PAYBACK !

Monday 13^th June.  Chagres River, Panama.

Another glorious but steamy morning on the Chagres River.  We were all up at dawn to begin the next leg of our journey, a 50-mile trip to our next planned stop along the coast towards Bocas del Toro.

Chagres River

As I attempted to drag the comb through my shiny from sweat, and sun lotion soaked, wind tousled hair, I couldn’t help but wonder what adventures awaited us today. The sun was shining brightly in a beautiful blue sky as we motored slowly out of the river and back into the ocean.  Sadly the calm didn’t last for long, less than an hour out at sea clouds started rolling in, the skies darkened and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance.  I hate storms, I mean really hate them, and never more than when I’m out at sea; a friend of mine who also has an Oyster sailboat, has been hit 3 times by lightening, so I think I have cause to be concerned.  The sea grew rougher and rougher as the storm built, the waves were huge, and Daisy was rocking and rolling around like a cork, we were headed straight into the wind and against the current, so no sails to stop the rocking, and not a lot of speed either; it was slow, rough going.  Both Niki and I took up the horizontal position on deck, incapable of performing the smallest task.  Niki turned a luminous shade of green and I was not far behind.  Having been off the boat for 4 months this was not the gentle introduction back to seamanship I had hoped for. It took us 7 hours to reach our planned anchorage, only to discover the water was so rough we couldn’t drop anchor safely, Bob suggested we move on to the next island where there was another anchorage, “only another 10 miles” he said (I was not a happy bunny) but there was no other option open to us other than to continue on.  I had needed to pee for the last 3 hours but hadn’t dared venture below decks for fear of vomiting everywhere; the situation was getting desperate, but it was going to have to wait.  We reached the next anchorage in half-light, to find it exposed, choppy and rolly, not at all where we wanted to be in the current conditions, so the dreaded decision was made, to continue on through the night to Bocas del Toro.

The sea was incredibly rough and we were all completely drenched from the huge waves breaking over the bow and filling the cockpit with water, I was starting to feel real despair, I couldn’t believe this nightmare journey would continue for another 12 hours, when suddenly we were joined by a pod of young “Atlantic Spotted dolphins” (STENELLA FRONTALIS) that were loving the conditions as much as I was hating them.  They swam with us leaping out of the water beside the cockpit, and darting this way and that in front on the bow, leaping through the enormous waves.  They stayed with us for almost an hour, and proved a welcome and effective distraction from the dreaded storm, seasickness and bathroom needs. The Atlantic spotted dolphin is probably the most common dolphin in the Gulf of Mexico. They are really pretty, quite small at only 6-7 feet long, and have spots all over their underbelly. We couldn’t take any photos because we were all too busy hanging on for dear life just trying not to get washed overboard.

The journey through the night didn’t improve, and at one point both Niki and I simultaneously rushed up on deck to vomit violently, either side of the boat, Niki on starboard and me on port, just as Bob was heating himself up some tomato soup, OH what a bloody awful mess, but the waves were so big they quickly washed the decks clean.  Poor Bob was left to do everything by himself, and cope with 2 sick miserable women.

Around 3am under pale moonlight we pulled into a lovely lagoon, OH the peace and quiet, and still water, what absolute bliss.  We dropped anchor, and everyone collapsed into bed thoroughly exhausted. I think this trip was the payback for my wonderful day yesterday.  Was it worth it?  Ask me later right now I’m sleeping…