Hey there family, friends and to all who are following our progress, we hope we find you well despite the weather ye have been having. Our commiserations, from the updates we’ve been getting it seems like ye have been having a rough time of it. If it’s any comfort we’re getting atypical Caribbean weather as well, but it’s just daily showers, still more than enough sun for us Irish to get heat stroke but bad enough for the locals to be complaining. I’m writing this blog from the idyllic San Blas Islands off of Panama, the true Caribbean. The San Blas archipelago is completely unadulterated series of perfect palm lined desert islands, surrounded by coral reefs. It’s an amazing ecosystem and each piece of coral is a microcosm home to a myriad of tiny brightly coloured fish. The sheer amount of different species is mind boggling, the larger parrot fish dart from coral outcrop to outcrop, larger and more uniform than the wee fellas, and orbiting around each reef are the larger predators that shoal and cruise around the reef. Meanwhile a meter above sea level on the islands themselves it’s much less diverse but no less amazing, you have to be impressed with the coconut trees’ tenacity and ability to survive in a barren, bone dry salt encrusted beaches. They are reminiscent of cacti in a desert, they dominate the flora aspect of each island with a few small creepers and shrubs using the shelter provided everything works in harmony and has a symbiotic relationship.  It’s inhabited by fiercely independent Caribbean Indians called the Khuna they have kept their sovereignty, despite everyone’s attempts to subjugate them. The latest being an offensive by the Panamanians in the 1930’s but they were saved in the nick of time by the Americans as the conflict would have interfered with the trade coming and going through the canal. Each Island is inhabited by a family of the tribe, each island having a hefe (a chief) and his wife who sows the local molas, brightly patterned sheets of fabric depicting stories and geometric designs. The women wear beads from their ankles to their knees, have a mola wrapped like a sarong around the waist and have enough beads and necklaces around their necks to make Mr T jealous.  

Currently we are anchored off of Dog Island, Derry is taking a repose in his cabin getting away from the mid day heat leaving it to the mad dogs and English men, Margaret is sitting on the beach contemplating the paradise after swimming ashore, Cian even rowed back to the boat made a cup of tea covered the top in cling film and rowed back out to Margaret with the cup between his knees without even spilling a drop, to Margaret’s delight. Donnacha and Brian checked the dive gear and dived down to the anchor, and john is snorkelling around the reef taking in all the aquatic delights. This place is really paradise.

I think I left you just prior to New Years, I’m going to have to be very brief as I don’t have much juice left in the laptop and our own Hefe has given me 20 minutes of engine time to write this.

On New years day the lads met 2 guys from the st Lucian rugby team on the beach and played full contact, giving the lads tips and pointers about the game.

On the 4^th we went to Martinique a neighbouring French Island to carry out repairs to the furler, unfortunately upon inspection by riggers it seems that we had sprung our forestay and two shrouds. These keep the mast under tension and are essential, unless you want to go through the very unpleasant experience of an unmasting.

We returned to St Lucia to register for the world arc and meet all of our compadres in the event, we got to know our neighbours in Adela quite well, Heather a nurse, Peter a doctor and James a former Royal Marine and saxophonist. Heather is a full blown Ozzie and full of vim and vigour, to Donnachas chagrin she nominated him as World Arc band leader. Watch that space it should be fun as we have a few musicians scattered throughout the fleet.

That Thursday we went back to Martinique under engine and code one storm jib to carry out the repairs. If your ever there getting work done the Carib Marine Plaisance are magicians and as good as their word putting in overtime coming in early on the last day so as we could leave by mid afternoon in time to make a covert night docking back in St Lucia, these guys were saviours and we really can’t sing their praises enough.  

The next day we left on the official World Arc departure over 40 boats under full sail sailing away at the same time is a sight to behold. Donnacha stood up in the rigging taking photos of the fanfair. We had a forecast of gusts so we didn’t put the cruising chute up directly. We got a day and a half of sailing downwind under genoa making a good 6.5 knots and as the winds died down we raised the parasail aka ninja. We used a different configuration attaching the fixed (clew) end to the Genoa and running a guy rope, genoa sheet and two down hauls(fore and aft) through the spinnaker pole. This new configuration is much better fixing the parasail in place and allowing is to take more of a beam wind with the genoa using it essentially as a cruising chute. That was our sailing configuration at any a rate.

Over the 6 day voyage towards panama from the outlying Caribbean Islands we caught 2 wahoo’s (believe it or not that’s a fish and not an exclamation of excitement) and a bonito all complimented our cuisine keeping us strong and healthy.

Have to go times up see you soon for another avocet update.