tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-209101522024-03-07T16:38:48.355-05:00BOATBUMMSCome and join us on our cruise around the world. Share our adventure with us and watch where we are via satellite photo. You'll also find some useful hints and tips on cruising. In the link bar are all our Newsletters and at the end of each you'll find some photo stories and films. Have fun and welcome aboard ParadiseThe Boatbummshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599351906648094713noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20910152.post-1137127230628772352006-01-12T22:29:00.056-05:002010-09-29T13:40:14.115-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpyRWM1Zzge-Dx43u-8PED7DaIZkDgNoW6sR4iILkjJwptPxzIQSEYwnyp9PnZ5DeNV2kzA-Br6ZLJoWT5a2Fvm2Zm4ZM9ikRpCPJCy6KTkXjioE0Eo7n5SSFxLSdXhw8VLQB/s1600/Paradise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpyRWM1Zzge-Dx43u-8PED7DaIZkDgNoW6sR4iILkjJwptPxzIQSEYwnyp9PnZ5DeNV2kzA-Br6ZLJoWT5a2Fvm2Zm4ZM9ikRpCPJCy6KTkXjioE0Eo7n5SSFxLSdXhw8VLQB/s400/Paradise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522406215277825154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWjHeage-wcG-P-6NTsdeHEb3rEoeuhhpmUNTznUojIQpPAW093cMxmis8YDorz-oxtWxiGeL_5Ucz7NAwITVeBr0c7ZpCOGeSO1nsnFlu5KGNBWhlenSPi6u9-cdhI_Oiiph/s1600/pic382.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWjHeage-wcG-P-6NTsdeHEb3rEoeuhhpmUNTznUojIQpPAW093cMxmis8YDorz-oxtWxiGeL_5Ucz7NAwITVeBr0c7ZpCOGeSO1nsnFlu5KGNBWhlenSPi6u9-cdhI_Oiiph/s200/pic382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522406019184740546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmrbuL1Cs3G8qseKJUdEvyMfB4WvImZjOcTMTLrsB_C7ubXBzMbbrjzce_8NVQ0wcBKBCpCo5VNhQSvrtMASCsdmJIsrZSsTKEhyFZRkN2TmeGmNjZAt14DobF5rQGPFSmKtr/s1600/37.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 118px; height: 99px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmrbuL1Cs3G8qseKJUdEvyMfB4WvImZjOcTMTLrsB_C7ubXBzMbbrjzce_8NVQ0wcBKBCpCo5VNhQSvrtMASCsdmJIsrZSsTKEhyFZRkN2TmeGmNjZAt14DobF5rQGPFSmKtr/s200/37.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522405715049140418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hnPBsNgpLNYLM2OGkTKtDl3_jD4Ui8FHj_COGrx95h4fuXZwmptLp3lQnwVz1w542dCAM1_6Z6OYHPaG8LN_z0Z78kydAzQtGf6tm9EX83F9uKvMZUV4Wp8Dp6TwuQsgSeUL/s1600/a+%28719%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hnPBsNgpLNYLM2OGkTKtDl3_jD4Ui8FHj_COGrx95h4fuXZwmptLp3lQnwVz1w542dCAM1_6Z6OYHPaG8LN_z0Z78kydAzQtGf6tm9EX83F9uKvMZUV4Wp8Dp6TwuQsgSeUL/s200/a+%28719%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522405621575203298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1euSa7exlzmYQzh4F3b-2fyuRBLWxCYQfka1SmwYZ_K3FOKrK2hHV8IpUBiX1izf6dJdZjKY694l6w1Vt8TZRq9WreHWIZdiYGPAHIkhmrtvgxKsP0kmdpV8bcFhiuO3Uj6aW/s1600/pic406.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 121px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1euSa7exlzmYQzh4F3b-2fyuRBLWxCYQfka1SmwYZ_K3FOKrK2hHV8IpUBiX1izf6dJdZjKY694l6w1Vt8TZRq9WreHWIZdiYGPAHIkhmrtvgxKsP0kmdpV8bcFhiuO3Uj6aW/s200/pic406.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522405856788304114" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sid: </span></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Captains and Masters License, Navigator,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Electrician,</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Mechanic, BN, Plumber and Fish cleaner</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Manuela:</span></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Admiral, Purser, Chef, Communications Officer, Coordinator, Maid, Cocktailmixologist and Fish Catcher</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Crystal:</span></strong><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"> </span></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Deck Sweeper and Watchcat</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Tika:</span></strong><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"> </span></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Play Kitty and Schmoozer</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Kids:</span></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Lazy, don't do anyth</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >ing</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Boat:</span></b></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >Ericso</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:85%;" >n 36 C <b>"Paradise"</b></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"> </span></b></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" >(<a href="http://boatbummsparadise.blogspot.com/">for info click here: Paradise</a>)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H_tu4T4fewdp1H0O0Dlarjs3Y6ChBlGWN902ekdNBa6LYjAEAByAZVtSZ8a2H6bKPw_dtpGA4iZ1N-2Ei9Tb2uK7q5obHVFxM5bMxZtLlQPHGN6lQTnG2YfnK42qLoU-ClNr/s1600/Earth2zz.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H_tu4T4fewdp1H0O0Dlarjs3Y6ChBlGWN902ekdNBa6LYjAEAByAZVtSZ8a2H6bKPw_dtpGA4iZ1N-2Ei9Tb2uK7q5obHVFxM5bMxZtLlQPHGN6lQTnG2YfnK42qLoU-ClNr/s400/Earth2zz.