World ARC 2024-25 Preparations - Trindad & Panama passage towards the Galapagos

Following the huge success of my first ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) crossing completed in 2022; full of good vibes having met so many wonderful people it was now time for a next adventure. My biggest wish to sail the Pacific Ocean was next and joining the World ARC 2024 - 25 rally would fit just perfectly. Preparations & excitement both on high alert. I just could not wait to get back onboard and really live this once in a lifetime adventure!!!

End of November 2023 we flew out to Trinidad with great expectations to find that unfortunately the person who we had entrusted to look after our boat and follow works had done close to nothing. Plans to spend Christmas & New Year in Antigua were immediately scrapped. My exhibition on Caribbean paintings to be held at Nelsons Dockyard called off and it was now time to do all we could to make it in time for the rally start in St Lucia 13 January 2024.

Luckily we had commissioned a friend & skipper we had met during the ARC crossing, Miguel Botelho nicknamed Papi from San Miguel Azores, to join us on this adventure. The issue of getting rid of the so called project manager was immediate & it was now time to find the right locals to help us. A little more than we had bargained for!!

It took a lot of strength & insight on all of our parts as Trinidad was foreign stomping ground to us. The weather extremely hot with many outbursts of rainfall. Living onboard was not an option so we were forced to skip apartments almost every week or so not knowing how long it would actually take us to launch. Being optimistic & flexible was the only way forward!

Finding ourselves in such a predicament gave us all the more opportunity to work on our instincts. Things we made easier on meeting our Maltese Canadian friend Richard, who had recently bought a catamaran while we were in st Maartens during the Heineken Regatta in March 23, and offered us a few local tips as he had been in Powerboats Shipyard for a bit and managed quite successfully.

The following two months we were to spend in Trindad were made a lot easier having Richard revisit plus of course our lovely friends Iain & Jacqueline on SY Fatjax, who had also chosen Trindad as a place to leave their boat out of the hurricane belt. Life is always so much better when you know you can meet up with friends for a beer or two or even better cook them dinner and have a playful night together.

This time was made a lot easier for us having Jacqueline & Iain from SY Fatjax in Trinidad, them too going through similar battles towards getting their boat ready and felt like either side was not alone working towards the same goal, the World ARC. Wonderful Jaqueline was actually the person who introduced us to the World ARC and I truly knew that developing a friendship with her & her husband Iain would be life long. This is really what these ARC events are about; finding beautiful like minded souls. 

Christmas & New Year were nearing and we just had to accept we would be spending it pushing to get our way through works but we did allow ourselves a day off on Christmas Day to discover the other side of the island's mystical beauty. Maracas Bay followed by Las Cuevas the region of Shark & bake, a dish we were apprehensive on trying. This region was particularly beautiful but Las Cuevas Bay was definitely a winner. 

All our local team at Powerboats Shipyard kept getting better everyday and everyone was putting in their maximum effort to hurry works on. The shipyard had now built a proper tent for us and we were finally able to complete our spray paint job done so  skillfully by Osaia Griffith (aka Cow) and his devoted team.

Between Christmas & New Year is never a good time for workers but his guys were going hammer & tongs, so we made sure to look after everyone by offering them a couple of lovely BBQ's prepared by myself. Our best way to thank everyone for their good work.

After visiting the Trindad & Tabago Yacht Club a few times, the three of us decided it would be a great place to spend New Year's Eve. We had rented a nice place to stay close by so it made things more pleasant and definitely very festive. New Year's Eve was plenty of fun meeting local boat lovers at the Yacht Club and a great way to start the New Year!

Once Christmas & New Years celebrations were over we knew time was getting very close now and we were all working round the clock but we did have an honest hunch that making the start 13 January would be close to impossible. We agreed that we were better to finish all our jobs here before moving and then running into issues afterwards.

There were still jobs to be done and Trinidad would be much easier than anywhere else so we had to accept the fact that we were not be able to make the rally start. Although I felt very sad about this; firstly because we were so looking forward to meeting and starting the rally with our new rally mates. Secondly we had organised for my sister and her partner Martin to join us in Santa Marta Colombia and we just had to accept that we would have to change plans. 

Having launched our boat with still last minute issues to deal with, I knew the best thing for me now was to keep calm and therefore now time to paint. So I took the chance to paint most evenings off the aft deck looking out to the 5 islands. Something I have always enjoyed is painting the same scene and watching the development, changes & differences in each work always varying on the weather, light and of course my mood :))

Due to the way things worked out and the pressure to be present & to keep up the good vibes as much as could I had put my painting aside although I did manage to escape away one day and create this time lapse video.

