<Wingssail Images-Cruising Photos from Around the Pacific>

Leaving Panama, Going to Costa Rica-Golfito

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Puerto Armuelles-Panama

Puerto Armuelles, Panama, where we checked out of the country, didn't have much to recommend it. The pier was beyond dilapidated; you could hardly get onto it from a Panga. (That exercise required scrambling up rusty, wet, and slippery angle iron braces from underneath. Scary and dangerous) and there was no safe way to secure a dingy to it. The beach was surf, no landing there, so we hired a panga to transport me from Wings to the pier, and back. Judy stayed on board. The town was old and plain. The officials were friendly but they all charged us extra for their service, calling it overtime, even though we arrived at 3:30 PM, so the checkout was costly.

Costa Rica Fishing Boat

Dolphins

Golfito Shorline-Rain

Golfito, our first port in Costa Rica, was a nice, protected, harbor, but rainy. We like the rain however, because we can fill our water tanks.

Golfito Free Zone Prices are high for everything in Costa Rica. You can save a little at the "Free Zone" but that just brings them down to a little higher than, say, any where in Panama.

Downtown

Golfito in the Sun
But in the sunshine Golfito is rather pleasant.

Labels: Costa Rica, Golfito, Panama

Sailing to Boca Chica

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Sailing Under Awning

Gliding Along

Wings

Ensenada Naranjo

Boca Chica Harbor

Gecko

Judy

Labels: Boca Chica, Gecko, Panama

Trip to El Valle

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Toucan

Harpy Eagle

El Valle de Anton

Jacque

El Valle

Jacque & Edith

Summit

San Carlos

The Kia Optima

wingssail image-judy jensen

wingssail images-fredrick roswold

Self Portait (selfie?)

Bar for locals in El Valle

wingssail image-judy jensen

Labels: Birds, El Valle, Jacque & Edith, Panama, Summit

Boats anchored off Panama City

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Boats anchored off Panama Cityt

The waters off of Panama City are shallow and vessels have never anchored close to land here. Even when the Spanish were shipping treasure and other goods in and out of Panama they had to anchor out and have the cargos lightered in. There are still many ships anchored in the roadstead, some several miles out. At least now there is some access at the entrance to the Canal, but still, not much in the way of a deep water port here. The small boat anchorages are not much to brag about either, unprotected and rough, and the shore boats roar through day and night causing lots of rolling and commotion.

We saw this guy ashore, Friendly too!

Casco Viejo

We went to Casco Viejo (the old town) for a night out, and to our surprise, while having a drink on the roof of one restaurant, were treated to a 45 minute fireworks show celebrating the opening of a new highway. It was really grand.

Previous images on this page shot with Samsung Galaxy phone

wingssail images-fredrick roswold

Dingy Up

We have a four point lifting bridle made of plastic coated stainless steel wire and joined with carabineers. We shackle a halyard to this bridle and winch the Zodiac dingy up with the big three speed primary winch. This set-up is easy and quick. With the bow of the Zodiac up rainwater can drain out. The smaller line near the stern of the Zodiac keeps it from swinging wildly and helps prevent the wind from blowing it over. We can also lift it a bit more and swing it on deck if we need to get underway quickly.

The lifting bridle also serves as a towing bridle; we disconnect the two forward wires and clip them on to the Zodiac's twin towing eyes and clip the bow line (painter) to the two of them. Our painter is polypropylene and it floats. The small buoy is to keep the bridle from sinking and getting near Wings' propeller.

When we want to lock the Zodiac and motor we bring a strong cable locked to the motor through the gas tank handle and through the zodiac's bow eye, then to Wings and we padlock it to the shroud.

Note: you can see a corner of our spray dodger. It looks brown in the photo. This is what Panama city's smog and soot have done to it. Last year it was snow white. The smog, soot, and dust have coated everything on wings and turned everything to a dark and dingy grey. Washing is not easy since the city is short of fresh water and our watermaker is insufficient to provide washing water.