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522405351095237538" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >Our big dre</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >am was some day to sail around the world. It's no longer a dream, we're doing it. We left </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Los Angeles</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > in 1997 and i</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >t took us over 4</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >years to get to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">North</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span></st1:place></st1:state></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcSAMywG5RnanxbJRIHtSLNTNu03Kqm7XyLYj3bbniIgSGD8Zx_WzsOAcKy9XpUJMdBXscs3SyiijAPC6k_uJJZrZJb4It7irIC0SyXnKALSAchVxMatMFHgzEcfWF-Ol14U2/s1600/pic010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcSAMywG5RnanxbJRIHtSLNTNu03Kqm7XyLYj3bbniIgSGD8Zx_WzsOAcKy9XpUJMdBXscs3SyiijAPC6k_uJJZrZJb4It7irIC0SyXnKALSAchVxMatMFHgzEcfWF-Ol14U2/s200/pic010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522404914476072258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Carolina</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > on the East Coast. The first leg from </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Catalina Island</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Ensenada</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > took us</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > a whole two months</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and we earned our first ni</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ckname the "Turtle Express", which we now use for our newsletters.<br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9zuAVD57Jr7tBjNLtqu7hrQ8DbmfQFBRlobnYPIWG-IN0JQYGtyziFiVEbDSI9Gp9q7GGO04lzP8nFcpxuy9z3Cz59DtXMk4to5bkOWRFOb-uB0RaGUfFwcEELQ8KJwTMVEl/s1600/pic042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9zuAVD57Jr7tBjNLtqu7hrQ8DbmfQFBRlobnYPIWG-IN0JQYGtyziFiVEbDSI9Gp9q7GGO04lzP8nFcpxuy9z3Cz59DtXMk4to5bkOWRFOb-uB0RaGUfFwcEELQ8KJwTMVEl/s200/pic042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522404610360823698" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >The next leg was 737 miles from Ensenada to Cabo S</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >an Lucas, whic</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >h cr</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >uisers</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > usually cover in 4 days and fo</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >r us another month.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >Hey w</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >hy rush it we're cruising! Sailing around the point in Cabo w</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >as a</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >long dream of ours and we did it with a proud </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >spinnaker run at sun</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >rise and </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >celebrated it with a nice bottle of champagne. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DmpWEpP2cNla4ef1NkwVHgl3LPCizS_J9kA_SshxGfuwTma-lKBi_ktoDInDCMrselriYjVNHziug5_ooeD-Ygk4LeHFlJnjE17DtkGtqAK5dACRxs7dhSs42TqatGyLNoN_/s1600/pic030.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 127px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DmpWEpP2cNla4ef1NkwVHgl3LPCizS_J9kA_SshxGfuwTma-lKBi_ktoDInDCMrselriYjVNHziug5_ooeD-Ygk4LeHFlJnjE17DtkGtqAK5dACRxs7dhSs42TqatGyLNoN_/s200/pic030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522403938038664962" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >It was the most spect</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >acular sight to round the Lands End. From Cabo w</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >e </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL0UNOL-scblGwVUrgWnjHhqM9CwDVtUEj3ViKjFtMLZBRpWW1UcdcjJDmqyfXS2JuhFGtDyDKAyrSryNjVkSWhtBQ9pd3wu10ZmC8HC48TFx-zJLsh1I7L4Wpmj86NciBX08/s1600/pic044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL0UNOL-scblGwVUrgWnjHhqM9CwDVtUEj3ViKjFtMLZBRpWW1UcdcjJDmqyfXS2JuhFGtDyDKAyrSryNjVkSWhtBQ9pd3wu10ZmC8HC48TFx-zJLsh1I7L4Wpmj86NciBX08/s200/pic044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522404138497399970" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >headed up to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">La </span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Paz</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and since hurricane season was approaching we headed u</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >p into the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Sea</span></st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> of </span><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cortez</span></st1:placename></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > out of hurricanes har</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >m</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. We spent 6 months in the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Sea</span></st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> of </span><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cortez</span></st1:placename></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > which is still our favo</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >rite cruising grounds. We neve</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >r knew what we </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >had for dinner until just after we g</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ot done snorkeling (bass, tuna, triggerfish, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >gabrilla, sea snails, chitons, murexes, crabs, lobster, clams a</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >n</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >d rock scallops) and found the most remote anchorages. As hurricane season ended it was time to head back to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">La Paz</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >From there we hea</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >de</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >d