Join
the Ocean Posse for perks, live information and discounts at marinas,
services providers, agents and become part of an intl. forward scouting
fleet
Have more fun, reduce your risk and maritime stress
Save money and save TIME
Avoid hard schedules and voyage when the weather is in your favor
Experience unrivaled camaraderie of the seafaring kind
TESTIMONIALS FROM SEASON 7:
Thank you,, for another year, another chapter well done.
We look forward to the new season, see old friends and new friends to meet.
Aloha, Rick and María Lucía
SV PILIALOHA 🇺🇸 Rick & Maria - Beneteau 37'
Thank you everyone. Your friendship is priceless.
SY YO-D-YO 🇺🇸 David & Mary – Hunter 45
’
Lots
of good friends, information, chats, & photos have been exchanged
on this app. Line has served us well. 🇵🇦😎⛵️🇵🇦 Thank you for
leadership, Dietmar !
SY KNOT RIGHT 🇺🇸 Walt & Jeariene - Beneteau 47′
JUNE 3, 2024
"The difference between one country or the next is around 5° on your autopilot ... keep cruising 'till you find your happy place"
- Captain Dietmar
TOP NEWS
REGISTRATION FOR OCEAN POSSE 8 IS NOW OPEN
Pictures of the Week
Save the Date: Upcoming Events
More Pictures of the Week
Season 8 Award Nominations for Photo of the Season
Posse Perk: Sharing Intel: 2023 monthly Atmospheric/lightning maps
Impromptu Swim Party with locals and cruisers in French Polynesia
Hurricane and Marine Forecasting Webinars THIS WEEK
Overland in and around Tahiti with MV CELT
Good Nautical: Isla Cavada part of Islas Secas
Meet the Fleet: SV WARRIOR
Pet Alert for pets travelling to the States from several Central American Countries
Safety Alert: Top 5 Reasons for boating accidents in 2023
MUST SEE: DIQUÍS DELTA PRECOLUMBIAN CHIEFDOM SETTLEMENTS 🇨🇷 COSTA RICA
1) PICTURES OF THE WEEK
Shimmering crystal clear blue & turquoise waters in the Bahamas
Life is good in the Exumas!
SY FREEDOM 🇺🇸 David & Sheri - Beneteau 55′
Taking a calm early leave of Bocas del Toro & making their way to Shelter Bay
SY CARINTHIA 🇺🇸 Dietmar & Susan - Lagoon 44′
Tender Upgrade....Bravo!
SY BASIK 🇺🇸 Teal, Linh & Emma & Compass - 435 Catamaran’
2) MORE EVENTS IN 2024-2025
🧭
OCEAN POSSE @ ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOW
OCTOBER 10-14 ’24 🇺🇸 ANNAPOLIS MD
Come party and meet the cruising fleet at booth VB10 OCT 10-14 2024
Pick up your burgee – drink a coconut full of rum and enjoy the show specials
WE ARE LOOKING FOR BOOTH VOLUNTEERS - GET AN ALL ACCESS BOAT SHOW BADGE IF YOU WORK THE BOOTH FOR 6 HOURS - saves $ 30 x day
(This week) marks the beginning of hurricane season in the Atlantic.
Wishing everyone the best as we find safe (and hopefully beautiful)
spots to tuck away in. It’s been a great season and looking forward to
the next one 💕
For
those on the Atlantic Side of the Canal this link has last years
monthly atmospheric and lightning maps as a reference for what one could
expect:
7) SHARING YOUR ADVENTURES is the heart and soul of the Ocean 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 Ocean Posse.
Impromptu Swim Party 🇵🇫 French Polynesia
SV WARRIOR shares:
We
anchored very close to the beach where all the kids play. We had
2' under keel at low tide. Because we were so close one of the
older boys swam up and said 'hello'. We chatted for a bit and I
offered for him to come aboard. He did. Chatted a bit more (his
broken English and our non-existent French). I motioned that he
(could) jump off the roof which he immediately did. The other kids
saw this and started coming over. He asked politely if his
friends could also jump. Then there were 6-8 kids on board.
Then, apparently, all the kids in town heard and by the end of it
32 kids and 3 different boats participated. We handed out a bunch
of cookies and water. It was very unplanned and wonderful.
SY WARRIOR 🇺🇸 Dave & Beth – Leopard 45'
Thank you for Sharing the spontaneous swim party !
8) TWO WEBINARS THIS WEEK
HURRICANE 🌀 MARINE FORECASTING
Provided by the National Hurricane Center
This just in from the NHC:
“Dear Blue Water Mariners,
Please
join us for our two free Webinars on Hurricane and Marine Forecasting
provided by the National Hurricane Center. These webinars are intended
for mariners that operate over the open ocean:
Good
afternoon, a pleasure to greet you, the discount for members registered
in OCEAN POSSE we have authorized for said agreement, it is 15% off our
current rates provided we have space.
If I can support you in anything else please let us know
Without further ado, for the moment I bid you farewell, wishing you an excellent day.
Regards!
Dania Medrano
Paseo de la Marina S/N Interior 3
Colonia Marina Vallarta.
