FLEET UPDATE 2017-12-24

1) AVANT, Chiapas MEXICO
Additional info on Chiapas.

Arrival inspection. When you arrive you will be inspected by the navy and port captain in your slip, including a sniffer dog. This is no matter where you come from, north or south. You must remain aboard until this is complete. All boats departing (north or south) are also inspected pre departure.

Water: dock water is pretty good by Mexican standards (itโ€™s well water), should be fine with filtering and a bit of bleach. Also garafons of purified water are available delivered to the boat for 20 pesos each. If you need more than a few, order in advance, the stock is limited. Delivery is quick, usually next day.

Lift/ bottom paint. If you are planning on hauling and painting, contact the marina in advance. Bottom paint is available but needs preordering (Comex ABC 3 ablative is $200US per gallon). You can work on your own boat here, but you cannot live aboard while doing so. There are a few nearby hotels, none particularly convenient, but they are typically cheerfully cheap.

Fuel. There is a Pemex you pass on the way in with fuel, but no floating dock so you need to rig fenders for a side tie on a dock suited to fish boats to use it. The marina will also fill jerry jugs for you, delivered at no extra charge.

Marina contact is Rolf (rmarichal@marinachiapas.com.mx), assistant manager. He speaks excellent English. Docks One and two (first two as you enter marina) are fully repaired with water and electricity. Dock three (furthest from entry) repairs continue, structure about 90% complete with some finishing to be done. No water or electricity on dock three yet. Plenty of room, easily 30+ empty slips. Travel lift repairs complete and lift is fully functional.
Thanks

Rob

2) MY CROSSROADS – MEXICO

Hello Fleet,

We waited for almost a week in Hualtuco for a weather window to take us across the Gulf. We had a choice, take the coast route or go straight across. We ultimately decided the coast route (though not โ€œone foot on the beachโ€ as some suggest) was most prudent. At 242 nm it is 20 nm longer than a direct route. However by the time you are just over halfway along you are pretty much out of โ€œwindy laneโ€ and should have the wind and seas behind you.

Ultimately it didnโ€™t matter, because we had essentially flat seas and only 5-10 kts of wind all the way across. One thing I will caution is that on our way into Hualtuco last week, in the wee hours of the morning light I encountered a long liner. This entailed a panga trailing about 2-3 miles of line hidden beneath the water buoyed up by very hard to see old white and sometimes green bleach bottles. At the end of the line was a black flag. Because I was afraid of snagging the line I paralleled the line of bleach bottles for maybe two miles to get to the end, at which point I simply went around. Later while ashore I sought out a fisherman to hopefully allay my concerns with this setup. Instead he confirmed my worst fears 1) the line lays very near the surface, you cannot run your boat between the floats without a severe risk of snagging a line full of hooks. 2) These guys work at night. How you would spot them at night I have no idea. For this reason we are running 8-20 nm offshore. I also theorized that because The Tehuantepec is blowing most of the time it is probably prime fishing grounds when it finally lays down. Judging by the number of pangas and larger vessels we picked up on radar throughout the night I think my theory is correct,

The Gulf seems teeming with life. We have seen fish jumping, bait balls, dolphins and interestingly a large area with thousands of sea turtles.

As I write this it has been a great passage and we are closing in on Chiapas, should arrive in about 2-1/2 hrs.

Merry Xmas Panama Posse!

Over & out,

Stan

m/v CrossRoads

3) SANS FRONTIERS – Panama

Hello from Panama aboard Sans Frontieres/Tartan 3700. We left Marina Pez Vela in Costa Rica on Dec 16 and arrived in Panama Canal Area, Marina La Playita on Dec 22 (Playita de Amador) near Flamenco Marina. Nice sail, stops in Panama at 1/ Isla Jicaron (north of the island/North Jicaron, fantastic), 2/ Isla Coiba (southeast anchorage, just east of south bahia damas, 81’31 – 07’24) at 10 ft depth, sand. Low tide is fantastic with many exposed beaches, covered at high tide, be cautious of sand bars/corals), 3/ lunch stop Isla Bona, north west anchorage. 4/ overnight Isla Taboga (anchored north of ferry dock, near moorings, well protected and was very calm at night, nice restaurant in a hotel with patio overlooking the bay and views to panama city/canal. 5/ arrival at la playita marina on 12/22, and now waiting for hopefully a Dec 28 canal crossing. We had a great time, good 6 to 25 knts wind conditions, a bit rougher seas once we passed Punta Mala going north east… Fyi, Our Panama clearance and crossing agent is Roy Bravo (cell: +507-6678-6820), very night guy, seems very well established and connected, and effective. Wishing you all following seas and fair winds, Enjoy! Nicolas Jonville, Sans Frontieres, Tartan 3700 hull 128

4) MY EL CAZADOR – Costa Rica

Comments on papagayos marina -very clean, well maintained, wide docks -all people working here are EXCEPTIONALLY nice and helpful. Dan-dockmater, Brian, William -concierge,
Gabriella-store/desk/a little of everything! Also people working on the docks. -concierge desk will help with anything you need -nice fuel dock -There is a small gym (air conditioned) and nice (small) pool, no one uses it, so you will have it to yourself!
-you have access to the Andez resort nearby(via shuttle) -great restaurants, beautiful architecture, but if want to use gym, pools, you pay a 50$ fee. We did this a times to pamper ourselves and really enjoyed it -Nice little restarant and bar. Food is really good and reasonably priced. -there isn’t much to do though unless you have a car (rental onsite). We went inland for a few days to Monteverdi. Nice hikes in the rainforest. Go with a guide for the hikes , will find tarantulas, snakes, tons of beautiful birds. Zip lining, etc. -playa de cocos (across the bay) is a nice little town (restaurants, nice sports bar, typical souvenir shops) fun to walk around. good anchorage -it definitely gets very windy here!!!!!

5) OCTOPUS GARDEN – Mexico

Hi. We are very pleased to be part of the Panama Posse.
We are in Barra for the holidays and plan to leave Jan 4.
We will head south for Zihuatanejo then our plan is to be in El Salvador in March for the Bahia del Sol rally.
We will take some time there to explore Central America and then head further south to Costa Rica and Panama maybe a stop in Nicaragua
Our eventual plan is to go to Ecuador
Our Formosa 41 Octopus Garden

Jim B

Keep those updates coming !

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all

Dietmar
SV Carinthia
Currently in Acapulco Bay next to SV Respite