Panama

San Blas Islands - Panama

The San Blas Islands - again - during Covid times, so our experience of them may be different to at any other time, quickly rocketed into my top five destination list.

More to follow

Panama City

Panama City was enormous - and we cycled all over it! So much fun.

There is the huge city/banking/skyscraper area which feels like any European city only with a Spanish Vibe, an old Spanish centre - rich with colonial buildings, beautiful architecture, and some amazing bars/cafes/restaurants. Obviously, as you would expect in Central America - a rainforest - in the heart of the city- complete with monkeys, sloths and hundreds of different bird species.

Amazing. More photos and commentary to follow

Panama Canal

Some people have said to me that transiting the Panama Canal has been on their "bucket list"

I've not really had this on my bucket list, and really, it was a convenient way to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean without going round Cape Horn (I am too scared, plus it is a loooong way )

Having said that, the history of the Panama Canal is fascinating - more to follow on this and more photos, but for now, here is Nauplios transiting the Canal. We had fun - the full story will follow.....

The Canal Pilot and the Captain making plans....

This was on Gatun Lake - at the top of the transit

We were attached onto a mooring buoy overnight on this lake. Somebody was arrested later that week for swimming naked in the lake (with the crocodiles)

Preparing for the Pacific (Take One) and Las Perlas Islands

We did a lot of stocking up in Panama City - food/beer/wine/fuel/gas/just in case medications/water/ etc etc

We had been in fairly intense communication with French Polynesia immigration at the time, as it was during the Pandemic so strict guidelines were in place. We had submitted all of our immigration/boat documentation etc and been approved to arrive.

Heading out into the Western side of Panama City are a group of islands called Las Perlas - around 60 miles away - a day sail.

We were keen to explore this group of islands, and they made a good "stepping off" point for the Pacific crossing. So there we were - fully stocked, ready to go, watching the weather frequently, enjoying the walks, the beaches, the fishing and generally chilling in this beautiful group of islands .

We were, literally, just about to set off, when we got a message to say France was shut, due to Covid, and consequently, so was French Polynesia.

The rest of the world is in a similar situation, making new plans and having them changed constantly. What to do? Luckily we had a good supply of wine and beer, so we just continued to explore these beautiful islands and made a new plan......