BOATBUMMS LOG: 2014

“What’s Next” seems to be the daily joke for us. Wouldn’t you know the very next day after I posted my last blog, more of ” What’s Next” happened and again missed it as I was in Panama City. Before I start with what happened I have to fill you in that the day before we had the storm where we lost our sunshade, a boat was towed into the anchorage and ended up in our vicinity (whenever we had to abandon the mooring). Two days after they arrived around 10 pm Sid heard the new neighbors yell and scream at each other but was tired and fell asleep and missed what Mark told him the following day when he asked if he heard the gun shot?! Mark heard “F… you” – “no f… you” then man “f…. you I had enough” followed by a gun shot. From then on we all kept an eye on the boat and worried about the female onboard. We didn’t see her for two days but also there were no reports of a body or body parts found or missing person. About 4 days later we did hear a woman’s voice on the boat and knew she was OK. A few days after that at 8:30 in the morning Sid saw that the male neighbor was on the next door catamaran screaming and yelling and tossing stuff overboard, ripping the awning down, cutting all the halyards and also antenna wires, a lot of damage was done by him. He was yelling that they were spying on him and partying all night long. Sid hopped in the dinghy and rushed over to Chris, who was taking care of the catamaran while the owners were gone. Mark of Invincible intercepted Sid to see if Sid was aware of it and both headed to Chris to tell him. He was in the bilge working on a leak in his boat and it took a few minutes before he was able to come on deck. They just managed to tell him what was happening when the intruder got off the catamaran and drove over to Invincible and started to yell and scream profanities to the kids and Ruth who all were on deck. He accused the kids of having spied on him and that they were perverts and to stop sneaking around his boat at night, to leave him alone and on and on. It did not look good. The oldest Kid Zack had grabbed a broom stick to defend his siblings in case the maniac would board their boat. To Sid it looked like the guy was capable of an attack on the kids and Sid took off like a rocket to get over there. Mark was right behind him in his although much slower dinghy, followed by Chris. Sid went around Invincible approached the boat slowly as not to alarm the guy, Sid noticed the guy had a knife in his hand. As soon as the guy saw Sid he dropped the knife into his dinghy. Calmly Sid said hi to Ruth and started small talk, kind of like he just came over to chat. The dude immediately yelled at Sid: “Who the f…. are you” (there’s that 4 letter word again). Sid responded with “who are you?” More profanity then Sid asked “what’s your name” the mad man yelled: “F…. you” and Sid responded that was indeed a weird name. The guy of course flipped out even more so, he yelled and screamed but at least Sid got the guys attention away from the kids. In the mean time Mark and Chris arrived, I can only imagine the fear and rage in Mark, seeing his family in this kind of situation. It looked like that the guy was going to attack Chris but Sid acted fast and at full throttle in gear and jammed into the lunatic’s dinghy and pushed him with all force away from the boat and the kids. His main goal was to dump the guy into the water but instead Loony fell in his dink. Sid pushed him about 50 feet away from the boat and let go, the guy fell again then headed back to his boat where he kept yelling and screaming before disappearing down below. Sid insisted that something needed to be done, since nobody reported the shooting incident and him having approached the kids with a knife in his hand. Nobody else noticed the knife out of fear they were fixed on his face. Sid told me later that they can’t kill you with words or looks it’s what’s in their hands, always look there first. With Chris in tow Sid went to the police station. In the mean time Ruth had already called Captain Jack’s for help where a police officer was already taking notes from a guy who had absolutely no clue what was going on. By the police station Sid ran into Nilda a friend of Fayne and Anita’s and asked her if she could translate, which she did. Then they went with the Police officers to the Lunatic’s boat where only his girlfriend was present. She was badly beat up. She did not object to the cops entering the boat. They found a gun on the galley counter, then searched the boat and found 5 more guns including night sniper stuff and lots of knifes. The police confiscated all the guns but imagine, didn’t take one of the knifes. Then they headed to shore to look for the guy. They found his dinghy and Sid pointed out the knife the guy had dropped into the dinghy. It seemed that the locals already knew that the cops were looking for him and pointed at the ATM and indeed he was inside getting money. When he came out they approached him and he stayed amazingly cool. They escorted him along with Sid and Chris to the Mayor’s office that’s where he flipped out again. Sid said that the incredible thing was they never handcuffed him; they threw the guns in the back of the police truck then the guy with the guns (later at the station they found another gun in his backpack he had with him in the police car). No paperwork was done, no asking for witnesses, names, nothing. The officers even left the knife in the dinghy until the boss told them to pick it up. Along with the mayor the port captain was involved as well. The port captain wants him gone he said this is a very nasty man. Later we found out that the mad man is from Zimbabwe and get this he was a cop. Rumors are that he had to flee his country: #1 he caught some elephant poachers which turned out the government was involved, not good for him I guess. #2 we also found out he never checked into Panama as his passport had expired 2 years ago and can’t renew it and also that there is no record of previous country they visited. As matter of fact they have not checked in any country.

