MEET THE FLEET: SV COSMOS
Chris & Su
Their love story began in Bonaire during the pandemic.ย Su was running Treasures By the Sea, her vacation rental business while Chris, drawn to the island during the global shutdown, found it a perfect escape.ย Together, they set sail for the Leeward Islands before deciding to fully commit to their dream of circumnavigation.ย They hauled out in Curacao to tackle big projects like new engines/sail drives, solar arch/davits, rigging, through hulls, etc...Now, after visiting Aruba, Columbia, Panama, and Guatemala they are ready for the next leg of their adventure.
Their plan is to set sail through the Bay of Islands, Cuba, Providencia, and Bocas del Toro aiming to pass through the Panama Canal by the end of March and then head to the Galapagos.ย They estimate their circumnavigation journey will take another 5-10 years, and they cannot wait to see where the wind will take them next!
SVย COSMOS ๐บ๐ธ Chris & Su - Leopard 40'
MEET THE FLEET: SV GALATEA
Mark & Sarah
We're Mark, Sarah, and Juneau. In 2020, we moved to Panama to find adventure, freedom, and to spend more time outdoors.ย We now live and work full-time aboard Galatea with our wonderful dog.ย We're passionate about experiencing lifeโs beauty and joy and sharing it with others.ย Our boat, Galatea, is a vintage 1982 Morgan 462 sailboat. We have spent the last two years upgrading, renovating, and restoring her original charm.ย You can find out more about us at www.sailgalatea.com or on IG @sailgalatea.
MEET THE FLEET: SV ZORBA
Limor & Tomer
We are Limor(49) & Tomer(52) from sailing yacht Zorba- Tayana 48DS 2007
We haveย retired 7/2022(both pharmacists), sold everything we owned and started cruising full time.
Limor is what I call a reluctant sailor but loves this way of life….so we keep on a ratio of 5% sailing time….the rest we spend on anchor plus some land travels.
I have been sailing for 30 years with plenty of pauses in between….
In my past, I was a sailing instructor, a tugboat captain , a chase boat captain, a dregger co-operator and a delivery skipper.ย Most of my experience is in the Mediterranean.
Before buying the Zorba (Tayana 48) we lived onboard an Oceanis 35 for 16 years…without sailing much, besides once in a while for a few hours….
In 2015, we cruised 8 months on a Gulfstar 50 from Key West up to the BVI’s (Bahamas, Puerto Rico, USVI, BVI) and back to Florida.
This voyage on SVย ZORBA began where we found her: in Alameda, California.ย After cruising the Baja & the Sea Of Cortez, Costa Rica, crossing the Panama canal to the Caribbean side we are now having fun at Bocas del Toro.
Plan to be in San Blas between Mid October to the end if November.
In 2025 we plan to do the Caribbean loop: Panama-Colombia-DR-PR-USVI-BVI leeward+ windward Islands and back to Panama for next Hurricane season.
SV ZORBA ๐ฒ๐ญ Tomer & Limor โ Tayana 48DSย
MEET THE FLEET: MV SEAXII
Paul, Jamie, Hannah (12), Kathryn (12), Claire (8), Andrew (8)
(yes; two sets of twins!)!
Hello from the SeaXII!ย We are the Czetwertynski (C12) family: Paul, Jamie, Hannah (12), Kathryn (12), Claire (8), Andrew (8) (yes; two sets of twins!)! ย We bought the SeaXII, previously Invictus, a 72โ Nordhavn in Anacortes, WA in July 2023.ย We toured the San Juan Islands last August 2023 and decided that we could not pass up the opportunity to see Alaska while in the Pacific Northwest.
We moved from Annapolis, Maryland onto the Sea XII in June 2024 and headed from Port Angeles, WA, up to Glacier Bay and back! The grandeur of the Inside Passage was not a disappointment.
I think we all agree that Glacier Bay was our favorite.ย The mountains were majestic and the wildlife was abundant.ย The Johns Hopkins Glacier and Margerie Glaciers were beautiful, and we loved being able to hike up to Reid Glacier.ย We definitely learned to respect tides and currents, especially at Hole in the Wall, Fordโs Terror, and Sergius Narrows.
All four of the kids agree that their favorite memory was, ironically, the one tidal issue that we mis-timed on our hike to Reid Glacier.ย We pulled in on our dinghy, named Fournado, and parked onshore.ย The hike to the glacier took longer than expected (our kids stopped at every freshwater stream to drink) and the glacier was more magnificent the closer we got (pictures everywhere!), and when we got back to the Fournado, we found that it was solidly planted 15 feet onshore.ย The kids started full survival preparations, trying to make a shelter with rocks, making a fire, and making barnacle mush for nourishment.ย Thankfully, three hours later, digging a trench and rocking the Fournado back and forth, we did not have to subject ourselves to the barnacles for nourishment.
After finding leaks in our gray water hoses, blowing the air conditioning board from faulty power, and finding several other issues that need attention, we left the boat with Philbrooks in Sidney, BC and flew east to visit family.ย We are eagerly anticipating the next leg of our journey: traveling down the west coast to meet up with all of you!ย We are so excited to share new adventures and beautiful sights with new friends!
MVย SEAXII 
Paul, Jaimie, Hannah, Kathryn, Claire, & Andrew –ย Nordhaven 72
MEET THE FLEET: MV NEXT CHAPTER
Chris, Shawna, Lexi & Jake
Meet the crew of Next Chapter, a family a four with a passion for cruising and exploring the world. Chris is best described as McGuyver, give the man a penny and a paperclip and he could get you out of almost any situation. ย He is our Captain, electrician, mechanic, in house tech support, carpenter, super dad, loving husband, and whatever we might need!ย He is always up for a great day of fishing and/or cruising.ย He prefers being on the hook opposed to tied up at a marina any day! I (Shawna) find joy in all the little things of this beautiful lifestyle โ meeting new people, spending quality time with the people that matter most and of course exploring new places, foods and drinks. Lexi, our daughter, is 8 going on 30, she is one smart little lady who is obsessed with surfing and animals so if you ever see her on the dock and need a pet sitter, sheโs your gal. Jake is a very active 2 1/2 yr. old with a heart of gold and a unmatched talent to keep his parents and sister on the go with his constant mischief making.
COVID did a lot of things for our family. It made us slow down and really start living the life we always dreamed of. We traveled more and spent more time as a family. Together, while sitting at Marina Puerto Escondido outside Loreto, BCS, we decided to sell everything and buy a boat. ย It took two years to pack up our lives in Washington State and put the pieces together but in July 2023 we bought M/V Next Chapter and set off from Marina del Rey, California.
Chris has been a lifelong boater and I (Shawna) was introduced to the boating world and community in her early 20โs. Together, we ran multiday sportfishing and sightseeing charter in SE Alaska from 2006-2011. We took a break from boating for a couple years to buy a home, start our careerโs and our family but ultimately decided the water is where we want to be and the best place to raise our kids (because boat kids are just the BEST!!)
We donโt know exactly what will come next but as I write this we are cruising to Colombia with plans to meet up with friends and family this Fall in Aruba before continuing up the Carribean islands chain.
The Panama Posse has been such a wonderful gift to our family! It has connected us to amazing people who will be our lifelong friends, gave us confidence in our path and a TON of great resources to get here. If happen to connect on the water or marina, please come say hello!
MVย NEXT CHAPTER ย Chris, Shawna, Lexi, & Jake –ย Selene 59′
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOURSELVES WITH THE POSSE!