Daily Logs

Voyageur - Log day 16 - A long lazy day in Isla Linton.

22 January 2010We had thought about moving on the ten miles westwards to Portobelo. There was absolutely no excuse, we could simply not be bothered. Last time around we had spent two days there, so we felt no great need to return. The day was spent doing laundry, emails, photographs and ultimately reading. With hard work ahead for the Canal transit we have to be good to ourselves and take some time out. One hour turned into the next and before we knew it was lunchtime and before we knew that, it was time for our sundowner and another meal ashore at Restaurant X. Johannes was equally pleased to see us again and tonight we were joined by Ariane, Thetis, Lady Ev and Thor VI. A real get together of WARC boats, we were completely outnumbered by German/Swiss nationalities but hey, who cares,. read more...

Asolare - Log 13 February 2008

Sorry about the gap in the "daily" logs. It has been extraordinarily busy with the arrangements before going through the canal, the canal transit itself and the tiresome chase around Panama to locate even the simplest item of yachting gear! Now ordered from the states, for delivery in Ecuador! Panama had a Carnival which effected almost all of the time we were there including two days after the Carnival had officially finished. I also had to chase two courier deliveries and a very large new Parasail being shipped from Hong Kong. The return of the repaired Genoa sail wasdelivered at 8.00pm on the evening before departure in the morning at 8.00am! This coupled with an average of 15 business emails a day, and crew who do not want to do daily logs, is my excuse. I am now going to include. read more...

Ronja - O-boy what a night 2 - and then greate days in Columbia

Dear readers, You better be advised, this is the trickiest cost we ever sailed. The second night we were sure would be much better than the first night. Down the cost, together with our American sail friend from Aruba, everything went well down to a big cape - actually it went well several hours after the cape also. At this cape there where 130 miles to the next cape, in a large arc. We took the direct line between the Capes, The American followed the cost in the larger arc. Around midnight the sea started to build up really ugly. After an hour we had large breaking seas as large as we never have seen them before. It was quite scary. I thought " oh Good our American friend must be even more miserable, since he is squeezed towards le shore ". I hailed him on the VHF and he. read more...

A Lady - Log 4 - day 15 - 21 Jan Depart San Blas Islands

We dropped anchor at the eastern end of the San Blas Islands on the evening of Sunday 16 January, the following morning we sailed to El Povenir to collect Grattan Roberts from Cork and his son Richard, our additional crew for transitting Panama Canal. For the next three days we cruised through the region of Kuma Yala which comprises 400 islands, all creations of sand and palms and the majority of which are magazine-cover beauties. The Kuma Yala tribe choose to inhabit no more than a handfull of tiny cays in tightly packed settlements of bamboo huts. The region has been self governed for almost 80 years after the Panamanian government granted the tribe the right to govern its own land.The tribe row out in old cut out canoes, offering shelfish and other trinkets, on Tuesday 19 January, day. read more...

Cleone Crosses The Equator

Yacht CLEONE crossed the Equator today at 2348 GMT Elizabeth Brown was at the wheel, Cleone was close hauled on the Port Tack in 15 knots of wind. Good luck, and very best wishes to you all, James, Chris, Elizabeth and Will Yacht Cleone00.00N 80.43W. read more...

Maamalni - Leg 2 - Day 1 Diversion to Las Perlas

We are happy sailors again! We got to go sailing after being in Panama City for almost 2 weeks... although those 2 weeks weren't enough time to get anything fixed... seems that we arrived just before "Carnival" when the whole country shuts down. So after we dove into our projects and solicited help from a neighbor cruiser (great guy from Spain who use to sell and install the very equipment that we needed fixed) we are off again. While Michael is down a finger, his spirit and attitude are not lacking.We have had an English couple join us for this leg to Salinas/La Libertad, so Michael is able to point and have things done without "lifting a finger". We have diverted to the southern end of the Las Perlas Islands for a day or two snorkeling and general enjoyment before undertaking the 4 day. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 15 - Adios Amigos!

