Trip to Isla Linton

ISLA LINTON, PANAMA
JUNE 15-17, 2009

The quiet cove of Linton was just what we all needed: relaxed pace, clear blue water, lots of fish and coral, good snorkeling, all right off the boat. We took two of Danielle's friends, David and Nicole, and David's mom, Rosemary, along for our three night stay at anchor.

David and Danielle snorkel, hoping to find more lobster

Yellow Margined Flycatcher

This friendly little guy was dubbed "Rolfe" by David, Danielle and Nicole, who fed him saltine crackers. He posed for many pictures, and I'm sure would have gotten in our dingy and gone to our boat if we had coaxed him along.

David, Rolfe, Danielle and Nicole

First lobster catch, only pretty small to be shared by five hungry crew. Good thing the captain also grilled steak and baked potatoes.

Beautiful white sand and lots of crabs!!!

Sea Ya - Ricky, Robin and Danielle

El Valle Road Trip May 22-25

When we arrived in Panama, we stayed at Shelter Bay Marina, waiting for the boat to come in. While we had a rental van, we decided to take a road trip and see some of Panama's lush interior. Several people recommended going to El Valle, only a couple of hours west of Panama City.
The picturesque town, nestled down in an extinct volcano, is ringed by forests and jagged peaks. It's breathtaking. The winding narrow road travels up and over the rim, then descends into the bowl of the crater, with the town at it's lowest point, hence El Valle, The Valley. We enjoyed driving through the residential areas where people biked, walked, and rode their golf carts from place to place. Blooming flowers and sculptured trees abounded, with neat fences separating one property from his neighbor's. Very lovely! Here's a sampling of the beauty...

Very rare Hummingbird - Rufous Crested Coquette

Big bold flowers on a very large tree

Well manicured lawns and gardens

We stayed at the Rincon Vallero, pictured above, for a couple of nights. We checked in after dark, and woke up early the next morning to the sound of a billy goat bleating (just like at home!). I walked outside with my camera and smelled that billy goat as well. He was pinned right behind our room. It was like a child's petting zoo and play area with rabbits, a ram, ducks, and of course stinky Billy. My real complaint was the lack of hot water in our room. In fact, the water probably came ice cold right out of a natural mountain spring. What a way to start the morning!

Our next adventure was a short drive up the mountain into the rain forest for a canopy tour. We hiked with a local guide up for an hour, then rode down on zip lines connected to platforms descending back to our starting point. Here's a shot of Danielle zipping along, a bee hive, berries that our guide called "toucan food," and a beautiful butterfly. It was really a lot of fun!

Sea Ya - Ricky, Robin and Danielle

First trip - Rio Chagres

MAIDEN VOYAGE JUNE 3, 2009

Our first trip was a short sail (only 2 hours) from Fort Sherman to the Rio Chagres. What a quiet spot! We saw monkeys and toucans right from our deck.

Beautiful sunset

Danielle at the waterfall


Only one other boat on the entire river

One of our favorite activities was to take long rides in our dingy, just exploring new things. We saw lush plants with strange fruits and flowers, and a few birds. We were told not to swim in the river because there are a few crocodiles. We didn't see any, but the water is muddy, like the Mighty Mississippi.

We tried to hike, but the bugs were horrible. We needed long sleeves, long pants, boots and bug spray!!!

Danielle cuts open an interesting fruit collected


Just at the river's mouth stands the ruins of Fort San Lorenzo. We finally found a hidden path up to the top of the steep cliffs around the other side. Built in 1595 by Phillip II of Spain, the fort was under constant pirate attack. Just one year after it's completion, well known English privateer Sir Frances Drake seized control of the fortifications. Spain regained control, then it was assaulted again in 1671 by Sir Henry Morgan, who sailed up the Rio Chargres, burned the city of Panama to the ground, took her gold, and sailed back to England with his Spanish treasure. Anyway, she saw lots of action in her day!

Sea Ya - Ricky, Robin and Danielle

Moving to Allways Sunday

MOVING ON ALLWAYS SUNDAY
MAY 29, 2009

The time has finally arrived! After dreaming of setting sail for 20 years, we sold our beautiful country estate to buy our floating condo - ALLWAYS SUNDAY! We want to see the world from her decks. She is a Lagoon 380 catamaran. We really like her spaciousness!

Handing over the keys with Jennifer & Drury, Canadians who have sailed the Caribbean for the past 6 years.

We thought we would begin our voyage in the Virgin Islands, however, we purchased ALLWAYS SUNDAY in Panama, Central America. People raved about the lush landscape, natural beaches, great snorkeling and diving, and the interesting culture, so we decided to stay. Besides - we prefer the tropical climate!

Here is a view of ALLWAYS SUNDAY at Shelter Bay Marina located in Fort Sherman, Panama, outside of Colon. Fort Sherman was a base for the US Military when the US operated the Panama Canal.

Sea Ya - Ricky, Robin and Danielle