Through the Eyes of Louise: Cruising the Islands of Las Perlas

We go from one beautiful little island to the next. Drop anchor in the dark and wake up all exited to see if this place is as beautiful as the last little bay. Jump straight in the clear water from the boat and relax surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. as you drink coffee and dry off in the sun. Paddle the kayak right onto the beach and enter a new island to be explored for the first time…almost! RIGHT: Louise Bech, 33, is an Architect from Denmark

This is the first time I have experienced cruising islands by boat, and it is wonderful. I realize that arriving in a new place with a forty-nine feet sailboat instead of a ten liter backpack makes traveling quite a different experience! The three main questions on a backpackers mind are where to sleep, what to eat and how to get to the next place? This is all taken care of by the boat, and in this case to an extent that makes living extremely easy and comfortable – a smooth running boat, comfortable beds, hot showers, hammocks on the deck, movie nights with surround sound, cold drinks in the freezer and great people to hang out with. Food is not a problem either as this boat is loaded with more canned tuna and chocolate, than fuel! On top of that we are provided with all kinds of toys to explore the water that now surrounds us. And we have great days in Las Perlas going on trips in the dinghy and kayaks, swimming, snorkeling and diving.

What really adds excitement to this way of traveling though is that it does not take much before “you playing in the ocean” turns to “the ocean playing with you”! We realized this as an unusually great difference between high and low tide resulted in the beautiful “Wanderlust” getting grounded late at night in a dark little bay at the Island Pedro Gonzales, were we had dropped anchor for the night. Within a short time our “home” and everything in it stood on the bottom of the bay at a forty-five degree angle! As we had no power to change the situation we took the only reasonable course of action - to open another bottle of red wine and wait for everything to fall back into place – actually not a bad night!
Trying to paddle against the current in a dinghy from Isla Bartolome back to Contadora was another challenge at sea, and a test of social skills for three people in a very small dinghy under a very hot sun (one of whom was desperate to catch a lobster, but had to go for canned tuna again…).Luckily we were rescued by local fishermen!

We left Las Perlas after a week full of adventures, to experience the real Pacific Ocean and six days at sea!!! It is very strange and very beautiful out here - there is sooo much space all around and yet nowhere to go! In a way here is nothing, but then again there are so many kinds of blue in the sky and the sea – from black to silver, from clear to dusty. There are constant changes in the surface of the water and the formation of the clouds. All the stars that surround you at night, the sunsets and the moon that gets bigger and bigger and sets as a red glowing ball in the middle of the night.

There are different sounds and textures of the water - smooth and soft as it feels on your bodies when we go swimming in the middle of the Pacific, and hard and rough as it appears when it lifts the bow of the boat from the surface and slams it back down again – making you sleep like a spider all spread out on the bed. Still, after a very long, clouded day four with no wind and where the gage seems to be stuck at “sixty hours to go”, I start to get restless and I am not the only one…quite often our fellow traveler, Tom the pilot, crashes into the cockpit yelling “are we there yet?” The panic growing in his eyes, he argues he could have gone tree times around the world by now, and that he parks his jet at the gate at the same speed we are going! Time takes on another dimension out here – it takes some getting used to, I guess.


It is a great adventure experiencing this big open space, the wind in the sails, the salt, wind and sun on your skin and the excitement when playing dolphins, a whale or flying fish brake the surface – and it’s the little things that bring you great pleasure, like when a bird follows the boat at night, the wind suddenly picks up, someone brings you a hot cup of tea on your watch, or a cold glass of wine while you watch the sunset – it’s not bad...it’s not bad at all…

Thank you so much Mike.

Through the Eyes of Tom: Cruising the Islands of Las Perlas

There are many ways to experience life’s gifts, and to me, one that opens many magical moments is SEEING!

Maybe that is why the phrase, “Seeing is Believing” is often spoken. Now I can say I have SEEN at least a small part of the Las Perlas. One could spend months just cruising these Precious Pearls of Panama, which many, including a few we saw, are only experienced thru the magic of water and boats!

