On Sunday, February 1, we were extremely jet lagged and moved slowly all day. Since we were out of perishable food, we wanted to take the marina bus to town to go to the grocery store. While we were in … Continue reading →
Flying Back to Panama and the Ocean Posse Party
On Saturday, January 25, we all woke up before 0600 PST, despite going to bed so late. Even though we were in San Diego for a week, our body clocks never fully adjusted to the time change, and we felt … Continue reading →
The Howler Monkeys and Gatun Bridge
On the morning of Wednesday, February 22, we went for another walk along the loop to the old officer’s housing. As we got closer to the abandoned barracks, we could hear the howler monkeys screaming, which sounded otherworldly. We found … Continue reading →
Underwater Rescue
Dawn on Tuesday, January 21 We began the day with a minor crisis. Christi’s normal routine is to make a cup of coffee, grab some rags, and go out on deck. She wipes down the exterior of the boat while … Continue reading →
Exploring the Jungle/Ruins of Ft. Sherman
Sunrise on Monday, January 20, taken from Mike and Kim’s hotel room: Shelter Marina Bay is situated on the western side of the Panama Canal in what used to be an American military base called Fort Sherman. The City of … Continue reading →
Keith’s Perspective on Panama City/Le Point de Vue de Keith sur Panama City
This week has been very eventful. On Saturday morning we arrived at Panama. We did the usual settling in process, then went to go eat something. But in Panama, breakfast really isn’t a thing, so there weren’t any restaurants open. … Continue reading →
Panama Canal Transit Part 5: Finishing the Transit
continued… It was exhilarating when the last Gatun lock doors opened into the Caribbean Sea. We did it! And with no damage to the boat and no injuries! Woo hoo! We quickly untied and drove forward into the northern portion … Continue reading →
Panama Canal Transit Part 4 — The Gatun Locks
Continued… As we drove towards the Gatun Locks, we were told that this time, the large ship would be tied up behind us. That was fantastic news, as it meant we wouldn’t have to deal with the turbulent waters created … Continue reading →
Panama Canal Transit Part 3 – Lake Gatun
Continued… Once we exited the lock, we were officially in Lake Gatun. We needed to cross the 26 miles (33 km) lake to reach the set of locks that would take us back down to sea level. Fifteen years ago, … Continue reading →
Northeast Greenland’s Unexplored Sea Ice
Our trip to the North Pole aboard Le Commandant Charcot included a brief visit to Greenland. The country was as striking as we expected, and we wanted to see more. We also learned that sea ice is mesmerizing. Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s most powerful non-nuclear ice-breaker, capable of breaking ice 15ft (4.6 m) thick,…
