A slow start south west

NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Sun 16 Mar 2003 14:19
Las Perlas Islands
16th March.
Not a lot to report.  Full to the brim with food, gas, fuel, water and everything else we could think of.  Nordlys is right down to her antifoul top and after a few days at the Balboa mooring was absolutely filthy.  This all encompassing filth and grime is something that we had never come across before we visited Cartegena.  Now we have it again.  Touch any rope or the rigging and ones hand comes away with a black layer on it.  All white ropes are dark grey.  The real problem is that we have no power hose and abundant water to wash it off.
Enough of the downside.  At 0615hrs we motored slowly down the western approach to the canal and on towards the Las Perlas islands.  This group of islands belong to Panama and are very unspoilt despite being only thirty miles off the shore.  We managed to sail the last two hours at a very pleasant 3 to 4 knots over a smooth sea.
We anchored off a deserted beach for the night in the company of several cruising  catamarans.  When we saw them we rushed again to the chart as the sight of only cats made us wonder about the depth!
Next day we motored out and then sailed gently on passed a small rocky islet on which every inch was covered with pelicans.  The bird life is very active and large here.  Pelicans being the most numerous.  Also lots of frigate birds and cormorants.  Sailing slowly we arrived at the island of Pedro Gonzales and dropped the hook off one of the nicest anchorages we have been in.  Half a mile of palm fringed beach, an islet at each end and no sign of man other than a couple of fishermen's huts. The shells on the beach sent the girls into raptures of collecting mania.  I shall have to up my beer consumption to compensate for the added weight.
Along with Troubadour and Taraki we plan a beach BBQ this lunch time. Christabel is busy making a salad as I write.  Not often that ones diet is planned around what will 'go off' first.   Meanwhile the wind has deserted us and the fax machine does not look hopeful for any in the near future.
Happy times to you all
David Annette and Christabel