The Dark Blanket of Night was already over Contadora with only a few stars to separate the ocean from the skies as we sailed into one of its bays. With the experience and skill of Mike, Wanderlust was put to bed late that night near 3 other ‘lucky-to-be-there’ sailboats.

The Curtain of Morning soon lifted, and blessed us all with many of Contadora’s magical wonders. Contadora seems to be surrounded by countless little islands where the adventures could seem endless. So much so that the TV series “Survivor” was filmed on one of these little gems. We spent all day playing and snorkeling on that Isla Bartolome.

Next day we heaved anchor and navigated Wanderlust thru many Perlas until we found the diamond of “Pedro Gonzalez”. This little bay was like one of those “I-wish-I-was-there” post cards. The one that shows crystal blue waters, beautiful remote islands surrounded with rock cliffs, coconut palm trees and a carpet of perfect white sandy beaches, a sailboat in the background. Well, that was our sailboat, “WanderLust”, and it was reality.

Our goodbyes to the Las Perlas at Isla San Jose seemed more like a real welcome to me. On the very southwest tip of San Jose, and literally on the edge of a cliff, this remote and private island has blessed its owner those fortunate few with a taste for his creations along with Mother Nature’s beauty. The result, ‘Hacienda Del Mar’, was a perfect blend of luxury and nature. All the comforts of modern life and yet the feeling and the surroundings of unspoiled gifts of beauty - endless blue oceans, fish, birds, sailboats, and sunsets. Yes, one would have to SEE it to believe it!

Tom Mein

Through the Eyes of Mia: Cruising the Islands of Las Perlas

It’s amazing how many totally different experiences you can have in just one week….

I feel I’m in the middle of some really great adventure story – and hey – I am!! It’s actually happening. I have to pinch myself now and then to believe it.

I’m trying to get it all down in my journal – been writing a lot lately…. Every day new things happen. It’s still new for me to be living on a boat – I must say I like it – most of the time!!

We, Mike, Tom, Louise and I, spend some wonderful days in the Las Perlas – a group of paradise like islands 5 hours sailing from Panama City. We came there by night – all dark, no moon, - and almost crashed into one of the other boats anchored up in the little bay. They had no anchor lights on and it wasn’t until Mike flashed a spotlight on them that I actually saw them…. Wow. A little excitement in your daily life!! Right: Tom, Louise, Mike, and Mia

It was great to wake up the next day and look upon the beautiful Isla Contadora. It was just ‘how it looked in the brochure’!! White sandy beaches and palm trees.

Actually, our days in Las Perlas could, for most parts, easily be put in a brochure!! We were snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, exploring little islands, having fun and playing. Each day in a different bay, each day sun and blue sky – great!!

But….Some things were NOT like in the brochure. For example: I never read anything about any kayak-muscle…. Never knew I have one. But after kayaking half way around Isla Contadora to get Mike and WanderLust to come and rescue Louise and Tom, who were floating in the dinghy halfway between Contadora and Bartolome because the dinghy motor broke down,…. Hmm – believe me, I do have a kayak muscle.

Another experience to be added on the list of ‘not like in the brochure - excitement in your daily life’ is this one: Anchored up in a beautiful little bay on the Island Pedro Gonzales we had all just said goodnight to each other and gone to bed.

Suddenly things started falling off the shelves in port side – ‘strange’ I thought, ‘they don’t normally do that’. I closed my eyes again. Then a few seconds later I felt the whole boat just leaning more and more to starboard side….

‘WHAT on earth is going on….?’ I heard myself and the others say - louder and louder as the boat kept leaning and leaning. A couple of minutes later we were all out on the deck, finding ourselves on the boat actually lying on its side!! And the water, which was 20 feet deep when we anchored, had now fallen down below 0,1 feet…. That’s what you call LOW tide!!

So what else to do but yell ‘LAND OHOY’, have a glass of red wine and sit back and talk on the railing, laugh about the situation and just wait for the water to rise again.

Crazy, and a great experience at the same time.