across to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Mazatlan</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. The trip across started with a beau</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >tiful day. Only 30 minute</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >s out at sea we had a nice Tuna on the hook, yeah sashimi! I</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >t </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >was a pretty rough trip for most of the 3 days and we were glad to arrive safe and soun</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >d in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Mazatlan</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > as our st</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >eering box started to</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > come apart, due to the rough seas. We s</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >pe</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >nt 4 weeks exploring </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Mazatlan</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and as w</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fPF9RzTC_xkyiE9eD3afE0ZZJ8tj9dNIME8PgfzDBVpswpXRhZDhXoE7Gp5pxQzLEwO1D1udFSIJdl1Jq_u2mspmg0mVvm5ZrWD8zK4XKHZxg6FKle07Nm8EvD7OXPHouLGo/s1600/pic064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fPF9RzTC_xkyiE9eD3afE0ZZJ8tj9dNIME8PgfzDBVpswpXRhZDhXoE7Gp5pxQzLEwO1D1udFSIJdl1Jq_u2mspmg0mVvm5ZrWD8zK4XKHZxg6FKle07Nm8EvD7OXPHouLGo/s200/pic064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522403643211072210" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e headed further south towards </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Puerto Vallarta</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, we expected to reach</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > m</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XCCyPgHLZyvMfkqhr8mIxCaNRGM0stKtLkIOzo4FHbuu18tSmIE0iHGEdkDTD1tC2C9mTFB_JvLXWKzUcpMVILOYvr0nF4VAS_r5R7EQIALKpFyR-CYFHGCAIHbseZq5WQvx/s1600/pic070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XCCyPgHLZyvMfkqhr8mIxCaNRGM0stKtLkIOzo4FHbuu18tSmIE0iHGEdkDTD1tC2C9mTFB_JvLXWKzUcpMVILOYvr0nF4VAS_r5R7EQIALKpFyR-CYFHGCAIHbseZq5WQvx/s200/pic070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522403509921818338" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ore tropical places, but it stayed pretty</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > much a dried out dese</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >rt until Chac</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ala. That was unforgettable; we arri</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ved with a setting sun and a spectacular moonris</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e over </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >the palm trees. We sailed as far south as Tenecatita, our favorite anchorage on the Mainland of Mexico. The mangroves made for fun dinghy rides and the palapa restaurant at the beach served us ice cold 60 cents beer and 2 dozen fresh oysters for 3 bucks. They don't come any fres</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >her as they are</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > picked to order.<br />As the next hurrican</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e season</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >approached we headed north to PV and settled do</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >wn </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >in the Paradise Vill</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >age M</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >arina in Nuevo Vallarta, a 5 Star Resort. As </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Marina</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > guest we had the same privil</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ege as the hotel guests did, including the free Tennis lesso</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ns. It was a great hurricane hole and we lived the life of the riches.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >We had a</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > wonde</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >rful 2</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > years in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Mexico</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, so it was t</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >im</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOglwJ7l0LD64LllPRNGWH51bdBgAgPnuYkazWmBxTUEe10mCLR8tl6NX1uaI_98UNEzheEqo5QmNtCDiIXzDrpePX1mfPIk5NFeJLPMjns8llGf7R4L1VSCKdWpFAl2X1t_L/s1600/pic107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOglwJ7l0LD64LllPRNGWH51bdBgAgPnuYkazWmBxTUEe10mCLR8tl6NX1uaI_98UNEzheEqo5QmNtCDiIXzDrpePX1mfPIk5NFeJLPMjns8llGf7R4L1VSCKdWpFAl2X1t_L/s200/pic107.