So, the journey up to Costa Rica was… LOUD. We motored more in three days than we have in the last 3000 miles combined. Started off beating into 15kts – Zingaro was doing great! We were moving at 8kts or so for the first 4 hours, storms forming all around us as we headed out and they headed in towards land. Got some really cool videos of that.
Then… dead. 3kts for the next two days. We had to motor so long I ended up freaking out at 5am and we drifted for a couple hours as I contemplated buying a trawler. 😀
We shut the motors down to eat, and sunsets, but we basically had to motor the whole way up here less 7-8 hours. It was a 52 hour journey.
We’re getting moored at the yacht club that I called from Panama, verified the size of the lift, and reserved a spot to get hauled out. But they gave me the wrong Information: We don’t fit in the lift!
Options:
- There’s a huge yard for the big fishing boats that can haul us right near here: for $200/day!!
- Sail back down 100 miles to the only 100T travel lift in Central America (and pay ~$800 for the haul out, plus yard fees). Trying to get a quote has been difficult.
So we’re kinda stuck, but this is boating. I’m really glad I speak decent Spanish now, I’ve got some locals helping me out. Nice people here.
Lastly, coming to Puntarenas to check in was 100% the right thing to do. We sailed an extra 150 miles to get to the Port Captain with the most experience, because we didn’t have proof of yellow fever vaccines. Turned out we didn’t need them, but the other guys asked for them and the Port Captain told them it wasn’t a real law and we didn’t need them. Woohoo!! May have gone differently in a smaller port. We heard of people being turned away!
Stay tuned for an update on the yard, going to buy epoxy now in the capital city 2 hours away. 🙂
– James
