:23:00.001-05:00

our rainbow over our boat in Guanaja

Guanja christmas and new year

2009-01-06T11:48:00.004-05:00

Mike and Kylie from s/v Meggea, Gil and me, Me, Shirley and Tom Vacationing at Graham's Place, Graham's Cristmas tree.

Guanaja

2008-12-29T14:46:00.002-05:00

. The town of French Harbor is quaint and has many shops with a good supermarket that is well stocked. The island has a lot of condominiums and higher end vacation homes. The locals have a wide variety of people with different backgrounds. English and Spanish is spoken extensively through out the island. If you go west from French Harbor you will come to the large town of Coxen Hole, there is a very large supermarket and plenty of shops that have all kinds of things if you need them. One Saturday night Gil and I went into Coxen Hole to a nightclub with a local taxi. The fellow brought us through a very seedy part of town on very narrow streets and we almost decided to go back. Until we saw the place, it was a large establishment with lots of security guards (armed at the door with shotguns). They frisked Gil and made him pay to go in and I was allowed in free with no search, pretty cool. Just like in Cuba, the people here never get off the dance floor. Many of the people came over and introduced themselves to us wanting to know where we came from and shared a drink with us. Before we left I ordered a meal to go from the bars’ restaurant to go (standard thing we do when we are inebriated). We hailed a taxi, which already had three other people in it. One of our fellow travelers was a young man who upon smelling our chicken dinners told us he had not eaten in a couple of days. Gil and I proceeded to share our meal with him, the other couple, and the cab driver. I think we are officially on a diet. The next day was a little rough on us and we hung around the boat all day. During the afternoon a small motor boat with some young people where knee boarding around us. Herbert Woods and his cousin Joshua Woods came over and spoke to us. Herbert offered to come the next day so Gil could try out the sport. Gil is not so good at it but he did have fun trying. A couple of days later Herbert took Gil out deep seas fishing for the day. All he caught was a small barracuda and the day I went with them we ended up at a small key near the East end of Roatan that was so idyllic, postcard perfect, with one palm tree hanging over the water. There is one other person I need to mention, Mr. Sherman Arch, he runs a small wildlife habitat at French Harbor. For a few dollars, you can tour his establishment and see iguanas, parrots, rabbits, monkeys, turtles, sharks and other fish. He lets the yachters tie up there dinghies to his dock and like almost everyone on the island will offer you a ride somewhere if he is driving by. Herbert WoodsGil after he was dumped off the kneeboard. Joshua Woods. Day trip with Herbert going through a mangrove canal on Roatan.

Gil in the stream on the north side of Guanaja.Gil, Kylie, Mike at Christmas party at Manatee in Guanaja a small Key we visited on the east end of Roatan. Our favorite Person HO HO HO.Me and Gil still hung over from Christmas Eve. Manatee Restaurant.

Sunday December 13 2008. We hosted anchor at 7am and headed to Guanaja. The wind was from the northeast a light 5-8 knots; we motored with our sails up. We at least tried to look like we were sailing, good old fake-o-sail it will fool a lot of people but not real sailors. We dropped our anchor at 2pm behind Dunbar rock. Meeting everyone in the harbor was our first priority. Kylie and Mike on Meggie, Joe and Helen on Déjà Vu, Eric an Carol on Driftwood, Benita and Bill on Elinringre. Then all of the wonderful people who live on the Island itself. One couple who live there are Kathy and Jim, they have a nice place on the south side of Guanaja in front of Dunbar Rock. They moved there about 15 years ago when Jim retired from a demolition company he ran. Their property has many tropical fruit trees and numerous flowering shrubs and plants, a horticultural dream. Near the top of their property is a swimming pond that used to be a fresh water source. The Island has approximately 25 natural springs fed from the mountains and the municipality uses them as their water source. Some of these streams from the mountains have waterfalls on them. The island has a man made canal cut through it so you can easily get from the south side to the north side in a small boat. As you go through it, you notice the devastation hurricane Mitch did to the island. Some of the mountains are starting to get a good growth of trees on them. Gil and I were shown pictures of after the hurricane, every leaf was gone and many old growth trees were destroyed. The island has recovered but it needs more time, the animal life needs to repopulate. We spent Christmas Day at the Manatee Restaurant with fellow sailors, locals and expatriates from Germany and the US. You can celebrate the holidays without snow and it still feels like Christmas. The meal was lovely, everyone brought a dish and Kathy and Jim provided the Turkey. Graham at his Island resort at Joshes Key will host New Year. Graham has decorated his island with 60,000 lights.

