Jim Eddy (left) arrives at Tortola airport. Chuck Monark (captain) is on photo right. This is our rental van in Tortola, a Sanbar make. We named it the Clownmobile. With all 4 of us inside, it frequently needed 1st gear to make the hills
At the bar/restaruant at Hodges Creek marina, Tortola, BVI
Chuck and the Clownmobile in Tortola.
El Capitan Chuck
As they say in Oz, head down, butt up.
Stocking up on the essentials. Pussers was the favorite of this set of three, but in Panama, Ron Abuelo 7 took over.
Chuck plots course, while Larry and James prepare fishing gear.
Mañana - our dinghy from Tortola to Cartagena. Larry scored this freebie from Ant at the Moorings. Despite the fact that the Moorings had hundreds of dinghys in a yard, they would not sell us one.
Ready to depart Tortola, bound for Cartagena, Columbia. Left to right: Jim Eddy, Chuck Monark (captain), Larry Knight, James Fahlbusch
Smoked oysters on deck. However, the normal snack was green olives. James bought 3 jars, and could probably down a bottle a day if given the chance.
Headed downwind with the spinnaker. Only able to raise it twice during the trip from Tortola to Panama.
A good day of wind
Uh oh. Chuck happened to check the genset, and discovered this massive oil leak. No oil at all on the dipstick. Needless to say, we sailed to Cartagena. When there was wind, that is.
James on plumbing duty. Had a clogged port side head, which was starting to stink pretty bad. James went out in Manana (the kayak name) to clear the block with a plunger. When it emptied, James was desperately trying to paddle forward to escape the deluge.
Happiness is a clear head.
A view of eLeopard from the trampoline.
James and Larry after s swim through the hulls while underway after diving off the bow.
The statue of the Virgin in the harbor at Cartagena, Columbia
In the genset hatch again for Larry.
Larry doing some "mechanakin" (a Georgia term) on the genset to repair the oil filter lines that caused the loss of oil.
At that particular moment, the Leopard was not so Electric.
At the Club Nautico (our yacht club/marina) bar in Cartagena, Columbia a few minutes after arrival.
Posted on a bulletin boart at Club Nautico in Cartagena, Columbia
As Jimmy Buffet said, "When I'm in port I get what I need". In this case, it was a massive lobster dinner in Cartagena for Chuck.
A closeup of the feast
James in the streets of the walled Old City in Cartagena, Columbia.
Old city street scene in Cartagena.
James grabbed this well timed photo in Old Town when he and Don Lorenzo were out on a night.
James and a fruit vendor in the Old City of Cartagena.
La Plaza de Santa Teresa, near the entrance to the Old City in Cartagena. Yes, it really was this beautiful.
At La Vitrola, one of the finest restaurants in Cartagena. I don't think the owner has seen the tab for this one yet. A fantastic and memorable lunch.
James grabbed this amazing photo while we all were in a taxi returning to Club Nautico from La Vitrola. This soldier is standing on the wall surrounding the Old City of Cartagena.
Our marina in Cartagena - the Club Nautico Yacht Club
James and Ophelia, a street vendor in the Old City of Cartagena from whom he bought the handicraft purse in the photo.
Plaza de Santo Domingo in Cartagena. This guy bounced out a drunk street vendor that was hassling James and Larry.
James staring intently at the beauty at the table next door. Stunning, but James could definitely not afford her. The dowry would have probably been at least a small country or two.
A few minutes before departing Cartagena, Columbia
This was the boarding plank we were given at Club Nautico. The one on the left is some great tropical wood.
This dinghy we bought from an Aussie sailor at Club Nautico. We also bought another dinghy/motor combo from a local at Club Nautico, and transferred the motor to the better dinghy.
James waiting for levitation in the starboard V-berth. During heavy seas it was quite a ride here.
Dolphin playing at the bow of Electric Leopard en route from Cartagena to the San Blas islands in Panama.
Tony and Vanessa enjoying the aft deck
James checking out shoal depth coming into anchorage in the Holandes cays in San Blas. We dragged bottom a bit in sand, but got off quickly.
A Kuna dugout. The Kunas told me the tree that they use for this only grows on the mainland. And, they said a dugout like this takes about 2-3 weeks to build. As you can see, they are quite leaky, but they just constantly bail it out.
Chuck coming up through the escape hatch. We are anchored in the San Blas islands, in the Holandes Cays.
In the San Blas islands, which is exclusively inhabited by the Kuna indians, who keep a traditional indian lifestyle. We had many, many Kuna visitors to the boat, who arrive by dugout canoe. This was the first visit, and these women were selling "molas", which is a Kuna textile handcraft. When we completed our negotiations, Larry told one of the women that he liked the leggings of beads that she had on. Well, two seconds later, she was lacing on one Larry. Larry is suspicious that he might now be married.
