At LONG last. We untied Nomad from the dock yesterday, drove her about 100 yards away, and anchored. The engine is running quietly, smoothly and no large clouds of white smoke (like before) so we are pleased with the outcome of our prolonged fuel pump recalibration and all the brand new oil cooler.
After anchoring, we took the bus to the State Fair and walked around with a new cruiser acquaintance whose French name I'm not about to try to spell. It was loud, lots of cotton candy, popcorn, shishkabobs, cowboys, lots of disco bars, lots of rides (which Brian refused to try-too rickety looking), and trinket shops.
Tomorrow we leave the land of wi-fi public transportation, and large supermarkets to rejoin the water of crystal-clear snorkeling, surf breaks, isolated jungle anchorages.
It has been 6 weeks and we've been happy to meet locals, get Nomad all fixed up (I finished the stackpack!!! Pictures to come). But now we are even happier to leave. We plan to spend about 3 weeks in the Panamanian islands ( Isla Gamez, Islas Secas) and some really cool surf spots Brian has heard about.
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Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
When it rains it pours.
So, for our entire time here in Pedregal Marina we've felt isolated and frustrated and unconnected to people and lonely. Starting on Sunday, that all changed! One of the nice bus drivers (we take the bus 1 - 4 times a day) asked to come see our boat. So, Edgar and Demaris came to dinner. The next night they took us to a produce stand in their car so I could buy 17 pounds of potatoes, 8 pounds of onions and various other fresh items for our hopefully soon departure. Then we had dinner at their house (patacones, yummmmmmm). That was Monday and much to my surprise, I saw a sailboat pull in to the estuary. A potential cruising friend, yippee. We introduced ourselves to Jean (French guy) and had a nice visit.
Last night was Edgar's birthday so he, Demaris, and Doris and Carlos (Demaris' mom and bro) came over for spagetti, Doris' homemade arroz con pollo, and birthday cake. Fun was had by all. AND our Spanish is getting quite the workout. I'm learning new words every day.
Now, just an hour ago we got an invite to dinner with Jean at about the same time that two more cruising sailboats pulled in to this remote estuary. It's nice to have people to talk to. Our social calendar is brimming over after a long stretch of barrenness.
We're hoping to leave Saturday morning and get out to explore the islands of Panama and it's a bit frustrating to do so just as we're meeting nice people. Alas, hello-goodbye-hello-goodbye is the mantra of life, accelerated for people with the cruising lifestyle.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Meadowlark Merlot
Last week was a pretty discouraging week. Nothing seemed to go right. My sewing machine broke as I was trying to sew the stackpack; Brian's back hurt too much to climb the mast; it was darn hot; we were lonely; our lists seemed to be getting longer, not shorter... etc.
So we decided to get one big item off our list. PRICE MART. This is a CostCo with a different name. I'd been once before and had a specific list with amounts and prices of exactly what I wanted. I convinced Brian to come with me and off we went. We were moping around racking up dollars in the shopping cart realizing the place was full of gringos of retirement age or older. They all had I.D. cards around their necks.
One of these gentlemen, Lee Mooneyhan, made a comment about our abundant supply of goods. I explained that we were stocking up for our crossing of the Pacific in our sailboat. We are buying 6 months of food because prices in French Polynesia are exorbitant (8 dollars for one roll of paper towels, 16 bucks for a cabbage, etc.) Lee got interested and started asking questions. We learned that he is on a similar voyage, except it's in a motorhome caravan from the U.S. They have driven all the way to the Panama Canal and are on their way back home. After a wonderful conversation we parted. Twenty minutes later, Lee came back and found us. He had a gift for our trip he wanted to give us. We arranged to meet him outside at his RV after we checked out.
Turns out Lee is a winemaker and partner of a small vineyard in Tennessee. Now we have safely tucked in our cupboard a 2002 Meadowlark Merlot to open at a special occasion some time between here and New Zealand.