Teléfono (322) 221-02-75.
e-mail: dmedrano@marina-vallarta.com.mx
e-mail: info@marina-vallarta.com.mx
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México.
SERVICES
Marina
Vallarta offers state of the art facilities and high quality services
within the entire complex.With more than 354 slips ,the marina stands
out for the quality services it offers.
After sailing across the Pacific from Panama and being on anchor since January 2024, the crew of MV CELT arrived in Papeete Marina on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. "Having been on anchorages since January, it was a welcome feeling to be in a city again and without an anchor alarm! "
They decided to rent a car and drive around the whole island.
"We
saw the waterfalls, the black coral beaches and Teahupoo, the area
where the Olympic surfing will be held. We went shopping to Carrefour
and wow it’s nice to have choices again! We said goodbye to some sailing
friends who are headed to Australia, Guy on Mahaba and Myles and Gabby
on Breeze. We met some new friends from Dublin,Aodan and Richie and
their 14 year old Springer Jake on the sailboat Why Knot (and went to
some happy hours at Meherios)"
Sweet water Waterfall
MV CELT crew stretching their land legs in the mountains
Great place for refreshments in Tahiti
Nice slip to break away from the boat for some overland travels
MV CELT 🇺🇸 Gerry & Angela - Nordhavn 43′
11) GOOD NAUTICAL:
ISLA CAVADA
(PART OF ISLAS SECAS)
07° 59.6160' N 082° 1.9220' W
Isla
Cavada is part of the Islas Secas island group in western Panama.
The island group is about 25 nm northwest of Isla Coiba.
Anchor over sand in multiple places on the east side of the
Island. Great snorkeling and beautiful sand beaches. There
is a resort that owns one of the islands.
We are excited to welcome the Ocean Posse and look forward to your arrival !
Pier
Sixty-Six Marina is the closest marina to the Port Everglades inlet and
in the center of the marine world of Fort Lauderdale.
As
a special recognition we will offer a discounted fuel rate reserved for
annual dock holders of $ 2.85 vs $ 3.57 x gallon ( 07/01/2021) and an
exclusive welcome gift.
We also offer the lowest slip rates in the area.
We look forward to meeting all the participants of the Ocean Posse
WATER Potable Broward County Water meets exceeded all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards
SHORE POWER ( 125V 30/50 125/220V 50 no 230v
WIFI Newly updated 1 gig up and down
PET FRIENDLY
RUBBISH / RECYCLING Rubbish / Recyling from 4Ocean
LOCAL PARKING
TOILETS ( no showers during construction phase )
LAUNDRY Dryclean USA pick up and drop off
RESTAURANTS which are a 2 min dinghy ride away and have patrons docks
15 Street Disheries
Southport Rawbar
Boatyard Restaurant
PROVISIONING
PUBLIX
Winndixie
PHARMACY
Walgreens
13) POSSE SPONSOR:
LATITUDES AND ATTITUDES
Latitudes
and Attitudes & OCEAN POSSE The #1 Cruising Lifestyle publication
on the planet just keeps getting bigger and better! Incredible
destination articles and features by the cruisers themselves, including
how-to’s, DIY and exciting new products! OCEAN POSSE PARTICIPANTS
RECEIVE $5.00 off per subscription Hello, Please use the
coupon code upon checkout : panamaposse Subscribe Now to the Lats &
Atts Online Magazine ! >> Access all 4 Digital Issues for
only $14.99-5 = $ 9.99 /year ! (That’s only $2.49 per issue!)
All OCEAN POSSE subscribers receive:
10% off at the Lats & Atts Store
Download the digital magazine for easy offline access!
Dave,
Beth and Landon (G16) have been sailing Warrior from Fort Lauderdale
since last March on their 2021 Leopard 45. Prior to that they
experienced tragedy in 2022 when their brand new 2022 Fountaine Pajot 42
Astrea burned and sank, killing their two dogs in Georgetown, Bahamas.
Not to be knocked down, these Warriors got back up quickly and are
now currently in the Marquesas and departing soon for the Tuamotus.
They aim to be in New Zealand or Australia by end of October.
You can follow them on their instagram @sailinglifewarriors.
SV WARRIOR 🇺🇸 Dave, Beth, & Landon - Leopard 45
15) POSSE SWAG
16) PET ALERT:
NEW RULES FOR HIGH RISK COUNTRIES GETTING YOUR PETS INTO THE USA WILL BECOME CONSIDERABLY MORE DIFFICULT FROM THESE COUNTRIES
Requirements
for foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a country with high risk
of dog rabies within 6 months before entry CHECK THE THE LIST & LINK ABOVE
Dogs,
including service dogs, that have been in a country at high-risk for
dog rabies within the 6 months before entry and do not have appropriate
documentation of current U.S.-issued rabies vaccine must:
Meet all requirements in the “All Dogs” section
Have a complete Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form
Ensure the dog is microchipped with an
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible
microchip before receiving the rabies vaccination and the number is
recorded on the veterinary documents or the vaccine will not be
considered valid
Verify the dog is at least 12 weeks (84 days) of age when vaccinated against rabies
The dog must have a valid (i.e., non-expired)
rabies vaccination. If it’s the dog’s first vaccination or if the dog’s
vaccination coverage has lapsed, the vaccine must be administered at
least 28 days before arrival to the United States.