After the wonderful Las Perlas experience, we set off for the Galapagos Islands!! And this is where we are right now – on our way – in the Pacific Ocean – sailing on this beautiful boat WanderLust.

So far it’s been great AND a challenge. I have never tried to sail for so long before; it takes both a good stomach and good social skills. I personally think we are doing very well, all of us. I don’t know what the captain and my fellow Payasos (clowns) say to that. But I must say – I like it!!

One of the greatest experiences has been to see dolphins and whales!!!! I have been dreaming of that for so long – and now it happened. It’s hard to describe the feeling – but imagine a flock of maybe 40 dolphins swimming with the boat – playing and jumping in front of it, like they were having a challenge ‘Who dares to swim closest to the boat?!!’ Or two whales that blow and show their giant backs near the boat. It’s amazing – and I can only say FANTASTIC!!

Among other things we have been spending our time on while sailing can be mentioned; eating delicious fresh cut tuna with Wasabi, soy sauce and lime juice, having dancing contests on the deck, watching the moon and the stars and the oil pressure on our shifts at night and once in a while asking: ‘Are we there yet??’

It is amazing to have this experience. Sailing the Pacific Ocean, we soon will cross the Equator, going to the Galapagos.

Pure Luxury and; I like the fact that not everything in my life is ‘how it looked in the brochure’!!

The thing is that I’m very happy with the way things look as they are right now!! Right: Louise and Mia

A Fish Story... While Sailing to the Galapagos

On the way from the Las Perlas Islands towards the Galapagos I had my first 'over 200 mile' sail. The winds were 15 - 18 knots out of the North and we were headed SW towards Galapagos. A perfect sail with the new 'Tall Rig' from Hunter and the big 120% Genoa. We were a steady 9.2 - 9.6 knots with under a knot of positive current. Then we had 4 days of direct wind on the nose, SW winds at 10 - 12, so I tacked or sometimes motor-sailed when charging batteries and making water.

The final day 5 we had south winds 12 - 15 and again sailed around 7.5 knots within sight of Santa Cruz. That is when Louise's trolling line went taught and she pulled in her very first fish, a nice tuna. She wanted NO HELP until she could eat some of it raw. These are the photos of the catch and the meal.

Crossing the Equator into the South Pacific

We have just crossed the Equator into the South Pacific Ocean. We will arrive in the Galapagos Islands tonight. Tomorrow I will be able to transmit all the TEXT and Photos of our trip in the Las Perlas Islands. There will also be a report from EACH of my crew members, Tom, Louise & Mia.

Las Perlas Islands, Panama - Luxury Hotel "Hacienda Del Mar

Tom, Louise, Mike & Mia at the Luxury Hotel "Hacienda Del Mar with WanderLust 3 anchored in the background prior to their departure for the Galapagos Islands.

Las Perlas Islands, Panama

Mike, sailing with his good friend Tom Mein and crewmembers Mia and Louise, has reached the Las Perlas Islands off Panama's Pacific coast after transiting the Panama Canal. Mike is taking a bunch of photos, writing stories, and shooting video to share with us about this wonderful cruising spot. Right: Tom and Mike




Left: Wanderlust 3 under sail in the Las Perlas Islands, Panama


For now here is an info link about the Las Perlas Islands.
http://centralamerica.com/panama/areas/pansanjose.htm

Voyage Maps 1

Below are a series of maps showing the route for the first half of Wanderlust 3's circumnavigation.... (Click map for larger view.)

Miami to Panama

Panama to Galapagos Islands

Galapagos to Marquesas-Samoa

Samoa-Fiji-Vanuatu-Sydney

Australia (corrected)

The maps are also be available at... http://www.thesailingchannel.tv/wanderlust3/wl3_maps.htm

Problems in Galapagos

According to some press reports, the Galapagos Islands may become more difficult to visit as a cruising yachtsman.

Under pressure from the UNESCO, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has taken action to combat the 'environmental degradation' of his famed Galapagos Islands. A UNESCO delegation is in the archipelago to meet with Ecuadorian government representatives to discus the 'threat to flora and fauna' of this fragile ecosystem.

