1) The (counter) Panama Posse.
Several vessels are now heading up the coast from Panama and
parts in between towards Mexico.
Many are working on their Hurricane strategies and are looking for
a safe place.
There are of course several options to consider.
We’ll touch on these in one of the upcoming weekly LINE calls but
just as a baseline here is some info.
Please take all of this with a grain of salt.
Pacific Hurricane Strategies run the gamut with some general
markers for you to ponder.
SOUTH ZONE
Panama on the Pacific side stay at Vista Mar Marina
(no hurricanes, yes lighting strikes)
Costa Rica stay at a marina Golfito Marina Village,
Banana Bay Marina, Marina Pez Vela,
Marina Papagayo
– several offer the options with a bond which helps with
customs issues
(no hurricanes, yes lighting strikes)
Nicaragua – stay at Marina Puesta del Sol
(no hurricanes, yes lighting strikes)
El Salvador – stay on Bill & Jean’s Moorings
(no hurricanes, yes lighting strikes)
There are ample electrical storms, thunder and lightning and each
season vessel suffer from lightning strikes in these places.
CENTRAL ZONE
Tehuntapec,MX is the area where the hurricanes usually originate from
Mexico – Marina Chiapas and soon Marina Chahue – dredging starts in May so stay tuned.
NORTH ZONE
All Mexican marinas above this line on the Pacific side are in
the bona-fide Hurricane Zone
(expect for Ensenda) and vessels also occasionally suffer from
lightning strikes.
Here are some visualizations of the historic tracks in the Pacific
the lighting strikes map
2) Bahia del Sol, El Salvador
Crew member Dan, Curtis and Fynn, from Germany, made the track
from Huatulco to Chiapas, Mexico in February.The anchorage at
Huatulco harbor, chosen due to closure of the nearby marina Chahue
proofed a good shelter, even in sometimes windy conditions. Local
population is very helpful and the view from the anchorage offers
everything from little fishing dinghies to short visits of
seizable cruise ships. The local lemonade (after a hot day) is to
die for.After watching many website based weather reports and
local advise we picked a window to cross the sometime treacherous
Tehuantepec bay; we were so cautious that we sometimes cursed at
the calm winds. Do not let your guard down here, Closer to our
destination the wind picked up behind us and hugh swells from the
NW caused for an interesting ride.Chiapas marina is a delightful
operation; fairly new and idyllically tucked away in a corner of
Puerto Marino harbor. Memo and Ralph, marina management, as well
as yard lead Ronnie, are most helpful with paper processing and
taking care of the odd repair jobs.After Chiapas the trip
continued, in March, to Bahia de Sol, outside El Salvador. As we
were going to miss our appointed time with the harbor pilot we had
to drop anchor. With the wind picking up in the afternoon, the sit
became close to uncomfortable, not to mention looking at a near
full length of anchor line pointing straight out from the bow. Not
to many options there though. Pilot Bill was hard to find in his
little dinghy amongst the seizable waves but proofed to be a good
guide across the bar into the inlet.Be aware of a good current
flowing inside the small bay including at the small marina.Next
planned stop: Golfito, Costa Rica. To be continued . . . .
Dan
WINDS OF THE WORLD
3) Bahia del Sol, El Salvador
Tips on entering Bahia del sol:
Ensure you contact Bill and Jean in advance for advice. They know
the surf and tide conditions intimately, and you want to ensure
they will be on hand to assist the pilot when you cross the bar.
elsalvadorrally@aol.com, phone +503 7490 6894, hail โBill and
Jeanโ on vhf ch 16 when within range.
If they are not available (having gone to town, etc.) the pilot is
still available most days (hail hotel Bahia del sol on vhf 16) but
does not have a vhf, and will guide you in with hand signals. This
is significantly sub-optimal.
You must enter at high tide, and morning crossings are always
better.
Rob & Debra
AVANT
4) Las Perlas, Panama
We’ve been back on the boat for a month and left 10 days ago from
Vista Del Mar to visit Las Perlas. We have only visited Bona,
Contadora, and now Isla San Jose so far. They are all wonderful.
Our only real complaint is the water is freezing. It’s been
hovering right at 68 degrees F. brrrr! Nice for SUP and yaking
but even the fish apparently don’t like it because we have seen
very few (of the coral type) and caught none of the eating
varieties.There has been north winds (12-25+) pretty much every
day but with picking the right anchorages it has been very nice
except the no swimming part.We have said good bye (or see ya
later) to a number of vessels heading west, some stopping at
Galapagos and some sailing on by. Fair winds to you all.We have no
schedule and plan to visit as many anchorages as we can.
