We,
Caroline Imfeld and Beat Rettich are running this place since January
2021. We moved from Switzerland to Belize in 2019 and found this
treasure while looking for a dock for our yacht.
Simplicity on a high level is our aim and to make our guests happy.
(2) PANAMA POSSE AWARDSFUN ACTIVITIES, GOLF, POOL, DJ LOUNGE, + MARINE EXPO
SAT. MAY 11 ’24 BUENAVENTURA MARINA 🇵🇦 PANAMA
This is a very exclusive signature event in the Hamptons of Panama.
The upscale resort Buenaventura is just 80 minutes west of Panama City
and is one of the most charming and reserved places on the Pacific coast
of Panama. Only 60 nm from the Las Perlas.
Many
Posse boats have passed through Marina Ixtapa already this season and
given a name, Fred, to the local Crocodile that plies the fairways.
This animal is wild and may not be much for a pet or a snuggle,
but he is very photogenic.
MV PAUSE, MV WEEBLES, MV MARTINI enjoying dining without Fred in Zijuatenejo
MV PAUSE 🇺🇸 Beth & Larry – Nordhavn 55′
Thank you for Sharing your Adventures!
7) SHARING YOUR ADVENTURES is the heart and soul of the Panama Posse
Please
share pictures of your adventures, your award entries/nominations, your
breathtaking sunsets, and picturesque anchorages on our group
communications platform for others to enjoy in real time and/or email
Maurisa at editor@panamaposse.com
to share in the upcoming newsletter. Maurisa is a sailor among
us. She is part of the Ocean Posse crew and enjoys writing fun and
helpful updates to the Panama Posse.
SY SOLMATE catching some keepers!
Some for now and some for later…
SY SOLMATE 🇺🇸 Adam & Jenni – Goetz Custom 40′
8) POSSE PERK:
EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS
AVAILABLE TO POSSE MEMBERS
Posse
members have access to a host of seminars through the Panama Posse
website. Seminars range from weather routing, to passage planning,
to navigational electronics. Visit the seminar page to learn
something new, get inspired, and venture further.
https://panamaposse.com/seminars
Learn how to make your own satellite charts
9) VISTA MAR MARINA 🇵🇦 PANAMA
SPONSORS THE PANAMA POSSE
The Vista Mar Marina is please to announce
a 25 % discount
for all participants in the Panama Posse over current rates
FOR RESERVATIONS
CONTACT:
Marina Manager: Jacqueline Petti
If dialing from the U.S., please dial +011 prior to all calls.
Phone: (+011) 507 66118528
Email: reservations@vistamarmarina.com
BIG NEWS FOR VISTA MAR MARINA
REPORT FROM THE OFFICE MANAGER:
Our
new trailer arrived yesterday 😊 we will assemble next week with a
technician that is flying in from Italy and we will be operative around
the 25th (hoping to be able to start sooner)
Max 90 tons
Specially
design for multihulls up to 35 ft beam (from keel to keel) or around 40
ft beam total approx (depending on the vessel, the measurement to
consider is from keel to keel)
I would also like to take this opportunity to inform everyone, that we started the construction of our new pool!
New Vista Mar trailer being assembled at the factory.
The container where the trailer traveled 😊
Trailer being unloaded at Vista Mar Marina as I write.
10) MONARCH BUTTERFLY
3000 MILE MIGRATION BEGINS
MEXICO 🇲🇽
Trip Report from C-YA:
To
you folks planning on anchoring and staying in Zihuatanejo. Great shout
out to Jennifer and the driver Ran for an excellent butterfly tour.
They ask do other tours. Kaleidoscope Tours in the name of the
business and her contact information is on the web site
www.magicinmexico.com. I had a great time during the three days of
exploring and seeing the great beginning to the Monarch migration.
We
arrived up at the butterfly sanctuary and rented our horses for a 20
minute ride up to the beginning of thick forest where we walked through
the butterflies for about an hour to the end of the trail where we were
able to see millions upon millions of them hanging out in the
trees
Millions of monarchs migrate annually
There is a Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve west of Mexico City.
Butterflies cluster together
SY C-YA 🇺🇸 Glenn – Island Packet 38.8’
11) BATS OF 🇵🇦 PANAMA
300 species of fruit rely fruit eating bats to pollinate them.
10
percent of the world’s bat species live in Panama. Of the 120 bat
species in Panama 74 can be found on an island in the Panama Canal,
Barro Colorado Island (BCI). Bats are especially known for their
dusky and nighttime hunting activities. One bat can eat up to 3000
insects in a night. They are adept nighttime hunters because they
use echolocation to navigate and find their prey.
