Computer glitches ...

No postings for awhile for a variety of reasons.

We were frantically getting ready to leave Panama for the passage to Ecuador (the wind/seas window keeps getting more adverse with each passing week) and made no time to get to an internet cafe or write emails. Left Panama on Wednesday the 17th only to get 50 miles and discover the battery bank had crapped out (sorry for the 'tech speak'). Turned around and in 8 hours returned the distance it took us 18 hours to cover going out. (Were we going the wrong way?) A day of tests and wishful workarounds to confirm the obvious solution: time for a new battery bank. Purchased, delivered, installed on Friday (that's 360+ pounds of batteries in and out of a boat in a rolly anchorage by yours truly), and out again to Ecuador on Saturday the 20th. So having checked out of Panama on Tuesday the 16th, we were running around as (technically) illegal aliens.

Once out at sea, the connection between the computer and radio 'crapped out'. Today (the 27th) finally had time and conditions to figure out the problem (well, one never really figures out computer problems, one simply works around them or makes them go away).

We'll have been at sea for 8 days (not counting the false start) when we pull into Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador. Cross the equator tonight. It has been a challenging passage (many more postings on that aspect later), but all is well, and we once again learned that we have skills and patience we didn't think we had, that ceilidh has strengths and abilities we didn't know she had, that we keep loving each other more and more, that we can learn new things and skills all the time.

enough for now, back to the bashing

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Catch up and photos!

OK. Now where were we? Literally and figuratively. Jan and Ken did fly off to Costa Rica and we did have a most wonderful visit with them. While they were here we visited the Mira Flores Locks, the first set of locks here on the Panama City side for the Panama Canal. The museum was ever so impressive and informative. The exhibits were visual feasts and extremely informative. All four of us came away feeling as though it was a class act. One of the exhibits was a replica of a large ship (container or otherwise) pilot house. Looking out the forward, port and starboard windows you saw the canal entrance and first set of locks as if you were standing in the pilot house. Let me tell you, as a little sailboat navigator it is eye opening to see how much these big ships can't see right around them due to deck/freight obstructions. The simulator even rumbled realistically so you experienced both visual and audio input. Way cool. This was Jan's favorite bit. Jan and Ken treated us at the fancy restaurant overlooking the locks so we feasted on delectable treats and watched ships transit back and forth from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. We also saw our friends on She Wolf, a Tayana 42, pass thru on their way to Colon. We waved and took photos like crazy.

Ah, the perfect segway into the photo bit. Today I made it to the internet cafe, with our computer, and succeeded in uploading the photos that have been accumulating for ever so long. Even entered descriptions on all but the Canal album. I'll try and go back and enter some for it at another time. So, the link is
http://public.fotki.com/svceilidh/
and there you go. I'll be taking more photos in Panama and continue as we travel in Ecuador. Yes, we are still heading in that direction. Were tempted briefly to slip thru to the Atlantic side but decided to stick with the Ecuador plan. Should be on our way in a week if all goes well. I did miss out on two photos because the camera was not with me. One night as we were walking back to our dingy after a mango gathering expedition (yes, there are mango trees just asking to be picked!) we saw an armadillo scurry across the road and into a fenced off area. I have never seen a live armadillo before - only road kill models. On another walk we saw a sloth hanging from the fence. He s l o w l y reached down and scratched his hind leg and then just stayed in the scratch position for a good 5 min or so before moving this front leg back to the "hang on" position. We walked all over the jungle in Costa Rica looking for a sloth and found one in the parking lot in Panama. Go figure.

The clouds are building again and the thunder is booming so guess I'll shut the computer down for now and start getting ready for the rain. Love to you all
from the yin side

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"Getting Stuff" mode in Panama

Friends Jan and Ken are off to a Costa Rican adventure before flying back to SF and we are in full tilt GETTING STUFF mode. While our friends were here we went to the locks to watch boats transit the Mira Flores locks - only 2 of the 6 sets of locks that comprise the Panama Canal. The museum at the Mira Flores facility is wonderful. Both informative and beautiful, it contains history about the building of the canal and displays birds, insects and reptiles of the area - some live and others mounted. To give Jan and Ken a "cruising" type experience we sailed for the Perlas Islands and visited five in the limited time available. Did some great snorkeling and actually did some decent sailing, as well. Would have spent more time snorkeling but found large, beautiful jelly fish in some of the anchorages. Truly beautiful but not something I want to play with up close and personal.

So, back in La Playitta anchorage just off the approach to the Panama Canal and scurrying around each day to collect the items we need before traveling on to Ecuador. Many of the boats in the anchorage have departed already for Ecuador or the Marquesas and new boats have come to fill the anchorage from the Atlantic side of the Canal. There are flags of so many countries flying from the rigging. Boats from France, Belgium, England... very different than Mexico.

Sending this over the air waves this morning before heading off to town to hunt down new oars for the dingy, varnish for Ecuador projects and retrieve our laundry. The photos WILL be coming soon. Love to all
from the yin side.

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