NOTE TO TE POSSE …Office manager Yordanka of Hacienda Del Mar
on Isla San Jose asked us to invite all cruisers to come visit.
The drinks and food are same price as any 4-5 star all inclusive
resort. $4 Beer, $10 Calamari, and you have to pay $10 to go in
and use resort amenities but…the pool is wonderful, the grounds
and views are awesome, and the staff are all very friendly. The
$10 resort fee is a one time thing as we spent 4 days there and
only paid the $10 once.What you also get is a free mooring ball
(first come first serve) or anchorage, free potable water (water
faucet on the beach) easy dingy landing. Internet at the pool or
at the anchorage with a wifi grabbing device) is available. NO
cell service. Cheers!
Rick & Brenda
DAD’S DREAM
5) SAVE THESE DATES & SPONSORS
Wednesday, May 1st – Panama
Posse Labor Day Party @ Golfito Marina Village, Costa Rica
Saturday, May 25th – Season
Finale – Panama Posse 18-19 Yacht Fest @ Vista Mar Marina –
Panama
For the list of all Sponsors please
go to
https://www.panamaposse.com/sponsors
6) Playa del Coco, Costa Rica
After two and a half glorious months in northern
Nicaragua with an amazing crew of local friends and surfing a
bunch with our buddies on SV Shearwater, we finally threw off the
lines and made the overnight trip from Puesta Del Sol Nicaragua to
Bahia Santa Elena sailing mostly the whole way in comfortable
conditions. We, thankfully, were spared from the normal harrowing
Papagayo experience by waiting very patiently for the perfect
weather window, credit goes to Eric and Pati for making the call
to go. We dropped anchor in the morning to calm breezes and
gorgeous natural surroundings. By 4pm the beginnings of the next
Papagayo were already stirring. Gusts from different directions
were dramatically spinning the boat on it’s anchor all night. We
had all sorts of plans for hiking and exploring the picturesque
bay for a few days, and we tossed them all out the porthole in
favor of the promises of greater shelter from the wind in Bahia
Culebra. The day passage to Playa del Coco, where we had to stop
in order to check in, ended up being some of the most pleasant and
memorable sailing of the entire Pacific Coast thus far. We poled
out the genoa and were hauling the mail, as our racer cruiser
tends to do in fresh breezes. SV Shearwater was looking regal with
all her canvas up as we sailed around the corner and past the Bat
Islands. We caught sight of a large bull shark and a magestic
giant manta ray. Rowan snagged a massive Dorado and we carved it
up right away for Fish Taco Dinner. Emmy was keen to dissect
something so I pulled out the eyeball and Rowan recalled memories
of childhood trips to the Exploratorium to give a hands-on fish
anatomy lesson. Fun fact: the lens of a fish eye looks like a
perfectly round marble of clear gelatin. Playa del Coco welcomed
us warmly with an easy and free check in process, a protected
anchorage with good holding, a great pier to lock the dinghy when
going to town and free WiFi that we could pick up with the
booster, good enough to stream a couple movies. The check in
cha-cha was pretty simple thanks to tips from our amigos on SV
Salt. First, Captain to the Port Captain in the blue building in
the middle of the main road by the beach. Second, the whole crew
walked up the road to a small white immigration office next to the
panaderia and the bus stop on the right hand side of the road.
Third, Captain took a taxi to Liberia Airport Aduana/Customs. And
finally, back to the Port Captain to check all the documents were
in order. No costs involved except the price of the taxi to the
airport. We dawdled in Cocos for three weeks enjoying the
abundance of restaurants, especially the pizza, gelato and craft
beer. We caught a local rodeo, had family come to visit, watched
the Superbowl on a bigscreen with a bunch of lively gringos, went
snorkeling at the islands just outside the bay, and even got the
chance to volunteer at a local school. Thanks to the kindness of
Pati and Eric on Shearwater keeping an eye on our boat, we snuck
away up to Bahia Salinas to try our hand at kiteboarding. Such a
gorgeous part of the country with wide open grassy fields and
aquamarine colored water. It was mostly dragging and swallowing
copious amounts of seawater, but with enough success to want to go
back for more. We also took my parents, who flew down from the
states, to Hacienda Guachipelin for a day filled with outdoor
adventure including zip-lining through slot canyon ravines, horse
back riding to a waterfall, natural mineral hot springs, and the
most delightful river tubing. We also did the hike to Rio Celeste,
where the science of nature starts to blur the lines with a world
filled with magic and wonder. The hike was good for the body and
the reward was a river and waterfall with stunning milky
tourquoise water, caused by the meeting of two clear rivers with
different chemical properties that reacted to create the
unforgettable water color. Our last few days in Playa Coco we took
advantage of the boat chandlery and the convenient food shopping
at the great grocery stores, panaderia, and fish market. Playa del
Coco was very good to us. With the safe and free anchorage, ease
of provisioning, quick access to Liberia Airport and surrounding
beauty of the bay, beaches and islands, it would be easy and
enjoyable to stay longer. But it was time to mosey.
