Tues Apr 8
We grabbed an early start again. We have about 40 miles to get to the next port. The idea is to get off the water by the afternoon thunderstorm. Cruising along the coastline we find it continuously dotted with some fairly nice estates and more resorts even still being constructed. Every now and then we round a point and find a hidden beach with someone’s retreat barely visible amongst the palms. Some without any obvious roads must be only accessible by boat. The vegetation is getting thicker and turning more green.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Bahia Potrero
Mon 4.7
10 26.700 N - 85 49.173 W - Bahia Potrero
Morning found us really busy. We got in a last run to the super mercado and had to go to the official holding the fishing licenses. He was almost surprised that someone was actually taking the time to do such a thing.
We left out of Coco late morning and went down the coast to our first stop. It was just a 15 mile shoreline run down to look at Bahia Potrero. Its’ shores and hills are lined with high end homes and larger resorts, but for some reason the actual Marina Flamingo has gone bankrupt and is in a ghostown state of disrepair. What is left of the main dock heels to a severe angle and disappears mid length then reappears further down it’s length. The end is only occupied by birds and two boats that have not seen their owners in a very long time. There are no water based services here. No problem, we were only here to set anchor and stay the night. The outer anchorage/mooring area was filled with mainly six-pack sportfishers in very nice condition. There are rumors that someone is rebuilding the marina but we did not see anything that supports them.
We were treated to a very pleasant breezy afternoon sipping pina coladas ala “Lancee”(lan-say) and watched the daily thunderstorn roll our direction. Right on time we got in a brief shower at the dark of sunset. I donned my foul weather jacket to go preside over the “rail-o-que” to cook the chicken and the wind/rain stopped. All is good.
10 26.700 N - 85 49.173 W - Bahia Potrero
Morning found us really busy. We got in a last run to the super mercado and had to go to the official holding the fishing licenses. He was almost surprised that someone was actually taking the time to do such a thing.
We left out of Coco late morning and went down the coast to our first stop. It was just a 15 mile shoreline run down to look at Bahia Potrero. Its’ shores and hills are lined with high end homes and larger resorts, but for some reason the actual Marina Flamingo has gone bankrupt and is in a ghostown state of disrepair. What is left of the main dock heels to a severe angle and disappears mid length then reappears further down it’s length. The end is only occupied by birds and two boats that have not seen their owners in a very long time. There are no water based services here. No problem, we were only here to set anchor and stay the night. The outer anchorage/mooring area was filled with mainly six-pack sportfishers in very nice condition. There are rumors that someone is rebuilding the marina but we did not see anything that supports them.
We were treated to a very pleasant breezy afternoon sipping pina coladas ala “Lancee”(lan-say) and watched the daily thunderstorn roll our direction. Right on time we got in a brief shower at the dark of sunset. I donned my foul weather jacket to go preside over the “rail-o-que” to cook the chicken and the wind/rain stopped. All is good.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Playa del Coco
We are anchored down in Playa del Coco.
Yesterday, we tidied the boat and converted it over to anchor mode while Richard went ashore to check us into CR.
It's a neat little anchorage, and offers a mid updated fishing/resort village for support. There is just enough protection in the little cove to harbor moorings and anchoring. It is very calm most of the time, but when winds turn around and come onshore it gets a bit choppy. There are no docks, so we do beach landings. The low surf supports the beginners just fine.
In town, there is quite a mix of locals, transplants, and tourists. First look shows it to be quite the nighttime hangout. Every other building seems to have some form of a club. The town probably doesn't have everything, but just enough of what people want.
With an airport nearby, it looks like we will be bidding adios to crewmember Amit. He has things he needs to do before heading home. He figures this is a good jump-off point. Looking at the map, we will probably be doing day hops the rest of the way, down so it works out OK for us too.
Yesterday afternoon another thunderstorm caught up with us and pounded the area. The boat got a nice rinse and all was calm a couple of hours later. I guess we are in one of the drier areas looking at the cliffs around us which are quite brown and dry. I hear it gets wetter from here on down.
