09.48N 078.08W San Blas Islands 18th june 2011
Mojo 2
Andrew Partington
Sat 18 Jun 2011 13:21
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The coast of Panama is just now come into view at
8.30am and we are now 28NM from the San Blas Islands. If all goes well
we should be there around lunchtime.
We had a big day of motoring yesterday and for
several hours were running on both motors trying to make up some time. This
would give Rob a chance to see some of the islands before we head to
Cristobal, and he flies back to Aruba for his connecting flight.
Most of yesterday was calm and any wind that did
develop tended to be in the wrong direction. We did have favourable wind of
around 12-13 knots at 11pm so Rob and I hoisted the main and headsail. For 3
hours we had a good sail and gave the motors a rest but the inevitable happened
as the wind again failed us in the early hours of the morning.
Beautiful night last night. If it wasn't a full
moon it was pretty close. There were some storms to be seen but the closest of
these was 27NM from us so we just watched the show again! Very little to do
except pull out the I-Phone for a blast with Green Day.
I did have a strange experience last night in the
flat calm at around 3am. A 180m long ship came into view on the AIS from
behind us. It was making around 18 knots [fast!] and was heading
along our immediate path. I watched it closely from around the 5 mile mark
to make sure it wasn't going to turn us into a couple of monohulls!! It
approached on our port side, but close, so I made an adjustment to our heading
to starboard. As it came alongside, only spitting distance from us, it
appeared to slow down to match our speed. I checked the AIS a few times but it
still showed them as making 18 knots. We ran along together like that for a
couple of minutes but it felt a bit creepy so I backed the throttle right off.
The ship slowly overtook us and crossed our line around a mile or so ahead of
us. I am still not sure if what I was seeing was a trick of the eye or
if the ship actually did slow down a little to check us out. In the past with
ships travelling at that kind of speed they pass and make you look like you are
standing still. Who knows??
Daniel and Rob enjoyed more world class cuisine
last night from the kitchen of yours truly. It was a sort of stew which
basically had as much canned food in it that I could lay my hands on!!
What it lacked in taste it made up for in nutritional content. Robert has
offered to cook tonight!!!
We will spend the day sailing [motoring?] through
the Islands and then likely set our waypoint for the Canal Zone around
dusk.
I have heard that recently the wait to transit the
canal was a couple of weeks. I hope the busy season has now passed and ours will
be a shorter waiting time.
It is looking as though my wife Jane and a freind
of ours Dean Wauters will be joining us now at the Galapagos
Islands to asssit with the Pacific crossing. This means it will
be just Daniel and I for the canal transit and the 900NM sail to Galapagos.
Daniel has offered to pay for dozens of frozen dinners for this
leg??
Andrew.
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