James wrenchin' on the dink carburator
Jim goes native on Barbeque Island in the Holandes Cays in the San Blas
Our permission to be in Kuna Yala
It's a pirate's life for me!
Life's a real beach in the San Blas.
Tony and Vanessa out for a swim to a wreck near Dog Island in the San Blas
Is it shower time in the Kuna village?
Larry, Carl, Lou, Luke, Holly, and Chuck near the wreck near Dog island in the San Blas. An amiable group of Aussies (and a Kiwi) that were headed through the San Blas, and on to Cartagena. Heard later from them that they got to Cartagena overland. Through the Darien Gap?? How did they DO that??
Chuck and James at the wreck near Dog Island, San Blas. Electric Leopard is in the background.
Jim in Kuna land
Happiness is a good mola transaction.
This young Kuna couple came on board to sell Molas.
On left is Lisa, the semi-famous Kuna transvestite mola maker. At photo right is Sonia. These two taught us several Kuna words, including how to toast in Kuna.
Negotiations complete, after probably 3 hours. On left is Lisa, the wannabe famous transvestite Kuna mola maker. Next to her is Sonia.
A boat anchored near ours in the San Blas had these skipperkeys (spelling?) dogs, which Chuck went to visit.
Three dugouts on beached on Chichime in San Blas.
A small island just off the main settlement at Chichime.
This floating supermarket showed up our last day anchored in Chichime in the San Blas. James negotiates while Larry handles translation with the other crew.
When the Kuna men arrive by dugout, it's a meat sale. We bought the awesome crab from them for $5.00 each.
Chuck, being a crabman from Maryland from way back when, definitely knew what to do with these bad boys.
Our Kuna friend from the day before needed a fishook because a barracuda had stolen his. We happily provided him one.
In the dinghy, heading over to Chichime island in the San Blas. We anchored here two nights.
This was just a miniature papaya. In Panama city, Yaymi convinced Larry to buy one four times this size. Fruit was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
Chuck took this photo of the interior of a hut on Chichime.
Sonia and Jim in her hut on Chichime island. She was cooking some fish stew, and had a ton of bananas at the ready.
On Chichime island.
Jim giving away some fishooks that Tony provided to a Kuna fisherman on Chichime island in the San Blas.
James giving our Kuna friend a soccer ball that he had bought along.
Dolphins on the bow again, on our leg heading from San Blas to Colon.
Vanessa and a great guacamole burrito that Jim prepared.
This impressive raptor took up with us on the aft of the boom for about 20 minutes on the leg from San Blas to Colon. We wonder if this could be a Harpy Eagle?
If we were in port, it could get a bit geeky at times. Chuck had a great external WiFi antenna, and we set it up so his internet connection was shared over ethernet to Larry's PowerBook. Larry then rebroadcast the WiFi signal to everyone else.
We're official now
Diagram of the Canal. We did the Banana Cut service route for small craft.
Larry's "mastcam". He had this rigged to his computer with a USB cable so it would take a picture every 5 seconds of our journey through the canal. With this he made the timelapse movie of the canal transit.
Holy Mola! This was a frame out of the time lapse that Larry set up on the mast to record our trip through the canal. It would take a photo each 5 seconds, then download it to his laptop. Later, James and Larry compiled it to a movie. So, to get your 15 minutes of fame in the movie, you would go forward and stare at the mast for at least 5 seconds.
Another mask photo off the time lapse camera mounted on the mast.
Ivan, our canal advisor for the leg through Gatun, steps on board from the ACP boat.
Ivan, our canal advisor for the passage through the Gatun Locks. Great guy.
What a Crock! Saw this large guy in the canal shortly before entering Gatun locks.
Ivan, Vanessa, and Tony in the Canal
Chuck in Gatun Locks
Ivan and Jim on deck checking the forward starboard transit line. Ivan thought it looked a bit short.
The lower lock gate at Gatun closes behind us
Jim and Chuck during a brief break in Gatun locks
Chuck and Jim in Gatun Locks
Jim preparing breakfast for the Amado, our advisor for day 2 of the transit. We heard you don't mess around when preparing meals for the advisors, and Jim made awesome omelets for all.
Still at our mooring (large red cylinder on right) in Lake Gatun. Chuck and Amado confer on schedule.
Crusising through Lake Gatun. Red buoys still on the right. They switch sides just before we get to Miraflores locks.
Amado
The canal schedule for the day. Hit the magnify button, wait for the image to reload, and drag around to see our data.
Amado, our canal advisor for the passage through Lake Gatun, the Pedro Miguel locks, and Miraflores locks.
Some typical big ship traffic in the Canal.