Yesterday, we tidied the boat and converted it over to anchor mode while Richard went ashore to check us into CR.
It's a neat little anchorage, and offers a mid updated fishing/resort village for support. There is just enough protection in the little cove to harbor moorings and anchoring. It is very calm most of the time, but when winds turn around and come onshore it gets a bit choppy. There are no docks, so we do beach landings. The low surf supports the beginners just fine.
In town, there is quite a mix of locals, transplants, and tourists. First look shows it to be quite the nighttime hangout. Every other building seems to have some form of a club. The town probably doesn't have everything, but just enough of what people want.
With an airport nearby, it looks like we will be bidding adios to crewmember Amit. He has things he needs to do before heading home. He figures this is a good jump-off point. Looking at the map, we will probably be doing day hops the rest of the way, down so it works out OK for us too.
Yesterday afternoon another thunderstorm caught up with us and pounded the area. The boat got a nice rinse and all was calm a couple of hours later. I guess we are in one of the drier areas looking at the cliffs around us which are quite brown and dry. I hear it gets wetter from here on down.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Thurs Apr 3
Thursday 4.03 1200 hrs
10 53.13N - 85 57.38W
cse 144 - Sp 8.6 - wnd 17.9 - 2 reef main, stysls, jib -
The morning puff clocked around and turned into a bit of a papagayo condition. The morning sail plan had the countertops clearing of the bits that accumulate the day before, but quick adjustments on deck put things back to the normal state of tilt.
Normally m
y watch starts off with taking down everything and firing up Roger(the motor). My reputation as "captain motorboat" is not accurate today. Things are currently looking good for "CM" as we have been cruising along mostly in the 8's with a little water on the decks. We even had a brief escort by a pod of dolphins. Welcome to Costa Rica! (well, not just yet)
We are cutting across the Golfo de St Elena and are roughly 6 mi from rounding Cape Elena and have to dodge a few little islands for lunch. Then we cross the Golfo de Papagaya which is about 25 miles.
If we can keep the speeds up, we might make it just in time to set anchor before the sun goes down.
10 53.13N - 85 57.38W
cse 144 - Sp 8.6 - wnd 17.9 - 2 reef main, stysls, jib -
The morning puff clocked around and turned into a bit of a papagayo condition. The morning sail plan had the countertops clearing of the bits that accumulate the day before, but quick adjustments on deck put things back to the normal state of tilt.
Normally m
y watch starts off with taking down everything and firing up Roger(the motor). My reputation as "captain motorboat" is not accurate today. Things are currently looking good for "CM" as we have been cruising along mostly in the 8's with a little water on the decks. We even had a brief escort by a pod of dolphins. Welcome to Costa Rica! (well, not just yet)We are cutting across the Golfo de St Elena and are roughly 6 mi from rounding Cape Elena and have to dodge a few little islands for lunch. Then we cross the Golfo de Papagaya which is about 25 miles.
If we can keep the speeds up, we might make it just in time to set anchor before the sun goes down.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Schooning along
Wednesday 4.02 1200 hrs
12 47.36N - 87 37.50W
cse 132 5.2kts - wind 5.1 SW - staysails - Motoring
Next stop: Costa Rica
We got underway this morning put all 5 sails up and had a great sail for several hours. We were just skipping along in the 9's and not even splashing the deck. Now handed off to me, I had to round a point (Didn't want to hit Nicaragua) and it all just DIED. Oh well, I get to drive the motorboat again!
For the past 3 hours the winds have been building and are more than enough to launch some more laundry. It's lunch tho and good smells are coming up from the galley. We will be nice to the cook and not beat her up too much until she gets out. Paula's watch is next.
We got out and launched the advanced fisherman(a little bigger sail). With it topping off our sail plan we have been hitting the 10's. That's the way to schoon!
Our next port is Playa del Coco in Bahia Culebra, Costa Rica.
10 33.8N - 85 42.1W - Nav says it is about 175 miles give or take a couple of zags for tacks. That will be our port of entry into CR.
