Hot News

January 1, 2001 ~ January 14, 2001

January 14, 2001

We had a barbecue get-together with trash burning on the beach by the swimming pool (we had a total of about 20 boats in both anchorages.) We came home and watched "All the Little Animals" which was rather strange (forget it for your viewing list!) while we did a load of wash and enjoyed some popcorn!

January 13, 2001

We dinghied all around the island! The other side of the island is called "The Swimming Pool" by cruisers!!! You can imagine the turquoise blue of the crystal clear water! We did not anchor here because it was so shallow! We were completely surrounded by reefs, similar to the Tobago Cays! There were also quite a few wrecks on the reefs, including a Halberg-Rasey sailboat (the crew was known to *Petina*) which was about 6 months ago! They came in at night using their GPS!!! That is VERY scarey! The waves were still HUGE outside setting up quite a current in the anchorage!

January 12, 2001

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! Jim and Debi on *Mah Jong*!!!

Congratulations to Shirley and Sanford *Slipaway* for transiting the Panama Canal on their way to complete their seven year circumnavigation when they return to Puerto Vallarta, then to San Diego to sell the boat, and to return to land-life in Tucson!

Bread making day! Washing Day! We went into the beach to socialize and meet all the other boats in the anchorage: quite an international anchorage with *Petina* from Sweden, *Acapella* from Norway, *Saba II* from Martinique, *Aldebaran* from Ireland, *Zephyrus* and *Lady Bug* from USA,*Karni* from Israel, *Freya* from Germany, * Lazy Jack* and *Muna* from England!

January 11, 2001

We left Green Island about 10:30am after we cooked a HUGE lobster (gave us two dinners!) that we had purchased from Serapio and sailed to the Eastern Hollandes, and anchored south of the Island of Bandedup. It only took us until 3:45 (instead of an hour and a half!). We sailed almost out the pass in 25+knot winds and 8-9 foot seas in order to heave-to in several different ways and to deploy our sea anchor!!! We definitely learned alot and it was perfect conditions! Very very rolly!!! I took some chewable Bonine and it just threw me for a loop...almost fell asleep onto my dinner plate!

January 10, 2001

We went snorkeling over at a different island, while Stacey went diving with tanks in hopes of snaring some lobsters! No luck! The vegetable man did show...with lots of good produce for us and for *Soggy.* We were happy! We went over to *Soggy Paws* for dinner/pupus (WONDERFUL food!) to welcome *Homeward Bound* and *Camryka* to Green Island!

January 9, 2001

We talked with Serpio, the vegetable man, who is scheduled to bring us produce tomorrow! We had another wonderful hour long snorkel! Green Island has many many different reefs to explore, many within swimming distance of our anchored boat. We are getting a little concerned about gas for our dinghy so we try to conserve!

January 8, 2001

We were visited by three molas sellers! *Soggy* returned from Rio Diablo with bread for me, but no luck with any fresh produce! *Steadfast* came into the anchorage under sail!...their engine had died on their crossing from Cartegena! We enjoyed another hour long snorkel seeing three large sting rays and several large fish. We watched a "Monday Night Movie", which was "Cider House Rules." An interesting and thought provoking movie, set in St. Cloud, Maine. Does anyone know if it is a true story?

January 7, 2001

We were up bright and early at 6am and left the boat at 7:30 to dinghy back over to Rio Diablo to go up the river with *Soggy Paws,* *Camryka,* and *Homeward Bound,* who were all anchored over there, in hopes of getting fresh fruits and vegetables! We had a WONDERFUL trip up the river, where we visited a grave site along the river and then went as far up the river as we could. Many of the Kunas were getting their fresh water there and taking their Sunday baths! We found some rapids (?)/current and floated down the river on make-shift rafts from dinghy cushions and life jackets! Reminded me alot of Hana! We didn't see any monkeys, crocodiles or parrots but we did see and hear many other birds. What a wonderful experience and a beautiful day!

January 6, 2001

We looked at more molas....and bought two more! David and Eric worked on the Sea Anchor, while I cleaned and made chocolate chip cookies and tried to get caught up on my emails! I am beginning to think that I will always be playing catch-up on this website and the emails...please be patient! We went snorkeling for almost an hour and saw a huge sting ray and a huge barracuda, plus the most beautiful tiny angel fish, which would be just perfect in our old salt water aquariums.

January 5, 2001

We were visited by a mola lady and then the Master Mola Maker (a gay guy with painted long fingernails, who makes the BEST molas that we have seen) about 7:30am and they left about 11am, but the captain says we have enough molas to sink *Peace and Aloha.* They are soooo beautiful...we don't seem to be able to resist looking at them and then buying a few! There should be some pictures for you to see!

I was able to take down and put away all (?) our Christmas Decorations before we dinghied over to the town of Nargana/Rio Diablo to meet *Soggy Paws* to check in and try to locate bread (I have been baking my own!), fresh fruits and vegetables! (It was a very long dinghy ride of almost an hour...our seats were very sore!). We met the chief (saila) who is 85 years old and going to retire soon to the mainland interior jungle, where there aren't so many people! We were able to get bread, 2 cucumbers and 3 tomatoes!!!! We were not very impressed by the town - not many thatched huts, only ugly cement buildings! Very few women are dressed in traditional molas and sarongs! We enjoyed the more traditional Kuna villages, like Isla Pinos!

January 4, 2001

Absolutely beautiful day!!! These islands are the prettiest that we have experienced in the entire Caribbean! We could stay here for a long time! We dinghied over to another reef with *Soggy* and David saw a large shark!

January 3, 2001

My parents were married 59 years ago today!!!! I am thankful!

*Lazy Jack* with Ron and Anna came over to introduce themselves. We discovered that they were the other boat who was also sailing in the HOT SPOT of the Caribbean off Cartegena in December!!! Then *Soggy Paws* sailed over from Snug Harbor to join us. We all snorkeled out around the island and the water was the clearest that we have experienced. We saw lots of barracudas and starfish. What a beautiful place!

January 2, 2001

We made our decision to move about 10:30 and were anchored about 3:30 in Green Island with only one other boat! We had a pretty rolly trip over, which my stomach did NOT enjoy! However, we did catch our first ono/wahoo and a spanish mackerel!! In all the confusion of trying to get the huge fish on board and deal with the rolling and sailing, we forgot to take a picture of our first wahoo!!!! We will just have to catch another one, and bigger one, to show you! What a delicious dinner we had...after a wonderful swim around the boat!

January 1, 2001

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We wish joy, peace and prosperity for the world!

New Year's Day was brighter, but still not sunny enough to navigate through the reefs! The water continued to be muddy! So we remained in Snug Harbor, where we had a delicious lobster dinner for $12...one lobster fed the four of us!!! We critiqued our passage from Curacao to the San Blas, making notes about how we will do things differently on our next passage. We also worked out a time schedule for our passages through the South Pacific to New Zealand.