The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination
and Microchip form must be completed by your veterinarian AND endorsed
by an official veterinarian in the exporting country.
Have a valid rabies serology titer (titer not required if dog
has reservation for 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care
facility)
The blood sample for the rabies serology titer
must have been drawn at least 30 days after the dog’s first valid rabies
vaccination and at least 28 days before entry to the U.S.
Dogs with a history of multiple valid rabies
vaccinations administered after the microchip was placed may have the
sample for the rabies serology titer drawn at any time after a rabies
booster vaccination as long as the dog’s first vaccine was given at
least 30 days before the blood sample was drawn and there has been no
lapse in vaccine coverage. If a lapse occurs, the sample must be drawn
at least 30 days after the valid booster vaccination was administered.
The sample must be sent to a CDC-approved rabies
serology laboratory. If there is no CDC-approved laboratory in your
country, your veterinarian may draw the sample and send it
internationally to a CDC-approved laboratory.
Passing results must be obtained in order for a serology to be valid.
Rabies serology titer results will be considered
valid for the life of the dog as long as the dog’s rabies vaccination
coverage does not lapse. If a lapse occurs, a new rabies serology titer
will be required and that sample must be drawn at least 30 days after
the new vaccination was administered.
If the dog does not have a valid rabies serology
titer, it will be required to be quarantined at a CDC-registered animal
care facility for 28 days after the dog is revaccinated by the
facility’s veterinarian.
Have a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility for
examination and revaccination (and quarantine if the dog does not have a
valid rabies serology titer)
All foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a
high-risk country in the previous 6 months must have a reservation for
examination, verification of age, documents, and microchip number, and
administration of a rabies booster vaccination at a CDC-registered
animal care facility immediately upon arrival in the United States.
Dogs that do not have a valid rabies serology
titer must also have a reservation for quarantine. Dogs will be
quarantined at the facility for 28 days at the importer’s expense after
being revaccinated by the facility’s veterinarian.
All CDC-registered animal care facility expenses,
including exam, revaccination, and quarantine (if required), are the
responsibility of the importer.
The facility will need copies of all required documents prior to confirming your reservation.
Ensure the dog meets any facility-specific
requirements (contact facility for additional information).
If after arrival the CDC-registered animal care
facility determines that your documents are not valid or the dog’s
microchip number, age, or description does not match the paperwork
provided, the dog may be denied entry and returned to the country of
departure at your expense.
Dogs that have evidence of illness or are not
healthy will be required to have testing to confirm they do not have
contagious diseases before they will be eligible for release, which may
extend the required quarantine period beyond 28 days. Any required
testing or extended stay in quarantine will be at the importer’s
expense, so please ensure dogs are healthy upon arrival (including no
evidence of fleas, ticks, or skin diseases).
Have an international flight that arrives directly at the
airport with the CDC-registered animal care facility where the dog has a
reservation
Dogs must arrive to the U.S. at the airport where
the CDC-registered animal care facility is located. This must be the
location where the dog has a reservation.
This must also be the airport listed on the CDC Dog Import Form
Domestic flights or other forms of travel to other
locations in the U.S. are not permitted until after the dog receives
required follow-up services at the CDC-registered animal care facility
and is cleared for entry.
SERVICE DOGS ARRIVING BY SEA: Service dogs, as defined in 14 CFR
382.3, may arrive by sea if they meet the requirements in the “All
Dogs” section, have a complete Certification of Foreign Rabies
Vaccination and Microchip form and a valid rabies serology titer, and
are traveling with their handler. Emotional support animals are not
service animals under this definition.
17) SAFETY ALERT:
US COAST GUARD SHARES
TOP FIVE REASONS FOR BOAT ACCIDENTS
Boat negotiating opposing waves.
The US Coast Guard released statistics on 2023 boating accidents.
According
to an article released on maritime industry news out of the UK, "The
top five primary contributing factors in accidents were operator
inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed,
and machinery failure. However, alcohol continued to be the
leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2023,
accounting for 79 deaths, or 17 per cent of total fatalities."
The
article goes on to outline the crafts involved in most accidents, the
level of (in)experience contributing to most accidents, and suggests
better practices to avoid accidents.
While
the top 5 reasons may seem obvious, complacency is perpetual risk on
the water and this Safety Reminder is intended to continue to keep
mariners vigilant and safe on the water.
Located
in the Diquís Delta in southern Costa Rica these Chiefdom settlements
illustrate a collection of unique stone spheres of the
Precolumbian period. The four sites represent different settlement
structures of chiefdom societies (500-1500 CE) containing artificial
mounds, paved areas and burial sites. Diquís stone spheres, which are
rare in their perfection of large-sized (up to 2.57m diameter) spherical
structures .
Stone
Spheres of the Diquís illustrate the physical evidence of the complex
political, social and productive structures of the Precolumbian
hierarchical societies. The chiefdoms which inhabited the Diquís Delta
created hierarchical settlements expressing the division of different
levels of power centers.