French Harbor Roatan

2008-12-03T21:22:00.002-05:00

November 22 2008. I waited toll 7 am and hialed Tom on the VHF and found out he had lost his dinghy during the night. A short ride in our dink around the bay and we found his dinghy. Some locals had brought it to shore and waved us in when they saw us looking around. We got under way and arrived at the Ilsand of Roatan inthe early afternoon. During our stay there we hung around with Tom and fellow sailors in the anchorage. Karen and Mike on Beau Soleil. And Mike and Gloria on Winfree. Mike and Karen have went around twice and once on a sailboat that had no motor. Mike was very helpful showing us how to use our new SSB radio for weather reports and communicating with other sailors. On Thanksgiving day Mike and Gloria Invited us to share thier meal with them Turkey and all of the timmings. What a wonderful life we lead. The town of French harbor has a great supermarket with plenty of supplies from everywhere. The island has plenty of higher end vacation homes and condos. Gil Myself and Tom and a girl named Debra went for a dive off the Fantasy Island resort . The site we went to has a sunken tug and a plane there is a large reef with plenty of spectaular corals and marine life. There is a miriade of tube, fan, brain coral. The resort here lets the sailors use the wifi and they have peacocks and this funny looking animal that looks like a giant guinepig. You can get great videos of your dive to watch at the bar tv. On one of our Trips to the island we went into the town of Coxen Hole it is a larger town than French Harbor with more amenities. We will be leaving here as soon as the cold fronts pass and get on to Guanaja.

Utilla

2008-12-03T21:14:00.002-05:00

Bad weather set in for a few days so we sat around the boat and read alot. During the the day we started to drag our anchor so we pulled it up and moved to a better area of the harbor with a lee shore for protection. We have bumped into Dicky a few more times in town. A new sail boat anchored next to us today. The vessels name is Rock and Roll owned by Tom from California. We decided to buddy boat with Tom to Roatan. Hopefully the sail will be okay because another front is coming in on Sunday and Roatan has good protection.

Bay Island Honduras

2008-12-03T20:52:00.002-05:00

November 14 2008. Once we were out of the bay and headed around the point we past numerous bays that resembled large Kathy's Coves at Aubry. The mist was stating to burn off and the sun streaked through it with shots of gold. A pod of dolphins joined us this morning and did their usuall dance in front of the bow. We arrived in the Island of Utilla on flat blue seas. Beautiful!Seventeen miles away to the south the mounians of the mainland jut up into the air . They are so massive you can see them on a hazy day from the island. Entering into the East Bay was relativily easy. It is wide open with 50 ft of water under us in the entrance. The harbor is a halfmoon shape with fairly new and colorful buildings dive shop and resturaunts. After setting the hook we went into the town for dinner. While strolling along we met up with a couple we met in the Dulce. Richard and Gerra are on a catamaran from Holland. The island is a scuba divers playground with over 60 dive sites from shallow to deep dives with massive coral walls,shipwrecks and whale sharks. Gil and i walked the town edge for about 3 hours. The primary busness here is tourism. All the supplies come from the mainland. English is spoken here and meals and beverages are relatively cheap. The money is the Lemperes, 1 dollar gives you 18 Lemps.During our lunch on a balcony restuarnt we met Dicky. A nice fellow from Texas, his parents immigrated from Honduras before he was born. He came here to the island to dive and meet relatives he had never met.