Meeting Lee and his wife, Kathy, was super encouraging. We didn't feel so alone on our venture after all.
GRRR
Well, just when we want to leave extra blockades have arisen.
The items which we are awaiting from the U.S. are in Panama but the shipping company is holding them hostage for fees which we aren't supposed to pay. They claim we are importing goods into Panama. We claim we are a yacht in transit (this is a legal term) and are only replacing existing parts on our boat. We believe we're exempt. Still in process. We'll see what happens.
Also, our beautiful brand new Yamaha outboard is having problems. The bottom of the foot is leaking gear oil. NOT supposed to happen. Actually this same thing happened the first week we bought it and they replaced the whole foot for us. It's frustrating. We thought we were buying a sturdy, unstoppable piece of machinery. Not so confident in our purchase any more.
On the good side, Brian and I took a day trip up to Boquete and received the services of a Korean acupuncturist. Dr. Han listened to our medical concerns and then went straight to work on us. He also used a technique called moxibustion. Some spongey plant material is pinched off and placed next to the point of the needle and then ignited! This is supposed to stimulate the immune system. Here's a link http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/abc/moxibustion.php
Brian's take on the treatment was, "I don't think I'd let him burn me again." It hurt! .. and we have funny marks on us. The treatment seems to have helped the pain in my hands but Brian's sciatic pain is still quite uncomfortable.
The items which we are awaiting from the U.S. are in Panama but the shipping company is holding them hostage for fees which we aren't supposed to pay. They claim we are importing goods into Panama. We claim we are a yacht in transit (this is a legal term) and are only replacing existing parts on our boat. We believe we're exempt. Still in process. We'll see what happens.
Also, our beautiful brand new Yamaha outboard is having problems. The bottom of the foot is leaking gear oil. NOT supposed to happen. Actually this same thing happened the first week we bought it and they replaced the whole foot for us. It's frustrating. We thought we were buying a sturdy, unstoppable piece of machinery. Not so confident in our purchase any more.
On the good side, Brian and I took a day trip up to Boquete and received the services of a Korean acupuncturist. Dr. Han listened to our medical concerns and then went straight to work on us. He also used a technique called moxibustion. Some spongey plant material is pinched off and placed next to the point of the needle and then ignited! This is supposed to stimulate the immune system. Here's a link http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/abc/moxibustion.php
Brian's take on the treatment was, "I don't think I'd let him burn me again." It hurt! .. and we have funny marks on us. The treatment seems to have helped the pain in my hands but Brian's sciatic pain is still quite uncomfortable.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
One more week
One more week until we leave David. Brian and I are looking forward to clean water to anchor and swim in. The water here in the estuary is a greenish brown. Brian is looking forward to surfing again, and not spending any money for a while. Shopping tip: Panama's prices are 1/3 to 1/10 of prices in the States, except for health food.
In case y'all are wondering, I ended up buying 8 liters of olive oil and 3 liters of corn oil.
Here's some interesting things I've learned about Panama:
1. Their currency is called the "Balboa" and it looks suspiciously like American money. Actually, it is. Yup. All dollars here say, "official note of the U.S. Federal Reserve" or however that goes. Occasionally when I get change back I'll receive a penny, dime or quarter that is the right size and shape and color of ours at home but it has a Panamanian picture and Spanish words to tell how many cents it is.
2. Women here don't wear tampons. How I know this is that there are aisles and aisles of feminine products but only in one store have I seen tampons included. More info than you ever wanted to know.
3. Many people don't own cars. Makes things easy for us. There is a very easy, consistent bus system to get you anywhere in town for 30 cents.
4. There are multiple political parties here. Currently they are having elections for president and 4 parties made an alliance to support one candidate. 2 other parties allied behind a second candidate, and the last candidate is only supported by one party. What a novel idea, more than 2 viable parties.
