6March2006
From Isla Parida to the Secas islandsWe pulled up anchor, leaving Isla Parida to make our day passage to the group of islands known as the Secas. Our passage was much more of a motor ride through sloppy seas, with light east winds, 3 to 4' swells from the north. Not a comfortable passage. Captain managed it alone, while the girls did their school and I dozed in and out, making meals in between. It was a long, fourteen-hour day, one you just have to "grin and bear" and endure.
We arrived at the anchorage to the northwestern side of the Isla Cavada, as sunset began its descent. We circled around the anchorage for about thirty minutes. Our friends on s/v Rdreamz set their anchor in the protection of the island as northeasterly winds were expected that evening and the next day. However, the fetch and white caps were building which made us less comfortable, we were like an animal circling to find a good spot to lie, and we couldn't find one. So, the Captain decided to go back to another anchorage on Isla Cavada. We headed south. S/v Soy Libre joined us in search of a more protected anchorage. We passed one, and then another and finally, in the southern anchorage of Isla Cavada, we tucked into a spot behind a cliff. The winds calmed in both spots, but as it turned out, the southern anchorage was less rolly through the night than the northern anchorage (where RDreamz had stayed). We rested well and decided to spend the day at this anchorage due to a failure of our macerator pump.
For those of you who don't know what a macerator pump is, you will now learn that it is the essential pump that enables us to grind up our poop and pump out our treated wasted. …Like yah, "yuck" to be the poor "fellow" who has to fix it when it stops functioning… Bring out the buckets! Seems the culprit that clogged up the pump is the same one that caused my father endless grief with the shower drains in our childhood home, that nasty long (but beautiful) brown hair! "The woes of having three females on board," grumbles the skin-headed, Captain. He did a marvelous job taking the pump apart, rebuilding it and putting the pump back together before noon. We were really lucky this time! Kudos to the stinky sailor!!!!
In the afternoon, the Captain enjoyed a good swim and snorkel on the reefs. He reported back that he saw a good variety of coral and some fish and eels. As he ventured further away from the boat and along more pristine reefs, the diversity of sea life increased. The waters were jellyfish free, so Sami and I swam and played in the late afternoon. We would recommend this small anchorage to boats cruising in Panama, however it can be a bit rolly.
In the afternoon, we had a lesson on "openness". A local derelict panga with canopy anchored within 10 feet of s/ v Encanto. It really looked like something that could barely float. We were not sure how many were aboard it. We sat on deck wondering what we should do. I was a bit paranoid. Captain John, suggested we just let it be and see how matters go. No need to make a fuss or jump to an irrational "ass-umption". On s/v Soy Libre, they were having a similar conversation, although the fishing boat was a good 40 feet from s/v Soy Libre. Andy, the optimist, decided to find out if the fishermen would sell us a fish. He kayaked over and they did in deed have fish for sale. Andy kayaked over to Encanto, picked up John and returned to the fishing boat.
They sold us a 15 pound barred pargo (Hoplopagrus guentheri), similar to a red snapper, for $10. The Fishes of the Pacific Coast guidebook reads, "A deep-bodied snapper even more wary than most, usually found skulking in reef caves or among crevices of tumbled boulders. A nocturnal feeder that emerges at night to search for small schooling fishes and crustaceans." We were lucky to get one of these. We can report that it is a delicious, excellent fish that I steamed/fried and served with a fruit chutney (mango, papaya, raisin and plantain seasoned with tumeric & cumin). I lightly steamed the fish to remove the enormous, hard to remove and thick scales before quick frying the fish fillet in olive oil.
Our lesson learned, be cautious, but not weary of the uncertainty of a new boat, it might carry just what you need. The fisherman pulled anchor before sunset to continue their work, so we had no worries of entangled anchor lines or being boarded.
At second light (the captain often muses, why is always first light and no 1/4 light or 3rd light?), both boats pulled up our anchors to head for the mainland, either to Bahia Honda or Ensenada Muertos, a day sail from Isla Cavada. Navigation and plotting courses may mean that we need to follow a course and adjust depending on the winds and conditions. We motored for most of the day, no wind. During the day, the Captains and Navigators chatted and chose to come into Ensenada Muertos, as the U-shaped anchorage appeared to hold more promise to protect us from the predicted northeasterly winds. During the last several hours of our passage, the afternoon winds, possibly afternoon land breezes from the south west, filled our sails and we enjoyed the comfort of sailing.
Ensenada Muertos separates western Panama from the Gulf of Panama. Ensenada Muertos means "dead cove" as in "calm cove" and therefore not an association with "the dead" or to be confused with the movie, "Dead Calm".
Entering Ensenda Muertos, we stayed to the middle of the bay, as the edges are shallow reef zones. Already in the cove were anchored three sailboats: s/v Isla Encanto -not to be confused with our boat name, s/v Otter, and s/v Nueva Vida. The anchorage is flanked on three sides by volcanic slopes of evergreen and palm mixed forest. This is the dry season, but the vegetation remains as we remember northern Costa Rica to be four months ago, dense and green. The temperature at high noon remains 90 degrees, with 46% humidity, and an afternoon breeze tempers our dispositions. A dip in the warm waters will help, too.In the morning and the evening, howler monkeys, cidadas, and flocks of green parrots serenade us on all sides of the anchorage. This bay is about a half mile across, calm and protected, perfect conditions for cruisers. With the exception of the palm trees, the howler monkeys and the flocks of green parrots, we would think we were at Emerald Bay, near Lake Tahoe. We have sought out this anchorage, as we enjoy the less accessible locations. However, to our dismay, soon even this spot of paradise will fall prey to the ambitions of an ex-patriot (Canadian?) who will be building a hotel and resort facility. Daily, local laborers come in by panga to slash and burn the jungle in preparation of the construction. Ah, progress and the capitalist ways will proceed. We are grateful that we can see this bit of paradise before its inevitable transformation.
We will stay here for another two nights, as our friends on s/v RDREAMZ are due in at sunset. They had ventured to Boca chica where it was windy and uncomfortable, so they will enjoy the calm and beauty of Ensenada Muertos. Maybe, with the five boats we will enjoy an afternoon of games: mah jong, Mexican train dominos and cards on Friday after the five children in the anchorage have finished their lessons.
Weather and health permitting, we will leave on Saturday (3/11), never leave on a Friday as goes the sailor wise tales, before making a several day and night passage to and around Punta Mala. Punta Mala, like many "puntas" is where several currents meet and the wind, from whatever direction it is coming from is accelerated. In particular, once around Punta Mala, there is a strong south current. At this time of year there is a strong north wind, and then the tide. At Balboa to the north, the tidal range can be up to 26'. All this can make for VERY lumpy seas. We will sail fifteen or twenty miles off to avoid the "nasty conditions" that can gather at Punta Mala and then head into the Gulf of Panama, possibly to Isla San Jose. Our boat is strong and does well in strong winds. We will get plenty of rest and prepare for the passage, as best we can. As I write, the Captain is under the boat with the hooka rig, scrubbing all the barnacles and grass from our hull. That will surely help us with our passage. We will hang a fresh set of blessed Tibetan prayer flags off our stern to protect us during the passage.
We are "scheduled" to be in Panama City by mid-March for a special rendezvous at the end of the month. We have much to do in Panama City, the routine spring events of dental, doctor, and optometrist appointments, ordering mail and receiving next year's CALVERT school program, submitting our taxes, and replenishing the provisions (food and boat parts). We are excited about our guest's arrival. And we are very excited about visiting Panama City where we will visit the Canal and succumb to the temptations of retail therapy in the "big city" where we are told, "You can get everything in Panama City."