Day 1 Las Perlas to Galapagos

The plan had been to spend at least another day in the Las Perlas to try and avoid arriving over the Easter weekend but last night a 15 knot northerly started blowing and by the morning it was still there and too good to miss so by 8am there had been a mass exodus from the anchorage!
We started off with main and genoa and switch to main and cruising chute as the wind eased making good progress with some current. We took the cruising chute down at sunset (too hard to handle in the dark if the wind gets up or something happens) and pulled the genoa back out.
At 3.30am the wind died completely so we motored for a couple of hours but are now sailing along with the main and genoa.

First Days Run: 151 miles

Isla Pedro Gonzalez, 4th April

Jonny started the day at Sunchaser helping them fit their new SSB radio. Then we headed to the beach to start preparing the dinghy so we could glue the rubbing strip back on.
After lunch we decided to leave the rest of the dinghy until tomorrow morning and have an afternoon on the beach. So we took the hammock, lilo and are books and had a lovely afternoon on the beach followed by some fun and games in the sea with the Vagabond Heart and Orono kids!!
In the evening there was a fish bbq on the beach but we decided to have a night on the boat and ad a lovely evening.

Isla Pedro Gonzalez, 3rd April

Kate spent the morning at Christine Anne making the final courtesay flags we needed for the pacific whilst Jonny did boy jobs.
After lunch with Sunchaser Jonny went up the mast to replace the padding on our spreaders to protect the main sail.
The quiet anchorage (with 2 boats) we arrived in is now nearly full as the others arrived - Vagabond Heart, Christine Anne, Sunchaser, Honeymoon, Balu, Ketchup 2 (Australian boat, Keith and Anne, originally english) and Red Herring.
Christine Anne fridge had broken so we had a bbq on the beach with their meat and had a lovely night.

Isla Pedro Gonzalez, 2nd April

After another rolly night we decided it was time to move. In the morning we did a couple of jobs before heading off for the 15 mile motor sail to Pedro Gonzalez.
We had abit of wind so were able to set the genoa and had a nice sail through the Perlas past lots of islands with white sandy beaches.
Once we dropped the anchor Andy (Calysta) came over to catch up, after a swim (once the tide had turned and the jellyfish had disappeared) we then we headed ashore for sundown drinks at 5pm.

Isla Contadora, 1st April

After a rolly night in the anchorage we had a lie in until 9am.

It was cleaning day in the anchorage today - us, Red Herring and Christine Anne were all cleaning the grim from Balboa and Colon off our boats.

After a walk on the beach we headed over to Vagabond and Christine ANne to talk abouot plans for the next couple of days.

At 5pm we had Sundown drinks on the beach - everyone is now together again and a couple of nights apart! - Vagabond Heart, Red Herring, Sunchaser, Christine Anne, Balu, Honeymoon and Orono (a catamaran we met briefly in Las Palmas)

Tomorrow we are going to head off and catch up with Andy from Calysta.

Isla Contadora. 31st March

A 36 mile motor sail from Balboa to the Las Perlas Islands. After a couple of hours we had enough wind to set the cruising chute which was good - looks like it is going to be a slow trip to Galapagos but the plan is to wait here until the wind looks abit better.
We saw lots of wildlife - pelicans, dolphins and hundreds of dead fish??!!
At the anchorage we picked up a mooring buoy which is apparently not a problem during the week but which are busy with locals at the weekend and enjoyed a much needed swim.
We are looking forward to getting the boat clean after the time in Colon and Balboa and relaxing on the beach :)

Isla Flamenco, 30th March

A final day in Panama City doing the last jobs before we head off to the Las Perlas.
In the morning we got the bus into the city centre to have a walk down the high street and abit of an explore. Then after visiting the hardware shop we got a taxi to a garage to get some repair glue for the dinghy - the taxi already had a passenger so we had a detour to a local housing estate to drop her off!!
From the garage we tried to get the bus back to the city centre but ended up at the big shopping mall whilst there we decided to get some lunch before getting a taxi back with a stop to pick up the laundry.
After a brief stop at the boat whilst we had a torrential downpour - apparently rainy season starts on the 1st April! We headed round to the cafe to do internet jobs with Sunchaser.
By the time we had finished it was getting late so we decided to stop on the way back for pizza and ice cream :)

Isla Flamenco, 29th March

A much needed relaxing day on the boat today - reading books and magazines before walking round to a cafe to do some internet jobs.

Isla Flamenco, 28th March

A trip to the butchers to get some vacuum packed meat to ensure that we can have meat for abit longer in the Pacific. After the butchers we went to a supermarket to try and do our last shop but the supermarket was abit disappointing so we will have to go to a different supermarket.
Back at the boat we dropped the first lot of shopping off, had some lunch and collected the laundry.
We dropped the laundry off and headed to another supermarket and did our final shop. I never want to see another supermarket!!
Back at the boat we got everything stored and had a much needed early night.

Isla Flamenco, 27th March

An early morning trip to the fruit and veg market for Kate. It was amazing - big sacks with over 100 oranges in for $3, pineapples for $0.50...
Jonny headed into town on the bus to find webbing straps for the dinghy.
After finding a home for all the veg (including putting up the hammock!) we finished our sorting of the boat including putting some of our clothes into vacuum bags and putting Jonnys suit in the bin - it had gone mouldy and wasnt rescuable!
At 3.30 we headed to the fuel dock to take on fuel and water. The swell on the dock broke our stern fairlead.