Stone spheres
The
four property components contribute specific elements which allow for
the understanding of the chiefdom settlement structures. Finca 6 is the
only site retaining stone spheres in linear arrangements, Batambal is
the only chiefdom settlement visible from a far distance, El Silencio
contains the largest single stone sphere ever found, and Grijalba-2 site
is unique for its use of limestone and its distinctive characteristics
as a subordinate centre, as opposed to the Finca 6 site, which was
likely a principal center.
Archaeological
sites with sets of stone spheres have been affected for decades and
individual spheres have been removed, altered or destroyed causing a
great loss of the Costa Rican cultural heritage. For many years,
archaeological investigations were scarce, but since the early 1990s,
investigations began to progressively fill information gaps.
Careful excavation of a Pre-Columbian Stone Sphere in Costa Rica
They
appear to have been made by hammering natural boulders with other
rocks, then polishing with sand. The degree of finishing and precision
of working varies considerably. The gabbro came from sites in the hills,
several kilometers away from where the finished spheres are found,
though some unfinished spheres remain in the hills. They are used for
decoration.
Since
2005, the National Museum of Costa Rica has developed the project
“Archaeological Investigations in Sites with Stone Spheres, Delta del
Diquís” aimed at studying the pre-Columbian occupation of the delta,
focusing particularly on archaeological sites with the presence of stone
spheres. At the same time trying to contribute to the discussion of
various issues of regional relevance such as the emergence of rank
societies and their particularities, in light of local developments
proposed from the genetics and linguistics of current indigenous groups.
The
regional and medium-term focus of this study has allowed a growing
accumulation of information on different periods of occupation and
establish the great potential of knowledge despite decades of
agricultural work. The activities have combined inspection, evaluation
and partial excavation of various settlements.
The
spheres were discovered in the 1930s as the United Fruit Company was
clearing the jungle for banana plantations.[4] Workmen pushed them aside
with bulldozers and heavy equipment, damaging some spheres.
Additionally, inspired by stories of hidden gold, workmen began to drill
holes into the spheres and blow them open with sticks of dynamite.
Several of the spheres were destroyed before authorities intervened.
Some of the dynamited spheres have been reassembled and are currently on
display at the National Museum of Costa Rica in San José. The
collection at the National Museum of Costa Rica is made up of six of the
spheres. A lot of the spheres also ended up as lawn decorations
for many Tico citizens
The
spheres were discovered in the 1930s as the United Fruit Company was
clearing the jungle for banana plantations.[4] Workmen pushed them aside
with bulldozers and heavy equipment, damaging some spheres.
Additionally, inspired by stories of hidden gold, workmen began to drill
holes into the spheres and blow them open with sticks of dynamite.
Several of the spheres were destroyed before authorities intervened.
Some of the dynamited spheres have been reassembled and are currently on
display at the National Museum of Costa Rica in San José. The
collection at the National Museum of Costa Rica is made up of six of the
spheres. A lot of the spheres also ended up as lawn decorations
for many Tico citizens
Welcome to Windmill Harbour Marina, situated on the northwest coast of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
We are please to sponsor the Panama Posse rally with a 20 cent x foot discount over published rates !
Windmill Harbour Jake
Harbormaster
JAKE MCMILLAN
We
are located on the Intracoastal Waterway, just ½ mile south of the
Pinckney Island Bridge at mile marker 558, 500 yards south of channel
marker 27, and ½ mile north of channel marker 29 in the Calibogue Sound.
The marina’s 15.5 acre harbour boasts 258 Hilton Head boat slips,
offering many for rent or sale. Transient dockage is available. Our
remarkable harbour offers a safe, tide free haven protected by a lock
system directly off the Intracoastal Waterway. The Windmill Harbour
Marina lock is 75′ long by 19′ wide. Hours of operation are 0800 to 1900
by harbour master or 24 hours by yachtsmen with a keycard. We monitor
channel 14 VHF. Our phone number is 843-681-9235 and our email is
windmillharbourmaster@gmail.com.
21) 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
22) 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.
South Pacific – French Polynesia – Cook Islands – Tonga & Fiji
Safety Security and Emergencies outside the US and what to expect
Electrical Systems – Batteries, Chargers, Alternators, Solar Panels
Cruising in Panama + the Panama Canal + SAN BLAS
Where and how to repair boats outside the US
The tropics – Refrigeration, AC, Shading, Airflow + other ways to stay cool
Destination Colombia, Jamaica & Bay of Islands Honduras & Roatan
FRIDAY OCTOBER 28th, 2023 ● SEMINARS + PARTY
Destination Belize & Rio Dulce Guatemala
Blue Hole Belize Cruising Ground and how to get there
Communications onboard, underway and on shore
The fundamentals of wires, connectors and fuses
Open CPN – Satellite Charts – Use Cases and Satellite Chart creation
Chart Accuracy, Navigation Trips and Tricks & Tracking
Provisioning, Propane and Fuel – where to replenish
+ RUM PPPPARTY INVOCATION & KICK OFF
RSVP NOW FOR THIS EVENT
24-25′ OCEAN POSSE KICK OFF WEEKEND
BARRA DE NAVIDAD 🇲🇽 MEXICO
24-25′ PANAMA POSSE KICK OFF WEEKEND 🇲🇽 BARRA DE NAVIDAD, MEXICO
WHEN: December 4 - 8 2024
WHERE: Barra de Navidad, MX at the Marina Puerto de la Navidad & Tenecatita
SEMINARS PLUS Special Ocean Posse Beach gathering
in Tenecatita on Dec 8 with local water taxi to get you from your boat
to the party AND BACK – local food and beach bonfire and RUM –
whoop whoop – bring on the s’mores on a stick
3) SUNRISES AND SUNSETS THIS WEEK
Sunrise in Uvita 🇨🇷 Costa Rica. Going to look for some mermaids.
