In 4 days.....Las Perlas Islands

Tomorrow we start the final push to the Perlas Islands via Punta Mala.   Punta Mala is aptly named as it is a pretty rough stretch of water plus there is the Panama Canal shipping, and about 80 miles of rain and lightening between Mala and the Perlas.  Should be fun.

1961 Miles from La Cruz......Islas Secas

We're currently anchored off Isla Cavada, a private island in the Islas Secas group of islands located in the Gulf of Chiriqui.  The Gulf is the body of water lying off the western Pacific coast of Panama.  The Gulf
 of Panama is off the eastern Pacific coast, and is our eventual destination. 

I'm picking up the wifi signal of a high end resort located on Cavada.  For a mere $1000 one can spend a day in a yert buried in a splendid coastal jungle.

The resort does not have password protection on thier wifi probably because they are so far away from everything.  Except predatory sailboats.

Days here have been nice.  The water is wonderfully warm and clear with beautiful coral and sealife, it's like swimming in an aquarium.  We hate to leave, but we need to get around Punta Mala, the single most congested turning point for all ships from North America and the Pacific bound to or from the Panama Canal.  Punta Mala also has weather and current issues that inspired the early Spanish explorers to name it.....Punta Mala. 

Kris has been practicing his rock piling hobby in some remarkable locations.  They never last long, being brought down by winds or waves.

Hasta la Bye Bye Costa Rica

We've had a nice two weeks or so here in Golfito tied up to the one and only slip in the marina.  The rest of the boats in our little group that has been buddy boating down the coast are tied up to mooring balls.  The marina has one slip and 20 mooring balls.  Being tied to a ball is nice, but not at all different then being at anchor, and being at anchor means going without 120 volt power and dock water.  It also means you have to dingy back and forth to shore,  In Golfito, the wettest place in very wet Costa Rica, one often arrives drenched to the skin..

Marina Tierra Mar has been run by a couple of very cruiser friendly ex-pats for the last twenty years.  Marina fees are affordable, the Cruiser Club upstairs is comfortable, the showers are nice and Tim and Katie are great hosts.  If you're bringin' your boat to Golfito, stay here.

   

Tomorrow afternoon we start a 90 mile overnight leg that will finally bring us to Panama.  We will drop the hook off Isla Parida in western Pacific Panama, the first of many, many Panamanian islands we will be visiting this summer.