President Correa has ordered his ministers to find ways to prevent this degradation. Among other suggestions, restricting tourist permits may be one obvious recommendation.

The government has already threatened to deport over 5000 Ecuadorian illegal residents and limit the current 15,000 living and working there legally. Within weeks, an official announcement should be made public.

I would like to get there before any 'official' restrictions take place.

Lake Gatun and the Panama Canal Transit

Lake Gatun is a fresh water lake created for one purpose only back in the early 1900's, to fill the Panama Canal LOCKS. Filling the locks with the fresh water reserves of this lake is gravity feed, no pumps. The Lake is 93 feet above the 2 oceans, the Caribbean on the North side and the Pacific to the South-East.

This direction may sound odd, but the canal runs from the NNW across the lake to the SSE side of the continent. As the Panama Canal exits under the "Bridge of the Americas" you are more East than when you started on the Caribbean side. RIGHT: One hour before the transit, the 'WanderLust3' team.

When I transited 4 years ago, I was alone on the Caribbean. Carla had to leave to meet up with her mother for a Galapagos charter and I was left to look for, or hire, the required 'line-handlers'. Last time I hired 3 professional handlers and a Brazilian man, Fabio, who was looking to make some extra travel money.

At that time, we were boarded by the 'Advisor' before sunrise. All fenders (10 old car tires) and rented 150 ft lines had to be mounted and the 4 handlers had to be at their station, one on each corner of the boat before we could proceed. We rafted to the side of a TUG that was accompanying the small freighter in front of us through the LOCKS, both up and down.
The TUG would slide up the wall and his 6 handlers would take up the slack or ease out the lines when needed and we didn't have to do much. We arrived under the "Bridge of the Americas" after sunset, all in one day.

This time, I had a late transit date, 9 frustrating days of waiting. But I was able to meet some of the other cruisers who were all waiting 9 to 10 days for their 'slot'. Among others, I met a catamaran owner from Vienna Austria who doesn't speak English. I was the only one there at the time who speaks fluent German. He and his young daughter, Claudia, traveled across the Atlantic from the Med and are heading to the South Pacific.

Claudia worked many years as a travel agent and was out on a dive boat when the terrible Tsunami hit South-East Asia one day after Christmas last year. After that experience, she decided to take life a little easier and travel the world with her father on his big Cat along with their boat dog, 'Floyd".

I met 3 back-packers in Jamaica. They were on a 65 foot sloop parked next to me in the Port Antonio Marina. Their captain, Bob, was in Miami for a few days getting parts for his troubles. The girls were 'boat-watching' while he was gone and we all got together for dinner on my boat when he got back. I left the next day and Bob was coming to Panama in a few more days after he fixed his problems.

Nine days after my arrival in Colon Panama and the evening before my transit, Bob and his crew of 2 Jamaican boys and his 3 boat hitch-hikers finally arrived and side-tied next to me. It was then we decided that his 3 girls would transfer to my boat and be my line-handlers and then the 2 Danish girls would continue for 5 or 6 weeks with me to the Galapagos or when their money ran out. LEFT: Mayan got sick so I hired professional line handler Luchiano to replace her.

These 4 girls, Claudia from Vienna Austria, Mia and Louise from Copenhagen Denmark and Mayan from Israel, were my line-handlers. We practiced together with one of Tito's professional handlers and they worked well together. I would take these 4 girls as handlers and hire one professional to be their guide and trainer.

One hour before we were to meet the other 3 boats that were to transit with us, Mayan got very sick. She is vegetarian and we all had some Chinese food together. She had the Chop Suoy and asked for 'meatless'. Apparently they just took the big chunks of meet out but left enough that Mayan had an allergic reaction. So we had to leave her with Bob and continue out to the 'Flats' to meet up with the others and wait for our Canal Transit Advisor.

It was dark when the 4 advisors transferred, one to each sailboat. I was designated the 'main' boat and had the highest ranking advisor aboard, so I was to tie in the middle between two other sailboats about my size. I would be the boat to use the engine and bowthruster, the other 2 would glide along with me after we were tied together. The fourth boat would go alone up the locks, then we would go two-by-two down the other side. That was the plan.