21 January 2010An early start, we were up at 7am. Penny and Pete were over for a last quickie coffee and we bade them our fond farewells. They will now make their own way home to Australia in their own time. We have enjoyed a wonderful week in their company. We motor sailed west, the wind on the nose until off the Escribanos Reef when our new heading allowed us to make an angle on the wind and we sailed close hauled along the Panamanian coast for the next 20nm until we reached Isla Linton. Penny and Pete had recommended this anchorage as having excellent shelter and…. a good meal ashore in the restaurant owned by a Dutchman who settled here 9 years ago. Eowyn, Ariane and Lady Ev were also at anchor and also in the restaurant. We chatted with Roland and Mario from Ariane, which flies the. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 14 - The Last Supper!

Penny knits baby cardigans like I knit bottle covers. It is just that she doesn't like sewing them up so every time we get together she produces another one from a locker to be completed. I was happy to oblige in return for a bag of wool scraps which will give me another project for later on in the voyage. I love to have something to sew or knit on the longer passages. So I spent a domestic morning sewing her "cardi" and then put the finishing touches to my "mola" cushion. Stephen from "Skylark" gifted me the mola and I made it into a cushion, the back, made from an old fender sock. I throw nothing away. After very many days we at last caught sight of the fruit and vegetable boat in the distance and eagerly hailed him over. What joy! The dugout was absolutely laden with goodies. I. read more...

Ideal - PANAMA TO ECUADOR - 1ST FISH LANDED

Ideal and it's crew began their Panama Canal crossing on Sunday, February 2nd. We began at night, rising 85 ft. through the first series of 3 locks and into Gatun Lake in a speedy 5 hrs. It was all very exciting in the dark, rafting up to the other boats, catching the "monkey fists" that the special monkey fist throwers tossed to the boat and tying off to the walls. Once everything was in place the huge steel doors where closed and the water levels began to rise. Gallons of water swirled around the boats as they were lifted effortlessly to the level of the lock walls. We anchored late that night in Gatun Lake and continued at dawn for the 31 mile traverse across the lake. Our advisor took us through the Banana Cut, which gave us a little bit of a jungle tour, complete with parrots and. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 13 - El Paradiso!

David dived and replaced the propeller anode now well worn. Being the first time he had used the Mini B diving gear bought at last year's January London Boat show and delivered to Gibraltar and his first dive in three years, we asked if Penny could stand by in her diving gear….. just in case. (Pete broke his wrist in a skiing accident and because of his plaster cast has not been able to go in the water for six weeks). The operation went very smoothly taking no more than ten minutes to complete. We moved over to the nearby island group of Naguargandup Cays just 4nm away. This chain of largely uninhabited islands, lie well protected by a six mile long coral barrier reef. Once safely through the narrow channel pass we anchored just off the beach in front of the island of Salardup. Very. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 12 - Desert Island dining!

With Innforapenny's watermaker awaiting repairs in Panama we decided to top up their tanks for them from ours, so it was agreed that they would come alongside. As the wind was blowing a bit in Lemmon Cay, we thought we would go closer in to the coast for better shelter. Our first choice had been Gunboat Island but on close inspection it looked rather bleak and the quality of light poor for entering the narrow pass between the reef. We abandoned that plan and after a rather nervy entrance to Kuanidup, our second choice, when I needlessly panicked on seeing the bottom, causing David to put Voyageur into full astern, we edged our way in to drop the hook just in front of the island's rickety wooden pier. Innforapenny rafted up, we shared a "pot luck lunch" and filled their tanks to the brim.. read more...

Strega - log 12.02.08

Am Sontag sind wir die im nördlichen Teil der Las Perlas liegende kleine Insel Contadora angelaufen.Dort gab es ein spontanes Treffen mit ca 15 weiteren Booten der WorldARC Flotte. Auf Anregung von "Nothern Sky" gingen fast alle an Land und man hatte Lagerfeuer und Barbeque. Während der Tide wuchs der einsame Strand von 5 auf 30m Breite, ein beeidruckendes Erlebnis, wobei wir uns dann fragten, ob unser Ankerplatz denn gut genug gewählt war? Später an Bord hatten wir bei Tiefststand dann noch 1m Wasser unter dem Kiel und ein wunderbarer Abend ging zu Ende. Am nächsten Tag Aufbruch gegen Mittag zunächst um die Nordspitze der Inselgruppe. Hier Pelikane und Fregattvögel in Massen. Dann mit achterlichem Wind und Spi Richtung Ecuador.Zu Beginn der Nacht gegen 20:00 der Wind frischte auf ca. read more...