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522403180502079234" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e for new destinations further south. We spen</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >t 2 months in Zihuatanejo and wished we would have spent all th</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >at time in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Acapulc</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">o</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > instead,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >what a kewl city. Huatulco was our last </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Mexican</span></st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Port</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > before crossing the feared Tehuantepec and had smooth sailing </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >al the way to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">El Salvador</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. We were the 2nd group ever to enter the </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaRW8EX3H3wh4YT3QhUUp0pxYoI0V7-oVe19i9faYhFXh_05Fwraqj2XrLZGHEy7izDAXNxI3IkuvNgmoehzdStuoWtZHKIS35sKzTYmvhP8otHK8Nley7Bi9M0N8i2lb6cY-/s1600/pic113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaRW8EX3H3wh4YT3QhUUp0pxYoI0V7-oVe19i9faYhFXh_05Fwraqj2XrLZGHEy7izDAXNxI3IkuvNgmoehzdStuoWtZHKIS35sKzTYmvhP8otHK8Nley7Bi9M0N8i2lb6cY-/s200/pic113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522403100552385794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jiquilisco</span></st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">River</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > by boat. Juan Right, owner of the Barilles Marina, spoiled us rotten. We also had</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >TV coverage for a full d</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ay while doing a helicopter tour around</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > El Salvador and climbing Volcano Santa Ana, what an adventure! We felt lik</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e celebrities.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >It was time again to</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > l</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ave and our next 2 day sail took us to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Costa Rica</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > wh</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleqGY55P_KzRF1pxh0LRqTUuING-Lrt25tH2Ck7a2gp_fKmCeTH4ezCPo_Iq2caQMi1-rinLwhBRmwK3hJLghTMbGDdLUyaMseGFm1inmW2t_wK1eycG5Y9BVeVJpdxXPI67l/s1600/No+more+Dar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleqGY55P_KzRF1pxh0LRqTUuING-Lrt25tH2Ck7a2gp_fKmCeTH4ezCPo_Iq2caQMi1-rinLwhBRmwK3hJLghTMbGDdLUyaMseGFm1inmW2t_wK1eycG5Y9BVeVJpdxXPI67l/s320/No+more+Dar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522402847296305250" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >er</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e we stayed 4 months. We witnessed the change</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > fro</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >m dry season to what they call "G</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >reen Season". Within 2 weeks the baran trees tur</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ned </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >into a lush jungle, now hiding the Capuchine and Howler Monkies which could easily be seen from the anchorage. While anchore</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >d i</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >n Playa </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Pana</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">ma</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > we celebrated Manuel</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >a's 40th birthday, which was quite a sight. From here we also did an inland trip, passing through two volcanoes to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBDyzPGrGAkfAaa2EPhlYooVDKKcS89fHzTUly698nku50vMd_kfRb0XHZry1eXx7imctwitZYMFDyMlUzudUpPCXR9U-LR2zVFQx-jVlEdpG_IDKeFQw5P3ySsKc23EzDVMx/s1600/pic122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBDyzPGrGAkfAaa2EPhlYooVDKKcS89fHzTUly698nku50vMd_kfRb0XHZry1eXx7imctwitZYMFDyMlUzudUpPCXR9U-LR2zVFQx-jVlEdpG_IDKeFQw5P3ySsKc23EzDVMx/s200/pic122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522402630718673250" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >the country side for some horse back riding, then to Vulcan Arenal. From our hotel we could see glowing lava rocks tumble down the hill and could hear the hissing and burpi</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ng of the volcan</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >o. We finished the trip by visiting the Cloud Forrest which is full of wild lif</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e. The highlight of </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Costa Rica</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > was visiting our friends Bill and Jeanette in Guastamatal. They own</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > a huge ra</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >nch with cattle and we learned to b</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >rand the </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >calv</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >es. The coastal area of the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Gulf</span></st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">of </span><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Nicoya</span></st1:placename></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > is very pristine; no wonder so many American's move here. The beautiful </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Islands</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > inside the Gulf howe</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ver are a contrast to civilization as they are sti</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ll without electricity or paved roads. In Jimenez, across from Golfito</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > instead of sp</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >arrows i</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >n the trees you will find red macaws,</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcJkEIRXCPAIDDxf5pJirQCmTL4mGyMPLBwBINTRZMJaV08mVCgfRIFvGakXXoVSiwFlzf-FtSxBEnmgEM2CnnkpVR8Mk_F9W54OdlI2tImoK1AsSF1ymviIB8wUSgA5AXnJV/s1600/pic153.