While
bats have a bad rap in pop culture for sucking blood and killing
people, this imagery is just that : imagery. On the contrary
scientists, for example, are finding that bats could in fact be helpful
to humans rather than harmful. Scientists are finding that a
chemical in vampire bat saliva that acts as an anticoagulant. This
chemical could potentially dissolve blood clots in humans with less
side effects than other medications.
There are resident scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Station in Panama City dedicating to studying bats.
“In
her research, Elisabeth Kalko, has found bats that live in termite
nests; fishing bats off the coast of Baja, Mexico, that forage miles
into the ocean; and bats that, unlike most, use echolocation to find
stationary prey, like dragonflies perched on leaves. And her mind is
always spinning, asking new questions and imagining how her findings can
be applied in some constructive way to everyday life. If bats and ants
can coexist with termites, do they produce something that is termite
repellant? And if so, can humans use it to stop termites from destroying
their houses and decks? Fruit-eating bats essentially soak their teeth
in sugar all the time and yet they don’t have cavities. Could an enzyme
in their saliva be used to fight plaque in humans? One of her
latest endeavors has been to team up with engineers from around the
world on the ChiRoPing project, which aims to use what is known about
sonar in bats to engineer robotic systems that can be used where vision
isn’t feasible.”
To Read more about how Kalco conducts her research in Panama click this link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-call-of-the-panama-bats-2845511/
The Giant Bulldog Bat lives in Panama and feeds fishes after sunset
Bats snuggling under palm fronds.
Baby bats are called ‘Pups’.
Bats are the only true flying mammals featured here in a Guna Yala mola.
Molas
are among the most iconic, colorful Panamanian art. They were
traditionally made by and for Guna women to ward of evil spirits.
The making of a mola can take from weeks to months depending on
the intricacy of the design.
To learn more about molas check out this link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-colorful-history-behind-panamas-mola-180980536/
12) GOOD NAUTICAL ⚓ ISLA UVA 🇵🇦 PANAMA
Isla Uva is among the Isla Coiba islands of Western Pacific Panama.
SY COURAGE report:
We
looked on good nautical plus google searches for bays on these islands
that would be angled optimally for winds and swell we were encountering
this morning, then drove around multiple islands looking at the choices
and this one looked like the best. water is clear, so we can see the
bottom at 40’. This is a really great anchorage with black sand beaches
and still water. Necessity was the mother of discovery.
If
you want to come here to Isla Uvas (one of numerous Coiba park
islands), our anchor is dropped at n 07 deg 48.911 w 081 deg 45.574.
Appears to be a good stop on the way from isla secas toward Panama
City.
THUNDERBIRDS MARINE is pleased to be part of the Panama Posse
and will offer discounts to members for various services
15% off for nightly rates
15% off weekly Rates
30% off monthly rates
20% off Haul Out services- Vessels up to 13 tons
CONTACT:
Doug Ingersoll
CEO-Managing Director
doug@hardnine.net
THUNDERBIRDS MARINE
(916) 253-3700 US Office
(916) 257-6700 US Cell
(916) 626-4434 VOIP
+(501) 670-3737 Belize Office
+(501) 624-1411 Belize Cell
VHF 12 loosely monitored
We
are located outside the village itself so access to the local stores,
bars, restaurants is typically by taxi or a golf cart rental.
It’s
important for folks to understand that we are a working marina. We
service all the local resorts boats and outboard engines. Activities
from these operations sometimes start fairly early. Especially during
the high season. Boats and vehicles begin moving around 5am. Machinery
movement typically begins around 7am. The marina itself has a lot of
traffic in and out due to the fuel station. But its very easy access
from the lagoon and larger boats have no trouble maneuvering in the
marina. It’s a very active place throughout the day.
Due
to Covid, we are operating under reduced staff and hours. However, as
the tourism begins again, I expect to go back to normal operating hours
of 6am to 7pm every day. We are open 365 days per year. I typically
carry a staff of roughly 25-30 people during normal operations.
I
live on site and can be accessed via this email or on my Belize Cell
number. My Whatsapp is connected to my US Cell number which is
+1-916-257-6700.
My
Son Matt is my assistant Manager and his cell is +501-627-1582 he also
uses his US cell number for his Whatsapp account. The number is
+1-916-257-7773
Matt can help any time I can not be reached.