It is different now and much more relaxed and safer than the last time I transited. They are widening the canal and preparing to add a third LOCK in about 6 years. That makes the narrow passage dangerous for the big ships so they now have "One-Way" traffic for the larger ships. In the early morning the ships travel from the Pacific side North to the Colon or Caribbean side of the continent. The smaller boats then travel against this heavy ship traffic keeping to the starboard (right) side of the canal near the RED markers. This leaves plenty of room for the ships to pass safely. RIGHT: Captain Mike.

To get the smaller boats up into the Lake Gatun in time to make an early morning passage, we all have to leave Colon and the Caribbean side after nightfall, traverse the first 3 LOCKS going 31 feet up each time to the 93 foot higher in elevation fresh water lake and then spend the night tied to a large buoy until day break.

It is simple gravity that creates the water pressure to fill each of the LOCKS. It has worked without failure for over a hundred years. Nothing is going wrong while we are here.
Going up the three LOCKS and into Lake Gatun was really easy for my crew. They had absolutely NOTHING to do. We were in the middle and the other 2 boats tied to our port then starboard side and their line-handlers had the job of keeping the lines taught and all three boats in the center of the LOCK. We were in the small space behind a large freighter. His powerful propellers would move a lot of water when he moved forward and I was kept busy with my engine and the bowthruster maintaining a center position and straight in the Locks when we moved forward through the 3 gates in succession.

After releasing ourselves from each other, the 3 boats traveled a few miles into the lake to tie up to a large mooring buoy set up just for that purpose. After a great dinner we all finally went to sleep around midnight. RIGHT: Half-Way on the Lake Gatun for an overnight tied to this buoy.

I usually wake early, before 6 am and take a short swim naked before showering on the swim platform. The Lake Gatun is so clean and warm, it was like bath water in the predawn hours. At 6:15 the new "Pilot Advisor" arrived and was surprised to find 3 beautiful girls offering him fresh coffee and backed rolls for breakfast.

During the 28 mile traverse of the lake, he was so very pleased with our CREW that he took the girl's suggestion to stop in a small cove for a short swim in the fresh, warm water. That is normally forbidden and small boats are not allowed to stop for anything except a mechanical emergency, so Danielle called on the radio for a 'Change of Fuel Filter" break. Just enough for a 4 minute swim.

LEFT: Our Advisor was able to ask to 'change a fuel filter' break to let the girls swim in the fresh water Lake Gatun, normally "forbidden".

Going down was easy, no turbulence or problems because they put us together two-by-two in a huge LOCK by ourselves, just 4 small sailboats. The girls got on the bow with the 'advisor' and Lucinao, the professional line-handler from my friend Tito, controlled the stern.
It was a quick, pleasant traverse of an entire continent. We all arrived on the Pacific Ocean relaxed, rested and very excited for the adventure.

'Change a filter' break on Lake Gatun, 92 feet above the 2 oceans.

Panama: 4-Girl Crew Panama Canal Transit

(L-R) Louise from Copenhagen Denmark, Claudia from Vienna Austria, Mia from Denmark and Mayan from Israel. My 4 line Handlers for the Panama Canal Transit.

Our 'Advisor' directing the crew on line tension into Mira Flores Lake

From behind, Mia, Louise & Claudia

Keeping line tension while the water in the 'Lock' is lowered 31 feet

Our neighbor boats behind us in the 'Lock' as water is lowered.

Keeping the lines organized for a fast reaction

Our "Canal Transit Advisor" leaving after a successful transit

The "Bridge of the Americas" is now behind us and we are in the Pacific!

San Blas Islands, Panama

This island chain off the Eastern coast of Panama has been inhabited by the Kuna Indian tribes since before the Spanish Conquistadors "concurred" South and Central America.

The Kunas have a legendary reputation as fierce warriors. Originally the 'Comarca de San Blas' or ' Kuna Yala' populated the Darien mountains but the early Spanish and other foreign fighters or local tribes forced the Kunas to the Eastern coastal areas and finally to the offshore islands.