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcJkEIRXCPAIDDxf5pJirQCmTL4mGyMPLBwBINTRZMJaV08mVCgfRIFvGakXXoVSiwFlzf-FtSxBEnmgEM2CnnkpVR8Mk_F9W54OdlI2tImoK1AsSF1ymviIB8wUSgA5AXnJV/s200/pic153.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522402393729422770" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >here we visited the Corcovado National Forrest, the real jungle. Our 4 months visa ran out and we sa</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >iled into </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Panama</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >The</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > Pacific side of </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Panama</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > is pretty undeveloped, primitive and very beautiful. The only way to get into Ba</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >hia Honda is either on horse back or by boat. The thunderstorms </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >in this part are very</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > fierce. Then another milestone for us as we sailed into the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Pa</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">nama</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Canal</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, which is still our biggest ex</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >citement of our cruising adventure. Watching these huge gates close</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >behind you, water rushing in, gates opening and heading into the next lock, just amazing. Sid did the transit 5 times, Manuela 4 times,</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > h</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >elping other cruisers and each time was </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >a new experience. Two locks up across </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Miraflores</span></st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Lake</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > is, what we call the "Rusty, Rustic Pedro Miguel Y</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >acht Club", a favorite sto</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >p for cruisers. We stayed for a whole month enjoying the usage of the Club, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >not to mention the wonderful shopping in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Panama City</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. Completing</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > the transit was even more e</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >xciting, especially sailing into </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IKnwT99UqCDqKiUc2Wjd5sSd2jcPqpY15zO7V7yZXimDT_iXh6KhhUaMU7VYHLTot82EQqMhU6kBvQXOJUtWuMm1H6qU7OD48h5FVVmDi_LkBOOaDvdxx_rmi10fRMykn4l7/s1600/pic191.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IKnwT99UqCDqKiUc2Wjd5sSd2jcPqpY15zO7V7yZXimDT_iXh6KhhUaMU7VYHLTot82EQqMhU6kBvQXOJUtWuMm1H6qU7OD48h5FVVmDi_LkBOOaDvdxx_rmi10fRMykn4l7/s200/pic191.0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522402164921779682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Caribbean</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > waters. Due to some boa</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >t repairs we spent one month in ugly </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Colon</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > before heading to Portobello, probably THE historic plac</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Columbus</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > gave this place t</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >he name. Drake used it as a base to rob Spanish merchantmen. The riches plundered from the natives nation of </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">South America</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > was brought across the isthmus where the Ca</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >nal now is. Portobello would get so full of gol</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >d that silver ingots lay in the streets unguarded. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE-zrJFiw489X_RNyFM2FuyRrrCiyEAmFlAD4kPK_n-SFUBE8SPr-ThsQExA_V3JntVUFOcjsTANvpft3NId5jpyyMKTobbeuvmjgHjjibLnuc-Gb8q8FS_lXUIszvfvI3zpJ/s1600/pic229.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE-zrJFiw489X_RNyFM2FuyRrrCiyEAmFlAD4kPK_n-SFUBE8SPr-ThsQExA_V3JntVUFOcjsTANvpft3NId5jpyyMKTobbeuvmjgHjjibLnuc-Gb8q8FS_lXUIszvfvI3zpJ/s200/pic229.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522401753577820018" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >S</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >an Blas was our next destination and our other favorite next to the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Sea</span></st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> of </span><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cortez</span></st1:placename></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxq-VwKyImreX4HT8lfuXC7YFLneIYKBSQpAGiOCWXWvYtQqHOboRfcQuNELaUX4x-qEekJdDKbufW-i-c8Twym4LABtATmvqha4LpwzWouyGWaEWscaQjC3u7qJFORIlW5jk/s1600/pic231.