Passage Notes - Golfito to Vista Mar, Panama

​Passage Notes  May June 2018
​Golfo Dulce to Marina Vista Mar Panama
 
 
Golfito to Armeulles
 
Mostly a motorboat trip for us.
Stopped by Guarda Costa Heavy Panga and checked our passports
Roadstead anchorages, rain and squalls.
 
Armeulles to the Isla Parida and Islas Secas
 
Light wind in the morning
Sailing by the afternoon
Easy runs
 
Islas Secas to Punta Mala
 
Water pump died so we were engineless.  
Sailed off the anchor.
Light air by the islands with enough current to keep things interesting
Wind filled in once we left the lee of the island
Winds light and variable all the way to Punta Mala
2 days at 80 miles / day
 
Punta Mala to Vista Mar
 
We approached Punta Mala with trepidation. We had no engine at this point and there wasn’t much we could do to vary the timing of our approach.  You get pinched by Punta Mala on one side and the shipping lanes leaving the canal on the other.  Somehow we got lucky.  We passed right around slack tide like we were hoping and the winds were light but steady.
 
We got past Punta Mala and headed for Marina Vista Mar. The winds got even lighter and we had more squalls chasing us around.  It took us two more days to do the last 50 miles.  The wind died completely within sight of the marina 8 miles away.  We couldn’t take it .  We put the dinghy in the water and hip tied it to the boat.  Pretty soon we were doing 3.5kts using our dinghy and 15hp Mercury outboard.
 
We graciously accepted help from the marina for the last mile and into our slip.
 
We made it.