The sea curls with distant groundswells as the fragmented skyline of Panama City dips into the horizon. A neat queue of cargo vessels waits at anchor for their turn to transit the Canal. Gone are the steady trades I’ve become accustomed to, and we face the serene blue void of the Pacific. Two years after that first chilly Biscay crossing, Elixir’s hull parts a new ocean.
The excitement of waking up in the Pacific lasts for several weeks. I feel overwhelmed by the infinite number of paths leading to exciting destinations. The Pacific season is beginning and everyone on board craves another ocean passage, yet we feel as if we’ve barely scratched the surface of Latin America. We’ve tasted the flavour of life in Colombia and Panama, and it’s left us wanting more.
In the lingering aftermath of Covid, many Pacific islands still have their borders shut. We decide it’s as good an excuse as any to stick around in Central America. Instead of casting off for French Polynesia immediately, we settle on a 2,000-mile detour to the Sea of Cortez. After checking out of Panama, our next stop is Costa Rica.
Punta Burica marks the border between Panama and Costa Rica. It extends like a bead of water about to drop off into the Pacific. Our first Costa Rican sunset is a vibrant orange dream. We pull in bonito on the line. The red Pacific sun melts into the seascape, leaving a burning soup of molten sky and clouds.
LONGEST WAVE
We shift between leisurely drawn-out tacks, until the tip of the Osa Peninsula emerges at sunrise. Golfito, nested in the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf), is the first port of call for sailors arriving from the south.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Yachting World.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Yachting World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
NIKKI HENDERSON
WHERE DO YOU FIND HANDY BILLY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
MATTHEW SHEAHAN
IS OLYMPIC SAILING ACTUALLY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS A SHOWCASE OF THE SPORT FOR BOTH COMPETITORS AND SPECTATORS?
Building fleet for Baltic Sea Race
The second edition of the Roschier Baltic Sea Race, a 635-mile race out of Helsinki, Norway, saw varied conditions and a new benchmark course time set.
New cruising charter 'Odyssey'
Charter company Dream Yacht has launched a new round the world supported cruising programme for yacht owners which draws on the company's extensive network of charter bases.
Mixed fortunes at Marseille
The Paris 2024 sailing regatta saw mixed fortunes for many favourites - some confirming their dominance, others crashing out as variable winds played havoc.
The yacht Bayesian
Bayesian is one of Italian yard Perini Navi's 56m series, originally named Salute.
Seven dead in superyacht sinking
Seven people are dead following the sinking of the superyacht Bayesian, a 56m/184ft British-flagged Perini Navi, off the coast of Sicily.
5 EXPERT TIPS HELENA DARVELID ON MULTIHULL CONTROL
Performance multihull racing is growing hugely in popularity. Helena Darvelid shares some key learnings with Andy Rice
PALMA'S FUN FACTOR
FUN ON AND OFF THE WATER IS AN UNBEATABLE COMBINATION AT THE SUPERYACHT CUP PALMA, WRITES PHIL RILEY
SWAN 88 DREAMCATCHER
GLOBAL LEADERS AT THE SEMI-CUSTOM END OF THE PRODUCTION SCENE, NAUTOR SWAN INVITED US FOR THE FIRST SEA TRIALS OF ITS BIG NEW 88