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxq-VwKyImreX4HT8lfuXC7YFLneIYKBSQpAGiOCWXWvYtQqHOboRfcQuNELaUX4x-qEekJdDKbufW-i-c8Twym4LABtATmvqha4LpwzWouyGWaEWscaQjC3u7qJFORIlW5jk/s200/pic231.0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522401669856659282" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > It's kind of like a miniature South Pacific. Kuna Indian</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >s rule these </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Islands</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and the </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >women sell the famous Molas. They live on the little islands surrounded by reefs but live off the river, growing plantai</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ns, using the river </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >for laundry and for drinking water. They live in huts and the outhouses are built over the water.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0tQWBRbo9J-oiGjNZZWkuO9QdxN5UGSWpK8DjIsuiS20zClaOMwZFrJ45HSYCQK0KxW5a4cptdUvF2EuN8Oifki7aW05celZVfUVoxnwR2EbxCj8fCgwkCBq2sbGTzn-92E_/s1600/pic244.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0tQWBRbo9J-oiGjNZZWkuO9QdxN5UGSWpK8DjIsuiS20zClaOMwZFrJ45HSYCQK0KxW5a4cptdUvF2EuN8Oifki7aW05celZVfUVoxnwR2EbxCj8fCgwkCBq2sbGTzn-92E_/s200/pic244.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522400360749092690" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >O</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ur last</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >Latin country was </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Col</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">ombia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. We enjoyed b</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >eautiful </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cartagena</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > for 4 months while waiting for the next weather win</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >dow to head back to the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">US</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. This city </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-size:130%;" >i</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >s full of history; you can't get bored here, besides how can you get bored while shoppi</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ng for an Emerald. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCtC5oA2n23SoidExaWVt6rFz_qUhOMNiVm3NZf7mdaG91hyphenhyphenvbP8wY4BJUMo4ah56PAa9hd2FTb9h3EzsViBfF9JO38_ir4DZavwF21oa32aKs6O5H64vJh11uWHiOi8tHFk8/s1600/pic269.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCtC5oA2n23SoidExaWVt6rFz_qUhOMNiVm3NZf7mdaG91hyphenhyphenvbP8wY4BJUMo4ah56PAa9hd2FTb9h3EzsViBfF9JO38_ir4DZavwF21oa32aKs6O5H64vJh11uWHiOi8tHFk8/s200/pic269.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522400145797146130" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >The galley was closed for the whole duration; it was cheaper to eat out than cook on the boat. From here we visited Vulcan Totumo which is a mud v</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >olcano. It was a real fun experience to take a cool mud bath with massage, while the volcano burped mud bubbles.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >May 2001, it was time to leave and we found a very good weather wi</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ndow for our 6 day sail to the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cayman Islands</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. On the 3rd day out we saw the most incredible green flash as the sun was disappearing on the horizon. The </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cayman Islan</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">ds</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > were fun to dive and snorke</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >l with the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >stingrays;</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >otherwise it's a pretty </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZWr5B0C3kILdxjyGAP6VatCO6nTR2-Zovdh4Rp0w_tl9Wp5TzxqEXtP9bFSzuCbfQ3nalGkK6aEqmN2Cx0aKshJYb-VeddLStD988SsMCtuqWA4JiDjJONMf0YNqLzu9amBB/s1600/pic295.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZWr5B0C3kILdxjyGAP6VatCO6nTR2-Zovdh4Rp0w_tl9Wp5TzxqEXtP9bFSzuCbfQ3nalGkK6aEqmN2Cx0aKshJYb-VeddLStD988SsMCtuqWA4JiDjJONMf0YNqLzu9amBB/s200/pic295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522399442415967074" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >boring, flat island. After another 5 days of sailing we anchored off </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoT0Wh8hf63qrB3B6XcxNrkicR3CM7CV25jAztfS-gUKfJYXMDJbP7CXwMdFij4EkOrd9LWfJ0Y5JdI7VMgjSAdsWBYVpsS4LQW2m-gfOIYL74DpbGFTH2IH9qkWdycdHNarw/s1600/8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoT0Wh8hf63qrB3B6XcxNrkicR3CM7CV25jAztfS-gUKfJYXMDJbP7CXwMdFij4EkOrd9LWfJ0Y5JdI7VMgjSAdsWBYVpsS4LQW2m-gfOIYL74DpbGFTH2IH9qkWdycdHNarw/s200/8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522399338110583570" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Dry</span></st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Tortuga</span></st1:placename><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Island</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > in the Keys for some more snorkeling befor</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >e headin</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >g to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Key West</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. What a culture