Finally, in 1925, the Kunas rebelled. killing all foreigners and even their mixed race offspring. After killing many Panamanian policemen, the USA intervened and persuaded the Panamanian military and government to 'back-off'.

In 1938 the government of Panama granted the Kuna leaders autonomous rule of the officially recognized "Comarca de San Blas".

The coconut tree and lobster fishing have been their only source of barter with the "Yankee" schooners and through the years their individual language has some added spice with words like "mani" for money, "Watchee" for watch or time, "merki' for any foreigner of white skin from the word 'American".

The Kunas are a fiercely proud and well organized people. They have their own form of government based on a chief's Chief and 3 chiefs for the 3 regions. This is set in oral history and now written in the 'Carta Organica' and governed by the chiefs at their annual 'Congreso'. A different village hosts the Congreso every year and must provide for their elected chiefs and entourage during the week long meeting.

Their only form of transportation is the self-built dugout canoe called the 'Ula". All Kunas are masters of this advanced design and even the women and children are expert paddlers.
If the cruiser stays aboard ship, the Kuna women will paddle out and try to persuade you to buy some of their excellent handcrafts including the popular "Mulas" and other handicraft.

The San Blas Islands are some of the most beautiful in all the world and the San Blas Kunas are some of the most unique people you will meet.

Maintenance - Colon, Port Cristobal, Panama

When you have some down time to kill, there is nothing better for you or your boat than performing some maintenance on both. I've been out riding my bicycle for some leg and breathing exercise and I've also been doing some needed work to keep my boat in proper shape.

One of the most important maintenance operations you should perform regularly is changing the oil and filters on you boat's engine and the power generator.

This was always a necessary evil I dreaded on my last boat. It was messy and you had to screw yourself into different contorted positions to be able to get to the outlet bolt on the oil pan or suck the oil out from the dipstick, dripping old, dirty oil all over in the process. I hated it, and sometimes I would make up an excuse to put it off until the next hundred hours.

That is not good maintenance procedure and could even be harmful to the healthy life span of a diesel engine.

What a difference a good idea makes and now, the almost pleasurable experience of changing the oil for the first time using the built-in "Oil Exchanger" on the new Hunter 49.

You first have to mark the oil pump for the sucking-out side and then the pumping-in side of the pump. That's easy, you just turn on the pump and run it while covering the tube end with your thumb. You feel if it 'sucks' or 'pumps'. I marked it "E" for empty and "F" for full, pretty self-explanatory even when you're tired out in a heavy sea.

Then you have to follow the hoses and see which hose goes to the oil pan of the engine and mark it with 'Eng" and the other hose must then go to the generator. I checked that the hose actually went into the generator housing and marked it "Gen".

Then you read in the manuals how much oil capacity each engine holds and prepare an empty canister or old used oil jug for the proper amount. The main engine holds about 5 quarts or a gallon and a quarter, the generator holds only 3 quarts. I found 3 empty containers in the trash and went about sucking the old engine oil out with the new exchanger.

It was so easy, just attach the 90 degree bend plastic tubing to the "E" hose and put the other end into the empty container, turn the switch on the oil pump to "E" and watch all the old, dirty oil magically fill the container. Now the same with the generator and both are emptied in about 3 - 5 minutes.

Cap the containers and put them out for proper disposal. Now, get the new gallon containers of the recommended weight of oil and put the same 90 degree bend plastic tubing in the new oil container and turn the oil pump switch to "F" and watch the new oil container empty magically into the oil pan and engine of each. Check the dip sticks for the proper fill line and you're done with the oil change.

Nothing left to do but spin the old oil filter off each engine and spin on a new one, but remember to put a little new oil on the gasket and then spin only hand tight. I ran each engine for a couple of minutes then shut them down and checked the oil mark on the dipstick again. Both needed just a little more new oil, so open the oil filler cap on top of each engine and add the needed amount.

Finished until next time. I won't dread that anymore. It was even kind of fun!