Bay Island Honduras

2008-12-03T20:33:00.002-05:00

November 12 2008. Wayed anchor at 5 am It looked like it would rain. By 10 am the water was alost flat and a beautiful azure blue. Guatemala had been left behind and we were in Hondurian water Our course was parrelall with the shipping lane. Kuring the morning we spotted 4 frieghters and a US Coast Guard cutter. Looking at the coastline in the distance you can see Honduras has a rugged mountianous terrian similar to Guatemala.At 2 pm Gil decided he didn't like the noise coming from the prop shaft. So we stopped and he dove in to see if anything was loose. 10 minutes later we were under way agian with only about 10 miles to go to our next anchorage. The anchor was set in the Bay of Honduras in a large harbor called Puerto Es Con Dido. There were craggy mountians in the entrance with a few outcroppings of rock to go through, but once we were inside it opened up to this idylic bay that was protected on all sides. Our anchor was dropped in fifteen feet of crystal clear water. About 20 minutes later three young boys who were fishing outside of the bay came in to visit us. My sanish is poor but we communicated well enough. After the boys left Gil and I went for a small dinghy tour around the harbor. Sunset was pleasant with a couple sundowners while we listended to the howler monkeys in the tree canopy until the went ot sleep.

Livingston Guatemala

2008-12-03T20:12:00.002-05:00

November 12 2008. After the fisherman came into the anchorage Gil went over and got us some fresh shrimp for the freezer. Once they were cleaned we headed into Livingston to clear out. We were a little bit worried because we lost or misplaced or entry papers. With thoughts of steep fines and extra paper work we entered the Port Captians office and found out everything was cocumented on their computer. Whew! From there it was top immigration and then to Customes. Wxcept they had gone to lunch a little bit early so we spent 1 and half hours chatting with a fellow by the name of Gerry. Gerry was originly from Australia and about 21 years ago was visiting Livingston when he met the love of his life at a resturant there and never left. He and his wife operate a tour business now. Once we got our clearance papers we pulled up our hook and went about 10 miles to Punta Manabique int the shelter of the Peninsula. We doupp our anchor around 6pm. The moon was full with a star filled sky and it was wonderful to have the open water around us.

Good by to Guatemala

2008-12-03T19:53:00.003-05:00

We said our goodbyes to the good people at Mar Marina. Scarlet the spanish and english speaking manager talked Gilbert into buying suction cups so I can clean the bottom of the boat easier. The day was sunny and hot as we motored through the Golfete towards Livingston. Gil had a few minor ajustments to do on the new propeller shaft he installed and we were on our way. As we left the Golfete and entered the Rio Dulce you could feel the rythem of the river. Poeple in their pangas fishing with nothing more than a hook and line some for sustanance and some for income. It is a simple way of life and the people we saw looked happy. Coming into Livingston my heart was filled with well being when I saw the expanse of open water in the Caribean. I missed this alot in the Rio where we were closed in by the mountians and the water was a dirty green color. Out in the open waters there is a nice breeze even when it is hot.

2008-11-29T18:35:00.002-05:00

Underway our first pictures under sail. Beach in Utilla.

2008-11-29T18:19:00.002-05:00

Lighthouse Hotel. Our new friend Dickie. Plaque in front of the local church. Entrance of the town park. Downtown on the main street.

2008-11-29T17:58:00.002-05:00

Harbor off the North coast of Honduras

Trees on the side of the cliff in the harbor we stayed at over night. Lots of Howler monkeys in them. Golfete with the mountians of Guatamala in the background. Guatamalans' fishing on the river.

Tikal Guatemalla

2008-10-31T16:41:00.002-04:00

Gil at the top of temple five,is he knocked up or just fat?

Kathy Just needs to diet more and climb more ruins. Entrance to a chamber in a ruin. Is it a death chamber or Just a bedroom?

Jill climbing the stairway to heaven!!!

The central hall in our hotel open to the sky and it gets wet when it rains.

Tikal Guatemalla

2008-10-31T16:05:00.005-04:00

Birds nests called aerail pendulas, and a round stella, veiw from temple number five,kurt Myself and Jill ,and Main square plaza.

Gil holding the way open.

Top of temple number five.

Mayan ceremony.

Temple in the main square.

Downtown Flores island.

Breakfast at hotel Peten, Flores.