Noeluna - at last!!

Hello!At last we arrived in panamaA civilised city it's funny 3hours ago we were in theCarribean sea (which isn't like the post cards...)And now we are at the doorstep of the pacific ocean I'm happyBecause I think I had enough of those huge waves.When we entered the bay I saw buildingsThings I did not see for three weeksAnd at last tonight were going to a real restaurant(the only one in san blas was chicken and rice on menu)I hope all my friends are okay !!!Bye!Marguerite. read more...

Noeluna - Shelter bay marina and all the rest

Apres 2 semaines en mer dont quelques-uns aux iles paradisiaque de San Blas, nous voici finalement a Panama, quelques jours avant la traversee du canal de Panama. Au programme ;CNED, restaurants et rencontre des types a cote de nous sur le port (les gens de la marina ont eu la brilliante idee de nous coller a cote d'un bateau qu'on doit traverser a chaque fois qu'on veut sortir...)Si vous avez un jour la malchance de devoir traverser la mer des caraibes (qui n'est pas du tout comme les iles), prevoyez des sacs pour vomit et beaaaaauuuuuuucccccoooooouuuuup de Mercalm (un medicament contre le mal de mer ; d'apres la boite). Nous avons tous été malade a un moment mais moi seul a été malade le jour le plus calme et le moins houleux quelques heures avant d'arriver a Isla Grande (c'est drole. read more...

Whitbread - Tooo Ecuador and beyond!!!!

Tooo Ecuador and beyond!!!!This morning we say goodbye to the nudists in las pearlas, (it is difficult to recognise the rest of the arc crews when they haven't any clothes on! ) and we say hello to the open pacific, a few whales, kamakazi pelicans,and some very lazy dolphins.We have discussed the impending ceremony of worship to Neptune (The God of the Sea) and have decided that ben should lead a procession because he has the best hair. we are debating theme tunes for the ceremony, we feel that banging pots and pans together and hurling obscenities at passing lazy dolphins "do something interesting you b******s......jump!!!" will be suffice.We are spurred on by a desire to GET THERE QUICK after a greatly appreciated and much needed lazy day on the beach.see you in EcuadorSimon.. read more...

Kasuje - log Tuesday 12th February

So we missed the start. Sat aground at our pontoon awaiting high tide, obviously should have checked as we all know: "Assumption is the Mother of all......." To cheer ourselves we enjoyed a fine lunch and a bottle of Rosé. An hour late we crossed the start line with no wind, so were straight under steam. We soon caught the back of the fleet who were trying their best with spinnakers flying. After about 3 hours of the engine rattling away even Guy was beginning to find the noise a little tedious: Were we to get 60 hours of this? But no! 10-15 knots of NNE gave us the opportunity to get the genoa poled out straight down wind. We had a peaceful night with no engine and only minor sail trimming, although Skipper did have a few bad dreams and had to be ordered back to bed to face the boogie. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 11 - A rude awakening!

17 January 2010Oh my! We were sound asleep in our bunks when we were both awoken by the sound of what we both thought was Voyageur's keel grinding on the reef. We leapt out of bed to find that a yacht leaving the anchorage at dawn, had drifted down on our anchor chain catching his prop in the process. No harm done to us, but it sure did get us up early. Later that morning, Jean and Mike came over for coffee. Mike is a computer software expert and helped to tidy up some of the problems on my computer. We left just before lunch along with Skylark for another rendezvous with Penny and Pete over at Eastern Lemmon Cays. It was packed with Australian boats most of whom seemed to be awaiting their transit through the Panama Canal to get back home. Skylark left the following morning for their. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 10 - Pot luck lunch

16 January 2010Our WARC minders, Paul, Suzanna and Nick came speeding across the water from the neighbouring island of Porvenir in their water taxi, a dugout canoe, for that is the only form of transport amongst the islanders. David and I had spent the first part of the morning putting a patch on the small tear in our ballooner. The Kunas from the opposite island of Uchutupu Pipgua came to the boat, the wife offering her "molas". (The San Blas islanders are famous for their embroidered "molas"). Not wishing another one, I asked her if she had any anklets to sell. I had bought one here on our previous visit and being rather worn I thought I might replace it. From the depths of her plastic lidded tub, (for that is where they store them to keep them dry), came the bracelets. I always like. read more...

