Flamenco Marina -21 March 2024
It was a pleasant start to the day with the rain the day before having cleared the air. We decided to try Carolyn’s pancake recipe and made 3 x her standard recipe and these pancakes went down well. Mark said he preferred the flour version.
I had another jobs day (so a bit boring in terms of a blog) but the crew decided to go to a Bio Museum which had been recommended and which was in walking distance nearby. They left quite early about 8-8.30am.
Pedro the man for the toilet issue came about 9.00am and will fit it in his schedule on Saturday morning and we think it is the joker valve which needs a clean. The men for the turning blocks were supposed to come at 8.30am but did not turn up until 11.00am. The turning blocks are like a like a wheel on a spring through which you put the sheet of the sail when in use and it means you can direct the sail via the wheel to a winch. They had made some teak blocks on which the turning block sits and there is one each side. Bolts are then drilled through the deck and a plate is fitted at the bottom underneath so that it is strong and will hold the forces a sail is likely to exert. Luckily the plates went into the underneath of a bookshelf in the rear cabin so that they cannot be seen. They also fitted two new jammers for the running backstays on either side of the coach roof. These were again place on teak blocks and drilled through into the ceiling of the rear cabin and secured. We filled patches over the holes with the same material as the ceiling, so you do not really notice them. They did all this in the heat but I guess are used to it.
It was one of the hottest days of my trip so far and you could feel it and the humidity was very high. To make use of the time I decided to use the 5 jerry cans in the lazarette to make sure our tanks were full so that when we depart to go toward the Galapagos, we have full tanks. I estimated we may have used about 80 lts or so for the canal. I have 5 jerry canes of 20 lts each. I used all 5 mostly to fill the Starboard tank from which the engine draws and the rest in the port tank. I then had the jerry cans refilled so I have fresh fuel in them.
The guys returned from the museum and stated it was great. Charles, a geologist, and who must have been to a few museums in his time said it was the best museum he has ever been to. It was all about how the history of Panama was formed and had a green edge to it. It was well put together with videos and displays. It went to explain how nature changed with the forming of the Panama Isthmus and the creation of the barrier between the Atlantic and Pacific. It was a shame I missed it.
Mark and Joyce went to do a final shop to get what we did not get the first time. They returned with quite a lot of bags and again we had to store it all. There are therefore stores in all the cupboards and under the floors, so we just need to remember it is there and to use them up at the right time.
We had a steak supper with mashed potato and runner beans fusion style (made by Charles), and this was welcome particularly as the heat had gone down. It had been a more productive day and we will go to an Island by ferry tomorrow.
Opportunity for any Readers/Sailors.
In late May 2024 we shall be in the Marquesas in French Polynesia, and we will then move through to the Tuamotu’s before getting to Tahiti about the end of July 2024. There may be some space on Stormbird during this period should any sailor/reader be interested in joining for this period or part of it in what must be one of the most distant and beautiful places in the world. If there is any interest do email me at hine.nick9@gmail.com
The blog will continue as we head off to Panama and beyond.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk