2009 -Venezuela -Panama

2009:

We flew from LAX to Fort Lauderdale to spend a couple of days with friends, Linda and Neal.

On the 2nd February we flew from Miami to Caracas, Venezuela.

Miami

Miami

Flying over Miami Coast

Flying Over The Islands

Due to land in Caracas

What a culture shock, after spending 2 months in the States and along the Pacific coast, we found all the countries coastal areas to be clean, the people very friendly and helpful.  Venezuela might be oil wealthy, but the coastal areas here appear to be the poorest and dirtiest.

We had left our boat in the water on a finger-dock, and after unpacking we checked to see if everything was o.k. with the boat and found some scratches on our newly painted hull.  They had some very high tides and someone had taken one of our fenders which we found on a dock further down.

It was back to work and finishing the top deck, removing all the teak and laying the fiberglass panels.  Dave finished fitting the panels by the end of April and sanded and sanded the deck and then painted the deck with a white undercoat.  The plan was then to start making a mold for the non-slip sections, but with all this work in the baking hot sun we agreed to put that on hold for a while and decided to leave Venezuela for Panama.

We had a few farewells, and Noeline brought us a huge bag of her delicious oranges and 2 legs of lamb, sure going to miss them and the farm.

Noeline & Tony

Staff  at TMO Marina

Mariangel

Erica

We left the marina on the 7^th May 2009.  Suzy & David came to see us leave in their dinghy, and Francina.  We sailed  to Tortuga and anchored off Cayo Herradura.  For the first time in many years of going to Tortuga we were the only sail boat in the anchorage, usually there are about 14 yachts anchored in Herradura.

Cayo Herradura

Cayo Elbert- Los Roques

On the 11^th May,  we sailed to Los Roques under main with 2 reefs and genoa, the wind was blowing 15-20 knots doing 5-6 knots overnight to Los Roques,  and anchored off Playa Edmund.

On the  14^th May we sailed to Los Aves, 30 miles, 2 other yachts at anchor.  This anchorage was very protected by the mangroves and  anchored in 5.5 mtrs.  We caught a small barracuda on the way. The following day we went to the beach and walked to the north side where we collected many allekrik and got rather wet from the seas pounding on the rocks, but we enjoyed that.

We went by dinghy over to the other anchorage and pulled the dinghy into a gap in the mangrove, and walked along a path to an area where  Yachties had made a nice stone marker area with their boat names painted on, like in the Azores.

On the 17^th  we decided to dinghy over to the outlying islands, about 5 miles, and went ashore where we found a lovely huge lagoon.  We then went to the small island and walked round the island.  There were hundreds of birds with many baby chicks.

Lagoon!

Many birds on small Island!!

Mother with Chick!!!

 

On the 18^th May, we sailed to Bonaire, 57 Miles, and  picked up a mooring off the town. We went ashore to check in and found the dinghy dock at  Karels bar and restaurant all broken from the storm last October, so went to Henks marina and left the dinghy there.  We walked to Customs which was closed so we walked to the Police station to check-in.  Unfortunately they now have an Immigration 0fficer working there, so had to wait due to a power failure, took about 1 hour and they told us we could stay for 24 hours and then leave as we did not have a Visa.

Downtown Bonaire

          Anchorage in Bonaire

At about 7pm we went ashore again and looked for a restaurant with a generator as the power was still off.   We found a restaurant, ¨Mona Lisa¨, on the back street which was very busy and had dinner there.

Karels Bar and Downtown  Bonaire church

Downtown Shopping centre and waterfront restaurant

Dave enjoying the lunch!!!

 Following day we new we would have a very busy day, so up early and I swam off the boat and then we went ashore.  We walked to the laundry, to be ready at 5pm then to internet, and then to Budget Marine to buy a globe for the navigation lights which hadn’t worked since leaving Tortuga.  We also bought stuffing and a few other things and got the weather report for the Columbian coast which  predicted 20 knots till Cartegena.  We walked back to the centre and had lunch, Beef wrap and chips.  We went back to the boat and Dave first checked the wiring and found it broken, so I did not have to winch him up the mast, thank goodness, lights now work.  We went back ashore to buy groceries and returned to the boat and stowed everything.  Dave took me ashore again to get the laundry, while he went to the marina to pay for the mooring and buy some fuel and water.   It was already 6pm and we had to leave by 7pm so we put the dinghy back on board, very tired and decided to sleep overnight and leave very early in the morning.

We sailed  along the Curacao coast and the sea was a mess and sailed past Aruba on the inside during the night,  and during the following morning off   Los Monjes Rocks, the Venezuela coast guard called us and invited us to visit with them and to tie up to the dock!!!, but Dave declined.

Los Monjes Rocks -Venezuela Coastguard

Cabo de Vella - Columbia

Cabo de Vella anchorage

 During the night the wind dropped and the seas smaller so Dave put up the spinnaker pole to stop the Genoa flapping.  The 22^nd May we still had light wind and anchored off Cabo de Vella, 240 miles.  The following morning we left the anchorage and motor sailed all day and night and on the 24^th  still had to motor sail most of the day and night , we were worried that we may run out of fuel.  On the 25^th   we  motor sailed past the 5 Bays, very beautiful high mountains and flat calm water, had  some wind during the evening, so sail and gave the motor a little rest.  On the 27^th same conditions only did  3-4 knots.

A very tired passenger!!!!

On Thursday 28^th, still motor sailing slowly and arrived in Porto Bello at 3pm., 480 miles, and anchored off  the hill.

From Anchorage

We went ashore and walked to the supermarket and bought diesel, only just made it to Porto Bello.  We stayed a few days, enjoyed swimming in the warm water and the peaceful anchorage..

On the 31^st May, we motored to Colon and went to Shelter Bay marina.

Shelter Bay Marina

Total Distance Venezuela to Panama was 1009 miles.

 We have now sailed 35,000 miles on Dignity and  7,000 miles doing deliveries.

I unpacked my bicycle and cycled to the Fort San Lorenzo and Chagres river mouth.

The Chagres River

          Chagres River entrance   -  and Diablo Beach

Tortuga Beach

We went to Panama city a few times to buy things for the boat etc. and stayed overnight at the Milan Hotel.

The Cathedral in Panama City

Inside the  Cathedral

Panama Cathedral

The Milan Hotel   -  Room

We went to the Veneto Hotel & Casino     -  the drive back to the marina

Dave & I drove to the Gatun Lake

                We drove to Escobal town  -  views to Gatun Lake, then along Costa Abajo

The road ends at Miguel de la Borda,  one has to have a boat to continue up the coast or drive via Panama City to go to Bocas del Toro

Cattle farm lands  etc  -

Return view to Chagres river bridge-sleuce gates.

I went with Jennifer, Nellie and Judy to Panama City to visit the Old Town.

Old City -  Panama Viejo  -

Jennifer & Judy    -  Souvenir shops

We first had a coffee and then walked around the place.

  They were still busy renovating the old buildings and it was a pleasure to walk round and admire the buildings which were renovated, also many tourist shops etc.

We walked to Plaza de Francia   -  views to old city

Views to Panama City

Calle Oeste  Artisans Market

Ministerio de Gobierno y Justicia   and  Palacio Bolivar

Plaza de la Independencia   &  Government Offices

Presidents House      and  Independance Square

Old  Town  Cathedral

We then got a taxi to Flamenco Yacht club and went to Alfredo’s for a delicious lunch.  We walked round the area, a huge complex, hotels and restaurants etc.

Lunch at Alfredo´s Restaurant

Nellie, Judy & Jennifer

Enjoyed a good lunch and the day in Panama City!!

 Flamenco Marina on the Amador  Causeway

We hired another taxi back to the Allbrook Mall,  a big, clean shopping mall and spent about an hour there then got the bus back to Colon.

     

The first week in December we flew to Fort Lauderdale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Walked to the Riverside Shopping centre,  the Riverside Park and Las Olas Blvd.

Waterfront Pub and Restaurant and went to the Fort Lauderdale Art  Museum

Walked down Las Olas Boulevard and visit  Stranahan House Museum

 Stroll along Fort Lauderdale Beach  -  Avalon Inn where we stayed

View from Avalon Inn  and Pool area

17th  Bridge Causeway      and the Intercoastal Waterway

Flight back to Panama

Balboa Panama  and Allbrook Mall  -  Panama City

Panama Canal – Balboa Moorings and the Americas Highway

              Balboa Yacht Club  -  Moorings

           Amador Causeway  -  Panama City

Flamenco Marina   -  Amador Causeway

On the 27th December we sailed to Porto Bello for a week

The Port Bello Fort at the top of hill  -  Views to the Bay

                         Views across the bay|

Views

We walked about 6km along the road that goes to Colon, many restaurants, dive shops and hotels along the way

We stopped for coffee at the Coco Plum restaurant

Restaurant Gardens

Lovely Flowers

The restaurant has a lovely garden

Closed restaurant on the way back to Porto Bello

View from Fort on town side of the bay – toward anchorage

  Full moon  at  anchor!!

 Back to the Shelter Bay Marina:

Flora and Fauna seen in the San Lorenzo Park

 

Flowers growing in the jungle

  Birds seen in jungle

Toucan

The Three Toed Sloth

SLOTH

  There are many Howler Monkeys

Howler Monkeys

Howler Monkey

 

 

  Cappuccino Monkey  -(White Face Monkey)

The Coatimundi -  Raccoon family  -

I have seen many coatimundi whilst cycling and they seem to be slightly deaf and blind as I have been quite close to them before they notice me, and seem to have a shocked look on their face, do a double look and then rush off into the bush

Ant-Eater

During the dry season there isn´t much fruit or food for them, so they will eat anything given to them, the locals sometime leave scraps for them

Coatimundi

Coatimundi

My Pet Coati