New Update

So yeah, new entry. Mainly because I realised reading back through that it was nice to have a journal, I forget a lot of stuff!

Anyway, this summer I was working at another lodge, this time a luxury resort (emphasis on luxury) as a boat guide, meaning I did fishing, whale watching, some hiking, bear viewing and even some helicopter fly fishing! Was a grand time.

I went back in October, did a brief weeks work in the boatyard (sand, coat of paint, new thruhull)  with the help of Celia and then lauched and spent a good couple months sailing around Costa Rica.

When I went to check out however, I found out that my TIP had expired, just as I was reading this notice on the wall

Oh dear. Luckily I got away with a $250 fine, not cheap but at least I didn’t get my boat confiscated! It’s the first paperwork snafu of my trip and I am pretty annoyed at myself. No harm done in the end though, I just had to hang around an extra 10 days or so, so I got some stuff done

Once in Panama, I have been moving towards the canal. It’s been tough and full of the usual small things – I had to rebuild the leaking water pump in the middle of nowhere (which was a good thing cos I checked the impellor and… oh dear)

Currently I am booked for the canal in two weeks and just have 150 miles left to get there – unfortunately the last 100 is round a point and then into heavy headwinds and current. Sigh. I’ve been by myself for most of the last couple months, there are not too many cruising boats down here. I basically have spoken to the guys on Tally Ho (lovely people) and then a swedish couple who were stuck in the same bay as me, thats it.

For the canal, I ended up booking direct and will probably make a post on it – it was pretty straightforward.

It’s actually going to be so strange being in the atlantic on this boat… first time for both of us!