He went from a police officer to a wife beater and a danger to everybody around him. Sid said he was high on some kind of drugs and we heard later that he started using Cocaine here, although Sid thinks he was under the influence of crack. We are realizing more and more how drugged up this Portobelo is. Pretty much all the rift rafts here are doing coke. We hope that this menace will stay behind bars for a while and to be deported but rumors have it that he will be released in November. The port captain does not want him here so he is working on witnesses so he can send him off and to never return again to Panama. Kind of like brushing the dirt under the carped instead of cleaning up, go figure, let the next person deal with it.

We were hoping that his English girlfriend would see the light and use the opportunity to get the hell out of dodge and go home and away from him. But unfortunately these abused victims usually stick with their men. Amazingly the boat was not confiscated, if this had happened in Colombia they would have lost the boat plus he would be facing 5 to 15 years in prison. By the way she is still here waiting for his release.

How in hell do we get tangled in these kinds of things?!!!

We decided it was time to leave Portobelo and head to the San Blas via stop in Puerto Lindo. We had a fairly calm day with as usual no wind so the iron jib had to do the job. VDS (Vertical Dacron Stablelizer = main sail) was up and about half way of the 8 mile trip Cindy called to warn us that they just had a cloud dump a lot of rain in Puerto Lindo. We did see the cloud and hoped to miss it but we did not. I was a lot of rain but straight down, no wind involved so piece of cake. At one point the rain was just over our boat in about 100 yard diameter. By the time we entered the Puerto Lindo Bay the weather had cleared. We found a nice protected spot should W and NW winds blow, which can bring swell into the anchorage and make it a bit rolly, which is typical for October and November. But by then we should be long gone and enjoying the San Blas.

For the first time after living in 2 ½ years at Summer Place West, we get to enjoy this bay from a cruiser’s perspective and it is much more beautiful than we’ve already seen it. Where we are anchored we are surrounded on one side by lush jungles that reach up steep hills and towards Portobelo give way to beautiful Valleys where rain vapor lingers just above the jungle’s canopy after heavy down pours and the other side we are surrounded by several islands. Very scenic especially when the sun plays with her shadows bringing out depth and colors. The water was so calm that after roly-poly Portobelo we felt like we were on land. And the sunsets are spectacular, none are alike.

Left Puerto Lindo, middle entrance with Mamey island in background, right Isla Linton or Monkey Island

Left Isla Linto, in background Isla Grande, to the right sandy area where new Marina is going to be

Our first night in the anchorage was quite funny. We felt like being in a KAO campground, a kid was giggling next door, sound of a party from another boat, a faint whisper of a couple talking on another, the generator of other neighbor, but all got quite after dark.
We enjoy the tranquility and love watching all the ponies and horses, ostriches, emus and cows which are roaming the field on Jaco’s property. One day a yellow bird flew in and landed on the property releasing 5 kids to see the animals. A couple hours later we enjoyed seeing the helicopter leave, they sure are incredible flying machines.

During the days we watch caracara falcons and ospreys fish, while the 3 spider monkeys on Isla Linton sun themselves on the roof of the abandoned house, swing in the palm trees or wash their hands by the broken pier and enjoy macaws flying across the sunset sky. Even on Paradise we have a frequent visitor at night, a fruit bat enjoying a midnight snack of fresh bananas.

Left them outside but no bat was interested anymore.

At night with the underwater light on we watch good size tarpon roll around the boat plus lots of jacks, even a box jelly inspected the light and each time it came by again we noticed that its tentacles started to get shorter and shorter and finally it did not show up anymore. I wonder if those stinging tentacles fell like spicy hot peppers to the fish that eats it.

The tranquility lasted two days when a thunderstorm hit the anchorage. Of course all our buddies here gave us a hard time that we brought the ugly Portobelo weather with us. We had some incredible rainbows , one in particular a double rainbow just as the sun was setting and glowed with the deepest colors so intense we just stood there with open mouths. Where is the camera when you need it?

In our old stomping ground we caught up with all our friends who live either on land or boats and also met many new cruisers which filled the days and made the time dwindle away. We were only going to stay a few days then head to the San Blas, but again it proves that cruising plans are all written in sand at low tide. Our plans got washed away once more, the refrigerator started acting up, only runs a short time to cool the cold plate to the desired temperature, but it took also only 3 hours to start the cycle again which usually takes 6 to 8 hours. Then a nasty storm hit at 3.30 am out of the NE with winds up to 40 knots lasting 30 minutes. Not just did this storm rob us of a good night sleep but it busted our wind generator.

Our daily quote: “What else is going to happen?”

