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Ayama - CHICHIME AND PORVENIR



We dropped anchor in the lagoon between the 2 islands having negotiated the narrow channel between the reefs. A wreck on the reef was a sad sight. A pot luck lunch (where every yacht brings a dish) was arranged on the island so it was another social afternoon, drinking the milk out of coconuts with a slug of rum added. Paul from the World ARC has arrived with the bearing for Ayama so now we can haul out in Shelter Bay the marina at the east end of the Panama Canal.

Per and I went for a swim on the south side of the island where it was flat water. When we arrived back at the dinghy dock Anna was stood on the dock and Stefan was halfway into the dinghy exposing some very white buttocks as his shorts were slipping down!!! He had had to go in the water to undo the chain locking the dinghy to the dock. When we got back to Ayama Stefan realised he had lost the hand held radio presumably when he mis-jumped into the dinghy. Stefan and Per went back with torches as it was now dark….he had a quick night snorkel and saw a moray eel. The radio was actually found in the dinghy….maybe he had had one beer too many or just wanted a snorkel in the dark!

Monday we left Chichime and motored across to Porvenir where we have to check in. There is the sad hull of a yacht on Sail Rock and just the roof of a catamaran sitting on the reef. They had a bad storm in this area a few weeks ago when a few locals were drowned and some boats swept onto reefs. The yachts are soon stripped by the Kunas. There is a small runway on the island so we had to make sure we didn’t anchor in the flight path. Stefan went ashore and did all the clearances then Per and I visited Pete and Mindy on Wayward Wind as he is having battery problems.

We all then visited the village and had a wander around. The loos are the same as they were 40 years ago when I was here, a hut built on stilts in the water. There are a few more substantial houses but most of them are still bamboo structures with palm thatched roofs; solar panels and satellite dishes are now a common sight. Stefan, Per and I walked across the runway on the other island to see the Arc support crew as Hugh is coming with us tonight to Shelter Bay. We have 80 miles to go so are sailing overnight so we arrive in daylight. The dinghy is now on board, Hugh has just arrived and it is nearly 4 pm so we will be off shortly.

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