For the sake of locomotion.

The die has been cast: we have joined The Panama Posse. To people who like to fancy themselves independent Lone Rangers, it really felt like a groundbreaking thing to do. But as we were studying for the umpteenth time the total lack of roaming possibilities in these COVID ridden times, we stumbled across a website of which the catchy name caught our eye.

The Panama Posse ! What an enticing alliteration indeed. All the more so because for the past 3 months we haven’t stopped dreaming about The Canal of all canals and about what was beckoning us on the other side.
Should we stay or should we go ?

We should definitely go. But instead of immediately crossing the Pacific once we have passed through the canal, we will be sailing all the way up to the Sea of Cortez.
Ever since I started listing places as a “must-experience” in my life time, the Sea of Cortez has always been one of my all time favorites. And by now, it has taken on epic proportions in my mind’s eye. High time to go and check it out.

Which means that the first part of The Panama Posse itinerary is right up our alley, and so is their baseline “Sail in your own bubble on your own schedule. “ So for 125 dollars we are now part of a bunch of sailors that relies on the Posse for the latest information regarding COVID, PCR test, open/closed borders, weather systems, customs …. and for important marina discounts on the way. 

The plan is to leave mid November. But before we can pull ourselves free, there is still some kiting and diving to do and some wind reversals to cope with.

This time of the year local lightening storms tend to build over Venezuela, which we love to watch develop from 30 sea miles away while safely sipping our evening wine aboard O2.

However, it has occurred already 3 times that the Venezuelan storms cause the wind to shift from NE to SE. As a result, the sea builds up, waves start rolling in from the “wrong” side, the boats start bucking and one smaller vessel actually snapped its mooring lines and crashed ashore on the Kralendijk Boulevard . Needless to say that we feel very grateful for our cat each time we watch the monohulls sway back and forth like runaway metronomes. We prefer to rock & roll to a sweeter tune.