Log book
- Port of departure: Boca Chica, Panama
- Departure date and time: Sunday, March 9 at 10:45am
- Port of arrival: Isla Gamez, Panama
- Arrival date and time: Sunday, March 9 t 2:00pm
- Total travel time: 3.25 hours
- Miles traveled: nm
- Average speed: 2.69 mph
- Engine hours: 1217 begin – 1217 end – 0.0 hours
- Fuel consumption: 32.6 begin – 32.6 end – 0.0 gallons used
- Fuel economy: ∞ mpg
- Tides and currents: High tide was at ~10:00, so we had the current helping us out of Boca Chica. The tides had been very extreme the week prior, with a 12-14 foot tidal range. This upcoming week it is much more mild, with a tidal range from 5-7 feet.
- Weather: The forecast predicted light winds (3-5 knots) from the S/SW during the day, shifting to a light W wind at night.
We stayed up a bit too late on Saturday night hanging out at the Seagull Cove tiki bar, followed by late night libations and musings with our friends on SV Margarita (Jeff apparently remembers a more responsible version where we went to bed early). Despite our relatively slow start, we were eager to make our way to the clear(er) and clean(er) waters at nearby Isla Gamez. We’ve come to refer to the anchorage in Boca Chica as the toilet bowl since we’re sitting in an eddy that tends to collect and circulate some unpleasantries. It’s not THAT dirty, but we much prefer the water out at the islands. Gamez is ideal spot for getting ourselves and our boat clean as well as installing the new propeller (which arrived SO quickly!). In the event that we drop something during the installation process, it’s much easier to recover it in the shallow, translucent waters at Gamez versus the murky whirlpool in Boca Chica.
Before departing we first had to free ourselves from a nearby mooring that we had inconveniently wrapped ourselves around. Since Jeff is the better diver, I willingly played the role of supremely unhelpful observer/commentator. I watched Jeff disappear into the murky water, following our anchor line down to where it wrapped with the mooring line, then eagerly awaited to see the bubbles signaling his return to the surface. He disappeared for long stretches, making me start to run through “what if” scenarios. After several dives and numerous comments about how much he disliked the exercise of uncoupling the slimy ropes from their current induced embrace, we were finally free.
Exiting the bay at Boca Chica was a fun challenge, especially given our sluggish, post-Saturday night faculties. Once the anchor and sails were up, however, our senses and sensibilities were heightened. We maneuvered free of the other boats in the anchorage, around the charted hazards and, with a S wind on our nose, prepared to tack out of the channel. A series of well handled tacks back and forth to avoid shoal areas and rocks deposited us in the wide open water and we set a starboard tack that took us almost directly to Isla Gamez.
With 10-12 knots of wind from the S and a favorable current we sailed along nicely at 4-4.5 knots. We rarely expect to make it to our destination in a reasonable amount of time, but on this particular trip we arrived with nearly a full day still ahead of us.
We sashayed behind MV Slow Dance and let our Danforth plunge towards sand in 15 feet of water. Shortly after the anchor was set, lunch was settled in our bellies and the water had dried from a brief dip in the pool, our friends on SV Someday called on the radio to remark on our seamless sail-powered departure. I’m pretty proud of us. The rest of Sunday we dedicated to our favorite Sunday ritual, taking it easy. Big project on the horizon!