Shiplogs: From Panama To Ecuador magyarul

     01/04/2007 - 12/05/2007                                   ««   page 1/5   »»

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1. day - 01/04/2007 - , The departure day is close

We were just to leave a week ago, when an accident happened with Geza. He hit his had badly into an iron under the dinghy dock bridge. It is not easy to be very tall at all.
One of the cruiser offered a lift to the hospital so we tried the Panamanian emergency. They were very kind there however we recognised we had to stay one more week in Panama City.
All we had to do just relaxing. But problems never come alone and one day we found that our toilet engine had stopped. We searched for copper screws in the town that we needed but we could not find any. The copper would have been very important because in salt water two different metals are like the galvanized batteries and therefore one is used up slowly. We have to consider it in the future and replace it as quickly as we can.
On the 1st April (foolish day in Hungary when people do jokes around each other) we did a foolish turn towards the hospital to remove Geza's stitches before leaving. The world is proved to be small because we met here our Austrian host from the Hotel Romantica, Island Contadora. We greeted each other warmly. We might visit him towards Coiba.
When we arrived home we started to get ready with everything according to our new departure date..


2. day - 02/04/2007 - , Batteries

Our power supply has been looking suspicious for weeks. It has been found that the solar cells were all right. We made a capacity test on the batteries and it did not show a nice picture. Our batteries were down. We decided to by new ones the journey is still long and the batteries are cheap here in Panama City.
We needed special batteries not like we have in the cars at home. These batteries have to stand every bad circumstance so have to be deep cycling. The sailors around us suggested the Casa de Batterias (shop in the city). We found this shop very expensive so we did not buy any here.


3. day - 03/04/2007 -

We started at the local battery factory (Tasco) in the morning. We found the right batteries here and they were not very expensive either. We bought 5 batteries to make sure their life will be longer. We returned back to Rotor with our new provisioning and Geza started to mount the batteries. The radio was on and loud music spread from the radio. Geza switched off the last old battery too and the music was still on. How it could be we wondered. Of course, the solar cells are still on. They were so
effective alone that they could carry on with two radios (regular and VHF) and the fridge too.
Once Aron Meder called us on the VHF. He was at the bar of La Playita Ferry Station where we anchored. Geza and Aron have been planning this Panamanian meeting in Hungary for around two years. Aron cruised along the Atlantic Ocean with his 19 feet sailing boat. He was waiting for his transit from Colón and came to visit us on Rotor. The afternoon went so fast and Aron had to leave and we had to finish with our replacement of batteries.
In the evening we were not sure what to do with our old batteries, but the guard at La Playita saved us some time and asked for them quickly. We left them with him.


4. day - 04/04/2007 - , Rainy Season?

We woke up with a vehement rain in the morning. The weather has not been appeared hopeful for two days. It was raining yesterday too however, the rainy season suppose to be arrive at the end of April. It looks it arrived earlier and it was predicted by the meteorologists.
We found an awful oil spill in the water and we tried to release it from the sea.
We still smile if somebody wants to sell its rubber fenders after the canal transit. They should see the Balboa Yacht Club. It is free there and they try to get rid of it. This is the same story at La Playita Ferry Terminal too.
The day went so fast with buying fresh food and with other preparations.


5. day - 05/04/2007 - , On the track again

The big day came on the 5th April. In the morning we were heading towards Ecuador and on our way we planned to stop at the Islands of Las Perlas and Coiba still in Panama. The departure is very late now, however we still have time for the planned Pacific Ocean cross.
The VHF was very busy in the morning. This time warships came to the canal to cross it and they reported it to the Canal Authority. We have seen a submarine in the canal too.
The weather does not seem better than yesterday. Everything is grey (sky and water) and cloudy. There is no wind and no waves. We had just funs on the appearance of some dolphins.
The interesting is that we could go well by the wind however the Humboldt current dropped back us by around 2 knots therefore we had to start our engines.
We arrived at Contadora for the night and the dolphins were still around us. First we heard them breading then we could see their shape in the upcoming moonlight.

Daily positions:
06:00 8-54.63N 79-31.50W log= 17180.9
23:00 8-37.26N 79-02.26W log= 17214.6
.


6. day - 06/04/2007 -

In the morning we scraped the bottom of the boat. It was covered by a lot of barnacles, crabs and shells too. When Geza came out from the water I found small crabs on his body, which became just homeless without Rotor.
We could use the wifi Intenet system of the island from the boat without going to the shore.
The wind came in the afternoon and we sailed down further to the Island of Don Pedro. We found lots of tents on the shore. There was a surviving course for tourists on the shore. The songs of the birds were lovely at sunset.

Daily position:
17:55 8-24.54N 79-04.79W log= 17227.5


7. day - 07/04/2007 -

In the morning we woke up with the survivors. A local man came and asked whether we needed anything e.g. fruits. But we did not. He asked us where we were going. We answered Coiba and he told us that he used to be in the prison there. He told that he was innocent and he did not do anything bad.
According to the weather forecast there was a predicted wind for two days. We were lucky so we were to leave quickly. When we left the last island of Las Perlas (Isla de San Jose) the wind became stronger. It was around 15 knots. The waves became bigger too, but the wind and the current blew us towards Coiba. The sailing was good all the day and night. We could see dolphins again on our way.

We wish happy Easter holiday!

Daily position:
20:00 7-23.75N 79-56.39W log= 17307.0


8. day - 08/04/2007 -

In the morning we where flying with the wind and with 2 knots of current. Then the wind slowly died. We motored for one hour to charge the batteries, then stopped and waited.
There were a lot of animals around, turtles, snakes, birds, fish. The current was also brought some terrible garbage fom somewhere. The water was foaming.
Late in the afternoon the breeze picked up, unfortunately straight from Coiba, so we were hard on the wind all time, and did not made much progress towards our destination.
In the night there were a lot of big freighters around. Luckily theye were watching for us and gave us a wide berth.

Daily position:
16:00 7-09.23N 80-33.60W log= 17346.6
.


9. day - 09/04/2007 -

When I opened up my eyes in the morning Geza was standing next to me with a bucket with seawater. He poured a bit sea water to me.
In Hungary we celebrate the Monday of Easter Holiday. The men pour the women with water or perfume and the women gave them painted eggs for it.
So I painted some funny eggs to Geza and gave it to him.

It was stillness and there was not any wind during the day. We were dragging with the current. In the afternoon a breeze came and we started to sail by 5 knots. We did not know that this breeze belonged to a cold front not far from us. We arrived under a big cloud and the storm hit the area.

The night seemed like an early morning as the thunders and the lightening crossed over and over the sky. It was cold. The first big cloud passed us and the rain arrived, the wind stopped. We were dragging again towards Coiba and waiting for the first light of the sun. The rainy season has arrived to Panama for surely.

Daily position:
09:30 7-07.43N 81-05.91W log= 17378.7

 
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