12 47.36N - 87 37.50W
cse 132 5.2kts - wind 5.1 SW - staysails - Motoring
Next stop: Costa Rica
We got underway this morning put all 5 sails up and had a great sail for several hours. We were just skipping along in the 9's and not even splashing the deck. Now handed off to me, I had to round a point (Didn't want to hit Nicaragua) and it all just DIED. Oh well, I get to drive the motorboat again!
For the past 3 hours the winds have been building and are more than enough to launch some more laundry. It's lunch tho and good smells are coming up from the galley. We will be nice to the cook and not beat her up too much until she gets out. Paula's watch is next.
We got out and launched the advanced fisherman(a little bigger sail). With it topping off our sail plan we have been hitting the 10's. That's the way to schoon!
Our next port is Playa del Coco in Bahia Culebra, Costa Rica.
10 33.8N - 85 42.1W - Nav says it is about 175 miles give or take a couple of zags for tacks. That will be our port of entry into CR.
Rest stop- Pnta Ampala
Wednesday 4.02 0000 hrs
13 07.06N - 88 17.20W
At Anchor - Punta Ampala in Golfo de Fonseca
We got here just in time to set anchor, have a "rummy-punch" and watch the sunset. It's a neat anchorage that appears to be lined with houses(some of them fairly nice). We have been the detour of quite a fair amount of pongas that come over to toss a wave and a "Hola" of appreciation. Fresh fish (caught two more s-mackerels this afternoon) went on the grill right away and again were very tasty.
Morning came a bit too soon when a squall came through at 4am. I just happen to be up watching the lightning in the clouds and felt the wind change and smelled dampness on the breeze. Then I heard what sounded like a low flying jet coming our way. I slid all the hatches closed and pulled back the storm covers right as the rain started. I was tempted to stay up on deck for a nice personal rinse off, but rain stings coming in that hard! At one of the good gusts I saw around 46kts. The anchor was set and doing it's job from blowing us up on the beach, but Richard decided to get out before the waves got big(we were very exposed at this point). Right when we all got on our rain gear, it all stopped and went totally calm again. There were more storm cells on the radar, so Richard stayed up till sunrise and we all went back to our bunks.
13 07.06N - 88 17.20W
At Anchor - Punta Ampala in Golfo de Fonseca
We got here just in time to set anchor, have a "rummy-punch" and watch the sunset. It's a neat anchorage that appears to be lined with houses(some of them fairly nice). We have been the detour of quite a fair amount of pongas that come over to toss a wave and a "Hola" of appreciation. Fresh fish (caught two more s-mackerels this afternoon) went on the grill right away and again were very tasty.
Morning came a bit too soon when a squall came through at 4am. I just happen to be up watching the lightning in the clouds and felt the wind change and smelled dampness on the breeze. Then I heard what sounded like a low flying jet coming our way. I slid all the hatches closed and pulled back the storm covers right as the rain started. I was tempted to stay up on deck for a nice personal rinse off, but rain stings coming in that hard! At one of the good gusts I saw around 46kts. The anchor was set and doing it's job from blowing us up on the beach, but Richard decided to get out before the waves got big(we were very exposed at this point). Right when we all got on our rain gear, it all stopped and went totally calm again. There were more storm cells on the radar, so Richard stayed up till sunrise and we all went back to our bunks.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Out of El Sal
Tuesday 4.1 1200hrs
13 07.06N - 88 17.20W
cse 84 - 6.5kts - wind 8.4 NE - #3 jib - staysails - main - Sailing
It is a wonderful day to get started. We dumped the mooring and left Barillas Marina this morning, motored 2 hours to get out, but set sails on calm seas and heading south once again.
Our target for the day is Punta Ampala. It is a small point down the coast about 28 miles. It offers a bit of protection for the average sea and normal breeze but not much more. We'll see what the day shapes up to be, and what it looks like. There are others we can duck into if things go bad. Otherwise we might just keep sailing. We can't go ashore anyways because we officially checked out from ElSal, and we don't need to check in for anything new. We are all good to go.
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