I was now desperate for our time in Trinidad to come to an end  plus Marc's birthday was nearing so we decided the best way was for my sister and her and her partner Martin to meet us in Trinidad. Leaving on such a good note was definitely the best finale but I stupidly did not take into account how much sailing time would be involved to get to Panama. This did put quite a bit of stress on us but always with the future in mind.

Finally leaving Trinidad 27 January and 1200 nautical miles to get to Shelter Bay, the mouth of Panama Canal, was quite a brutal was to start our season. As we got close to Panama and knowing the San Blas Islands were on the way, i could not hold myself back from persuading our captain Papi and Marc to allow us one day in the San Blas Islands.

This place was definitely the closest to paradise I had ever seen. Totally idyllic in every way. Having only 24 hours there made it all the better and so glad for all my convincing as we all really enjoyed visiting the islands. This heavenly place and the short but sweet time, made it so special that I don't think i will ever forget the San Blas islands :))

And when i feel this way the best thing to do is grab my painting gear and really live it!!!

It's amazing how much a boost can do for everyone in such a special place and I honestly don't really know if spending anymore time there would have been necessary. We had dinner at a great local shack "Ibin" where we left our mark, a signed Maltese flag. We definitely had our little touch of paradise and being with my sister was just the best treat after so many months; very grateful and very sunburnt to say the least!!

Arriving to Shelter Bay only a day later was perfect timing. We were welcomed to the rally by Jenevora part of the rally committee, our good friend Iain from SY Fatjax and most of all Robert, Marc's great friend who had done the Atlantic ARC with us and was full of new energy and excitement for our Panama/ Galapagos adventure.

We had finally joined our rally members and this was time to get prepared, provisioned and set to cross the Panama Canal. Once the ARC had done all our safety checks on the boat and we had been fumigated in preparation for Galapagos, it was time to provision like crazy. I provisioned for as much as i could fit in the fridge, freezer and every other space possible as this would be our last good provisioning stop for a long time. This was also the moment where i could understand better what would be expected of us on arriving to the Galapagos since there were so many constraints.

The Panama Canal was strangely not what i had expected. There was very little traffic and not a lot going on apart from our time in the locks. We stayed overnight in Gaton lake and the passage was made very easy thanks to the two wonderful local pilots we had onboard. 

Arriving to La Playita Marina in Panama City a day and a half later was great fun to be with all our rally mates again and I could not wait to explore the city. A great combination of old and new. Buying the best Panama hats for my dad, brother and Marc was something i was looking forward to and I even managed to get a lovely hat for myself.

It was so much fun finding some great local haunts and making new local friends, Annabel & Michael. A couple of great nights out in the old town at "Casa Casco," a party night at "La Tana" nightclub and finally a lovely dinner just Marc and I at "Casablanca" Restaurant made Panama City quite special and definitely beyond my expectations. I had heard Panama City was the new Miami and I could see that :))

After a week in Panama City it was now time to make our way to Galapagos, but before that we needed a short stop in the Las Perlas Islands only 30 nautical miles off Panama City. This calm place would be ideal for us to remove the barnacles from the hull of our boat (yet another restriction) while at the same time resume our energy before sailing another 800 nautical miles to San Cristobal Island in Galapagos. 

The Las Perlas islands were surprisingly beautiful very untouched and full of vegetation. We chose to anchor in the channel between Isla Chapera & Mogo Mogo for our first night and in a bay with no name, in the region of Don Bernardo part of Isla Pedro Gonzalez for the next two nights. We found this bay particularly stunning, so remote and of its rawest nature. It honestly surprised me not to find a soul about until Sunday afternoon when a party of locals rocked up for a beach BBQ. Our choice to anchor in these uninhabited locations was the best plan imaginable, just so superbly tranquil & definitely unforgettable!

The day the boys chose to inspect the hull by scuba diving, I took the paddle board out for a wander until I came across a strong current a little further into the open bay. Knowing my capabilities and taking into account what our captain had told me, I soon turned back and followed my way back into the bay to avoid any issues. Our time spent in the Las Perlas was what i had been looking forward to for so long; the feeling of not having to rush anywhere or do anything. Time to rest, paint & recharge!!!