Tikal Guatemalla

2008-10-28T10:29:00.001-04:00

Tikal Guatemalla

2008-10-19T11:51:00.002-04:00

After checking out of the hotel Peten we set off for Tikal. The highway winds through the mountians with panoramic views of the country side that are spectaular. It is verdent and lush with small villages dotting the road side. All of the villages have roadside vendors that are prepared to sell crafts , vegtables and local foods that are simple but good. Once you arrive at the gates of the park you recieve a ticket and then you proceed up the highway and it is dotted with wildlife crossing signs jaguar, deer, monkey, peacock, and snake. The park was bustling with local people of Maya dissent. There was some kind of religious ceramony going on in the main square of the temples. A large fire had been built and there some kind of preists giving offerings and annointing people by spraying them will an alcoholic beverage. Once that was preformed the person would toss an offering of their own into the flames,grain corn , or tobacco seemed to be the preferred offering. The pyramids were spaced apart from each other at considerable distances, with alot of walking through the jungle with paths that meander to the next temple. All of the temples were unique in someway. Some were very high with steep inclines and others were flattened out at their summits with platforms, and large vistas of the surrounding areas . Gil and I with Kurt and Jill limbed the last temple to the top via a stairway that zigzaged back and forth to the top. There were plenty of rest stops made because of the heat and the humidity. But the view from the top was worth every step. Once we descended it was time for a beverage break at the little tiendo they had at the base of the pyramid the beer was ie cold and wonderful. The rest of the day was spent walking through the shaded paths with monkeys swinging in the tree tops as we passed through. All of the temlpes were moss covered with ferns and creeping vines growing on them. They were quite different from the ruins in Mexico and yet alot of the carvings on the stone tablets had similar hyrogliphics depicted on them. One of our last stops on the tour was their museum. As you go down the path to it you see areo pendula, which are a birds nest tha hang from the tree branches. And the path to the museum has orchids growing from the wooden handrails on them. Inside there were artifacts of jade jewellery, obsidan arrowheads and pottery with intricate designs on them. There were the remains of one of the kings who had ruled at the time on his body there was approximitly 16 ppounds of jade jewellery. It was a wonderful day of exploring and the ride back to Flores had ingredable veiw of the lake as we were coming down the mountian. It looked like the view from Montreal river hill. Absolutely breath taking. If you are down this way it is a must see place.

Tikal Guatemalla

2008-10-19T08:53:00.002-04:00

Gil and I met a really nice couple ,who had drove across Guatemalla from the Pacific side. They were staying at the marina hotel for a night And then the two of them were heading to Tikal and then to Belize. Jill and Kurt Strecker turned out to be a very interesting couple,they have bought their first boat and learned how to sail it and then went through the Panama Canal. We invited to travel along with Jill and Kurt to Tikal .They would continue on their way and we would come back to the Rio by bus. Anyway we all piled into a small rental car and drove up into the mountains to a town called Flores. The attraction was to stay at a hotel on a man made island. It is hard to believe now that tis quaint town was once"Tayasal"-the ceremonial and political center of the powerful Maya Itsa confederation. In 1542 Hernan Cortes arrived . In 1697 Martin de Urzua y Arismendi conquered the last independent Maya stat and captured Itza king Canek. The Spanish built a fort on the Island because it was easier to defend and fewer biting bugs than on the mainland. Flores was named after Cirilo Flores who was a political leader and was lynched in Quetzaltenango. But before that it was called Nuestra senora de los Remedios y San Pablo de Itza and then it was called Devil's Island when it had a prison built on it. All in all it is quaint with its gaily colored buildings and cobblestone streets.The hotel was called Hotel Peten and it was very large with three large beds and a small balcony looking out on the water. We ate fairly good food at reasonable priceses. As soon as we found out that they turned the electricity off in the hotels at Tikal we returned to Flores and the hotel Peten for our second night.

Children's Day at the park

2008-10-06T08:44:00.005-04:00

today they had a celebration to honor the children here. There were games and a pinada for the kids It was very simple but the children had a blast all they do id smile all of the time. I spent a little time taking some photos and if they catch you takeing their pic they stop smiling and pose very seriously. It's rather hard to get a natural pose. Bye for now.

