Portobello

What a trip we had from Chichime in the San Blas Islands to Portobello. Jennie started to get funny chest pains a few days before we left the San Blas. We had no internet for diagnosis, no hospitals or doctors around, and it caused Jennie to be in a lot of pain, which is saying something because she is one tough chick. We rested one day in Chichime and then headed out.

The waves were large at 10 to 15 feet and the wind was luckily about 15 to 20 knots, there was about a 10 second period. The original plan was to head into Green Turtle Marina for some fuel and water, as we approached all we could see was the backside of breaking swells, and the anchorage could not have been very comfortable in those conditions. A little ways into the approach I called it off, surfing into a 1st world, properly dredged entrance with emergency response teams is one thing, surfing into a little Panamanian hole in the wall surrounded by breakers is entirely different. We decided to head straight for Portobello.

Durring our sail I watched the gps frequently hit over 9 knots, and once I saw 10.7 knots! We were just being thrown along by the ocean. We made it to Portobello with the last light of the day fading behind the hillside, and set the hook; tired and safe we slept for the night.

We got internet and went into town the next day. After some research; a continuos dose of antacids (which we had none of in the boat) and the beginning of an antibiotics treatment, Jennie is doing much better. But it was frightening with her having difficulty swallowing water and food.

The next day our friends Dylan and Sally on Orion came in, they too had a quick and lumpy ride. We went and walked around town and looked at the old forts that were built a few hundred years ago. Portobello was the main port for Spain to repatriate the riches of south and central america.

It was a nice stop while we contemplated how we were going to proceed through the canal.