Lady Kay - en route to Ecuador

We left Panama two days ago and went to Las Perlas, a beautiful archipelago famous for the finding of the largest pearl in the world. It is now owned by Elizabeth Taylor. We did some snorkeling and saw lots of fish. We are now motor sailing South to Ecuador in very light winds. Briefly saw a few whales about 3 miles off and a lot of large tuna jumping but failed to connect with them. Bagged a bonito and a spanish mackerel for dinner. Crew yet to get into watch mode but are pleased to be under way again and heading towards the equator. Who knows what King Neptune will have in store for us as we cross the line. Light airs should mean plenty of sleep over the next couple of days. Michael,Hilton, Jackie, Caroline and Kerry. read more...

Cleone - Leg 2 Day 4 - Close Encounters of a Third Kind

Or things that nearly go bump in the night. Motoring along through a nearly flat calm Pacific is not as boring as you think it might be, especially at night.  Ask Elizabeth and Will if you don't believe me!  The wind remained fluky all day yesterday - at one point we were beam-reaching on the Port Tack, at another we were close-hauled on Starboard.  But in the main, the faithful Yanmar was purring away, eating its way through the skipper's wallet but moving us towards La Libertad as yet in time for Will's flight early on Friday morning.  Ships came and went in batches, passing across the front of us, overtaking, and sliding by to Port and Starboard as they chose.  Many of them were close - one altered course to pass within a mere 400m, which is not that far when you have the whole of the. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log dtd. 13.01.2010

4. BerichtGestern haben wir nach harter, aber sehr schneller Überfahrt um 13:30 Uhr die finishing line bei den San Blas Inseln passiert. Wir waren damit 2 Tage schneller als erwartet. Wir hatten über die 6 Tage auf See einen unglaublichen Schnitt von 180sm pro Etmal.Jetzt ankern wir vor einer traumhaften, aber unbewohnten Insel und erholen uns erst mal. Christos ist schon seit 2 Stunden dabei mit untauglichen Mitteln Kokosnüsse zu öffnen. Uns geht es hervorragend und wir geniessen diese herrliche tropische Atmosphäre mit den Palmen im Hintergrund und den fischenden Pelikanen.Gestern, gleich nach dem der Anker unten war, kam ein Eingeborener und verkaufte uns frischen Fisch, den Christos gekonnt zubereitete. Wir leckten uns alle 10 Finger. Heute hat Jochen eine zeitlang eine Languste aus. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - daily log

1. Bericht der SY Lady Ev. VI v. 07.01.2010Gestern hatten wir einen gelungenen Start und erreichten sehr schnell den 1. Wegepunkt bei Castries. Nach einer kurzen Flaute mit Kabbelwasser, stellte sich schon bald der erwartete Passatwind ein, so dass wir mit Passatbesegelung ständig zwischen 7 u. 8 Knoten segeln konnten. Mittlerweile haben wir die ersten 200sm geschafft. Die Stimmung an Bord ist gut und wir gewinnen langsam etwas Abstand von den 2 Tagen im Hafen. Wegen der kurzen Vorbereitungszeit waren diese sehr hektisch. Zudem verwöhnt Christos uns mit seinen allgemein bekannten guten Kochkünsten.Wann und wo wir in Panama Handykontakt bekommen, wissen wir noch nicht. Ein Internetcafe für längeren und intensiveren Kontakt werden wir wohl erst in Panama City finden.Am 16.01. ist ein. read more...

Southern Princess - Las Perlas Islands - Gulf of Panama 08:36N 79:02W

Last night we anchored at Playa de la Sueca on the Island of Contadora in the Las Perlas Islands. It was to this island that the Shah of Iran retired when he was thrown out of Iran by the mad mullahs. The island is the playground to Panama's rich and famous and has been known since the Spanish invaded in 1493 as the home of the biggest pearls. Mary Queen of Scots had one as does Elizabeth Taylor; a gift from Richard Burton. The Spaniards slaughtered all the islanders in the late 16th century to ensure they had all the pearls and to gather them they bought slaves from Africa. Caught a beautiful tuna, enough to feed 6 of us last night and lunch today for Irene & I. Today we are headed for Isla San Jose for the night and then cross to Ecuador over the next few days. Cheers JH. read more...