We prefer email or text over radio communication. But we do loosely monitor VHF channel 12. Please don’t rely on this though.
Max
draft is 7’6″ at high tide. We do posted max length or width only
because it’s usually the lagoon depth that is the limiting factor.
We have 2 berths for 100 feet long boats of that size. The rest
are for 45 and under.
Hello
my name is Parker. My partner Katy and I are new to the Panama Posse
and live aboard a Passport 42 named Boundless. We are currently in Las
Perlas. We are cruising north over the coming months to Mexico and
the Sea of Cortez.
We
are planning on a trip up to the Puget Sound and back before crossing
the Pacific! Katy and I helped a friend deliver his monohull from
Seattle to San Francisco a couple summers ago and we always said we HAVE
to come back to the Puget Sound on our own boat.
SY BOUNDLESS 🇺🇸 Parker & Katy – Passport 42’
So many great miles to put under your keel. Fair WindS SY BOUNDLESS.
Jamaica – US STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY Level 3: Reconsider Travel January 2024
Reconsider
travel to Jamaica due to crime and medical services. U.S. government
personnel under Chief of Mission (COM) security responsibility are
prohibited from traveling to many areas due to increased risk. Please
read the entire Travel Advisory.
Country
Summary: Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies,
sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur
frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.
Local
police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.
When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive
sentence. Families of U.S. citizens killed in accidents or homicides
frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued
by Jamaican authorities. The homicide rate reported by the Government
of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western
Hemisphere. U.S. government personnel under COM security responsibility
are prohibited from traveling to the areas listed below, from using
public buses, and from driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston
at night.
Emergency
services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response
times and quality of care may vary from U.S. standards. Public hospitals
are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized
care. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting
patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care.
Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural
areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel.
We
strongly encourage you to obtain traveler’s insurance, including
medical evacuation insurance, before traveling to Jamaica. The
Department of State does not pay medical bills.
Be
aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most
hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance. U.S.
citizens with medical emergencies can face bills in the tens of
thousands of dollars, with air ambulance service to the United States in
the range of $30,000-50,000. Read the country information page
for additional information on travel to Jamaica.
If you decide to travel to Jamaica:
Do not attempt to bring firearms or ammunition. This includes
stray rounds, shells or empty casings. The penalties for carrying
firearms and/or ammunition, even inadvertently, are severe, and can
include lengthy prison sentences.
Avoid walking or driving at night.
Avoid public buses.
Avoid secluded places or situations.
Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
Be aware of your surroundings and keep a low profile.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to
receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. | Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
U.S.
government personnel under COM security responsibility are prohibited
from traveling to the following areas of Jamaica due to crime:
St. Ann’s Parish—Do Not Travel – Steer Town and the Buckfield neighborhood near Ocho Rios
St. Catherine’s Parish—Do Not Travel
Spanish Town
Central Village
Areas within Portmore, including: Naggo Head, New Land, Old Braeton, Portmore Lane, Gregory Park, and Waterford
All of Clarendon Parish—Do Not Travel
All of Clarendon Parish, except passing through Clarendon Parish using the T1 and A2 highways.
St. Elizabeth’s Parish—Do Not Travel
Vineyard District Community, between the communities of Salt Spring and Burnt Savanna, St. Elizabeth
Hanover Parish—Do Not Travel
Logwood and Orange Bay
St. James Parish/Montego Bay—Do Not Travel
All of Montego Bay on the inland side of the A1 highway and The Queen’s Drive from San San to Harmony Beach Park
Kingston and St. Andrew Parish—Do Not Travel
Cassava Piece
Downtown Kingston, defined as between Mountain View Avenue and
Hagley Park Road, and south of Half Way Tree and Old Hope Roads.
Downtown Kingston includes Arnett Gardens, Cockburn Gardens, Denham
Town, Olympic Gardens, Seaview Gardens, Trench Town, and Tivoli Gardens.
Duhaney Park
Grants Pen
Standpipe
Swallowfield
Elleston Flats
August Town
Manchester Parish—Do Not Travel
Green Vale, Gray Ground, Red Ground, and Vineyard neighborhoods of Mandeville
St. Thomas Parish—Do Not Travel
Black Lane neighborhood in Seaforth
Grands Penn
Church Corner neighborhood near Yallahs
Town of Yallahs, except when driving through on the main highway
Trelawny Parish—Do Not Travel
Clarks Town
Westmoreland Parish—Do Not Travel
Russia community in Savanna-la-Mar (The Southeastern quadrant of
Savannah la Mar east of Darling Street and south of the A2
highway/Barracks Road)
Morgan Bay
Kings Valley
The Whitehall, Bethel Town, and Red Ground neighborhoods of Negril
Jamaican
officials are pushing back on U.S. claims that their island
country is unsafe for tourists because of rampant crime and poor
access to medical services.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken is so good !
