This log is a bit of mixed bag. I’ve elected to let the truth be told- a bit of the downside of my job, and bit of the glory. Usually logs are filled with the positive nature of the expedition, but it’s not always a walk in the park. Then again, it always has its little rewards that come just when they are needed. This is a story of the dark and light side that make up our days at sea.
After saying sad goodbyes to the whole crew in Bocas we took two days trying to get some sleep, then departed for Colon. It was a fast, easy sail. With building winds out of the north Discovery took flight as she hadn’t in weeks, covering the 140 miles in no time. We arrived the Shelter Bay Marina by late Wednesday afternoon and quickly began arranging our transit of the Panama Canal. We’d already lined up an agent, a giant of a guy named Stanley who doesn’t waste time. We’d no sooner tied up the boat when he arrived, cell phone ringing incessantly, favors being called in, dollar signs adding up. But he got it done. Some boats wait for weeks to get through the canal. He arranged a slot for us Friday evening, 48 hours and closing.
I woke up this morning as if in a different world. Gray wicked skies, lumpy and confused seas and howling winds were replaced with a cloudless warm sky and calm. The seas had subsided to a light swell and while I don’t usually get excited to motor, sliding along under power is a welcome respite.…
Closings are never easy and Discovery was no exception. Our scheduled closing date, December 15th came and passed with almost $600,000 in two separate wires lost in the murky world of international wires. For a week and I half I paced the docks, called my bank repeatedly, cussed and drank an inordinate amount of very…
What a crazy week. I arrived in Nice France after a cancelled flight out of JFK, long night in a shady hotel, missed connection in London the next evening (after being rerouted through London instead of Madrid), lost bags in Nice. Checked into the hotel, had a nap, ate a pizza and promptly broke a…