5. When you enter a store in Mexico they often greet you by saying, "pasale" which means come in. When you enter a store here and approach a clerk, they all say "diga" which means something like "say it" (is that right Erin?). This makes me laugh inside. They're so direct. No fussing around with, "hello, how are you?" No, "What can I do for you?" Just "Tell me what you want".
6. There are lots of security guards here in stores, in front of stores. They carry guns. I don't like this. It feels like a police state.
7. About 25% of the food in the grocery stores is labeled in only English. This seems odd because few of the people we've met in this city even speak English.
How are the people going to read the labels to find out how much MSG is in everything?
8. I am taller than about 90% of the women and taller than more than half of the men. Brian towers over everyone.
In case y'all are wondering, I ended up buying 8 liters of olive oil and 3 liters of corn oil.
Here's some interesting things I've learned about Panama:
1. Their currency is called the "Balboa" and it looks suspiciously like American money. Actually, it is. Yup. All dollars here say, "official note of the U.S. Federal Reserve" or however that goes. Occasionally when I get change back I'll receive a penny, dime or quarter that is the right size and shape and color of ours at home but it has a Panamanian picture and Spanish words to tell how many cents it is.
2. Women here don't wear tampons. How I know this is that there are aisles and aisles of feminine products but only in one store have I seen tampons included. More info than you ever wanted to know.
3. Many people don't own cars. Makes things easy for us. There is a very easy, consistent bus system to get you anywhere in town for 30 cents.
4. There are multiple political parties here. Currently they are having elections for president and 4 parties made an alliance to support one candidate. 2 other parties allied behind a second candidate, and the last candidate is only supported by one party. What a novel idea, more than 2 viable parties.
5. When you enter a store in Mexico they often greet you by saying, "pasale" which means come in. When you enter a store here and approach a clerk, they all say "diga" which means something like "say it" (is that right Erin?). This makes me laugh inside. They're so direct. No fussing around with, "hello, how are you?" No, "What can I do for you?" Just "Tell me what you want".
6. There are lots of security guards here in stores, in front of stores. They carry guns. I don't like this. It feels like a police state.
7. About 25% of the food in the grocery stores is labeled in only English. This seems odd because few of the people we've met in this city even speak English.
How are the people going to read the labels to find out how much MSG is in everything?
8. I am taller than about 90% of the women and taller than more than half of the men. Brian towers over everyone.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
how much olive oil?
| My mind is full of question after question, these days. How much olive oil do we use per month? How many pounds of flour will I need between here and Fiji? How many pounds of rice?How many trinkets should I buy to give to kids in the South Pacific? How much produce will I be able to keep from rotting before we can eat it? Will the sail repair supplies, charts of the S. Pacific, and spare parts for the motor arrive before we have to leave? Is my First Aid cabinet stocked with enough prescriptions? Will I have to give Brian stitches at some point? I hope not! When I get to the check out counter of any of the 5 grocery stores I've studied like a cop on his beat, I feel apologetic. I have regularly spent more money on 2 overflowing carts of canned goods and cartons of juice or milk than the check-out clerk makes in 2 weeks. And there's more food to buy! Yet, slowly, slowly, I'm filling the cupboards on Nomad and moving things around to fit more packages. Our visa expires here in 11 days. We've accomplished many of the projects we wanted to and have a few left. If only the strong winds would stop long enough for Brian to paint the boom! Once that's done, we can get started on my "sail taco" (a sail cover built onto the boom that allows easier dousing of the main sail). Brian's sacroiliac joint in his lower back has been giving him a lot of pain. Despite his sister's consultations over the phone, we can't adjust him in a way that gives long term relief. So, we're off to a doctor this afternoon. I've been reading our cruising guides, sailors' blogs and some books about the S. Pacific. Finally, I know that Fatu Hiva and Hiva Oa are in the Marquesas, and Raritonga is in the Tuomotus. I figure, the more I know about our trip, the less anxious I'll be. I'm especially excited about the Marquesas island where they make a traditional "tapa cloth" which are designs on bark fabric. The colors in the designs are made by roots and leaves of trees. |
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