Back home in Guatemalla

2008-09-24T20:13:00.003-04:00

Spent the majority of the day on airplanes getting back here and tomorrow we shall be travelling by bus down the mountians to the Rio Dulce. Our first thing to do is tour the Mayan ruin Tikal. After that we will be preparing the boat for our Journey to the Panama canal.

Had a good summer in Canada

2008-09-17T15:28:00.005-04:00

We had a wonderful time back home in Canada but it is time go go home to the Endorfin. The hurricane season is almost over and we have most of our parts for the boat. Our flights are on the 24th of sept. When we get back the first thing we do is go to the Mayan ruin TikKal. And then we shall get to the business of leaving for the Panama Canal.

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Mar Marina on the Rio Dulce

2008-08-23T21:26:00.000-04:00

The lake has a wonderful Spanish fort that is well worth seeing. With a number of iron and bronze cannons the Spanish had used for fortification. The grounds were well kept and nicely manicured with lots of park area to walk around and enjoy. We only had a few weeks there before we flew back to Canada for the hurricane season. Rather than stay during their rainy season we decided to spent the summer at home in the Soo. We flew out on June 27 and our flights back were on Sept. 10.

Traveling up the Rio Dulce

2008-08-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

On the way there is a limestone cliff that previous sailors have written their boat names and dates when they sailed by it. It is a busy river with numerous watercrafts plying the waters. Every thing from tour boats to pangas cruise up and down the river. The trip takes most of the day to get to the lake, which are ringed with cloud-covered mountains. Once there we took a few days to find a marina to dock the boat. All of the marinas have a flare to them with different amenities. Mar Marina was the one we chose it had security guards at night the dockage was well spaced, laundry, showers, cable television, a restaurant and a marine hard ware store. The marina is situated on the opposite other side of the lake from the town with a bridge spanning it. Walking there does not take long and the view from the top is great. The town’s main street is also the highway and crossing it is tricky. You have to dodge street vendors, transports, gauchos, buses and tourists.

Belize to Guatemala

2008-08-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

We traveled two more days until we arrived in Guatemala at Livingston. The mouth of the Rio Dolce is situated there. Entering is a bit tricky because it has a sand bar that has a depth of five and a half feet. Going over it in the afternoon is advisable because the river runs out of the mouth higher. As soon as we anchored the Port Captain and his entourage came on board and began our clearing process. Later we went ashore and finished up the paper work. The Port Captain welcomed Gilbert to Guatemala when we told him it was his birthday. He also gave him a kiss and a hug. Livingston is a very pretty town with many colorful shops and a resort named Gil.
When in season the locals catch shrimp that is fairly inexpensive. We purchased jumbo shrimp in a bucket for about twenty dollars. Fresh Shrimp done in a tempura batter is incredible with ice cold beer. Two days later we started our journey up the Rio Dulce to Lake Isabelle. The river is very wide and in some place 80 feet deep. Going up the river is like going through the Grand Canyon only the walls are covered with jungle.

