Woke up early, made breakfast. recaculated how much fuel i needed to put on, sence costa rica was said to be more outragously priced.
I started up the engine and let it warm up.
the morning was nice, a sleek breeze mad its way into the bay, and without many clouds around it looked as to be a wonderful day.
I cast off the two large moring lines from the bouy and motored over to Cebaco Bay to get my fuel, and Water.
After saying good bye, i head out and around the westren tip of the island and head towards the shore side of Coiba.
the wind was from the after quartor, but not strong enough, so i had to leave the engine running.
the time pasted quikly, and perfectly while being sucked into the tales of Henry Morgan, while being propped up under the make shift awning over the after cockpit.
having shade on a passage is a wonderful thing, having a place to sit and not have the sun beaming down upon you. the swells were rolling by, the forcast called for ten to twelve feet, i would say they were there. making five knots i soon got under Coiba. the water changed darasticly, obviously i lost the swells, but unfortunatly i also lost most wind. The water was an unbielivable red, a red like never before! then it stop, a solod line out there. it must have been a river pouring into the ocean, but i never saw such a red. after passing that red water i got hit with the fifteen knots i was expecting. with the main, and staysail i took off towards costa rica.
I am very luckly with my boat, but my luck is caused by a problem. I am very glad about the sea kindly feel of my boat at sea, she doesnt get shaken by waves easly, she rides over them gracefully, not like the typical knocking around thirty footer that i have heard so much about.
the bouncing crazy movement caused my the light rounded boat. but my seakind movement is caused by my over tendencies to be a packrat. my boat is horrably over loaded. but sometimes, such as when the wind is getting stronger, aor the waves a rolling by, it is really nice not to be thrown around like a paper cup.
along my route i wasnt planing on being near anyships untill the corner. nor any island chains that were on my chart. so that called for trying to sleep in the cabin. the wind picked up more before the night fell, but with good sails set, and my easy movement in the twelve foot swells and chop i didnt even need a leeboard on the windward bunk, what a joy! to set the glass on the table and id doesnt slide away, these are traits people crave in a boat.
I slept ten minutes then would sheck the Horizon for any obsticals. if i got a notion to check before the bell rang i would pass it up. I saw one ship, and it was far off.
around two i the morning i woke up to check the horizon, doing my scan i saw nothing new, or theatening. then i looked forward. what the heck is that! i spoke outloud. there in the up coming distance came the sure apearence of an unlit island. I went below and checked the charts i had, nothing in my vacinity, i checked the cruisng guide, nada. I went outside and looked again, yes no mastaking, it was an island. I made hast in changing my course to put this island well to leeward. close hauled and powering along it took afew hours to put this uncharted island behind me. happily that was the most excitement of the night.
dawn came and with it the turn towards the golfo dulce. the weather was calm, and good sunlight for the solar panels. most of the moring to about noon was spent sitting around, and watching movies on my new found wealth of power.
I soon entered the golfo dulce, and with this came some good wind, blowing in from the stern came some swel and wind!
running before it with the main, staysail, and yankee i made good time doing about six to seven knots. speeding along i would be picked up, the surf a bit, then slow, the start again.
all around me were trees and longas of all sizes. some as big as the boat. it took some evasive manuver to get around afew.
I got withing afew miles of Golfito before the rain, and wind really hit. visibilty was greatly redused, but when your out there, there is nothing to do but take what comes.
sence i had such a large speed gain from running down the golfo dulce i got into Golfito two hours before i thoguht i would when making my best time. ( quite happy about that)
after dropping the anchor off of Banana Bay Marina i bagged the sails, and made dinner.
so another good trip logged behind me. tomorow, the customs, and infumagations (immagration).
next hopefull stop, Bahia Herradura!
Good sail, and new cuntries!
Josh
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