[p]pjr4728
[s]
pos: 08 35.609n 079 01.175w
sp: 0.0
h: 0m
w: sunny
d: 13/06/20 10.17 GMT-0500
We have been enjoying the Las Perlas (Pearl Islands) about 40nm SE of Panama City for the the past fortnight. These 2 weeks give us a pause to make sure we didn't pick up anything from the Transit advisors we had to have on board through the Canal, attend to a last bit of provisioning and boat preparation - but mainly a chance to relax and get back into cruising mode in a beautiful place.
The islands really are lovely, and a Covid bonus is that they are practically deserted! We've enjoyed the company of fellow kiwi yachts Spacegrazer and Patea and our swiss friend Thomas aboard Moira, with a few beach bonfires, shared meals and more than a few spicy colas.
Mili has also been in heaven with her regular walks on deserted beaches! Mind you, we did have a brief scare when touring the S end of the islands with Moira...We'd anchored off a beach ready to do an up-river dinghy trip at dawn the next day, so naturally headed there for or evening walk. Landing in the centre of the beach, we headed off to the right end first. Mili being off the lea,d, she soon smelt swamp, which we hadn't spotted through the bush. This, of course meant that she went hareing off into it. And that, as we know spelt potential trouble. Dad dutifully waded into the mangroves on a retrieval mission packing it this time, it must be admitted! Anyway, retrieval complete, and lead now firmly attached, we headed back to the other end of the beach. Lo and behold, the bush opened out here to reveal the 'swamp' at the other end was actually the edge of a large lagoon backing the full length of this long beach. Wherein happily swam 4 crocodiles, only about 30m off the back of the beach.
I have little doubt that had we turned left with her off the lead instead of right when starting, or without the mangrove warning bells, Mili would have done her usual and rushed into swim in this part of the lagoon...and promptly become a croc 'bocadillo'!
Anyway, all good things must come to an end but it does make way for the possibility of new adventure!...Here we go...setting off on our longest passage to date, around 4,000nm west to Nuka Hiva in the Marquesas, an archipelago at the eastern edge of French Polynesia. (We'd actually like to mae landfall on Hiva Oa, an adjacent island, but still have some uncertainty this is allowed. Although limited reprovisioning stops for yachties have been allowed anyway, FP is now scheduled to repoen its borders offically to all visitors on July 15th. This is about when we may arrive, although the journey may take (us) anywhere between 28-42 days, depending on the weather!
Unfortunately our late departure from Panama has meant that we are now in the rainy season and the prevailing winds have changed - whereas we would have looked forward to a full 'downwind' run, with following winds all the way, if we'd left in April, now we have wind and swell against us, for at least the first 7 days as we first head broadly SW before turning W. Current forecast is for winds not actually to come behind the beam for about 2 weeks! Oh well, needs must...Off we go!

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