Editor’s note:
Since our trip to San Blas at the tail end of the Covid lock downs we’ve been anchored down in Bocas del Toro. Until we heard the sirens call, whispering in the wind, telling tales/ tails of far off destinations. The time had come to hone our sea skills. Our youngest crew member (Gitane) is 11 now and has volunteered to take on the blog writing. We have also picked up a feline companion, named Capo (di Tutti Capi). He is a feral jungle cat that decided to adopt us 1 year ago. Unfortunately for him, he failed to read the fine print, and landed up living on a sailing boat. You’ll read all about his adjustement to the constant motion of the ocean…
Leaving Bocas
As we will be gone for a couple of months we said our goodbyes to our friends the previous weekend.
On the morning of May 9th 2024 we were prepping the boat for leaving: washing dishes, making sure nothing can fall, making sure the cat was happy etc etc. Then Doug (who was sailing with us) arrived at about 10:00, he dropped his stuff in his cabin and we all went to town to do the last shopping. I had to carry the bag with all the bread, when we got back to the boat we started unpacking. It took forever! After unpacking we did some last minute preparations and then the mooring was off and we were free! When we were getting out of the North anchorage my mom made me put on our sea sickness bands (good thing too).
I felt ok most of the time until I had to help mom inside sorting out the bilges. And then it hit me. I tell you, I did not feel good. My mom made me eat some dinner. The first bite, I was like ‘yum’, so I had two wraps and then I was like ‘uuuhhhggg’. I did not feel good again. So I went to sit on the side of the boat and I started ‘feeding the fish’ with my dinner (I threw up).
That night was really rough, we got thrown all over the place. Poor Capo was really scared the whole way, but during the night he went to sleep in the couch so I think he felt a bit better.
We could see the outline of Escudo de Veraguas in the early morning. Yippie, almost there!
Gitane
What an exiting adventure!!! I am sooooo happy for you all!
I want to thank you for inviting me along. It was really an enjoyable trip (once we quit rolling so much). Escudo was as good as everyone says. Nothing wrong with the first anchorage and the second one was even better. Loosing the anchor and chain was a bummer. What we missed when we were entering the marina was Zuckerberg of Meta yacht and tender. They were anchored just outside the marina and then a couple of days later they returned to Bocas (hiding out?)
Again thank you for the hospitality and friendship. Look forward to more stories.