MV SUMMERBREEZE 🇺🇸 Kurtis - Bestway 46'
🇨🇷
MY TIDINGS OF JOY 🇺🇸 Jeff & Joy - DeFever 52′
Sunset on the Pacific Ocean bound for French Polynesia
SY WHIRLWIND 🇺🇸 Maurisa, Mike, Russell & Josea – Alajuela 48’
4) OCEAN POSSE 🎌 MEET UPS
Posse meetup in West Palm Beach 🇨🇷 Florida
We
had a great PP meetup on Cerca Trova today with Yo-D-Yo and French
Kissing in West Palm Breach. Good times! The original San Diego
Posse group finally get together for the first time since the fall of
2021 in West Palm Beach. Mary and Dave on Yo-D-Yo, Sheila and Josh on Sephina, and Lynette and Bruce on Cerca Trova. Way too long without seeing all of us together. ❤️
SY YO-D-YO 🇺🇸 David & Mary – Hunter 45’,
SY FRENCH KISSING LIFE 🇺🇸 Tess&John – Bavaria 45’ &,
SY CERCA TROVA 🇺🇸 Bruce & Lynette - Manta MK IV 42′
Spelunking in the inner dark depths of the earth is for the brave hearted
Trip Report:
Maison
de Sante and Sundowner had a great time at the bat cave located on one
of the islands in Bocas Del Toro, Panama! Fermin and his family
live on the land, have a farm, and run tours of the cave. $20 pp and
includes shoes, helmets with lights, and gloves. They point out wildlife
along the way such as red frogs, sloths, millipedes, etc. A great way
to support locals. Just traversing through the mangroves to get there is
better than the jungle ride at Disneyland. You can contact Justiliano
on WhatsApp; he speaks English.
A boatride through the mangroves.
Red Frog spotted in the jungle
The entrance to Bat Cave.
Let's do this!
Inside Bat Cave.
MV Sundowner Jeffrey & Lynn - Californian 50′
7) CROSSING THE PACIFIC
FROM PANAMA 🌊 TO THE MARQUESAS
Full Sails to French Polynesia
Ocean Posse Editor, Maurisa, on SV WHIRLWIND shares :
My
family and I left the Pacific Northwest in 2018 with the vision of
sailing across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia one day. Over
the last 6 years we have cruised the pacific coast of North America
twice on two different boats. We have loved the Panama Posse Route
and after many years and more miles we were ready to make the jump!
We sailed out of Panama City to Isla Contadora with bananas
swaying from hooks, hammocks full of fresh produce, and egg crates
stacked five high. We took a few days to clean our bottom, stow
the last of our stores, and take a deep breath. Then, as the April
moon swelled to full, we weighed anchor, turned our bow out to sea, and
turned our stern into the wind.
"Let
the Downwind Coconut Milk Run Begin!" We were so excited for this
adventure and our longest passage to date to begin.
The good ship SV WHIRLWIND sets sail from Isla Contadora in the Perlas, Panama
The
first few days getting out of Panama Bay proved exhilarating, if a
little sporty. The wind and the current helped flush us out to
sea. The sky and the ocean got bigger and we got smaller as we
settled into what became our routine. While we did check the
weather forecast every day, we also used our radar, and relied heavily
on what we saw and felt around us to determine our sail plan.
The
sky tells so much as do old weather adages. Our third day out,
dawned with big poofy clouds and a bright rainbow in our path.
Ignorant of the old adage: Rainbows in the morning, Sailors take
warning, I completely mis-read the message dead ahead. While I sat
staring wistfully at the pretty rainbow and thought of what treasures
we might find at the end of the rainbow, little did I know squalls were
building beyond the pot of gold. We sailed into squalls through
the night and I learned to look at rainbows with a bit more caution.
An old weather adage: Rainbows in the morning, Sailors take warning.
Squall in the distance
Our radar showing squall ahead into the night.
Our
days began to fly by and simply slide from one to the next. We
sailed with the wind and the seas on our quarter well beyond the
Galapagos in a swirly mess of mixed current and changing conditions.