Graptolite - Heading South

07:03.81N 079:26.21W Tuesday 12/02 05:00 (UTC-5) 115 miles south of Panama CityWe got some snorkelling in on the reefs near the beach on Ilas Contadora and after lunch we upped anchor and headed south along the island chain. It was a slow start in light winds with the kite out but the wind picked up and bynightfall and we were making good speed. We are doing 3-hour watches at night and with the three of us that's not too bad for sleep time.Shin has got the impression we only like pancakes for breakfast so he makes them every day. I'll ask him to make something else tomorrow otherwise we are going to arrive in Ecuador looking like three sumo wrestlers.M. read more...

Ronja - O-boy what i night ...

  Dear readers,Been at Aruba for 5 nights, fixing some problems with our charging system - which now is back in order, we have recognized the strong tradewinds blowing at 20-35 knots over the Island.   We have though promised Paul in World ARC that we will be in Panama no later than the 25th of January, so it was time to leave our nice and sheltered harbor. After a lot of local advices we have decided to go the coast of Columbia - it is said to be better weather (i.e. less wind and waves which there is plenty of out here). Harald - I have seriously thought about adding a wave power plant to our High Seas Production on board.Of we went 5 PM so that we would reach the coast of Columbia in the early morning.   O-boy - what a night. After a couple of hours the wind picked up. read more...

Kasuje - Log, Monday 11th February

Hi,from the Pacific.We are underway on our next leg, south to La Libertad in Ecuador, after a rather inauspicious departure from Panama City.  We got stuck in the mud in the Marina on a falling tide as we prepared to depart so we were approx 1 hour late over the starting line!!!!!!!!! ( I really must read that RYA day skipper pamphlet).Earlier this evening Suzy dished up a stoker of a Spaghetti Bolognaise and we managed to catch a couple of Tuna this afternoon so tomorrow it's fish, chips and mushy peas. We make our own batter with beer !!!!Our time transiting the canal and stay at Panama City has been absolutely brilliant. Especial thanks must go to James (skipper of Cleone) and JB (of QuasarV) for their expert assistance on the canal transit and for drinking us dry!!.What a place. read more...

Noeluna - L'aeroport de Porvenir (Iles San Blas)

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Noeluna - BE KIND, REWIND...

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Noeluna - San Blas

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Kasuje - Log 12 February

Tuesday the 5th February: We had a quiet morning checking all the systems were working correctly. James and JB seem to not need sleep as the very kindly offered to leave Cleone at Flamenco Bay Marina and travel the 2 1/2hrs back from Panama City by bus to provide the final 2 pairs of hands required for line handling. Skipper was keen to show James and JB the full 'Kasuje Experience', so we ensured the freezer and fridge were nicely stocked with ice, tonic, beer and all the important things required for a transit of the Panama canal.  With great excitement we slipped lines for our trip through the canal. I won't go through the details of the canal or the transit here as James Anderson's excellent blog (Yacht 32, Cleone) on the subject is a wonderful description of the canal and the. read more...

Cleone - Log Leg 2 Day 3 - No Winds and No Tides

We're burning and turning - not Cleone's normal style at all. Will's plane is on our minds here, and even if it was not we'd be motoring.  We managed to sail for about 8 hours yesterday, but the wind died again at about 9pm ship's time (2am for those of you in UK), so on went the Yanmar, and it has been on ever since.  Apart from keeping the batteries well topped up, this is a noisy bore, but as the old saying is "when the wind don't blow, the ship won't go", and that is all there is to it. We are on the direct route between the Panama Canal and the rest of South America, so we have frequently been dodging ships.  They have been travelling either parallel to us, or on reciprocal courses coming directly at us, so the now fully functioning AIS has been a real boon.  This allows us to "see". read more...