Mexico to Belize

2008-08-23T21:16:00.000-04:00

We set sail with some fellow cruisers we met while we were anchored in Isla Mujeres. Mike and Babet had a racing boat that they outfitted for cruising. Not only was it beautiful it was fast also. We set sail hours before them and they caught up in no time. We sailed to Cozumel together with a couple of other boats besides Babet and Mike. The next couple of days were spent touring the main attractions on the waterfront and getting to know Mike and Babet. Gil and I did our clearing out paper work in Cozumel and it is just as time consuming as clearing in. Once that was done, we headed south towards Belize. At one of our overnight anchorages, we ended up being stormed in for four days. The first named tropical storm came in and all we could do was play crib and do odd jobs around the boat until it was over. Once it cleared up, we took off again doing twenty to thirty mile jaunts down the coast until we reached Belize. Once In Belize we sailed inside the reef along the coast. Belize City was a very different experience. Most of the people speak English there. The city is teaming with people who will guide you or sell you handcrafts of artwork in one form or other. The taxi drivers know their stuff and can help you find what you want. We only spent a couple of days there and on of those days an island a culinary and drinks contest was going on. We were able to sample a lot of the Island cuisine and popular drinks. When we were checking out the food, we met a couple from Australia who vacationing at the hotel. Their home was in Cain’s Australia. They had come to Belize to dive the reef. The evening in their company was entertaining as they spoke to us about the harbor in Cain’s. They operate a dive boat and take people out to the Great Barrier Reef. One of the sites is an underwater volcano. I am sure Gil and I will take the opportunity to dive it when we arrive there. As the evening progressed, they spoke to us about the marinas and the services they provide for boaters. Apparently, they will move your boat up the rivers if you are away from your boat traveling. As it always happens, the evening was far too short. We were heading out in the morning so we exchanged addresses and went back to the boat, promising we would look them up. The morning brought fair weather with it and it turned out to be a nice sail to our next anchorage. The island had a fisherman’s station there so we dinghied to it. So far, we had not eaten any lobster yet and lobster season had just started. Enlisting the help of two fishermen for our next meal is Gil’s Fortier. We were invited to come along with them and for the next two hours, we rode around while one of the young men would dive down pull up our dinner. These two fellows had been fishing since they were young and knew what they were doing. Once our next meal was caught, there were rounds of beer and good conversation. Gil and I always find it fascinating to hear about peoples lives and how they live and make a living. And these two fellows did not disappoint us.

2008-04-25T00:09:00.003-04:00

Isla Mujeres

2008-04-24T23:14:00.003-04:00

Hey life is great in paridise. We have been in Isla now for 25 days and every one has been beautiful hot and sunny. Life on this island is slow paced and relaxing. Absolutely nothing is done fast,not even your beer order. It gets there when it gets there. We went into Cancun on a three day trip to see some Mayan ruins. The first one we saw was Ex'balam. It was discovered about nine years ago.The ruins themselves are fasinating and you are left with a feeling of awe when you climb up to the top of the pyrimid. The next place on our tour was a town called Valladolid pronounced [bahiadoleed]'there is this fantastic cenote right in the middle the town and on a hot day it is a very refreshing swim. On the next morning we did Chechen Itza and man that place is huge. It is acres upon acres of sites. The most intersting of them to myself was the sports arena. The walls have skulls carved on on side of the building and on the inside there are two stone hoops about halfway down the court. on either end of this court are high veiwing areas that to me looked like a person of high standing would watch from. After that we drove south east to a ruin called Coba and swam in three underground cenotes. This was so cool you had to go down what looked like a stone well,climb this spiral staircase until you got to the cavern below. And there it was crystal clear blue water with stalagmites and stalagtites, roots growing through the ceiling and small catfish that swam from some underground river. While you swim down there the sounds of the water lapping on the sides of the cavern have an earrie resonance. And then it's broken by the splash of Gilbert diving off of the dive platform ten meters up into eighty feet of water. We wandered our way back up to the Mayan Rivaira past Tolume,Akumel and back to Cancun.Now we are waiting for some parts to come in from the US so we can continue to the island of Cozemal. So I will sign off now and drink my cold beer that finally arrived. Bye for now from the crew of the Endorfin.

Barbara and Mike [the cop patrol]

2008-04-24T22:54:00.004-04:00

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Cuba to Mexico

2008-04-11T22:27:00.002-04:00

We left Los Morros Cuba on March 29 for Isla Mujeres around 9:30 AM . It was a beautifully day the winds were 10 to 15 knotsfrom the east. We sailed for about five hours at about five and a half knots. The wind died down and we had to motor the rest of the way. It was a long night the boat was rocking and rolling. The waves were about 4 to 5 on our stern, which kept pushing us. We arrived on the coast of Mexico at about 7 in the morning . The rest of the day was spent getting some rest and straightening the boat out. The next day Gil and I dinghied into town and cleared in which is a bit of a pain in the neck. Imigration sends you to the Harbour master, who sends you to the sanitorio. And we go to what we think is the right place. It turns out to be a clinic for [STD] sexually transmitted desease. DA! wrong place it turns out we were to go to the hospital and see Dr. Claudia. After getting a pile of copies of every document we have and giving each department at least five copies of each , paid our money we were welcomed into Mexico. Yesterday we went into Cancun and sat around a pool in a hotel [Gil snuck us in]. After a week of perfect weather except for about twenty drops of rain, we pulled up our hook and came into a marina. The weather is supposed to change. There is a norther going to come in on Monday and we are taking a trip into the mainland to see some Mayan ruins and a senoute . The boat will be fine while we are gone a very nice couple that offered to watch it while we have fun. By the way I forgot to mention that on our entery into the marina Gilbert GRACEFUllY ran us aground. I think he is a farmer at heart he keeps plowing furrows in the bottom. it took about two hours and lots of help from people in the marina. I owe them some cold beers. We will be leaving here in about a week to ten days and heading south to Cozomel , which is the third best place in the world to dive. Hope to do at least four dives before heading to Belize. Bonvoyage from Kathy and Gil catch you later.