While the sea state was unorganized and tossing us this way and
that, we deepened our endurance and praised the gimbled stove as the
only 'level' surface aboard. We cooked up great meals to kept
morale high. We raised, lowered, reefed, adjusted, and changed sails to
keep our good ship moving. We looked for chafe or damage on the
topsides daily, played games, listened to books, celebrated animal
visits, and troubleshooted odds and ends in a wild array of conditions.
In time, we hoisted our Spinnaker and sailed downwind, with a
positive current and following seas. We went from feeling at odds
with our surrounding to feeling in the flow with the ocean. It was
absolutely magnificent.
Adjusting the leech line underway
Putting some meat on the rail to put the miles under our keel
Our entire family became Shellbacks upon crossing the equator.
Bird attempting to take a rest and catch a ride on our solar panel.
Kite flying for days ( watching out for chafe )
Colorful sunrise. Is that a red sky in the morning, or is it pink?
This
magnificence with the following wind and seas lasted as long as it
lasted and then we were back at sailing hard to make our destination.
Nearing the islands, we once again met fast changing weather,
squalls, and mixed sea conditions. Sails went up, sails went down.
That's when grit set in and we truly dug deep holding each other
up as needed. Thankfully, the excitement of our proximity to our
destination, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia gave us the extra energy
necessary.
Our
final push was intense and so worth it!. The moon was full and,
like us, was in and out of thick clouds all night. Nearing sunrise
the sky and squalls cleared. The moon set and we saw land.
The island of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas appears
Land Ho!
Captain Mike at the helm, ever vigilant of our sails and wind angle.
The
sun rose and began to set the landscape aglow. Birds were
chirping, there was so much fresh green vegetation growing in steep
volcanic soil, and the air smelled of flowers. We sailed into
Anaho Bay and for the first time in 30 days we put our sails to bed one
by one, pulled and coiled our spinnaker sheets, and prepped our anchor
to drop.
Left Panama a ten year old and arrived in French Polynesia an 11 year old Salt.
Verdant peak, Anaho Bay, Marquesas 🇵🇫 French Polynesia
The volcanic island of Nuku Hiva 🇵🇫 FP
After
sailing through one Full moon cycle across 4234nm of Bluewater, we
arrived. The anchor set and we sat back: exhilarated and
exhausted.
Interestingly,
the ocean voyage now feels like a dream and the landscape surreal in
it's beauty. I keep pinching myself thinking, " We did it!
We are in the South Pacific. We are here!"
I feel boundless gratitude for our safe passage, my captain and our crew, and the new (to us) land and sea we will explore!
SY WHIRLWIND 🇺🇸 Maurisa, Mike, Russell & Josea – Alajuela 48’
Thank you for Sharing your LOVE of the water !
8) 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.
A feathered guest drops in off the Galapagos.
9) 2024 HURRICANE SEASON 🌀FORECASTS
NHC has released seasonal hurricane predictions for the Eastern Pacific and the Atlantic 2024 Hurricane Season.
Watch this video of how to prepare and ride out a hurricane in the Sea of Cortez
BASIK 🇺🇸 Teal, Linh & Emma & Compass - Custom 43'
10) IGY RED FROG MARINA
BOCAS DEL TORO 🇵🇦 PANAMA
SPONSORS THE PANAMA POSSE
09° 20.13′ N 082° 10.65′ W
Ahoy Captains
We can offer to the Ocean Posse members:
15% discount on the daily, weekly, monthly and rate.
10 % discount on the quarterly rate (3 to 5 months), and long term (6+ months)
Santiago Herrera
Marina General Manager
santiago.herrera@igymarinas.com
Red Frog Beach Island Marina
Amenities
Private Beach Access
Restaurants
Ship’s Chandlery
Private Shower House
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Golf Cart Rentals
Guest Laundry
Services
Fueling Services
Customs & Immigration
Canal Agent Services
Provisioning Services
Vessel Repairs & Maintenance
11) LIGHTNING SEASON 🇵🇦 PANAMA
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama captures this image of a lightning bolt
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defines a lightning storm as a
“sudden discharge of atmospheric electricity manifested by a brief glow
(lightning) and a clicking noise or a dull roar (thunder). Storms are
associated with convective clouds (Cumulonimbus) and
They are usually accompanied by precipitation in the form of showers.
Thunder: is the sound caused by atmospheric electrical discharge. It is given as
consequence of the heating of the air surrounding the discharge
Playa Venao is locates on the Azuero Peninsula west of Punta Mala. Many
vessels will anchor here before or after rounding Punta Mala. It
is a great little beach town with a popular surf break and, in the right
conditions, a great anchorage.
After an overnight that John mainly covered we arrived at Playa Venao.
Described as one of Panama’s premier surf spots the bay did offer
shelter at one end. This is a very, very, large bay where one end
was protected from the huge Pacific waves by an island and a rocky sand
bar. The sound of the surf crashing ashore was the dominant sound,
the spray was in the air everywhere giving the huge bay a hazy
unfocused glare. There were surfers in the shallow surf and others way
out in the huge rollers. I guessed they represented different levels of
skill. Later during the afternoon there were folks riding horses
along the beach. Out we motor-sailed at 6:30am the next morning
heading to our next destination. The scenery was spectacular even with
the cloudy hazy conditions.
