Logbook and Photos

Update 7 - Spring 2004

This is a reprint of our Spring Update 2004 sent by e-mail to friends and family.

June 7, 2004

Hello everybody. It has been a long time since our last update and 'WOW' have we traveled! In a nutshell, since Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and our inland trip to Mexico City, we crossed the notoriously windy Gulf of Tehuantepec, skirted the coast of Guatemala and into El Salvador. After a harrowing bar-crossing getting into Barillas Marina in El Salvador, we left the boat and enjoyed a two-week inland trip to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras along with our friends from s/v Atalanta. We visited Antigua, Chichicastenango, the Guatemala highlands, Mayan villages everywhere, and the amazing Mayan ruins at Copan. Under sail again, we bypassed Nicaragua, and sailed straight to southern Costa Rica, which involved another tough stretch of waters off the Nicaraguan coast where the infamous Papagallo winds howl. We then continued along the Panama coast, exploring here and there before entering the Panama Canal zone. Panama City was a great stop for provisions, a trip to the dentist, and basically a base to prepare for our canal transit. The transit itself was a most amazing experience and yet another major milestone for our family. Some of you even saw us on the Pancanal webcam. When we popped out on the other side, a whole new ocean greeted us and it felt very weird. We seemed so much farther from home all of a sudden. Also, we had heard the seas were different on the Caribbean side, much rougher with short duration between waves thus causing a rougher ride. Well, everything we heard was true and we have fully experienced the uncomfortable ride that a short duration, ten foot sea can create. Gerrit's calm little remark of 'Look Mommy, a cliff' will forever be remembered, as the absolute walls of water would come at us. We managed a short visit up the Chagres River, which supplies the water for the Panama Canal. It was pleasant and calm to be in fresh water with toucans, howler monkeys and parrots all about in the thick jungle. On to Panama's San Blas Islands where the Kuna Indians live and still maintain traditions of generations ago. These were the most idyllic, pristine white sand islands everyone dreams of that we have visited yet, a real treat. Easter was spent in Providencia, Columbia where we accompanied a procession through the thirteen stages of the cross. Its realistic enactment is something we will never forget. Continuing our passage north, the Honduras Bay Islands offered great snorkeling and many species of fish we had never seen before and then it was onto Belize for yet another inland trip to see the countryside and another famous Mayan ruin, Tikal in Guatemala. Belize offered grand snorkeling where we saw our first manta ray that was twice the size of Chris. We were also introduced to serious reef navigation as we sailed and anchored in water with six inches under our keel! With the norm being at least twenty feet, it took a bit to get used to. Time ticking for our proposed Atlantic crossing in early June, combined with week after week of unusually high wind weather, we were forced to skip the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and headed straight to Cuba. Heavy seas and wind yet again forced us to land on the extreme southwest tip of Cuba and then slowly work our way to Havana within the protection of a reef. In this reef, we found out the true reading on our depth sounder that we actually go aground! Nothing serious and on to Havana's Marina Hemmingway, named after Ernest Hemmingway whom apparently loved to hang out in Havana. Havana's former glory is evident everywhere with the grand buildings and parks, some in shambles and some beautifully restored. We enjoyed the numerous museums and sights and were treated so nicely by the local people. Cuba unfortunately is in a tough state of affairs with its current relationship with the United States. Also, the tourist industry has created two economies in which Cubans involved in the industry can earn huge amounts of money by Cuban standards through tips and such, while people in state positions, like doctors, earn the equivalent of twenty dollars per month. We have been told stories of orthopedic surgeons giving up their careers to go work in restaurants in order to cash in on the tourist dollar. Finally, a favorable weather window allowed for a calm crossing from Cuba into Miami, Florida, where we have been doing final preparations for our Atlantic crossing to Europe. Our assistant crew, Wayne Boldt from Calgary has arrived and we are now down to short strokes, watching the weather and hoping to commence the 20-day passage to the Azores by June 9 or 10. After the Portuguese Azores, it's another 8 days or so to either NW Spain or Portugal. With excitement and nerves both peeked at this time, we pray for a safe crossing and will be in touch once we have safely landed on the other side.

Chris, Sheila, Joel & Gerrit

s/v TIOGA

Stuart, Florida

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