Ariane - ARIANE: Kuna-Yala-Indianer

Kuna-Yala-IndianerLiebe Eskimos!Nach einigen Kontakten mit der einheimischen Bevölkerung, haben wir einige Details erfahren. Die meisten Familien sind nur 3 Monate während der Schulferien hier im Urlaub. Die einfachen Hütten sind also ihre Ferienhäuser. Ausserhalb dieser Zeit wohnen sie am Festland.Die Indios sind kleinwüchsig und sehr zurückhaltend und freundlich. Sie sammeln Grundwasser zum Waschen und Geschirrwaschen. Zum Trinken müssen sie Wasser von einer anderen Insel beschaffen. Sie leben von Kokosnüssen, ihren Hühnern und Schweinen und Fischen. Sie verkaufen Kunsthandwerk, nämlich gewobene und z. T. genähte Tücher.Die ca. 370 Inseln bestehen entweder aus Kokospalmen- oder Mangrovenwäldern. Wir beobachteten eine skandinavische Familie, die auf Chichime ihren Urlaub verbringen und. read more...

A Lady - Log 3 - day 10 - 16 Jan 10 - Curaceo to San Blas

We raised anchor and departed from Curaceo at 06:50 on Thursday 14 January. The sea is the sea, it stretches from here to there, but where is here and where is there? Well, this morning, there, was the island of Curaceo just off the coast of Venezuala and here, is a position north of Aruba as we head on a course to keep us clear of the northern tip of ColumbiaLater that evening, we were recording a wind speed of up to 42 kn and a boat speed of 12 knots. The sea was quite big, caused by the Colombian coastline.Friday 15 January was a warm pleasant day, all of the crew were reading books and some lay on deck in the sun for a while, the forecast was for 30 kn of wind.In the evening the wind got up and just before we reduced sail we recorded a speed of 14.5 knots, which was amazing. A Lady. read more...

Kealoha 8 - Fish , Fish and more Fish...

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Kealoha 8 - Panama to Salenos - Ecuador - Leg 2...

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Voyageur - Log day 9 - Success at last!

A maintenance morning with David cleaning the waterline by scraping away the growth which has been gradually accumulating now that we are in warmer waters. Then up the mast with Penny and Pete to assist, to try to straighten out the bend at the ram's horn, sadly unsuccessful. Now we will have to wait until the shelter of Portobello when we can drop the genoa to fix the problem. We all made a quick visit over to the island of Tiadup to have a walk. The sand on these islands is the finest that we have ever seen, like talcum powder. There is so much flotsam and jetsam washed up it is such a shame. Dozens of flip flops but never a matching pair. I guess this is where my crocs will end up one day. It is not the cruisers that are at fault for everywhere we go we notice how careful people are. read more...

Whitbread - Log Day 1: Don't be most downwind boat in an anchorage

Start of Leg 2 from Panama to Equador and after about 5 hours of sailing in 10-15 knots we've pulled into Islas De Las Perlas, a few islands close to the mainland. Its great to see so many of the other boats have decided to take a break from the hard conditions as well.Being anchored both downwind and down current of about 20 other boats wasn't a good plan as we are seeing lots of "floaters" particularly so this morning! Actually we recognised Grey Lady's and hooked it with the gaff and will return it to them later.It was great to get our giant pink gennaker hoisted for the start line, well about 5 minutes after the start line but it was better late than never. It was also nice to get recognition from the WARC commitee vessel that we were the only gay boat in the fleet!Right now we are. read more...

Ariane - ARIANE - Datumsänderung Panamakanal

Liebe FreundeWir durchqueren nun den Panamakanal in nur zwei Gruppen. Daher ändern sich die Daten für diejenigen, die uns per Kamera verfolgen wollen:späteste Einfindungszeit in der Shelter Bay: 25.Vermessung: 26.Beginn der Schleusungen 27.letzte Schleusungen 28.So, nun dürfte es keine Änderungen diesbezüglich mehr geben.Viele Grüsse an alleARIANE Crew. read more...

Bristol Rose - Leg 1 Completed - Baptism of Fire on the Water

Jimmy Cornell, in his book "World Cruising Routes", describes the passage between the Lesser Antilles and Panama as "very rough" and considered by many as the "roughest part of a voyage around the world". The months of January - March are also the period of the strongest trades.Our passage from St Lucia to San Blas Islands was as Mr. Cornell predicted. Winds to 45kts and 12 ft confused seas provided a challenging time for both boat and crew. Bristol Rose handled herself with distinction, providing a safe passage for us all. For the crew the journey was uncomfortable, however our confidence in Bristol Rose's ability to cross the Pacific has grew.For 3 of our crew members, leg 1 was their first overnight passage. Rex had only just joined the crew of Bristol Rose following over 40 hours on. read more...

