22/01/11 - 04/05/11 Grenada to Panama, 1,472nm, 13,219nm Total

Well at long last, time for another update. We travelled from Grenada with our friends Seamus and Eileen who were celebrating their wedding anniversay although the weather was a little unseasonal to say the least! After a longer than planned stay in St.Lucia we visited Martinique, Aruba, San Blas islands and finally Shelter Bay outside Colon, Pnama from where we will begin our transit of the Panama Canal on the 5th May.


Higlights of the trip - catching up with Johnny and the kids in St.Lucia, twice having humpback whales breeching within 50 metres of the boat, catching a handsome yellow fin tuna, checking into a marina in Aruba to find we had access to a private island and two hotels, celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary without sitting out a gale and eating soggy baguettes and the wonderful clear waters of the San Blas islands. Lowlights being the failure of our generator in St.Lucia which delayed us 6 weeks, the mess up of our bill in Rodney Bay marina which took forwever to sort out and the numerous ways offcials in Panama have of relieving you of money!
Many thanks to Adam for helping us with the generator - replacing the cylinder head and valves - good luck and hope to see you in New Zealand before too long.

Captain Miracle takes the helm again

Jordan and Miracle enjoying a coconut

Jenny also enjoying her coconut

Fun day in the pool

A pair of Frigate birds

Humpback whales close to the boat

Reaching Aruba

Private island compliments of the marina

Friendly local - Iguana

More of the locals

Relaxing

Lunch time

No more photos please

Playing tourist - sunset cruise Aruba

Sunset

Hitchhiker - on our way to San Blas Islands Panama

Yipee dinner

Getting ready for shower while sailing

Salt water bucket wet down

Soaping

Rinsing

Another whale

Filling water bottles from our watermaker

Snorkelling a wreck off Dog Island - San Blas

Part of the wreck

Another day passed anchoring for night at Lemon Cay

Another day snorkelling from Lemon Cay

Even got close to a lionfish

Buying fish off one of the Kuna tribesmen

Purchasing molas from one of the local Kuna traders

Farewell to San Blas Islands

Some wildlife near Shelter Bay marina Panama
 



Leaf cutter ants


And of course monkeys!

04/03/10 - 22/05/10 Antigua to BVI's to Grenada, 839nm, 11,747nm Total

Better late than never! Seems like an age ago but then work does that to me, this post covers the trip from Antigua after the Caribbean 600 race, through Nevis and St.Kitt's, British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St.Lucia, Bequia, Carriacou to Grenada. Highlights were the Full Moon party with friends on Silver Bear and Starfire, catching a couple of fish which were the best tasting ever, snorkelling at the Jacques Cousteau Marine Reserve. Lowlights having to bring this part of the trip to an end - to be continued at the end of January 2011.


Approach to Nevis and St,Kitts a short hop from Antigua

I didn't want to ask why it was wearing a nappy!!

Starfire in the BVI's with Emily at the helm while Alan went for a swim

Boat party after a hard days scrubbing bottoms!

Full Moon party at Trellis Bay in the BVI's - iron sculptures in the water stuffed with wood and set alight

The Mocko Jumbies and me....

More Mocko's

Not sure what nana saw!

Back in Anitgua with Roy and Guiding Light - Roy sailed single handed across the Atlantic and then proceded to clean up the silver ware at Anitgua Classic Week

Our Anniversary day in Deshaies Guadeloupe....

Jacques Cousteau Marine Reserve off Guadeloupe...and an as yet unidentified floater!

Elk Horn coral...

Blue Fish....

Parrot Fish

Another fish....you might have guessed we liked the place!

Sunset at the Isles de Saintes

A brighter outlook down at Union Island

Then a quick sail down to Carriacou

Where Grandad was playing in the Carriacou Maroon and String Band Festival

And the catering was going full blast...

No that's not really a Molotov cocktail,,,it's a torch apparently!

And the Master of Ceremonies was surrounded by his ladies

In case you forgot it was the Maroon!

Then on to Grenada overlooking the capital's bay

And looking out to sea

Sunset in Prickly Bay - our final resting stop for this part of the trip

Taking part in a Hash House Harriers event where we intended to do the "Namby Pamby" and ended up finishing on the "Iron Man" course!

Finally lifting out at Spice Island Marine, then a week in a hotel while we put the boat to bed for the few months we will be away

Which gave time for partying! Here the King of Swing Ken takes Dawn literally for a spin around the dance floor

While friends John and Liz take it a bit more sedately - or just having a rest?!

Having worn everyone else out Ken and Joanie take the only partners left standing!

Revived, John and Liz do some Scottish dancing - it was dancing wasn't it?

Even I couldn't escape......

Dawn made the mistake of being on her feet......

While I stayed put!

Finally only the waitresses were left...

The the last supper (or lunch really) with John, Liz, Joanie and Ken at Grand Anse beach before flying back to the UK