s</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >hock to be back in the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">USA</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. Especially the prices of everything. In </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Florida</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > we learned that they don't like boaters very m</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >uch, they think we're trailer trash</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, what a shame. The Intra Coas</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >tal Waterway (ICW) was quit a challenge as</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >we got s</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >tuck 8 times in just 10 traveling days between Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. There is a lot of water but just not deep enough. Knowing that </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Georgia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >'s ICW was even more shallow we decided to sail the rest up to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">North Carolina</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and ended up in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">New</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8RVu0JbeC7T4LzkScDQOgh9jftBJynxqr7_39xmY6mH2dhVGvU0iGCGZ_I4D5UBZgqFLTvIrQXaynilrmQERlNEy6cRE8MVOsKWecNr9m7UjRuH3Gh1i8bIoi6hvPeQ6fZJy/s1600/pic310.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8RVu0JbeC7T4LzkScDQOgh9jftBJynxqr7_39xmY6mH2dhVGvU0iGCGZ_I4D5UBZgqFLTvIrQXaynilrmQERlNEy6cRE8MVOsKWecNr9m7UjRuH3Gh1i8bIoi6hvPeQ6fZJy/s200/pic310.0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522398897402713106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Bern</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > which became our home for 2 years. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">New Bern</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > is a beautiful little town with lots of history. Summers were awfully hot and winters very cold wit</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >blizzards and frozen river, we had to use two heaters to keep warm and slept with socks and sweats on. We definitely took North off the compass here.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >Everybo</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >dy talked highly of the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Chesapeake Bay</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > so we headed u</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >p there for one summer. We didn't like it that much, couldn't go swimming due to too many jellyfish and when we had a beautiful sail in the middle of the bay flies bit our ankles. Mo</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >st of the anchorages were to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBzzu_dQLmb2lnUArXmEExHuT9VffcEfKKv9WFWRkt_bfs_cMmI8u0JQJrtO5LESYfKqUxI2Fvn6drQ95BZMgG5NWGo27-TegQeBanTDvsjRye6K3aQCs0Tfheu1TNt-Ha1hl/s1600/pic339.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBzzu_dQLmb2lnUArXmEExHuT9VffcEfKKv9WFWRkt_bfs_cMmI8u0JQJrtO5LESYfKqUxI2Fvn6drQ95BZMgG5NWGo27-TegQeBanTDvsjRye6K3aQCs0Tfheu1TNt-Ha1hl/s200/pic339.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522398474122279570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOO_GxZwK-etv6Mppv23JJuQXV5NLA3iTr6uGSVXRq0MbddUO3GhSQMg7g-jJ1HKqMRs6f7coRSME38P-MNDUTcui0cnXjcQ8UT4XPDhrSCO9K5Vqp8k6YzYVnH8sa3sjCw102/s1600/pic338.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOO_GxZwK-etv6Mppv23JJuQXV5NLA3iTr6uGSVXRq0MbddUO3GhSQMg7g-jJ1HKqMRs6f7coRSME38P-MNDUTcui0cnXjcQ8UT4XPDhrSCO9K5Vqp8k6YzYVnH8sa3sjCw102/s200/pic338.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522398400198404354" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >shallow and the thunderstorms always </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >brought a lot of wind, but we still had a good time. We went us far up as </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">B</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">altimore</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > when Hurricane Isabel hit. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Baltimo</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">re</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > got caught wit</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >h their pants down, they did not prepare for her. The local weather station even predicted only 45 mph winds. Well, they were way wrong, for several hours we got beat up with hurricane force winds. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Paradise</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > was </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUBVmFXZLXyRLzPhl-42O5Fb6j60dMWu3ls4tq1b4MU3KtYgxMeBCHEvw7Y_CtLJov2CIHDpd0JhdVXf4BkuleA6BSkPRwFqozbUpDRAg9mxAiNUQtGynEBPAQo4lQS-1MUy6/s1600/pic358.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUBVmFXZLXyRLzPhl-42O5Fb6j60dMWu3ls4tq1b4MU3KtYgxMeBCHEvw7Y_CtLJov2CIHDpd0JhdVXf4BkuleA6BSkPRwFqozbUpDRAg9mxAiNUQtGynEBPAQo4lQS-1MUy6/s200/pic358.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522397711396192370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCvRh9ohXBDkSFX4LNcVayw1u6K4cioLgzTpWWkXLuxmhfnTkxhfqtYxPmjixQ1CjM4l3LM6M_NBKCwFE0BucjT9m8mT06xRpFlFnno7fYVkulKk7sEnHKuU6Ezkm-TNsjg2f/s1600/pic359.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCvRh9ohXBDkSFX4LNcVayw1u6K4cioLgzTpWWkXLuxmhfnTkxhfqtYxPmjixQ1CjM4l3LM6M_NBKCwFE0BucjT9m8mT06xRpFlFnno7fYVkulKk7sEnHKuU6Ezkm-TNsjg2f/s200/pic359.