18) SECURITY ALERT:
GOOD, BETTER, BEST LOCKS FOR YOUR DINGHY
This lock is easy to defeat with a simple rock – just bang on it often enough and it will break
Dingies,
and particularly their motors, are hot commodities in coastal
communities. Here are some tips to keeping your tender safe and
secure no matter where you are.
1. Lock the engine bar so that the motor cannot be loosened or lifted off the motor mount (see above)
2. When ashore bring a long cable lock to lock the boat and motor to something that is not moving (for example a tree, a concrete piling, a fence…get creative with what is in your environment)
3. At night raise the tender out of the water. (This
can be on davits, alongside, or on the cabintop) A dinghy out of
the water is much more safe than a dinghy floating alone in the dark.
Locks in order of effectiveness from tampering from left to right
19) MUST SEE:
OAXACA 🇲🇽 MEXICO
Oaxaca
City is in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the
state. Heritage and cultural tourism make up an important part of the
city’s economy. Oaxaca City has numerous colonial-era structures
as well as significant archeological sites and elements of the
continuing native Zapotec and Mixtec cultures.
A city in a valley.
It
is the site of the month-long cultural festival called the
“Guelaguetza”, which features Oaxacan dance from the seven regions,
music, and a beauty pageant for indigenous women.
Volcanic Islands
The
city is also known as “la Verde Antequera” and the variety of
structures built from a native green stone. The name Oaxaca is derived
from the Nahuatl name for the place, Huaxyacac, which was Hispanicized
to Guajaca, later spelled Oaxaca. In 1872, “de Juárez” was added in
honor of Benito Juárez, a native of this state who became president,
serving from 1852 to 1872.
The
Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, was planned out in 1529 by Juan
Peláez de Berrio. During the entire colonial period this plaza was never
paved, nor had sidewalks, only a marble fountain that was placed here
in 1739. This was removed in 1857 to put in the bandstand and trees were
planted. In 1881, the vegetation here was rearranged and in 1885, a
statue of Benito Juárez was added. It was remodeled again in 1901 and a
new Art Nouveau bandstand installed. Fountains of green stone with
capricious figures were installed in 1967. The bandstand in the center
hosts the State Musical Band, La Marimba and other groups
Museo De Arte Contemporaneo De Oaxaca
The
Contemporary Art Museum is housed in the so-called Casa de Cortés. It
is one of the oldest buildings in the city and one of the most
representative of non-religious buildings. Although it has been
modified somewhat over the years, it still conserves its basic layout
with rooms surrounding three courtyards. The architectural style is
basically Andalucian modified by Oaxaca traditions. The main
portal is Spanish Baroque and has three levels. In the first, there are
two “tritóstila” columns that support the balcony which has wrought iron
railings. At the top of the window is seal of the Jesuits. The
third level contains a central niche with a sculpture of an archangel as
well as the coats of arms of the Laso de la Vega and the Pinelo
families.
Narrow streets are paved with stones extracted from the nearby mountains
Serene restaurant setting in a courtyard
delectable culinary opportunities
To learn more about Oaxaca and their signature dish Mole follow this link
The
Barcadere Marina, Grand Cayman, and is the perfect place to relax after
a day out on the water, unwind poolside after a day in the office, to
share your fish stories or simply hang out with good friends. The Club
is conveniently located near the airport and a is a great pit stop for
breakfast, lunch or dinner.
In 2023 the Participants of the Panama Posse spent over 105,000 USD with Westmarine Pro – as a group we saved over 18,000 USD – the average transaction was ~ 85 USD with over 1200 transactions last year alone !
22) PANAMA CANAL AGENT CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
Erick Gálvez
info@centenarioconsulting.com
www.centenarioconsulting.com
Cellphone +507 6676-1376
WhatsApp +507 6676-1376
23) WAYPOINT YACHT SERVICES
“Our
vision is to provide a top tier service to our customers while covering
every potential need they may have when approaching shore.
Small
yachts (up to 38.1 meters LOA) are expected to experience substantial
delays, and in the meantime, we will be able and willing to help you
mitigate this impact and serve you.
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