Jan 15
We were having a lovely sail toward the finish line - about 3 hours out - fish on! So we had to slow the boat, turn into the wind and heave-to in order to bring the fish in. It was a 36 inch MahiMahi, Lee was thrilled. I pointed out that we were losing time toward the finish but he didn't care. The fish was more important. After the hour or so delay we got back on track to finish the leg. But first another complication - the shackle that attaches the main sheet to the traveler bent and let go - so down with the main, new shackle, up with the main and on to the finish. After the finish we anchored behind one of the San Blas islands and enjoyed a good fresh fish on the grill dinner, then we all promptly fell asleep for 12 hours.
This morning we had to clear in so we went to Porvenir to complete the procedure - had a heck of a time anchoring (that's not a skill we've used before!) and then I hopped in the kayak and went ashore to clear us in. Then off to anchor behind another island and take the girls kayaking and up to play on the beach. So now after 22 of 24 days at sea we finally have a bit of R&R! And of course we have to fix the various items that broke on the leg. This leg was brutal with the big winds and waves and a number of the boats have breakage/sail repairs to deal with, inevitable with the conditions.
We're safely anchored and ready to turn in for the night. When we're at sea Lee and I generally sleep in the cockpit - foulies on and clipped in, we wake each other up to take over watch or if we need to reef the mainsail or something like that. When the waves were really big and we were rolling we would sleep on the cockpit sole on bean bag chairs, the "low" side was prone to be the "high" side at any minute and you could be unceremoniously dumped to the floor, so we slept there for safety, and when the waves were breaking you had to wear a hat to keep the water from dumping down the neck of the foul weather gear (doesn't this sound like fun?). So after sleeping like that for so long, the whole dry, gently swinging at anchor bunk is a luxury.
Good night,
Pauline