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522397828266610706" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >pitched</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > out of her slip, a very scary sight. We were lucky Isabel was during low tide; otherwise we would have gone over the piling. The trip back to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">New Bern</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > was very cold. Our friend</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >s threw us a great Bonvoyage party and we were underway again to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:city><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jacksonville</span></st1:city><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><st1:state><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Florida</span></st1:state></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >The first night at anchor we woke up to a layer of ice on the boat. Had engine problems. A freak </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >50 knot wind gust out of no where blew us on a bank. Ran over a crab trap</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >got stuck in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Myrtle Beach</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > for Christmas due to that. Finally when we </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >saw</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > the opening to the ocean in </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkr_xaYPl-Nj6J5wqa10c8PbiU9A-EhcgtKuVEFVm3ryp2Z4fg09RDxSVNyOPkFeCvKpUMQEveNYqzCtWdGgohHAX6XDxOAJJXw7BthOgTdo7kEJRA3L58aQgYIhRiAXfbS4-/s1600/pic309.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkr_xaYPl-Nj6J5wqa10c8PbiU9A-EhcgtKuVEFVm3ryp2Z4fg09RDxSVNyOPkFeCvKpUMQEveNYqzCtWdGgohHAX6XDxOAJJXw7BthOgTdo7kEJRA3L58aQgYIhRiAXfbS4-/s200/pic309.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522397332502420466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><st1:city><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Charleston</span></st1:city><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><st1:state><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">SC</span></st1:state></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, we took a B-line and sailed the rest to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jacksonville</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. The 10 months plan to stay in</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jacksonville</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > turned into a two year nightmare. We lost our cat Crystal to liver cancer, couldn't find a doctor for Sid's back surgery, Sid injured his neck in a car crash and now has a herniated disk in his neck us well, had to battle one hurricane after another, including a fierce microburst, and Manuela broke her little toe. Finally drove to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Los Angeles</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > to get Sid's back operation, which was a success. Then another record braking hurricane year. In the time span of 11 months we were in 3 north eastern quadrants of a hurricane. First was Isabel in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Baltimore</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, then Francise in </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jacksonville</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > followed by Jeane 10 days later. Hurricanes are stressful as you don't know where they will hit until just the last few hours. We take an earthquake over any hurricane. Luckily we escaped both ye</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j526Z7Ez0A7NX3gS9ZOIXcXs_HkVPu8DosZxNiSyayjoN5zUPUkUmV-WkcE2yJYU1P_vef41IbR34dgycuJ_zbnd0WD3Q4UTAqyNMaEMhbhSw1k9Tx_tqjfKZmld4tCSZCf_/s1600/9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j526Z7Ez0A7NX3gS9ZOIXcXs_HkVPu8DosZxNiSyayjoN5zUPUkUmV-WkcE2yJYU1P_vef41IbR34dgycuJ_zbnd0WD3Q4UTAqyNMaEMhbhSw1k9Tx_tqjfKZmld4tCSZCf_/s200/9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522396917883722354" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >ars with only shattered nerves and a few less pounds on our ribs. The plan was to leave </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Jacksonville</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >December 1st to sail south into the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Caribbean</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >. Unfortunately Manuela injured her foot in July and needed surgery in November to remove bone spurs. The foot was a bit stubborn to heal so we're still in Jacksonville but hopeful by the end of this month we'll be able to cut the lines and head south where it is warm and to be where the hurricanes start and not end up when the next season arrives. Our future plans are to sail the </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Caribbean</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > for</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >the next 3 years, go back through the canal, head south to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Ecuador</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >, </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:place><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Galapagos Islands</span></st1:place></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" > and finally to the South Pacific. But that all is still written in the sand. To be </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" >continued..... (Follow Turtle Express Newsletters link bar).</span></p>The Boatbummshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599351906648094713noreply@blogger.com23