The morning calm at Bahia Santa Elena, Costa Rica
SV Shearwater flying full canvas
Dissecting a fish eyeball
Best gelato! Yum!
Volunteer day at the school in Playa Hermosa
Rio Celeste
Next stop…. Tamarindo!
Paradisea is part of the triathlon course here in
Herradura, CR.
Victoria & Rowan & Crew
TALIESIN ROSE
7) Vista Mar Marina, Panama
Cruisers handout – thanks to Jeariene GOOD JOB OF THE
WEEK !!!
I put together an
introductory handout that should be helpful to Panama Posse folks
coming to the Vista Mar Marina in May.
I’ve provided it
to the marina office and was told they will create a brochure for
the marina.
This is a
springboard, but is more than the marina has had in the past, and
is basic information that I wanted when we arrived at Vista Mar.
Safe sailing!
FYI -> this handout is now online in the Panama
Posse public documents section at
https://panamaposse.com/welcome-to-vista-mar-marina
Jeariene & Walt
KNOT RIGHT
8) REMINDER
Always lock your dinghy – especially if you go on shore.
Tie it to a sturdy pole or tree and remove any valuables.
Thieves are opportunists may swim out to cut your dinghy’s
painter and
then use rocks on the beach to break off locks.
Please use a (PAD) lock with a difficult point of attack and a
heavy chain
or re-in-forced stainless steel wire – see a sample lock
below.
9) Zihuatanejo, MX
BlueOasis bringing up the rear, anchored in relatively calm
small swell tonight on isla xtapa(grande) Zihuatanejo MX. Last
night we anchored in Caleta de Campos up the coast 70nm or so.
Not for the faint of heart, seemed like 6 foot swell, our ground
tackle (bow and stern) performed perfectly, but boy did we jump
around all night. Now we know why SeaGlub did the overnight to
Zihuat. Weโre here and happy to explore the Zihuat area. Plan to
be in Acapulco around Tuesday/ Wed to pick up a part we ordered.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Barry & KathyBLUE OASIS10) SAFETY/SECURITY TELEPHONE NUMBERS (Diane last
season actually called every number)
U.S. COAST GUARD RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER
Rescue Coordination Center: (510) 437-3701. This is the
number for group receiving EPIRB emergency beacon distress
signals. They will coordinate with local country Coast Guards
if boater is outside of the U.S. and they have translators, as
the numbers at the local country Coast Guards in Central
America will speak Spanish. They said it would be ok to call
them in emergency.
CENTRAL AMERICA COUNTRY COAST GUARD CONTACT NUMBERS
These numbers were given to me by the U.S. Coast Guard
Rescue Coordination Center. The individuals from these local
Coast Guards will speak Spanish when you call them. If you
cannot communicate with them, the Rescue Coordination Center
can call them, but that will take more time.
El Salvadore Coast Guard: (505) 22500210, Extension 5103
Nicaragua Coast Guard: (504)22342507
Costa Rica Coast Guard: (506) 22314924
Panama Coast Guard: (507) 60451197
CALIFORNIA COAST GUARD OFFICES WHO COULD BE called if
you cannot reach rescue coordination center, however the local
coast guards will likely just go through the Rescue Center:
Coast Guard Sector LA/Long Beach: 310 521-3815
Channel Islands office: 805 985-9822
VHF EMERGENCY CHANNEL FOR MAYDAY: 16
U.S. COAST GUARD EMERGENCY SSB CHANNELS
MHZ UTC time
4.125 2300-11
6.125 24 hr.
8.290 24 hr.
12.290 1100-2300
HAM SSB NETS
World wide emergency Ham net: 14.313 24 hr.
