Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Aros Mear on the hard in the Flamenco boatyard. February 2014.

 Last week we took the boat out of the water for antifouling and to get the generator put in.
The travel-lift seen from the cockpit.




Aros Mear in Flamenco boatyard.

travel lift wheel and JCB.

Two of the workers.

Two workers and David.

You must have your mobile phone handy!



David watching Aros Mear in the travel lift.

Gitte in the yard.

Aros Mear en route in the travel lift.


the boat being lowered in to the sea again.
Canadian friends, Richard and Susanne,whom we met in Mazatlan, suddenly turned up.

Gitte cooking onboard.

Sundowners with friends : Laurie Gitte  and Ron. 

David with Wolly and Heather.
It was hot and dirty as always in a boatyard, so we were pleased to get back on anchor and celebrated with friends.

Tuesday, 1 April 2014

April 1st 2014 Still in Panama.



Panama 1st April 2014.
We are still at La Plaita anchorage in Panama, after a short break last week when we had the boat up on the hard while we stayed in a real nice hotel, Amador Ocean View.
We arrived January 5. and it looks as if we are ready to leave in a few days.
The new generator has been playing tricks, and the engineer is back today to make a new fuel connection to the reserve fuel tank and hopefully that will solve the problem. The new navigation instruments have been installed. Our new dinghy has arrived and the old one has been sold. The new bimini has arrived. And  the new watermaker is here but not been installed yet. David will do that later himself. The plate for the freezer arrived but we have been let down time and again by engineers who promised to come, but never turned up. We hope to find someone in Ecuador.
You need a lot of patience in this part of the world when dealing with locals. Panama is the last out-post in your tracks across the globe before you venture out into the Pacific Ocean, where people live a very different life style and supplies are different to get hold of, not to speak of trades people to help you, if you are stock.

Pelican lifting off near the marina.
Maryann on her catamaran.
Cruisers off to town.
 It’s been a long tree months in,but we have met many of nice people and had lots of good experiences here.
David in the dinghy.

Cruisers amongst catamarans.

Sitting pelican
Boats in the anchorage.
Cruisers on a mission!

Flying pelicans.




Up the mast!

David on his way visiting another boat.





Lady in 'working clothes' on s/v Jean Marie.
.

Sunday, 9 March 2014

Fruit and Vegetable Market in Panama City.March 2014.

Gitte at the Abaska freah produce market in Panama.
Tomatoes
More tomatoes

Peas, beans and rice .

Potatoes.

Men hard at work.
our taxi-driver with potatoes

vendor at the dry produce.

Banana truck

Offloading oranges.

Boy in the pineapple section


Lots of Pineapples
Watermelons
Oranges.

Papayas

Avocados.

David bought avocados.

Mangoes.
More mangoes.

Root vegetables.

Lemons

More root-vegetables.

Buying gurds.
Cane-sugar press.


And drink.

Sugar canes
Pumpkins and gurds.
Our taxi-driver and guide in the fruit market.U