Panama to Mexico

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03f8e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="04095810.png" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Voyage of SV Sea Star</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FF9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04500c82dwnjbj.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sea Star Voyage</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>   |     <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sea Star Voyage"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeward leg"><U>Homeward leg</U></A>   |   Panama to Mexico   |   <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grenada to ABCs"><U>Grenada to ABC's</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Atlantic crossing"><U>Atlantic crossing</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spanish Family"><U>Spanish Family</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Portugal"><U>Portugal</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bay of Biscay"><U>Bay of Biscay</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ireland and London"><U>Ireland and London</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Isle of Man"><U>Isle of Man</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Castles and Lake District"><U>Castles and Lake District</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Arrival in Scotland"><U> Arrival in Scotland</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Norway"><U>Norway</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Germany and Denmark"><U>Germany and Denmark</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Belgium and Holland"><U>Belgium and Holland</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heading north"><U>Heading north</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Final Days in Paris"><U>Final Days in Paris</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vimy Memorial"><U>Vimy Memorial</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Winter in the City of Light"><U>Winter in the City of Light</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christmas in Paris"><U>Christmas in Paris</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="St. Jean to Paris by canal"><U>St. Jean to Paris by canal</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Visit Home"><U>Visit Home</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Up the French Canals"><U>Up the French Canals</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More Italian adventures"><U>More Italian adventures</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Italy"><U>Italy</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Greece"><U>Greece</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Turkey"><U>Turkey</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cyprus"><U>Cyprus</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Battle up the Red Sea"><U>Battle up the Red Sea</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oman"><U>Oman</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Looking for family roots"><U>Looking for family roots</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Passage to India"><U>Passage to India</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Surviving the Tsunami"><U>Surviving the Tsunami</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thailand"><U>Thailand</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Malaysia"><U>Malaysia</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Leaving Indonesia for Singapore"><U>Leaving Indonesia for Singapore</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Arriving in Indonesia"><U>Arriving in Indonesia</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Leaving Australia"><U>Leaving Australia</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sailing with friends"><U>Sailing with friends</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yamba"><U>Yamba</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cruising the Oz Coast"><U>Cruising the Oz Coast</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christmas Down Under"><U>Christmas Down Under</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Maps"><U>Maps</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kids page"><U>Kids page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Caledonia to Australia"><U>New Caledonia to Australia</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vanuatu"><U>Vanuatu</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fiji"><U>Fiji</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wallis Island"><U>Wallis Island</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Samoa"><U>Samoa</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canton Island"><U>Canton Island</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hawaii"><U>Hawaii</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Leaving Canada"><U>Leaving Canada</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U>About Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The boat"><U>The boat</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> Panama to Mexico</div> <div> Updated April 22, 2007.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="84785240.jpg" border=0 width="389" height="292" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">After hiking to the tallest point on Curacao, </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a385e20.jpg" border=0 width="389" height="226" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">we set off for the San Blas in brisk winds</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a47af50.jpg" border=0 width="378" height="245" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> where palm-fringed islands and...</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="88b2c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> gin-clear waters lure sailors from around the world</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="86441260.jpg" border=0 width="321" height="294" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the Kuna villagers still live in traditional homes</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a23d7b0.jpg" border=0 width="317" height="379" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> one day a fisherman was slashed by a barracuda,</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8665d380.jpg" border=0 width="349" height="312" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  so Dr. Angela set up her clinic on the beach</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="86822900.jpg" border=0 width="290" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> seven stitches and "keep your feet dry"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="86a1f330.jpg" border=0 width="287" height="307" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the happy patient dancing to show his feet still work</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8911e3d0.jpg" border=0 width="286" height="317" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Bill and Katarina checking for waves</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="85697a00.jpg" border=0 width="407" height="160" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> which Bill managed to ride</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="890345c0.jpg" border=0 width="308" height="348" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><I>Escape Velocity</I> has lots of study room</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a682f60.jpg" border=0 width="386" height="246" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">even the adults got to study...yoga</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8977f1f0.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="287" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> sampling potluck treats</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a57de90.jpg" border=0 width="381" height="233" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jackie and Jack chill with Bill</div> <bR> <div> while their son Tyler plays hunter-provider and Austin plays Marlin Perkins</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="89c0e390.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="313" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">        <IMG SRC="89df7490.jpg" border=0 width="247" height="329" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="89f2c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> after two weeks in San Blas we stopped at Portobello, which was </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a1cdba0.jpg" border=0 width="461" height="186" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> sacked five times by privateers and pirates</div> <bR> <div> <B>Panama Canal Transit</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8b42c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the 19 foot <I>Carina </I>was scheduled to go with us...</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8b831130.jpg" border=0 width="305" height="275" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> but we ended up rafted to a 47 foot French catamaran</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8aa2c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jim and Gwen, fellow Canadian sailors,helped linehandle</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8bb2c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">sailing across Gatun Lake </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8a82c900.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> our pilot advisor, Alex,guided us into the last locks to the Pacific...</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8bc6d660.jpg" border=0 width="365" height="358" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> which we shared with a small car carrier...</div> <bR> <div> After we went through the Panama Canal we hurried up the coast to Mexico as the hurricane season was approaching.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8bf893c0.jpg" border=0 width="393" height="316" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">raising the anchor in a bay in Panama</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8d999b00.jpg" border=0 width="409" height="176" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">surf in Benao where skipper did his back in</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8da9dfb0.jpg" border=0 width="413" height="251" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> entering Golfito in Costa Rica</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8dc9d350.jpg" border=0 width="413" height="309" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the area used to be a banana port</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8dbb7e70.jpg" border=0 width="439" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">now it is a sleepy sportfishing town</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8ddda0a0.jpg" border=0 width="474" height="266" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">our next stop was Nicaraugua</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8dee08d0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="397" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the Puesto del Sol Marina for one night</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8d8be320.jpg" border=0 width="446" height="306" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">quick refuel in Puerto Vallarta</div> <bR> <div> Now we have refueled in Cabo San Lucas and will be leaving tomorrow for Honolulu. There is a tropical disturbance about 900 miles south so we have to vamos.... Should take us about 25 days at sea before we round off our circumnavigation.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>