1) SY Pathfinder Capsizes South Of Tahuata 🇵🇫 FP

2) 🇳🇿 New Zealand’s T.I.E. Change – Impact on the South Pacific Cruising

3) Ocean Posse Season 8 Award Entries

4) New Partnership Marina Venezia Certosa Marina 🇮🇹 Italy

5) Pictures Of The Week

6) Ocean Posse Events 2025-2026

7) NOAA Downsizing – share your thoughts

8) Summer Haul Out Deals

9) Must See 🇼🇸 Samoa

10) Cruising In 🇸🇪 Sweden

11) Crossing The 🇵🇦 Panama Canal

12) Report From Acapulco 🇲🇽 Mexico

13) Summerbreeze Gatherings In 🇵🇦 Panama

14) Maison De Sante 🇨🇼 Curacoa Discovered

15) Ocean Posse Partnership Marinas

16) Vasco Núñez de Balboa 🏇🏼

17) Ocean Posse Sponsors

18) Media Partners Latitudes and Attitudes

19) Ocean Posse Tracking

20) Join the Ocean Posse

21) Ocean Posse Mission

⚓ NOAA DATA & FORECAST CUTS AFFECT ALL OFFSHORE MARINERS

Mariners rely on NOAA data and forecasts to make safe, informed decisions at sea. But two major changes are now being proposed — and your voice is needed to help stop them:
1️⃣ PROPOSED CUTS TO NOAA DATA SERVICES

• NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) is proposing to discontinue access to key datasets — including:Real-time ocean currents
• Underwater terrain (bathymetry)
• Earthquake and seismic activity
• Hot springs and other environmental markers

These datasets are vital for route planning, safety, and emergency preparedness. Their removal will increase risks for vessels underway.

2️⃣ PROPOSED DISCONTINUATION OF CONDENSED HF RADIO MARINE FORECASTS (HF VOBRA)

The National Weather Service (NWS) is also proposing to discontinue the condensed text versions of offshore marine forecasts transmitted via U.S. Coast Guard HF Voice Broadcasts (HF VOBRA).

These forecasts, prepared by the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) and National Hurricane Center (NHC), are a lifeline for vessels offshore and away from VHF/Internet coverage.

📄 Read the full public notice:
🔗 https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-33_vobra_discontinuation_2025.pdf

✉️ Provide your feedback before June 25, 2025:
Email: marine.weather@noaa.gov

⛵ Ocean Posse captains understand the value of reliable data and communications at sea.
These changes would erode the safety net we depend on when offshore and disconnected. We urge all members to respond and help preserve our access to essential marine intelligence.

Departed at 1445 Thursday to miss some windy and choppy weather. Arrived Gullholmen at 1740 hrs. Gullholmen is a small fishing village whose glory days were in the 18th and 19th century. In the off season there are 80 permanent residents in this tiny place, and most of the houses are empty now as they are summer homes, but in the peak of summer the population swells to 4,000. We are happy to be here when it is not crowded. There is a small footbridge to the small village of Gullholmen from the marina dock harbor area which is on the bigger rocky island of Harmano. We found a place to tie up alongside the outside of a dock that runs on the edge of the tiny harbor. Tired, we opted to put off exploring until tomorrow.Friday May 23, 2025 The wooden houses in Gullholmen are very small and close together. They have real red tile roofs. There is one church. The place seems deserted. We had a great time walking around and exploring all the different narrow passageways around the small hill where the village sits. The small maritime museum was closed. It opens in July. But we found the tiny history museum of the village, which is also the bird museum which had its door open. Although no one was there. But the painter, Patrik, who we spoke to outside told us to go in and check it out. Patrik told us he is 3rd generation from Gullholmen. His father was born in a house down the street which he took us to. He also showed us the old milk store and the low roof barn where the cows were kept across the lane (gatan). Patrik lives in Goteborg but comes here to work for certain jobs. At least that’s what we think. We took a little hike to an overlook and had a nice walk about the area. Stopped at the fish market man’s stand on the dock on our way back to the boat and picked up some salmon from Copenhagen which the fishmonger prefers to the Norwegian salmon he was also selling. We also bought some shrimp salad. (The delicious stuff with mayo, roe, dill, onions that Swedes put on baked potatoes.) The only local fish was the shrimp and crayfish which he had in abundance. Apparently, the fish in western Sweden has been over fished and is not available.

It was an easy entry into Panama City, but our exit from Las Perlas was a bit eventful. The “temporary” repair we did to the windlass at the start of last season finally gave up the ghost as we attempted to weigh anchor. Fortunately we were only anchored in about 26 feet so only had about 130 feet of chain in the water. Tim pulled most of it in by hand (hard, sweaty work) and then we used a line led back to a winch in the cockpit to get the anchor off the sea floor and into the bow roller.

We had about 30 miles to travel with no wind, so another motor fest to wrap up the season. The calm sea state, however, gave Tim the opportunity to do a permanent repair to the windless while we were underway so that we’d have it in service upon arrival to the Playita anchorage. We had our head phones on so that I could hand Tim tools and test the windlass while he stayed crammed in the hanging locker. In the meantime, I navigated Felicità through the minefield of logs and other floating debris that could do damage to our propeller if run over.

We dropped the hook in a very rolly anchorage. It’s convenient to the canal and Panama City. And, Marina Playita lets cruisers use the dinghy dock for $10/day. But lots of surge from the ship traffic going in and out of the canal, plus whatever swell is still coming in from the ocean, makes it pretty rolly. The boat motion was tolerable, but the heat was unbearable if there was no breeze. Plus, bugs swarming… super fun. Fortunately, we have screens for our hatches and companionway so we’re able to keep the bugs at bay. And we have lots of fans installed throughout the boat, but the heat and humidity in Panama is next level for us.

Our plan was to be in the anchorage for two nights and then go into the marina, but the surge in the marina… especially around the full moon… was pretty active and seemed a bit risky. We made the call to not go into the marina and wait to see if things settled down. This was bad news for me.

I had been quietly counting the days for about a week until we’d be in the marina where we could hook up to shore power and turn our aircon on and where I’d be able to take a proper shower. And, be able to do my conference calls without my brain boiling. It was a real mental blow facing additional days without the comforts of the marina.

I made the decision to get a hotel room for two nights and Tim stayed on the boat and had a bachelor weekend with Onno. We had TONS of laundry to do, so I found accommodations with a washer and dryer and an air conditioner. I did Uber eats and never went outside for 48 hours. It was the recharge I needed.

We were able to come into the marina yesterday, where we’ll stay until it’s time to slip the lines and point the bow toward the canal and the Atlantic Ocean.

I went to the grocery store yesterday (it’s been about 6 weeks) and we’re prepping for our transit and starting to knock tasks off the list for putting Felicità safely away for the season. Today, Tim is decommissioning the outboard and I am starting to do some cleaning in prep for our line handlers (Michelle, Onno, on professional, and an advisor) to come on board for the transit.

Lots to do, but much of it can be done in the cool confines of the boat.

All is well,
Gretchen

13) SUMMERBREEZE 🇵🇦 GATHERINGS IN PANAMA

Mark & Sarah – Happy Birthday Sarah

Little cooling of on passage to Bocas del Toro


Ocean Posse welcomes new yachts on the dock at Red Frog Marina

Dinner by the sea at La Rosa Restaurant