Two mornings later exactly at 4 again another storm hit, didn’t last as long and only blew max 35 knots but 5 boats dragged in this one. We were OK but that was the end again of a peaceful good night sleep.

On Sunday Anita came for a visit, she wanted to see the Monkey’s. We had a nice lunch on board Paradise and before we brought her back ashore we drove her over to the Monkey Island. They failed to show up but Sid helped for entertainment. He noticed that the handle that he glued over the penny sized whole was coming loose. I remembered that I forgot to tell him that it came loose when I was cleaning the waterline on the boat. Not remembering the hole underneath Sid with all his might pulled and ripped the handle off. All we heard was “RRRipp” followed by “Pfffffffffffff”. It was not funny for Sid but for us the look on Sid’s face realizing what he just had done. Anita and I laughed our butts off and could not stop laughing. I had to hold the now quarter size hole shut with my palm, then when we drove Anita back I thought a bum plug would be better and sat on it. I don’t think Sid was too amused at first but he had to admit it was pretty darn funny and I will hear about my bum plug for a while as well.

We feed them occasionally when we have fresh fruits

So here we were doing more repairs, but we made sure we are having some fun too.

While the girls are holding their weekly Domino games the boys gather at Reed’s and play pool. Cindy gets everybody involved in planning Birthday’s for a Diva. This time it was Pat’s. Her girlfriend Erica who owns Cocoplum Restaurant threw an incredible seafood lunch and would not let us pay for it as this was her present to Pat. It was really fun.

Wonderful steamed clams with garlic sauce

Biggest Patacones I've ever seen. (Plantain)

Shrim Creolla, coconut rice and sweet plantain

Pat and her future grand kid Lia

Her present from the Divas

Her future daughter in law painted her nails the night before matching the dress. Pat had no idea.

Torta Marquesa I learned to make in Venezuela. Cindy, Renee and I had fun creating it.

Pat had some stressful time behind us that the Diva’s present to her was a spa day by the Divas. She chose Saturday the 11^th which also happened to be Melania’s BD.

We had a really fun day at Carol’s house in La Guyra, which is right on the beach. Pat, Melania and Sarah, the three BD girls were spoiled with facials, foot massages by the other Divas, and an incredible acupressure and Reiki treatment by Donna. 6 of us spent the night and played Rummy Cube, what a fun and challenging came.

Melania soaking it up big time, facial, foot and hand massage by Renee and Manuela

Facial for Sarah

Acupressure and Reiki by Dona on Nintai

Happy Melania

Even happier now

Jaime on Kookaburra was able to fix our fridge, time to go provision again.

This time we rented a car for three days. Thrifty had sent an email that for Sid’s BD he gets a free day of car rental, well, you still have to pay for the insurance and taxes but we thought it would be fun to do a sightseeing trip. We haven’t seen the west side of the Canal called Costa Abajo (we are in Costa Arriba). Neither have we seen the Gatun dam. We left early and found the front left tire pretty low, we filled it in Portobelo and seemed to be fine. It was Déjà vu as last time we rented a car from Thrifty, I am pretty sure the same car, and we had the same problem. We met Reg and Debi in Colon and they joined us for the outing. Debi brought up that we should go and see the Canal expansion. That was quite something to see the ditch they excavated and the huge sized lock doors they brought in. An amazing construction site! It still will take a while to finish it.

All the ships waiting their turn to be lowered into the Caribbean

The big gates 4 times the size of the old ones

Two gates to each lock

I was disappointed in the dam, it looks so small. For such a big body of water I expected it to be much bigger.

I was told that Costa Abajo had lots of wonderful restaurants along the beaches. The drive was very scenic but we drove and drove and drove and no restaurants anywhere. Sorry Sid, his BD lunch was standing at a very scenic cliff overlooking the water and an approaching thunderstorm while eating tortilla chips, salsa and cheese whiz.

Just as we started getting back into the car we noticed the approaching rain. It was approaching rather slowly and I managed to take a good photo of dry road then rain. It was a fun day.

The following day Sid and I drove to Panama City and did all the heavy stuff shopping so the following day when Carola and Jim on Koza join us we have plenty of room in the car. Plenty is a bit much said as the car was full to the roof with stuff. We had a good time until we arrived in Puerto Lindo and I tried to back into the driveway toward the dock. I had a hard time seeing out the back window and was just asking how I was doing when oh well I sideswiped phone pole number 10.

The pole was fine but the car had a dent that was not going to be rubbed away. Hey good thing we bought the max insurance right? Not so easy!

Putting things away in the boat I noticed the towel I had under the table was soaking wet, now what?

