Underway

Miss Molly 4
Bob & Peggy Wilkerson/Geoff & Merel Pettifer
Sun 8 Jun 2008 14:49
7:38.10N 79:31.02W
 
What a great departure to leave Isla Pedro Gonzales on a sunny Sunday morning. We were waved off first by the fishermen on the 2 wooden boats that were anchored beside us, followed by 4 pelicans flying behind Miss Molly. The weather got clearer and better, we even managed to sail for an hour until the wind headed us again. We are now motor sailing out of the Bay of Panama, out of sight of land. However, we are surrounded by sea life. One pelican kept following us and plunging in our wake to get his lunch. Then there were the boobies and some sort of "flying mini-penguins", coming so close to the boat and really looking at us, that we have concluded that these birds are real curious little buggers. The sea itself is also teeming - rays jumping and splashing and 100+ pods of dolphins with the odd one jumping out.
 
We would never have thought by the weather of the past few days and the reports from fellow sailors on this track that we would ease so comfortably into this passage. Every mile like this is a bonus, since we assume this good spell won't last for the whole trip. Meanwhile, we enjoy the flying and swimming company around the boat.
 
Cheers from the happy sailors,
Geoff & Merel