Pacific Seafares Net 14300 @
0300 UTC
Central America Ham net: 7.083 UTC time 1300
CENTRAL AMERICA EMBASSY CONTACT INFORMATION. Go to www.usembassy.gov/ for
further information. For Central America embassies, emergency
number is +1-202-501-4444, and press โ0โ, from 8 a.m. โ 5
p.m. EST. When dialing embassy numbers below probably start
with โ +โ depending on phone service.
COSTA RICA
+506 2519 2000
Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose, Costa Rico
EL SALVADOR
+503 2501 2999
Final Blvd. Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuseatlan, La
Libertad, San Salvador
GUATEMALA
+502 2326 4000
Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zona 10, Guatemala Cuidad, Guatemala
HONDURAS
+504 2238 5114 (after hours X4100)
+504 2236 9320 (per embassy website, but not
communications received: 011-504 2236 9320)
Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa MDC, Honduras
MEXICO
+52 55 5080-2000
Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtenoc, 06500
Mexico, DF
NICARGUA
+505 2252-7100
Kilometer 5.5 Carreter Sur, Managua, Nicagagua
PANAMA
+507 317 5000
Bldg 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Ave, Clayton, Panama
REPORT U.S. CITIZEN MISSING ABROAD: 1-888-407-4747
GLOBAL MARINE DISTRESS SAFETY SYSTEM: 1-888-407-4747,
press โ0โ for overseas citizen emergency services.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MARITIME ADMINISTATION, OFFICE OF
MARITIME SECURITY.
They provide information on piracy and safety and security,
and you can sign up for alerts by going online.
Emergency: 1-202-501-4444 (8-8 EST, M-F)
Stan & Diane
CROSSROADS ( last season’s Panama Posse )
11) Panama Canal, Panama
Sprezzatura thru Canal and headed to San Blas Islands. Arrive
Bug Isle later today.
Transit was fun and easy. We were solo center lock. Great
Advisor Guillermo.
Line handling: Not for inexperienced crew and it requires more
than average strength.
Canโt emphasize enough how good Flamenco Marina Yard is. The
Manager Alejandro Cora is hands on, extremely accommodating and
gets stuff done right now!! I signed up for the โpaint packageโ
rate and even though I had them do some other small jobs he
charged me just the quoted amount. They also did a polish and
wax job for $20/ft that produced outstanding finish. 3 step
process of wet sand with 1000/2000/3000 grit paper, polish with
3M #1, then final wax.
Marine Warehouse is a great source for equipment. They source
from US and ship from Miami at better shipping rates than Mail
Boxes Etc. which I used in Coronado and Panama City too.
Shelter Bay Marina personnel are super friendly and helpful. Iโm
going back there.
Eric
SPREZZATURA
12) La Marina
Acapulco – Mexico
Rates
22 pesos x foot x day
5 pesos x kwatt
23 pesos x day water (non-potable quality 336 ppm)
Wifi at office only
24/7 security –
very safe
small store
small Chandlery
boat broker
bathrooms open from 9 to 6
no fuel – no laundry
Great
supermarket right across the street
amazing pool and
hot tub for members only ( membership 125,000 MXP x 5 years )
Contact
LUIS RAMIREZ MAGDALENO
GERENTE MARINA ACAPULCO
TEL:+52 744 483 6143
TEL: +52 744 483 7744
Cel +52 744 131 3007
marinaacapulco@jarestate.com
Dietmar & Suzanne
SV Carinthia
13) WEEKLY 2018-2019 PANAMA POSSE FLEET
CHECK IN and MORNING NET on MONDAY’S at 16:00 UTC
via LINE
We have over 77+ vessels in LINE and the calls are
great and very efficient and the Chatroom is open 24/7
It’s a new way of doing things
– please download and install LINE https://line.me/en-US/
Works on Android / ios /
Windows / MAC OS
How to use it ….
– Register using your vessel name as the USERNAME
ie SV SEAGLUB
– Search for panamaposse or SV Carinthia or
Seaglub and befriend us –
– wait and accept your PANAMAPOSSE GROUP INVITE
– join the group chat –
it’s awesome !
14) Please reply to this email with …
anything really
– your updates
– contenders for picture of the week – links to your favorite SONGS
– relevant blog posts – and of course your valuable suggestions
and we’ll include it in the next FLEET UPDATE –
Keep em ‘coming
Dietmar & Suzanne
CARINTHIA
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