Leaving Shelter Bay

We completed some boat maintenance and hopefully fixed our steering – there was a popping noise.  Maybe it’s gone.  Hard to tell without going for a sail.  We were very sad to take our steering apart to replace two bearings.  After waiting two weeks, 1.5 bearings arrived from America.

We also needed to renew our cowls on our dorades. The old ones have seen better days.

We are on our way to Bocas del Toro, about 140 nm up the coast.  Our first day, we will sail a whole 10 miles to the Chagres River, partially because it’s supposed to be cool, and partially to confirm our steering is OK without going too far from support.

Over the next few days, we will work our way to Marina Solarte, a little jungle base a few miles from bustling Bocas Town.  This is going to feel a lot more Caribbean than Shelter Bay.  Marina Solarte has space for about 20 or so boats, and no pool, no store, no bus to the city.  Not much in the way of any amenities.  We’ll see how long us city folk will last.

The Oysters are starting to arrive.  Gentrification.  It’s looking ‘muy rico’ in Shelter Bay.  Must be time for us to move on.