We are pleased to welcome the Participants of the Panama Posse to Ensenada, BC Mexico
As a special welcome rate we offer 2 nights and one free !
In the minimum stay of 2 nights, you get 1 extra night for free + special
DAILY rate for the participants with boats with a length up to 65 ft:
$2.00 USD per foot of the vessel + tax + free assistance to clear in and
out of Mexico, immigration and to get the Temporary Importation Permit
as long as they present all the documents as required by the port
authorities.
CONTACT
VHF 12
T: +52 (646) 173-4141
Toll Free: +1 (877) 219 5822
E: reservations@hutchisonportsecv.com
W: www.marina.hutchisonportsecv.com
SERVICES
189 slips from 36’ to 68’ and 6 end ties from 83’ to 135’
350’ mega yacht area
Dock box with water supply and electricity capacity (30, 50 and 100 amp end tie)
Double breakwater protection, insuring the calmest marina in Ensenada area
Concrete Bellingham Marine built docks
Launch ramp
Parking
Laundry room
Restrooms and showers
Port Clearance and Customs assistance
AMENITIES
Controlled access to facilities
24 hour security
Dock carts
Downtown within walking distance
Friendly environment
Pet friendly
BBQ area
Cruiseport Marina, Ensenada 🇲🇽 Mexico
14) POSSE SPONSOR:
EL JOBO – CHANDLERY & DISTRIBUIDORA
PLAYA COCOS 🇨🇷 COSTA RICA
We welcome the Panama Posse to Costa Rica with a special 10 % discount !
To make sure you get your discount make sure you are on the vessel list with your picture.
Please feel free to shop at our Playa Cocos Store Costa Rica.
SV DARK HORSE
is our 4th boat,. We purchased her new in 2007. We fell in
love with her new design and I knew she would take us to some beautiful
places. But we what discovered is that she has introduced us to an
incredible sailing community. Dark Horse has taken us to many
small anchorages, villages, towns, cities, and countries where we've met
so many warm and friendly people. Since we left San Diego last October
2023 on the Baja Ha-Ha, she has enriched our lives on the sea and opened
our eyes and hearts to the people living on or near the waters we've
sailed upon. Our new friends can follow us on social media and WhatsApp,
and we often hear back from them about how much they love living
vicariously through us. Dark Horse will be taking us around the
Caribbean and perhaps the Mediterranean, where her ancient ancestors
first plied the seas of civilizations long ago. Oh, the places
we'll go!
SV DARK HORSE on anchor dressed for action.
Different lights take the Dark out of the night.
SV DARK HORSE 🇺🇸 Brian & Angela- Beneteau 49’
16) SAFETY ALERT:
SHARK ATTACK 🦈 THE GAMBIERS 🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA
Grey Reef Sharks are known to be among the more aggressive sharks
Report from SV KISKADEE from the Gambiers, French Polynesia:
We
anchored in Gambier, French Polynesia near the Airport Island, aside
the Fausse Passe, False Pass, a beautiful shallow snorkeling spot. We
took the dinghy to the corner of the channel, my 2 crew members went for
a free dive, snorkeling. They were going to the ocean side and let the
incoming tide slowly take them into the channel again. The spot is, on a
sunny day, beautiful. Coral, sandy bottom, little fish and small black
tip reefs shark, on an incoming tide there is a lot of activity. And
safe because you are pushed into the lagoon.
Swimming
close together, 10-15 meters my two crew members entered the the
channel close to the shallow part with 50 cm of water on top of big
coral formations. Out of the ocean came a single bigger, 2-3 meters,
shark, properly a Grey Reef shark. It swam directly toward A. and bit
him in his underarm.
A. reacted promptly and stabbed him multiple times in the gills which
resulted in the Shark letting him go. He managed to get on top of a
coral bank bleeding badly from the bite running from below his elbow to
above his wrist. D. swam ashore safely.
I managed to launch the dinghy from the beach, had to go around some very
swallow parts and row the last 10 meters. Hoist him in the dinghy. It
was obvious, this was a severe bite. Big open wound trauma, lots of
blood.
First response
From that moment on, we went into crisis modes and did a few things right.
We applied a tourniquet with a dinghy rope and twig and used a long
leave shirt to make a pressure bandage over his wet suit and arm. On
board we give hem a sugary, salty drink. And kept talking to him.
We motored back on maximum power, taking a few safe shortcuts. 45 minutes
later we were in Rikitea, which has a medical center with two trauma
Nurses.
After the first actions of stabilizing, IV, cutting his 5 mm wet suit off,
replace our twig with a professional tourniquet etc, they consulted the
ER doctor in Tahiti. A medical emergency was declared and the hospital
ordered a medevac. At that time it was about 14 hours local time, all
ready two hours after the attack. A. was put on pain medicine as well as
antibiotics to counter any infections from the dirty bite.
The follow up
Gambier has an airport, but it’s not equipped for night flights, there are a
very limited amount of lights on the runway. So the medivac was
performed by the French Air force which flew in a midsize transport
plane. They landed at 21:30 and departed an hour later. Flying time to
Tahiti is about 3-4 hours.
