Well, that didn't work...

 When you tell a lot of people they can follow your track while making a passage, it falls somewhere on the spectrum between "Hold my beer, I got this" and "Mommy, mommy, watch me do this" often the result is not quite what was expected.

Both Fred and Frieda have been re-homed!

For several years we have had one or more geckos living on our boat. We suspected more than one, but only recently did Bob see two together. We have enjoyed their company, watching them dart around the boat, hopefully munching on any unwanted insects we have aboard. We were sad that their lives were in danger because we have to get the boat fumigated before we go to the Galapagos, and we were even sadder when we heard that geckos can live up to 15 years. They certainly do no harm to us, and they eat bugs, so we appreciate them being aboard. We have tried to catch them in the past, but they are very quick and very elusive. 

Raccoon Picture test

This is one of the many raccoons in the marina. 

When we first arrived in the July 

it was the height of the lockdown. 

No one was about and the raccoons

 were running rampant.

 Up and down the docks, onto boats, 

up on top of buildings, 

there was no stopping them. 

Then the lockdown restrictions eased.

 People started reappearing 

and we watched people out for the evening, 

feeding the raccoons. 

The raccoons disappeared from the docks, 

they didn't need to scrounge on the boats.

 Then the second lockdown happened. 

The people disappeared and the raccoons

 had to go scrounging again. 

We saw them running down the docks and,

 unfortunately we found them on our boat.

 They broke open several bags of rice

 and distributed it everywhere!

Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Test

Trying to figure out how to send a post from my satellite phone. Next step, sending a picture.

Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Oh Panama!

 Panama, Panama, what are you doing to us? I was so pleased this summer to see how well Panama was dealing with the pandemic. Everyone was wearing masks and practicing social distancing, and cases were going down, from a high of 1200 new cases a day, the numbers fell and were sitting at 200-400 new cases a day.  Then something happened. I don't know exactly what prompted the change, whether it was weariness of it all, or because of a series of National holidays in November. 

Shoes?

I have to wear shoes? After three weeks in Las Perlas Islands we have returned to civilization and are feeling some culture shock. When was the last time you were able to go three weeks without putting on shoes? I am betting for the vast majority of you that it has been a very long time, if ever. The downside is our feet complaining bitterly about being confined again. We have also enjoyed three weeks without wearing a mask. These two things alone are enough to drive me back to a quiet anchorage.

Sometimes it's nice to be alone...

Away from society, away from the chaos, especially with the one you love. In these crazy times it is nice to be able to have some distance from the craziness.