Isla Muejures Mexico

2008-04-11T22:12:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone we are really glad to read all your messages of encouragement. [we need them].Amanda i'm glad to see you are better after your surgery. Lidia make sure the bride is dressed beautifully. Amanda make sure you get enough rest for the baby. Wally and Brenda how is the renovations going. Mary by the time you read this the snow should be melting, the ice is always melting in my drink. ha! .ha!.

Cuba

2008-03-14T19:57:00.003-04:00

We made it to Cuba on the ninth of march with my father in tow . I was really glad he was with me. About half way in the middle of the Gulf Stream the engine decided to go for a crap. Actually It was just the water pump belt and there wasn't any wind at the time so the frieghters that were bearing down on us had to go around us. Other than the lightning storm we were in it was very uneventful trip. It took us about twenty two hours to cross over be cause of the lack of wind. And then when we arrived in Marina Hemmingway my father had a wonderful experience with the waiting out the long process of clearing into the country. The doctor comes on board and then immigration ,after that the guarda frontara, the drug dogs {springer spanials that can't get past the ham sandwich} then after a small gift to almost everyone of them we get to go to our slip. The next day Gilbert arrived by plane and life as I knew it is not the same. Dad spent one week with us and then we took him to the airport to go home to the snow he missed so much. Ha Ha Ha better him than me. by the way I'm doing this on the computer at the Canadian Embassy . They have a bbq every second friday. Food was okay but Gil's still waiting for the strippers. The weather has been great. We have been getting the boat ready. Our plans have changed a little we are not going to the caymans. Instead we are heading west to Mexico, then down to Belize. Hopefully we will log in there . Sorry I don't have any pictures, we did't know about the computer here at the Embassy. Gilbert met the Ambassador and asked to change jobs.I promise pictures next time. Bonvoage Kathy and Gil.

2008-01-03T23:22:00.001-05:00

bonvoyageendorfin

Endorfin going back in the water

Endorfin gets her facelift

Tara at the Rosario's

|Tara visit's to Columbia

New Years Cartagena

CARTAGENA COLUMBIA

Tara's visit to Cartagena

Aquarium at the Rosario Islands Columbia

Miss Columbia parade

San Blas Islands

Panama

Moving on from Bacas Del Torro

Babet's Birthday at marina Cerenero

Socializing at Marina Carenero

Hurricane season in Bocas Del Toro

Carenero Marina

Gil's shark caught off Panama

More pictures of Bastimentos Gil relaxing on the beach

Isla Bastimentos Panama

more fishing stories

Fishing was good

San Andres to Bocas Del Toro

More pictures

San Andres

Media Luna and San Andres

More pics

Guanaja to Cayos Cajones (Hobbies)

Guanja christmas and new year

Guanaja

French Harbor Roatan

Utilla

Bay Island Honduras

Bay Island Honduras

Livingston Guatemala

Good by to Guatemala

Tikal Guatemalla

Tikal Guatemalla

Tikal Guatemalla

Tikal Guatemalla

Tikal Guatemalla

Children's Day at the park

Back home in Guatemalla

Had a good summer in Canada

Mar Marina on the Rio Dulce

Traveling up the Rio Dulce

Belize to Guatemala

Mexico to Belize

Isla Mujeres

Barbara and Mike [the cop patrol]

Cuba to Mexico

Isla Muejures Mexico

Cuba