Graptolite - Goes to a Beach Barbie

08:37.36N 0079:01.95W 11th Feb 10:00 (UTC-5)Panama City was fun especially the disco-bus tour through the town on Saturday night. If I remember correctly.Leg 2 to Salinas, Ecuador started yesterday. These race starts are very exciting. A lot of us got our spinnakers flying for a while which helps the spectacle. Although the only audience was a dozen anchored Chinese container ships.Almost immediately half the fleet decided to play truant and head for the Archipelago de las Perlas about 50 miles from Panama City. Everyone met up in a bay of Isla Contadora and Gerry (Northern Sky) organized a beach barbeque. My Japanese crewman Shin lit a big fire on the beach and surrounded it by an elaborate ceremonial structure of logs that will probably become a tourist attraction in the future. After. read more...

Tucanon - 2010-WARC week 2

During the afternoon of the second day out of St Lucia, the blow from awhale was spotted fifty metres off the starboard bow then, within less thana minute, a second blow. We were also lucky enough to see on Fridayafternoon, a blow some 100 metres off the starboard hull. This was twice asbig as those seen previously and twice the size. It caught the light,despite the sky being full of clouds and the effect, although not a rainbow,had colour. It is impossible to identify which colours they were but thereis no doubt that they were there.Saturday night as we approached the coast of Columbia, several ships passedus by on either side, going in both directions, although the closest wesailed to them was just less than four nautical miles.Sunday morning we were sailing about 55 nautical miles off. read more...

Cleone - CLEONE Log Leg 2 Day 2 - Winds and Tides

Its been fast, but not necessarily very easy. Sadly the Dolphins did not stay with us for long.  It is said that they are territorial (and I'd be grateful if someone could confirm this), and they escort ships and yachts such as ours through their area, staying with them until they are safely off their home ground and into someone else's.  But whilst we were with them, they gave us a magnificent display.  I guess there were more than a hundred of them, swimming around, past and under Cleone, coming up for air with their characteristic snort (somtimes you can hear this in the night without seeing them, and if close to the boat, it can be quite un-nerving), and jumping further and further out of the water.  All too soon they were gone, leaving us thankful that we had seen them, but as ever. read more...

Kasuje - Kasuje Yacht 42 Daily Log Tuesday 5th January

Hello Everyone, It looks like we must have been having too much fun as we seem to have missed yesterday's Log! Don't tell Skipper, we could be in trouble.... So what have we been up to? We arrived at Shelter Bay Marina on the outskirts of Colon at first light on the 3rd February and tried vainly to contact someone in the Marina/from World Arc Control/Another boat/Anyone who would talk to us apart from the jovial man from Christobal Signal Station at the entrance to the Panama canal. It being early and Sunday we weren't surprised with the lack of response, so sailed straight into the Marina where we spotted our chums on Cleone. Next to them was a free spot so Skipper took the executive decision that this was where our journey would end. Having secured Kasuje we jumped onto the pontoon and. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 8 - Ballooner blues!

Reluctantly we left Green Island and moved across to East Holandes Cay for a little change of scene. As the wind had been too strong to bring down our ballooner at the finish of the last leg we decided to give it a "go" on the way to this new anchorage. Being made of a light spinnaker material with no UV properties it wasn't doing any good leaving it furled around the front forestay. So the poles were rigged in the anchorage and once clear of the reef we headed dead downwind to unfurl the "twins" and douse the ballooner. Oh my, another mess up. Suffice to stay we abandoned the exercise after suffering damage to one of the ram's horns at the top of the furler. David also noticed a tiny tear at the base of the ballooner. Feeling defeated and deflated we motored on to drop the hook in yet. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 7 - Shopping in the San Blas!