The transport from the Medical Center to the Airport was performed by a
Gendarmarie Pickup truck for the stretcher and the local ferry of the
Rikitea community to the airport island. Ta’aone Hospital in Tahiti is
the next stop for surgery.
Update:
A. is “ok”, surgery is today (24 may) reconstruct blood vessels, muscle
tissue etc. Later an skin reconstruction, common with shark bits. An
X-ray revealed two shark teeth in his arm. An unusual souvenir of a very
scary event.
Things to learn
There is local knowledge about Sharks and there are stories about them (semi)
attacking. Also that it is most likely a Grey Reef Shark which are know
to be aggressive when their territory is invaded. We learned this
stories afterwards. I would be skeptical about swimming in that channel
having this info on forehand.
A. was not Speer fishing but wears a wet suit that was used multiple times
while fishing. I called it his smelly suit. Don’t know if its a factor.
Its a dark suit, opinions differs on colors attractive for game fish.
We called out a pan-pan-pan multiple time but nobody reacted. We called
the Gendarmarie on cell phone but got an answering machine, between
12-14 its siesta time. Translate a short message in French for VHF. A
local harbor master has almost no knowledge of English.
In this case the medical center was one to 1,5 hours away. If we were more
remote we would have add three steps to our first aid. Start
immediately on a maximum dose of Paracetamol and add a max dose of a
broad span antibiotics like Amoxicillin from the Kiskadee board
pharmacy, 8to fight on upcoming infection. Second, replace the
improvised t-shirt bandage with a real pressure bandage. Third, release
the tourniquet a bit after 1,5 hours to start a blood flow to his hand.
Look for bleeding, if it occurs you have no choice then tightening it
again. Releasing the flow will increase the pain.
For comfort and against a shock, cut his wet suit off, except the arm peace covering the wounds, and rap him in a few blankets.
Words of Thanks
We are in deep gratitude for so much help and kindness. From the
professionals to the lady on the dock handing us a bottle of water.
Numerous people where involved by transporting him to Tahiti. My second
crew member was allowed to fly with him to Tahiti. Also unusual.
So my final words, sailing is beautiful and dangerous. Therese and I are
always super grateful that dangerous thus not go all the way to fatal.
We are privileged.
What is the protocol on your vessel for First Aid Emergencies ?
What is the protocol on your vessel for Emergency communications ?
At what point will you activate an EPIRB?
If the EPIRB were used in this incident would the vessel have had more rapid response from local officials ?
17) MUST SEE:
COPPER CANON – BARRANCA DEL COBRE EL CHEPE 🇲🇽 MEXICO
The
Journey through the Copper Canyon by train is an experience of one of
the most scenic train rides in the world. TAs El Chepe chugs along its
653 km (405 mi) of track, a journey which takes anywhere from 9 to 16
hours, it crosses over 37 bridges and through 86 tunnels. It crosses the
Copper Canyon, called the Barranca del Cobre by Mexicans.
Train crossing the Copper Canyon
Volcanic Islands
The
Copper Canyon is one of Mexico’s lesser-known gems. The area is a
group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the
southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua.
It is 65,000 sqk / 25,000 sqm in size.
The
canyons were formed by six rivers that drain the western side of the
Sierra Tarahumara (a part of the Sierra Madre Occidental).
All
six rivers merge into the Rio Fuerte and empty into the Gulf of
California. The walls of the canyon are a copper/green color, which is
the origin of the name.
The
Spanish arrived in the Copper Canyon area in the 17th century and
encountered the indigenous locals throughout Chihuahua. For these New
Spanish, America was a new land to explore for gold and silver and also
to spread Christianity. The New Spanish named the people “Tarahumara”,
they encountered derived from the word Rarámuri, which is what the
indigenous people call their men.
During
the 17th century, silver was discovered by the Hispanic in the land of
the Tarahumara tribe. Some were enslaved for mining efforts. There were
small uprisings by the Tarahumara, but to little avail. They eventually
were forced off the more desirable lands and up into the canyon cliffs.
THE FULL JOURNEY TAKES EITHER NINE OR SIXTEEN HOURS
If you travel on the Chepe Express (Los Mochis to Creel and vice versa),
your journey time will be nine hours, with the train leaving from Los
Mochis at either 6am or 3.50pm. On the Chepe Regional (Los Mochis to
Chihuahua and vice versa), the journey is around 16 hours from start to
finish and the train leaves either Los Mochis or Chihuahua at 6am.
CLIMATE
The alpine climate of the mountainous regions of Copper Canyon has moderate
temperatures from October to November and March to April. The bottom of
the canyons are humid and warm and remain that way throughout the year.
During the warmest months, April through June, drought is a chronic
problem with little rainfall until July when the rainy season begins.
20) 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
“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.
Contact us today through panama@waypointyacht.com
The
keel-billed motmot is a species of bird in the motmot family Momotidae.
It is very closely related to the broad-billed motmot, and the two may
be the same species. The two are similar sizes and shapes, and have been
reported to have similar calls, but they do have different plumage.
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