It was pure salt water meaning brine from the water maker, oh no. Sid had run the water maker the other day for 3 hours. Now he found a crack in the pressure vessel for the membrane. Noooooooooooooo, we are provisioned; we are leaving for San Blas. Well, not quite yet. Then Sid tried to start the engine, it had given us a little bit of a problem lately but this time it would not start at all. Luckily we have a spare starter and Sid replaced it, the solenoid went out. We had the broken starter rebuilt, 50 bucks, not bad but huge laughter after Sid removed it from the box, the once red starter was repainted in what we guess the mechanics only color he had, bright pink!!!

And the daily quote is? That’s right: “what next”!

Back to the insurance on rental when I brought it back I was asked for a police report otherwise the insurance will not pay and I had to come up with the damage myself, which they guessed was 300 bucks. What???!!! Ok so I hunted down a police officer in ugly Colon, my luck I found two friendly Officers both assigned to Tourism. They told me that I don’t need a report if no other car was involved, that’s what I thought, just another car rental scam I guess. They were very helpful even hopped into the air-conditioned car (it was hotter than heck outside I think they just wanted to be in AC) while I drove them to the police station. One guy was constantly on the phone trying to find out what I needed to do, the other checked at the police station. I made a mistake by telling them the truth that it had happened in Puerto Lindo; they now told me I had to go back to Portobelo to see the Mayor and from there to the Police Station. I was contemplating to just go to the next village and tell them I was hit and car took off, but the officer had called all possible station for info so I could not just go to any other station without them knowing already it happened in Puerto Lindo. So I rented the car for an extra day and drove back to Portobelo. I went straight to the police station and again they were very helpful but also stated again that I didn’t need a police report with my type of accident. One finally sat in my car again and he accompanied me into town to the Mayor’s office. I guess here in Panama if you need a police report the mayor has to OK it first otherwise you’re just out of luck. He OK’d the arrest of the lunatic too. That was a 2 hour back and forth but finally the secretary wrote the letter of recommendation to the traffic police that I needed a police report. Then they told me to wait here until the Traffic police will show up. Then I was told I had to drive back to Colon, then to Sabanitas then no wait he is coming here. After a further hour I was again told that they would not come but that I had to be at their station in Santa Rita between 8 and 9 so I went home, very exhausted from all the BS. I was going to leave at 7 am but found not just the same tire totally flat but the right rear tire was too low to make it safely to Portobelo. Sid exchanged the front tire and we called Cindy out of bed so we could use their air-compressor. So I did not make it by 8 but did arrive at 8:30. The guy in charge was not there and I was told to wait. At 10 he finally arrived and it took them another ½ hour to decide that they can’t write me a report unless they see the scene. This time I was driving a female traffic office the one hour drive back to Puerto Lindo to show her the pole I hit, that’s why I know its pole number 10. I was pretty stressed out at this time because I had to have the car back by 11. Called the Thrifty office but the number was out of order.

I finally received the report around noon and the 1 ½ hour drive back was through heavy rain. I found Colon totally underwater, a sub would have been in order. Arriving at the rental place I found it closed, nobody was there. A ½ hour later I returned the car and they could not believe the 2 flat tires but I did not have to pay extra for the 2 hours late return.

The only good thing in these few days was me winning the ticket for driving and talking on a cell phone in a parked car on a private driveway.

Here we are stuck again, tried to get online and do some research for water maker and guess what, all phone services were out. Mas Mobil down, Digicel down, Claro down, even all the house phones were down, what next. By the way that happens quite often. A day later we finally managed to get online and ouch new membrane vessel costs over 800 bucks not to mention 345 bucks for a new membrane. The water maker guy here in Panama has a used vessel that would work and told Sid we can have it for 50 bucks, guess that’ll be the way to go. At Protecsa they had to make new feed tubes for the new vessel because it is a different size and the membrane we ordered made it here in two days. So tomorrow we’ll pick up the water maker and have Hydromundo install the membrane and hopefully it’ll work and we are able to head to the San Blas.

Sid is also chasing a leak in our fresh water system that he can’t locate. So for now we have to turn the water pump off after every use. Guys we are falling apart!!!

Not just that “Somebody” forgot the binoculars on the captain’s seat during a hefty rain shower, not sure if we can use them underwater now but definitely not in the cockpit anymore they are goners. And if we catch that somebody!!!!!

What’s next??!!!! I really don’t want to know. I want to know what is trying to keep us here.

For years there was talk about a marina being built in Puerto Lindo, the plans are so old that nobody believed it anymore. On the 15^th a big ship sailed into the anchorage took him about an hour to find the perfect anchor spot and with the local panga drivers they off loaded 59 pieces of docks which is going to be the Puerto Lindo Marina. It was interesting to watch them come pretty close by our boat on either side. It’ll still take a while before the marina is finished, they are still doing some land fill and nothing shows yet where the docks will be attacked. Rumor has it that the marina will only be for the rich power boats from Panama City, bummer.