Paradise, wind, monkeys and wounds...

Santa Marta Columbia thru the San Blas Islands to the start of the Panama Canal:

At the awards dinner, the night before the leg 2 start, AURORA took 3^rd prize in our class.  We were very surprised as the downwind sailing game is a new game for us and we are still getting use to dialing the downwind rig in. 

We got the new batten cars.  It appears they were cast from melted down aluminum beer cans – and though the castings were crude they were very close to the shape of their plastic cousins.  So after a little filing the guys installed them and they went up the pole fine but were hard to get down.  The aluminum (cars)/aluminum mast coefficient of friction was too high – but is was a good experiment.  Luckily Eilo found one spare plastic car in our spare parts drawer so we had the guys put the 3 plastic batten cars at the top of the sail stack which allowed us to hang the main to the third reef and we crossed the leg 2 starting line only 3.5 hours late… crossing the starting line at 3:31pm.  The Santa Marta diurnal winds did not disappoint.  It was blowing 25 knots in the harbor and by midnight it built to 35 knots and was gusting to 40.  Luckily we had the 3^rd reef in the main.  With that and about 30% of the Genoa out we were flying along at 8.5 knots dead down wind.  By noon the next day one boat had broached and blew out their autopilot, another boat’s mast developed 2 serious cracks (but did not de-mast), and lots of other boat’s stuff broke.  We did OK and the wind started to die back to 25 to 30 knots and we caught up to about mid-ARC pack 24 hours after the start.  

We heard a lot of the boats were heading for a small anchorage in the San Blas Islands in West Holandes so we headed for a more difficult to navigate but farther anchorage in East Holandes.  This place is what you think of when you think of a tropical paradise.  Fabulous deserted islands, coconut palms a plenty, unbelievable coral and tropical fish, turquoise waters, deserted white sand beaches, blue sky, etc. all accessible by AURORA’s trusty dinghy. 

  And a significant cadre of local Guna Indians dropping by in their dugout mahogany canoes (ulu)bearing live lobsters and crab and unusual local crafts.  These are their islands (aka Guna Yala) but they are great at sharing.  We hung there for 2 days, sailed by many islands, and then went and cleared AURORA into Panama at the Guna island of Porvenir.  Met one of the locals there who took us on a tour of his island community on Nalunega – it was like going back in time 500 years or 5000 years (except for the nylon cord holding some of the bamboo together and cold Panamanian beer in aluminum cans). 

A day later we headed for Porto Lindo Panama to clear ourselves into Panama and that we did.  One of the ARC staff, Mark, suggested we visit “Monkey Island” right across the channel from the Linton Marina… I could not resist.  We were on the island for about 3 minutes and the monkeys started coming out of the trees. They looked to me like spider monkeys but who knows?  When a monkey comes at you with their teeth bared that is never a good sign.  Well that little bastard grabbed my leg and chomped into my shin leaving me with a 4 inch set of gashes and a very surprised look on my face. Really damaged monkey/human relations.  

note the teeth...

Well I picked up a big stick and the big guy took a step back and we proceeded to retreat to the dinghy… thinking I might come back later with my machete and have me some monkey steak.  It made for a great story at the floating bar that night and the Go-Pro video I shot of that sordid event was a hit.  But I never went back… the monkeys live.  We opted for Shelter Bay the next day which is at the start of the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal.  As you get close the breakwater which is the official entrance to the canal zone you can’t help but notice lots and lots of big ships everywhere – like this is some sort of aquatic crossroad of the world.

Eilo- A different view of the world…in some ways!  You cannot imagine my disappointment when they gave us a prize in the race!  Ken had promised that we would not race, getting into harbor safely was our goal.  Now they have encouraged him and I fear that he will actually want to try to place! 

The wind on that first night was way too much!  We were heeled over but tossed and turned by the waves.  Our bench seat, which has never moved in the past, was turned over on two occasions leaving the bilge open!  On my watch I had my first experience of a wave which lifted me out of the cockpit…yes I was tethered in and did not go overboard but being airborne and feeling completely out of control was quite an experience!  It was a matter of seconds and I was left soaking and awestruck!  I could see my legs stretched out unseated and looked over my shoulder at the sea, the bimini bars held me in (along with the tether) and I was not really in any danger but it sure gives you a surprise!  I also had to wake Ken for a vessel which appeared out of nowhere and I couldn’t figure out it’s path…by the time it came up on the AIS (system to identify ships) it was too close.  Ken and I got by it but as soon as we were past it the lights went out again and it disappeared…gave us both a jolt!

So though we survived somewhat unscathed my nerves were on edge!  Ken ecstatic as ever!

As for the monkey incident…I thought they were cute in the trees but when they descended from the trees and approached us upright….I told Ken it was time to retreat.  But Captain Ken insisted on videoing them and chatting to them as if they were a couple of friends.  Looked like a male and female, they approached with no fear (as I backed away) and the male just reached over and held Ken’s leg and chomped!  One of those moments where Ken, even Ken, looked stunned and reacted to save himself.  I was still in retreat…so brave!  Once Ken lifted a stick the monkey retreated.  He was bleeding and the bite mark looked really rough…he was quite calm about it…not me!!!  Funny how he gets bitten and I am the one in terror!  We had plenty of advice on wound management from ARC friends and some help from GP Frances who gave me a “wash” for the wound.  Best comment was from an ARC participant, Steve, who saw the wound and said “you should say that’s a monkey bite…at least it would be a good story”.  Well he was surprised to learn the truth!

I remain…the reluctant sailor!