This is the Puente Centenario (Centennial Bridge), one of only two bridges to cross the Canal. It has a 262 foot clearance. Also, it actually has a live webcam on it, but we did not know it at the time.
These canal workers throw the messenger lines that have weighted monkeys fists to us to tie to our transit lines. They are discussing who to take out with the throw. James made one awesome fair catch of one throw on the fist itself, and Larry caught another line about 2 feet away from the fist. The others simply maimed people and equipment on deck.
The Electric Leopard in the upper Miraflores locks. This photo was taken by a webcam on a tower at the locks, and grabbed over the internet.
Entering Pedro Miguel locks. Much of the turn of the century architecture still exists in the canal buildings.
The Bridge of the Americas. This is part of the Interamerican highway that runs from Alaska to Chile. The Pacific is just on the other side. It has a 201 foot clearance.
The crew with Amado shortly before he departed the boat.
Just docked at Flamenco Yacht Club in Panama City.
The Cartagena-through-canal crew at Bennigans near Flamenco Yacht club after the transit.
Yaymi, our agent in Panama City. What an incentive to learn Spanish!
Rich Lee, our newest crew member, steps on board after arrival in Panama City.
The Panama City-Golfito, Costa Rica crew. This was our first dinner together at Bennigans near the Flamenco Yacht Club.
Chuck pretending to need additional explanation of the Zarpe. It was pretty obvious what was actually happening.
Katie Castillo (left) and Yaymi Chong (right), our agents, with the crew shortly before departure.
As Jim Abela said, "To fix the genset, first you drink a beer". Rich and James did that, and installed this trick on a blown out hose on the turbo.
Rich at the helm in the Pacific outside of Panama City.
As soon as we headed north out of Panama City in the Pacific, we started catching fish like crazy. This unidentified species was the first. We were near the Perlas archipelago.
Rich with a fine Spanish mackeral, which wound up on the grill later that night. This catch was in the midst of a fishing bonanza that lasted several hours our first evening in the Pacific.
James with a toothy Spanish mackerel.
Spanish mackeral and Bonita ceviche that the guy from Georgia made. The Californians actually ate some.
Jim with a beautiful Bonita. OK, yeah, we know Bonita means beautiful. It still ate good that night.
Spanish and Bonita on the grill. Life's a beach.
La Isla de las Ladrones (thieves island). We anchored here to time our arrival into Golfito at daylight. Several of us snorkeled around this rocky place. Later, we saw some whales playing nearby. Just before arriving here, we saw several sea snakes of the black/yellow variety.
A bad night (3:10AM) off Punta Burica. Wild voltage, little RPM control, and smell of smoke. In the light of day, we restarted sucessfully for motoring into Golfito.
Dulce Maria, our nighttime waitress at the Fish Hook marina in Golfito. Learn Spanish!
Laura, our breakfast waitress at the Fish Hook in Golfito. Learn more Spanish!
Chuck and Tim, the owner of Tierra y Mar (Land and Sea) marina in Golfito where we moored while waiting on parts.
The upstairs cruisers lounge at Tierra y Mar marina in Golfito, Costa Rica. This is but one wall of many with paintings of boats that have passed through.
Riley, the "guard dog" at Land and Sea marina.
Larry boarding the "collectivo" truck for passage from Puerto Jimenez to Carate. When the truck got loaded, there were 31 people in this thing.
The "extranjeros" on the collectivo, shortly after arrival in Carate. Left to right: Veronica from Cayman Islands, Bryan from South Africa, Larry, a couple from Holland whose names I did not get, a couple from Israel, and Jon and Kim, also from Holland, and on their honeymoon. (Ami and Jasmine, another Israeli couple, had already taken off down the beach, and were not in the photo.)
A poison dart frog that Philippe pointed out to us on the trail in Corcovado.
Kim, Jon, Larry, and Philippe, our guide on the trail from La Leona ranger station towards La Sirena station in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Philippe said this monster tree was some sort of Ficus tree, I believe.
This scarlet macaw was in an almond tree about 10 feet away from Larry when he snapped this. He watched two of these amazing birds gorge on almonds for about 15 minutes before they took off.
Getting ready to board the "collectivo" in Carate for the trip back to Puerto Jimenez. The driver is the guy at the back of the truck. Yep, that is the same truck that had 31 people in the back.
A street corner in Puerto Jimenez. As you can see, gringo eco-tourism is taking over the town. Looks very "eco", doesn't it?
The hardware store in Puerto Jimenez. Can you say tropical rain forest deforestation? I thought that you could.
The ferry from Puerto Jimenez to Golfito. Looks like something out of Bogart's "African Queen".
Some incredible "sopa de mariscos" at the Fish Hook marina in Golfito, next to the Tierra y Mar. The Fish Hook was our favorite dining spot in Golfito.