It was like a girl's Tupperware party. Penny arranged for a jewellery sales session aboard Innforapenny. Catherine and Francois on their yacht Eolia have been cruising in this area for seven years and make a living by collecting nuts and seeds from the forests, then shape, dye and polish them. They use only natural materials that are found in the forests and islands around the San Blas islands and along the Darien coast east of Panama. The result is a stunning collection of pendant necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and belts. As one after another tray was produced from a large holdall, each more exotic than the last, our eyes grew like saucers. A real feast for ladies. Of course Penny and I just had to have some!Susan Mackay. read more...

Cleone - CLEONE Log - Panama Transit

It was worth coming all this way just for the Panama Transit. Will Anderson had long ago arranged to take most of his annual leave and fly to Panama to join us in time for the Panama Transit, on the grounds that this was one of the greatest ever engineering feats.  And so it proved, with magnificent scenery to provide a suitable back-drop to the scale and complexity of the Canal itself.Once our arrival had been suitably celebrated, we set to work on a multitude of tasks.  First was to ensure Will's transit from the Airport to Shelter Bay Marina - a quiet but very well appointed marina situated in the largest of the old US Army Barracks (and former Jungle Warfare School), Fort Sherman (he of the tank), just on the West side of the North Entrance to the Panama Canal.  (As an aside,. read more...

Windflower III - Ueber den Aequator nach Ecuador

Ueber den Aequator nach EcuadorNach sieben Tagen Aufenthalt in Panama machen wir uns heute auf den Weg Richtung Ecuador.Zunaechst vorbei an den Las Perlas Inseln ca. 90 sm nach Sueden aus dem Golf von Panama.Spaeter je nach Wind-und Stroemungsverhaeltnissen ueberwiegend mit suedlichen Kursen, mit 90 -150 sm Abstand von der kolumbianischen Kueste, weitere 600 sm nach La Libertad in Ecuador.Wenn alles gut geht werden wir die gesamte Strecke in etwa 5-7 Tagen bewaeltigen. Die Crew der Windflower fiebert diesem Abschnitt besonders entgegen,weil fuer uns alle die erste Aequatorueberquerung ansteht.Das entsprechende Getraenk fuer die bevorstehende Aequatortaufe ist bereits kaltgestellt.Viele liebe Gruessevon der WindflowercrewCrew Windflower. read more...

Noeluna - TERRE

Aviez vous donc remarque ce silence insistant du cote de la partie feminine de l'equipage, en l'occurrence la partie temporairement incompetente de l'equipage?- durant cette traversee ? Marguerite et moi avions tout naturellement repris la position allongee, entre banquette et couchette, que nous adoptons habituellement lorsque nous quittons un port ou une amarre. Grace a l'excellent « mercalm » et ses comprimes secables permettant une extraordinaire flexibilite posologique fort appreciee par les puristes que nous sommes, nous avons pu avoir nos moments de quasi euphorie ; un dejeuner de plus de 3 minutes et demi partage avec nos compagnons de bord, quelques vaisselles effectuees au milieu de creux de 4 metres, la surveillance inquiete de petroliers geants lances a toute. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 6 - Going down the "Yellow Brick" road!

There is no hiding place! One of the requirements for the World ARC is that we have a means of daily position reporting. At great expense….. a unit called "Yellow Brick" was installed aboard Voyageur back in St Lucia. It is rather like being tagged I should imagine, but only for the best of reasons. When we are on passage we have a daily roll call at 12 o'clock local time over the SSB radio where we tune in to report our position but only to let the other yachts know where we are. But the unit now strapped in Voyageur's cockpit will transmit our exact whereabouts on a daily basis during this circumnavigation. The information is relayed to HQ of the World Cruising Club based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. World Cruising Club have quite definitely put tabs on us……Susan Mackay. read more...

Andante of Mersey - Panama Log

It is very hot and humid, we are sitting below with the aircon on. This morning we walked to the chandlers and were able to purchase two  genoa sheets to replace the worn ones. We also got two new cleats and are hoping to fit them near the cockpit to take the preventer lines. The rigger seems to very good and has taken the broken track off the boat to weld the good bits together and is hoping to get some good rivets to re-fit it. While we have been here we have taken a taxi ride around both old and new Panama City and also back to the Miraflores Lock visitors centre to see the lock from a different perspective. We also went in to see the last day of the carnival. It is great to get emails from all back home Andrew is a regular, it was lovely to hear from my sister Marjorie, unfortunately. read more...

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