Travelling To Portobello

Our trip from Bocas del Toro to Rio Chagras is indeed memorable. We arrived safely, but it is not an experience we hope to repeat. We left Red Frog anchorage in a slight drizzle, but that is to be expected in Panama. So after getting out into the open water we were able to get sails up and had a nice reach for a couple hours, before a distant squall disrupted the winds. We expected that once we got further along the winds would resume as they were, but they were no longer usable and remained that way the remainder of the trip. We had a very favorable current so we were not burning much fuel as we worked our way toward our destination. The afternoon was pleasant but very cloudy and some thunder could be heard in the distance. We had been hoping for a moon lit night but with the heavy cloud cover we started seeing that chance fading away. Neither of us are big fans of overnight passages, but it is necessary for what we do. It will take ten or more overnights to get Ariel back Key West, but we will deal with that at some future point. At about midnight the rain started and it lasted until 3 am, sometimes light and at times quite heavy. We had part of our enclosure up so we were relatively dry and amazingly there was not any strong wind with the rain. The lightening also started around the same time and it lasted until 5 am. During the night and well before the storm we saw only two ships, the closest a little more than six miles. So during the lightening, we were the only object on the sea both visually in all directions and according to radar. With a mast pointing to the sky, all we could do was pray and keep plodding along since it was out of our hands. Much of the lightening was cloud to cloud, but we did see strikes down to the water. As it was we did not have any strikes close by, and we are thankful for that. We were approaching our destination, the Rio Chagras as morning welcomed us. We entered the Rio Chagras but proceeded only far enough up the river to get beyond the effects of the incoming surf. The Rio Chagras is a beautiful tropical river surrounded by virgin rain forest. The river was dammed about six miles inland in 1910 to form Lake Gatun, which supplies water for the Panama Canal locks. The river is about 30 feet deep shore to shore and the water is clear. We anchored in the center, and we no sooner settled when we heard the familiar howler monkeys. Later the green parrots kicked up a racket. There were dozens upon dozens of them, maybe a hundred so in the trees on both shores and crossing from one side to the other usually traveling in pairs. They are beautiful to watch but the noise can be irritating after awhile.

After a comfortable night we continued on the next morning, crossing through the anchorage at the entrance to the Panama Canal, with many ships waiting their turn. We arrived in Portobello in the early afternoon, surprised at the number of cruising boats anchored. I counted about fifty. We planned to stop in Portobello as one last opportunity to provision before heading to the San Blas. Portobello was discovered by Christopher Columbus on November 2, 1502 on his fourth trip to the New World. Between 1574 and 1702 fleets of galleons carried away the riches. The fortifications from that era are still present. One of the notable buildings in town is the Customs House, originally built in 1630. It was used as a trade warehouse and for the offices of the Governor. The other impressive structure is the Church of San Felipe de Portobello, home of the Black Christ of Portobello. Captain Jacks is the place to go for cruisers and backpackers. We stopped in early in the day and met Jack. He gave us guidance on where to buy diesel and propane. The diesel was actually Captains Jack's, but dispensed by Dave at Consignment Daves on the waterfront. Jack only sells diesel in 15 gallon increments, the size of the containers he hauls it in and this was exactly the amount we could handle. His neighbor next door took our propane tank to fill and delivered it to our boat the next morning. They are filled by gravity so it can take awhile. We have checked out with the Port Captain so off we go again.

Sorry no pictures until we can get an internet connection. This update is via SSB radio.